Nalan Jie

The Wind-Splitting Wing Beast was covered from head to toe in dark green scales. With its wings spread, it spanned more than ten zhang, and its cold, sharp eyes radiated a fierce aura.

In the Jia Ma Empire, compared to flying magical beasts like the mild-tempered, easily tamed Thick-Winged Bird, the Wind-Splitting Wing Beast was far more violent and exceedingly difficult to tame.

Yet once someone made a Wind-Splitting Wing Beast recognize them as its master, it was equivalent to gaining a Da Dou Shi bodyguard.

The wind blade attacks unleashed by a third-rank Wind-Splitting Wing Beast were incomparably sharp. Even armor condensed from Dou Qi by a Da Dou Shi of the same level was often unable to withstand them.

Coupled with the astonishing speed of this magical beast, its combat strength was considered outstanding among Da Dou Shi.

"Young Master Chenfeng, we will ride the Wind-Splitting Wing Beast back from here."

The middle-aged man jumped down from the carriage and gently pulled open the door.

"Mm."

Nalan Chenfeng stepped down from the carriage and looked up at the enormous creature, a smile appearing on his delicate little face.

There were only a few flying magical beasts of the Wind-Splitting Wing Beast's caliber in the entire Jia Ma Empire, yet the Nalan Clan kept one. In the Jia Ma Empire, this was not merely a symbol of strength, but also a display of status.

Looking across the entire Dou Qi Continent, the Nalan Clan was nothing special. But within the Jia Ma Empire, it was a highly ranked family force. With such a clan supporting him, his starting point had already surpassed that of most people.

"Let's go, Young Master Chenfeng."

The middle-aged man was warm and friendly. He then took Nalan Chenfeng's hand and leaped onto the Wind-Splitting Wing Beast's feathered back.

A pavilion had been set up on the Wind-Splitting Wing Beast's back, surrounded by railings. It could shield them from wind and rain while preventing anyone from falling off. It was extremely safe, and Nalan Jie had arranged it specially.

Otherwise, at only six years old, it would have been very difficult for him to travel from the Jia Ma Imperial Capital to Wu Tan City.

Whoosh!

The Wind-Splitting Wing Beast flapped its wings and soared into the sky. Wu Tan City rapidly shrank beneath them, eventually becoming a blurry black dot that vanished below the clouds.

Nalan Chenfeng stood beside the pavilion railing, watching the rolling sea of clouds beneath his feet as the cold high-altitude wind brushed past him.

This trip from the imperial capital to Wu Tan City had given him a glimpse of the Dou Qi Continent's vastness. Even the small Jia Ma Empire in the continent's northwestern region was so immense; one could only imagine how boundless this world truly was.

A six-year-old body was indeed far too small, but that did not stop him from possessing the heart to grow stronger.

He would work hard to become stronger and look down upon this land through his own power.

To achieve that, aside from finding the shortcut of a flying Dou technique, he would have to cultivate to the Dou Wang realm.

On the Dou Qi Continent, the cultivation ranks were strictly defined. Beginning with the initial Dou Qi stage, they proceeded through Dou Zhe, Dou Shi, Da Dou Shi, Dou Ling, Dou Wang, Dou Emperor, Dou Zong, Dou Zun, Dou Saint, and Dou God.

Each rank was further divided into nine stars, from low to high.

Dou Wang experts marked one such dividing line. His grandfather, Nalan Jie, was a six-star Dou Wang. Unfortunately, several years ago, he had fought an Iron-Seal Venom Python and been afflicted with Scorch Poison. He had spent these years suppressing it with Dou Qi and had made no further progress.

This was also the danger facing the Nalan Clan. His grandfather could suppress the Scorch Poison with Dou Qi for a time, but not forever. In a few more years, once the poison spread, his grandfather's life would be in grave danger.

If the Nalan Clan had no new Dou Wang expert by then, its situation would become like that of the Xiao Clan in Wu Tan City, perhaps even worse.

