Chapter 701 Ancient Truth

Huo Xuan chatted with Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan for a while longer, his words filled with peace. Finally, he bowed and smiled as he took his leave.

As the pale figure disappeared at the end of the cabin passage, Xiao Ling watched his retreating figure, his brows furrowing slightly, his expression gradually darkening as he fell into deep thought.

Huo Xuan's overt gesture of goodwill was far too obvious to be a simple act of befriending. While his current strength and the title of "Number One Alchemist of Central Continent" were certainly enough to make many forces take notice, the Yan Clan behind Huo Xuan was no ordinary power.

The Yan Clan is currently at its peak, with a patriarch who is at the peak of the Eight-Star Dou Sheng realm. On the Dou Qi Continent, it is only slightly inferior to the Soul Clan and the Ancient Clan, and its foundation is far more profound than that of the Xiao Clan, which has long been in ruins.

Given the Yan Clan's rich heritage, why would they need such a young genius from their clan to so actively "fawn over" a descendant of a declining race? It's probably not just about valuing his personal abilities.

However, Xiao Ling couldn't figure out the deeper reason behind it, and he didn't intend to delve into it further.

Perhaps Huo Xuan is genuinely interested in the two of them; who knows?

After all, both he and Xiao Yan possessed different kinds of flames, a fact that couldn't be hidden from others. From the very beginning, Xiao Ling had no intention of concealing the aura of his different kinds of flames from the Yan Clan, a race that was proficient in the way of fire.

Moreover, the fact that he had subdued the strange fire was no secret in Zhongzhou. It had spread along with the rumors of his "winning the Alchemy Competition" and become a topic of conversation for many people.

The Yan Clan has an almost instinctive interest in different flames, so it makes sense that Huo Xuan would take the initiative to befriend them for this reason.

Thinking this, Xiao Ling's pensive expression faded slightly, and the doubts in his heart also lessened a bit.

"This Huo Xuan is quite extraordinary." Xiao Yan withdrew his gaze from the passage and turned to look at Xiao Ling, his tone somewhat solemn.

“I just secretly investigated his situation, but I found nothing. I could only sense some general information. Although his soul power is not as strong as mine, he has touched the threshold of the Spirit Realm, and may even have broken through. But strangely, even when I used my soul power to investigate carefully, I could not see through his true strength. I only felt that he was shrouded in a layer of mist, exuding a mysterious and unpredictable aura, which made me feel a little uneasy.”

He paused, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the corner of his sleeve, a knowing glint in his eyes: "As expected of people from the eight ancient clans, their background and methods are truly in line with their style."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling slowly nodded, a hint of agreement flashing in his eyes, clearly acknowledging Xiao Yan's serious judgment.

However, with Xiao Ling's soul perception now at its most profound level, he had already discreetly detected Huo Xuan's cultivation level, aura, and even the subtle energy fluctuations around him while they were talking. Huo Xuan's cultivation level was already at the Seven Star Dou Zun level.

It should be noted that to reach such a height at such a young age is extremely rare among the younger generation of the entire Dou Qi Continent, and can be described as having "extraordinary talent".

The reason why Xiao Yan was unable to discern Huo Xuan's true cultivation level was not due to his insufficient perception, but because Huo Xuan possessed a hidden secret, with a layer of secret restrictions personally laid out by the top experts of the Yan Clan surrounding him.

The layers of restrictions completely concealed his true aura. To penetrate this barrier and ascertain his true nature, one's soul power would need to reach at least the late stage of the Spirit Realm.

In contrast, Xiao Yan's soul power is currently only at the mid-stage of the Spirit Realm, and there is still a considerable gap between him and the late stage of the Spirit Realm. Naturally, he cannot see through the true nature of Huo Xuan behind this restriction.

However, considering what was seen in the pavilion that day, Huo Xuan was not exactly a core figure among the group of people who came to the Ancient Clan with the Yan Clan.

The one who truly led this team was clearly the red-clad, masked woman who had met Xiao Ling once before. Just the fact that she could subdue the Red Lotus Karmic Flame was enough to show that she was no ordinary person.

It should be noted that the Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame ranks extremely high on the list of strange flames. It is extremely fierce and difficult to tame, and ordinary experts do not even have the right to approach it.

Since this woman was able to subdue him, her talent must be top-notch, one in a million. Her status within the Yan Clan is probably far beyond that of ordinary clansmen, and the secrets she holds are naturally several times greater than those of Huo Xuan.

It can only be said that none of these figures from ancient races are ordinary people. Moreover, Huo Xuan and the woman in red clearly have high status and position in their race, which is far beyond that of ordinary people.

