"Pft."
Blood sprayed through the air as Chen Xiaoming crushed the Dou Saint's essence with a twist of his soul power. The Soul Clan elder, even at the moment of death, remained filled with bitter resentment. A mighty Five-Star Dou Saint—fallen in such a humiliating, powerless fashion. He couldn't accept it.
"Boom."
With a single step, Chen Xiaoming stomped down, utterly destroying the elder's physical body. Space around them shattered, scattering the remains into the endless void.
"It's done."
Clapping his hands clean, Chen Xiaoming smiled with evident satisfaction as he looked down at the lifeless corpse. Day after day, fighting and scheming—what a hassle. Wouldn't it be better, like this? One move, clean and efficient.
"Teacher, are you okay?!"
Xiao Xun'er ran over in surprise, confusion glimmering in her eyes. She had just seen Chen Xiaoming coughing up blood, his body nearly cleaved in half by a blade of soul-forged light. How could he now be standing there, completely unharmed? Even the deep gash at his waist had vanished, and his internal aura was back to full strength.
Was she dreaming? None of this felt real.
"Silly disciple. Do you think your teacher is so easily hurt? I was just toying with him."
Chen Xiaoming chuckled as he ruffled her hair. That she had rushed over in worry made him feel a rare warmth in his heart. All the effort he'd put into nurturing her hadn't been in vain.
"Let's go. It's over now."
With a casual wave of his hand, he brought Xiao Xun'er along, flying toward the waiting Violet-Gold Lion King. Yet in the depths of his gaze, a flicker of tension remained.
The Soul Clan had tried to assassinate him. It had to be because of his Imperial Soul Realm. His breakthrough in Holy Pill City had stirred too much commotion—there was no way it had escaped their notice.
Even a mere Five-Star Dou Saint had proven troublesome. Chen Xiaoming knew he couldn't afford to coast anymore. It was time to push forward in earnest.
And so, guided by Xiao Xun'er, he mounted the Violet-Gold Lion King and began their journey southward, toward the Southern Domain of the Central Plains.
One week later — Heavenly Star Mountain Range.
Nestled deep within the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, the Falling Star Pavilion lay hidden by nature and protected by the powerful Falling Star Grand Array. Secluded and well-guarded, it was nearly impossible for outsiders to find. But for Chen Xiaoming, such obstacles barely registered.
Starting a faction from scratch was far too troublesome for someone of his temperament. Among all the powers in the Central Plains, only Falling Star Pavilion suited his needs.
The current Pavilion Master, Elder Feng, had strong ties with Yao Lao. With that connection and his own strength, gaining refuge here would be easy.
In the Star Realm.
Elder Feng was suspicious of the unexpected arrival. If not for the sliver of information the newcomer brought about Yao Chen, he wouldn't have believed him for a second.
Chen Xiaoming and his companions were settled into the eastern courtyard of the Falling Star Pavilion. Elder Feng, cautious by nature, debated what to do next.
Eventually, he decided not to leave for the Jia Ma Empire himself. Instead, he sent his disciple, Qing Luan, to investigate. His own presence drew too much attention, and any rash movements could alert the Hall of Souls (Soul Hall).
And besides—Chen Xiaoming and the Violet-Gold Lion King were both Dou Venerates. If he left, the Pavilion would be without anyone capable of standing against them.
Meanwhile, as Elder Feng made his arrangements, Chen Xiaoming handed Xiao Xun'er and the Violet-Gold Lion King each a storage ring.
"Disciple, I'm going into seclusion for a while."
With just that one sentence, he vanished.
In a quiet chamber, Chen Xiaoming sat cross-legged, eyes shut. His cultivation retreat had begun.
Huff... huff... huff...
Each breath was deep and deliberate. Time was tight, and he was forced to return to the breathwork he had practiced back when he was still a tree.
Until now, he'd always breathed like a normal person—never bothering with intentional techniques. But this time, he had no choice.
The system's notifications rang continuously in his mind as he cultivated with steady precision. All the while, he mentally calculated the increase in experience points and felt a wave of regret.
If only he'd gone into hiding in the Shrouding the Heavens world instead. The breathing gains there were fifty times greater! What a waste. Just thinking of the massive difference made him feel like his brain must've short-circuited.
All for what? Just to try and catch a glimpse of the Ruthless Emperor, whom he'd only met a few times?
What a dumb move.
Chen Xiaoming furrowed his brow but didn't dwell on it. He focused instead on his breath.
The leap from Dou Venerate to Dou Saint required a mind-boggling 50 billion EXP—ten times what he'd needed for this level. Even with focused breathing, it would take two to three months. And deep breathing, while faster, couldn't be sustained for long.
"Screw it. Let's just seclude for two or three months and go all in."
Sighing, he chose to alternate between regular deep breathing and intense deep focus. The system alerts echoed on and on as Chen Xiaoming focused in complete silence. In the quiet chamber, the only sound was his labored breathing.
Three months later.
The Falling Star Pavilion remained quiet and undisturbed. Outside his chamber, the Violet-Gold Lion King still lay curled by the gate, guarding against any intrusions.
Compared to the chaos of Holy Pill City, this place was paradise. Few disciples, even fewer visitors. And after he flattened one intruder with his raw power, no one dared come near again.
Left to his own devices, the Violet-Gold Lion King alternated between refining medicinal pills and cultivating. In just three months, he had already ascended to Three-Star Dou Venerate, a terrifying growth rate.
And even that paled in comparison to his earlier leap from Dou Ancestor to Dou Venerate.
Under a grand old tree in the courtyard, Xiao Xun'er sat quietly reading a book, her aura serene and refined. She had undergone a remarkable transformation during these three months—her skin fairer, her figure taller, her presence more refined.
More importantly, she had advanced to Seven-Star Dou Ancestor.
At just fifteen years old, stepping into the Dou Ancestor realm was extraordinary.
The Lion King gave a slight shake of his head, remembering his own meteoric rise with a hint of nostalgia.
Beneath the ancient tree, Xiao Xun'er's book lay gently in her hands. Her expression was calm, composed, with a flicker of golden flame dancing quietly in her eyes.
Just then, space trembled faintly. A figure appeared silently on the opposite side of the stone table. He lifted a teacup and took a gentle sip.
Startled, Xiao Xun'er blinked, then smiled brightly.
"Teacher, you've emerged from seclusion!"
It was Chen Xiaoming, newly awakened from his cultivation. Smiling, he reached out and affectionately tousled her hair.
"Mm. It's time," he said softly, eyes gleaming with resolve. "Time to break through to Dou Saint."
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