Into the Back Mountain

Although Xiao Yan had heard some stories over the years about powerful experts obtaining fortuitous opportunities.

Before this, however, he had merely listened to those legends as stories.

But now, Xiao Yang had actually obtained such an opportunity!

A Dou Emperor!

Xiao Yan had yet to go out and gain experience.

To him, a Dou Emperor was an existence far beyond his reach.

Yao Lao, on the other hand, remained extremely calm.

As the former Venerable Yao, he had experienced such things himself.

He and Wind Venerable had explored countless ruins and tombs.

Thus, he was not particularly surprised by this.

He merely marveled at Xiao Yang's luck.

He had not expected a cultivator who was not even a Dou Zhe to obtain such an opportunity.

A Dou Emperor was nothing much to him.

But for a little fellow like Xiao Yang, one was already considered a top-tier expert.

He swept the map with his soul power and immediately discovered something unusual about it.

"It was actually made using a special method."

"You even know how to use Moonlight Grass and Liuming Flower. Not bad!"

Yao Lao was not particularly surprised by the map itself.

What surprised him was that Xiao Yang actually understood such a technique.

"Hehe, I learned it by accident."

Xiao Yang rubbed his nose and casually made up an excuse to brush it off.

Yao Lao did not press the matter.

"These are methods commonly used by alchemists."

"That Dou Emperor might have been an alchemist when he was alive."

"This location is quite close."

Yao Lao pondered for a moment before continuing.

"Mm... how about this? Tomorrow, I'll take you two to have a look."

"Consider it a chance to broaden your horizons."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately became excited.

"Great!"

A trace of a smile also flashed through Xiao Yang's eyes.

He was also very curious about what the Dou Emperor Mausoleum marked on this map contained.

After chatting for a while longer, the two headed together toward Xiao Zhan's small courtyard.

When they arrived outside Xiao Zhan's courtyard, they smelled a fragrant aroma before even entering.

They pushed open the door and saw a table set up in Xiao Zhan's courtyard, laden with several dishes.

One glance was enough to tell that they had been made with magical beast meat, making them exceedingly precious.

Seeing the two arrive, a trace of a smile flashed through Xiao Zhan's eyes.

"Come, sit down quickly."

Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan did not stand on ceremony. They sat down and began eating at once.

As the three ate, Xiao Zhan occasionally asked the two some questions.

Before coming here, Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan had already gotten their stories straight.

Even if there was something difficult to answer, Yao Lao could remind them through soul transmission.

Halfway through the meal, Xiao Zhan suddenly thought of something and sighed.

"Ah, it's a pity Ding'er and Li'er aren't here."

"I heard they seem to have gone to the Tagor Desert to work as mercenaries."

"I wonder how they're doing now."

Just as in the original story, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had left the Xiao Clan several months ago to train outside.

That was what they claimed, but in truth, they had done it for Xiao Yan's future.

If members of a small clan failed to reach the seventh stage of Dou Qi after coming of age, they would be sent away.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li wanted to establish themselves outside first, so that even if Xiao Yan was sent away in the future, he could go rely on them.

When he heard Xiao Zhan mention Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, a trace of longing flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes as well.

"Enough, let's not talk about this. Eat, eat."

Xiao Zhan suppressed the worry in his heart and forced a smile.

However, the three of them fell somewhat silent afterward.

Soon, after the meal was finished, Xiao Yang looked at Xiao Zhan and said.

"Uncle, our teacher will be taking us out for a while tomorrow."

"We'll probably be gone for four or five days."

"At most, we'll be back within a week."

Upon hearing this, concern flashed through Xiao Zhan's eyes, but it was not his place to stop them.

"If that's the case, make sure to stay close to your teacher along the way."

"You must be careful outside and never trust others so easily."

Only after giving the two a round of instructions did Xiao Zhan let them return to pack their things.

Before they left, he even gave each of them two thousand gold coins.

Although he knew Xiao Yang had money, he still gave him some.

The two had wanted to refuse, but they could not outargue Xiao Zhan and could only accept.

After leaving Xiao Zhan's courtyard, Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan agreed to meet at the back mountain the next morning before returning home separately.

The next morning.

Xiao Yang, who had cultivated all night, slowly opened his eyes.

At this moment, faint streams of cyan air swirled around him.

There were hints of golden light within those streams.

Xiao Yang slowly rose to his feet, stepped out of the wooden tub, and dried the droplets from his body.

Then, with a thought, he stored the wooden tub along with the Foundation Building Divine Liquid inside it into his Storage Ring.

Xiao Yang had nothing much to prepare. Everything important was in his Storage Ring.

After casually eating the breakfast prepared by the maid, he headed straight toward the back mountain.

Very soon, Xiao Yang arrived at the mountaintop.

It was precisely the time he had agreed upon with Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan had already been waiting there for quite some time.

"Brother Yang, let's go."

Excitement flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes.

Xiao Yang did not refuse and immediately began heading deeper into the back mountain with Xiao Yan.

As for Yao Lao, he was temporarily hidden within the Bone Flame Ring.

It was not until the afternoon that the two arrived at the second mountain.

Members of the Xiao Clan rarely came here under normal circumstances.

Even Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan were visiting for the first time.

By now, neither of them retained the excitement they had felt that morning.

Because so few people came here, the terrain remained rather primitive.

Or rather, there was no path at all.

It was different from the ordinary world of Xiao Yang's previous life.

Because Dou Qi Continent possessed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, even ordinary trees grew exceptionally well.

Thus, any random rainforest was as dense as the Amazon from his previous life.

It was extremely difficult to move through such an environment.

The two had to clear a path as they walked.

"Hehe, you're already done for after just this much?"

"Didn't you want to go train and explore?"

Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan had no strength to pay Yao Lao any attention. They merely rolled their eyes at him.

Within this forest, Xiao Yang felt rather stifled.

Even with Dou Qi in his body, he was drenched in sweat.

His sweat soaked through his clothes, causing them to cling to his body in extreme discomfort.

Besides that, several mosquito bites had appeared on the parts of his body exposed beyond his clothing.

There were simply too many mosquitoes in this wild forest!

Xiao Yan beside him was in much the same state.

After walking a while longer, the two finally spotted an open space and prepared to rest there for a moment.

But just then, Yao Lao appeared beside them.

"Hehe, uninvited guests have arrived."

As soon as he said this, Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan's expressions immediately turned solemn.

Could it be magical beasts?

Although magical beasts rarely appeared here, it was not impossible.

At that moment, the two simultaneously looked toward a clump of bushes.

Rustle!

Relying on their sharp soul perception, they both detected movement there.