Moonlight, like flowing water, filtered through the hazy white mist onto the mountains, as if draping a light veil over the range.
After they had spoken openly, time seemed to rewind, as if they were children again, with whispered secrets and laughter swirling in the night.
"Brother Chen Xiao, you've already entered the Dou Zong realm. What are your plans now?" Xun Er's delicate hand gently stroked Chen Xiao's face, her voice soft as she asked.
Chen Xiao held the beauty in his arms a bit tighter and admitted, "I'll be taking Xian'er to the Extreme Northern Land. I received some information that there's a ruin there with opportunities that are very suitable for me."
After leaving Wu Tan City, Chen Xiao no longer had the burden of family blood feuds or tragic massacres.
For him, his only enemy was always himself.
The Central State wasn't like the Black-Corner Region. Chen Xiao needed to become stronger so he could continue to defeat the strong with the weak, as he had before, rather than becoming a stepping stone for the ancient races' geniuses.
"Brother Chen Xiao, Xun Er doesn't know much about the Extreme Northern Land, but from what I understand, the Northwest Continent and the East Sea are where most of the strong cultivators reside, apart from the Central State. As for the Extreme Northern Land and the Southern Continent, Dou Zong experts are quite rare. These two places are more known for their unique methods, such as the infamous dark races of the Southern Continent, or the barbarian tribes of the Extreme Northern Land who can merge with beast souls. Even though Brother Chen Xiao has entered the Dou Zong realm, you must not be careless."
"From ancient times, ruins have always presented both risks and opportunities. The more profound the ruin, the more dangerous it is. It's a pity Xun Er can't stay for too long this time, otherwise, it would cause you a lot of trouble. If I could, Xun Er would also like to go and see. After I leave, everything will depend on you, Brother Chen Xiao, so please, do not act rashly."
Chen Xiao nodded gently, his gaze lowered, looking at the charming face before him.
"Xun Er, how about I come to the Ancient Realm to find you after I return from the Extreme Northern Land and finish up some miscellaneous matters?"
Entering the Ancient Realm would mean openly acknowledging their relationship.
Hearing this, Xun Er's lips curved into a sweet arc. "As long as Brother Chen Xiao is confident, you can come anytime. No matter what, Brother Chen Xiao just needs to know that Xun Er will always be on your side."
Hearing this, Chen Xiao slowly nodded and whispered, "Don't worry, I know what I'll face when I go to the Ancient Realm. I'll prepare well. I can't let you bear the pressure alone."
After chatting for another while, Xun Er looked up, her bright eyes gazing at Chen Xiao's face. With a flip of her hand, a golden scroll appeared, which she then offered to Chen Xiao.
"These are the latter three seals of the Emperor Seal Technique. With Brother Chen Xiao's current strength, you can cultivate the third seal. Please don't refuse, Brother Chen Xiao. Going to a ruin is no small matter. No one knows how many dangers lie within. Having more means of self-preservation will make it much safer."
Looking at the brilliant golden scroll before him, Chen Xiao was momentarily stunned, then felt a bit helpless. This girl always seemed to want to give him her things.
Under Xun Er's gaze, Chen Xiao hesitated slightly but didn't act overly coy, taking the scroll.
He was indeed quite interested in the Emperor Seal Technique. The Mountain Splitting Seal and Sea Flipping Seal had helped him a lot back in the Black-Corner Region.
And what Xun Er said was also true. When entering a ruin, if one didn't have enough means, the safety factor would likely be lower. Even with Little Fairy Doctor accompanying him, there was still no guarantee that accidents wouldn't occur.
Seeing Chen Xiao accept the scroll, a smile also appeared on Xun Er's face. She couldn't help but recall their time at the Xiao Family in Wu Tan City.
When she first arrived at the Xiao Family, Chen Xiao had stopped Xiao Yan, who was climbing a wall and seemed to be up to something. Back then, Xun Er had to come up with all sorts of reasons to give him things as a thank you.
But now, there was no need.
