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

In the arena, even though the honor of being adorned with the purple-gold clan mark came unexpectedly, Gu Zhen's face remained completely expressionless, showing neither ecstasy nor self-satisfaction.

He bowed to the three elders with steady and composed movements. As he rose, his robes fluttered slightly, and with only a gentle flow of fighting spirit, he landed steadily back in his seat amidst the envious gazes of the crowd.

The moment he sat down, his gaze swept subtly in the direction of Xiao Ling and the others, with a hint of probing.

Xiao Ling caught that gaze, but made no extra movements. He simply nodded slightly to Gu Zhen across the crowd as a response.

He then turned his gaze back to the ceremony in the center of the square, paying no further attention to that area.

In a short while, the onlookers suddenly felt the air around them freeze. The world, which had been somewhat warm, was suddenly filled with a chilling cold, and even breathing felt like being touched by the cold.

This sudden turn of events stirred something within Xiao Ling. His gaze unconsciously swept across the entire scene, finally settling on the cold, impersonal figure in front of him—the Asura Commander, one of the four great commanders of the ancient clans.

At this moment, he had silently risen under the astonished gazes of the crowd. He did not reveal a trace of his fighting spirit, but he carried a chilling aura that made people feel suffocated. He walked steadily towards the center of the ceremony venue, and with each step he took, the chill around him seemed to intensify.

The surrounding noise seemed to freeze abruptly, and even the chill in the air carried a sense of oppression. Xiao Yan's fingers, hanging by his sides, curled slightly, his eyes narrowed slowly, and a hint of inquiry flashed in his eyes.

The moment this Asura Commander made a move, he exuded such an aura. I'd like to see just how much true ability this one of the four commanders of the ancient clan truly possesses.

However, unlike the curious glances cast by most of the people present, Xiao Ling and Xun'er continued to chat quietly to the side, their expressions so calm that they seemed not to care about the commotion in the square.

Even when their gazes occasionally swept across the arena, they were merely fleeting glances, devoid of any inquisitiveness. Clearly, they were not particularly interested in the actions of this Asura Commander.

Gu Yao, who had been secretly watching Xiao Ling's movements, naturally took in the two's nonchalant demeanor. It was clearly his turn to make his appearance, yet they didn't even bother to give him a second glance. This inexplicably ignited a fire in his heart, and his hands, hanging by his sides, unconsciously clenched slowly, his knuckles turning slightly white.

But he quickly suppressed his surging emotions, frowned slightly, and took a deep breath. The ceremony was the most important thing right now, how could he let this petty squabble disrupt it?
He had to follow the procedures step by step to fully reveal his bloodline talent to everyone.

Only by letting the elders and younger members of the clan see his strength can he gain more attention, have a greater voice in the clan in the future, and truly stand in a high enough position.

This thought swirled in his mind, and the restlessness in his eyes gradually faded, leaving only a calm and focused expression.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire audience, Gu Yao's face was as cold and stern as he slowly stepped into the center of the ceremony venue, his steps light yet carrying an unmistakable sharpness.

He bowed slightly to the three elders, but his back remained straight. Unlike Lingquan and Guzhen, he did not kneel on one knee. He was like a drawn spear, with a sharp aura flowing around him. Even the surrounding air seemed to be slightly stagnant because of this aura.

Despite his somewhat outrageous behavior, the three elders showed no displeasure whatsoever.

Although the ancient demons were of a lower generation than them, they were renowned among the younger generation of the ancient clans. Coupled with their strength, which far surpassed that of their peers, it was only natural that they did not kneel in worship.

The three exchanged a glance, and the leader waved his sleeve lightly. The star chart, about ten feet in size, wrapped in specks of fluorescent light, floated down in front of the ancient demon and hovered in mid-air.

"It's your turn, Ancient Demon." The elder's voice was steady, carrying the solemnity befitting a ceremony.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yao remained calm and composed, merely nodding slightly. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, filled with curiosity and anticipation, he slowly raised his right hand, his fingertips glowing with a faint golden aura of battle qi, and gently placed it upon the star chart.

When the palm touched the horoscope, there was a brief silence in the room, and even the sound of breathing seemed to be drawn out.

A moment later, the star chart trembled violently, and a dazzling light suddenly burst forth from its surface. Immediately afterwards, one after another, shimmering white star shadows appeared in the halo and slowly rotated.

"One, two, three... there are eight in total!"

