Emperor's Fall?

"Your Majesty!"

When Eagle King saw Xiong Ba, he bowed respectfully.

"This is my territory, and I haven't even said anything yet, but you're already demanding compensation? If you can't take down a junior with a Tier 5 body, then stop embarrassing yourself here. Go cool off wherever it's cooler."

Xiong Ba glanced at him and casually waved a hand, telling him to go back wherever he had come from. Then his eyes lit up as he looked at Zhao Li.

Though Eagle King was only a Tier 5 Magical Beast, he was still among the absolute best of Tier 5. Zhao Li had taken his momentum-charged strike head-on, and though he looked rather battered, that achievement was already impressive enough to be proud of.

The moment Zhao Li saw the Black Demonic Bear following beside Xiong Ba, he felt something was wrong and did his best to lower his presence.

When he saw Xiong Ba looking over at him with shining eyes, Zhao Li's heart went half cold. He had seen clearly just how respectful Eagle King was toward this rugged man; even after being scolded, he had fled with his tail between his legs without saying a word.

Sure enough, Xiong Ba's deep, booming voice rang out, making Zhao Li's scalp go numb.

"So you're the one who bullied my son? And you even wanted to steal his cave dwelling? You do have some skill, I'll give you that. Come with me. Take good care of my son. If he's happy, I'll spare your life."

"Senior, this is a misunderstanding. I was only sparring with Brother Xiong, I absolutely had no intention of stealing his cave dwelling. Even in the spar, Brother Xiong slapped me once and nearly sent me away for good."

Zhao Li explained, his mind racing at top speed. But the gap was too great; there really was nothing he could do. He sighed inwardly. Looks like I can only rely on Teacher.

"Old Xiong, you've scared my precious disciple half to death. You don't have the ability to compensate me for that."

Lin Lan knew where to draw the line and did not let Xiong Ba keep frightening Zhao Li. Playing around was fine, but too much was as bad as too little. If he just let it go on, what would be consumed for nothing was the trust and affection between master and disciple.

When Zhao Li saw Lin Lan, he also let out a breath of relief and put his heart at ease. Naturally, he did not think Lin Lan lacked even the ability to take him away. It was just that, from Lin Lan's tone, they seemed to be acquaintances. Suppressing his guesses, Zhao Li began pouring out his grievances to Lin Lan.

"Teacher, I've had such a miserable journey..."

Seeing that Zhao Li was about to complain tearfully, Lin Lan broke out in cold sweat inwardly and immediately cut him off.

"Enough. Everyone's watching. You've really grown capable, haven't you? If you weren't looking for Big Xiong to fight, you were causing a Beast Tide. Is this what you meant by not courting death? Is this how you make me feel at ease?"

Hearing his master's unfriendly tone, Zhao Li did not dare make a sound and let Lin Lan lecture him. He had indeed failed to think those matters through properly.

After scolding him for a while, Lin Lan changed the subject. He introduced the two bears, Xiong Ba and Big Xiong, to Zhao Li, and also let Zhao Li and Big Xiong clear up their misunderstanding.

"All right, tell me. How did you end up clashing with Big Xiong?"

Zhao Li explained the whole matter from beginning to end and even took out the two incomplete maps.

When Big Xiong saw the maps, he let out an even more aggrieved bear roar.

It turned out that this was something a Black Demonic Bear had shown Big Xiong in a dream. For some reason, it had been etched into his mind, and when he had nothing to do, he had drawn it out. Who would have thought that someone would steal it before, and now someone was even coming to his door to snatch it? If he had known it would cause so much trouble, why would he ever have drawn it?

In the central region of the Myriad Longevity Mountain Range, inside Xiong Ba's cave dwelling.

Lin Lan looked at Xiong Ba's worried expression, as if he feared his son had been harmed, and could only reassure him again and again.

"Old Xiong, I've checked. Big Xiong is perfectly healthy, and there is no other consciousness inside him. Don't worry. Perhaps this is an opportunity that belongs to him. Look at the place on this map. Do you recognize it?"

Xiong Ba had already looked it over several times and confirmed there was no such place in his memory. He shook his head and asked Big Xiong, "Big Xiong, do you still remember anything else from the dream?"

"Roar~"

Big Xiong roared a few times.

