The moon hung like a silver plate, and stars filled the sky.
The Xiao Clan had arranged for Xiao Ze to rest in a quiet little courtyard.
He closed the door.
Xiao Ze sat cross-legged on the bed.
"I have more than fifteen thousand Trust Points. I wonder what I can exchange them for!"
As he spoke, he opened the system.
He began browsing the System Shop.
[Dou Di Pill: 100000000 Trust Points] [Emperor-Rank Dou Technique: 100000000 Trust Points] [Ninth-Rank Nine-Colored Pill: 50000000 Trust Points] [Xiao Clan Emperor Blood: 100000000 Trust Points] [Ancient Clan Emperor Blood: 100000000 Trust Points] [Soul Clan Emperor Blood: ...] [Heaven Realm Soul...] [Ninth-Rank Alchemy...]
Line after line of goods sat quietly in the System Shop.
They made Xiao Ze's mouth water.
But when he looked at his pitiful balance of just over ten thousand Trust Points, he couldn't help cursing, "Damn it!"
"I can't afford any of these!"
"System, filter out every item I can't afford!"
Being able to look but not buy was so miserable it nearly brought him to tears.
As soon as he finished speaking,
the dazzling array of goods vanished.
Only the items he could afford remained.
"Hm?"
"I can actually buy this?"
Once the unaffordable goods disappeared, Xiao Ze's gaze returned to the System Shop.
When he saw the first item,
his eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
The item was none other than—
[One-Star Dou Huang cultivation: 10000 Trust Points] [Note: This item is discounted to one-tenth price (limited to 24 hours)]
"One-Star Dou Huang cultivation?"
"I can buy cultivation?"
"This is the Dou Huang realm!"
Xiao Ze was utterly shaken.
"Even at a discount, it only costs ten thousand Trust Points?"
"If I don't buy it now, when will I?"
Xiao Ze barely hesitated before spending ten thousand Trust Points to purchase it.
"Dou Huang, Dou Huang!"
"I, Xiao Ze, have arrived!"
Though it was only One-Star cultivation,
it was enough to leave Xiao Ze thrilled.
As soon as he completed the purchase,
a vast surge of Dou Qi began to well up inside him.
At the same time, his aura rapidly grew stronger.
Dou Power: First Stage, Second Stage, Third Stage...
Dou Zhe: One-Star, Two-Star, Three-Star...
Dou Shi: ...
Da Dou Shi: ...
Dou Ling: ...
Dou Wang: ...
Dou Huang!
His cultivation soared at breakneck speed.
His aura grew stronger just as quickly!
Until—
BOOM!
A deep rumble reverberated through Xiao Ze's body, and his aura finally settled at the One-Star Dou Huang realm.
A surging, boundless power rose within him.
Feeling this energy, powerful enough to shake the heavens and earth,
Xiao Ze's face lit up with delight.
"Is this the terrifying power of a Dou Huang?"
"It's incredible!"
Xiao Ze lost himself in the might of a Dou Huang expert.
It felt as though he only had to stamp his foot to effortlessly destroy the magnificent Wutan City before him!
"Phew~"
After a long while, he let out a deep breath.
Only then did he come back from that illusory scene.
After briefly adjusting to the sudden surge in his cultivation,
Xiao Ze turned his gaze toward the window.
Night had grown deeper.
And it seemed that it was time for him to start plotting his chance encounter with Xiao Yan.
He pushed open the door and stepped outside.
The soul force of a One-Star Dou Huang poured out from him.
In an instant, it enveloped the entire Xiao Clan.
Just as he was about to search for Xiao Yan,
he suddenly sensed that Xiao Yan wasn't at the back mountain. He was in the Xiao Clan's council hall.
Not just him.
The Xiao Clan's other elders and high-ranking members had all gathered in the council hall, apparently discussing something.
And on the other side of the hall sat three strangers.
One was an old man dressed in a moon-white robe.