As the eight stars slowly lit up on the astrolabe, the room erupted in a cacophony of exclamations.

Even the elders sitting on the high platform couldn't help but nod in amazement, their eyes filled with undisguised praise. Clearly, the results of Gu Yao's test far exceeded their expectations.

"An eighth-grade bloodline! As expected of one of the four great commanders, his talent is unmatched even among the younger generation of ancient clans!"

"I remember when Miss first took the test, she only had an eight-star bloodline, right? I never expected that the Ancient Demon Commander could catch up to this level..."

"You can't say that. That was so many years ago. Now, Miss's bloodline power is probably at an even higher level."

The ancient tribesmen in the square whispered amongst themselves, their murmurs spreading like a gentle tide, each voice revealing their shock and heated discussion.

"Tsk tsk, this little guy has actually reached the eighth-grade bloodline. Such a prodigy is truly extraordinary."

Mang Tianchi gazed at the tall and imposing ancient demon in the arena, stroking his beard and sighing softly, his tone full of admiration.

It's fortunate that Lei Dong is able to take on a major role among the younger generation of the Lei Clan; otherwise, in terms of the quality of talent among the younger generation alone, the Lei Clan would be far inferior to the Ancient Clan.

Xiao Yan maintained a calm expression, but his fingertips unconsciously tightened slightly. A few ripples had stirred in his heart. Compared to Gu Yao, those who were previously called "young geniuses of the ancient clans," such as Ling Quan and Lin Xiu, seemed to be more than one level below him.

Such strength and talent truly deserve the title of "Commander of Asura," and it is by no means an empty name.

But is this ancient demon already the most monstrous talent among the younger generation of the ancient clan?
He couldn't help but glance at Xun'er beside him, who had a calm expression. A new doubt arose in his heart. If even this ancient demon could have such attainments, then how high must the talent of his cousin Xun'er, who was repeatedly praised by the people of the clan, be?

The three elders in the room stared at the eight stars on the astrolabe, a rare moment of distraction on their faces. After a while, they came to their senses, and smiles finally appeared on their previously serious faces, their eyes revealing undisguised approval.

"Ancient Demon, one of the four commanders of the Black Annihilation Army, with a cultivation level of nine-star Dou Zun and a bloodline level of eight! According to clan rules, he was granted the Purple-Gold Clan Mark!"

As the loud shout fell, the purple-gold dragon pen in the hand of an elder on the left suddenly burst forth with a dazzling light. Dense battle qi gathered at the tip of the pen like a tide. With a swift movement of his arm, a profound and complex rune instantly took shape and landed steadily on the forehead of the ancient demon.

"call……"

Drawing this purple-gold clan pattern was obviously extremely taxing on his fighting spirit. By the time the last stroke was completed, fine beads of sweat had appeared on the elder's forehead. He exhaled a long breath, lifted his wrist slightly to finish the stroke, and the light at the tip of the brush slowly dimmed.

As the elder moved his hand away, the purple-gold clan mark on the ancient demon's forehead became clearer and clearer. The pattern was lifelike, and the color was several times deeper than the purple-gold clan mark of the ancient demon, exuding a more powerful aura.

This clan mark was earned by the ancient demon entirely through his own talent and strength, and is incomparable to the ancient demon who had to be granted an exception by the elders' council to barely obtain it.

"The clan mark is complete, Ancient Demon, go down, next..." After completing the mark conferment, the elder showed a relaxed smile and waved for him to leave.

"and many more."

However, before the elder could finish speaking, Gu Yao, whose expression remained indifferent, suddenly spoke. His voice was not loud, but it clearly resounded throughout the entire venue.

"Hmm?" The three elders were all taken aback, their previous gentleness fading slightly, their brows furrowing slightly. The leader said in a deep voice, "What else do you want?"

Gu Yao met the gazes of the three elders without changing his expression. Under the astonished stares of the crowd, he asked calmly, "According to the rules of the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony, do I have the right to challenge anyone present during this period?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Xiao Ling, who was seated, raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, casually rubbing his cuff with his fingertips, and a faint smile flashed in his eyes.

He looked up at the straight figure in the arena and understood. It seemed that this trip to the ancient clan was time to stretch his muscles a bit and spar with this Asura commander.

As soon as Gu Yao finished speaking, a low commotion broke out in the square. Many people's expressions changed. Some were surprised, some were curious, and some even had a look of anticipation in their eyes.

