Xiao Yan took the jade token in both hands and clutched it tightly. As he listened to Yao Chen, his gaze gradually grew resolute, and he answered without hesitation.
"Teacher, I'll go!"
His voice brimmed with determination.
Then Yao Chen continued.
"With this jade token, you can enter the Gu Clan's Ancient Realm."
Xiao Yan was overjoyed. In an instant, Xun Er's gentle, lovely face appeared in his mind.
Unable to resist, he asked tentatively,
"Teacher, is Xun Er in the Ancient Realm too?"
His eyes were filled with anticipation and longing.
Seeing Xiao Yan's eagerness, Yao Chen nodded and said, "Xun Er is the Gu Clan's favored daughter, so of course she's in the Ancient Realm."
A month passed in the blink of an eye. At last, the day arrived.
Yao Chen stood in an open expanse of land, his hands moving as powerful Dou Qi gathered before him, forming brilliant rays of light.
At his gestures, fine cracks began to appear in the space around them. They quickly spread and widened, until at last they formed a vast, dark spatial passage.
"Little Yan, let's go!"
Yao Chen called to Xiao Yan, then stepped into the darkness first.
Xiao Yan followed close behind, entering the mysterious, unnerving passage.
Inside, multicolored streams of light flashed past at tremendous speed as powerful spatial pressure surged in from every direction.
But Yao Chen and Xiao Yan had both reached the Peak Nine-Star Dou Saint realm. With a casual wave of his hand, Xiao Yan used his immense strength to steady the spatial fluctuations around them.
Amid the endless darkness, the two seemed to be traveling through the river of time.
After an unknown stretch of time, a glimmer of light finally appeared ahead.
"We're almost there!"
Yao Chen's voice echoed through the