The sky had already darkened, as if stained with a deep color that was constantly intensifying.
On the small path of the Xiao Family, two figures walked one after the other, a considerable distance apart. The former's figure was forlorn, making the latter feel an irresistible urge to step forward and support him.
Although Xun'er understood the reasons, she couldn't bear to see Xiao Yan so dejected.
She clenched her Jade Hand, a decision already made in her heart:
"Once I break through again, I'll ask Father to intervene."
Though young, her thoughts were already mature. Naturally, she wouldn't foolishly believe that Gu Yuan would help just because she asked.
From her childhood memories, the greater possibility was that Gu Yuan would take her away, and then the Xiao Family, through various accidents, would completely become history. As Time flowed, all traces of their existence would vanish from the world!
No one would allow their precious treasure to be rooted by a pig. And in Gu Yuan's eyes, among the young people on the Continent, there weren't many who weren't pigs, and that definitely did not include the current Xiao Yan.
Thinking this, she had unknowingly followed Xiao Yan to the Back Mountain. From a distance, she saw him standing by the Water Pool, staring blankly at his reflection in the Water.
After a long time, he reached out, slowly touching the Water. Then, as if waking from a dream, he suddenly cupped handfuls of Water and splashed it onto his face.
A trace of unbearable pain flashed in her eyes, but she forcefully suppressed the urge to rush out. She didn't go forward to disturb him, just watched quietly from afar.
Some emotions can only be released by oneself; no one else, no matter who, can share the burden.
Under the summer sun, the sunlight was slightly wild and dazzling, but the two people in the mountain forest seemed to have a special tacit understanding and persistence. For a time, it was extraordinarily harmonious.
On the other side, Zhao Li and Ye Yunsheng withdrew their gazes and looked down at the stage. They had been there for a while, and everything that had happened earlier had been seen by them.
The Xiao Family's Initial Test had already ended after Xiao Xun'er. Now, the Xiao Family's Clan Head, Xiao Zhan, was going through the motions on stage, saying some encouraging words. But both he and the crowd below were somewhat distracted.
"So, it's already been over a hundred years..."
A sudden, inexplicable sigh of emotion arose in Zhao Li's heart, and a soft sigh echoed within him.
Over a hundred years had passed. He had finally fulfilled his wish to witness everything that had previously only existed in books and stories. But what surprised him was that he didn't feel much joy. More than anything, he felt that Time had flown by, and everything seemed both real and unreal.
All of this made Zhao Li feel a bit lost...
A hundred years. If it were on that Azure Planet from his previous life, he might have lived an ordinary, unremarkable life. But here, he seemed to have done a lot, yet also seemed to have done nothing. Even he himself seemed to have barely changed from a hundred years ago.
"When I first reincarnated on this Continent, I originally just planned to cling to the future Flame Emperor's leg and live the life of a Slacker..."
Zhao Li thought of his 'original intention' and couldn't help but chuckle. At that time, he had been incredibly excited.
But later, when he realized that the Time he had transmigrated to was wrong, he panicked—on this Continent, there were too many changes within a hundred years!
From then on, Zhao Li began to plan his life, no longer a Slacker like before. Fortunately, his Talent was good, and his luck was also good. He had a Dou Emperor Grandfather and a Dou Sect Teacher, making his path much smoother than Xiao Yan's.
Although he hadn't said anything, he knew clearly that there had always been a reference point in his heart, and that was Xiao Yan!
Perhaps it was precisely because of the existence of the Xiao Yan who had only existed in his mind that, when he found his Cultivation speed was no less than his, he gradually developed a transcendent mindset—there was no reason he could do it and I couldn't!
"So, I was that lucky back then..."
All this time, Zhao Li had believed that his Talent had truly reached a level that could shock Heaven and Earth. But now, seeing Xiao Yan in person, seeing the scene that had been replayed countless times in his mind, he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity, as well as a sense of relief and a faint respect. That stemmed from Xiao Yan's unwavering perseverance and forward momentum despite his fear of the unknown.
When reading the story, perhaps because the three years of Xiao Yan's low point were only in the background, mentioned in just a few words, Zhao Li hadn't felt much. Later, he was even more attracted by the Opportunity he received as the protagonist, believing that everything he had was due to his Cheat.
But now, seeing it with his own eyes, Zhao Li had different feelings. He began to wonder if, had it been him who had fallen to the bottom without warning, he would truly have had such a resilient Temperament to wait for that chance to rise again?
Ye Yunsheng stared blankly at Zhao Li. She didn't know why, after just watching a small family's ordinary test, Zhao Li's aura had suddenly become ethereal.
In her perception, at this moment, Zhao Li seemed to have detached himself from Heaven and Earth.
But she only stared for a moment before reacting. A look of joy appeared in her eyes, as if she were the one who had made progress. Immediately after, she silently added a layer of protection to the Space where the two of them were.
Ye Yunsheng's perception was not wrong. Zhao Li's state at this time was indeed somewhat peculiar. In his words, it was a state close to Ascension or 'Dao Confluence'—his 'Dao' seemed to have resonated with Heaven and Earth. It had developed a craving for Zhao Li's 'Dao' and wanted Zhao Li to become a part of it!
Saying 'Dao' might be too profound. To put it simply, the result of Zhao Li's Cultivation, the Golden Core within his body that started from the Qi Cyclone, seemed to make Heaven and Earth very envious.
His Golden Core, starting from the Qi Cyclone, cultivated the physical body externally and gathered Dou Qi internally until the two merged to solidify into a sharp-edged Dou Crystal! After that, it went through Break and Rebuild, with Essence, Qi, and Spirit in balance, only then evolving from the Dou Crystal into a perfectly round and flawless Golden Core, which was now still striving towards perfection and invincibility against all tribulations. At this moment, it was spinning rapidly!
On its surface, Dao Patterns appeared. Upon closer inspection, they seemed to be woven into a network, but it still appeared rudimentary. However, they had already established connections. These were the Rules of the Origin of Heaven and Earth that Zhao Li had comprehended, either from the Lightning Tribulation or the Heavenly Flame!
But now, they seemed to be contended for by something. On one side, they were being Devoured by the spinning Golden Core, wanting to completely integrate them. On the other side, they wanted to return to Heaven and Earth, bringing the Golden Core with them!
Zhao Li was also very surprised at this time. He had merely felt something in his heart, and that Golden Core began to exert its power, wanting to undergo a transformation at this moment. If it succeeded, it would become something similar to a 'Plane Embryo'. Even if it wasn't as good, its essence would be the same!
Now that it had the Plane Embryo Prototype, it was being craved by Heaven and Earth!
Zhao Li dared not be careless. If he succeeded, perhaps he could evolve Origin Qi on his own. Even if it wasn't Origin Qi, it would be a power of the same level. At that time, becoming a Dou Di would be worry-free!
But if he failed, his Cultivation achievements would become nourishment for Heaven and Earth, and he himself would likely become a Soul trapped within the Origin of Heaven and Earth, slowly returning to nothingness under the cleansing of Heaven and Earth!
Whether it was to break through the shackles and become a Dou Di, or to survive, Zhao Li had to get through this Contention for Dao Confluence!
The tug-of-war began...
While Zhao Li was caught in a life-or-death transformation, the outside world would not stop operating because of it. Everything was being pushed forward under the flow of Time!
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