"If I ignored the future and focused solely on increasing my Dou Qi, I could indeed fill my Dantian in a short time and smoothly reach ninth-stage Dou Qi."
As Xiao Qian spoke, he and Xiao Xun'er hurried out of the restaurant.
Both were thoroughly sick of being gawked at. Besides, the alarming bloodstains covering Xiao Qian left him looking a sorry sight, and he urgently needed somewhere to change.
Thus, they did not refuse Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder's arrangements and followed them back to the Xiao Clan.
Everything that had happened in the restaurant was like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, quickly stirring up considerable waves in the small, third-tier Wutan City.
The news that the Xiao Clan seemed to have produced another budding genius after Xiao Yan pierced the other two great clans like a sharp sword.
After all, this could very well reshape the balance of power in Wutan City in the future. The two clans held countless internal meetings over it, gathering their important figures to fiercely debate countermeasures, every face etched with solemn concern.
Of course, none of this had anything to do with Xiao Qian and Xiao Xun'er, who stood apart from it all.
The two returned to the Small Courtyard that the Xiao Clan had carefully prepared for them.
In the courtyard, a leaning willow swayed gently in the breeze, its slender branches fluttering in the wind. A stone table stood quietly nearby, simple yet elegant. Three tastefully furnished rooms were neatly arranged, surrounded by unnamed flowers and plants that lent the place a secluded tranquility.
"I'm going to use this opportunity to reshape my meridians!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Qian stripped off his bloodstained outer robe in one brisk motion, casually tossed it aside, and stood bare-chested before Xiao Xun'er without the slightest concern, seeing nothing inappropriate about it.
After all, in his eyes, an underage body was no different from grass or trees.
" You!"
Clearly, however, Xiao Xun'er, the esteemed young lady of the Gu Clan, did not share that view.
A blush instantly stained her fair little face, spreading swiftly from her cheeks to her ears like a peach blossom in full bloom.
She immediately clapped both little hands over her large eyes, her fingers trembling slightly and betraying her flustered heart.
She was, after all, the Gu Clan's young lady, and her upbringing made her unbearably embarrassed by such a situation.
"Tearing and repairing meridians is no easy task. It can't be rushed. Given how powerful my physique already is, I should be able to withstand it once every month or two..."
Xiao Qian had no interest in the little girl's reaction. He lightly pressed his right hand against the dark blue-green Storage Ring on his left middle finger. A faint light flashed, and he took out a fresh robe.
As he retrieved his clothes, he continued muttering, "Within a year, ninth-stage Dou Qi will be within easy reach!"
Xiao Xun'er paid no attention whatsoever to his bold declaration. Her little face red, she hurriedly stopped him from dressing. "Wait a moment."
"Hmm?" Xiao Qian stopped and turned to look at her in puzzlement, his expression bewildered. "You want me to stay bare?"
The girl's face turned an even deeper purplish red, like a ripe mulberry.
She pushed him hard from behind and cried indignantly, "Go take a bath! You reek of blood. It smells awful!"
Xiao Qian frowned slightly and muttered, "What a hassle."
Although he wanted to examine the question of unlocking his other Dantians more closely, the blood covering him did need to be dealt with. The matter could wait.
So he returned to his room and had someone bring hot water.
"This Dantian was activated because of the golden chains that emerged from Xiao Xun'er..."
Xiao Qian soaked comfortably in the hot water, its temperature just right, leaving him utterly at ease.
He propped up his legs, casually scrubbing the grime off his body with one hand while tracing the water's surface with the other, sending out little ripples.
Although the Xiao Clan had maids, they only handled basic chores such as sweeping the courtyard and preparing meals. The clan's younger members were not allowed to live with clothes held out for their arms and food delivered to their mouths; this was also meant to foster their independence.
"Those golden chains looked the same color as the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, but only I could see them. They were made of neither Dou Qi nor soul energy. Just what were they..."
Xiao Qian sank into deep thought, his brows tightly knitted and his eyes filled with confusion.
He was unsure whether activating the other eight Dantians would still require Xiao Xun'er's help, or whether he needed to find others who could produce chains connected to him in the same way.
And there was that mysterious prophecy. No matter how he looked at it, he had already been forced onto this unknown path.
Then would he really have to experience deep affection, severed affection, and utter heartlessness one by one to advance further?
"Surely... the chains of these remaining eight Dantians aren't connected to emotions?"
A shudder of dread rose in Xiao Qian's heart.
At the thought, he could not help shivering.
To him, there seemed to be nothing in this world more difficult than winning over women.
Hmm, winning over men?
Xiao Qian hastily shook his head, flinging those jumbled thoughts beyond the ninth heaven, and immersed himself once more in studying the changes in his body.
He had no desire to let such baseless speculation disturb his mind.
The sun had long since slowly set, and tranquility gradually settled over the entire clan.
As Xiao Qian soaked with his eyes closed, he suddenly heard faint footsteps outside the courtyard wall.
He quietly circulated his Dou Qi to probe, but caught only a familiar wisp of Dou Qi, seemingly an aura he had encountered in the Xiao Clan that day. It vanished in an instant.
He paid it no mind.
Night fell. Most people diligently cultivated in their rooms, seeking greater strength, while ordinary folk drifted into sweet dreams. The entire Xiao Clan was immersed in a peaceful, quiet atmosphere.
Knowing Xiao Qian was bathing, Xiao Xun'er naturally felt it inappropriate to seek him out again, so she returned to her own room to rest.