Especially Lingquan, Linxiu, and other members of the ancient clan who had just completed the ceremony, almost subconsciously turned their heads, their gazes seemingly drawn by invisible threads, all locking onto the direction where Xiao Ling was, their expressions full of knowing "as expected".

Upon hearing this, the three elders exchanged glances, their brows furrowing slightly as they pondered for a moment, clearly not expecting the ancient demon to raise the challenge at this time.

After a moment, the leading elder slowly nodded, his voice becoming more solemn.

"According to the old custom of the ancient tribe's coming-of-age ceremony, you may challenge any member of your own tribe present without prior notice. However, if you are challenging someone from another tribe, you must obtain their personal consent before you can take action."

Gu Yao nodded slowly, the chill emanating from him intensifying with each turn. His black and white hair fluttered in the breeze, strikingly eye-catching, while his icy gaze had already pierced through the crowd, firmly fixed on the tall, slender figure not far away.

When he spoke, his voice remained calm, yet it carried an undeniable sharpness.

"Master Xiao Ling's reputation for being the best in alchemy among his generation is something I've heard of even within my clan. I've also heard that his cultivation is far beyond his peers, and he's definitely not a weak scholar who only knows alchemy. It's a real pity that I only had a brief meeting with you last time and couldn't properly learn from you."

He paused, the chill in his eyes intensifying, but his tone became more provocative.
"Today is my coming-of-age ceremony, and according to the rules, I have the right to invite others to spar. Master Xiao Ling, your title of 'Number One Prodigy of Central Plains' is well-known, but no matter how much others praise you, it's not as good as trying it yourself. Do you dare to come down and fight me? Firstly, let me see if you really have the strength to match this title, and secondly, let's see who will be the better fighter."

Swish!
As soon as Gu Yao finished speaking, everyone's gaze seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, instantly locking onto that slender yet upright figure.

Many people in the crowd had a look of great interest in their eyes. On one side were the top experts of the younger generation of the ancient clan, and on the other side were the geniuses who were famous throughout the Central Plains. This sudden challenge was much more interesting than a monotonous ceremony. The desire to watch the excitement could not be hidden.

On a high platform in the square, several figures leaned against the railing, their posture languid yet exuding an air of arrogance.

One of the men, with a gourd-shaped pattern on his forehead, glanced at Xiao Ling's figure in the distance, a disdainful smile playing on his lips.

"What do you mean by having the best alchemy skills of his generation? This ancient demon doesn't even take our Medicine Clan seriously! If he hadn't jumped in and stirred things up, I would have liked to meet Xiao Ling first and let him know that the so-called champion of the Pill Refining Competition is nothing but child's play. In front of our Medicine Clan, he doesn't even have the right to be on the stage. What's there to brag about?"

"What's the rush?" A flamboyantly dressed, curvaceous woman beside him curled her lip; she also had the distinctive markings of the Medicine Clan between her brows. Her tone was somewhat nonchalant.

“I don’t think Xiao Ling is a simple character. The ancient demon might not come out on top, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities later. Besides, when it comes to alchemy, how much real skill do these so-called ‘geniuses’ outside really possess? It’s not worth getting angry with them…”

……

"Hmph, that Gu Yao dares to steal my target..." In another corner, a figure shrouded in a black robe raised his head slightly, revealing a pale, almost transparent young face. It was none other than Soul Cliff of the Soul Palace, who had previously interacted with Xiao Ling.

He ran his fingertips lightly through his sleeve, his tone tinged with coldness, "I hope this member of the Xiao clan can hold out a little longer, otherwise this whole thing will be too boring if he loses his life."

……

"Sure enough, Xiao Ling hooked up with that ancient clan's young lady, and someone still couldn't resist making a move against him." In the special viewing area, Huo Xuan looked at the figures confronting each other in the arena ahead and sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of understanding.

"Moreover, it was an ancient demon who made the move... It seems that Xiao Ling is going to encounter some trouble this time." The woman in red with a light veil covering her face also spoke softly, her voice containing a hint of turmoil.

The flippant man standing nearby nodded slowly, a hint of interest in his eyes: "This ancient demon is indeed extraordinary, but we can't see through Xiao Ling either. To win the heart of the ancient clan's young lady, this person couldn't possibly rely solely on alchemy; his strength must be considerable. To be honest, I'm quite looking forward to seeing what a battle between these two will be like." (End of Chapter)