This Must Never Get Out!

Above the back mountain, winds and clouds gathered. A vortex suddenly appeared, and countless droplets fell from beneath it.

The liquid fell into the mountain forest, striking leaves and flowers and bursting into a cloud of mist.

In just a few breaths, the back mountain was blanketed in layers of fog.

Xiao Zhan looked utterly bewildered. What was going on? Could a treasure have appeared?

"Let's go."

With that, Xiao Zhan hurried toward the back mountain. Whatever was happening up there, he had to find out.

The three elders followed close behind, their expressions tense.

Just as they were about to approach, the mist suddenly dispersed, and the vortex in the sky vanished with it.

"This..." Xiao Zhan stopped, hesitating.

The Great Elder said, "Clan Head, with an omen like this, could a treasure have appeared?"

"I don't think so." Hearing him, Xiao Zhan shook his head.

Roar!

Suddenly, a massive purple figure shot up from the mountain, threw back its head, and roared. The sound waves rippled through the clouds and spread in every direction.

At the same time, someone came hurrying down the mountain.

As the figure drew closer, they saw that it was Xiao Yu.

"Yu'er, what was that just now?" The moment Xiao Yu reached them, Xiao Zhan asked impatiently.

The three elders crowded around, straining to hear.

"Father, Elders, come with me."

Xiao Yu smiled mysteriously and beckoned them over.

Xiao Zhan was a little bewildered, but he knew his son wouldn't harm him, so he followed him a few dozen steps.

Xiao Yu stopped. "Father, try circulating your cultivation technique."

Hm?

At his words, Xiao Zhan grew even more suspicious, but he didn't hesitate.

He took up a cultivation stance. A few breaths later, his eyes flew open, wide with shock.

Seeing this, the three elders began cultivating without another word.

Soon, they wore the same astonished expressions as Xiao Zhan.

"Yu'er, why is our cultivation speed two or three times faster?"

Unable to contain his excitement, Xiao Zhan blurted out the question.

"Father, I recently developed an array that can help condense Dou Qi."

Xiao Yu smiled faintly.

The four of them gaped at him.

An array?

Condensing Dou Qi?

What kind of method was that? They had never heard of anything like it!

Xiao Zhan and the three elders were dumbfounded, unable to hide the joy between their brows.

There was no need to explain the benefits of faster cultivation. They understood perfectly well what it could mean for the Xiao Clan.

In a way, it was the same as buying time.

What used to take three days of hard cultivation now took only one.

The effects might not be obvious in the short term, but what if they cultivated in this environment for a year—or ten?

Xiao Zhan's expression suddenly turned grave. He looked at the three elders. "This must never get out!"

"Rest assured, Clan Head," the three elders replied in turn. They had lived more than half their lives and knew what mattered most.

The Third Elder said, "But Clan Head, Young Clan Head, the commotion was so great that the whole of Wutan City must have seen it. People are bound to get curious."

That was true. The commotion just now...

Thinking back to what he had seen, Xiao Zhan furrowed his brow slightly.

"Don't worry."

Xiao Yu smiled. "We can tell people the Amethyst Winged Lion King had a breakthrough after a sudden realization, and that was what caused the commotion. Besides, I only just set up this array and don't plan to open it fully yet. Even if someone sneaks into the back mountain, they won't notice anything unusual."

"Good. Very good."

Xiao Zhan relaxed.

"Father, I plan to move my household up the mountain. Please reorganize the clan grounds and set aside a dedicated cultivation area. I'll focus on condensing the Dou Qi in that section.

"From now on, only those loyal to the Xiao Clan will be allowed in. We don't need to worry about the secret getting out anytime soon. And in the future, once the Xiao Clan grows strong, we'll have nothing to fear."

Xiao Yu added that without missing a beat.

Now that the Heavenly Stars Qi Gathering Array was in place, he had absolute control over it.

As long as he didn't condense the Dou Qi across the entire Xiao Clan grounds, what had happened just now wouldn't happen again.

Xiao Zhan couldn't have been more pleased with the suggestion.

Afterward, they all returned home.

Since Xiao Yu planned to move his residence to the back mountain, they would have to build a new house.

The Third Elder took on the task and immediately went into the city to gather workers.

When Xiao Yu returned to the rear courtyard, his wife Li Qian came over at once to ask about the noise. He brushed her off with the excuse that the Amethyst Winged Lion King had broken through.

In just three days, Xiao Yu's residence was built on the back mountain.

The house was enormous, five stories high with more than a hundred rooms, and divided into living and cultivation areas.

Usually, Xiao Yu and his wives stayed in the living quarters, along with the wet nurses caring for the children.

The cultivation area was separate, so there was no need to worry that anyone would notice the unusual concentration of Dou Qi.

"Wondering why I moved up the mountain? Come with me."

Xiao Yu walked ahead alone, with Li Qian, Ya Fei, and the other two women behind him.

Yun Yun hadn't planned to come, but Xiao Yi Xian pulled her along, so she had no choice but to follow.

When they reached a room, Xiao Yu unlocked the door and pushed it open.

Inside was a vast, level space. Apart from the walls, there was nothing unusual, except for a large room on the left.

But its doors and windows were shut tight, so the four women couldn't see inside.

Several channels had been carved into the floor, and liquid flowed through them.

It was clear and transparent, like water, but seemed heavier. It moved at a snail's pace.

"Xiao Yu, what did you bring us here to see?" Ya Fei looked around, puzzled.

Xiao Yu took in their expressions. "Haven't you noticed anything unusual?"

As soon as he said that, the four women looked at him strangely. The room was laid out in plain sight; they could see everything in it at a glance.

"The Dou Qi here... seems much denser..."

Just then, Yun Yun frowned, sensing that something was off.

She was the strongest among the four. Even though her own power was sealed, her sensitivity to Dou Qi far surpassed theirs.

Ever since entering the room, Yun Yun had felt the air grow fresh and invigorating, and her body seemed lighter.

If she hadn't tried several times and found she still couldn't channel Dou Qi, she would have suspected that the Amethyst Winged Lion King's seal had been lifted.

Yun Yun slipped free of Xiao Yi Xian's hand, took a few steps, then crouched beside the flowing liquid and reached out to touch it.

"Is this liquid condensed from Dou Qi?"

The moment she touched it, Yun Yun couldn't help exclaiming. She spun around and looked at Xiao Yu, seeking confirmation.

Dou Qi so dense that it could turn into liquid—an environment like this was beyond even the Misty Cloud Sect. How could the Xiao Clan possibly have one?

As the leader of a sect, she knew full well what having such a cultivation environment meant.

If the Misty Cloud Sect's disciples could cultivate in a place like this, within three years the entire Jia Ma Empire might have a new ruler.

Li Qian, Ya Fei, and Xiao Yi Xian went over as well. They found that the water-like streams turned into mist and dispersed as soon as they scooped them up.

"That's right. Cultivating here will make you two or three times faster than usual."

With four pairs of eyes fixed on him, Xiao Yu nodded. His gaze lingered on Xiao Yi Xian for a moment, then flicked toward that room.

Xiao Yi Xian froze, then her cheeks flushed red.

She seemed to understand why Xiao Yu had built a room specifically in this place.