"I've broken through to fourth stage Dou Qi!"
Feeling the changes within his body, Xiao Yan's face lit up with excitement.
Three years!
His cultivation had stagnated for three whole years, yet now he had broken through in mere moments.
Moreover, he could clearly feel that as he continued drawing fire-attribute energy from the eerie white flame before him, the Dou Qi within his body kept growing stronger, showing not the slightest sign of slowing after his breakthrough!
At this rate, he would soon break through again.
His father had been right. The fire spirit bloodline truly was powerful!
Xiao Yan knew perfectly well that all these changes were thanks to his father awakening his fire spirit bloodline.
At that thought, Xiao Yan could not help glancing back at Xiao Zhan, gratitude shining in his eyes.
Father, thank you for giving your son a chance to be reborn!
I'll grow stronger quickly. One day, I'll fight alongside you across the Great Thousand World, eliminate those three scoundrels, and avenge you.
Having experienced the power of the fire spirit bloodline, Xiao Yan was now brimming with confidence.
He pressed both palms against the eerie white flame before him, stilled his mind, and frantically absorbed the incomparably pure fire-attribute energy within the heavenly flame.
No wonder the Immortal Emperor said that someone with this fire spirit bloodline would be a peerless genius even in the upper realm...
Watching Xiao Yan absorb the pure energy within the heavenly flame simply by reaching out with both hands, Yao Chen grew increasingly astonished.
As the fire-attribute energy within the heavenly flame continued pouring into Xiao Yan's body, he would probably break through again before long, reaching fifth stage Dou Qi!
For Xiao Yan, who possessed the fire spirit bloodline, a heavenly flame was practically a cultivation cheat.
As long as he stayed beside one, his cultivation would rise rapidly.
Behind him, Xiao Zhan was likewise somewhat surprised by the sight.
The power of this fire spirit bloodline had exceeded his expectations.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
The stronger the fire spirit bloodline, the faster Xiao Yan's cultivation would rise.
When the time came, he could provoke stronger enemies and trigger the father-backing mechanism.
That was exactly what Xiao Zhan wanted to see.
Just then, a strange gleam flashed through Xiao Zhan's eyes, and he looked toward the window.
With the family domain empowering him, he was invincible throughout the entire Xiao Clan.
At that moment, through the power of the family domain, he clearly sensed a dark figure creeping toward them.
Ling Ying...
Xiao Zhan instantly determined the visitor's identity. It was the Gu Clan's strongest Dou Emperor, the bodyguard the Gu Clan had stationed beside Xiao Xun'er.
The Nine-Star Dou Emperor, Ling Ying!
What was this fellow doing here?
After a moment's thought, understanding flashed through Xiao Zhan's eyes.
His behavior today had probably been so unusual that it caught Xiao Xun'er's attention, prompting her to send Ling Ying over to gather information.
That little lass certainly liked sticking her nose into everything.
Sensing that Ling Ying had arrived outside the room, Xiao Zhan's eyes turned cold.
Surely Ling Ying didn't still think the Xiao Clan was the same as before, a place where he could come and go freely and do whatever he pleased?
With a thought, Xiao Zhan mobilized the domain's power and struck directly at Ling Ying.
He did not deal a killing blow, merely administering a small punishment as a stern warning.
After all, Ling Ying had guarded the Xiao Clan for so many years without interfering in its affairs.
Coming to investigate on Xiao Xun'er's orders this time was not a crime deserving death.
Outside, Ling Ying seemed to blend into the night, silently approaching Xiao Zhan's room like a phantom.
Suddenly, Ling Ying's expression changed. A terrifying force appeared out of thin air and slammed into him before he could muster the slightest defense.
"Pfft!"
Horror spread across Ling Ying's face as he was sent flying, a mouthful of blood spraying from his lips while he was still in midair.
After landing, Ling Ying looked pale. He cast a frightened glance toward Xiao Zhan's room, then swiftly vanished into the night without looking back.
Inside the room, the bone spirit cold flame in Yao Chen's palm trembled slightly.
Although less than a tenth of his soul's former strength remained, he still keenly detected the disturbance outside.
He had vaguely sensed someone approaching, only to be blasted away by a force moments later. That person seemed to have been gravely wounded and fled in panic.
Yao Chen looked toward Xiao Zhan, who merely nodded slightly, as though nothing had happened.
So it really was the Immortal Emperor who struck just now.
Yao Chen immediately understood, though he wondered why the Immortal Emperor had spared that person's life.
While Yao Chen was puzzling over this, a muffled sound suddenly rang out in the room, immediately drawing his attention.
"I..."
"I think I've broken through again!"
Disbelief appeared on Xiao Yan's face, and he was visibly beside himself with excitement.
Indeed, Xiao Yan had broken through again, reaching fifth stage Dou Qi!
In such a short time, Xiao Yan had already made two consecutive breakthroughs!
The repeated advances left Xiao Yan utterly exhilarated. He stood frozen in place, hardly daring to believe that everything he was experiencing was real.
A trace of astonishment also appeared on Yao Chen's face before he could not help praising him. "My disciple, the fire spirit bloodline within you truly is terrifying."
"Hehe, Teacher, it's all thanks to your heavenly flame. Without it, I couldn't have advanced twice in a row."
In excellent spirits after his breakthrough, Xiao Yan spoke to Yao Chen with a beaming smile.
As for his resentment over Yao Chen absorbing his Dou Qi for three years, he had now tossed it to the back of his mind.
Much of Yao Chen's guilt toward Xiao Yan also dissipated, and he praised him. "My disciple, at your current cultivation speed, you'll probably return to the Dou Zhe rank in less than a month!"
"However, on the path of cultivation, you must never reach too far too soon. Haste makes waste. You must walk the road one step at a time and build a solid foundation if you want to go farther in the future. Shall we stop here for today?"
After praising him, Yao Chen turned his hand over and withdrew the bone spirit cold flame, stroking his beard as he spoke earnestly.
"Teacher, Father, I understand!"
Hearing Yao Lao mention a level beyond legend, Xiao Yan nodded obediently, his clear eyes filled with longing.
He also knew that impatience would not let him eat piping-hot tofu.
Cultivation was a lifelong endeavor. He could not grow fat from a single mouthful.
Nalan Yanran, just you wait. I swear I'll repay today's humiliation a hundredfold!
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river-never scorn a young man for being poor!
Before long, I, Xiao Yan, will see just who the true genius is!
Suppressing the joy of his consecutive advances, Xiao Yan recalled Nalan Yanran coming to break off their engagement that day and could not help silently swearing an oath.
He did not become smug simply because his talent had returned.
Instead, his clear eyes held a composure far beyond that of his peers.
Seeing no trace of arrogance on Xiao Yan's face, and watching him regain his composure so quickly after consecutive breakthroughs, Xiao Zhan could not help nodding slightly at this temperament that far surpassed his peers.
The scorn and humiliation he had endured over the past three years had forged in Xiao Yan a resilience few ordinary people could match.
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