"Heh, strength... in this world, without strength, you're worth less than a pile of shit. At least nobody dares step in shit!" His shoulders shook slightly, and the boy's low, self-mocking laughter, laden with grief and indignation, echoed slowly across the mountaintop.
The Dou Qi Continent, northwest region, Jia Ma Empire, Wutan City, the mountain behind the Xiao Clan estate.
Xiao Yan buried all ten fingers in his black hair, clenching his teeth until his gums bled. Just moments ago, he had suffered the greatest humiliation of his life. Though he had shown no untoward emotion in the hall, every word Nalan Yanran spoke had been like a sharp blade, stabbing into his heart again and again, making his entire body tremble...
"I never want to suffer today's humiliation a second time!" Xiao Yan spread his left hand, revealing a bloody mark. His voice was hoarse, but firm.
"Heh heh, little fellow, it seems..."
"It seems you need real help."
Yao Lao's words were cut short as a gentle voice rang out.
Xiao Yan's expression changed instantly. He jerked his head up toward the sky, his eagle-sharp gaze locking onto a white-robed man standing in midair.
It was none other than Hun Tiandi.
"A Dou Zong!"
His pupils contracted, and shock rocked Xiao Yan's heart.
Standing in the air-only the legendary Dou Zong possessed such power.
In an instant, countless possibilities flashed through Xiao Yan's mind. His left foot slid half a step back, and he could not suppress the urge to flee.
"What an interesting little fellow. Rest assured, I'm not from the Misty Cloud Sect." Hun Tiandi chuckled, then turned his gaze toward the black ring on Xiao Yan's hand that housed Yao Lao.
"So this is my fate..." Yao Chen gave a bitter laugh, his figure materializing. "Honored Dou Sheng, now that your people have found me, I, Yao Chen, have nothing to say. But please don't trouble this young brother. He knows nothing of this, and I've already absorbed his Dou Qi for three years. He shouldn't have to die such a wretched death."
"You misunderstand, Venerable One. I'm not a Dou Sheng of the Hall of Souls." Hun Tiandi shook his head.
Yao Chen let out a long breath. So long as he was not from the Hall of Souls, that was good. If he was not from the Hall of Souls, there was still room to talk...
"My name is Hun Tiandi. I'm the patriarch of the Hun Clan." Hun Tiandi's next words exploded in Yao Chen's ears like thunder from the highest heavens.
In an instant, even Yao Chen's soul form dimmed somewhat.
"Hun... Hun Tiandi..." Having come from the Ancient Eight Clans, how could Yao Chen not know what that name represented?
Yao Chen had roamed the continent for many years and had certainly dealt with Dou Sheng Experts before. Those experts known as Dou Sheng were all proud, untamable, and exceedingly difficult to handle. Yet not one of them could remain composed before the name Hun Tiandi!
Peak Nine-Star Dou Saint-that represented the very pinnacle of the present-day Dou Qi Continent.
The Hun Clan was a supreme, mighty clan. Even the Hall of Souls, supposedly the strongest publicly known faction on the Dou Qi Continent, was merely its subordinate organization.
But should he not have died long ago in the battle at the Heavenly Tomb?
"Don't be alarmed, Venerable One. I originally came here to wipe out the Xiao Clan." Hun Tiandi spoke in the calmest of tones, yet his words chilled Xiao Yan to the bone.
"Then I..." For a moment, Yao Chen actually did not know how to respond.
"But I've changed my mind now." Hun Tiandi turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan.
"If you've taken a liking to this boy, honored Dou Sheng, I shall leave." Bitterness filled Yao Chen's heart. He was very pleased with Xiao Yan's talent. Not only was the boy's soul power far beyond that of an ordinary person, but his aptitude for cultivation was also quite good. Given time, he might well be able to help Yao Chen rebuild his physical body.
