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

The old man from Baoshan slowly swept his gaze across the silent hall. Seeing that no one else would raise the price, he stroked his white beard and laughed loudly.
"Since none of you intend to raise the price any further, then this fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame Diagram shall belong to the gentleman who offered two Nine-Colored Pill Lightnings to refine an eighth-grade pill!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan's sleeves fluttered slightly, and a lustrous jade bottle shot out from the air, flying precisely towards the auction stage.

The old man from Baoshan reached out and caught it, his fingertips swirling with pale golden battle qi. With just a glance, he discerned the quality of the pill and immediately nodded in satisfaction.

He immediately flicked his finger, and the yellowed, tattered picture in his palm transformed into a stream of light, carrying a faint sense of antiquity, and flew straight toward the corner where Xiao Yan was.

The latter raised his hand and steadily grasped the incomplete drawing in his palm. As his fingertips touched the rough paper, his tense mind finally relaxed.

Just as Xiao Yan's fingertips touched the rough pages of the incomplete map, pondering where to begin deciphering the clues to the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, a series of fine spatial ripples suddenly appeared in the air around him.

The fluctuation came without warning, yet it carried an irresistible and overwhelming pressure. Xiao Yan's heart sank, and he realized something was wrong. Just as he was about to activate his Dou Qi to investigate his surroundings, a vast spatial force swept over him like a tidal wave, completely enveloping him.

The scene before my eyes was dizzying; in an instant, the previously magnificent and bustling auction hall was replaced by a vast and desolate void.

Xiao Yan's pupils suddenly contracted, and almost subconsciously he gripped the Demon Flame Remnant Map tightly in his palm and quickly put it into his storage ring.

His battle aura surged instantly, and his eyes, sharp as knives, beneath his black robes swept warily across the empty void. He then shouted in a deep voice,
"May I ask which gentleman made the move? If I have offended you in any way, please speak frankly; there is always room for discussion!"

Before the words were finished, the hand hidden behind his back quietly produced a token engraved with intricate patterns. His fingertips gripped the edge of the token tightly, ready to crush it and call for help at the slightest disturbance in the void.

The fact that he could perform such a seemingly effortless spatial teleportation technique left Xiao Yan's heart in awe. Only a Dou Sheng level expert could control the power of space to such an extent.

Thinking back to the fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame map he had just acquired, Xiao Yan's heart sank to the bottom. Someone must have their eyes on this fragment, which was why they made a move against him right under the nose of the trade fair.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Only a Dou Sheng level being could have such heaven-reaching and earth-shattering methods, and such lawless audacity to dare to kidnap people in this space trade fair that gathers top experts from all sides.

Although he was certain that he was being targeted by a Dou Sheng expert, Xiao Yan did not show much panic.

He wasn't without a Dou Sheng expert as a backer, and moreover, he had received some financial assistance from Yao Lao and his cousin during his years of adventures in Zhongzhou. He had already accumulated many trump cards to protect himself. Even if these methods were not enough to contend with a Dou Sheng, it wouldn't be difficult if he only sought to delay for a moment and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

"Hehe, Xiao Yanzi, your vigilance has become more and more steady with experience, and you haven't panicked at all."

Just then, a clear, melodious laugh drifted from the void, carrying a hint of casual teasing, yet concealing an unparalleled warmth.

The familiar voice whispered in his ear, and Xiao Yan's heart jolted, his taut fighting spirit unconsciously pausing slightly.

Before he could discern the source, the vast void before him rippled like water, and a tall, slender figure in a black robe slowly stepped out. As his robes fluttered, there were faint spatial fluctuations around him, and a signature amiable smile played on his lips. It was Xiao Ling.

The moment Xiao Yan saw who it was, his tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and he exhaled a long breath that had been holding in his chest, along with most of the solid Dou Qi around him dissipated.

He raised his hand to rub his temples, glaring at Xiao Ling with annoyance, his tone full of reproach: "Cousin, why did you do something like that? You scared me half to death. That spatial teleportation just now made me think that I was being coveted by the old monster Dou Sheng. I almost crushed the spatial token that Yao Lao gave me and asked him to come to my rescue."

As he spoke, he shook his head helplessly, his eyes flickering as if he had figured things out, and then he smiled and said, "But thinking about it carefully, it's not surprising. With your obsession with strange fire over the years, who in the Central Continent doesn't know about it? How could you miss the news that the fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Fire map suddenly appeared at this Space Trade Fair?"

Seeing Xiao Yan's still shaken appearance, Xiao Ling's smile deepened. He patted the latter's shoulder and said in a light tone, "Hehe, I was just testing your reaction. Your response was quite composed. You've improved a lot over the years."

