Xiao Jian

Xiao Yuting simply ignored Elder Xiao Xuan's words. She had only come here to clear her mind. Whenever she wanted to return, she could leave immediately; with her status, no one could stop her. Xiao Yan, on the other hand, listened respectfully. He did not have backing as powerful as Xiao Yuting's.

"These are the tokens representing your identities. Your information is recorded on them. Go back and find your own rooms," Elder Xiao Xuan said.

Xiao Yuting took the token, gave it a glance, and walked straight out. Xiao Wanqing had naturally told her treasured younger sister all about the branch academy long ago.

Xiao Yan took the jade token and examined it carefully. On the front was the character Xiao, along with the Xiao Clan's clan insignia. On the back were his room number, name, the continent he came from, and other information.

Xiao Yan wandered around the branch for quite a while before finally finding his room in a secluded corner. He smiled bitterly. It seemed his treatment truly was not very good.

Xiao Yan entered. There were only two beds and a few simple pieces of furniture in the room. Looking at such a crude room, Xiao Yan could not help cursing inwardly. Back on the Battle Qi Continent, he had lived in a luxurious residence, eaten delicious food, and most importantly, had his wives by his side. But after coming here, everything had changed.

Still, the room was exceptionally clean, without even a speck of dust. Someone had clearly cleaned it deliberately. Just as Xiao Yan was wondering what to do, a bold voice came from behind him.

"You're Xiao Yan, right? My name is Xiao Jian. I'm from the Wind Spirit Continent. I'm your roommate here," a black-clothed man behind Xiao Yan said with a smile.

"Xiao Yan, from the Battle Qi Continent," Xiao Yan replied with a smile as well. He had not expected that two people would be sharing a room here.

"The Battle Qi Continent? Did you come alone?" Xiao Jian asked with great interest.

"Mm, alone." Xiao Yan sensed no hostility in Xiao Jian's tone, so after hesitating briefly, he answered.

"Then the Emperor-Origin Qi where you came from must be scarce. I arrived three days before you. I came with my wife," Xiao Jian said.

"Your wife? Then why aren't you living with your wife?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"She has her own Lineage. Although I am from the Xiao Clan, I cannot change the fact that she still belongs to another Lineage," Xiao Jian said. Yet when he spoke those words, he seemed somewhat dejected.

Xiao Yan could feel the sorrow in Xiao Jian's words. Xun'er belonged to the Ancient Clan. Perhaps one day, the Ancient Clan would sense her existence—wouldn't that mean he and she would have to separate again? Xiao Yan clenched his fists. For some reason, he suddenly hoped Xun'er and Cai Lin would take a little longer to break through to Dou Emperor, so that he could further increase his own strength.

"Oh, right. Let me remind you—dinner is at dusk today. You'd better get there early. Otherwise, there won't be any food left," Xiao Jian reminded him.

Xiao Yan gave a bitter laugh. After working hard for decades, he had returned overnight to the days before transmigration. When had he last had to fight over food? Middle school, or high school?

"Almost half the people fail to get food every day. And you just so happen to be the last one in our group. You'd better work hard," Xiao Jian said, looking at Xiao Yan sympathetically.

"Last again? My luck can't be this bad, can it?" Xiao Yan said helplessly.

After tidying up a little, Xiao Yan entered a meditative state. The high-intensity battles of this period had left even him, with his willpower far beyond ordinary people, feeling weary. Especially after learning from Tuoshe Ancient Emperor about the Flame Formula, the Heaven-Transforming Formula, and the Water-Fire Mutual Generation Formula. It seemed he truly needed to make a trip to the Murong Clan. With the item Spirit Life Water had given him, they should not shut him out.

Xiao Yan entered cultivation, and the Flame Formula began circulating at an accelerated pace. The current Flame Formula had smoothly entered the Emperor Tier. Though it was only at the initial stage of the Emperor Tier, Xiao Yan could still sense its power. But one problem caused him great distress: the Flame Formula required an enormous amount of Emperor-Origin Qi. Although the Emperor-Origin Qi here was not as abundant as in Guidance City, it was still quite plentiful. Yet for Xiao Yan, it was still not enough.

Time passed little by little, and night gradually descended. Xiao Yan ended his cultivation and opened his eyes. Xiao Jian had already left. Seeming to remember something, Xiao Yan hurried toward the dining hall.

On the way here, Xiao Yuting had thrown away Xiao Yan's food, and he had not eaten anything in quite some time. Besides, didn't everything depend on getting off to a good start? Xiao Yan did not want to go hungry on his first day here. Though he had never been here before, he still found the dining hall without difficulty.

But when he saw the long line before him, Xiao Yan increasingly felt as though he had returned to the era of fighting over food.

If he had not seen it with his own eyes, Xiao Yan would never have believed that Dou Emperors, once held high above all on the Battle Qi Continent, would actually fight over food like a bunch of elementary or middle school students. He truly did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"I doubt we have any hope. Come on—once it gets dark, let's go into the forest and hunt a Magic Beast. That'll be enough to feed us," Xiao Jian said as he came over and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, just as Xiao Yan was preparing to join the queue fighting for food.

"You didn't get any either?" Xiao Yan asked.

"I'm not interested in fighting a bunch of immature children over food," Xiao Jian said with a smile. He had been here for three days already, and in those three days, he had seen many things.

Although they were all Dou Emperors in name, the gap in strength between them was immense. This was especially true in terms of combat experience.

Quite a few of them came from Lower Planes rich in Emperor-Origin Qi. They were the little ancestors and little princesses of their Lineages, and their Lineages had already paved the road to becoming Dou Emperors for them.

Therefore, some of them could become Dou Emperors even if they spent every day eating until full, sleeping until rested, then eating again. Others had their paths to becoming Dou Emperors piled up with medicinal pills by their Lineages.

These people might possess extraordinary talent, but their growth was exceedingly limited.

Of course, there were also some truly capable people. They had their own pride and dignity, and they would all voluntarily leave to find food for themselves.

That was how the current situation here had come about. It was merely meant to break the habits of those incapable people. No matter how powerful their Lineages had been back home, once they arrived here, they had to rely on themselves for everything. Just like the group of richly dressed people Xiao Yan had encountered when he first arrived on the World-Creation Continent, there had been quite a few useless people among them as well. Otherwise, even with a sneak attack, Xiao Yan would not have subdued two of them so easily.

Xiao Yan suddenly felt that the Xiao Clan's method seemed somewhat reasonable. It looked unfair, yet it prevented some worms from entering the Xiao Clan. This was also a form of protection for a Lineage.

Just as Xiao Yan was about to leave, he was drawn in by a dazzling sight.