"Brother Xiao Yan, Xun'er's family is an unimaginably powerful clan. If you wish to reunite with me in the future, you must cultivate diligently. Before reaching the Dou Zun level, please do not inquire about my whereabouts."
Xiao Xun'er, or rather Gu Xun'er, spoke with reluctance, yet carefully instructing him. In her mind, this parting might be the last time they met.
Although she knew that her brother Xiao Yan had become a disciple of the renowned Yao Zun, the number one alchemist on the continent, even Yao Zun was nothing compared to the Emperor Clan unless one reached the Saint level or the Ninth Rank.
At least, with her noble status, their reunion would be incredibly difficult.
"Xun'er, don't worry, Brother Xiao Yan will definitely strive to become a Dou Zun or even a Dou Sheng, and in the future, I will openly and honorably let you enter the Xiao family!"
Xiao Yan gently touched Gu Xun'er's slightly flushed cheek and said firmly.
"Brother Xiao Yan."
"Miss Xun'er, time is running out, we should go back!"
Ling Quan, watching the two staring at each other from a distance, could no longer contain his anger. In his eyes, only he was worthy of Miss Xun'er, a goddess like her.
Now, she had been captured by this treacherous bumpkin from the Northwest Continent, who had used some despicable means—a truly heinous crime.
However, once Miss Xun'er returned to her clan and witnessed their true power, she would surely forget this bumpkin soon.
"Brother Xiao Yan, Xun'er will go back first. Take care!"
With slightly reddened eyes, Gu Xun'er turned and headed towards the Black Annihilation Army's exclusive mount. Perhaps fearing separation, she immediately rode away.
However, Ling Quan stayed behind with a portion of the Black Annihilation Army, walking step by step towards Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan, is it? You bumpkin from the Northwest Continent. Although I don't know what methods you used, you should remember that Miss Xun'er is not someone a toad like you can covet. Today, I, the commander, will teach you a lesson."
In the distance, amidst lush trees, Lin Feng, Yao Chen, Elder Su Qian, and others stood atop tall trees, observing everything.
"Elder Yao, your disciple has been bullied. Aren't you going to do anything?"
Lin Feng looked at the expressionless Yao Chen, a thought stirring within him, and spoke with a seemingly sincere expression.
"Lin Feng, my disciple, is not so easily bullied." Yao Chen stood with his hands behind his back, dismissing Lin Feng's worries. "But you, you extorted quite a few good things from me, yet you pretend to be a good teacher and friend in front of Xiao Yan. Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Hahaha, Elder Yao, you're mistaken. The deal was personally agreed upon by you and me, and had nothing to do with Junior Brother Xiao Yan. Besides," Lin Feng's tone became somewhat subtle as he watched the two fighting in the distance, "how can you call it extortion when it comes to alchemists?"
"You are quite similar to me when I was young."
Elder Yao turned slightly, looking at Lin Feng's youthful figure with a sigh, "In the blink of an eye, hundreds of years have passed!"
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
Just as Yao Chen was about to recount his romantic past, a loud shout interrupted his thoughts.
Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw his disciple Xiao Yan rapidly forming hand seals, his entire body radiating powerful battle qi towards them.
Not far from Xiao Yan, Ling Quan's expression had also become serious. After several clashes, he had discovered that this bumpkin from the Northwest Continent actually possessed some skill, worthy of his attention as the leader of an imperial clan.
"Let this bumpkin experience the fighting techniques of a powerful race," Ling Quan said, though he was somewhat impressed with Xiao Yan, he still didn't believe the bumpkin was his match. His hands moved swiftly, forming hand seals.
The energy of heaven and earth was fiercely contested between the two, and in the end, Ling Quan of the ancient clan prevailed, seizing about 60% of the energy in the surrounding area.
However, Ling Quan, sensing this, looked extremely grim. He was a genius of the imperial clan, and even above him, there were many more monstrous talents.
How could a bumpkin from the Northwest Continent possibly stand against him?
"Mountain-Splitting Seal!"
This scene, beyond his imagination, immediately spurred the arrogant Commander Ling Quan. His Dou Qi surged once more, and the powerful Mountain-Splitting Seal slammed fiercely towards Xiao Yan.
