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

In the core area of ​​the third level of the Heavenly Tomb, the continuous mountain ranges lie like sleeping giants between heaven and earth, and the snow on the peaks gleams with a cold, hard light under the dim sky.

Suddenly, two figures crossed paths in the sky like shooting stars, their golden battle aura and crimson flames colliding violently. It was Xiao Ling and Xiao Xuan!
Xiao Ling's purplish-red clan mark between his brows suddenly lit up, and flames surged through his meridians to his entire body, "Heavenly Fire Three Transformations!"

Before his low shout had even finished, his aura suddenly surged. He pushed forward with both palms, and ten condensed, almost tangible streams of strange fire burst forth from the sky. Wherever they passed, the void was burned and distorted, and even the air turned into sizzling heat waves.

Xiao Xuan stood in mid-air, his withered hand slightly raised, drawing upon the energy of the surrounding world. A pale blue light shield appeared out of thin air. The moment the strange fire streak collided with the light shield, a roar resounded through the sky. The shockwave spread outwards from the two of them, and the rock layers of the mountains below cracked in response, with dust billowing as boulders rolled down.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Ling had closed in, his fist carrying the power of his entire body's fighting spirit and physical strength as it slammed into Xiao Xuan's face. The air was torn apart by the force of the punch, leaving fine black cracks.

Without dodging or avoiding, Xiao Xuan twisted his wrist and grabbed Xiao Ling's wrist. The moment the two forces collided in their palms, an even more terrifying energy wave erupted. The peaks of several distant mountains were directly flattened by the shockwave, and countless rocks fell like a rainstorm, even scattering the clouds in the sky.

This earth-shattering commotion quickly spread to the outer perimeter of the third level of the Heavenly Tomb.

Those Battle Saints who resided deep within, existing in the form of energy bodies, were originally dormant in their respective territories, but at this moment they were all awakened by the terrifying aura emanating from the core area.

"It came from the core area...that lord's territory!" A humanoid energy being's voice trembled. He had almost been scattered by Xiao Xuan's residual power when he accidentally entered the edge of the core area, and he was still in shock.

Although the aura of battle made it instinctively wary, no energy entity dared to approach even half a step. Everyone knew that the core of the third level of the Heavenly Tomb was that person's forbidden area. Let alone intervening, even taking a second look could bring trouble upon oneself.

They could only suppress their urge to spy and retreated to the outer perimeter, fearing that the terrifying energy fluctuations would affect them. They only dared to sense the constant rumbling from the core area from afar, and did not even dare to breathe.

The fierce battle in the core area of ​​the third level of the Heavenly Tomb lasted for two whole days.

In the past two days, golden halos and crimson flames have collided repeatedly in the sky. The shattered void, which had just healed, was torn apart by new impacts. The mountains below had already been sheared off in sections by the shockwaves, and the rubble on the ground trembled continuously in the aftershocks of energy.

By the morning of the third day, the clan mark between Xiao Ling's brows had dimmed somewhat, and his fighting spirit was not as surging as before.

He gritted his teeth, gathered his remaining strength, and threw another punch at Xiao Xuan. His fist, covered with dragon scales and carrying afterimages of strange fire, still had the power to scorch the air. However, Xiao Xuan simply turned slightly to the side, his withered hand casually blocking in front of him. Before the fist wind could get close, a gentle yet irresistible force came through his fist.

Xiao Ling felt a numbness in his arm, and was pulled backward by the force, eventually crashing heavily into a pile of rocks, stirring up a cloud of dust.

"Cough..." Xiao Ling propped himself up on the rubble, panting heavily, the battle aura on his arm completely dissipating. He looked at Xiao Xuan in the sky, waved his hand, and said with a hint of exhaustion, "Ancestor, let's stop fighting... I can't take it anymore."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a graceful figure in light blue swept across the pile of rocks like a gentle breeze and came to a steady stop beside him. It was Xun'er, who had been guarding the edge of the battlefield.

She crouched down, carefully took Xiao Ling's arm, and gently helped him up. Her eyes were full of worry, and her voice was soft but urgent: "Brother Xiao Ling, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Just then, Xiao Xuan's slightly teasing laughter echoed from high above. He slowly descended, his gaze falling on the two of them, his tone relaxed: "Don't worry, girl, this kid is in great shape." He paused, then added,

“I had already withdrawn most of my power and didn’t really hurt him. Besides, this kid has a special physique and amazing recovery ability. Even if he suffers some minor injuries, he can heal quickly. He’s just tired of fighting and doesn’t want to continue.”

Hearing Xiao Xuan's words, Xun'er's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, slowly calmed down, and the fingers that were holding Xiao Ling's arm also quietly loosened their grip a little.