As she lay in bed, the image of Xiao Qian's bare upper body involuntarily surfaced in her mind. Her little face reddened again, and she hurriedly pulled the quilt over her head, trying to drive those embarrassing images away.
Beneath the brocade quilt, her fingers unconsciously clutched the hem of her clothes, her heartbeat especially clear in the silence.
She counted the times the willow branches outside brushed against the window frame, only drifting into a drowsy sleep after the water clock had sounded three times.
At that moment, Xiao Qian finally snapped out of his reverie.
Splash!
Xiao Qian rose from the now-cold water. Droplets slid off his body and struck the floor with crisp little sounds.
Only then did he realize that the water had long since gone completely cold, and the surrounding air had grown somewhat chilly as well.
Fortunately, his formidable physique left him utterly unafraid of the cold.
Besides, it was only early autumn. The northwesterly winds had yet to rise, and the weather was not particularly cold.
He calmly took another clean robe from his Storage Ring, casually draped it over himself, then gently pushed open the door and walked slowly into the courtyard.
A bright full moon hung high in the sky like an enormous jade platter, spilling soft light that bathed the entire courtyard in silver.
The cool air filled his chest, instantly refreshing him. He closed his eyes slightly, savoring the tranquil night.
He raised his head and gazed blankly at the moon, his thoughts seeming to drift into the distance.
How long had it been since I came to this world...?
Many, many years, surely. So many I could no longer count them.
Magical beasts took an extremely long time to grow, spending decades in a muddled haze.
During that stage, their intelligence had yet to awaken, and they knew only to follow their instincts, like machines without thought.
It was during that long process that he gradually forgot the mere twenty or thirty years of his previous life, truly coming to regard himself as a native born and raised on the Dou Qi Continent.
Then one day, his intelligence began to awaken. As though rousing from a deep sleep, memories of his previous life flooded back into his mind, and he finally seemed to awaken from the chaos.
"Heh, I almost lost those precious memories..."
Xiao Qian lowered his head and looked at his still-childish hands, his heart filled with countless emotions.
Though those hands looked small and immature, they held tremendous strength, much like him: young in appearance, yet bearing a soul that had weathered countless vicissitudes.
Those memories that define who I am have destined me to come into this world to conquer, not to bend the knee!
Xiao Qian did not voice these feelings, but silently swore an oath in his heart.
He had a clear goal of his own and was destined not to remain bound to a little girl like this.
He would pursue strength, explore the mysteries of this world, and become powerful. He would not let anyone or anything fetter him.
And the opportunity to break free...
The power of purification-the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame!
Devouring heaven and earth-the Nihility Devouring Flame!
"Who's there?"
Suddenly, his spiritual perception registered something unusual. He immediately turned, his eyes sharpening like an eagle's beneath the night sky as he watched his surroundings warily.
Dark clouds abruptly veiled the moon, and the lantern beneath the eaves flickered in the night wind.
The dark patterns on Ling Ying's black robe resembled flowing night, blending perfectly into the shadows of the veranda pillars.
"Ling Ying?"
Xiao Qian frowned slightly, puzzled. Had Ling Ying come to see him at this hour because something important had happened?
Ling Ying did not seem inclined to conceal his presence either. He lightly waved a hand, then pointed inside and lowered his voice. "I don't know whether I should stop this. Could you go inside?"
The room he indicated was Xiao Xun'er's main room. By rights, she should have been sound asleep at this hour.
"What happened?"
Filled with confusion, Xiao Qian approached.
A conflicted look appeared on Ling Ying's aged face. He lowered his voice again. "Xiao Yan, the Xiao Clan Chief's son, just sneaked inside."
"What?" Xiao Qian frowned and moved to push open the door. "Why didn't you stop him?!"
Ling Ying caught his hand and whispered, "Under the Gu Clan's rules, I cannot enter the young lady's bedchamber without permission unless she is in danger. I can only wait for her to call me."
His eyes revealed his helplessness. As a guardian of the Gu Clan, he had to obey its rules, leaving him caught in a dilemma.
"That's true. What could happen between two little brats? If your young lady isn't willing, she'll certainly call you." Xiao Qian withdrew his hand without concern. "Then I'll go back to cultivating."
He thought Ling Ying had a point, and he did not want to get too deeply involved in matters between children.
Ling Ying's old face visibly twitched. He hurriedly stopped Xiao Qian again. "If the young lady is subjected to even the slightest impropriety, a hundred deaths wouldn't redeem me, so..."
His eyes were full of worry and urgency. He could not stand by and watch the young lady suffer any harm. Even the slightest possibility had to be avoided with all his might.
"So you want me, someone outside the Gu Clan, to take a look?"
Xiao Qian finally understood what was troubling the old fellow. He looked at Ling Ying helplessly, inwardly grumbling about how troublesome the old man was.
"Such a simple matter, and you spent all this time hemming and hawing. You really do ramble."
Xiao Qian had no such qualms. If he was not allowed in, he would stay out. If he was allowed in, he would enter.
In his view, worrying about too much would only leave one accomplishing nothing. Actions should be clean and decisive.
Bang!
The only problem was that he pushed the door open rather loudly.
"Ah!"
"Aah-"
First came a little boy's startled cry, then a little girl's shrill scream, ringing out sharply one after the other...
The sounds were especially piercing in the silent night, shattering its former tranquility.
Before you continue