He wore a beaming smile and looked full of energy. A sharp glint would occasionally flash in his narrow eyes. Judging by the aura he gave off and the seven golden stars embroidered on his chest,
he was unmistakably a Seventh-Star Da Dou Shi!
Beside the old man stood a young man and woman.
The man was handsome and had the strength of a Five-Star Dou Zhe.
The woman was stunningly beautiful and had the strength of a Three-Star Dou Zhe.
Among the younger generation of the Jia Ma Empire, both of them were outstanding.
Of course, that didn't include Xiao Ze.
Otherwise, with One-Star Dou Huang cultivation at just twenty years old, even the prodigies of the eight great clans with Dou Di Bloodlines might not be able to defeat him.
Across the entire Battle Through the Heavens Continent, it was probably only Xiao Yan's daughter, Xiao Xiao, who surpassed him.
After all, she'd been a Dou Zong from birth. She'd barely even cultivated, yet at twelve years old, thanks to her father's status, she'd gone straight to One-Star Dou Sheng.
Damn it!
Thinking about Xiao Xiao's future cultivation journey,
Xiao Ze felt a pang of envy.
Even though he had cheats, he was a total noob next to Xiao Xiao!
"Hm?"
"Has the plot already reached this point?"
When Xiao Ze saw the three people in the council hall, he immediately understood.
If he wasn't mistaken, the three of them were from the Misty Cloud Sect, here to break off the engagement, right?
And the beautiful young woman, whose looks were only a little inferior to Xiao Xun'er's, had to be Nalan Yanran?
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river?"
"How could I miss such an iconic scene!"
"Besides, isn't this perfect for cementing my identity as an ancestor of the Xiao Clan?"
"Heh heh heh—"
"Nalan Yanran, Misty Cloud Sect... Though you and I have no grudge between us, unfortunately, you aren't the protagonists!"
"To establish my identity as an ancestor of the Xiao Clan, I have no choice but to apologize to you..."
"But now that I think about it, who told you to come here and break off the engagement?"
"You chose this road yourself, so you'll just have to walk it to the end, even if you cry!"
At that thought, a barely perceptible smile flickered in Xiao Ze's eyes. Without hesitation, he headed toward the council hall.
Xiao Clan.
Council Hall.
"Have you made your decision, Clan Leader Xiao?"
"If your Xiao Clan is willing to annul the engagement with our sect's Saintess, this Qi Gathering Pill will be given to your clan as compensation."
"You should know that a single Qi Gathering Pill can guarantee that someone will form a Dou Qi Vortex and break through to the Dou Zhe realm."
"Furthermore, this pill was refined by Elder Gu He of our sect."
"Its effects are even stronger. It's certain to help your Xiao Clan produce another young Dou Zhe!"
"What do you think, Clan Leader Xiao? Elders?"
"..."
Elder Ge Ye opened the Ancient Jade box in his hand, revealing a pill the size of a dragon's eye, emerald green all over. An enticing fragrance instantly filled the hall.
"A Qi Gathering Pill?"
"And it was personally refined by Pill King Gu He?"
At those words, everyone in the hall was deeply shaken.
Their eyes turned noticeably hotter as they looked at the Qi Gathering Pill.
What sort of person was Pill King Gu He?
He was the Jia Ma Empire's top alchemist, a Dou Wang expert in his own right, and one of the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire.
There was no need to question the grade or quality of a pill refined by him.
If he said that this Qi Gathering Pill could guarantee the formation of a Dou Qi Vortex and help someone break through to the Dou Zhe realm, then it would certainly work. With the Xiao Clan's current strength, having one more young Dou Zhe would undoubtedly give the clan's future a tremendous boost.
"Crack!" Xiao Zhan's face turned ashen.
He even crushed the jade cup in his hand into a cloud of powder.
Just as he was about to erupt,
suddenly,
a clear, icy voice rang out.
"No need!"
Before you continue