"According to Brother Xiao Ting, Xiao Yan went from Dou Practitioner to Dou God in less than twenty years. Now it seems the Flame Mantra played the main role."
"If I can cultivate the Flame Mantra, with Father and the Gu Clan's help, I can definitely evolve this technique to surpass Heavenly-class very quickly."
"If I can become a Dou God, I can better protect Brother Xiao Ting and accompany him across endless planes and countless mountains and rivers."
Xun Er's heart could not help but race wildly.
The strangeness and power of the Flame Mantra, along with the future it represented, had successfully attracted her.
Items like the Tou She Ancient God Jade were useless without all eight pieces. The Gu Clan already held one, so neither she nor Gu Yuan had any interest in the piece held by the Xiao Clan.
But if it weren't for Xiao Ting, she would have found it very hard not to covet the Flame Mantra and try to seize it.
No—if she had simply encountered the Flame Mantra on her own, she most likely would not have cultivated it.
Although the technique could devour all fires and evolve, as a descendant of the Gu Clan, she only needed to be granted the clan imprint to cultivate techniques left behind by Dou Gods. She would not have taken such a risk.
But now, through the Journal, she knew that the Flame Mantra was a proven path to becoming a Dou God, with the living examples of the Tou She Ancient God and Xiao Yan.
In that case, the Dou God techniques left by the Gu Clan were completely inadequate.
[Xun Er]: What do you all think—how can I obtain the Flame Mantra?
[Medusa]: Just ask Yao Lao directly. Would he dare refuse you?
[Yun Yun]: With Xiao Ting around, Xun Er can't act too domineeringly. It would be awkward if she gets rejected.
[Little Fairy Doctor]: Also, Xun Er has no way to explain how she knows about the existence of the Flame Mantra.
[Qing Lin]: What's so difficult about that? Just ask Senior Yao Lao or Young Master Xiao Ting for it.
The women: ???
Wasn't that exactly what Queen Medusa had just said?
[Medusa]: Are you doing that abstract thing Xiao Ting mentioned?
[Qing Lin]: What abstract or not? Sisters, you're overcomplicating things.
[Qing Lin]: With Sister Xun Er's ability, noticing that Young Master Xiao Yan is cultivating a Huang-class technique—just like Young Master Xiao Ting—wouldn't be a problem.
[Qing Lin]: Knowing that Senior Yao Lao was once the Medicine Venerable, yet letting his disciple Young Master Xiao Yan cultivate a Huang-class technique—being curious is only natural, right?
[Qing Lin]: Asking out of curiosity, or even requesting to see the technique, would be perfectly logical and reasonable, wouldn't it?
Xun Er, Yun Yun, Little Fairy Doctor, and Medusa: "..."
They really had overcomplicated it. It could be asked so straightforwardly.
[Medusa]: You really do have great wisdom that appears foolish.
[Qing Lin]: Is that praise?
[Medusa]: Of course.
After a brief chat, Xun Er understood what she should do.
"Sister Little Fairy Doctor, let's go meet up with Cousin Xiao Yan and Brother Xiao Ting." Xun Er straightened her skirt and stood up.
The Little Fairy Doctor smiled faintly but did not agree. "I won't go. With one less person present, you'll have one more chance to learn something."
Xun Er thought that made sense, so she went alone to the small courtyard where Xiao Yan lived.
…
At this moment, Xiao Yan had just finished cultivating and walked out of the secret room in his courtyard. He was eating the breakfast Xiao Ting had brought, seated at the stone table.
"Big Brother Yan, congratulations on breaking through to two-star Dou Practitioner." Xiao Ting sat with one leg crossed over the other, looking lazily at Xiao Yan.
"Are you sure you're here to congratulate me and not to show off?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes in a very undignified manner. "Teacher said you've already broken through to Dou Grandmaster."
"Just luck." Xiao Ting shrugged.
