"That young lady is no simple character."
A thoughtful look flashed in Yao Lao's eyes as he answered with some reservation.
"That boy surnamed Gu can fly because of a Flight Dou Skill. A Flight Dou Skill is..."
As Yao Lao explained, Xiao Yan came to understand what a Flight Dou Skill was.
In short, it was a secret technique that involved transplanting the wings of a Magical Beast onto a person, allowing them to master the ability to fly ahead of time. The creation process was very complex, making it extremely rare on the Dou Qi Continent.
"Teacher, from the way you're talking, Cousin Xun Er can fly, but not because of a Flight Dou Skill?" Xiao Yan noted the tone in Yao Lao's voice.
"Correct. Her ability to fly likely comes from a secret flight technique that is even rarer and more precious than a Flight Dou Skill, with even stricter requirements to master it." Waves of shock stirred in Yao Chen's heart. "She is Heavenly Flames."
And it wasn't an ordinary Heavenly Flames, but a powerful one that could make even his Bone Spirit Cold Flame feel a sense of dread.
Looking at the color of those wings, he seriously suspected it was the fourth-ranked fire on the Heavenly Flames Ranking, the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame.
But the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame was the legacy Heavenly Flames of the Gu Clan, and it had not been passed to outsiders for thousands of years.
If Xun Er had mastered the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame, her status within the Gu Clan must be extraordinary.
Why would a Gu Clan member of such status be sent to a weak family, presided over by a mere Dou Grand Master, in a small empire in a remote corner of the continent's northwest region?
Unless...
"This Xiao... could it be that Xiao!?"
As a descendant of the Yao Clan, one of the eight great Dou God clans, and a peak Dou Venerable and eighth-grade alchemist in his prime, Yao Chen knew many things.
This naturally included some information about the Xiao Clan, which had been recognized as the strongest on the Dou Qi Continent a thousand years ago but was ambushed and annihilated by the Soul Clan at a critical moment.
"If the Xiao Family is indeed the Xiao Clan, for the Gu Clan to station a core member here, it must be a branch of the Direct Lineage."
"After losing their Dou Di Bloodline, have they truly fallen this far in a thousand years?"
Yao Chen developed a different feeling for this final disciple, on whom he had gambled everything.
"Heavenly Flames?" Xiao Yan was oblivious to Yao Chen's thoughts, his attention completely focused on the Heavenly Flames. "Teacher, that dense white flame you use for alchemy, that's a Heavenly Flames too, right?"
Yao Chen gave a noncommittal smile and asked, "Do you want to give it a try?"
"Can I?" Xiao Yan asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.
To fly had always been a dream of mankind.
In his past life, he could achieve it with an airplane, but that didn't really count as flying.
"Of course, you can." Yao Chen's voice suddenly turned stern. "But with your current cultivation level, and the strength of your meridians and physique, you are not yet qualified."
"Go back to your room and continue cultivating."
Xiao Yan was speechless.
...
Meanwhile, outside Wu Tan City.
Gu Han chased Xun Er to the summit of a high mountain.
Xun Er landed first. Before her feet even touched the ground, the wings on her back had already vanished.
Although the cultivation technique she practiced was powerful, her own realm was only that of a Dou Fighter, so she couldn't maintain the secret technique for long.
If she could break through to the Dou Master level and naturally manifest the Heavenly Flames through Dou Qi Gauze, she would no longer need to worry about consumption.
Swish!
Gu Han seized the opportunity, channeling Dou Qi into his wings while simultaneously executing the movement Dou Skill, Displacement.
His body left an afterimage in the air, and in the blink of an eye, he was behind Xun Er, reaching out to grab her wrist.
However, as Xun Er landed, she stumbled, her body dipping slightly.
Gu Han's hand, which had been aiming for her wrist, ended up grabbing her back instead.
"Huh?"
Feeling a rope-like texture beneath her clothes, Gu Han's expression changed slightly. He immediately let go and retreated a full ten feet.
