Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, I am your second master.

“Of course not. The strongest person in Zhongzhou now is a six-star Dou Sheng! Besides me, a six-star Dou Sheng in the early stage, there is another old fellow, you may know him, called Shennong Laoren.” Danta Ancestor said slowly.

"Shennong the Elder? Could it be that eccentric man who lives in seclusion in the Shennong Mountains? I think he participated in the Alchemy Gathering back then, but he wasn't particularly outstanding." Xiao Kong frowned.

"That's right, that old guy is now a six-star Dou Sheng, and he can still refine ninth-grade Xuan Dan. I met him fifty years ago and had a conversation with him."

"Now, apart from him and me, there are no beings in Zhongzhou who surpass the four-star Dou Sheng level." The Old Ancestor of the Pill Tower said expressionlessly.

"What?! How is this possible! How could a thousand years have changed the Central Plains like this?" Xiao Kong couldn't believe it!

"In the end, it's all a chain reaction caused by the decline of your Xiao clan!" Ancestor Danta said calmly.

Chapter 185 Central Plains, the Imperial Clan

"Chain reaction? What do you mean?" Xiao Kong pressed.

"Since the decline of the Xiao Clan a thousand years ago, the balance of the five great powers has been broken. The Xiao Clan has fallen, the Soul Clan has been severely damaged, and the other imperial clans have all shown their fangs."

Xiao Kong, as you know, although your Xiao clan is also an imperial clan and there is a survival of the fittest among bloodlines, you have never looked down on other geniuses on the continent.

Unlike other imperial clans that prefer to digest their own affairs, your Xiao clan has a tradition of pursuing partners outside the clan. This is one of the reasons why your Xiao clan's Dou Di bloodline declined first!

A thousand years ago, Xiao Xuan, Gu Yuan, Soul Emperor, Burning Flame Ancestor, and the Tower Master were the five strongest people in the world, all of whom were late-stage Nine-Star Dou Sheng. The power of our Pill Tower and Burning Flame Valley was almost stronger than that of other imperial clans.

Do you think the other imperial clans would accept this? Back then, there were four different flames in the Burning Flame Valley, and my Pill Tower also had two. Do you think the Medicine Clan and the Flame Clan would look favorably upon us?

Xiao Kong frowned: "Even if our Xiao Clan has declined and our patriarch has perished, doesn't the Central Continent still have that person from your Pill Tower and the Burning Flame Old Ghost? Even if the two of them join forces, they are not afraid of the Imperial Clan, are they?"

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower sighed: "The Tower Master is too old. He has lived for thousands of years. He passed away a hundred years after the decline of your Xiao Clan. The only remaining top figure in the Central Continent is the one from the Burning Flame Valley."

After the Tower Master passed away, the ambitions of the Imperial Clan were fully exposed. It seemed that the other seven clans had reached some kind of agreement, and all the Dou Sheng in the Imperial Clan were mobilized to hunt down Dou Sheng powerhouses on the continent!

As you know, a Dou Sheng powerhouse is a treasure trove. Hunting him down yields valuable essence and bone marrow, which are top-notch treasures for improving cultivation or helping children build their foundation!

The powerful figures on the continent were caught off guard by the imperial clan, and many forces were quickly wiped out. However, my Pill Tower still had some remaining power at that time, so they couldn't break in!

Unfortunately, several of the tower master's disciples perished not long after that great battle, leaving only the tower master's youngest disciple alive!

In that holy war between the Central Continent and the Imperial Clan, the Central Continent was defeated, utterly defeated. The Burning Flame Ancestor died in battle, his body was divided among the Imperial Clan, and the Burning Flame Valley's strange fire was reduced to only the Nine Dragons Thunderfire.

Xiao Kong, Tianyin Elder, and Xiao Li were all extremely surprised that such a holy war had broken out in Zhongzhou back then.

The Heavenly Sound Elder took a deep breath: "No wonder, the Sound Saint Ancestor was also a Seven-Star Dou Saint back then, with enough lifespan to live to this day, but he tragically passed away hundreds of years ago."

They must have suffered severe injuries in that great battle! Damn it!

Xiao Li pondered: 'No wonder there are so few powerful figures in the Central Plains; all the Dou Sheng experts are concentrated in the Imperial Clans! It turns out all the powerful figures in the Central Plains have been hunted down!'

Xiao Kong slammed his hand on the stone table: "Is this something a human being would do?"

