Xiao Xuan thought Xun'er was a decent person.
Although Gu Yuan's character left much to be desired, the daughter he had fathered was quite all right.
She was actually willing to offer the Gu Clan's Emperor Seal Art in exchange for a Dou Emperor guard's life. Xiao Xuan admired people who stood by their own, so he was willing to spare Ling Ying.
Had it not been for Xun'er's loyalty today, Xiao Xuan would have slapped Ling Ying to death ten thousand times over.
However, Xiao Xuan did not accept the Emperor Seal Art Xun'er offered.
He had his pride. Whatever the Gu Clan owed him, he would collect himself. Holding out his hand for something a junior offered would be far too humiliating.
That was not how he, Xiao Xuan, did things.
Xun'er clearly had not expected anyone to refuse the Emperor Seal Art she offered.
This was the Gu Clan's inherited Dou Technique, comparable to a Heaven-tier cultivation method, yet Xiao Xuan had refused without even glancing at it.
At that moment, Xun'er could not help feeling a trace of admiration for Xiao Xuan.
Her father had been right. Uncle Xiao Xuan truly possessed the bearing of the Dou Qi Continent's greatest genius and foremost Dou Sheng from a thousand years ago.
Xun'er put away the Emperor Seal Art and said, "Thank you, Uncle Xiao Xuan. You truly live up to your reputation as the continent's foremost Dou Sheng a thousand years ago. I admire you."
Xiao Xuan said, "There is no need to flatter me. Whatever your Gu Clan owes me, I will collect in person. A couple of flattering remarks from you won't stop me from settling accounts with your father.
"Until then, however, you will have to put up with remaining here in my Xiao Clan."
Before he went to settle accounts with the Gu Clan, Xiao Xuan had no intention of releasing Xun'er and Ling Ying.
After all, if he let them go, they would return to the Gu Clan and report what had happened. Gu Yuan would become wary, hunker down before Xiao Xuan arrived, and activate the Clan-Protecting Grand Formation.
Then Xiao Xuan would be unable to do anything to the Gu Clan for the time being.
Thus, even if Xiao Xuan did not intend to harm Xun'er, he could not let her leave.
Xun'er understood this as well. She could only sigh and say, "I will follow all your arrangements, Uncle Xiao Xuan."
Afterward, Xiao Xuan allowed Xun'er and Ling Ying to withdraw.
From that day onward, neither of them could leave the Xiao Clan.
Xun'er and Ling Ying took their leave.
Once the two emerged, Ling Ying was already drenched in sweat from fright.
Although he had come through the ordeal unscathed, Ling Ying had truly felt that Xiao Xuan intended to kill him just now. He had never expected Xun'er to offer the Emperor Seal Art to save him, and her actions had moved him deeply.
Now that they were outside, Ling Ying voiced his concern. "Young miss, are we really going to stay in the Xiao Clan? If we don't inform the clan leader of Xiao Xuan's resurrection in time, I'm afraid our Gu Clan will be in danger."
After all, Xiao Xuan had stated outright that he would certainly settle accounts with the Gu Clan. Were the two of them supposed to sit here and await their doom?
Xun'er said, "Elder Ling, what the Gu Clan owes the Xiao Clan is ultimately an internal problem of our Gu Clan. We cannot escape it by running away. When people make mistakes, they must own up to them.
"Besides, Uncle Xiao Xuan has already shown extraordinary mercy by not killing us. Don't try to be clever under the very eyes of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng.
"The Gu Clan's problems are not something we can resolve. From now on, we need only attend to our own affairs."
Xun'er was intelligent. She would only take on what her abilities allowed.
If she were a Dou Sheng now, she would certainly find a way to send this news to the Gu Clan.
But she was only a Dou Zhe, and Ling Ying was only a Dou Emperor. The less power one had, the less responsibility one bore.
Xiao Xuan had already spared them once. They should not provoke him again.
She would leave Xiao Xuan to her father, Gu Yuan, and the Gu Clan's elders.