"When I was in Holy Pill City, I coincidentally obtained a few grains of Spirit Nurturing Dust, which should be useful for Xun Er."
Chen Xiao took out the jade bottle containing the Spirit Nurturing Dust, drew out a pale yellow speck, and guided it into Xun Er's glabella.
The Spirit Nurturing Dust impacted her soul, causing Xun Er's delicate body to tremble slightly before she quickly returned to normal.
Over the years, especially during his time in the Black-Corner Region, Chen Xiao had acquired countless spoils of war. However, it was somewhat awkward that none of them were truly presentable.
Only this Spirit Nurturing Dust, with its subtle effects, was something even Xun Er, who came from an ancient race, had never used.
"Brother Chen Xiao indeed has profound opportunities. Even Xun Er has only seen something as good as Spirit Nurturing Dust in ancient texts."
Xun Er smiled, nodding her fair chin, making the Spirit Nurturing Dust sound even more precious.
But in reality, with her status, even if she hadn't obtained Spirit Nurturing Dust, it wouldn't be difficult for her to acquire similar treasures.
Chen Xiao laughed softly, looking down at the charming, smiling face so close to him. Under the hazy moonlight, she was utterly captivating and beautiful.
Knowing Xun Er's situation, that she couldn't lose her innocence until she reached the Dou Saint realm, and that this wasn't an appropriate setting, Chen Xiao didn't go too far. He stopped after a brief, light touch.
At this moment, Xun Er's lowered eyes were hazy, her moist lips gleamed with a honeyed luster, and her cheeks were flushed with a captivating blush, like the first hint of dawn, her appearance utterly bewitching.
Meeting Chen Xiao's burning gaze, Xun Er dared not meet his eyes directly. She could only tightly embrace his waist, burying her face deeply in his embrace.
She could feel Chen Xiao's restraint. Besides her shy gratitude, she also realized that Chen Xiao seemed to know about her situation.
"Brother Chen Xiao, how about next time we meet?"
A faint, mosquito-like whisper reached Chen Xiao's ears. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He lowered his head slightly, only to see that the girl's delicate earlobes had turned crimson. Her pretty face, buried and unwilling to look up, radiated a warmth that could be felt even through his clothes.
"Don't dwell on this. We're doing quite well like this."
Stroking Xun Er's long, flowing hair, Chen Xiao comforted her with a smile.
Between a man and a woman, one shouldn't dwell on that matter.
No, to be precise, one shouldn't only dwell on that matter.
Xun Er softly hummed in agreement, saying nothing more. She leaned against Chen Xiao, enjoying the rare moment of peace. Unbeknownst to her, she eventually drifted off to sleep, feeling completely at ease.
Chen Xiao didn't disturb her either. He held Xun Er as he leaned back on the long chair, using this free time to continue researching the Pre-pay in his mind.
When he had broken through earlier, Chen Xiao was hovering high in the sky. Knowing that Little Fairy Doctor was still waiting in the distance, he had only briefly understood the general changes of this Pre-pay. Many of his ideas hadn't been thoroughly verified yet.
For example, what level of Heavenly Flame could now be Pre-paid after the Pre-pay limit was raised.
Of course, this was just an example.
No matter how precious Heavenly Flames were, except for a very small number, they were useless to Chen Xiao.
As usual, Chen Xiao first began by checking the Profound Yellow Flame at the bottom of the Heavenly Flame rankings. He immediately noticed that the ownerless Heavenly Flames he knew of had not changed. However, there were some minor changes to the subsequent Pre-pay options for certain owned Heavenly Flames.
This was because the owners of those Heavenly Flames had left their original locations. If he wanted to acquire them, the route would naturally need to be adjusted accordingly.
Chen Xiao specifically checked the Yin-Yang Dual Flames within the Star Dou Empire that he had informed Xiao Yan and his master about, only to find that this Heavenly Flame showed no change, still masterless.
Clearly, the master and disciple were still plotting in Jia Nan Academy for the Fallen Heart Flame and hadn't yet set off on their journey.