Seeing this powerful seal approaching, Xiao Yan's expression was solemn, but he showed no fear. Having witnessed Lin Feng's extraordinary strength recently, Xiao Yan's perspective had long surpassed the limits of his peers.
Not only him, but the other students traveling with him had also had their eyes opened by Lin Feng's power, and they all entered seclusion.
The Mountain-Splitting Seal collided fiercely with the Eight Extremes Collapse. Although Xiao Yan was currently only at the four or five-star Dou Ling realm, while Ling Quan was already a Dou Wang level expert, under the enhancement of the strange fire, the two were evenly matched. The
aftershocks
of the collision caused the ground to crack continuously, with many clumps of earth rising up only to be annihilated by the energy ripples.
After a long while, the two retreated a hundred meters away with remarkable tacit understanding, silently facing each other.
However, their moods were vastly different. Ling Quan was practically going crazy. He, a Dou Wang (Battle King) expert, couldn't even defeat a bumpkin from the Northwest Continent. What's more, his cultivation level was only mid-level Dou Ling. If this got back to his clan, how could he bear it?
"Bumpkin, I admit I underestimated you. But that was just a warm-up. You won't be so lucky next!"
"Overturning Sea Seal!"
Ling Quan gritted his teeth, deciding to unleash the second seal of the Ancient Emperor Seal—Overturning Sea Seal—which he hadn't fully mastered!
"Enough!"
Just then, an unparalleled aura suddenly rose from the distant forest. It was Lin Feng, at Yao Lao's request, making his move!
Although only a five-star Dou Zong, Lin Feng cultivated the Five Elements Technique, comparable to a high-level Earth Rank technique. Moreover, with the powerful enhancement of his Five Elements Physique, the quality and quantity of his Dou Qi surpassed even that of a typical high-level Dou Zong.
Furthermore, with his soul power progressing towards the Spirit Realm, Lin Feng's aura intensified. Although he lacked soul attack techniques, the mere display of this powerful soul force was enough to intimidate ordinary Dou Zong experts.
Moreover, after absorbing much of the old Dragon Emperor's essence blood, Lin Feng's body gradually began to emanate a dragon's might. If one were to close their eyes and sense it, they would mistake it for a seventh-tier dragon cub displaying its power!
"Who is it?"
Ling Quan quickly interrupted his hand seals and retreated swiftly to the side of the Black Annihilation Army. The entire Black Annihilation Army's aura instantly merged, and the combined power, in Lin Feng's perception, was comparable to that of a newly entered Dou Zong expert.
"Is this the foundation of the imperial family? Even a mere incompetent commander can unleash such a powerful alliance technique at the Battle King level. It seems I am still far from being good enough!"
Lin Feng sighed inwardly, but completely ignored Ling Quan's intentions. His figure flashed, and he appeared beside Xiao Yan. His gaze was fixed on a certain space, his expression somewhat serious.
"Senior has been watching for so long, why not show yourself?"
Lin Feng's words fell, but the space remained motionless. However, none of the people present were careless; no one would believe that such a top-tier expert was a madman or a fool.
Xiao Yan, however, trusted Lin Feng completely, his eyes warily fixed on the space.
"Hahahaha, Mang Tianchi has indeed nurtured a fine seedling this time!"
After a long while, a hearty laugh came from the space, followed by an aged figure emerging from it.
"May I ask who you are, senior?"
"Hahaha, I am merely an unknown member of the Ancient Clan!"
The old man waved his hand slightly, indicating that Ling Quan and the others did not need to reveal his identity, and then spoke to Lin Feng.
"Young friend Lin Feng, you're only in your early twenties, yet you've already achieved the Five-Star Dou Zong realm. That's an extraordinary achievement! Even in my clan, before entering the inheritance, few could compare to you!"
"What! Five-Star Dou Zong, in his early twenties!?"
Hearing their elder's praise, Ling Quan and the Black Annihilation Army behind him felt dizzy.
Let alone ordinary members of the Black Annihilation Army, even Ling Quan, the seventh commander, wouldn't dare say he was much stronger than Lin Feng after receiving the clan's inheritance.
