Gu Clan

The blazing sunlight shone upon the cliff as a gentle breeze lifted the maiden's long black hair. The hem of her dress fluttered, and a fragrant scent drifted through the air. Beautiful. Heart-stirring.

The maiden frowned tightly as she looked at the youth beside her. "Brother Xiao Yan, have you really decided?"

At the summit of the cliff, a thin figure in green robes stood against the wind beside the maiden, his eyes revealing a determination that did not belong to someone his age.

"Yes, I've decided, Xun'er. Begin." Xiao Yan's voice was calm and composed, clearly showing that his resolve had been set.

Seeing this, Xun'er no longer hesitated. The Storage Ring on her delicate hand flashed, and a jade pendant appeared in her palm. It emitted a mysterious glow and was carved with ancient characters that had never been seen before. Although he had never encountered such writing, Xiao Yan somehow recognized the character at once. It was the character "Gu"!

As Xun'er poured Dou Qi into the jade pendant, its glow suddenly intensified. A fluctuation beyond Xiao Yan's perception swiftly spread outward, leaving Wutan City at a speed unimaginable to ordinary people, then leaving the Jia Ma Empire, passing beyond the northwestern corner of the continent, and finally entering a mysterious realm.

"Young Miss." An aged voice suddenly rang out. A figure abruptly emerged from the trees behind them. He walked behind Xun'er and bowed respectfully, but his gaze fell upon Xiao Yan. The pressure of a Dou Emperor expert descended completely upon Xiao Yan, rendering him unable to move.

Even as Xun'er's guard, he would not watch over her every hour of the day, so he did not know what had happened. He only knew that someone who should not have been there had appeared when Miss Xun'er contacted the clan.

"Ling Lao! Stop!" Xun'er's angry voice rang out.

"But, Young Miss..."

"I said stop!" Xun'er's voice turned somewhat cold.

Hearing this, Ling Lao could only withdraw his suppression of Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan, who had been resisting with all his strength, felt the pressure suddenly vanish. He instantly felt weak, and his body involuntarily toppled to one side.

Seeing this, Xun'er hurried over and supported Xiao Yan, looking painfully at his face, which had become drenched in sweat within only a few breaths.

"Ling Lao, how could you do this? Do you know..."

"Enough, Xun'er." Xiao Yan stopped Xun'er before she could continue rebuking him. "This senior already showed mercy just now. Otherwise, I could not possibly be standing here unharmed."

Seeing that Xiao Yan himself did not intend to pursue the matter, and that nothing had truly happened, Xun'er did not continue pressing it. Still, she said, "Ling Lao, do you know that Brother Xiao Yan intends to give the Tou She Ancient Emperor Jade to our Gu Clan today? How could you treat our Gu Clan's benefactor this way? You must apologize to Brother Xiao Yan!"

"What? The Tou She Ancient Emperor Jade?" Ling Lao exclaimed in shock. He did not doubt the truth of it, because he believed Xiao Yan lacked both the nerve and ability to deceive the Gu Clan. He was merely astonished that the Ancient Emperor Jade they had sought for so many years would come into the Gu Clan's hands in such a manner.

"There's no need, Xun'er. This senior did nothing wrong. He was only carrying out his duty," Xiao Yan continued, trying to soothe her. He did not dare make the other man apologize. If Ling Lao held a grudge against him, things would not go well even with Xun'er protecting him. After all, one could not guard against a thief every day. Still, Xiao Yan remembered this debt. Sooner or later, he would collect it.

"Hmph!"

After the small disturbance passed, the three quickly put it behind them and waited for the arrival of the Gu Clan Escort.

Time flew by, and half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, a black figure appeared out of thin air in the previously cloudless sky. His aura was concealed; if one had not seen him with one's own eyes, one might even doubt whether he truly existed. The arrival was an elder of the Gu Clan at the Dou Saint level.

The Gu Clan elder stepped through the void, sweeping his gaze over Xun'er and Xiao Yan below. With a wave of his hand, the surrounding space rippled, and the three of them vanished from where they stood. As for Ling Lao, he was merely a Dou Emperor—not worthy of having a Dou Saint take him along.