The old ancestor of the Pill Tower snorted coldly: "It's not over yet. Since then, the imperial clan has swept through the Central Continent every once in a while. The most recent sweep was a hundred years ago when the Hall Master of the Soul Palace, Hun Miesheng, took action."

Hun Miesheng single-handedly killed several Dou Sheng powerhouses, all of which was tacitly approved by the imperial clans. Moreover, the imperial clans have now set a rule that anyone above the five-star Dou Sheng level is not allowed to move around on the continent!

Not only to preserve the high-end combat power of their imperial clans, but also to prevent the emergence of another Tower Master or Burning Flame Ancestor in the Central Plains. Those imperial clans do not want anyone to stand above them again!

Therefore, they treated Zhongzhou as a breeding ground, periodically hunting down groups of Dou Sheng powerhouses to eliminate all potential powerhouses in Zhongzhou and prevent future troubles!

"Damn it! These beasts blinded by desire! The clan leader should have wiped them out back then!" Xiao Kong roared in anger.

"Alas, there's nothing we can do. Back then, they saw that the Tower Master had fallen and that Ancestor Burning Flame was isolated and helpless, so they hunted him down. Otherwise, with Ancestor Burning Flame's influence, he could have united the strongmen of Central Continent and clashed with the Imperial Clan. Who would have won or lost is still unknown," Ancestor Pill Tower sighed.

Xiao Kong suddenly sneered: "These guys dare to cooperate with the Soul Clan. Sooner or later they will be devoured by the Soul Clan. We know better than anyone what kind of person the Soul Emperor is!"

The Ancient Clan, Flame Clan, Thunder Clan, Medicine Clan, Spirit Clan, and Stone Clan are nothing but withered bones in a tomb; they will die sooner or later from their own arrogance! The Ancient Clan, in particular, is extremely self-important, considering themselves the number one clan!

"Heh, they probably don't know the true strength of the Soul Clan!"

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower perked up: "Please explain in detail! The Soul Clan also has a grudge against my Pill Tower, and I also want revenge! Moreover, those guys from the Soul Clan have always wanted to devour me! I will not sit idly by and wait to die!"

Xiao Kong: "Does your Pill Tower also have a grudge against the Soul Clan?"

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower sighed: "It all started a hundred years ago. Do you remember what I just said? The first tower master left behind a young disciple, and after that great battle, the Pill Tower was led by him!"

He did not disappoint the tower master and his senior brothers and sisters. He reorganized the Pill Tower very well and even set up a small Pill Tower to gather all the top experts of the Pill Tower in the small Pill Tower!

At that time, the Pill Tower was the fastest to recover after that great battle and remained the top power in the Central Continent. He himself lived up to expectations and cultivated to the late stage of the Seven Star Dou Sheng!

Unfortunately, this good fortune didn't last long. The Soul Clan sent a person named Soul Void Child. Because Soul Void Child concealed his identity and had extremely high talent, he was taken in as a disciple and carefully nurtured!

One day, Hun Xuzi's identity was exposed, but the child, out of consideration for their master-disciple relationship, didn't kill him. As a result, Hun Xuzi summoned powerful members of the Soul Clan, who killed the child! Therefore, the Pill Tower and the Soul Clan have a long-standing feud!

Xiao Li suddenly realized, 'So that's what it was about! The master of the Little Pill Tower was actually a late-stage Seven-Star Dou Sheng! Even stronger than Yao Dan of the Medicine Clan, who was only a mid-stage Seven-Star Dou Sheng!'

Xiao Kong frowned: "Hmph, the Soul Clan has always been so insidious. Do you know how many trump cards the Soul Clan has? Back in my prime, I had the cultivation of an eight-star Dou Sheng in the late stage!"

Among the eight clans, besides the clan leader, Soul Emperor, and Gu Yuan, I am the strongest. Even Lei Ying of the Thunder Clan and Yan Jin of the Flame Clan might not be able to defeat me in a one-on-one fight!

But did you know? The Soul Clan actually has four Eight-Star Dou Sheng! Two are late-stage Eight-Star Dou Sheng, and two are mid-stage Eight-Star Dou Sheng! Among them are three living dead at the Eight-Star Dou Sheng level!

"The Soul Emperor, along with his biological father and grandfather, have been turned into living dead, allowing them to harm my Xiao Clan disciples! The Soul Emperor's ambition is immense and extremely well-hidden!"

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower's pupils shrank: "So powerful! This Soul Clan is too..."

The old patriarch of Danta was beyond words.

Xiao Li said, "Then, Ancestor, we should unite and form an alliance so that we can deal with them when the time comes."