"Without Han Feng interfering, getting the Fallen Heart Flame probably won't be that easy..."
With a slight smile, Chen Xiao could roughly predict the master and disciple's predicament.
Yao Chen was in extremely poor condition after the battle at Yun Lan Sect.
And Xiao Yan was only at the Da Dou Shi level. Trying to obtain the Fallen Heart Flame from the heavily guarded Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower would be incredibly difficult.
If they rushed things and aroused Su Qian's suspicion, or even got caught red-handed, it wasn't impossible.
Chuckling softly, Chen Xiao didn't think much further and continued to check the Pre-pay information.
[Fallen Heart Flame: Ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame List, can be pre-paid using a general Pre-pay opportunity.]
[Pre-pay follow-up—
① Go to Jia Nan Academy to collect it.
② Delve deep into the magma sea beneath Jia Nan Academy to rescue the trapped Heavenly Flame Honored One.]
Aside from the Purifying Lotus Demonic Flame and the Void Swallowing Flame, the number of other Heavenly Flames was not fixed.
Some had rather strict conditions for their birth, and even if ranked lower, there was still only one. But some Heavenly Flames could number close to a palmful.
For example, there were four Netherworld Poison Flames.
As for the Fallen Heart Flame, it seemed there were only two.
And both were in Jia Nan Academy!
"The Fallen Heart Flame isn't important, but as for the Heavenly Flame Honored One, I hope you can hold on until I return from the Extreme Northern Land."
The Heavenly Flame Honored One was a power he could recruit. Although reviving him would be troublesome, gaining a Dou Zun powerhouse was quite a profitable deal.
Now that it was becoming difficult for Xiao Yan to get the Fallen Heart Flame, the Heavenly Flame Honored One's chances of escaping were likely slim too.
In any case, Chen Xiao currently had no intention of making a special trip for it. He would just have to wait until he returned to the Academy later to take care of it incidentally.
[Nine Dragon Lightning Gang Fire: Ranked twelfth on the Heavenly Flame List, can be pre-paid using a general Pre-pay opportunity.]
[Pre-pay follow-up: Go to Burning Flame Valley and find a way to obtain it.]
This was a Heavenly Flame that existed only as a single entity; a second one had not yet been born.
The conditions for the birth of the Nine Dragon Lightning Gang Fire were stringent; it would only form deep within a sea of lightning.
And on the Dou Qi Continent, the most likely place for a second Nine Dragon Lightning Gang Fire to be born was the Void Thunder Pool in the void space!
Unfortunately, it hadn't been born yet.
[Bone Spirit Cold Flame: Ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame List, can be pre-paid using a general Pre-pay opportunity.]
[Pre-pay follow-up—
① Go to the Extreme Northern Land, False Heaven, and obtain it by passing a trial.
② Find a way to obtain it from Yao Chen.]
When Chen Xiao thought of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, the Pre-pay information that appeared in his mind made him pause.
He clearly remembered that Yao Chen's Bone Spirit Cold Flame was obtained in the Fallen God Ice Plain in the extreme north.
He hadn't expected that there would be a second Bone Spirit Cold Flame in that Extreme Northern Land!
And it was the False Heaven again!
Chen Xiao gazed towards the north, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.
Indeed, that extremely cold region was more likely to give rise to opportunities suitable for Ice Attribute users.
"Within the same ruins, there's a Heavenly Demon Puppet, Purple Spirit Cold Qi, and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. These ruins probably aren't that simple."
Xun Er had a very valid point: risk and opportunity coexist.
The greater the opportunity, the greater the hidden risks.
"The journey to the Extreme Northern Land is long, enough for me to master the third seal of the Emperor Seal Technique, leave one Pre-pay opportunity as a backup, and use the other two opportunities to improve my strength..."
The appearance of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame made Chen Xiao pay even more attention, and he pondered silently.
But no matter what, he had to make a trip to that place.
At the very least, only by going there himself could he learn more information, and it wouldn't be too late to decide how to enter the ruins then.