He had barely finished speaking when his tone abruptly changed, a hint of amusement creeping into his smile.
"You're right. I certainly wouldn't miss any news about the Pure Lotus Demon Flame. Originally, I planned to let you guys bid for it for a while, and then make my move to acquire this fragment when the time was right. But I didn't expect it to end up in your hands, kid. So I thought I'd just take it from you directly, to avoid bidding against you and letting the original owner of the fragment and the organizers of this trade fair benefit for nothing. Don't you think that makes sense, Little Flame?"

Seeing Xiao Ling's words, Xiao Yan immediately understood. He then raised his hand and touched his storage ring, and the yellowed fragment of the demonic fire map floated lightly into his palm. He handed the fragment to Xiao Ling, grinning.
“Since my cousin wants to use this incomplete map, I will naturally give it to him. Actually, I had been thinking that if I could figure out how to use this incomplete map, I would send it to you. Now I’ve saved you the trouble of going through all that trouble.”

"Haha, then I won't stand on ceremony with you, kid." Xiao Ling laughed, took the incomplete map and put it into his storage ring, then changed the subject and said, "Don't worry, I'm not taking your things for nothing."

Before he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and a lustrous white jade bottle shot out of the air, flying straight toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan reached out and caught it steadily. Xiao Ling's voice came calmly: "This is a ninth-grade healing pill that I casually made when I was practicing. The grade is decent. Keep it on you. It can save your life in a critical moment."

This was no exaggeration. Xiao Ling had been refining pills for many years and had a large stock of such grade nine healing pills. Giving one to Xiao Yan as a trump card was just a drop in the ocean for him, and it could be considered as a reward for Xiao Yan assisting Yao Chen.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony with you, cousin." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, put the pill bottle into his storage ring without even looking at it, and smiled. "I just hope that this healing pill will never have a chance to be used."

Deep down, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This deal was incredibly profitable. Two Rank 8 pills refined by Nine-Colored Thunder had been exchanged for a genuine Rank 9 healing pill. No matter how you looked at it, it was a win-win situation.

Moreover, Xiao Yan knew perfectly well that with Xiao Ling's wealth, if they were to actually bid for it, the Demon Flame Remnant Map would never fall into his hands.

The other party simply didn't want the trade fair and the original owner of the incomplete map to profit from the price difference, so they deliberately left an opportunity for him to bid first. In this way, Xiao Ling got the incomplete map, and he got the ninth-grade pill—a win-win situation.

Xiao Yan naturally had no reservations about such a shrewd calculation; on the contrary, he felt that his cousin was as clever as ever.

"Alright, let's leave the matter of the incomplete Pure Lotus Demon Flame Diagram here for now."

Xiao Ling changed the subject, his gaze fixed on the depths of the void, seemingly piercing through layers of barriers and landing in the distant, desolate ancient domain.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with curiosity, and he waited for what was to come. Xiao Ling spoke slowly, his tone somewhat solemn: "There is something you need to remember. When you return to the Pill Tower, be sure to pass this news on to Elder Yao so that he can make preparations as soon as possible. The Bodhi Ancient Tree will reappear in the world soon, and the place of its reappearance will be in the Desolate Ancient Domain."

He paused, then added, "Tell Elder Yao that if the Pill Tower and the Starfall Pavilion are interested in participating, they can send some capable people to the Desolate Ancient Domain. However, this trip is destined to be fraught with danger, so they must make thorough preparations in advance."

At this point, Xiao Ling looked at Xiao Yan, a calm smile playing on his lips.

"But you don't need to worry too much. I will go there myself. As long as I can take care of them, I will protect our own people."

"Ancient Bodhi Tree?!"

Xiao Ling's words were like a thunderclap in Xiao Yan's ears, causing his pupils to shrink instantly and his heart to surge with turbulent waves.

How could he not know the origin of this ancient Bodhi tree?
If the rare and precious materials of the Dou Qi Continent were ranked, this Bodhi Ancient Tree would definitely be among the top three, and could even be considered an unparalleled opportunity that countless cultivators dream of!

In ancient texts, it is also known as the "Tree of Wisdom and Reincarnation," with a growth cycle that defies the heavens, taking a thousand years to complete one cycle and requiring hundreds of cycles to truly mature.

The long passage of time is enough to erode everything in the world, but the Bodhi tree seems to transcend the laws of time, making it one of the oldest species on the continent.

What's even more astonishing is that this ancient tree only appears once every thousand years, and each appearance causes a huge uproar on the Dou Qi Continent.