Moreover, the reason why ordinary geniuses are not taken seriously by the imperial clans is because they often lack the stamina to reach the Dou Zong or even Dou Huang realms.
But as noble descendants of Dou Di, they can advance rapidly after entering the inheritance; those with strong bloodlines can even directly reach the Dou Zun realm.
However, Lin Feng is different; at such a young age, he has already advanced to the Four- or Five-Star Dou Zong realm. This is enough to show that even after entering the Dou Zong realm, he continued to advance at a rapid pace. Judging from this trend, even if Ling Quan received the inheritance, he might not be his match.
As for Canaan Academy, it's true that in the eyes of the Imperial Clan, Canaan Academy is practically equivalent to a subordinate of the Lei Clan, though they are unaware of this.
With the Lei Clan as his support, Ling Quan believed that in terms of fighting techniques and cultivation methods, the difference between the two wasn't significant.
"Hahaha, that's not all! According to the intelligence I've gathered, young friend Lin Feng is a peak sixth-grade alchemist!"
The ancient clan elder stroked his white beard and laughed heartily, seemingly oblivious to the ugly expressions of his juniors, instead showing great admiration for Lin Feng.
"However, I know a few things about alchemists. With young friend Lin Feng's powerful soul force, coupled with the inheritance of the Medicine Venerable, even in the barrenness of the Northwest Continent, he should have reached the seventh-grade realm, right?"
At this point, the ancient clan elder's expression showed some hesitation, unsure of his chances.
After all, if his guess was true, then Lin Feng before him was truly a prodigy.
Reaching the five-star Dou Zong realm in his early twenties, while surprising—for someone not from an imperial clan to possess such high talent—was only slightly astonishing.
He himself had been a genius in his day, and geniuses often compete with each other.
But to add a seventh-grade alchemist to that, cultivating both Dou Qi and alchemy to a level unimaginable for his peers, was beyond the simple label of "prodigy."
If this were true, even an imperial clan might extend an olive branch, accepting him as an outer member and marrying him to a charming woman from their clan who lacked talent.
The ancient clans, however, were not as rigid in this regard as the medicine clan. They knew that with the absence of Dou Di for many years, the Dou Di bloodline would eventually wither away.
Therefore, after discussion among the elders, they were willing to offer some truly talented individuals the opportunity to marry into an ancient clan.
"This senior truly has discerning eyes! I was indeed fortunate enough to achieve the seventh-grade alchemist realm, but compared to your unfathomable battle qi energy, my achievement is still far from sufficient!"
Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Lin Feng truly sensed the terrifyingly vast ocean of battle qi emanating from the old man before him. It was a boundless ocean capable of instantly engulfing him, yet Lin Feng felt no fear whatsoever.
Although this old man was powerful, he still felt less powerful than a drop of Dragon Emperor's essence blood. The old Dragon Emperor, considering the possibility of a sneak attack from a powerhouse several realms above Lin Feng, had already set up an automatic detection system.
When Lin Feng was on the verge of death, it would intervene. As for serious injury, in the eyes of the battle-loving Ancient Dragon Emperor, that was merely commonplace.
If Lin Feng died because of this, it would only prove that he had no chance of entering the Dragon Clan, and it would also extinguish his own treasure's desire.
Lin Feng's unwavering stance led the elder of the ancient clan to misunderstand, which only increased his admiration.
Looking at the handsome and exceptionally talented Lin Feng, the elder could no longer contain his excitement and offered his services.
"Young friend Lin Feng, why not become my disciple? I guarantee you the same or even better treatment as Ling Quan. And if you marry a woman of my clan's blood in the future, I might even send you to our clan's inheritance grounds!"
"What!?"
Before Lin Feng could react, Ling Quan and the others couldn't contain themselves.
"Elder—"
"You needn't say more, I have my own plans!"
The elder waved his hand again, stopping the hesitant Ling Quan and the others, and looked at Lin Feng.
"Young friend Lin Feng, what's your decision? I'm confident in my influence within the clan, so there's no need to worry about my promise!"
"This junior thanks you for your kindness, senior!"
Lin Feng clasped his hands slightly and said with a smile.
"I've relied on my own hands to get to where I am today, and that hasn't changed, nor has it ever been in the future."
(End of Chapter)