Xun Er felt a tightening sensation across her chest, but it vanished in an instant. She immediately realized what had happened.
The tips of her ears flushed red. She turned to glare at Gu Han, her voice laced with shame and annoyance. "Why are you so persistent? I already said I have no ill intentions. Otherwise, if I can deal with your guard, do you think it would be hard for me to deal with you!?"
Gu Han was a little embarrassed. Everything had happened too coincidentally just now; it wasn't intentional on his part.
"I know," Gu Han replied seriously, sheathing his longsword. "At first, my concern made me reckless."
"But by the time I was chasing you with the Flight Dou Skill, I had already sensed that Senior Brother Zhang was fine."
"Then why did you keep chasing me?" Xun Er's beautiful eyes held a hint of feigned anger.
"Because I was curious. Curious why you would come to test me in the middle of the night." Gu Han confronted Xun Er openly. "You have more than enough power to kill me, yet you came to test me late at night. You must have a purpose, and it isn't malicious."
"Since that's the case, I decided to chase you down and ask what you want."
A trace of surprise flashed in the depths of Xun Er's eyes.
She hadn't expected Gu Han to be so quick-witted.
In such a short time, he had analyzed the deeper meaning from just a few surface clues.
"Aunt Ling, Elder Ling, you can come out now."
A look of approval in her eyes, Xun Er composed herself and took a step back.
Under the dark, windy sky, the breeze on the mountaintop lifted the corners of her clothes. At this moment, she looked like a goddess who had stepped out of a painting.
Swish!
A cloud of black mist and a gust of cold wind appeared.
Before Gu Han could even see clearly, two figures materialized in front of Xun Er.
On the left was a man wearing a mask, like a black shadow, exuding an intangible sense of pressure.
On the right was a beautiful woman in a blue and white long dress. She gave off the feeling of an ice mountain snow lotus, as if everything around her had been frozen by her presence.
"Greetings, Seniors." Gu Han put away his longsword and cupped his fists in a salute.
"Little one, you're not afraid?" Ling Ying spoke slowly, his voice slightly hoarse.
"In front of you two Seniors, being afraid or not is meaningless," Gu Han replied candidly.
"Big Brother, don't you go scaring the disciple I've taken a fancy to." A single glance from Ling Xiao made Ling Ying obediently shut his mouth.
"Disciple?" A look of astonishment appeared on Gu Han's face, which was usually calm and devoid of much emotion. "Senior wishes to take me as your disciple?"
Seeing this, Xun Er crossed her hands behind her back, a look of great interest on her face.
These past few days, she and Gu Han had often met at the training grounds. This youth, who was only a few months older than her, always gave her the impression of being mature beyond his years, as steady as an old dog, his expression unchanging.
Seeing him finally show a change in emotion was quite interesting.
It was probably like... a cat toying with a mouse, just for fun?
"When did my thoughts turn so wicked?" Xun Er's beautiful eyes blinked.
No one knew what this young lady was thinking.
Ling Xiao was a little surprised by Gu Han's reaction. A normal person, upon learning that a powerful expert wanted to take them as a disciple, should be showing pleasant surprise.
She had a strange intuition that her attempt to take on a disciple tonight might not go as she wished.
"This one is an ice-attribute nine-star Dou Emperor, on the verge of breaking through to Dou Ancestor at any moment. I am stronger than your Cloud Mist Sect's Sect Master, and we share the same attribute." Ling Xiao stared at Gu Han and got straight to the point. "I have investigated you and feel you are qualified to become my disciple."
"Are you willing?"
Ling Ying and Xun Er were both a little puzzled.
According to the plan they had discussed earlier, Ling Xiao wasn't supposed to be so direct and seemingly passive.
"Thank you for your high regard, Senior. This junior is overwhelmed by your favor."
Gu Han cupped his fists in a solemn salute, then raised his head, his eyes firm as he replied.
"But I'm very sorry, I cannot accept."
Xun Er: !
Ling Ying: ?
Ling Xiao: "..."