Jia Ma Empire

"I never imagined that, without even realizing it, I'd owe such a great debt."

After hearing Tang Zhen's account, Xiao Xuan let out a long sigh.

He had originally come here to seek an alliance with Burning Flame Ancestor, so they could deal with the Hun Clan together in the future!

He never expected that the man had perished.

And because of the Xiao Clan, no less.

Now, all he could do was look after Burning Flame Valley and repay the kindness.

Just then,

a wave of scorching wind suddenly swept through!

Right after it, a streak of crimson light appeared in the hall!

The newcomer also had a head of red hair.

His aura had actually reached the terrifying Dou Saint level!

"Tang Zhen, who dares attack Burning Flame Valley? Do they really think this old man can't swing a blade anymore?"

The red-haired old man had quite a fiery temper. The moment he appeared, Dou Qi surged from his body, sending every table and chair in the hall crashing to the ground.

The floor cracked inch by inch, all around him!

Tang Zhen hurried to his feet. "Ancestor, don't be rash. It's a misunderstanding, all of it."

"What do you mean?!"

Fire Cloud Ancestor furrowed his brows. His two flame-red eyebrows looked as though they might start spitting fire.

He pointed at Xiao Xuan.

"Did that man threaten you? If so, blink, and this old man will kill him with one palm!"

Tang Zhen jumped in fright. He glanced at Xiao Xuan and, seeing that he hadn't taken offense, pulled Fire Cloud Ancestor aside and quietly explained.

"What?! You... you're saying he... he's Xiao Xuan?!"

After hearing Tang Zhen's words, Fire Cloud Ancestor's eyes widened in disbelief.

Tang Zhen nodded.

"Senior Xiao Xuan, I'm Fire Cloud. I was greatly out of line just now. Please forgive me."

Fire Cloud Ancestor bowed to Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan waved a hand. "It's nothing. If I knew someone meant my Xiao Family harm, I'd probably be even angrier than you!"

Fire Cloud Ancestor wiped the sweat from his forehead and scratched his head sheepishly.

"To reach the Early One-Star Dou Saint stage through your own efforts... your talent is quite impressive."

Xiao Xuan saw through Fire Cloud Ancestor's strength at a glance.

Fire Cloud Ancestor blushed. "You flatter me, senior."

"But it seems you've hit a bottleneck!"

Xiao Xuan's figure flickered, and he appeared before Fire Cloud Ancestor.

He touched a finger to Fire Cloud Ancestor's brow.

Insights into cultivation flowed from Xiao Xuan's fingertip into Fire Cloud Ancestor's mind!

In an instant, Fire Cloud Ancestor sank into a wondrous state!

Tang Zhen was astonished to discover that

countless white motes of energy had suddenly appeared around them!

The energy poured madly into Fire Cloud Ancestor's body.

At the same time, his aura rapidly climbed!

In just a few breaths!

With a sudden boom,

Fire Cloud Ancestor broke through!

The bottleneck that had troubled him for years had been shattered just like that!

Tang Zhen was dumbfounded!

H-he'd broken through just like that?

Fire Cloud Ancestor dropped to his knees, overcome with excitement.

"Thank you for your help, Senior Xiao Xuan. If you ever need me, just say the word. Fire Cloud will gladly give his life!"

Xiao Xuan waved a hand. "It was the least I could do. If not for Brother Burning Flame back then, my Xiao Clan might have been wiped out long ago."

Xiao Xuan brought out several high-tier Dou Techniques. "These fire-attribute Dou Techniques and cultivation methods are for you. The valley's outstanding disciples may cultivate them as well."

"These... they're all Heaven Tier Dou Techniques! No, Senior Xiao Xuan, these... these are far too precious."

Tang Zhen swallowed, hardly able to believe it.

"No matter how precious they are, they can't compare to the kindness Brother Burning Flame showed me back then."

Xiao Xuan smiled. "Take them. Cultivate well. They'll give you another means of protecting yourselves. Besides, one day, I'll settle accounts with the Hun Clan. Don't you want revenge?"

