Xiao Xun'er!
Xiao Yan's childhood sweetheart.
The undisputed leading heroine of Battle Through the Heavens.
If he built a good relationship with her, he could also earn plenty of goodwill from Xiao Yan.
But Lin Dong had always done his best to avoid any contact with Xiao Xun'er.
It wasn't just because he feared Xiao Yan would misunderstand.
It was also because of her terrifying background!
The daughter of the Ancient Clan Chief!
That alone was enough to make Lin Dong stay as far away from her as possible!
Awakened ones risked exposing their identities while exploring secret realms, and once their identities were exposed, their fates were invariably horrific!
Death would count as a mercy!
At that thought, Lin Dong looked at Xiao Xun'er again.
Though he hadn't wanted to encounter her, there was no point avoiding her now that she had approached him herself.
Lin Dong nodded and smiled. "What would you like to discuss, Miss Xun'er?"
Dressed in green, Xiao Xun'er didn't speak right away. Instead, she looked Lin Dong up and down with a scrutinizing gaze.
With his sharp eyes, Lin Dong clearly caught a flicker of golden flame in her eyes. It was breathtaking, but carried an intense sense of danger.
"Brother Lin!"
Only after a long while did Xiao Xun'er slowly speak. Her voice was as melodious as a babbling mountain spring, and her manner was deeply respectful. "Thank you for speaking up for him today, Brother Lin."
Lin Dong cupped his hands and smiled. "You're too kind, Miss Xun'er. Xiao Yan is my brother. Standing up for my brother isn't some noble act. It's what I should do."
"That's easy to say, but how many people can actually do it?"
There was a maturity in Xun'er's eyes that belied her age. After that sigh of feeling, she took a bottle of pills from inside her clothes and handed it to Lin Dong.
"Brother Lin, I know you don't do things for a reward."
"But how can this world expect good people to give both their effort and their money?"
"This is a fourth-grade Tiger Demon Strength Pill. Please consider it a small token of compensation from me."
"A fourth-grade pill?!"
Lin Dong knew Xun'er came from an illustrious background, but he had never imagined the young girl would hand out a fourth-grade pill right off the bat!
In Wutan City, never mind a fourth-grade pill.
Even a single third-grade pill.
Was enough to unleash a bloody storm!
It might even lead to the slaughter of an entire clan!
Lin Dong looked at Xiao Xun'er and smiled. "Miss Xun'er, are you giving me this pill on my brother's behalf, or on your own?"
"If you're giving it on your own behalf, I absolutely can't accept it!"
"If you're giving it on my brother's behalf, then I can accept it."
Xiao Xun'er tilted her head adorably. "Why can you accept it in the latter case?"
Lin Dong laughed heartily. "Because then I can treat it as a gift from my future sister-in-law to her big brother! I'll make sure to keep an eye on that brat for you, so he doesn't go chasing other women!"
"If I'm doing something for you, I can naturally accept it with a clear conscience!"
Xiao Xun'er's pretty face instantly flushed red!
At the sight, Lin Dong laughed even more happily!
"Then let me thank you in advance, big brother!"
Though Xiao Xun'er blushed, she didn't deny it or act coy. Instead, she gracefully dipped in a curtsy, then produced an old parchment scroll from somewhere and handed it to Lin Dong.
"Brother Lin, this is a high yellow-tier Dou Technique, the Breath Concealment Art!"
"Though its tier is rather low and it has no offensive power, it lets you conceal your aura completely and remain hidden. No one below Dou Wang can detect you!"
"Most importantly, you can practice it even without Dou Qi!"
"Brother Lin, you spend so much time traveling that you're bound to encounter unexpected dangers. Learning this art could save your life at a critical moment."
"That was thoughtful of you, Sister Xun'er!"
Lin Dong cupped his hands in thanks, marveling at how the Gu Clan's holy maiden truly lived up to her title. The resources at her disposal were astonishing!
A high yellow-tier Dou Technique didn't sound particularly impressive.
