I'll Always Be by Your Side

"Ancient Jade?" Xiao Yan's eyes filled with confusion upon hearing this. What kind of jade could be so precious that a mysterious and powerful clan would send people searching for it at all costs?

Seeing the change in Xiao Yan's expression, Xun Er could not help panicking. She hurriedly explained, "No, Xiao Yan gege, Xun Er did not take anything from the Xiao Clan. The Ancient Jade is very special. No means of detection can detect it, not even my father. So... so..."

As Xun Er spoke, tears unconsciously welled up in her beautiful eyes. This was a stain on her life! She had never dared tell Xiao Yan because she feared he would see her as a thief, a woman who had approached him for the Ancient Jade with an ulterior motive.

Seeing Xun Er cry before he had even said anything, Xiao Yan was startled. He hurriedly stroked her soft hair and comforted her. "I'm not blaming you, Xun Er. This wasn't something you could decide. I know you didn't stay with the Xiao Clan because of the Ancient Jade. I'm only surprised that our Xiao Clan actually had such a glorious history."

Feeling the warmth of his large hand, Xun Er nodded gently and continued, "The Xiao Clan was once extremely powerful. Especially its last clan leader, Senior Xiao Xuan, who was hailed as the strongest person of that era and stood at the peak of the Dou Qi Continent. Unfortunately, the Xiao Clan later tried to break through to the Dou Di realm and failed. Senior Xiao Xuan perished because of it, and the Xiao Clan was forced into seclusion after being pursued by its enemies."

Xun Er placed the scroll before Xiao Yan and said, "Xiao Yan gege, although this Flame Manipulation Formula is only a high-grade Mystic Tier cultivation method, it is extremely important."

Hearing Xun Er say "only high-grade Mystic Tier," Xiao Yan's eyelid twitched, and his expression turned strange. What did she mean, only?! There was not even a high-grade Mystic Tier cultivation method in all of Wutan City! Among the three great clans, the Xiao Clan and the Oba Family possessed mid-grade Mystic Tier cultivation methods, while the Jia Lie Family only had a low-grade Mystic Tier one. A high-grade Mystic Tier fire-element cultivation method could not be found even in several neighboring cities!

"You really are a little rich girl. A high-grade Mystic Tier cultivation method is still only 'only' to you." Xiao Yan teased.

Hearing his teasing, Xun Er did not reply playfully as she usually did. Instead, she said somewhat awkwardly, "But it originally belonged to your Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan gege. This Flame Manipulation Formula was the cultivation method practiced by Senior Xiao Xuan."

"A cultivation method practiced by Ancestor Xiao Xuan? Is Mystic Tier really that low-grade?" This time, Xiao Yan was somewhat dumbfounded. Was high-grade Mystic Tier really that low-grade?

High-grade Mystic Tier was incredibly valuable in Wutan City, but if the cultivation method of a peak expert was merely high-grade Mystic Tier, that was far too low. Could that really make someone the strongest on the Dou Qi Continent?

Xun Er gently shook her head and continued, "The Flame Manipulation Formula is only the introductory technique. The complete cultivation method practiced by Senior Xiao Xuan was Heaven Tier, one of the most powerful cultivation methods on the Dou Qi Continent."

"Heaven?! Heaven Tier!!" Xiao Yan abruptly stood up, his eyes wide and his mouth large enough to fit an egg. He even forgot the pain from his wounds, because this was simply too shocking.

Seeing Xiao Yan's astonished expression, Xun Er nodded seriously. "Heaven Tier cultivation methods are complicated and intricate. No one can cultivate a Heaven Tier method while they are still a Dou Zhe, so Heaven Tier cultivation methods must be divided up and cultivated step by step. The Flame Manipulation Formula is merely the introductory section."

"Wow." Xiao Yan looked at the high-grade Mystic Tier cultivation method before him. Even with his temperament, he could not help swallowing. This cultivation method was no longer merely precious.

Seeing the shock in Xiao Yan's eyes, the weight in Xun Er's heart gradually lifted. She placed the cultivation method on the table and said softly, "Xiao Yan gege, so you don't need to feel awkward about accepting it. Instead... instead, it was our Gu Clan that occupied your Xiao Clan's cultivation method for all these years."