Hearing this, Ling Ying nodded as well.
I'll listen to the young miss.
After Xun'er and Ling Ying left, Xiao Yan followed them out to chat with Xun'er.
Xiao Xuan did not stop him. The younger generation's affairs should be left to the younger generation. Besides, he thought Xun'er was a decent person himself.
Then Xiao Xuan began attending to his own affairs.
He released Yao Chen.
As a white soul form appeared, Yao Chen said, "Greetings, Lord Xiao Xuan."
Xiao Xuan nodded and said, "No need for formalities. I released you because I previously promised to forge a fleshly body for you. I can fulfill that promise now. Do you have any additional requirements for your new body?"
Yao Chen had not expected Xiao Xuan to fulfill his promise so soon. He froze for a moment; even he had never imagined that his chance at resurrection would arrive this quickly.
Overjoyed, Yao Chen said, "Lord Xiao Xuan, I don't have many requirements. I only need a fleshly body capable of housing my soul. As for its appearance, however, I hope it won't differ too much from my original one."
Yao Chen did not have many demands for his new body. He only needed somewhere to reside. His sole requirement was that its appearance not change too much, lest some old friends fail to recognize him after his resurrection.
Xiao Xuan said, "That's simple. I'll just forge one casually, then."
For Xiao Xuan, forging a new fleshly body had been a simple, effortless matter even at the Nine-Star Dou Sheng level, let alone now that he had advanced to Half-Emperor.
The next moment, Xiao Xuan casually released three Heavenly Flames, then took out some materials. Interweaving the three flames, he began the refinement.
Watching Xiao Xuan's technique, Yao Chen was utterly astonished, his eyes wide and his tongue tied.
Yao Chen had always considered his talent for alchemy extraordinary. He had struggled his way to the Eight-Star Alchemist realm on his own, which already spoke of exceptional talent.
He was also supremely confident in his own refining methods.
Yet as he watched Xiao Xuan manipulate the flames and refine the materials, Yao Chen understood for the first time what it meant that beyond every great person stood someone greater, and beyond every heaven lay another heaven.
As expected of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng, Xiao Xuan's control over flames and his refining techniques far exceeded anything Yao Chen had imagined.
What shocked Yao Chen most, however, were Xiao Xuan's Heavenly Flames.
As everyone knew, many kinds of Heavenly Flames existed on the Dou Qi Continent. Their energy was violent, and ordinary experts struggled to tame, refine, or withstand even one.
Yet Xiao Xuan could forcibly contain three Heavenly Flames and wield them as naturally as his arms commanded his fingers. Such profound reserves befitted a clan leader of the Ancient Eight Clans. Truly terrifying.
Before long-not even half an hour had passed-Xiao Xuan had finished forging Yao Chen's new body using the three Heavenly Flames and some materials.
The entire refining process flowed seamlessly from beginning to end, without the slightest dragging of feet.
The body he forged was flawless, even better than the one Yao Chen had originally been born with.
Moreover, Yao Chen discovered that although he had made no such requests, Xiao Xuan had given him quite a few extras.
The physical strength of this new body was at least at the Dou Sheng level.
Forging a Dou Sheng-level body in less than half an hour was simply too frightening.
Yao Chen could not help exclaiming, "Lord Xiao Xuan, your control over flames is truly breathtaking. Your refining techniques inspire my deepest admiration. I am thoroughly impressed."
Xiao Xuan said, "A casual refinement and a few little tricks with fire, nothing more. Hardly worth mentioning."
"Try your new body. With the materials I had on hand being limited, I casually forged a Two-Star Dou Saint-level body. Make do with it."
Yao Chen could barely control his expression.
Casually forged. Two-Star Dou Saint. Make do.
Senior Xiao Xuan was such a fucking humblebragger.
Yao Chen was frightened to tears.
He dared not imagine what Senior Xiao Xuan could forge if he took it seriously, had ample materials, and did not simply make do...
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