But the key points were that "no one below Dou Wang could detect you" and "you could practice it without Dou Qi"!
Either one of those selling points alone was enough to make people fight until blood flowed!
Especially the last one: it could be practiced without Dou Qi!
What did that mean?
In the hands of an organization, it meant they could turn ordinary people into cheap, effective intelligence scouts in large numbers!
The value contained within it far exceeded that of a yellow tier Dou Technique.
Even a high-grade profound tier Dou Technique might not be worth as much as this Breath Concealment Art!
By Lin Dong's conservative estimate, this Breath Concealment Art alone could be exchanged for at least thirty bottles of stamina potions!
After handing the parchment scroll to Lin Dong, Xiao Xun'er added, "This Tiger Demon Strength Pill can nurture the strength of a tiger within you."
"If you're lucky, it can even nurture the full strength of the tiger demon itself, the Bloodland Red-Strength Tiger!"
"The Bloodland Red-Strength Tiger?"
Lin Dong's eyes widened.
Xiao Xun'er nodded. "According to legend, this tiger only lives in lands steeped in blood and baleful energy. It absorbs that energy over long periods to temper its body. An adult Bloodland Red-Strength Tiger possesses such immense strength that it can rival dragons and elephants!"
"It's that powerful?!"
Lin Dong instinctively asked, "Then how can I unlock the full power of the Tiger Demon Strength Pill?"
"It's a matter of chance."
Xiao Xun'er explained, "Sometimes, the person taking it doesn't have to do anything to unlock it."
"Other times, they can swallow ten pills without unlocking it once."
Hearing that, Lin Dong nodded in disappointment. "I see."
Seeing his reaction, Xiao Xun'er thought for a moment before saying, "However, if you can find a place rich in baleful energy and blood energy before taking it, that would probably improve your chances somewhat."
"But places like that are usually extremely dangerous, filled with sinister, uncanny things and terrifying beings!"
"There's no need to put yourself in danger for such a slim chance, Brother Lin."
Lin Dong smiled and nodded in agreement. "Thanks for the warning, Sister Xun'er. Don't worry. I'm not foolish enough to gamble with my life."
"Then I can rest easy."
Xiao Xun'er smiled sweetly. "I hope I haven't caused you any trouble today, Brother Lin."
"Trouble? I should be thanking you!"
Lin Dong grinned. He was just about to say something when his expression suddenly changed, and he spoke urgently.
"Sister Xun'er, I have something urgent to take care of. I'll have to leave now!"
Xiao Xun'er nodded understandingly. "Goodbye, Brother Lin."
As though something urgent really had come up, Lin Dong had no time to say anything more. He nodded, turned, and ran.
Watching Lin Dong's figure recede into the distance, Xiao Xun'er asked softly, "Elder Ling, you won't be angry that I gave your Dou Technique away without asking, will you?"
There was clearly nothing around Xiao Xun'er, yet an aged voice eerily rang out.
"You must be joking, Miss. That's something I discarded and stopped using years ago."
"If you feel it still has some value, Miss Xun'er, then I should be honored."
Xiao Xun'er smiled. "Can it really prevent anyone below Dou Wang from detecting you?"
The aged voice replied proudly, "Never mind Dou Wangs-even magical beasts born with hearing and a sense of smell far beyond those of ordinary people can't detect it!"
"When I was young, I used this trick alone to make fools of countless magical beasts!"
Hearing that, Xiao Xun'er smiled and nodded, saying no more.
The aged voice gradually faded away as well, as though it had never appeared.
[Ding! Secret realm exploration complete!] [Ding! This exploration yielded Breath Concealment Art ×1, Tiger Demon Strength Pill ×1, Blood-Stasis-Clearing Pill ×1, second-rank wind-type magic core ×3. Would you like to bring everything back?]
"Huh?!"
Lin Dong's eyes suddenly widened, his face filled with shock. "Wind-type magic cores?!"
Before you continue