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower nodded: "It's a solution, but top-tier combat power is still scarce. I know you have already won over the Burning Flame Valley and the Flower Sect, but relying on a one-star early-stage Dou Sheng and two mid-level half-saints is still not enough!"

But there's still a chance! And that chance is you! Xiao Li!

“Me?” Xiao Li pointed to himself.

"That's right, your talent for alchemy is unparalleled. Your soul power has now reached the Heavenly Realm! You can refine an eighth-grade nine-colored pill, right?" the Pill Tower Ancestor said with a faint smile.

"Yes."

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower nodded: "That's right. With your current cultivation level, once you break through to the Dou Sheng realm, and with Brother Xiao Kong's protection, you will be able to refine a ninth-grade treasure pill!"

With your alchemy skills, you can pull out quite a few Dou Sheng powerhouses, and even help many Dou Sheng powerhouses advance further! Once your cultivation reaches around five-star Dou Sheng and your soul power reaches the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm.

I think you should be able to refine a ninth-grade Xuan Dan by now. With a ninth-grade Xuan Dan master like you in charge, we might be able to contend with the Imperial Clan!

Chapter 186 The Pressure Remains Immense

"A ninth-grade Xuan Dan master? I understand." Xiao Li nodded.

The old patriarch of Danta stood up: "I hope you can use your strength to persuade those little guys. If I go to talk to them in person, the effect will not be very good."

They've become dependent on me, wanting me to take charge of everything. Use your alchemy skills to wake them up, Xiao Li! Good luck!

The old patriarch of Danta tossed a special badge to Xiao Li.

"This is the badge that allows you to contact me. Once you've 'subdued' the little guys in Little Danta, remember to let me know so I can come and watch the fun. I'm off."

The old patriarch of the Pill Tower then disappeared without a trace; this is the mark of a true powerhouse.

"You're under a lot of pressure, aren't you?" Xiao Kong said as he came to Xiao Li's side.

"It is indeed very large. I already guessed that the Imperial Clan was despicable, but I didn't expect them to be this despicable. The Dou Di bloodline is nothing but a breeding ground for garbage." Xiao Li sneered, not caring whether he was being hypocritical or not, and started to criticize.

Xiao Kong's lips twitched. Xiao Li had even cursed him out, but Xiao Kong felt that Xiao Li was right. Something as convenient as the Dou Di bloodline would indeed breed a lot of trash.

"I should continue to focus on cultivation. I thought that the Xiao Clan would be much safer after giving away the Ancient Emperor Jade, but it turns out that it's not really safe. At least those imperial clans will never have a peaceful day in the Central Plains."

"Ancestor, what do you think about us wiping out several imperial clans in the future?" Xiao Li asked Xiao Kong.

Xiao Kong was taken aback, then looked at Xiao Li carefully: "Are you a member of our Xiao clan or the Soul clan? You're talking like those Soul brats."

"Don't worry, we don't need to do this kind of thing. Knowing the Soul Emperor's nature, he's definitely plotting this. I have a feeling several imperial clans are going to be in trouble."

Xiao Li nodded. Indeed, the Soul Clan really did wipe out several imperial clans, which could be considered eliminating a scourge. However, the Soul Clan itself was the biggest scourge, making them difficult to deal with.

"By the way, Ancestor, when will you be able to recover to your peak strength? I have a feeling that things aren't very safe right now," Xiao Li asked.

"It might take several decades. Breaking through from the late stage of a six-star Dou Sheng to a seven-star Dou Sheng is a hurdle. Fortunately, I don't have a bottleneck. I just need time to accumulate Dou Qi. It will probably take me about five years to recover to the early stage of a seven-star Dou Sheng."

I can't say for sure what will happen next. Let's take it slow. These things can't be rushed. It would be best if you could improve your alchemy skills, and if you could refine a ninth-grade Xuan Dan.

"If you refine that Qiankun Tracing Origin Pill to the ninth-grade Profound Pill level, it should be able to directly restore me to the eight-star Dou Sheng level. So, you'll have to work hard yourself." Xiao Kong patted Xiao Li on the shoulder and said.

"I will strive to reach the ninth rank in alchemy within ten years!" Xiao Li said with a determined look in his eyes.

. . . . . .

Gama Empire, Wutan City, Xiao Family

"Brother Xiao Yan, what are you looking at?" Xiao Xun'er came to Xiao Yan's side. Because Xiao Yan nurtured Xiao Xun'er's meridians every night, Xiao Xun'er had a certain fondness for Xiao Yan, and the two became friends in this way.

