People in Doupo: The beginning of the game intercepts the rich woman Xun'er

Time slips away like sand through your fingers, quietly passing through the silence of ancient palaces, and a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Throughout the year, Xun'er devoted almost all her attention to cultivation. The energy of the Heavenly Tomb's core gathered into a sea here, making it the perfect place for her to replenish her bloodline deficiencies.

With each inhalation and exhalation, the divine bloodline within her body, which had been depleted due to the extraction of its source, has been revitalized, and even the battle aura surrounding her body has become increasingly solid and substantial.

Although at her level, progress in strength is like rowing against the current, the slow but steady improvement under the nourishment of this rich energy is still several times faster than outside.

Only when she briefly awoke during breaks in her cultivation would Xun'er's gaze pass over the empty hall and land on the figure standing motionless like a statue in the center of the blood pool.

For a whole year, Xiao Ling kept his eyes closed, his azure aura never dissipating, and the extremely pure energy in the blood pool flowed into his body like a surging river, seemingly without end.

Strangely, even with such a surge of energy, Xiao Ling's aura remained stuck on the edge of breaking through the Dou Sheng bottleneck, without any leakage or increase.

Xun'er wasn't surprised by this. She knew better than anyone that Xiao Ling wasn't stagnating, but rather frantically accumulating the foundation needed to break through to the next realm, based on the new foundation formed by the fusion of three top-tier bloodlines.

That seemingly dormant power was actually like a dormant volcano within him, waiting for the last bit of energy to be poured in before it would erupt and unleash a dramatic upheaval that would shake the entire Heavenly Tomb.

As for Xiao Xuan, when he rushed to Tianmu's aid, he not only defeated the two Soul Clan Dou Sheng energy bodies, but also brought back two Dou Sheng-level energy cores containing pure power for Xun'er.

For a whole year after that, he stood guard outside the blood pool like a guardian, his murky gaze always fixed on Xiao Ling in the center of the pool.

As time passed, the originally crimson and thick energy liquid in the blood pool became clear and transparent at a visible speed as Xiao Ling absorbed it day after day.

Whenever he saw this scene, Xiao Xuan's smile would deepen. The primal power in this blood pool was the greatest help he could provide to Xiao Ling at present.

He was already certain that the three top-tier bloodlines had perfectly merged. When Xiao Ling finished absorbing the energy in the pool and ended this cultivation, he would not only be able to steadily break through the barrier of the Dou Sheng, but also not damage the foundation of his future cultivation. The hope for the Xiao Clan to regain its glory was quietly gathering here.

Time slips away silently between the beams and pillars of the ancient palace in this regular cycle, leaving no trace.

However, this long wait was not without end. The Blood Pool was the most direct proof. As Xiao Ling absorbed it day after day, bit by bit, the scarlet energy in the pool, which was originally so dense that it was almost impossible to dissolve, was becoming thinner at a visible speed. The color of the pool water also gradually changed from the initial deep scarlet to light red, and then to light pink, with the signs of clarity becoming more and more obvious.

Every time Xun'er awoke from her cultivation, she could clearly sense this change, and her anticipation for Xiao Ling's impending breakthrough grew stronger.

This continued for some time, until the day when Xiao Ling had been in the Blood Pool for over a year.

As the first faint ray of light pierced through the cracks in the palace and fell upon the surface of the blood pool, the last trace of blood in the water vanished completely, as if dispersed by the morning mist.

Looking at the pool now, it has returned to its original state, clear and bright. With gentle ripples, there is no longer any sense of heaviness from the energy it once possessed. It is as if the bloodline fusion and energy infusion that lasted for more than a year was just a silent past in the palace's history.

As the last wisp of pure energy in the blood pool seeped into Xiao Ling's body through the light barrier, Xiao Xuan and Xun'er, who were guarding the pool, opened their eyes at the same time, almost as if by telepathy.

Two pairs of eyes were drawn to Xiao Ling, who was still sitting quietly with his eyes closed in the center of the blood pool, as if drawn by a magnet. They even unconsciously softened their breathing.

Under their gazes, Xiao Ling remained motionless, his aura remaining calm as before, as if the injection of that last wisp of energy had not caused any ripples in him.

However, Xiao Xuan and Xun'er, both of whom were at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent, had already keenly sensed that the power within Xiao Ling's body was like a dormant volcano, brewing a world-destroying explosive force beneath its calm surface, waiting only for a trigger to erupt completely.