[Nine Nether Wind Flame: Ranked tenth on the Heavenly Flame List, currently unable to Pre-pay.]
Suppressing the thoughts in his mind, Chen Xiao continued to check the Nine Nether Wind Flame and got this result.
"Aside from the top ten Heavenly Flames, I can pre-pay all of them. And for those top ten Heavenly Flames, I basically know who owns almost all of them..."
Thinking this, Chen Xiao suddenly realized that he had almost completely figured out the entire Heavenly Flame List.
If he were to make this information public, it would be enough to cause a huge stir on the continent.
Shaking his head slightly, Chen Xiao cast aside his distracting thoughts.
"For my next Pre-pay, a Cultivation Technique is essential. A High-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Technique would significantly speed up my cultivation. Could I Pre-pay for the High-Level Earth Tier Ice Hell Scripture?"
Compared to the legacy Cultivation Techniques held by factions like Ice River Valley, which Chen Xiao wasn't familiar with, he actually quite liked the Ice Hell Scripture he was currently practicing.
Especially the Ice Soul Talisman, which had helped him a lot and could now be considered a powerful means.
Moreover, if he could seamlessly transition, it would save him the effort of switching to a new technique.
Unfortunately, this Cultivation Technique was only a Mid-Level Earth Tier. To reach High-Level Earth Tier, it would need to be improved.
[High-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Technique Ice Hell Scripture can be Pre-paid using a spell or general Pre-pay opportunity.]
[Subsequent Pre-pay requirement: Read 50,000 scrolls.]
[Current progress: 37929/50000.]
[Pre-pay now?]
"Looking" at the Pre-pay information in his mind, Chen Xiao was stunned.
The information was simple and direct, easy to understand.
To create or improve a Cultivation Technique or Dou Skill, accumulation and knowledge were essential.
What surprised him was that he had, unknowingly, read so much over the past few years.
The so-called "read 50,000 scrolls" likely encompassed Cultivation Techniques, Dou Skills, and even ancient texts and personal notes, which would explain the number exceeding thirty thousand.
To verify this, Chen Xiao directly took out the Emperor Seal Technique from his Storage Ring, which Xun Er had just given him.
Breaking the seal on the surface of the scroll, Chen Xiao unfurled it with one hand. After just a quick scan, he noticed that his current progress had changed from 37929 to 37930.
"It's that simple?"
Chen Xiao was speechless and couldn't help but voice his surprise.
Awakened by the slight movement of him breaking the seal, Xun Er slowly opened her eyes. Thinking Chen Xiao was saying the Emperor Seal Technique was easy to cultivate, she immediately explained:
"The five seals of the Emperor Seal Technique are interconnected, but each seal can also be treated as a standalone Dou Skill. Since Brother Chen Xiao has already mastered the Mountain Splitting Seal and Sea Flipping Seal, continuing with the Earth Covering Seal won't be difficult. With Brother Chen Xiao's talent, he'll surely master it faster than Xun Er, perhaps within ten days."
Talking with Xun Er was always so refreshing, making his heart feel incredibly comfortable and at ease.
This girl, despite her powerful background and extraordinary talent, rarely matched in cultivation aptitude, always remained incredibly low-key. She never flaunted her abilities, content to be a supporting presence, uplifting those around her to shine brightly.
Chen Xiao shook his head with a smile, put the Emperor Seal Technique back into his Storage Ring, and took out an ice-blue scroll.
On this scroll, there was clearly a line of small characters.
High-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Technique, Ice Hell Scripture!
Evidently, this was what he had just Pre-paid for.
This time, Chen Xiao intentionally tried to Pre-pay while someone was nearby, only to find that the new Cultivation Technique appeared directly inside his Storage Ring.
"Is this the Cultivation Technique Brother Chen Xiao cultivates?" Xun Er asked with some interest, looking at the scroll Chen Xiao had taken out.
Chen Xiao nodded slightly.
In fact, he was also quite curious what this improved Cultivation Technique would look like.
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