Xiao Yan was the first friend Xiao Xun'er made in the Xiao family.

"Ah, Nizi is here. I'm reading the Complete Guide to Alchemy. My second grandfather said I have the aptitude to become an alchemist and that I can become one in the future, and a high-ranking one at that."

Xiao Yan carefully perused the knowledge about alchemy. He stopped completely and sometimes even read the book by lamplight. Xiao Yan knew how noble alchemists were on the Dou Qi Continent.

"Really? Brother Xiao Yan will become an alchemist? That's wonderful! Then Xun'er congratulates Brother Xiao Yan in advance." Xiao Xun'er said with surprise. She never expected that her Brother Xiao Yan would have such talent.

"They're still far from it. They just have talent. In the entire Xiao family, apart from Second Grandfather, only Aunt Xiao Wan has the talent of an alchemist. Last year, at the Alchemist Conference of the Jia Ma Empire..."

Grandpa secretly took my aunt to participate in a competition, and my aunt successfully refined a grade three pill. My aunt was only thirteen years old when she was able to refine a grade three pill!

Last year's Alchemist Conference was won by a man named Gu He. It is said that he participated in the competition while adhering to the age limit, and his creation of a Grade 4 pill shocked the capital.

It is said that several families in the Gama Empire, including the royal family, are trying to win him over.

Xiao Yan longed to become an alchemist, wondering when he could become one himself.

"I believe in Brother Xiao Yan; he will definitely become a great alchemist!" Xiao Xun'er encouraged.

"Little Yanzi!"

"Little Yanzi".

Two voices came from behind, and Xiao Yan looked up to see Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.

"Big brother, second brother!"

Xiao Li strode over to Xiao Yan's side, hooked his arm around his neck, and ruffled Xiao Yan's hair with his large hand: "Little Yan, have you missed your second brother? Oh dear, you've reached the fourth level of Dou Qi? How about we spar a bit?"

Xiao Ding stood with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. Then he looked at Xiao Xun'er, his pupils contracted slightly, but he did not show anything.

"Xun'er is here too. Is she here to play with Xiao Yanzi?" Xiao Ding said with a smile.

“Yes, Brother Xiao Ding,” Xiao Xun’er replied with a smile.

Xiao Ding didn't say much. As the eldest in his generation, he naturally knew something, but he didn't reveal anything. Since his grandfather and second grandfather didn't say anything, he didn't need to say anything either.

"By the way, Xiao Yan, your father has something to discuss with you this time. He and your grandfather want to take you to the capital." Xiao Ding said to Xiao Yan.

"The capital? What would we do in the capital?" Xiao Yan parried Xiao Li's attacks.

"There's a flaw!" Xiao Li suddenly punched Xiao Yan in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Ah! Second Brother, you ambushed me!" Xiao Yan cried out, covering his face.

"Hehe, sorry, there were too many flaws." Xiao Li chuckled, touching his nose.

Xiao Xun'er, standing to the side, covered her mouth and chuckled.

"What are you doing in the capital, big brother?" Xiao Yan asked Xiao Ding, covering his face.

Xiao Ding glanced at Xiao Xun'er and then said, "You can ask your father about that. I don't know either."

"Okay." Xiao Yan stretched and called out to Xiao Xun'er, "Little girl, I'm going to check on Father. I'll play with you when I get back."

"I understand, Brother Xiao Yan." Although Xiao Xun'er was somewhat reluctant, she dared not show it.

Xiao Zhan's house

"Father, what's the matter? Are you going to the capital? Grandpa's here too." Xiao Yan pushed open the door and saw Xiao Lin and Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan smiled and said, "We need to go to the Nalan family in the capital."

"The Nalan family? Why?" Xiao Yan was completely confused.

Xiao Lin patted Xiao Yan's head: "Yan'er doesn't know yet, but back then, Grandpa had a good relationship with the old man Nalan Jie from the Nalan family, so he arranged a marriage between them."

"That old fellow Nalan Jie has a granddaughter who was born on the same day as you, so she's considered your betrothed. We'll go to the Nalan family for a visit this time."

"Fiancée?" Xiao Yan's lips twitched. 'Are there still arranged marriages? But the Nalan family is one of the three great families of the Jia Ma Empire, so that girl should be pretty enough. Hopefully, she's not some ugly duckling!'

"Yan'er, this is for you." Xiao Zhan's wife, Bai Xinya, placed the antique ring on Xiao Yan's hand.

"Mother, what is this?" Xiao Yan looked at the ancient-looking ring in his hand.