This extreme silence lasted for about half an hour in the palace. Suddenly, the water in the pool, which had been so calm that not a ripple appeared, exploded without warning, like a hidden water mine suddenly detonating.

A massive column of water, carrying the remaining energy, shot into the sky, spreading out into a mist in mid-air before pouring down like a torrential downpour, splashing glistening water droplets all over the ground.

Faced with this sudden "rainstorm," Xiao Xuan and Xun'er seemed oblivious, not even blinking.

Their gazes remained fixed on Xiao Ling in the center of the pool, their eyes filled with anticipation and certainty. They knew that the true moment of breaking through was finally approaching.

The water curtain, scattered across the sky, fell like shattered jade. As the mist gradually dissipated, Xiao Ling's figure, which had been obscured, finally became clearly visible.

Unlike before, he was no longer naked. A layer of solid, light purple battle aura surrounded him, which unknowingly transformed into a robe that fit his body perfectly.

The robe had delicate patterns and a faint shimmering edge, which made his sitting posture appear even more upright. The dormant power around him also subsided a bit, replaced by a more restrained sharpness.

"He's reached the critical point of a breakthrough; his aura is surging!"

Suddenly, Xiao Xuan's tense face twitched slightly, and his aged voice, carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement, broke the silence of the palace.

"boom!"

Before he finished speaking, an immense aura, far exceeding anything he had experienced before, suddenly surged out from Xiao Ling's body.

At first, this aura was somewhat hesitant and stagnant, but it rose rapidly like a snowball, becoming more and more terrifying with each passing moment. It was clearly accumulating power within its body, waiting to reach a certain critical point before it would explode completely.

An invisible wave of energy emanated from Xiao Ling and spread wildly outwards, instantly creating a fierce wind throughout the palace.

A strong gust of wind swept by, lifting Xun'er's long black hair. Although she tried her best to circulate her battle qi to resist, a trace of solemnity still appeared between her brows. The oppressive feeling contained in this aura made her feel a little apprehensive.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Xuan's eyes narrowed, and he immediately raised his withered hand, from which pale golden battle qi instantly surged forth.

With a soft "hum," a semi-transparent golden barrier swiftly unfolded in front of him and Xun'er, like a solid fortress, steadily blocking the terrifying shockwave that was spreading outwards. The surface of the barrier rippled slightly, but remained perfectly still, completely protecting Xun'er behind him and allowing her tense body to relax slightly.

Xiao Xuan and Xun'er kept their eyes fixed on Xiao Ling, even unconsciously lowering their breaths as they waited for the crucial moment to arrive.

Time flowed slowly in the stagnant atmosphere, and the aura of power gathering around Xiao Ling grew increasingly powerful, almost freezing the air in the entire palace.

Finally, after another long period of gathering strength, he suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, and two beams of azure light shot out from the bottom of his eyes as if they were solid.

"Om-!"

As he opened his eyes, an aura several times stronger than before suddenly erupted from Xiao Ling's body!
The surging energy, like a tsunami breaking free of its restraints, spread wildly from him. The pale purple battle aura swirled and surged around him, instantly converging into an incredibly thick pillar of light.

The beam of light, carrying a chilling pressure, pierced straight through the top of the palace and shot towards the horizon deep within the Heavenly Tomb, shattering all the energy currents along its path, creating an extremely terrifying spectacle.

As Xiao Xuan gazed at the soaring pillar of light, a flicker of relief flashed in his cloudy eyes.
"Fortunately, this is the cave I created when I was at the peak of the Nine-Star Dou Sheng realm, and it's equipped with concealment and isolation formations. Otherwise, such a commotion would have already alerted the entire third layer of the Heavenly Curtain, and might even have been detected by that being."

Xun'er, standing to the side, also breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't pay attention to Xiao Xuan's mutterings to himself. Her gaze fell on Xiao Ling's open blue eyes, and a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on her lips. This long wait had not been in vain after all.

Xiao Ling slowly felt the changes within his body. The fighting spirit flowing through his limbs and bones was no longer in its normal cycle, but rather as powerful and dynamic as a rushing river, with each flow carrying the unique rhythm of his newborn bloodline.

An unprecedented sense of power surged from his very bones, giving him an unconscious sense of pride that made him feel like he was the only one worthy of respect.

It was as if the entire world was resonating with him; he could clearly perceive the surrounding energy currents, the distant mountain ranges, and even the fine dust floating in the air.

