71: Chapter 70 Zi Yan Emerges from Seclusion

With three Clones Cultivating simultaneously, Ling Yuan's progress was soaring at an astonishing speed.

Of course, he did not just blindly focus on hard training; he knew that relying solely on closed-door Cultivation would result in an unstable Foundation.

Therefore, every time he had a Breakthrough to a new minor Realm, he would set aside half a month for practical combat, specifically challenging experts of the Ling Clan who were several Realms higher than himself.

This was standard procedure for top Geniuses of Dou Di Clans, something almost everyone did. The goal was to solidify their Foundation, familiarize themselves with their own power, and avoid the issue of having floating Qi.

The notion often depicted in novels—where talented youths from great families rely on popping Medicinal Pills to advance, leading to unstable Qi—completely treats the experts of such great families as fools.

If someone like Yao Chen, a Dou Zun, could understand this principle, how could the high-level Dou Sheng of a great Family not?

The accumulation of a Family with over ten thousand years of history, the profound heritage and Cultivation experience they had settled, was far deeper than outsiders could ever imagine!

They had long ago figured out the most reliable way to Cultivate and would never let their talented youths take the crooked path of 'pill-popping for quick success'.

...

Just as Ling Yuan was deeply focused on his Cultivation within the Ling Clan, with his Realm rising rapidly, Xiao Yan, far away in the Jia Ma Empire, finally reached the most critical turning point in his life.

He was ascending the Cloud Mist Sect to fulfill the three-year agreement with Nalan Yanran.

Due to Ling Yuan's interference, the trajectory of Xiao Yan's life had undergone earth-shaking changes.

He had never met Yao Chen, and naturally, he had not obtained the Burning Technique, losing those two major Opportunities.

With the help of Gu Xun'er, Xiao Yan had barely managed to meet the requirement of the seventh stage of Dou Zhi Qi by his coming-of-age ceremony.

Afterward, Xiao Yan did not go to the Magical Beast Mountain Range to hunt Demonic Beasts or to the Tagor Desert to search for Heavenly Flames for training, as he did in the original story.

Instead, he followed the recruitment team of Jia Nan Academy to pursue further studies there.

During his time at Jia Nan Academy, he and Gu Xun'er Cultivated together and faced the academy's assessments together, spending a peaceful and happy time. Everything seemed to go smoothly without too many twists and turns.

However, such good days did not last long.

One day, Gu Xun'er found Xiao Yan with a grave expression and told him the tragic news that the Xiao Family had almost been wiped out by the Cloud Mist Sect.

Xiao Yan almost went insane. He left the academy and returned to the Xiao Family, only to see a scene of total devastation.

The culprit was the Cloud Mist Sect; most of the Xiao Family members had been killed, and Xiao Zhan had gone missing.

Xiao Yan was overwhelmed with grief, but he also knew that this was not the time to be impulsive. He followed Gu Xun'er's suggestion to avoid a second attack from the Cloud Mist Sect and, to protect the remaining members of the Xiao Family, moved them to the Tagor Desert.

Specifically, to the old site left behind after the Snake-People Tribe had relocated...

Although he knew the Cloud Mist Sect was powerful, Xiao Yan went anyway.

With the help of Gu Xun'er, Xiao Yan was Cultivating a fairly ordinary Profound Rank high-level Cultivation Technique.

With an uninterrupted supply of various Medicinal Pills, his Realm reached the Four-Star Great Dou Master level, surpassing Nalan Yanran, who was a Three-Star Great Dou Master.

Relying on the Earth Rank low-level Dou Technique given by Gu Xun'er, he successfully defeated Nalan Yanran.

When the Great Elder of the Cloud Mist Sect, Yun Ling, tried to forcefully detain Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er's bodyguard, Ling Ying, appeared and took him away.

It seemed that everything required Gu Xun'er's help.

...

After learning of Xiao Yan's recent situation, Ling Yuan stopped paying attention to him.

He had previously been worried that the other party might come to snatch his Opportunities, but now he had no such concerns at all.

He put all his focus on himself.

After half a year of closed-door Cultivation, Ling Mie successfully broke through to a Seven-Star Dou Sheng by refining the demon saint essence blood.

At Ling Yuan's strong insistence, this was not publicized; even the Grand Elder, Great Elder Ling Xiao, was unaware of it.

