In the blink of an eye, about another half a year passed.
The war between the Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire had completely come to a close.
Although the other surrounding empires had made some small moves, they would not easily enter the fray before the Jia Ma and Chu Yun Empires officially tore faces and fought to the death.
The Jia Ma and Chu Yun Empires were not fools either.
Although both countries wished to kill each other, under the current situation where a pack of wolves watched from the sidelines, it was absolutely impossible for war to break out between them again.
Because if that happened, it would only benefit the other surrounding countries. They did not want to be the snipe and the clam fighting while the fisherman—the neighboring countries—reaped the rewards.
Xiao Lin had now resigned from his position as a General of the Jia Ma Empire, staying at home to cultivate on his own while teaching his son, Xiao Zhan, to begin his cultivation.
Of course, Xiao Lin had served in the Jia Ma Empire's army for so many years and had exposed the mastermind behind the treason, Great Marshal Mo Ya, so the Imperial Family naturally gave him many rewards.
Among these rewards, besides the most basic gold coins, there were also cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, Medicinal Pills, and so on.
Although they were only Low- to Mid-Level Xuan Class and Huang Class cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, as well as Medicinal Pills below Tier 4, even if Xiao Lin had no use for them, the Xiao Clan needed them!
This wave of rewards from the Imperial Family allowed the Xiao Clan's foundation to increase significantly. In addition, there was another matter that caused the Xiao Clan's foundation to strengthen by another large margin.
That was the former Dou Wang clan of the Jia Ma Empire, the Yinter Clan; following the treason of Great Marshal Intel Mo Ya, the entire clan was carved up with the Imperial Family's silent permission.
Among them, the Xiao Clan, the Nalan Clan, and the Mu Clan—who were originally top-level Dou Ling Clans in the Jia Ma Imperial Capital—seized the greatest benefits.
The three clans basically split all of the Yinter Clan's legacy, which included but was not limited to cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, Medicinal Pills, as well as various businesses, shops, and real estate.
In the end, only some scraps remained to be devoured by the other Dou Ling clans. At this point, this Dou Wang clan that had stood tall in the Jia Ma Empire for a hundred years vanished into the dust of history.
As for the Jia Ma Imperial Family?
They did not think much of the legacy of a mere Dou Wang clan. Therefore, they did not step onto the field to snatch things from the other clans; that would be too beneath their status!
To get the Jia Ma Imperial Family to enter the arena, it would take a Dou Huang clan like the Mittel Clan to be qualified.
Furthermore, by allowing the other clans to divide the Yinter Clan, the Jia Ma Imperial Family also considered making these clans more firmly bound to the Jia Ma Empire.
Moreover, after the Mittel Clan was promoted to a Dou Huang clan and the Yinter Clan was carved up, the Jia Ma Imperial Family naturally hoped that several more Dou Wang clans would appear in the Imperial Capital.
Because the emergence of Dou Wang clans would not only enhance the strength of the Jia Ma Empire but also wouldn't affect the rule of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, so why wouldn't they be happy to see it happen?
Even for a Dou Huang clan like the Mittel Clan, the Jia Ma Imperial Family could tolerate their existence.
As long as a faction like the Yun Lan Sect—which was too big to manage—did not appear again, the Jia Ma Imperial Family would not interfere much.
After the Xiao, Nalan, and Mu Clans divided the Yinter Clan, any observant power in the Imperial Capital could see that the matter of these three clans becoming new Dou Wang clans in the near future was already a certainty.
Although many factions were envious, they were helpless and could only watch with wide eyes. After all, do not forget that these three clans all had a semi-official background.
One could see from the fact that the Jia Ma Imperial Family permitted the three clans to divide the Yinter Clan that the Imperial Family was supporting them to become new Dou Wang clans.
With this realization, who would choose this moment to make things difficult for the three clans? Wouldn't that be looking for trouble!
Unless the Yun Lan Sect stepped in or spoke up, no one could stop the rise of the Xiao, Nalan, and Mu clans in the Jia Ma Empire anymore.
But the current Sect Leader of the Yun Lan Sect, Yun Shan, was upright to a fault; before he was stuck at the peak of Nine-Star Dou Huang for a long time, he could definitely be called a grandmaster of his generation.
Even with the Jia Ma Imperial Family's overt and covert hostility and suppression, he had not made any reactive response, let alone the rise of three mere Dou Wang clans.
That simply had no impact on the Yun Lan Sect!
In Yun Shan's eyes, whether it was Xiao Lin, Nalan Jie, or Mu Chen, they were just three young people with decent talent. Other than that, what did it have to do with his Yun Lan Sect?
Currently, Yun Shan had reached the peak of Eight-Star Dou Huang and was preparing to break through to Nine-Star Dou Huang. Where would he find the time to care about the rise of some Dou Wang clans?
Had he eaten too much and grown bored?
Just like that, another half a year passed.
Time had reached the seventh year since Xiao Lin awakened his innate wisdom, and also the first year after the war between the Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire ended.
On this day, within the Xiao Clan clan grounds in the Jia Ma Imperial Capital, a vast aura suddenly swept out in all directions. This aura also instantly alarmed the various factions that had been paying attention to the Xiao Clan recently.
Even on the street where the Xiao Clan was located, everyone could not help but stop what they were doing and turn their gaze toward the direction of the Xiao Clan, their eyes showing looks of awe and respect.
At this moment, any faction with a reputation in the Jia Ma Empire knew that a Dou Wang had been born in the Xiao Clan, and the Xiao Clan had become the Jia Ma Imperial Capital's newest Dou Wang clan!
"Only a year after the Yinter Clan was divided, the Xiao Clan has already become a Dou Wang clan?"
"So fast, I originally thought it would take another two or three years."
"An extraordinary character has emerged from the Xiao Clan!"
"The Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan? From now on, the Xiao Clan has a place in the Imperial Capital."
"Pass down the order: from today onwards, no one is allowed to have a conflict with the Xiao Clan. Also, prepare a congratulatory gift for the Xiao Clan on my behalf!"
"Fortunately, we have always maintained a good cooperative relationship with the Xiao Clan!"
"No, we must continue to strengthen our cooperation with the Xiao Clan in the future!"
"Dammit, the Xiao Clan actually birthed a Dou Wang. Our lives will be difficult from now on."
"Sigh, given the grievances between our family and the Xiao Clan, I think we should find a time to withdraw from the Imperial Capital and seek development in a new city."
...
After realizing that a Dou Wang expert had been born in the Xiao Clan, whether they were on good terms with the Xiao Clan or were enemies, everyone made their own decisions at this moment.
Do not look down on the birth of just one Dou Wang.
One must know that in a medium-sized country like the Jia Ma Empire, a Dou Wang is already considered a pillar of strength for the nation.
After all, the Dou Zong and Dou Huang above them might not even exceed five people in total in a medium-sized empire!
Therefore, the birth of a Dou Wang was definitely weighty enough. For instance, more than half of those on the Jia Ma Empire's Top Ten Experts ranking were only Dou Wang experts.
Thus, truly do not look down on the weight of a Dou Wang in a medium-sized empire. The Dou Wang expert born in the Xiao Clan was none other than Xiao Lin.
Of course, Xiao Lin had only raised his external, fake cultivation from Nine-Star Dou Ling to One-Star Dou Wang. As for his true cultivation, during this year, it had also advanced from Four-Star Dou Huang to Six-star Dou Huang.
This was still the result of Xiao Lin not putting his entire heart and soul into cultivation, but instead spending most of his time on his son. If he had truly devoted himself entirely to cultivation, he likely could have increased another star or two.
However, compared to cultivation, his own son was more important to Xiao Lin!