However, such worries were completely unnecessary now. Not to mention his younger sister, Nalan Yanran, even he himself would never allow such a thing to happen.

For now, he still had plenty of time. Everything could be changed through his own efforts.

Three days later.

The Wind-Splitting Wing Beast passed through the clouds, and the outline of Jia Ma Sacred City appeared in Nalan Chenfeng's field of vision.

As the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire, Jia Ma Sacred City's grandeur was far beyond anything Wu Tan City could compare to. Its endless city walls enclosed the entire city, while buildings stood in neat rows within and streets crisscrossed throughout. Even from afar, its terrifying bustle was still visible.

The Nalan Clan was situated at the heart of Jia Ma Sacred City's eastern district, adjacent to the imperial palace and occupying an enormous area.

The Wind-Splitting Wing Beast circled once above a magnificent residence before slowly landing in the rear courtyard's designated magical beast resting area.

"Young Master Chenfeng, we've arrived."

The middle-aged man opened the railing and led Nalan Chenfeng down from the beast's back.

"Mm. Thank you, Uncle Cheng, for escorting me all the way. I'll go see Grandfather."

Nalan Chenfeng nodded and cupped his hands in thanks before walking toward the courtyard where Nalan Jie resided.

Within the Nalan Clan, the person he could rely on most was Nalan Jie, not his father, Nalan Su. It was not that his father was a bad man, but rather that his father lived up to his name—far too stern.

Moreover, father and son had conflicts over the engagement with the Xiao Clan.

Although his father had never explicitly stated that he wanted to dissolve the engagement with the Xiao Clan, his attitude after the Xiao Clan's decline revealed quite a bit.

It was even possible that his grandfather, Nalan Jie, and his father were playing good cop and bad cop: one upheld the rules and honored the old agreement to avoid criticism from outsiders, while the other gradually grew distant and never mentioned the matter.

Then there was his younger sister, Nalan Yanran, who sought freedom, yearned to cast off restraints, and did not know her limits. Once Xiao Yan fell from being a genius, what would happen next was obvious.

Still, these were only his guesses. He could not yet fathom his grandfather's thoughts. By his estimation, if Xiao Yan had continued to possess talent, his grandfather most likely would not have allowed Nalan Yanran to act so recklessly.

On the Dou Qi Continent, strength was supreme. Everything depended on strength, and the Nalan Clan's choice depended on the Xiao Clan's strength. It was the same principle behind the Gu Clan's indifference toward the present-day Xiao Tribe.

Such examples were commonplace on the Dou Qi Continent, while the Xiao Clan and Xiao Yan could only be called an example of striking back in the opposite direction.

If he wanted the engagement between the Nalan Clan and the Xiao Clan to continue, he needed absolute strength. Only then could he gain absolute authority within the Nalan Clan.

On this Dou Qi Continent, aside from Xiao Yan, he did not believe there was anyone more suitable for his younger sister, Nalan Yanran.

In the Nalan Clan's rear courtyard stood a secluded residence.

Several clusters of verdant bamboo had been planted in the courtyard. As the breeze passed through them, their leaves rustled softly. Beneath the eaves, an elderly man with graying hair and beard reclined halfway in a rattan chair, his eyes slightly closed as he played with two black balls made from some unknown material.

The old man was broad and sturdy, with stern, imposing features and a full beard around his face. Even while reclining, he carried an overpowering aura.

Nalan Jie.

The Jia Ma Empire's Lionheart Marshal, one of its ten greatest experts, a six-star Dou Wang who had once rendered tremendous military service to the Jia Ma Empire.

"Grandfather."

Nalan Chenfeng entered the courtyard, stopped beside the rattan chair, and called softly.

"You've already gone to the Xiao Clan. Now that you've come back, you little brat won't keep pestering your grandfather anymore, will you?"

Nalan Jie opened his eyes, a kindly smile appearing on his face. He was not surprised by Nalan Chenfeng's return.