However, the situation seems relatively optimistic at the moment. Judging from Huo Xuan's proactive gesture of goodwill and frank reminder, the Yan Clan's attitude towards the two of them is relatively friendly, and they even seem to be on good terms with them. They shouldn't be secretly sabotaging them in the short term, which is a fortunate thing for this trip.

"It will take about half a day to get from here to the Ancient Sacred Mountains of the Ancient Realm. During this half day, we can only rest on this empty boat. Let's go."

Xiao Ling stopped dwelling on the previous topic about the Yan Clan. A faint smile appeared on his lips. As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and slowly walked with Xiao Yan towards the cabin on the other side of the warship.

The area of ​​this airship was truly astonishingly vast, but its defenses also exuded a chillingly strict atmosphere. Almost every few steps, one could see Black Annihilation Army warriors standing guard, clad in black iron armor and wielding black iron spears. Their deep and abyss-like aura seemed to carry a chill through the air.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing through his mind. It was just a matter of escorting cultivators from various forces to the Heavenly Tomb. Logically speaking, there was no need for such a tight guard... The ancient clan's actions seemed to be guarding against something.

"It seems that the ancient clans still harbor some distrust towards these outsiders entering the ancient realm."

Xiao Ling's gaze swept over the Black Annihilation Army soldiers standing solemnly beside him, his fingertips lightly tapping the metal railing of the ship's hull, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"But that's understandable. The Ancient Realm is rarely open to the outside world. There might be people with ulterior motives who want to take advantage of this opportunity to stay secretly and plot against the Ancient Clan later."

Thinking about it this way, the ancient clan's way of doing things is indeed watertight, considering even this potential hidden danger so thoroughly.

The two continued along the passage and soon approached the bow of the warship.

Compared to other areas of the ship's cabin, the number of people here was significantly sparser, but the surrounding defenses were not reduced in the slightest. The Black Annihilation Army warriors still stood like javelins, their sharp eyes scanning every corner, not wanting to miss even the slightest gap.

Having reached this point, Xiao Ling's interest had waned considerably. He was about to turn around and take Xiao Yan to see other places when his gaze suddenly stopped as he swept over the bow of the ship.

On the deck at the bow of the ship, a long-haired man dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes sat cross-legged. His dark hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and he exuded a calm aura. In front of him was a small wooden table, on which stood two celadon teacups side by side. The green tea in the cups was still steaming, and its faint aroma spread in the cool ship breeze.

The fact that this person could make Xiao Ling suddenly stop in his tracks meant that this person's background was certainly not simple.

Even from several meters away, Xiao Ling was able to clearly discern the other party's cultivation level with his keen senses. This person's cultivation level had also reached the Seven Star Dou Zun level, which was comparable to Huo Xuan's earlier level.

However, considering the refined aura surrounding him and the hidden yet sharp edge, Xiao Ling had already made a judgment: if they were to truly discuss combat strength, this person in front of him would probably be even stronger than Huo Xuan.

Looking at the man's posture, with green tea prepared and waiting quietly, it was clear he wasn't just casually sitting at the bow of the boat. He obviously knew he would come and was waiting here on purpose, likely coming specifically for him.

Seeing Xiao Ling suddenly stop, Xiao Yan, who was behind him, followed his gaze and looked ahead, immediately spotting the man sitting quietly at the tea table. He subconsciously activated his soul power to probe, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

This person made no attempt to conceal his aura; his vast and powerful fighting spirit flowed around him like an invisible wave, and even from a distance, one could clearly feel the oppressive aura contained within it.

Xiao Yan was secretly alarmed. Without much thought, he could tell that this person was no ordinary person and was probably even stronger than he had expected.

Subconsciously, Xiao Yan turned to look at Xiao Ling beside him, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry, wanting to see how his cousin would deal with the situation.

He could also tell that this person, like Huo Xuan before, was probably coming specifically for them. If he looked closer, it was less about the two of them and more about Xiao Ling, who was standing at the front and at the core, being the person's target from the beginning.

"Now that our two friends from the Xiao clan have arrived, why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea?"

Before Xiao Ling could react, a light and peaceful laugh drifted in with the wind and landed steadily in their ears.

Although the situation was somewhat unexpected, Xiao Ling remained calm. He first turned his head to exchange a glance with Xiao Yan beside him, then nodded slightly, indicating with his eyes that the other party did not need to worry.

