Xiao Yan's Origins Laid Bare

"Ancestor, the entire Xiao Clan will never forget your great kindness!"

Xiao Zhan bowed deeply, at a loss for words.

Hadn't their ancestor said earlier that the Xiao Clan should have many descendants and expand? Xiao Zhan had thought it unwise, since resources were limited.

But now that they had strength, what was there to worry about?

The Xiao Clan was meant to soar into the heavens.

A D-Dou Zun!

Just speaking of such a realm made Xiao Zhan tremble.

"All right, go back and attend to the clan's day-to-day affairs! I didn't cause much of a stir with the others. Most of them only broke through one or two stars from their original realms. They still need to take their time stabilizing their cultivation."

"Advancing too quickly really isn't good."

"The rest is for you to absorb slowly."

Apart from Xiao Zhan, whom Xiao Xuan was watching over, Xiao Xuan had paid little attention to the other clansmen. It was enough to set a few restrictions and let the Dou Qi Seeds gradually take effect.

In any case, their strength would certainly improve, and not too slowly, either.

"I'll give Little Yanzi some instruction. Go attend to your business."

"Sigh! Of the Xiao Clan, he's the only one with even a little hope of becoming a Dou Sheng through his own cultivation someday."

Xiao Xuan waved his hand and, before Xiao Zhan could answer, sent him straight back to the clan at the foot of the mountain.

The atmosphere fell quiet at once.

Xiao Yan was uneasy. His ancestor held him in such high regard, and although he had lofty ambitions and had even dared to boast that he would become a Dou Sheng just now...

Thinking it to himself was one thing, but shamelessly blowing his own horn... that didn't seem appropriate!

After all, the ancestor before him was a genuine big shot.

Xiao Yan knew his father's strength. His ancestor had raised him to Dou Ling with ease and said he would become a Dou Zun in the future.

The immense power that implied was enough to make him shudder just thinking about it.

Even if he considered himself afraid of neither heaven nor earth, his heart as unbreakable as iron, he still had to keep a low profile when it was time to bow to reality.

"You probably still don't know why I think so highly of you, do you?"

Xiao Xuan wore a kindly expression. He was far more reserved now, the vigorous, heroic spirit of old transformed into a fathomless grandeur that truly inspired admiration.

"Becoming a Dou Zhe in your early teens was decent enough. In the Xiao Clan of a thousand years ago, you would have been considered a clansman worthy of the name."

"Besides, you didn't have the bloodline advantages they had. Relying on your own cultivation, you really didn't fall too far behind them."

"But in my eyes, all of that is nothing special. What makes me take notice is the essence of your soul."

As he spoke, Xiao Xuan waved a hand toward Xiao Yan. Several specks of light, so white they were mesmerizing, emerged from Xiao Yan's body. They were utterly different from the specks of heaven and earth's primordial Qi from before.

"Just as I guessed."

Xiao Xuan's eyes brightened, though they still held approval for a younger generation.

"You should know what I'm talking about, shouldn't you?"

His burning gaze left Xiao Yan at a loss, and an utterly absurd guess arose in his mind.

No way, no way?

Xiao Yan couldn't believe this ancestor could defy the heavens to such an extent that he could discover his origins with a mere glance.

Forget science-even fantasy didn't go that far.

"Ancestor, what are you talking about?" Xiao Yan decided to play dumb.

"Don't try to be clever with me. Since you're a member of my Xiao Clan now, I'll naturally keep you safe." Xiao Xuan chuckled, showing no displeasure at his behavior.

Seeking benefits and avoiding harm was perfectly normal.

"In the world you originally came from, were there supreme experts at the Dou Di level?"

Xiao Xuan laid it out plainly.

You're not from my Dou Qi Continent, are you?

Those words truly frightened Xiao Yan. He had crossed over and started life here as an infant. Although he had shown some talent and a few unusual traits, how could anyone possibly have thought along those lines?

At most, they would have assumed that an expert had lost his physical body and used his soul to seize another.

But now someone really had guessed his origins.

Even though this person was his blood ancestor, Xiao Yan still felt waves of unease.

Run away?

The bitterness in Xiao Yan's eyes deepened. He didn't think he had the slightest chance of succeeding.

"All right, it's not as though I'm going to eat you. If I'd seen someone like you a thousand years ago, I really would have been a little more interested."

"But now, I no longer need to take any unorthodox paths to break through to Dou Di."

"Just keep this secret to yourself and focus on cultivating as quickly as you can. I reckon that once you reach Dou Zhe, you'll be able to erase every last trace of your otherworldly soul."

Xiao Xuan was exceptionally open-minded. A thousand years ago, when he attempted to break through to Dou Di, he had realized that a portion of the Emperor's Origin was missing from heaven and earth.

Xiao Xuan truly didn't know its precise mysteries, but he knew it existed. Otherwise, breaking through to Dou Di would have been nothing but a pipe dream.

And to overcome this limitation and break through the barrier to Dou Di out of nothing?

The accumulation and talent required were such that even among Dou Di, few could meet the requirements.

But now, after a thousand years of slumber, Xiao Xuan was confident he could strive for the pinnacle.

With a little more preparation, success was all but assured.

As for the Emperor's Origin, Xiao Xuan believed it was connected to a world.

So, since Xiao Yan had come from another world, he inevitably carried some of the Origin Qi unique to that world.

Presumably, it could serve as a partial substitute for the Emperor's Origin.

But for it to truly be of use, Xiao Yan himself would have to break through to Peak Dou Sheng. Only then would it increase the odds of breaking through to Dou Di by several tenths.

Those were already very good odds.

That was why Xiao Xuan looked at Xiao Yan in a different light.

Hearing his ancestor's explanation, Xiao Yan finally felt relieved. His ancestor was indeed worthy of being someone who could strive for Dou Di.

Xiao Yan didn't know how strong he was, but in breadth of mind and spirit, he was not the slightest bit inferior to the sages and great men of old whom Xiao Yan knew of.

"Ancestor, thank you."

Xiao Yan solemnly bowed deeply. His movements were somewhat awkward, but the sincerity of his feelings was absolutely genuine.

"You're thanking me a little too soon. I'll help you, but you'll have to give something in return."

"After I break through to Dou Di, the Xiao Clan will be yours to protect."

Xiao Xuan's tone remained calm, but Xiao Yan merely grinned when he heard that.

That was still a long way off. Besides, if he truly received such an immense favor, Xiao Yan would have done it even without being asked.

What was more, the Xiao Clan of today was even more closely connected to Xiao Yan than the Xiao Clan of their ancestor's time, though there were quite a few very annoying people in it.

"One more thing: I won't give you much direct help with your cultivation from now on. Don't even think about getting a Dou Qi Seed. And if you can't even reach Dou Sheng through your own cultivation?"

"Then it's all empty talk!"

Xiao Xuan spoke indifferently. For now, this was merely a spare move; whether or not Xiao Yan had any hope, he himself stood to lose nothing.

But if Xiao Yan still hadn't become a Dou Sheng by the time Xiao Xuan became a Dou Di, breaking through to Dou Di afterward would be harder still.

A Dou Di's bloodline power was a good thing, but it was also a shackle.

Xiao Xuan knew that well from experience.