People in Doupo: The beginning of the game intercepts the rich woman Xun'er

"Rumble--"

A muffled rumble of thunder rolled in from the horizon, and thick, dark clouds, as black as ink, carried countless bolts of lightning, slowly spreading across the vast sky of the ancient realm before finally hovering steadily.

The next moment, an old and deep voice pierced through the clouds and drifted down from the warship hidden behind the thunderclouds: "Hehe, esteemed guests, please board the ship."

Before the words were finished, the dark clouds swirling around the warship seemed to come alive and retreat to both sides, revealing a wide cloud staircase extending down from the crack, leading directly to the warship's deck.

Among the crowd below, several figures hesitated for a moment, then their fighting spirit surged, and they were the first to leap onto the colossal object.

Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan stood side by side, their eyes scanning the cloud steps and the surroundings of the warship. After confirming that there was nothing amiss, Xiao Ling also stepped onto the ship together, following the cloud steps.

The moment they stepped onto the warship, everyone truly felt its grandeur. Even powerful Dou Zun experts appeared extremely small standing on the deck, which was comparable to a small city.

The warship's interior was a maze of passageways, and Black Annihilation Army warriors wielding long black iron spears could be seen everywhere. Their auras were as deep and unfathomable, and their armor gleamed with a cold, sharp light, making the entire warship impregnable, with not a single gap to be found.

As the last person stepped into the cabin, the aged voice rang out again, carrying a hint of authority: "Please be at ease, everyone. We will depart immediately."

As soon as he finished speaking, the warship shuddered violently. Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly as he instantly sensed a violent fluctuation in the surrounding space, as if an invisible hand was tearing through the void.

He quickly closed his eyes, his soul power spreading out. When he opened his eyes a moment later, his face was covered with deep surprise. The warship was actually traversing between the spatial barriers in a way he had never seen before!
"It can actually travel through spatial rifts... This warship is truly amazing!" Stabilizing his body, which was swaying slightly due to spatial fluctuations, Xiao Yan turned to look at Xiao Ling beside him, his tone full of undisguised surprise.

Xiao Ling nodded slowly, his gaze sweeping over the metal bulkheads of the warship, which were engraved with intricate patterns. He echoed in a deep voice, "Indeed extraordinary. To be able to break through spatial barriers and move forward on its own is a method I have never seen before."

He lightly traced the space rushing past him with his fingertips, his tone revealing a hint of understanding, "Such craftsmanship must have consumed unimaginable resources and effort. Looking across the entire Dou Qi Continent, I'm afraid only a few top forces like the ancient clans, who have been passed down for tens of thousands of years, have the resources to create such a heaven-defying creation."

"Hehe, you two are unaware of this. This ship is called the 'Sky Shuttle Ship,' a treasure passed down from ancient times by our ancestors. In terms of speed, even a peak Dou Zun expert flying at full speed might not be able to catch up with it by even a fraction."

As Xiao Yan and Xiao Ling were talking in hushed tones, a gentle laugh suddenly came from behind them, interrupting their conversation. They immediately stopped talking and turned around to look in the direction of the sound.

Not far behind, a man dressed in a moon-white robe stood smiling. His aura was gentle yet contained a powerful fighting spirit. A lifelike flame mark on his forehead was particularly eye-catching, slowly flickering with his breath.

Upon seeing the newcomer's appearance, Xiao Yan and Xiao Ling simultaneously realized that this person was none other than the Yan Clan expert they had met briefly in the tavern and pavilion in the ancient clan city that day.

"Thank you for informing me of the ship's history."

Seeing the white-robed man's open smile and peaceful aura without any malice, Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance and both lowered their guard.

Immediately, Xiao Ling stepped forward, cupped his hands in return, and responded in a rather polite tone.

"Hehe, you two are too kind." The white-robed man waved his hand, his smile deepening, and took the initiative to say, "My name is Huo Xuan. I see that you two have extraordinary bearing. I wonder if I could make your acquaintance, so that we could have more opportunities to chat on this airship?"

Seeing that the other party had taken the initiative to reveal their identities and was sincere in their attitude, Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan made no attempt to hide anything. Xiao Ling chuckled first, his tone cheerful: "Since Brother Huo Xuan is so willing to make friends, I naturally have no reason to refuse. My name is Xiao Ling."

After saying that, he stepped aside, pointed to Xiao Yan beside him, and introduced him to Huo Xuan: "This is my cousin, named Xiao Yan."

Upon hearing Xiao Ling mention him, Xiao Yan immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said with a humble yet dignified expression: "Xiao Yan greets Brother Huo Xuan."

"Haha, it is my great fortune to befriend you two!" Huo Xuan laughed loudly, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan, full of admiration. "Both of you are rare young talents. To have such cultivation at such a young age, there are probably few people of your age in the entire Central Continent who can compare with you."