After doing all this, Xiao Ling stepped forward and slowly sat down in the empty seat opposite the man. When he looked up at the man, his tone was calm and unwavering: "Are you a member of an ancient clan?"

Seeing that Xiao Ling had already taken his seat, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated and quickly walked to the empty seat next to Xiao Ling and sat down. His gaze fell on the man opposite him without making a sound, and he secretly observed the other's actions.

The long-haired man was not handsome; in fact, he was quite ordinary-looking, with unremarkable features. Yet, he possessed a calm and reserved demeanor that inspired a sense of respect in those who saw him.

"Hehe, I am Gu Zhen of the Ancient Clan." He raised his hand to pick up the green tea on the table, his fingertips lightly tapping the rim of the cup, his smile gentle yet unpretentious.

Xiao Ling nodded silently upon hearing this, his gaze sweeping over the Black Annihilation Army soldiers standing solemnly around him. Upon seeing this, his heart stirred slightly.

The warriors looked at Gu Zhen with a deep respect that seemed to come from the bottom of their hearts. It was a look that was a mixture of awe and admiration, a look they had never seen on their faces before, even when they faced the elder of the ancient clan.

"The commander of the Black Annihilation Army?" Xiao Yan, who had been observing this detail, remained silent for a moment before suddenly asking in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhen paused slightly in the hand holding the teacup, causing the clear tea to ripple.

He looked up at Xiao Yan, his smile deepening: "Hehe, it seems you two have inquired quite a bit about the ancient clans these past few days. You're right, it is indeed me."

"I wonder what brings the Commander-in-Chief to invite us to sit down?" Xiao Ling's tone remained calm, showing no emotional fluctuation despite recognizing the other party's identity. "It can't be that you're just bored and want to have a cup of tea with us, can it? Judging from the Commander-in-Chief's appearance, you probably don't have such leisure time."

His gaze swept over the Black Annihilation Army patrolling the deck, and he changed the subject slightly: "Now that a lot of people have been mobilized on the warship to keep a close watch, the ancient clan must be short of manpower right now, and the Grand Commander must be even busier."

As he spoke, Xiao Ling raised his hand and picked up the celadon teacup in front of him. He gently swirled the cup around the rim with his fingertips, then took a small sip. His posture was relaxed and casual, as if the person sitting in front of him was not the commander of the Black Annihilation Army who held a great army, but just an ordinary person enjoying tea.

Faced with Xiao Ling's direct question, Gu Zhen chuckled softly, his fingertips gently stroking the rim of his cup, his tone casual yet seemingly genuine: "Your Excellency Xiao Ling's words are rather biased. Why couldn't I have simply been leisurely enjoying tea here, and happened to bump into you two passing by, so I took the opportunity to invite you to sit down?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance, a knowing look flashing in their eyes. Naturally, neither of them believed a single word.

Putting aside the fact that the bow of the ship was already sparsely populated and the area was guarded by the Black Annihilation Army, if Gu Zhen really just wanted to enjoy tea, why would he choose this particular spot?
More importantly, he accurately called out "Lord Xiao Ling" as soon as he spoke, which clearly indicated that he already knew their identities and that it was not as simple as "coincidentally bumping into each other".

Such words were merely polite formalities; anyone with discerning eyes could see that he had planned this all along.

Seeing that Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan were calm and indifferent, clearly not taking his words to heart, Gu Zhen also realized that his words had already given him away.

But he showed no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, he abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious, and abruptly posed a question:
"Do you two know why so many Black Annihilation Army soldiers are being deployed to guard this airship?"

"Are you worried that someone might secretly stay in the Ancient Realm?" Xiao Yan picked up his teacup and casually replied.

"That's only part of the reason." Gu Zhen shook his head slightly, his fingertips slowly tracing the edge of the table, his voice deepening.

"Within the ancient realm, there live a vast number of descendants. They are the foundation of the ancient race and the most crucial layer of the race. In fact, these descendants all have a Dou Di bloodline that is so thin as to be almost negligible. Although they are no different from ordinary people most of the time, bloodline mutations occasionally occur. Once the mutation is successful, they will become a fresh force for the ancient race, filling the talent gaps within the race."

He paused, gazing at the rapidly passing void outside the ship, and continued, "Of course, their opportunity for 'evolution' depends entirely on the trace of Dou Di bloodline within them. However, this bloodline is too thin; it can easily be covered by an external bloodline if one is not careful. And the way it's covered is actually quite simple: they just need to mate with someone from another race, and that remaining trace of Dou Di bloodline will completely dissipate within the offspring's body, never to awaken again." (End of Chapter)