Transmigrating into Xiao Yan

Stars glittered overhead, and moonlight flowed like water. Under the night sky, the mountain forest seemed especially serene and tranquil.

Xiao Yan stood atop the cliff behind the Xiao Clan, gazing at the mountain range shrouded in clouds and mist in the distance—the Warcraft Mountains. Countless Magical Beasts dwelled within the Warcraft Mountains, and danger lurked everywhere. Of course, danger and opportunity coexisted. One could hunt Magical Beasts there for Magic Cores, find rare medicinal herbs, and, if lucky enough, uncover inheritances left behind by predecessors—pills, Dou Techniques, cultivation methods, and more. Any ordinary person who obtained such things could soar to greatness.

"Ah, fourteen years already. I wonder how much longer it will take before I have the ability to explore those wondrous mountains." Xiao Yan let out a deep breath. Whenever he climbed the mountain behind the clan and looked toward the majestic Warcraft Mountains in the distance, the adventuring instinct in his body would instantly awaken. He desperately wanted to enter them, battle powerful Magical Beasts, and explore hidden caves for treasure.

He looked at the pitch-black ring on his right hand. It had been left to him by his deceased mother, and he had always worn it. He knew what was inside—it was something that could change his fate. Though it would cost him something, it was all worth it.

As for why Xiao Yan knew so much about all this, it was because he had transmigrated here. In his previous life, Chu Li had been a programmer on Blue Star. The pressure at work had been immense, and every day had followed a 007 schedule. The meaning of life was buying a car, buying a house, earning enough for bride price, getting married, having children, then continuing to work hard to earn money, raise the kids, support the family, and pay off the mortgage. That was the life of most people on Earth—busy and brutally competitive every day.

After a day of work on Earth, Chu Li returned to his rented apartment at one in the morning and simply soaked a cup of instant noodles in boiling water. After eating, he turned on the water heater and waited for it to heat up. Because he had worked overtime all year round, both his hair and body were especially greasy. He simply could not sleep without taking a shower. After a hot shower, Chu Li lay on his bed and turned on the television. Seeing a recommended video for Battle Through the Heavens, he casually clicked play. However, after watching only the first episode, a payment prompt appeared as expected: "To continue watching, please activate VIP service. Activate now?"

He casually picked up the remote and turned off the television, then rested his hands behind his head and sighed. "Modern people work themselves to death through overtime and still earn barely any money. That would be fine, except they get fleeced and exploited every day too. We really live worse than dogs. In the original novel, Xiao Yan was merely an ordinary 955 office worker, yet after coming to the Dou Qi Continent, he could marry a rich, beautiful woman and reach the pinnacle of life. Modern people are so competitive that if anyone transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent, they could probably outcompete Xiao Yan with ease!"

Because of those few complaints, he woke up the next day and discovered that he had transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent and become Xiao Yan. Knowing that he had become Xiao Yan, the future Flame Emperor, Chu Li had been quite happy. After all, there were so many beautiful girls! However, Xiao Yan's early days had been rather miserable. Because his Dou Qi had inexplicably vanished, he was often humiliated and mocked by the people of his clan. Worse still, someone would eventually come to break off his engagement. Thinking about Nalan Yanran publicly annulling their engagement made Chu Li's face burn with shame.

In order to reach the Dou Zhe level earlier, Chu Li had begun cultivating at the age of three, one year earlier than Xiao Yan had in the original novel. Thus, at ten years old, he had successfully condensed his Dou Qi Vortex and become a Dou Zhe.

Of course, after reaching the Dou Zhe level, his Dou Qi Vortex vanished overnight, and his Dou Qi continued to diminish. Yet, because he knew the plot well, he did not become discouraged. Instead, he cultivated even harder, hoping to awaken the soul inside as soon as possible. After all, carrying the title of trash was not pleasant. He only needed to sacrifice at most three years' worth of Dou Qi to receive Medicine Elder's careful guidance. He could also obtain the Flame Mantra, become an alchemist, and gain countless high-level Dou Techniques. It was simply a guaranteed profit.

However, the ring still showed no reaction whatsoever, causing Xiao Yan to frown slightly. What if Medicine Elder never comes out? Wouldn't my three years of Dou Qi have been wasted? Don't screw me over. You'd better not stand me up!

"Forget it. I'll give you one final meal. If you still don't appear..." He let out a deep sigh, sat cross-legged atop a boulder in disappointment, slowly closed his eyes, formed a strange hand seal, and entered a cultivation state.

At the top of the cliff, the air was fresh. Clusters of pale white Dou Qi continuously formed in the air and entered Xiao Yan's body through his nose and mouth, strengthening his bones and meridians. Dou Qi could strengthen the body, so early-stage cultivation was of utmost importance. One could not rely on any external aid, or it would only backfire.

