The Xiao Realm, Heavenly Strategy Manor.
Heavenly Strategy Manor was the name Xiao Tian Ce had given his palace. In truth, rather than a palace, it was more a tower, hundreds of meters tall and divided into nine floors.
From the first floor to the ninth, they were used respectively for receiving guests, drinking tea, playing chess, admiring the scenery, sleeping, reading, storing treasures, training, and refining pills.
Each floor covered over a thousand square meters. He had reinforced them all with Dou Sheng power, making them incomparably sturdy.
Since he had been unconscious, Heavenly Strategy Manor had remained sealed. Only after he awoke were its restrictions lifted again.
Xiao Tian Ce climbed from the first floor to the ninth, a thousand emotions stirring in his heart. He remembered that in the original story, the highest-tier cultivation method of the Xiao Clan in Wutan City was merely Black Tier. Their strongest member was actually a Da Dou Shi-someone he could now reduce to ashes with a single poke of his finger, at least ten thousand at a time.
Thinking of this, Xiao Tian Ce could not help lamenting again, "A dragon in shallow water is mocked by shrimp; a tiger on the plains is bullied by dogs. A cat in favor surpasses a tiger; a phoenix stripped of its feathers is worth less than a chicken.
"To think that a mighty Primordial Emperor Clan would fall so far that its entire household had to relocate to Wutan City and fight those little clans for scraps of meat. How tragic.
"No wonder people online always said not to swagger when fortune smiles on you. Who knows whose star will shine tomorrow?"
After that lament, he walked to the window. Gazing at the Xiao Realm, brimming everywhere with life and vitality, he sighed again. "Since I've come to this world, let my Xiao Clan stand forever at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent.
"Wouldn't this grand, turbulent Dou Qi Continent be far too dull without me, Xiao Tian Ce?"
At that moment, Xiao Tian Ce fully accepted the fact that he had transmigrated. More than that, a domineering pride that looked down upon the world began to emerge within his originally refined bearing.
Clad in white, he stood proud above the world, bowing neither to gods nor immortals.
If ten thousand barred his way, he would slay ten thousand; if gods and Buddhas blocked his path, he would destroy them all.
Having made up his mind, Xiao Tian Ce let no opportunity to strengthen himself slip by. Although he possessed his predecessor's memories, as well as his Early Five-Star Dou Sheng strength, his soul was still that of a modern man raised beneath the red flag. Possessing something did not necessarily mean he could use it.
With that thought, he sealed his cultivation, preparing to temper himself starting from Dou Zhe and thereby gain complete command of this body's strength.
He acted as soon as he decided. Going straight downstairs, he began practicing every Dou Technique and cultivation method in his collection anew. Although he did not know whether this would let him fully master the body's existing strength, he had always believed that without gathering little streams, no rivers or seas could form.
Dou Techniques were divided into four major tiers: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. Each was further divided into low, intermediate, and high grades.
Heaven Tier Dou Techniques were the strongest. They could connect with Heaven and Earth power and gather Heaven and Earth spiritual power together, unleashing boundless might. Only a Dou Zun expert could barely activate a Heaven Tier Dou Technique.
This was because Heaven Tier Dou Techniques consumed such enormous amounts of Dou Qi that someone at the Dou Zong realm could not sustain them.
Earth Tier Dou Techniques were slightly weaker than Heaven Tier Dou Techniques, but their power was still not to be underestimated. In the original story, formidable Earth Tier Dou Techniques such as the Emperor Seal Art and the Five-Wheel Flame Departure Art could rival Heaven Tier Dou Techniques when unleashed at full power.
As for Black Tier Dou Techniques and Yellow Tier Dou Techniques, they were used by those below Dou Zong.
What Xiao Tian Ce intended to do was seal his cultivation and practice his Dou Techniques anew, starting with Yellow Tier Dou Techniques, then Black Tier Dou Techniques, then Earth Tier Dou Techniques, and finally Heaven Tier Dou Techniques.
Time slipped away in cultivation, and another three years passed in the blink of an eye. During those three years, Xiao Tian Ce practiced Dou Techniques day and night, relearning every technique in his library until he could wield them entirely at will.
That day, Xiao Tian Ce had just finished training and exhaled the stale breath from his belly when he heard Xiao Xuan's voice reverberating through the air.
