Chapter 112: A Dream
As he spoke, his face twisted further into a sinister expression.
"You have no idea what it feels like when the end of your life is in sight. When your breath falters, and you draw closer to death, only then will you understand how powerless and insignificant you truly are."
"In the face of life and death, pride and dignity mean nothing. Once your life is gone, everything becomes meaningless."
By the end of his words, Yun Shan was practically growling.
After a moment, his expression calmed, and he looked at Yun Yun with a gentle yet firm gaze.
"Xiao Yan is someone I must secure at all costs. If we miss this opportunity, we might never have another."
"I know this is difficult for you to accept right now. I'll give you some time to think about it, but don't keep me waiting too long..."
Yun Yun didn't respond, her sorrowful expression speaking volumes as she silently left the grand hall.
The cool evening breeze blew against her white dress, making it flutter, and her dark hair swayed gently in the wind. Yun Yun gazed at the half moon hanging in the sky, her eyes soft and contemplative.
It was a vast, boundless world far larger than the Dou Qi Continent, with countless great realms scattered within it.
The setting sun cast a blood red hue over the entire land, but as Xiao Yan looked closer, he realized the world itself was naturally red.
The ground was covered with countless corpses humans, magical beasts, and strange creatures. Blood had soaked the earth, turning it crimson, even staining the nearby seas a faint red.
Xiao Yan raised his head and saw massive figures, tens of thousands of meters tall, either standing or collapsed upon the ground.
The nearest corpse was the true form of Xiao Xuan, the Dou Di of the past. His body was cracked, and blood oozed from every wound.
"Xiao Yan... survive." The weak voice came from Xiao Xuan's lips before his gaze dimmed completely.
"What's going on?" Xiao Yan's face was filled with confusion.
"Brother Xiao, you must survive. You're our last hope..." A familiar voice called out. Xiao Yan turned to see Shi Hao, no longer the chubby and lovable boy he remembered. Now, he had matured into a strikingly handsome young man.
Yet, his face carried a unique weariness that spoke of countless hardships.
After saying this, Shi Hao turned resolutely, walking into the distance.
A deafening roar echoed as boundless black mist spread across the sky, enveloping the entire world. Innumerable blood red eyes glared at Xiao Yan and Shi Hao through the mist.
"Come back!" Xiao Yan tried to speak but found his voice gone.
"Brother Xiao, I've finally become the peerless figure you once joked about," Shi Hao said, smiling faintly as a dazzling light burst from his body.
Suddenly, a massive form, hundreds of thousands of meters tall, appeared between heaven and earth.
"I was born of calamity, and so I must die by calamity!"
Shi Hao's voice reverberated through the world as terrifying power erupted from his body, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.
The light became so intense that it blinded Xiao Yan.
"Damn it!" Xiao Yan shot up from his bed, his face pale and sweat beading on his forehead.
"What's wrong?" A soft arm wrapped around his waist as Ya Fei sat up beside him, her voice gentle with concern.
"Nothing, just a dream." Feeling the softness behind him, Xiao Yan's racing heart began to calm.
Since reaching the Dou Wang stage at the age of twelve, Xiao Yan hadn't dreamt for years. Yet tonight, out of nowhere, he had this bizarre and vivid nightmare.
But at Xiao Yan's level, how could he randomly have such a vivid and unsettling dream? Moreover, it felt unusually real.
"Could it be... that this is a glimpse of the future?"
For some reason, a sense of unease stirred in Xiao Yan's heart. Perhaps life had been too smooth and comfortable lately, leaving a lingering anxiety deep within him.
Unbidden, his thoughts turned to the polluted energy sealed by the Yin Yang Evil Saint, and the eerie red fur he'd encountered.
"This power doesn't seem to belong to the Dou Qi Continent. Could it mean..."
Xiao Yan looked up at the ceiling, pondering. If such a scenario were true, then the Dou Qi Continent was merely a small part of a much greater realm.
If so, the so called extraterritorial evil clans might actually exist. This would explain the mysterious and evil force that the Yin Yang Evil Saint spoke of, capable of felling even a Dou Di.
But then, what about the red fur? And Shi Hao? The boy he once casually helped due to his amusing name... could he truly be someone destined for calamity?
Rubbing his temples, Xiao Yan couldn't shake a long lost sense of crisis.
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, Yao Ye looked curiously at the little girl before her.
"Are you sure this is Xiao Yan's disciple?"
"Yes, Your Highness. The maid accompanying her was once Ya Fei's personal attendant, Xiao Cui," replied a servant.
"Alright," Yao Ye sighed, massaging her temples lightly.
"Little one, what's your name?"
"Soul Xin..." the girl mumbled through a mouthful of food.
"Eat slower, or you'll choke." Watching the child wolf down food, Yao Ye couldn't understand why Xiao Yan would take her as a disciple.
There was no sign of Dou Qi, her intellect seemed questionable, and aside from an enormous appetite, she appeared to have no special qualities.
Still, as a princess and an aspiring empress, Yao Ye wasn't overly concerned about such details.
"Your master is so powerful. Hasn't he taught you Dou Qi cultivation?"
"He did, but I can't learn it."
"Why not?"
"Because I can't read," Soul Xin replied matter of factly.
"You can learn to read. How about I teach you?" Yao Ye offered kindly.
Soul Xin wanted to refuse, but the sight of the delicious food on the table made her reluctantly agree.
"She's kind of cute," Yao Ye mused with a smile.
Half a day later…
"How can a child be this dense?" Yao Ye groaned, veins pulsing faintly on her forehead.
"Your Highness, maybe it's best to stop," Xiao Cui said sympathetically.
"No! This princess refuses to admit defeat!"
Another half day passed. Yao Ye sat listlessly, utterly defeated, while Soul Xin happily ate her third meal.
The little girl wiped her oily hands on her pouch and stuffed two chicken legs into it.
"Still hungry?" Yao Ye asked, exasperated.
"No, but Master and Sister Ya Fei haven't eaten yet," Soul Xin replied earnestly.
Plop. One chicken leg fell to the floor.
Soul Xin picked it up and shoved it back into her pouch.
"But it's dirty now," Yao Ye pointed out.
"It's okay. I'll give it to Master," Soul Xin said with a beaming smile.
"...Ha." Yao Ye let out a dry laugh. Once the girl left, Yao Ye slumped against the table.
"Dealing with this disciple is more exhausting than dealing with the master."
Soul Xin, oblivious to Yao Ye's frustration, happily skipped back to the Mittel clan estate. Along the way, the chicken legs fell out twice, but she dutifully stuffed them back into her pouch. She was determined to let her master taste the local delicacies.
As she approached the gates, she suddenly noticed a tall, beautiful woman with a flat chest standing nearby.
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