Xiao Yan had previously focused only on cultivation and reached the Dou Zhe level at ten. Yet after becoming a Dou Zhe, he discovered that although Dou Qi was powerful, its ability to nourish the flesh and bones was far inferior to Dou Qi. If nothing unexpected happened, Xiao Yan's ultimate achievement would likely be no different from the other Dou Huangs of the Jia Ma Empire. He would never break through to the Dou Zong realm, remain stuck forever at the Dou Huang Peak, and silently await death.

However, as his Dou Qi Vortex disappeared, Xiao Yan gradually relaxed. He could finally use Dou Qi to nourish his bones and meridians again, laying a solid foundation and allowing himself to go farther in the future.

When the last wisp of pale white energy in the air entered Xiao Yan's nose and mouth, he slowly opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through them before vanishing. Feeling the Dou Qi he had just refined abruptly disappear again, Xiao Yan helplessly shook his head.

"Hm?" Xiao Yan stared intently at the small forest ahead. Though he only possessed three stages of Dou Qi, his soul perception was exceptionally powerful.

"Hehe! I really don't know where you got such sharp vigilance from." Shaking his head helplessly, a burly middle-aged man in gray clothing walked out of the forest with a smile.

Seeing that it was his father, Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan froze for a moment. He had thought it was that little girl.

Xiao Yan stood up, dusted off his backside, and said with a smile, "Father, why are you still awake so late?"

"Hehe, aren't you still awake as well? Did the Dou Qi you cultivated disappear again?" Xiao Zhan frowned slightly and asked with concern.

"It's fine, Father. There's no real benefit in becoming a Dou Zhe too early. If my Dou Qi disappears, then it disappears. I can just cultivate it again," Xiao Yan said indifferently.

"You certainly are open-minded! But..."

Seeing his father's hesitant expression, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "The three elders came to see you again?"

"Those three old bastards can only talk. I am the clan leader. Before the coming-of-age ceremony, no one can drive you out." Xiao Zhan spoke with considerable dominance.

Seeing his father protect him so fiercely, Xiao Yan was deeply moved. Although he had not treated Xiao Zhan as coldly as Xiao Yan had in the original novel, he had still found their interactions awkward. After all, counting both lifetimes, Xiao Yan was no longer young. To avoid embarrassment, he often avoided Xiao Zhan.

Yet Xiao Zhan had not become cold toward Xiao Yan because Xiao Yan deliberately avoided him and lost his cultivation talent. He had not ignored him, abandoned him, or driven him out of the clan like fathers in other novels. Instead, he had become even more concerned about Xiao Yan. The last trace of awkwardness in Xiao Yan's heart vanished, and he truly acknowledged this man as his father.

"I've made things difficult for you these past few years, Father..." Thinking of how his father had often been constrained by the three elders because of him, Xiao Yan felt somewhat guilty.

Seeing Xiao Yan being so sensible, Xiao Zhan patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Yan'er, don't be impatient. Take it slowly. You're only fourteen now, and there's still a long time before adulthood. As long as you can reach Seventh Duan Dou Qi by the age of sixteen, that will be enough."

Every major clan had strict clan rules. Those without cultivation talent at the coming-of-age ceremony at sixteen would be expelled from the clan's core territory and sent to remote places to manage its businesses until they died of old age. Of course, some people encountered fortuitous opportunities and eventually returned, but such people were exceedingly rare—one in ten thousand.

But Xiao Yan was not worried about the clan's coming-of-age ceremony at all. He was worried because Nalan Yanran would come to the Xiao Clan to annul their engagement one year later. If he had not even reached the Dou Zhe level by then, he would have no way to face Nalan Yanran's humiliation. But if he reached the Dou Zhe level, he could directly strike back when she annulled the engagement. Why would he need to endure humiliation for three whole years?

"Father! I will work hard and strive to reach Seventh Duan Dou Qi as soon as possible, bringing honor to you," Xiao Yan declared solemnly.

"Good! Good! Good! I believe in you. My son is the finest. It's getting late, so go back and rest early!" Xiao Zhan laughed heartily and strode away.

Watching his father's departing back, Xiao Yan let out a deep sigh. He touched the ring on his hand and headed down the mountain as well.

After returning to his small house, Xiao Yan touched the ring on his hand again, and his gaze gradually became resolute. He went out to fetch a wooden basin of water, took a bath, and casually removed the ring from his hand and placed it aside. Xiao Yan was a decisive person. Since Medicine Elder was still unwilling to come out, Xiao Yan would no longer indulge that old man and simply took off the ring.

He returned to his bed and sat cross-legged to cultivate once more. As Xiao Yan cultivated, pale white Dou Qi in the air once again entered his body through his nose and mouth, slowly being refined before finally settling within his Qi Sea. Feeling the Dou Qi in his body gradually fill up, a smile appeared on Xiao Yan's young face, and he immediately cultivated even more diligently.