"Tian Ce, come over!"
Hearing this, he changed out of his training clothes and quickly took a bath. Then he neatly combed his long hair and put on a dark green jade pendant, looking like an immortal banished from heaven.
Had anyone seen him walking through the world, they would surely have praised him: a man as fair as jade upon the country paths, a young lord unmatched beneath the heavens.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Xiao Tian Ce had to admit that his face was indeed exceptionally handsome.
Then his figure flickered, and he abruptly vanished.
A moment later, at Xiao Xuan's residence.
"Brother Xuan."
"You're here, Tian Ce. Sit."
After they exchanged greetings, Xiao Xuan personally poured him a cup of tea. It tasted slightly bitter at first, then sweet.
"This tea is nothing special," Xiao Tian Ce remarked simply.
Hearing that, Xiao Xuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. He scolded him with a smile, "You brat. Still as picky as ever."
"Anything that passes my lips should suit my tastes, of course. There's no reason to make myself suffer." Xiao Tian Ce took another sip, utterly unconcerned.
Xiao Xuan shook his head. He had never cared for such things, but since he had invited Xiao Tian Ce over today and knew his temperament, he had specifically ordered someone to prepare these tea leaves.
"I heard you've spent these past three years training in that Heavenly Strategy Manor of yours?" Xiao Xuan asked seriously, while also probing Xiao Tian Ce's strength.
"That's right. After sleeping for a hundred years, my bones were practically rusting. I had to move around a little," Xiao Tian Ce said with a smile.
"Hmm, but I don't feel that your cultivation has improved at all."
"That's only natural. These past three years, I merely practiced every Dou Technique in my library anew, so my strength hasn't increased." Xiao Tian Ce smiled and nodded.
Surprised, Xiao Xuan immediately praised him. "Your talent is second only to mine in the entire Xiao Clan, and you also possess a Divine-Grade Bloodline. Had you been willing to work this hard back then, I doubt you would have been completely helpless even when Hun Tiandi ambushed you.
"Now, after sleeping for a hundred years, you can still remain so calm upon waking. That is truly rare. It shows you've matured."
Seeing that Xiao Xuan was merely making small talk, Xiao Tian Ce smiled and said, "Brother Xuan, there's no need for us brothers to beat around the bush, is there?
"Whatever you have to say, just say it. If it's feasible, I'll certainly support you.
"Of course, if I think it isn't feasible, don't blame me for refusing to support you, Brother Xuan."
Hearing him get straight to the point without concealing anything, Xiao Xuan laughed heartily, then said nostalgically, "That's right. You were like this back then too, always knowing your own mind in everything you did.
"In that case, I won't hide it either. You're the cleverest of the Three Talents of the Xiao Clan. I asked you here today because I wanted your opinion."
Xiao Tian Ce exclaimed inwardly, Here it comes.
His expression unchanged, he looked at Xiao Xuan and gestured for him to continue.
Seeing this, Xiao Xuan said frankly, "As the Xiao Clan's patriarch, I worry about our clansmen's future every moment. Right now, the Eight Emperor Clans form alliances, hold one another in check, and threaten one another.
"I fear that as time passes, our clan will grow weaker and weaker.
"For hundreds of years, you and I have been the only ones in our clan capable of awakening Divine-Grade Bloodline power. Over the past century, the highest bloodline grade among our clansmen has been only eighth-tier. Although that is still quite good and enough to support their cultivation to the Dou Zun level,
"you and I both know that beneath Dou Sheng, all are ants.
"If this continues, the day will come when our clan can no longer produce a Dou Sheng Expert. By then, I fear we will become nothing more than prisoners of the other clans."
Listening to this, Xiao Tian Ce knew Xiao Xuan already had a plan in mind. He therefore asked gravely, "Then what do you intend to do, Brother Xuan?"
"I want to concentrate all our clansmen's bloodline power within myself and attempt to break through to the Dou Di Realm.
"If I succeed, every member of our clan will undergo Bloodline Reversion again. At that point, never mind the Ninth-Grade Bloodline power that has already become so rare-even those with Divine-Grade Bloodline power could increase by hundreds or thousands," Xiao Xuan said solemnly.
Something called fervor shone in his eyes. He seemed to have already resolved to see this through.
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