Liu Xi's long, slender fingers brushed gently against a Storage Ring. Its cool surface gleamed under the light as he smiled faintly, a rare sense of peace filling his heart. Inside that ring rested Ah Long and Ah Huang—two puppets refined from the corpses of top-tier experts, both possessing their battle instincts from life and the strength of 6-Star Dou Saints.
Opening his palms, Liu Xi glanced at his tattered robe. With a single thought, Dou Qi surged across his body, repairing the fabric instantly. The once-shredded garment returned to its pristine state, and when he ran a hand through his messy hair, it fell smoothly behind his shoulders again—effortless and composed.
"Time to go back and take a look…"
Flicking his sleeve behind him, he took one step forward. Space folded, distance lost all meaning, and in the blink of an eye, Liu Xi had vanished into the horizon.
---
On Ancient Dragon Island, sunlight shimmered over green peaks and clear waters. Liu Xi walked calmly through the serene landscape, dressed in his signature azure robe. At his side followed Qing Lin, eyes bright with joy, a playful smile tugging at her lips as if begging for praise.
Liu Xi, naturally, obliged. His warm smile carried genuine affection as he spoke softly, "Not bad. It seems you haven't been lazy these past months. You've already advanced to a 1-Star Dou Saint. At this rate, it won't be long before you catch up to me."
Qing Lin's lips curved upward. Her eyes, bright as autumn lakes, shimmered with delight. "It's all thanks to Young Master's help. Though lately, my cultivation's slowed a bit. I was thinking of sending Elder Yao Xiaotian and the First Elder back to the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe, and calling Yao Ming here again. He's been gone for over two months now—he must've gathered quite a lot of Dou Qi by now."
After the battle at the North Dragon Island, Qing Lin had released Yao Ming to stabilize her tribe, keeping Yao Xiaotian, the First Elder, and a hundred or so high-level pythons behind. Thanks to their nonstop cultivation, she had managed to break through to the Dou Saint realm—but it had left those poor pythons thin and exhausted.
"It's about time they rested," Liu Xi said, nodding thoughtfully. "Let them recover for a while and build their Dou Qi back up. You can't just drain them dry—sustainable development brings the greatest long-term benefit. Don't trade short-term gains for permanent loss."
"Mm!" Qing Lin nodded earnestly, completely convinced.
As they walked, a squad of armored Dragon Guards approached. Upon seeing Liu Xi, they quickly stepped aside and saluted with deep respect.
Their reverence had nothing to do with the rumors surrounding Liu Xi and Zi Yan—those were unconfirmed whispers. It came from genuine admiration. Liu Xi had saved their tribe twice over: first by helping Zi Yan slay the traitorous North Dragon King, and then by killing Huang Tian when he turned his claws toward Zi Yan.
Many still vividly remembered that day—the hopelessness on Zi Yan's face, the helpless elders watching as Huang Tian laughed wickedly. Then Liu Xi had stepped forward, using a forbidden technique that left him unconscious for three days, and slain Huang Tian in one stroke. His courage had etched his image into the hearts of every Ancient Void Dragon.
Liu Xi smiled and nodded politely in return. The Ancient Void Dragons were straightforward creatures—earn their respect once, and they'd give it wholeheartedly.
After the guards passed, he asked, "Has Xian'er been in seclusion all this time? I haven't seen her lately."
Qing Lin immediately replied, "Sister Xian'er's been refining poison. She still feels guilty about not being able to help last time. Thankfully, the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's stores are astonishing—Elder Zhu Li opened over a dozen spatial vaults, and just from the first few, we gathered enough materials for her poison refinement."
Liu Xi nodded with a smile. Indeed, with the dragons' vast treasures, collecting rare herbs was child's play. It was no wonder Zi Yan was jokingly called the richest woman on the continent.
Xiao Yixian possessed the Woeful Poison Body, and with poison, her cultivation could rise swiftly. The only limit was the scarcity of toxins potent enough to harm Dou Saints. Now, with the Sky Quiet Poison Code, the Ghostly Poison Flame, and the dragons' materials, she was bound to advance several stars soon.
"You've both worked hard," Liu Xi said warmly. "I'm proud of you. But remember—cultivation should be steady, not rushed. With your talent, reaching 9-Star Dou Saint and beyond is entirely possible. Don't sacrifice the foundation for speed."
Liu Xi's ambitions reached far beyond the present. His goals were grand—one day, to stand at the continent's peak. But even the 9-Star Dou Saint realm, the pinnacle of mortal cultivation, was still a cage.
The legends of the past—Yellow Spring Demon Saint, Pure Lotus Demon Saint, Xiao Xuan, Hun Tiandi, Zhu Kun, Gu Yuan—all had sought the same escape: to surpass the limits of Dou Qi and ascend to the Dou Di realm. Those who failed could only await the inevitable end of their lifespan.
Liu Xi wanted to break that fate—and he wanted those he cared for to rise with him. But before that, two mountains blocked the path: Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi. Zhu Kun, as his future father-in-law, was not among his enemies.
The path to becoming Dou Di was narrow indeed.
First, he would destroy the Hun Clan—that was his primary goal. Then, he'd deal with the Gu Clan. Until those obstacles were gone, peace was impossible.
The 9-Star Dou Saint realm—just imagining its power sent a shiver down one's spine.
To reach it, Liu Xi needed strength—and the strength of those closest to him. If his companions could also reach the high Dou Saint levels, it would change everything.
He turned to Qing Lin with a gentle, encouraging smile. She looked up at him, face slightly flushed, and nodded earnestly. "I understand, Young Master. I'll become a 9-Star Dou Saint one day—and when that happens, no one will ever hurt you again."
Liu Xi laughed heartily. "I believe you. Come, let's go see Zi Yan. She's already broken through to 5-Star Dou Saint—tsk tsk, once again ahead of us. And she's planning to move against the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe to fully unify the Beast Region. The captured Fen Huang and Kun Huang's bloodlines will prove useful—all thanks to you."
Qing Lin smiled, her autumn-like eyes glimmering with joy.
The two walked along the mountain path, heading toward the highest peak of Ancient Dragon Island, where Zi Yan's grand palace stood.
It seemed that after her breakthrough to 5-Star Dou Saint and the completion of the power restructuring, Zi Yan was now in discussion with the elders about launching a campaign.
And this time, the verdict was unanimous—
War.
There was no other choice.
(End of Chapter)
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