She knew perfectly well that Xiao Xuan was not only the ancestor of the Xiao clan, but also had high hopes for Xiao Ling. He would definitely be careful during their sparring and would never actually hurt him.

But just now, seeing Xiao Ling being pushed back by the force time and time again, seeing the fine sweat seeping from his forehead and the clan mark between his eyebrows gradually fading, that worry still uncontrollably rose from the bottom of his heart.

Even though it wasn't the first time she'd seen such a sparring match, her heart would still clench whenever Xiao Ling was in a disadvantageous position.

Only after confirming that Xiao Ling was unharmed did she breathe a sigh of relief. The anxiety in her eyes faded, replaced by a gentle light. She raised her hand to brush the pebbles off Xiao Ling's shoulder.

Xiao Ling, who was being half-supported and half-carried by her, simply leaned against Xun'er as if he had given up, his back against her warm palm, too lazy to even lift his hand.

He couldn't help but want to complain in his heart, "This isn't a friendly competition, it's clearly a one-sided lesson," but after opening his mouth, he ultimately let out a helpless sigh.

Looking back on his cultivation journey, from making a name for himself in Wutan City to setting foot in Zhongzhou, and then breaking through to the current Dou Sheng level, although there have been twists and turns along the way, most of the time it has been a smooth "smooth sailing" situation. He always calculates his chances of winning before fighting others, and when he makes a move, he always has the upper hand. He has never been suppressed like this before.

Xiao Xuan was originally a nine-star Dou Sheng at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent. Even though he has suppressed his strength now, his control over power and his prediction of the battle situation are far beyond what this junior, who has just entered the Dou Sheng realm, can compare to.

Even if he pushed the Heavenly Fire Three Transformations to its limit and used the amplification of the clan mark to its fullest potential, Xiao Xuan could always easily deflect his attacks. Occasionally, he would even use the force of the block to point out the flaws in his moves.

After this "sparring and tempering," Xiao Ling accepted it. After all, to have a former peak expert personally "give him pointers" was an opportunity that could not be found anywhere else on the entire continent.

Seeing Xiao Ling's exhausted yet resentful appearance, Xiao Xuan could easily guess the "suppressed" thoughts in his heart. His aged face, unusually devoid of its usual seriousness, revealed a faint but genuine smile.

He moved swiftly, landing in front of the two. His withered fingers gently brushed away non-existent dust from his sleeve, and his gaze, when it fell on Xiao Ling, was full of approval:
"Through these recent sparring sessions, your control over the power of a Dou Sheng, and the coordination between your clan emblem and the Three Transformations of Heavenly Fire, have become increasingly proficient." He paused, his tone becoming more serious.
“Continuing to spar is no longer of much use to you. If I don’t raise my strength to the late stage of a two-star Dou Sheng, I won’t be able to suppress you steadily unless you use that peculiar soul power technique.”

These words caused not only Xiao Ling to pause slightly, but even Xun'er beside him showed a surprised expression. Xiao Xuan, however, seemed oblivious to their reactions and continued,
"Such combat ability is something even I, who had just entered the Dou Sheng realm, could not match. You have the blessing of a different fire within you, the aid of the Xiao clan's bloodline and clan mark, and your soul power far surpasses that of ordinary people. Now you have the ability to change the course of events on the continent, so I can rest assured."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling's previously slumped shoulders straightened up, and a hint of realization flashed in his eyes. He had previously only felt that he was suppressed by Xiao Xuan in every sparring session, but he had not thought that he had only entered the Dou Sheng realm for a little over a month, yet he was already able to force a former nine-star Dou Sheng to use the strength of a two-star late stage.

Xun'er, standing beside him, couldn't help but smile and nod, whispering, "Brother Xiao Ling is improving so quickly, he will definitely become stronger and stronger in the future. Xun'er will also work harder to cultivate and not fall too far behind Brother Xiao Ling."

Xiao Xuan looked at the two of them, his smile deepening, but then his tone suddenly changed, becoming more serious.

"However, you should not be complacent. The sparring within the Heavenly Tomb is ultimately a 'greenhouse.' Once you leave this place, the challenges from the outside world will be the real test. The situation in the Central Plains is currently turbulent, and the Soul Palace's search for the remnants of the Xiao Clan has never ceased. If you want to protect those around you and revitalize the Xiao Clan, you can only barely manage with your current strength."

Xiao Ling felt a chill run down his spine and slowly nodded: "What the ancestor said is absolutely right, I understand."

He was well aware that the Heavenly Tomb was a temporary refuge, not a permanent place. The threat from the Soul Palace and the subsequent turmoil on the continent were all challenges he had to face.

Seeing the still-serious look on Xiao Ling's face, Xiao Xuan gently patted his shoulder, his tone softening.
"Alright, there's no need to worry too much. You've always been a meticulous thinker and methodical in your actions. If something really happens, you'll surely have your own way of dealing with it. I don't need to worry about you too much."