"You truly misunderstand, Venerable One. Though I wish to take a disciple, I have no intention of stealing yours. How about we both teach the same boy? You teach him alchemy, and I'll teach him cultivation."
"Naturally, everything shall be as you decide, honored Dou Sheng."
"In that case, I'll leave this man's fate to you, Venerable One." Hun Tiandi waved his hand, and Han Feng appeared beneath the stone platform, trussed up like a rice dumpling.
Yao Chen stared at the man writhing on the ground. Even throughout all those years he had spent asleep, that face had never ceased appearing in his dreams.
Han Feng, his beloved disciple...
Why... why did you betray me? The Flame Mantra was no good cultivation technique...
Yao Chen looked toward Hun Tiandi with a complicated gaze. He did not know why Han Feng was in this man's hands, or why he had brought him here as though he knew Yao Chen was in Xiao Yan's ring.
But none of that mattered anymore.
"This man brought ruin upon himself. He cannot be allowed to live." Yao Chen took a long look at Han Feng, whose eyes were filled with the desperate desire to survive, then hardened his heart and turned away. "Please help me slay this wretch, honored Dou Sheng!"
"With pleasure." Hun Tiandi chuckled. With a lift of his hand, Han Feng's body turned to dust.
A sea-blue flame abruptly sprang into being.
Hun Tiandi gathered up the sea heart flame. His mighty soul instantly erased the wisp of consciousness the flame had just developed, and he placed it inside a jade box, reinforcing the seal.
Beside them, Xiao Yan was utterly stunned by everything unfolding before his eyes.
Hun Tiandi? A Dou Sheng? Killing a Dou Emperor with a mere lift of his hand?
With his cultivation at the third stage of Dou Qi, Xiao Yan could not sense any fluctuations of power from Hun Tiandi at all. Yet he had sensed Han Feng's Dou Emperor aura with absolute clarity. That power could probably have overturned the entire Xiao Clan with a flip of his hand.
Yet an expert like that had been instantly reduced to dust by the man before him, who gave off no fluctuations of Dou Qi whatsoever.
And someone like him wanted to take me as his disciple?
After a brief burst of excitement, Xiao Yan instead felt profound fear. Was there anything about him that could catch the eye of this mighty expert?
With his useless talent, he would probably never break through to become a Dou Zhe again in his lifetime.
"Don't you want power? Don't you want to avoid suffering humiliation like today's ever again? Take us both as your masters, and we'll give you power!" Having settled matters with Yao Chen, Hun Tiandi wasted no time. He flashed in front of Xiao Yan and stared at the boy.
"I do!" Xiao Yan froze. He had meant to refuse, but when the words reached his lips, they became something else entirely.
A yearning to grow stronger lingered in his heart. One day, he would repay today's humiliation a hundredfold.
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west-never scorn a youth for being poor!
"Very good." Hun Tiandi nodded in satisfaction. He saw a shadow of someone in Xiao Yan.
Countless years ago, beneath the Soul Realm Sacred Mountain, another downtrodden boy had roared at the injustice of heaven and earth. His talent for cultivation had been abysmal, and he had been nothing more than a slave kept by a member of the Hun Clan. His master had not even bothered giving him a name.
Now, that boy had given himself a resounding name: Hun Tiandi.
Hun Tiandi, who had towered over the Dou Qi Continent for thousands of years!
Hun Tiandi casually took a Storage Ring from his personal space and tossed it to Xiao Yan, saying mildly, "Take this Storage Ring and bind it to yourself with a drop of blood. Inside are pills and precious natural treasures to help your cultivation and restore Venerable Yao's soul. Head down the mountain for now. We have a visitor."
Xiao Yan caught the Storage Ring, excitement stirring in his heart.
Even the usually unruffled Venerable Yao smiled so broadly that a few more wrinkles appeared on his face.
After watching Xiao Yan descend the mountain, Hun Tiandi turned around.
"Gu Yuan, since you're here, why keep hiding yourself?"
Before you continue