Lin Lan and Xiong Ba froze, as though shaken by something, and murmured unconsciously.

"Emperor... Fall."

Zhao Li did not hear clearly; he only heard Emperor's Fall. A storm surged through his heart, and all kinds of questions rose within him.

"Dou Di? Fallen? Is this the history of this continent from long ago? Where did the Dou Di of ancient times all go? If it was because of a war between Dou Di, then the continent would surely have been shattered long ago. If it was because of ascension, then it's impossible that, with so many geniuses, not a single one of them managed to make a name for themselves. And as a lower plane under the Great Thousand World, why does this continent not have a Plane Embryo?"

Zhao Li's desire to explore was stirred. In the future, he would definitely have to investigate this properly. Suppressing his doubts, he saw that his teacher still looked absent-minded and tugged at Lin Lan.

"Teacher, Teacher, what's wrong with you?"

Zhao Li's voice brought the two of them back to their senses, but they were in low spirits. They only said it was nothing, that they were just a little tired.

Zhao Li knew that the Dou Qi Continent had not produced another Dou Di for ten thousand years. In the hearts of the continent's cultivators, an emperor was already a godlike existence. For a moment, they had actually been affected emotionally by an event from who knew how many ages ago.

Zhao Li kicked Big Xiong, looking utterly exasperated.

"I told you to cultivate properly, but you wouldn't listen. I gave you pills, but you wouldn't eat them. Now all communication depends on roaring. Aren't you embarrassed?"

"Roar~"

Big Xiong roared at Zhao Li, then ignored him and left on his own, with a bear-like attitude that said, "I just like roaring. What are you going to do about it?"

Zhao Li's face darkened. "Fine, stay dumb to death!"

From that day on, Zhao Li resumed his peaceful cultivation journey.

Time slipped away amid tranquil cultivation.

This year, Zhao Li was sixteen. This period of cultivation had already lasted more than three years. As he grew older and his Cultivation Level rose, Zhao Li had fully come into his own.

After more than three years of cultivation, Zhao Li's cultivation realm had already reached Dou King Peak. As for his combat strength, within this Great Qian Empire, he could be considered someone with few rivals. Naturally, he had not neglected his Alchemy Technique either, and it had already reached the Sixth Rank.

"Roar~"

A bear paw the size of a prayer mat slapped toward Zhao Li. Zhao Li had long since grown used to Big Xiong's occasional sneak attacks. With a lift of his hand, the surrounding energy moved at his will and stopped Big Xiong's paw.

"Little bro, you're no good. Looking to get beaten up again, are you?"

"Zhao Li, you really are a freak. Sigh, if you become awesome in the future, I'll tell people you were beaten up by a bear. That'll count as the honor of a bear's life, right? Heh heh."

Zhao Li was somewhat speechless. This silly bear still couldn't let go of what had happened back then. After returning, he had begun cultivating seriously, and it had actually allowed him to advance into a Tier 5 Magical Beast. After that, he really had pinned Zhao Li down and hammered him for a while, only for Zhao Li to catch up very quickly and beat him back. Zhao Li did not want to continue this topic.

"Uncle Xiong and the others still haven't come back?"

"Nope. Before, they still had to look after you. This time they left, who knows how long they'll be gone."

Big Xiong shook his dark bear head.

After Lin Lan and Xiong Ba learned about the map from Big Xiong, the two of them had taken turns going out to wander around. Sometimes they were gone for half a year, sometimes for as little as two months. Over the past few years, they had nearly traveled all over the Eastern Region of Dou Qi Continent, yet they had found no similar place.

Zhao Li had tried to persuade them too. This map had long since been left behind by some unknown era. Seas turned into mulberry fields; how could finding it be easy? Since Big Xiong had once had this stroke of fortune, perhaps he might just stumble upon it someday while casually wandering around.

But the two old fellows would not listen. If not for the fact that Zhao Li and the other still needed their guidance, perhaps they would already have gone traveling together.

Three months ago, after Zhao Li successfully refined the Emperor's Extreme Pill, they let Zhao Li stabilize himself for more than half a month, then stopped minding him. The two left together.

"Old Xiong, I'm about ready to leave too. Do you want to head out with me, really go out into the world, make something of ourselves, and truly dominate a territory?"

After a moment of silence, Zhao Li asked Big Xiong a question.