The instant Xiao Yan and Xun'er were swept into the spatial passage, their vision went dark, and they felt as though they had lost all weight. However, that sensation soon vanished, and a strange void passage appeared before them.

A dark silver torrent of void swept spirally backward, carrying mysterious motes of multicolored light. At the end of their sight lay endless blackness, and no one knew where it led.

Time passed second by second. Suddenly, a streak of white light appeared ahead and rapidly expanded, swiftly filling their entire vision.

As the white light faded, a vast world appeared before Xiao Yan. The sky was blue as jade, clouds drifted overhead, mountains rose one after another, and rivers flowed gently. Within this beautiful realm, dense natural energy condensed into a thin mist that radiated seven-colored light.

"So this is the Gu Clan? It truly deserves to be a world created by a Dou God expert." Feeling his cultivation stir restlessly within him, a trace of envy flashed across Xiao Yan's face.

"Come. The clan leader is already waiting for you." The Gu Clan Dou Saint spoke.

Space rippled once more, and the scenery shifted with it. When the scene settled again, an elegant courtyard resembling the Jiangnan gardens of Xiao Yan's previous life appeared before them.

"Clan Leader, Miss Xun'er and that boy from the Xiao Clan have arrived." The Gu Clan Dou Saint walked before the courtyard and bowed respectfully.

No reply came, but the courtyard gates opened on their own.

"Yes," the Gu Clan Dou Saint suddenly answered. "Boy from the Xiao Clan, the clan leader wants you to enter alone."

Xiao Yan was somewhat stunned at those words, while Xun'er looked at him with concern.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan calmed his thoughts. He gave Xun'er a reassuring look, then strode into the courtyard.

After passing through the gates and walking along winding corridors, he arrived at a bamboo grove behind the courtyard. Deep within the grove stood a stone table, beside which sat a middle-aged man dressed in ordinary clothes.

This man was Xun'er's father, the Gu Clan's leader, and one of the strongest beings on the Dou Qi Continent—Gu Yuan.

Xiao Yan walked over on legs stiffened somewhat by nervousness, then bowed respectfully. "This junior, Xiao Yan, greets Clan Leader Gu Yuan."

Gu Yuan looked at the youth before him from beside the stone table. Xiao Yan possessed only the cultivation of a Dou Fighter, his appearance was hardly astonishing, and his Dou God bloodline was practically nonexistent. Gu Yuan could not help sighing. "Since the Xiao Tribe was defeated in that battle a thousand years ago, I have imagined many times what it would be like to see someone from the Xiao Tribe again. But I never expected it to be like this. A mere Dou Fighter has actually come before me. Boy from the Xiao Tribe, are you not afraid?"

Xiao Yan was slightly startled. He had not expected Gu Yuan's first words to be this. He replied, "Of course I'm afraid. Clan Leader Gu Yuan is indeed one of the strongest beings in the world, but to this junior, meeting you is not much different from meeting a Dou Emperor. Thinking of it that way makes it less frightening."

"A Dou Emperor?" Gu Yuan was somewhat surprised. "In all these years, this is the first time someone has described me that way. Why do you think so?"

"Because whether it is a Dou Emperor or a Dou Saint, either can easily wipe out our Xiao Clan," Xiao Yan answered.

Xiao Yan's answer carried a hint of teasing, yet it made Gu Yuan feel a trace of desolation. Was the Xiao Tribe's present not also the future of their ancient emperor clans?

Xiao Yan naturally had no idea what Gu Yuan was thinking. Yet, seeing Gu Yuan fall silent, the corners of his lips rose as he secretly took pride in the success of his plan.

How could Xiao Yan possibly have made no preparations for this conversation, which would greatly determine the course of his life?

However, Xiao Yan's satisfaction did not last long.

"So, this little cleverness is what you rely on?" A calm voice rang out. Xiao Yan saw that Gu Yuan was staring intently at him, his black eyes seeming to see through every thought in his mind.

Xiao Yan's entire body trembled violently. Since his transmigration and rebirth, fear climbed into his heart for the first time.

Only then did he remember that the man before him was not some kind and benevolent uncle, but a terrifying expert capable of deciding his fate!