Battle Through the Heavens: Reborn into the Xiao Clan, Starting with Xiao Xuan's Inheritance — Part 2

Before Xiao Yan could finish, Xiao Yi waved a hand and cut him off.

"What's so bad about that? Just because our Dou Qi has vanished doesn't mean the two of us will be like this forever, does it?"

"You should always have hope in life. Maybe one day, all that vanished Dou Qi will return?"

Hearing Xiao Yi's words, Xiao Yan could only smile bitterly.

For some reason, from Xiao Yan's perspective, his cousin had always maintained such a positive attitude.

It was as if the disappearance of his Dou Qi had not affected him in the slightest.

But Xiao Yan also understood one thing: ever since his Dou Qi had started having problems,

Xiao Yi had constantly encouraged and comforted him. Without Xiao Yi, Xiao Yan was not sure he could have endured those bitter days.

Though he was still living through bitter days even now.

"Come on. We've both finished testing. Let's go to our old spot and take a breather..."

Xiao Yi slowly rose to his feet, patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, and spoke softly.

Xiao Yan also stood up slowly, turning his head slightly to look at a strikingly beautiful girl within the crowd.

"Don't worry. Does Xun'er's strength really need you to worry about it?"

"Without a doubt, she'll be today's center of attention too..."

With just one glance, Xiao Yi guessed what Xiao Yan was thinking and spoke calmly.

Xiao Yan nodded. "Indeed. That girl is the true genius of the clan now..."

"Brother Yi, then let's go..."

Xiao Yan murmured softly.

Then, he left that place of sorrow together with Xiao Yi.

The old place they spoke of was the Xiao Clan Back Mountain.

Since childhood, the two had cultivated and played there together.

Back then, the two of them had been carefree and unmatched.

But now, everything had changed. They had both become the "fallen geniuses" people spoke of...

Two supreme prodigies from one clan, reduced to such a state—no one could make sense of it.

Only Xiao Yi understood it perfectly well.

The two of them sprawled beside a cliff on the back mountain, gazing into the distance.

"Brother Yi, what do you think lies beyond Wutan City?"

Xiao Yan slowly raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun overhead, squinting as he asked softly.

His words made it easy to hear his yearning for the vast world beyond, as well as his unwillingness to accept the loss of his Dou Qi.

"Beyond Wutan City? Perhaps it'll be wonderful..."

"But beautiful things are often very dangerous too!"

Xiao Yi turned his head slightly and looked at the black ring on Xiao Yan's raised left hand.

Xiao Yi also had a black ring like that, and its appearance was not much different from Xiao Yan's.

As a transmigrator, Xiao Yi naturally knew that Xiao Yan's ring and his own were worlds apart.

When he had first transmigrated, Xiao Yi had considered tricking Xiao Yan out of the black ring and taking Yao Lao as his master himself.

But in the end, his desire to take things easy had made him give up on that idea.

After all, if he could become a Dou Emperor just by taking it easy, who would be willing to cultivate so painstakingly?

"Dangerous? But I still want to leave Wutan City and have a look. Though it seems I don't have the strength to do that now..."

Xiao Yan revealed a look of deep unwillingness, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

Seeing Xiao Yan like this, Xiao Yi's face broke into an exceptionally warm smile.

"Xiao Yan, we're both still young. There will definitely be opportunities in the future..."

"And we won't just leave Wutan City. We'll leave the Jia Ma Empire and experience the beauty of this continent!"

"We may even step beyond this Dou Qi Continent..."

"Xiao Yan, remember this!"

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—just wait until the tides turn!"

Hearing Xiao Yi's earnest words, Xiao Yan said nothing more and merely nodded with great seriousness.

Just as the two sat there peacefully, talking from the heart,

a figure slowly approached from the distance.

"Brother Xiao Yan!"

Before Xiao Xun'er even arrived, her sweet, delicate voice reached them first.

"Brother Xiao Yi, you're here too... Are the two of you sneaking off to relax again?"

Seeing Xiao Yi beside Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun'er was not surprised.

After all, the two had been inseparable since childhood.

"Xun'er, you've finished testing too?"

"How did it go?"

Xiao Yan turned around and asked softly.

Xiao Xun'er tilted her head slightly, wearing a playful and adorable expression. "Why don't you guess?"

"With your talent, you should be at least at the eighth stage by now, right..."

Xiao Yan smacked his lips and ventured a guess.

Xiao Yi smiled faintly, then deliberately gave Xiao Xun'er a serious once-over.

"Xun'er, I'd say you're at the ninth stage of Dou Qi now?"

Xun'er smiled. "Brother Xiao Yi guessed right! Xun'er is indeed at the ninth stage!"

At those words, a trace of disappointment flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes before quickly vanishing.

"Congratulations, Xun'er..."

Xiao Yi, however, was not concerned by this result in the slightest.

After all, the Xiao Xun'er before him was the young lady of the Ancient Clan and possessed the purest Dou Emperor bloodline.

If her father, Gu Yuan, had not sealed her Dou Emperor bloodline, she probably would never have experienced the process of condensing a Dou Qi Cyclone in her entire life.

"Oh, right, Brother Xiao Yan. Uncle Xiao is looking for you..."

"He sent people everywhere, but no one could find you. Xun'er guessed right away that you were with Brother Xiao Yi..."

Only then did Xiao Xun'er reveal the true purpose of her visit.

"Looking for me? Is something wrong?"

"I heard that an honored guest has come to the house..."

Hearing this, Xiao Yi froze for a moment, but inwardly, he was a little excited.

Has Nalan Yanran finally come to break off the engagement?

For more than ten years, Xiao Yi had been waiting for Nalan Yanran!

Nalan Yanran coming to break off the engagement meant that Xiao Yan's path to becoming a Dou Emperor was about to begin.

"Xiao Yan, go quickly..."

"Don't keep Uncle waiting too long..."

With a calm expression, Xiao Yi urged him on.

Xiao Yan frowned slightly. "Brother Yi, aren't you coming too?"

But Xiao Yi shook his head. "You two go first. I'll be there shortly..."

Hearing that, Xiao Yan nodded.

Then he left with Xiao Xun'er, leaving Xiao Yi alone.

Watching the two depart, Xiao Yi let out a long breath.

"It's finally happening!"

"Do you know how I've lived all these years?"

"Nalan Yanran, you've finally come! Without you, how could my little brother Yan become the Flame Emperor!"

Xiao Yi muttered endlessly under his breath.