Shortly after Ling Mie broke through to a Seven-Star Dou Sheng, Ling Ruo also successfully converted her Cultivation Technique.

With her Soul Realm reaching the Late Stage of the Heavenly Realm, she condensed seven Clones.

One of these Clones was quietly taken by Ling Mie to hide in Dou Huang City.

The three Clones were at the Five-Turn Dou Zun, Seven-Star Dou Huang, and Three-Star Dou Wang levels, respectively.

Any one of them, if plucked out, had strength greater than the City Lord of Dou Huang City, yet they were hiding more covertly than anyone else.

It was simply unbelievable...

Ling Mie still had a significant amount of essence blood left unrefined, so he continued to refine it.

Because the Qi in the Spirit Realm was dense, all seven Clones had cultivated to the Eight-Turn Dou Zun level.

He planned to finish refining the essence blood, and once these Clones reached the level of Half-Saint, he would merge them back to impact the Middle Stage of the Seven-Star Dou Sheng Realm.

...

Just like that, two years passed.

During these days when Zi Yan was in closed-door Cultivation, Ling Yuan had never slacked off.

Although he spent a fair amount of time on practical combat, thanks to the three Clones helping him Cultivate, he still raised his Realm to the Six-Star Dou Zun level.

In two and a half years, he had improved from a Seven-Star Dou Zong to a Six-Star Dou Zun.

The progress was extremely rapid.

In a place of Void Realm within the Spirit Realm, after Ling Yuan successfully defeated a One-Turn Dou Zun expert, he suddenly felt bored.

With his formidable Soul, he could defeat a Nine-Star Dou Zun even when he was only a Four-Star Dou Zun.

Now, even a One-Turn Dou Zun could only be bullied by him.

"The Young Clan Leader is mighty; we are truly in awe!"

Although the One-Turn Dou Zun was injured, he appeared very happy.

Being a sparring partner for the Young Clan Leader meant receiving generous rewards every time; it would be strange if he weren't happy.

The only thing Ling Yuan required of him was to go all out.

The One-Turn Dou Zun had long heard of Ling Yuan's formidable battle record; he knew that even if he attacked with full force, he might not win, so there was naturally no need to worry about hurting Ling Yuan.

Ling Yuan was already used to such flattery and waved his hand to let him go collect his reward.

"Bullying a One-Turn Dou Zun is no longer interesting. Next time, call a Two or Three-Turn Dou Zun to try."

Thinking this, Ling Yuan was just about to go back to find a sparring partner.

Suddenly, he sensed that someone had crushed his Jade Slip.

It was Qingshan calling him.

In these two and a half years, Ling Yuan had also visited Ancient Dragon Island twice to see Zi Yan.

Zi Yan had always been motionless; the only change might have been that the aura she emitted was becoming stronger and stronger.

Half a year ago, Qingshan had said he could no longer see through Zi Yan's Realm.

At this time, Qingshan was summoning him.

Ling Yuan could only think of one thing.

That was, Zi Yan had successfully refined the dragon phoenix origin fruit and was about to exit seclusion!

Thinking of this possibility, Ling Yuan was instantly excited.

Because Zi Yan finishing the refinement of the dragon phoenix origin fruit meant that he could release Zhu Kun!

The Ling Clan would immediately have a Nine-Star Dou Sheng as a backer, and there would be no need to fear the Hun Clan so much in the future!

Ling Yuan immediately threw the matter of finding a sparring partner to the back of his mind.

Go to Dragon Island, go now!

...

When Ling Yuan arrived at Dragon Island.

Qingshan received him personally.

Ling Yuan asked straight to the point: "Elder Qingshan, is Zi Yan about to exit seclusion?"

Qingshan nodded: "Just now, brilliant light erupted all around Her Majesty the Dragon Emperor; I imagine the refinement is nearing completion!"

Ling Yuan was just about to go with Qingshan to check on the situation with Zi Yan.

Suddenly, he felt bound by an invisible force, unable to move his entire body.

"Guess who I am!" A pleasant voice came from behind him.

Ling Yuan's eyes were covered by a hand.

His body was also hugged, and a soft sensation came from his back, along with a familiar, faint fragrance...

"Zi Yan, you're being mischievous again!"