Chapter 704 Testing

In a corner of the warship, the Yan Clan youth, his face carrying a hint of frivolity, gazed at the figures embracing in the distance, clicked his tongue, and spoke with a complex mix of admiration:
"Tsk tsk, so Xiao Ling has actually managed to gather even the young ladies of the ancient clans around him. No wonder someone from the ancient clans specially led them aside for a talk earlier... This kid is really unconventional!"

"I've heard of Gu Xun'er's reputation before. Among the younger generation of the Gu Clan, her talent is unparalleled and few can compare. Even that arrogant genius of the Lei Clan, who only met her once by chance, has been thinking about her ever since. Rumor has it that he even considered proposing marriage to the Gu Clan."

The woman in red, her face veiled, lingered for a moment on Xun'er's elegant figure in blue before slowly withdrawing her gaze. Her voice was soft yet carried a hint of insightful calm:
"The Lei Clan's ambitions are not so easily realized. The Gu Clan is currently at its peak, and as the clan leader's legitimate daughter, Gu Xun'er must have long been groomed by the clan to become the next leader. For the Lei Clan to arrange this marriage is as difficult as climbing to the sky."

She paused, then turned her attention to Xiao Ling, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible sigh:

"However, Xiao Ling is truly surprising. The Xiao Clan of today is no longer the top clan that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ancient Clan. Even if the two clans had a close relationship in the past, judging from the current situation of the Xiao Clan, that old friendship is already as unreal as a mirage. Yet he has managed to get to this point and still has Gu Xun'er treat him so well. He is truly remarkable."

“You can’t say that,” Huo Xuan smiled upon hearing this, his tone calm yet with a hint of certainty. “Don’t underestimate Xiao Ling. Starting from a declining family whose bloodline was almost abandoned, he has come all the way to a point where even we have to take him seriously. This ability is something that ordinary people wouldn’t even dare to dream of. If the Xiao clan can truly rise again because of him, it’s not impossible.”

He changed the subject slightly and added, "Moreover, based on my previous observations, not only Xiao Ling, but Xiao Yan is also no ordinary person. Although his words and actions seem to indicate that he is somewhat dependent on Xiao Ling, a closer look reveals that he has his own opinions and is by no means someone who will simply obey and depend on others."

Upon hearing Huo Xuan's high praise for Xiao Yan, the people beside him raised their eyebrows in unison, their faces showing varying degrees of surprise, but none of them responded. Their silence clearly indicated that they did not take Huo Xuan's high regard for Xiao Yan to heart, and secretly thought that he had overpraised him.

In their view, Xiao Ling has already made a name for himself in Zhongzhou, not only demonstrating his solid strength but also revealing his considerable value. Such a person is bound to achieve even greater things in the future and will never stop here. They have no objection to his excellence.

But Xiao Yan was different. Although he had made a name for himself in Zhongzhou, in the eyes of the others, his achievements were nothing special. He hadn't reached a level that would impress anyone, nor did he seem to have much of a future prospect. He was simply not worthy of Huo Xuan's high regard.

Although the group disagreed, they didn't dare to contradict Huo Xuan in public, ultimately saving face for him.

"Brother Xiao Ling, now that we're here in the Ancient Clan, why don't you let Xun'er show you around?"

After catching up briefly with Xiao Ling, Xun'er smiled gently. As soon as she finished speaking, her figure darted into the depths of the mountains like a wisp of smoke.

Xiao Ling, standing behind him, took a slow breath, his eyes clear. He knew perfectly well that Xun'er would personally appear to greet him the moment he arrived. This was partly due to the longing of their reunion, but more importantly, it was to show the ancient clan her determination. The girl never wanted to hide her feelings for him.

Since she, a young woman, could be so open and honest, how could Xiao Ling avoid this determination? As for the discussions and pressure that this might bring, Xiao Ling didn't care at all. With his absolute confidence in his own strength, he had no fear of the future.

"Hehe, since that's the case, I naturally can't let Xun'er's good intentions go to waste. Then I'll have to see for myself what kind of extraordinary potential this ancient clan, with its ten-thousand-year-old heritage, truly holds!"

Looking at the endless, ancient, and weathered mountain range before him, Xiao Ling felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. He chuckled and casually waved his hand, giving a quick greeting to Xiao Yan beside him.

