Seeking cooperation

"We're both thousand-year-old foxes. You know that perfectly well, so why bother saying it?"

The Ancient Realm, Gu Yuan's residence.

Seeing Gu Yuan admit it without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Xuan gave him a speechless look and snorted. "Hmph, you seem rather proud of yourself!"

"I can't be bothered with you. Tell me, what brings you to my clan? You never visit a temple without something to pray for. I don't believe you came just to see me." Gu Yuan glanced at Xiao Xuan, unwilling to keep beating around the bush.

"All right, then I won't beat around the bush either. I came to propose a partnership." Xiao Xuan laughed heartily and got straight to the point.

"A partnership? What kind?" Gu Yuan's interest was piqued. The Gu Clan and the Xiao Clan enjoyed good relations and had experienced no conflicts over the years.

Moreover, the two clans often intermarried, so they could trust each other.

The Heavenly Tomb within the Ancient Realm was also a place jointly controlled by the Xiao Clan and the Gu Clan, capable of housing the souls of Dou Sheng experts after their deaths.

In the original story, only after the Xiao Clan declined did the Heavenly Tomb come under the Gu Clan's sole control, with each generation of youngsters entering it to seek opportunities of their own.

"As you know, I intend to attempt a breakthrough to the Dou Di realm. If I succeed, all will be well. But if I fail, I doubt Hun Tiandi will let this chance to drop a stone on my Xiao Clan while we're down in a well slip away.

"Once he ties me down, my clansmen, stripped of their bloodline power, will be no match for the Hun Clan. My Xiao Clan will inevitably suffer devastating losses," Xiao Xuan said, his expression somewhat grave.

Indeed, he was worried about his clansmen's safety. As the Xiao Clan's patriarch, he had to take responsibility for their lives.

That was also why he had come to seek Gu Yuan's cooperation.

Across from him, Gu Yuan pondered for a moment, then asked in puzzlement, "That doesn't sound right. Of the Eight Emperor Clans, your Xiao Clan is the strongest. Even without the power of your Dou Di bloodline, your clan should still be evenly matched with the Hun Clan.

"By all rights, you shouldn't have anything to worry about."

Hearing this, Xiao Xuan shook his head and said solemnly, "There's something you don't know. In the past, I truly wouldn't have worried.

"You remember how I stormed the Hun Clan alone a hundred years ago, don't you?"

"Of course I do. You may be a bastard with little character to speak of, but your strength is beyond question. You single-handedly beat the entire Hun Clan into submission. Even Hun Tiandi was severely injured.

"But I've always wondered why you attacked the Hun Clan alone. What exactly happened?" Gu Yuan asked with a nod.

"Because Hun Tiandi ambushed my younger cousin, Xiao Tian Ce," Xiao Xuan said coldly.

"Xiao Tian Ce? One of the Three Talents of the Xiao Clan? No wonder there hasn't been any news of him all these years." Understanding dawned on Gu Yuan.

If that was the case, Xiao Xuan could hardly be blamed for going berserk and charging into the Hun Clan alone. When the Three Talents of the Xiao Clan had first emerged together, they had overshadowed all but a handful of people from the Primordial Emperor Clans.

Back then, many in the Primordial Emperor Clans had ground their teeth in hatred of them. Unfortunately, the Three Talents of the Xiao Clan were not only powerful, but also counted the exceptionally cunning Xiao Tian Ce among their number. Almost everyone who sought revenge had come away empty-handed.

As far as Gu Yuan knew, although Xiao Tian Ce's strength fell slightly short of Xiao Xuan's, his talent alone should have been nearly equal to Xiao Xuan's.

With no news of Xiao Tian Ce for the past century, Gu Yuan had assumed he was in seclusion or had perished. He had never expected that Hun Tiandi had ambushed him.

"If nothing had happened to Xiao Tian Ce, your Xiao Clan would probably have at least two nine-star Dou Sheng by now, wouldn't it?" Gu Yuan sighed.

