After learning that his father was the reincarnation of the Desolate Heavenly Emperor, Xiao Yan's eyes shone with excitement.
Looking at Xiao Zhan's back, he felt boundless admiration.
"Heh, the mere Misty Cloud Sect? Even on this tiny Dou Qi Continent, it's only a third-rate power. There's no need to give it a second thought."
"Your father has only one goal now: to storm the Great Thousand World and tear those three bastards into ten thousand pieces, washing away the humiliation of my previous life!"
Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xiao Zhan laughed disdainfully, a brazen, arrogant look spreading across his rugged face.
"Yan'er, will you follow your father into battle across the Great Thousand World someday?"
Xiao Zhan laughed imperiously. His black hair stirred without wind, and the commanding aura of an Immortal Emperor radiated from his entire body!
"Father, I will..."
Feeling the peerless, commanding aura emanating from Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan's heart surged with emotion and yearning. He instinctively wanted to agree.
But then he remembered that he was nothing but a useless weakling at the third stage of Dou Qi, and his expression dimmed.
With his talent, what right did he have to accompany his father into battle across the Great Thousand World?
To think that he, the son of an Immortal Emperor, was now nothing but a useless weakling at the third stage of Dou Qi.
Shame immediately filled Xiao Yan's heart. He did not deserve to be an Immortal Emperor's son!
"Father, with my worthless talent, never mind fighting alongside you in the Great Thousand World. Even becoming a Dou Zhe is still in question..."
Xiao Yan sighed, his heart filled with helplessness and resentment.
"Yan'er, do you want to become stronger?"
Xiao Zhan's gentle gaze settled on Xiao Yan's face. He lightly patted his small shoulder twice and asked calmly.
"Become stronger?"
At his father's words, Xiao Yan's heart could not help pounding violently.
Even in his dreams, he wanted to become stronger, to cast off the label of "trash" and use overwhelming strength to silence those who watched him with cold disdain...
But...
Three years!
Three whole years!
He was still a useless weakling at the third stage of Dou Qi!
How could becoming stronger possibly be easy?
Suddenly, something occurred to Xiao Yan. He looked up at his father, excitement gleaming in his dark eyes.
"Father, you were an Immortal Emperor in your previous life. Surely you have a way to change my worthless constitution?"
Xiao Yan gazed at Xiao Zhan with hope, his eyes full of anticipation, like a drowning man clutching at a life-saving straw.
"Who said you were worthless?"
Looking at the excited Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan smiled faintly.
"Uh... am I not?"
Xiao Yan froze at those words, a trace of confusion appearing on his face.
"Of course not. Not only is your talent extraordinary, but you also possess the fire spirit bloodline."
"Someone with the fire spirit bloodline would be a supreme genius even in the Great Thousand World."
Looking at Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan withdrew his hand and stood with his hands behind his back. "How could my son possibly be worthless?"
"The fire spirit bloodline?"
"A supreme genius even in the Great Thousand World?"
"I actually possess such a powerful bloodline?"
Xiao Zhan's words left Xiao Yan utterly stunned. Once he recovered, wild joy spread across his face, and he asked excitedly, "Father, what is the fire spirit bloodline?"
"The fire spirit bloodline allows you to grow stronger by directly devouring the wondrous flames between heaven and earth. Once you attain minor mastery of it, you can break through to Dou Di!"
"And on this continent, those wondrous flames are known as heavenly flames!"
"Yan'er, it's still a little too early to tell you about heavenly flames..."
Seeing Xiao Yan emerge from his dejection, Xiao Zhan smiled warmly and explained patiently.
"It's that powerful!"
Hearing Xiao Zhan describe his bloodline, Xiao Yan could not help swallowing. A blazing light immediately filled his eyes, as though he could already see himself becoming a Dou Di!
Minor mastery of his bloodline alone would let him become a Dou Di!
He actually possessed such a powerful bloodline!
But...
Shaking his head, Xiao Yan felt that something was not quite right. He asked in confusion, "If my bloodline is so powerful, why... is my cultivation still at three-stage Dou Qi?"
The stronger the bloodline, the faster one's cultivation should advance. Why was it the opposite for him?
"Heh, although you possess the fire spirit bloodline, it has yet to awaken."
"Besides, the reason your cultivation has remained at the third stage of Dou Qi is that the ring on your hand keeps devouring the Dou Qi within your body. It has nothing to do with your talent."
Pointing at the plain, ancient-looking black ring, Xiao Zhan smiled faintly.
"What?"
"It's because of the ring Mother left me?"
Xiao Yan was startled by those words and hurriedly looked at the ring on his hand.
"Father, isn't this a keepsake Mother left me? How could it devour my Dou Qi?"
Xiao Yan looked astonished, finding it difficult to believe.
Xiao Zhan offered no further explanation. Instead, he looked at the ring on Xiao Yan's hand and said coolly, "Well? Do I have to invite you out?"
Hearing Xiao Zhan's words, Xiao Yan looked even more bewildered, his mind lost in a fog of confusion.
What was going on with Father?
Why was he talking to my ring?
While Xiao Yan stood there in bewilderment, the ring on his hand suddenly lit up with white light.
Then a translucent figure of an old man appeared above the ring.
"This... who are you?"
Xiao Yan stared at the translucent old man, dumbfounded. The fellow's sudden appearance left him at a loss. Who was he, and why had he emerged from the ring on his hand?
Then Xiao Yan recalled what Xiao Zhan had just said and immediately understood. His face darkened at once. "Could it be that you're the reason my cultivation has been vanishing without cause all these years?"
"Child, I was in a deep slumber back then. Absorbing your Dou Qi was something I had no choice but to do..."
The translucent old man hovered in midair. Hearing Xiao Yan's words and seeing his dark expression, a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.
"Fuck your mother, you old bastard! So you were the one behind it all!"
Xiao Yan, who had always prided himself on being steady and composed, suddenly flew into a frenzy like a madman, his young face twisted with rage.
"Alas, I truly had no choice..."
Looking at Xiao Yan's contorted expression, Yao Lao wore a bitter look, but could offer no rebuttal!
It really was because of him that a genius had become a piece of "trash" with three-stage Dou Qi. Anyone would react this way after learning the truth!
"Father, help me destroy him! I want to vent every last bit of this anger!"
Looking at the wretched old man's loathsome face, Xiao Yan pleaded with Xiao Zhan in a fury.
At those words, Yao Lao's illusory figure could not help trembling slightly, and fear crept onto his aged face.
He had heard every word of Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan's conversation from inside the ring.
The being before him was a supreme Immortal Emperor, countless times more terrifying than a Dou Di.
He had absorbed his son's Dou Qi for three years. Wouldn't this mighty being flay him alive now?
Before you continue