Before Xiao Yan could react, he had already shot out like an arrow, quickly chasing after Xun'er's green-clad figure ahead.

boom!
However, the instant Xiao Ling's figure darted off the warship's deck, his extraordinary, keen soul perception instantly caught no fewer than ten powerful gazes.

Those gazes swept over him as if they were real, carrying a suffocating pressure that seemed to freeze the surrounding air and even the space itself.

"Humph."

Xiao Ling sensed the anomaly in the space, his expression darkened slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

He understood. It seemed that someone in the ancient clan did not intend for him to travel with Xun'er so easily. They wanted to give him a hard time right after they met.

In fact, Xiao Ling had already sensed the presence of those hidden experts around him thanks to his powerful soul force.

He hadn't expected that these people wouldn't be able to hold back for even a moment and would attack him as soon as they set off. This blatant and brutal behavior made him feel a little annoyed.

However, this method of spatial restraint was ultimately insignificant to him, having no effect whatsoever, much like an ordinary child holding a strong man.

However, being in the heart of the ancient tribe's territory, he didn't want to make things worse as soon as he stepped in. So he planned to break free from the constraints around him quietly first, and then casually complain to Xun'er about the "little incident" in the ancient tribe after he caught up with her.

"Bang! Splat—"

However, before Xiao Ling could fully process the thought in his mind, and before he could even begin to urge his mind to break free from the restraints, a cluster of extremely hot flames suddenly exploded in the sky without warning!

A terrifying wave of fire emanated from him, rumbling outwards like thunder. The temperature, almost melting the air, instantly engulfed the entire warship area, causing many people on the deck who had not yet left to change their expressions drastically, revealing expressions of disbelief and shock.

The flames that exploded were not the usual crimson, but rather a luxurious and domineering golden-red. The moment the flames shot up, the surrounding air seemed to be ignited, and the temperature soared. The originally cool wind was now carrying a scorching heat, and even the metal edges of the warship's deck were covered with fine heat ripples.

Even more astonishingly, the space itself was slightly distorted by the terrifying heat from the rising crimson-gold flames. The outlines of distant mountains blurred into indistinct shadows at the edge of the flames, as if they were about to be completely engulfed by the fire at any moment. This sight speaks for itself; anyone could see just how terrifying the power of these flames was, and that their quality was far from ordinary.

Those present with even a little knowledge changed their expressions the moment their eyes fell on that crimson-gold flame. The same answer surged in their hearts: this was clearly the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, ranked fourth on the Strange Flame Ranking and a unique inherited strange flame belonging to the ancient clan!

Rumors about this strange fire had long circulated among the top forces in Zhongzhou, but rumors are just rumors.

Witnessing the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame unleash its power without reservation, with its crimson-gold flames surging and even melting space itself, was a first for most of the people present.

The domineering pressure originating from the very essence of the strange fire weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like an invisible mountain, causing many to instinctively hold their breath, even their fingertips trembling with a chill. This was the terror of a top-tier strange fire, far beyond the reach of ordinary flames. To be more precise, even those ranked lower on the Strange Fire Ranking would find it extremely difficult to create such a breathtaking spectacle that made the heavens and earth pale in comparison.

Wherever the crimson-gold flames passed, even the wind seemed to be ignited. Every wisp of flame exuded an irresistible destructive power, making the hearts of onlookers clench.

Here, the crimson-gold flames were still surging and sweeping, but in the next instant, a completely different and strange energy suddenly burst forth from Xiao Ling's body! As soon as that energy spread, the space around him, which was already distorted by the high temperature and bound by an invisible force, first froze, and then collapsed like shattered glass.

Xiao Ling lightly stepped on the churning embers of the flames, his figure steadily hovering in the air, his gaze sharp as he precisely locked onto several hidden directions deep within the mountains.

The coldness that had lingered in his eyes was now clearly tinged with displeasure, and even the air around him seemed to have become more somber with the fluctuations in his emotions.

"what?"

Deep within the mountains, a soft exclamation of obvious surprise suddenly rang out, breaking the silence of the surging fire.

Clearly, those hiding in the shadows had not expected Xiao Ling to be able to demonstrate such exquisite control over spatial power with such ease, even shattering the deliberately imposed restraints instantly.

"presumptuous!"