"Yes. With Tian Ce's talent, even if he couldn't match me, he wouldn't fall far behind. Besides, he was already an eighth-tier alchemist a hundred years ago." Xiao Xuan nodded in agreement.

"Xiao Tian Ce truly was extraordinarily gifted. But is your concern related to the ambush he suffered back then?" Gu Yuan asked in puzzlement.

"Exactly. Brother Gu, you should know that Tian Ce loved exploring ruins and searching for treasures, shouldn't you?" Xiao Xuan asked.

Xiao Tian Ce's fondness for treasure hunting and exploring ruins was common knowledge throughout nearly all the Primordial Emperor Clans, hardly an important secret.

At that thought, Gu Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted, as though something had occurred to him.

"Was Xiao Tian Ce ambushed because he found some important treasure? And after Hun Tiandi succeeded, he stole it?" Gu Yuan exclaimed.

"Exactly. To tell you the truth, what Hun Tiandi stole was the Nihility Devouring Flame, ranked second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. By now, its strength has reached at least the peak of eight-star Dou Sheng.

"Hun Tiandi alone can tie me down. If the Nihility Devouring Flame joins him, then once my clansmen lose their Dou Di bloodline power, the Xiao Clan alone will be unable to stand against the Hun Clan.

"That's why the cooperation I mentioned is also a precaution against the worst!" Xiao Xuan nodded solemnly.

If it were merely a matter of fighting strength, the Xiao clansmen would have had nothing to fear even after losing their bloodline power.

But that damned Nihility Devouring Flame possessed an extremely formidable innate ability: the power to devour everything. Known as a thing that could swallow heaven and consume earth, it could devour all things. If the Hun Clan launched another surprise attack, neither the Xiao Clan nor even the entire Xiao Realm would be able to resist that devouring power.

"The peak of eight-star Dou Sheng?"

Gu Yuan's expression gradually grew grave as well. If the Nihility Devouring Flame truly possessed such strength, it would also pose a formidable threat to his Gu Clan.

After all, a thief could plot for a thousand days, but who could guard against thieves for a thousand days?

"Exactly. Tian Ce only obtained it back then because it was injured while breaking out of its seal. Since Hun Tiandi acquired it, a century has passed. With the Hun Clan's resources, that is more than enough time for it to recover to its peak, or even advance further.

"Moreover, its abilities are extremely strange. The slightest lapse in vigilance could leave you caught in its schemes.

"If possible, I hope you'll lend me a hand this time, Brother Gu. If the two of us join forces, we can bring down even the entire Hun Clan in one stroke.

"If we win and manage to capture the Nihility Devouring Flame, I'm willing to exchange it for your clan's Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame.

"I won't let you lose out on this deal," Xiao Xuan said solemnly. He believed Gu Yuan would surely agree to the bargain.

After hearing him out, Gu Yuan fell silent. Indeed, the Nihility Devouring Flame was a true wonder of heaven and earth. Although it ranked only two places above the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, those two places represented a gulf as vast as heaven and earth.

If they could subdue it, the Gu Clan's strength would surely rise to another level.

Moreover, with him and Xiao Xuan joining forces, they could indeed secure the upper hand.

However, Gu Yuan was not someone who could be easily talked into anything. He raised his head and fixed Xiao Xuan with an intense gaze. "So, in truth, you aren't certain you can successfully break through to the Dou Di realm either, are you?"

Xiao Xuan nodded at his words, his expression grave. "That is the Dou Di realm we're talking about. If I told you I was absolutely certain, I doubt you would believe me."

"That's true. Ever since the last Dou Di, Tou She Ancient God, disappeared, this world seems to have ceased allowing any more Dou Di to emerge.

"Still, I truly admire your resolve to gather the bloodline power of your entire clan and attempt the breakthrough to Dou Di," Gu Yuan said with a sigh.

"Hahaha! This is the first time you've ever told me to my face that you admire me. What a rare occasion! So, are you willing to cooperate?" Xiao Xuan burst into laughter and asked Gu Yuan with a smile.

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