With a mere thought, he could mobilize the power of heaven and earth around him for his own use; with a wave of his hand, he seemed to be able to stir up the wind and clouds, and with a fall of his hand, he could suppress the waves.

This sense of control far surpassed any level he had ever reached before, causing him to slowly clench his fists, feeling the immense power gathering in his palms, a low murmur escaping his throat.
"Is this what it feels like to become a Battle Saint...? So wonderful, so breathtaking."

After calming down a bit, Xiao Ling slowly raised his eyes, his gaze passing through the lingering energy halo, and met the gazes of Xiao Xuan and Xun'er in front of him.

Seeing the relief and expectation in their eyes, his tense brows relaxed completely, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

Feeling the surging power within his body resonating with the heavens and earth, Xiao Ling's heart stirred. He then calmed his mind and began to actively guide the aura emanating from his body.

That once overwhelming aura that had shattered the palace and stirred up the winds and clouds quickly receded like a tide, gradually transforming from outward rage into inward composure.

The pale purple aura of battle qi slowly contracted, and the energy flow surrounding his body also subsided. Even the pillar of light that shot straight into the sky gradually dimmed and dissipated under his control, eventually merging completely into his body.

As the momentum was completely withdrawn, the commotion inside the cave gradually subsided.

The dust stirred up by the strong wind slowly settled, the surging energy aftershocks subsided, and even the air became still and tranquil again, as if the earth-shattering breakthrough had never broken the silence of this space.

After the pillar of light completely dissipated, Xiao Ling lightly touched the ground with his toes, and his figure, which had been floating above the blood pool, slowly drifted down like a falling leaf, landing steadily on the ground by the pool, standing right in front of Xiao Xuan and Xun'er.

At this moment, Xiao Xuan had already removed the golden battle aura barrier in front of him. He took two steps forward, his withered hand gently stroking the sparse beard under his chin. His gaze fell on Xiao Ling, and from the restrained battle aura around him, he saw the calm light in his eyes, which was full of satisfaction.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, his tone filled with undisguised emotion.
"Xiao Ling, congratulations on successfully breaking through the Dou Sheng barrier! The Xiao Clan has waited a thousand years for this step, and now it has finally been achieved by you."

He paused here, his gaze becoming increasingly solemn, and his voice deepening in tone.

"From now on, the future of the Xiao clan will depend on you. There is not much I can do, but as long as you are here, the Xiao clan will no longer be an unattainable dream to regain its former glory."

Xun'er also took two steps forward, gently grasping Xiao Ling's hand with her jade-like hand. The warm touch from her fingertips made the smile in her eyes even softer.

She looked up at Xiao Ling, smiled sweetly, and said in a sincere voice, "Brother Xiao Ling, congratulations on finishing your cultivation and successfully breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm! Now you have truly entered the ranks of the strongest in the Dou Qi Continent, and no one will be able to easily bully the Xiao Clan anymore."

Xiao Ling felt the warmth of her palm, then grasped Xun'er's hand in return, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Seeing the two so intimate and harmonious, Xiao Xuan's wrinkles smoothed out, revealing a smile of satisfaction mixed with a hint of amusement. He couldn't help but interject, adding...

"You should really thank Xun'er. If she hadn't been willing to sacrifice her divine bloodline essence to help you, how could you have fused three bloodlines so smoothly and gained such great benefits?"

"Because her source energy was extracted, this girl's cultivation progress has been much slower this year. Otherwise, with her talent, her cultivation would definitely have improved even more. You must never forget this kindness and effort."

Xiao Ling first turned around and bowed deeply to Xiao Xuan, his back straight, his movements full of respect.

As he straightened up, he spoke solemnly and clearly: "Thank you, Ancestor! If it weren't for your protection along the way and the opportunity for bloodline fusion, I would never have been able to break through to the Dou Sheng realm so smoothly. I will never forget this kindness in my life."

Looking at him, Xiao Xuan's smile deepened, and he gently waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need to be so polite.

Xiao Ling then turned around, took Xun'er's hand again, and unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand, holding onto that precious feeling even more tightly.

He looked down into Xun'er's eyes, which were filled with concern and joy for him, as clear as the purest stream.

After a moment, Xiao Ling spoke solemnly, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable certainty.
"Xun'er, thank you very much this time. Now that I have broken through to the Dou Sheng realm, after we finish this trip to the Heavenly Curtain, I will personally visit the Ancient Clan Chief and formally propose marriage to him." (End of Chapter)