A figure in green robes flashed ahead, and Xun'er instantly appeared beside Xiao Ling. Her slender hands clenched slightly, her bright eyes held a hint of coldness, and her clear, cold voice, like jade striking jade, resounded throughout the entire mountain range:
"Elders, do you even know the meaning of etiquette? How dare you lay a hand on our guests? Do you want the whole world to think that our ancient clan is full of barbarians?"

As soon as Xun'er finished her cold rebuke, an old figure slowly emerged from the void.

The newcomer was dressed in a gray robe, with a cold and stern face. He exuded the majesty of someone who had held a high position for many years, and his gaze toward Xiao Ling was filled with undisguised scrutiny and hostility.

“Miss, you are exaggerating.” The gray-robed elder’s voice was hoarse, but his tone was not very apologetic. “My Gu Clan and the Xiao Clan have not seen each other for many years. Now that I have met the junior of the Xiao Clan, I just wanted to test his strength on a whim.”

Xiao Ling's gaze was fixed on the gray-robed old man who had appeared. Judging from the spatial fluctuations around the old man that had not yet completely subsided, this person was clearly one of the people who had secretly attacked him earlier.

"A few high-level Dou Zun dare to test me so rashly?" Xiao Ling sneered inwardly. "If it weren't for the fact that this is the heartland of the ancient clans, you old bones would probably not even know how you died."

His gaze swept over the gray-robed elder, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. It seemed that there were quite a few people within the ancient clan who harbored hostility towards him. This trip to the ancient clan was indeed not going to be smooth from the very beginning.

Just then, a calm yet undeniably authoritative voice suddenly echoed from the depths of the mountains, slowly spreading across the entire sky:
"Elder Gu Qian, today is the day our Gu clan welcomes guests. Your behavior is far too presumptuous. Step down, and this will not be allowed to happen again."

"Yes!" Upon hearing this, Gu Qian immediately suppressed his coldness, respectfully cupped his hands towards the depths of the mountains, and then bowed slightly to Xun'er.

As he stood up, he glanced indifferently at Xiao Ling before turning into a gray shadow and swiftly disappearing into the depths of the mountains.

Watching Gu Qian's figure disappear into the depths of the mountains, Xun'er immediately turned around, walked quickly to Xiao Ling, and asked with a hint of worry in her voice, "Brother Xiao Ling, are you alright?"

"It's nothing." Xiao Ling quickly suppressed the lingering chill in her heart, put on a faint smile again, and gently shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Brother Xiao Ling." Xun'er sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "Many elders in the clan are rigid and inflexible, and I couldn't stop them in advance."

Xun'er really didn't expect that these old fogies would be so impatient, and that they would rush to take action to intimidate Xiao Ling the moment he stepped into the ancient clan.

"It's alright, let's go." Xiao Ling's smile was gentle yet firm. "Before coming to this ancient realm, I knew I would encounter these things."

He raised his hand and gently patted Xun'er's head, his tone serious: "These pressures can't all be borne by you alone. You've helped me for so many years, it's time for me to face them. Don't worry, I'm very strong now, and you might not be able to get the better of me."

Xiao Ling's words were not empty talk; with his current strength, he had every right to say them.

If we include Xiao Ling's mental abilities, he is now so powerful that he is not afraid of even a five-star Dou Sheng level expert.

If Elder Gu Qian and the others who were hiding in the shadows were to really break off relations and start fighting, even if they were mindful that this was the territory of the ancient clan, Xiao Ling would not hold back and would definitely make sure they didn't get the slightest benefit.

Upon hearing Xiao Ling's resounding words, Xun'er was slightly taken aback, then a bright and radiant smile bloomed on her lips.

Over the years in the ancient clan, she did indeed silently delay countless pressures and obstacles for Xiao Ling, but fortunately, the long wait was not in vain.

Now, Xiao Ling has finally grown to the point where he can stand shoulder to shoulder with her, and he has long since gained the ability to share this burden with her.

Looking at Xiao Ling's seemingly indifferent expression, Xun'er, knowing him as she did, knew that he was definitely dissatisfied with what the elders had done, but had just suppressed it for the time being.

She reached out her slender hand and gently took Xiao Ling's hand in hers, her eyes filled with a tender smile. She whispered, "Brother Xiao Ling, don't hold a grudge about this. Let me show you around the ancient clan first, and... there's a very special person who wants to meet you in person." (End of Chapter)