"Senior Xiao Xuan is right. If not for the Hun Clan, our Burning Flame Valley wouldn't have been inferior to the other Eight Ancient Clans!"

As he spoke, Fire Cloud Ancestor clenched his fists. "Senior Xiao Xuan, we'll accept these Dou Techniques and cultivation methods. When the day comes to settle accounts with the Hun Clan, be sure to tell us. Even if I have to die, I'll take one or two of them down with me!"

"Don't worry. This time, I'll make sure the Hun Clan vanishes for good! And remember, don't tell anyone outside about my existence. Understand?"

"Rest assured, senior. We'll keep it to ourselves."

Fire Cloud Ancestor felt that, with Xiao Xuan's cultivation insights, he had gained a whole new understanding of cultivation.

He was confident that within three years, he could raise his strength to Two-Star Dou Saint!

Before leaving, Xiao Xuan left behind a jade talisman attuned to his soul.

If Burning Flame Valley ever encountered trouble it couldn't handle, they only had to crush the talisman, no matter where Xiao Xuan was.

As soon as he sensed it, he would rush over at once!

"Ancestor, I have a feeling the Hun Clan is in for trouble this time."

Tang Zhen gazed toward the place where Xiao Xuan had disappeared and spoke as if to himself.

Fire Cloud Ancestor nodded. "I feel the same."

"Bah! What a damn rotten day. We've lost the wife and the troops. We finally managed to kill a Tier 2 Magical Beast, and the damn thing didn't even have a Magic Core!"

In the northwestern reaches of the Jia Ma Empire, deep within a mountain range,

a burly man, streaked with blood, cursed as he emerged from the woods.

"Big Brother, it's still early. Why don't we... go back in and look around some more?"

Another burly man wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The man spat. "Damn it! We've already lost several brothers, all for a high-grade Yellow Tier cultivation method!"

"If only a cultivation method or Dou Technique would fall from the sky... huh?"

A thin, gaunt man lay on the ground, mumbling to himself.

The next second,

he saw the air overhead roil violently, as though it were boiling!

"Am I seeing things?!"

As soon as the words left his mouth,

he watched in horror as a figure in green robes stepped out of a rippling crack in space!

"Hurry, hurry, hurry... l-look... look over th-there..."

The gaunt man pointed at the sky, unable to get the words out properly.

"Did you use up all your strength on a woman or something? Now you're seeing things?"

"Hahaha..."

The bloodstained man teased him, and the others burst into laughter.

"There's... there's someone..."

The moment they looked up,

a figure flashed into view before them!

The terrifying speed left them all dumbstruck!

"May I ask which way Jia Ma Empire lies?" the man in green robes asked with a smile, suspended in midair.

The bloodstained man pointed ahead. "Up ahead... Daling City is part of the Jia Ma Empire."

"Oh? Then how do I get to Wutan City?"

The man in green was none other than Xiao Xuan!

After leaving Burning Flame Valley, he hadn't lingered in the Central Plains. He had torn through the void and headed straight for the Northwest Continent.

He had never been here before, either, and didn't know the exact location of the Jia Ma Empire.

He had already taken several wrong turns.

The bloodstained man pointed southeast. "Wutan City is in that direction."

"Thank you."

Xiao Xuan noticed a rather large Magical Beast on the carriage behind them.

But the beast's head had been split in two.

It seemed to have no Magic Core.

So he reached out toward the woods and grabbed!

"Roar!"

A deafening beast's roar rang out.

Birds and beasts scattered through the forest!

Then the men saw a Magical Beast as large as a small mountain seized by an enormous hand and slammed down hard in front of them!

It hadn't even moved before its life was snuffed out!

"Take this as thanks. Until we meet again!"

With that, Xiao Xuan flickered and vanished from the spot!

"This..."

The men stared at the Magical Beast's corpse before them, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets!

This was the overlord of the forest!

A Tier 5 Magical Beast, with the strength of a human Dou Wang!

And someone had killed it so easily with a single slam?