Xiao Yan smiled and gently shook his head. "How could that be? Since Ancestor Xiao Xuan entrusted the cultivation method to your Gu Clan, that was his decision. You didn't steal anything, Xun Er, so there's no need to blame yourself. No, wait. Xun Er, you did steal one thing."

?!!!

Xun Er was startled, panic appearing on her face. She clearly had not taken the Ancient Jade. Yet in the next moment, Xiao Yan burst into laughter and teased, "You stole my heart."

Faced with this sudden turn, Xun Er froze at first. Then her delicate face instantly turned bright red, even her ears reddening. "Xiao Yan gege, you... I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Hahaha." Seeing Xun Er blush furiously from his teasing, Xiao Yan laughed. "Once my injuries heal, I'll immediately switch cultivation methods."

Hearing Xiao Yan mention his injuries, Xun Er flicked her finger and took out a bottle of pills from her storage ring. A medicinal fragrance immediately spread through the room.

"Xiao Yan gege, this is a fourth-grade Healing Injury Pill. Once you take it, your injuries will fully heal."

"Fourth-grade?!" Xiao Yan looked at the pill before him, once again shocked by Xun Er's "wealth." "I'm only a Dou Zhe. A first-grade healing medicine would let me recover quickly enough. I don't need a fourth-grade one. It's too precious."

Fourth-grade pills corresponded to Dou Lings!

Xun Er tilted her head. "But fourth-grade pills are the lowest-grade pills I have."

Hisss!!!!

Xiao Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he silently muttered, "Rich girl."

A few days later, in Xun Er's room.

A black shadow slowly emerged from the darkness. Xun Er, who had been reading, slowly turned around and looked at the shadow. "Old Ling, did you get it?"

Hearing Xun Er's question, Ling Ying slowly shook his head helplessly. "I couldn't get it. The clan elders have forbidden the Xiao Clan's Dou Techniques from being taken out of the Gu Clan."

Xun Er's expression darkened. A flash of golden flame suddenly passed through her eyes, and the lit candle before her crackled as it burned rapidly. "This is outrageous! Those Dou Techniques and cultivation methods originally belonged to the Xiao Clan. Senior Xiao Xuan stored them in the Gu Clan, so how did they become their possessions now?"

Ling Ying could only shrink his neck at Xun Er's words, not daring to answer at all. The interests involved were simply too enormous. What she said was true, but in reality, the Xiao Clan had already been exterminated. Everything that had once belonged to the Xiao Clan had been divided among the Gu Clan's various branches. Even the clan leader was powerless to reclaim them, let alone a Dou Emperor like him.

Ling Ying changed the subject and asked, "Does Miss need to personally return to the Gu Clan?"

Xun Er shook her head. Her beautiful eyes looked outside, where Xiao Yan was currently rebuilding his cultivation with a new method. "No. I plan to travel and train with Xiao Yan gege until the Three-Year Agreement ends."

Ling Ying naturally knew about Xiao Yan's broken engagement and could not help asking, "Miss, even if Young Master Xiao Yan can defeat Nalan Yanran, the Misty Cloud Sect can only be considered an insignificant sect on the entire Dou Qi Continent. It is impossible for Young Master Xiao Yan to gain the clan's approval."

Instead of being discouraged by Ling Ying's assessment, Xun Er revealed a confident smile. "Back then, Xiao Yan gege knew he would lose. He knew Nalan Yanran had a stronger cultivation method, yet he still stepped forward. Father once said that most of the greatest experts in the history of the Dou Qi Continent had said something similar: 'Refusing to yield in adversity is more important than cultivation methods and Dou Techniques.'"

"I believe Xiao Yan gege will definitely become a Dou Di."

Seeing Xun Er's resolute gaze, Ling Ying could not help looking at the youth outside the window. At that moment, he too became confused. Could it really be possible without the Dou Emperor Bloodline?

"Although this old man cannot see what Miss sees, I can feel it. The heavens of the Dou Qi Continent are about to change."

Just as Ling Ying had said, the heavens of the Dou Qi Continent truly changed. Especially for Zhu Jin, who was still in the Beast Domain, his world had truly changed. The main storyline of the Dou Qi Continent had already been overturned by the butterfly effect, heading toward a future he knew absolutely nothing about.

"Why does this Magic Core... taste like roasted sweet potato?"