As soon as he finished speaking, he abruptly changed the subject, raised his right hand, and slowly condensed a ball of blood-red light in his palm. The surface of the ball was surrounded by faint golden patterns, and one could vaguely feel the pure bloodline power contained within it. Although it was not as powerful as the one he had given to Xiao Ling before, it still exuded a steady vitality.

Xiao Xuan handed the ball of light to Xiao Ling and explained, "I secretly observed your cousin Xiao Yan in the Heavenly Tomb before. He is now an eight-star Dou Zun. His foundation is sufficient to absorb it."

"Although this bloodline power is not as rich as the one I left you before, it was still condensed from the life essence of a Xiao Clan Dou Sheng senior. If that kid absorbs it, it will not only stabilize his Dou Zun realm, but also awaken more of the Xiao Clan bloodline potential within him, which will be of great help to his future breakthrough to the Dou Sheng realm."

Xiao Xuan paused, his eyes filled with expectation for the younger generation. "I won't go to see him in person. Afterwards, you can hand over this ball of light to him. It can be considered as my expectation for another younger generation of the Xiao clan."

Xiao Ling raised his hand and took the blood-red orb. When his fingertips touched the orb, he could clearly feel the power of the Xiao clan's bloodline flowing within it.

He focused his mind briefly, then stored the orb of light in his personal space. He then turned to Xiao Xuan and nodded solemnly.

"Rest assured, Ancestor. When I see Xiao Yan again, I will transfer this bloodline power to him and help him stabilize his condition and guide his absorption. There will be no accidents."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan's aged face broke into a relieved smile. He nodded slowly, then his gaze swept over Xiao Ling and Xun'er, his tone tinged with emotion.

"The three-year period is almost up, and the Heavenly Tomb will soon reopen. It's time for you all to leave. Now that you've all gained something, staying here won't do much to improve your strength, so I won't try to keep you any longer."

With these words spoken, all three knew that the time for parting had come. Xun'er bowed slightly to Xiao Xuan first, her voice respectful: "Take care, Senior."

Xiao Ling raised his hand and clasped his hands in a fist salute, his eyes full of respect: "Take care, Ancestor."

Xiao Xuan smiled and waved his hand, his gaze returning to Xiao Ling, his tone filled with expectation: "Remember, when your soul realm reaches the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm, come to the Heavenly Tomb to find me. At that time, I will have another great gift to give you. I hope that when we meet again, it won't be too late."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Xuan's already somewhat ethereal figure began to emit a faint halo, like dust blown away by the wind, gradually becoming transparent, and finally completely dissipating into the air.

Xiao Ling gazed in the direction where Xiao Xuan had disappeared, then looked up towards the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb, where there was a vast, dark area, and he could vaguely glimpse the ancient stone tablets standing there.

How could he not know that Xiao Xuan's "meeting after the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm" was about the Soul of the Heavenly Tomb, and that ancestor planned to use his own soul as a price to pave the way for him to break through to the Emperor Realm?

This was originally the direction he had secretly planned, but now that he had spent so much time with Xiao Xuan, Xiao Ling had developed some feelings for this ancestor.

Thinking back to that opportunity that required sacrifice, he couldn't help but feel a little complicated and let out a long sigh.

Xun'er, who has been with Xiao Ling for many years, is the most perceptive of subtle changes in his emotions.

Seeing him gazing absently into the depths of the Heavenly Tomb, a hint of melancholy lingering between his brows, Xun'er gently extended her slender hand and took Xiao Ling's hand in hers. At the same time, she looked up at him with a tender, reassuring gaze.

"Brother Xiao Ling, what are you thinking about? According to your personality, you are not the kind of person who would be sad for a short time because of a temporary separation. It's not like you won't have the chance to see your senior again in the future."

As she finished speaking, she tightened her grip on Xiao Ling's hand slightly, her voice becoming softer yet firmer: "But no matter what you're worried about, Xun'er will always be by Xiao Ling's side and will never let you face it alone."

The soft touch from his palm was exceptionally clear, and the girl's heartfelt words echoed in his ears. The melancholy that had arisen in Xiao Ling's heart because of the soul of the Heavenly Tomb seemed to be slowly dissolved by warm water.

He slowly came back to his senses, a slight smile returning to the corners of his mouth. He turned his head to look at the earnestness in Xun'er's eyes, gently took her hand in return, and said with a hint of relief in his voice, "Xun'er, it's so good to have you."

The two exchanged a glance, needing no further words. The next moment, their figures transformed into streaks of light, piercing the dark sky above the Heavenly Tomb, and vanished in the blink of an eye. (End of Chapter)