A glance through history reveals that throughout the ages, even top-tier experts at the Battle Saint level have perished in the struggle for the opportunities contained within the Bodhi Tree, demonstrating its immense allure.

What's even more peculiar is that this is the only Bodhi tree in the world. It possesses its own sentience, and after each appearance in the world, it hides deep within the earth's core, making it impossible for any powerful being to find its trace. It will only return to the world once again after the next millennium.

"To become a saint on the spot..." Xiao Yan murmured unconsciously, his eyes filled with burning light.

This is by no means an exaggeration! The core treasure of the Bodhi tree is the Bodhi Heart, which contains endless wisdom and primordial power.

Anyone who can attain this state of mind will transform into Bodhi, becoming clear and lucid. At that time, breaking through the shackles and advancing to the realm of Dou Sheng will be a matter of mere gestures.

Seeing the barely concealed excitement in Xiao Yan's eyes, and even his breathing becoming somewhat rapid, Xiao Ling couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

How could he not guess what this kid was thinking? Back then, every cultivator with a little knowledge on the Dou Qi Continent had heard that a cultivator who was only a two-star Dou Zun had luckily obtained the Bodhi Heart and broke through to the Dou Sheng realm in just five years. Such a heaven-defying opportunity was enough to drive anyone crazy.

Xiao Yan's current cultivation level far surpasses that of the Dou Zun of yesteryear, and his foundation is several times more profound. If he can truly achieve his wish, the probability of breaking through to Dou Sheng is probably eight or nine out of ten.

However, Xiao Ling knew in his heart that Xiao Yan's hopes would ultimately be dashed.

Xiao Ling wasn't jealous of others seizing the opportunity of the Bodhi Tree; it was simply that the Bodhi Heart had other great uses for him.

He himself had already broken through to the Dou Sheng realm, and the Bodhi Heart was of little use to him. However, Xiao Xun'er and the others were still trapped in the shackles below the Dou Sheng realm, unable to take that crucial step. Naturally, he had to make plans for the people around him.

On this journey to the Desolate Ancient Domain, I'm sure I'll run into Xun'er. With Xun'er's talent, breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm is only a matter of time. But if I can use this opportunity of the Bodhi Heart to help her advance to that supreme realm sooner, Xiao Ling would be happy to see it happen and would willingly clear all obstacles in her path.

Moreover, Xun'er's divine bloodline can only be fully realized after she breaks through to the Dou Sheng realm. Xiao Ling naturally hopes to help her overcome this obstacle as soon as possible. At that time, his relationship with Xun'er can naturally progress to the next level.

Some strange thoughts had just surfaced in his mind when Xiao Ling quickly extinguished them. He only wanted to help Xun'er break through to the Dou Sheng realm as soon as possible, and he had no other messy thoughts.

On the other side, Xiao Yan quickly recovered from his initial excitement and looked at Xiao Ling, his tone full of urgent confirmation: "Cousin, is what you said true?"

"When have I ever lied?" Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow and chuckled, then composed himself. "Alright, I've said everything I needed to say. I'm heading to the Desolate Ancient Domain to join in the fun soon, so I won't linger here any longer."

In Xiao Ling's view, Xiao Yan was destined to miss out on the greatest opportunity presented by the Bodhi Tree, but the mental trial inherent in the Bodhi Tree was still a rare opportunity for him. As long as he could pass the trial and temper his mind, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to his future attempts to reach higher realms.

Having made up his mind, Xiao Ling nodded slightly to Xiao Yan as a farewell. Before he finished speaking, his figure swayed slightly, transforming into a faint black shadow, and silently disappeared into the vast void.

As Xiao Ling left, the void that had been forcibly created began to slowly twist and dissipate, revealing an endless expanse of yellow sand and Gobi Desert.

Xiao Yan pulled his wandering thoughts back, turned around and sped towards the Pill Tower, preparing to inform Yao Lao of the Bodhi Tree's reappearance as soon as possible.

Even as I sped along, thoughts of the ancient Bodhi tree kept echoing in my mind.

He knew very well that Xiao Ling had already broken through to the Dou Sheng realm, and the Bodhi Heart was no longer useful to him. Therefore, he might not be without any chance.

Even though the chance was so slim it was almost nonexistent, a stubborn glint still ignited in Xiao Yan's eyes. He believed that one had to try things to know for sure, and he would never easily give up such a heaven-defying opportunity.

"I just hope that none of my sisters-in-law have their eyes on this Bodhi Heart charm, otherwise if my cousin really has to make a move, I'll have absolutely no chance."

Xiao Yan muttered these thoughts to himself, but his sliver of hope was ultimately destined to be dashed. (End of Chapter)