He changed the subject and looked directly at Xiao Ling, his tone filled with admiration: "Especially Brother Xiao Ling, even though I have lived in the clan's territory for many years, I have heard a lot about your reputation. At the Pill Gathering, you were able to refine a peak eighth-grade pill and were even awarded the title of 'Number One Alchemist in Central State.' This ability is truly admirable!"

"Brother Huoxuan, you flatter me." Xiao Ling waved his hand with a light laugh, his tone indifferent. "'The number one alchemist in Zhongzhou' is just an empty title from the outside world. It's not to be taken seriously and is not worth mentioning."

He paused slightly, his gaze falling on the burning flame mark on Huo Xuan's forehead. He then changed the subject, asking with a hint of inquiry, "However, if I'm not mistaken, Brother Huo Xuan should be a member of the Yan Clan, one of the eight ancient clans, right?"

Faced with Xiao Ling's words revealing his identity, Huo Xuan showed no surprise whatsoever. Instead, he nodded calmly and replied with a smile, "Brother Xiao Ling has a good eye. Speaking of which, the Xiao Clan and the Yan Clan have a long history dating back to ancient times, so they can be considered old acquaintances."

He paused slightly, then turned his gaze to Xiao Yan beside him, smoothly cutting to the main topic and asking with a hint of inquiry, "I wonder if Brother Xiao Yan and Brother Xiao Ling have also come to the Ancient Realm with Brother Xiao Ling for the upcoming opening of the Heavenly Tomb?"

Since Huo Xuan had already brought up the matter, Xiao Ling had no intention of deliberately hiding it. After all, he would have to go into the Heavenly Tomb later and meet with various forces under the arrangement of the ancient clan. This matter would be known sooner or later.

He looked at Huo Xuan and nodded frankly, saying, "Brother Huo Xuan, you guessed correctly. Xiao Yan and I have indeed come to the Ancient Realm for the Heavenly Tomb. The Heavenly Tomb only opens once every twenty years, a rare opportunity. We also want to take this chance to cultivate inside and improve our strength using the special environment and opportunities within." "As expected, it seems my guess was correct." Huo Xuan smiled and nodded, then changed the subject, explaining the mysteries of the Heavenly Tomb in detail.

"This canopy is extremely special, containing the energy imprints of countless ancient powerhouses. These imprints have been refined over the years and have long since condensed into their appearances in life. As long as you can defeat these imprints, you can obtain the energy core within them. After absorbing it, your strength will be genuinely enhanced."

He paused, then added a touch of admiration to his tone: "You must know, these energy imprints are no ordinary things. They are comparable to high-grade pills. What's even more remarkable is that even after multiple absorptions, their effectiveness will not diminish significantly. They are truly treasures for cultivators."

“But the most crucial thing is the flow of time inside the Heavenly Tomb.” A hint of solemnity flashed in Huo Xuan’s eyes. “Time there is much slower than outside. One day outside may be several days inside. This special time difference is indeed an excellent place to quickly break through one’s strength.”

As Huo Xuan explained the mysteries of the Heavenly Tomb in detail, Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance, a hint of understanding flashing in their eyes, before they regained their composure.

The two men maintained faint smiles throughout, their gazes fixed on Huo Xuan. They showed no impatience or intention to interrupt, revealing both their respect for the information and their politeness and sincerity in befriending Huo Xuan. They waited quietly for him to finish speaking.

However, although Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan had specifically investigated the Heavenly Tomb and consulted a lot of secret information before setting off for the Ancient Clan, and had a basic understanding of it, Huo Xuan's detailed explanation still filled in many key details that had not been touched upon before, and gave them a more comprehensive understanding of the dangers and opportunities of the Heavenly Tomb.

The two secretly marveled at how the Yan Clan had managed to remain among the eight ancient clans for so many years, truly demonstrating their profound heritage.

Huo Xuan's understanding of the Heavenly Tomb alone far exceeds the information circulating outside, demonstrating that the secrets and accumulated knowledge passed down by this ancient race are far beyond what ordinary forces can match.

"Hehe, thank you very much, Brother Huoxuan, for clearing up our doubts. This explanation has benefited us both greatly and given us a better understanding of the Heavenly Tomb." Xiao Ling chuckled, then changed the subject, looking at the other party with a hint of inquiry in his eyes, "Brother Huoxuan is so familiar with the Heavenly Tomb, I suppose you will participate in the Heavenly Tomb Trial that the Ancient Clan is opening this time?"

“Of course.” Huo Xuan nodded immediately, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes. “I have no reason to miss such an opportunity that can improve my cultivation in a short time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his tone suddenly turned serious, becoming more solemn: "However, Brother Xiao Ling and Brother Xiao Yan, if you two want to enter the Heavenly Tomb Trial safely, you may encounter some trouble."