"Has anyone ever told you that you look very punchable like this?" Xiao Yan's mouth twitched.
Who broke through to Dou Grandmaster at fifteen by just luck?
Even if his talent hadn't regressed back then, he would probably only be a Dou Master now, with Dou Grandmaster still far away.
After all, his father Xiao Zhan was nearly forty and only a Dou Grandmaster.
"No one has before, but now someone has." Xiao Ting smiled indifferently, his tone calm. "Senior Yao Lao said it himself—I'm only decent in the northwest continent. I can't compare to the countless geniuses in Central Plains. There are many heavenly prodigies there who reach Dou King at twenty."
Yao Lao: "..."
Had he been too good at fooling people?
If Xiao Ting went to Central Plains and found that hardly anyone was stronger than him, how hilarious would that be?
"You didn't come here just to congratulate me, right?" Xiao Yan reined in his excitement.
Xiao Ting wasn't arrogant even after becoming a fifteen-year-old Dou Grandmaster; he was aiming for the geniuses of Central Plains. He himself had only broken through to Dou Practitioner at sixteen—he still had a long way to go.
"I'll be leaving the clan for a few days and won't be able to continue receiving guidance from Senior Yao Lao, so I came to report in advance." Xiao Ting replied.
"Where are you going this time?" A trace of eagerness flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes.
Last time Xiao Ting had taken the Little Fairy Doctor and Xun Er to the Magic Beast Mountain Range and returned with flying Dou Techniques, Purple Crystal Spirit Fruit, and other gains.
Now that he had broken through to Dou Practitioner, he also wanted to go out and broaden his horizons.
"Rock Desert City in the Tager Desert." Xiao Ting answered honestly.
"Rock Desert City?" Xiao Yan felt the name sounded somewhat familiar.
"It's where Big Brother and Second Brother established their mercenary group. They mentioned it in the letters they sent." Xiao Ting's words jogged Xiao Yan's memory.
"You're going to see Big Brother and Second Brother?" Warmth flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes and he smiled. "I've also broken through to Dou Practitioner. It's not good to keep training behind closed doors. Why don't I go with you?"
If Xiao Yan went, he would truly become a massive third wheel.
"Rejected!"
A gentle but firm female voice came from the doorway.
Xiao Yan immediately showed a helpless expression. "Cousin Xun Er, why are you everywhere? I'm going with Xiao Ting to see Big Brother and Second Brother—why do you have to interfere?"
"Everything has an order of priority." Xun Er walked over and sat on the stool beside Xiao Ting. Her lively eyes carried clear disdain. "Brother Xiao Ting promised to take me to see the desert scenery. Having you tag along would be both an eyesore and a hindrance. It's inconvenient."
Xiao Yan was speechless.
This cousin of his and Xiao Ting were childhood sweethearts who loved and fought each other, happy enemies who had already expressed their feelings.
Toward him, however, she was extremely disdainful and guarded, always mocking him.
For Xiao Ting's sake, he couldn't say much.
"Then I won't go." Xiao Yan didn't dare argue with Xun Er; the memory of being taught a lesson by a mysterious expert in his childhood was still fresh. "Teacher is about to start teaching me alchemy. When I become famous and go out to train, I'll find Big Brother and Second Brother myself."
"No need for that." Xiao Ting chuckled. "This time I'll bring Big Brother and Second Brother back."
"Soon it will be time for Jia Nan Academy's recruitment. Cousin Xiao Yu came back early to prepare for it. I'll definitely go there to study."
"I heard that the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy has the Heavenly Flame Training Tower, built on top of the Fallen Heart Flame ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. The Fallen Heart Flame causes heart flames to appear and automatically tempers Battle Qi to accelerate cultivation. It's called a cultivation cheat, and its effect improves or weakens with the cultivator's realm—but it's very good before reaching Dou King."
"I cultivate lightning-fire attribute Battle Qi, so that place is extremely suitable for me."
…