In the Gu Realm, within the Sacred Mountains of the Gu Clan, a massive warship slowly came to a stop in the skies above the vast mountain range.
At the bow of the ship stood a girl dressed in a light green gown. Strands of her silky black hair were loosely tied, cascading down her slender waist and finally resting on her delicate hips. As the breeze gently blew, her hair fluttered, giving her an ethereal and otherworldly aura. Her beautiful face was unparalleled, and her captivating eyes shimmered with an almost spiritual depth, reminiscent of the most profound starry sky.
This girl was none other than Xun'er, who had been brought back by Gu Nanhai. Even before she disembarked from the ship, she had already drawn the attention of the many onlookers below.
"Xun'er has returned!"
"She's still so beautiful!"
"But she's only a Dou King! She went outside the Gu Realm for training, and yet she hasn't made any progress at all!"
"Xun'er's bloodline is extraordinary. She was delayed because of her playful nature, but if she focuses on cultivation, her achievements will definitely surpass yours!"
"Hmph, I don't believe it! Her bloodline may be good, but mine isn't weak either!"
Among the younger generation of the Gu Clan, many of the women spoke sarcastically about Xun'er. This was because Gu Fei was the object of affection for the young girls of the Gu Clan, and Xun'er had not only won Gu Fei's heart but had eventually betrayed him as well.
Among the men, some frowned, but perhaps due to Xun'er's status as the clan leader's daughter and her otherworldly beauty, a large number still defended her. Interestingly, those who stood up for Xun'er did not receive any friendly response from her.
After disembarking, Xun'er headed straight towards the small courtyard on her mountain peak.
"Xun'er, did you encounter Brother Gu Fei during your time outside the Gu Realm?" Gu Yunyou asked as she followed Xun'er to the base of the mountain.
"Does that have anything to do with you?" Xun'er, already in a bad mood, responded sharply.
"Are you jealous?"
"Jealous? Of you?"
Xun'er raised her head confidently.
"Aren't you aware? I heard from the elder sent to protect Brother Gu Fei that during his recent training, he was constantly accompanied by a young woman, and they were inseparable!" Gu Yunyou said slowly. Although she wasn't pleased with the situation herself, she would be quite happy if it made Xun'er upset.
"Gu Fei and a young woman were inseparable?" Upon hearing this, Xun'er's heart inexplicably began to race.
Then, with a hint of schadenfreude, Gu Yunyou detailed everything she knew about Xiao Yi Xian and Gu Fei to Xun'er.
"How could this be?"
"It's only been a year since we parted, and he already has a new lover!"
"How could he do this?"
Xun'er felt an unexpected sadness and even a bit of anger, her eyes welling up with tears. "Hah, Xun'er, what right do you have to criticize Brother Gu Fei?" Gu Yunyou smirked coldly as she saw Xun'er's reaction. "Back then, you hadn't even separated from brother Gu Fei when you did something so disgraceful!"
"Who are you calling disgraceful?" Xun'er's eyes flared with anger at Yunyou's harsh words. "What's the matter? Did I hit a nerve? Want to fight me? Do you even have the strength?" Gu Yunyou stood her ground calmly, meeting Xun'er's fiery gaze. Even though she was only a three-star Dou Emperor, Xun'er wasn't capable of defeating her.
"Don't get too cocky. Give me two years, and you'll see just how big of a mistake it was to provoke me today..." Xun'er clenched her fists, suppressing her anger. She realized that her progress in cultivation had been delayed for too long.
If things continued this way, the gap between her and Gu Fei would only widen, and she might truly become a laughingstock.
With that, she turned and headed towards a grand hall deeper in the mountains.
In the Gu Clan, the resources for cultivation far exceeded those of other factions in the outside world. Xun'er intended to ask her father, Gu Yuan, for some resources and to prepare for the next stage of her Imperial Altar Baptism.
In these ancient clans, in addition to techniques, combat skills, and elixirs, there were also powerful inheritances left behind by ancestors. These ancestors would store their power in the Imperial Altar upon their death, allowing future generations of the clan to receive these inheritances.
The amount of power one could inherit varied from person to person, with those possessing purer bloodlines typically receiving greater benefits from the baptism.
Half an hour later, Xun'er arrived in front of an ancient, majestic hall.
"Gu Fei, after we parted, you found yourself an ordinary girl. Do you think she'll be accepted by the clan?" Xun'er murmured to herself before stepping into the ancient hall.
Meanwhile, in the inn room in Holy Pill City where Gu Fei and Xiao Yi Xian were staying...
"Brother Gu Fei, I've finally broken through to Dou King! I can fly now!" Xiao Yi Xian exclaimed as she stood up from the bath of toxic liquid. A pair of purple Dou Qi wings unfolded from her back, and with a gentle flap, she lifted herself into the air within the room.
"Very impressive. To break through to Dou King in less than two months of seclusion is no small feat. I bet it won't be more than two years before you reach the Dou Ancestor realm!" Gu Fei smiled, clearly pleased by Xiao Yi Xian's progress.
For the past few months, Gu Fei and Xiao Yi Xian had been staying in Holy Pill City. As the central hub of the continent, the resources here far surpassed those in other cities. Gu Fei carefully selected many potent poisons and gave Xiao Yi Xian elixirs that could accelerate her cultivation. Naturally, her progress had been rapid.
"Two years to reach Dou Ancestor? Isn't that a bit too fast? Can I really do it?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, a bit unsure. After all, the higher one's cultivation, the more difficult it became. The gap between Dou King and Dou Ancestor was enormous.
"You need to have confidence in yourself. With your Woeful Poison Body now free of any hidden dangers, I was actually being conservative when I said two years!" Gu Fei chuckled.
In the original story, Xiao Yi Xian had gone from a novice in the Jia Ma Empire to a three-star Dou Ancestor in just three to four years. Such a talent for cultivation was unmatched even among the ordinary geniuses of ancient clans.
"Really?" Seeing Gu Fei's confidence in her, Xiao Yi Xian's smile grew even brighter. She happily approached him, resting her head against his broad chest.
"Why has that girl come out so quickly?" Gu Fei's expression suddenly shifted as he sensed a familiar presence.