Upon hearing this, both Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan were taken aback, their relaxed smiles vanishing instantly, and they both cast intense glances at Huo Xuan.

Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow and took a half-step forward to ask, "Oh? What do you mean by that, Brother Shiranui Xuan?"

"According to the rules, even though the Xiao clan is no longer as glorious as it once was, it is still one of the eight ancient clans and should have two spots for entering the Heavenly Tomb Trial." Huo Xuan shrugged, his tone somewhat objective.

"But before the Xiao clan declined, these two spots were temporarily controlled by the ancient clan. Every time the Heavenly Tomb opened, the ancient clan would send its own outstanding disciples to replace the Xiao clan's spots and enter the tomb to cultivate, using the power of the Heavenly Tomb to improve their cultivation."

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan, before continuing, "Now that we've discussed this, you two should understand that the Heavenly Tomb quota is extremely attractive to the younger generation of the ancient clans. Now that someone from the Xiao clan has come, the ancient clans may not be willing to easily hand over these two quotas that originally belonged to the Xiao clan. This is the trouble you may encounter."

At this point, Huo Xuan paused, his tone becoming more certain: "However, with Brother Xiao Ling's strength and methods, coupled with your status as the 'Number One Alchemist of Central Continent,' resolving this trouble shouldn't be too difficult. The Ancient Clan shouldn't be too heartless either, after all, the relationship between the Xiao Clan and the Ancient Clan was once extremely close. It's just a pity that it's all in the past..."

After Huo Xuan finished speaking, Xiao Ling nodded slowly, raised his hand to clasp his hands slightly to Huo Xuan, and smiled with gratitude on his face: "Thank you for reminding me, Brother Huo Xuan. I will remember this favor. However, I already have some ideas about the quota, and I am quite confident in solving it."

"It would be best if we could resolve it." Huo Xuan chuckled, his tone becoming more sincere. "But if you encounter any troublesome issues along the way, Brother Xiao Ling, please don't hesitate to come to me. The Yan Clan and the Xiao Clan have a history. Although I dare not say I can resolve everything on my own, I can still help you mediate and seek justice."

"Besides, if we really do enter the Heavenly Tomb together in the future, we might have to help each other out and cooperate." Huo Xuan smiled, his tone becoming more candid. "Among the other ancient races, there are quite a few who have grudges against my Yan Clan. The Heavenly Tomb is full of both opportunities and risks. Having one more reliable friend is always better than having one more potential trouble."

Although he said it casually, it contained a bit of sincerity. If Xiao Yan and Xiao Ling were just ordinary cultivators, he would naturally not have taken the initiative to befriend them.

However, the two are not only descendants of the Xiao clan, but also have strength far beyond their peers. At such a young age, they were able to subdue a rare treasure like a strange fire. Such potential and methods can no longer be summarized by the word "genius".

For the Yan Clan, befriending such a figure in advance not only paves the way for their current trip to the Heavenly Tomb, but also leaves room for future relations between the two clans. Although the Xiao Clan may not be able to recover, he naturally does not want to miss out on such a worthy ally.

"In addition, you should also pay more attention to the Soul Clan and the Medicine Clan." Huo Xuan changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious. "I won't say much about the Soul Clan. Your Xiao Clan and they have long been mortal enemies. When the Xiao Clan fell, their schemes were certainly behind it... As for the Medicine Clan, it's because of you, Brother Xiao Yan."

He smiled and added, "To be honest, I didn't expect that Senior Yao Chen was from the Yao Clan. It was only before I came out that the elders of the clan specifically mentioned it to me."

"If I'm not mistaken, the one the Medicine Clan sent to the Heavenly Tomb this time should be Yao Xingji, known as the 'Human Medicine Prodigy' within the clan." Huo Xuan's words carried a hint of reminder.
"The people of the Medicine Clan have always looked down on alchemists outside the clan. In addition, you are a descendant of the fallen Xiao Clan, and now you are rumored to be the strongest among the younger generation of alchemists in the Central Continent. Given Yao Xingji's arrogant nature, if you meet, he will definitely find a way to embarrass you."

“Human Medicine Master, Medicine Star Extreme…” Xiao Yan murmured the two titles, then shook his head with a hint of disdain in his eyes. “Just hearing these names gives off an annoying arrogance. These guys probably rely on the name of the Medicine Clan to look down on everyone.”

"Though the name is strange, his strength should not be underestimated." Huo Xuan's tone became more serious as he reminded them again, "It is said that Yao Xingji is already an eighth-grade mid-level alchemist, and his cultivation is no weaker than a high-level Dou Zun. If you really encounter him, you should be extra careful." (End of this chapter)