Battle Through the Heavens: Reap the Red Lotus Karmic Flame at the Start

Hearing Gu Qingyang's explanation, Xiao Yan's heart was filled with complex emotions. From the information his elder brother had given him, it seemed that the Gu Clan hadn't initially treated the Xiao family members particularly harshly. However, everything changed after news of his demise arrived. The Gu Clan's cold-bloodedness was evident. Those with talent and strength were showered with attention, while those without were deemed unworthy of existence.

"You might be wondering why, even though my bloodline concentration is lower than Xun'er's, her strength is still inferior to mine."

"The reason is because of you!" Gu Qingyang suddenly looked at Xiao Yan and said with burning eyes, his gaze even containing undisguised reproach.

"Because of me?"

Xiao Yan frowned at this moment, because he also had some vague guesses in his heart, and an unwanted feeling suddenly appeared in his heart.

"That's right! It's because of you!" Gu Qingyang's usually calm tone became somewhat excited.

Gu Qingyang took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turbulent emotions in his heart, but he couldn't do it no matter what he did.

"The news of your fall in the Pill Tower had a huge impact, and Xun'er found out about it not long after. This was a huge blow to her; the usually calm and independent Xun'er seemed to have lost her entire soul at that time..."

"What did Xun'er do?" Although Xiao Yan could guess some of it, his heartstrings were still plucked hard.

"What did she do?" Gu Qingyang repeated, "She rushed to the ancestral hall immediately and, as the eldest daughter of the Gu clan, forcibly demanded the mobilization of at least five Dou Sheng-level elders! What is she going to do? Xiao Yan, can't you guess?"

Xiao Yan could certainly guess that Xun'er was going to use a power powerful enough to shake the Spirit Clan to avenge him! Xiao Yan could easily imagine that at that time, Xun'er's eyes, which were always full of gentle smiles, must have been filled with absolute hatred and pain.

"Even if Xun'er had the clan leader's permission, she would never have agreed to such a request. A Dou Sheng expert is of great importance even among ancient clans, let alone someone who had already perished and was just a member of the Xiao clan. So naturally, the elders resolutely opposed it from the very beginning."

As Gu Qingyang spoke, a hint of envy flashed in his eyes as he looked at Xiao Yan.

"Xun'er's personality is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. Once she sets her mind on something, especially if it involves you, she will never give up. After being resolutely rejected by the elders, she didn't cry or make a scene like an ordinary woman. Instead, she completely shut herself off. She chose to go into seclusion. She needs to increase her strength as quickly as possible. Only when she reaches the Dou Sheng realm will she have a chance to avenge you."

"But she was too anxious. After your fall, her mind was completely disrupted, and she couldn't maintain the composure needed to break through to the Dou Sheng realm. In the end, she went astray, and the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame backfired, severely damaging her soul. She was in a coma for two whole years, and it was only after the clan spared no effort to nurture her that Xun'er recovered!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind, and a chilling cold instantly spread from his feet throughout his body, almost suffocating him. There was no need for Gu Qingyang to elaborate; Xiao Yan himself knew just how terrifying the situation had been.

"If she hadn't suffered such severe injuries, she would have already been a Dou Sheng when she entered the Heavenly Tomb," Gu Qingyang said to Xiao Yan.

"Two years..." Xiao Yan murmured, repeating the number over and over, his heart aching.

Two years!

After his death, his beloved Xun'er spent over seven hundred days and nights in a coma, completely unaware of what was happening. He himself was utterly oblivious, and a surge of intense self-reproach nearly made Xiao Yan stagger. It turned out that she didn't not want to appear; she simply couldn't.

Xiao Yan is grieving the loss of his second brother, while Xun'er is grieving the loss of herself.

"Several Dou Sheng elders spared no effort, expending their own Dou Qi to protect her day and night, forcibly stabilizing her heart meridian; otherwise, Xun'er would have at least lost her Dou Qi as a result..."

Gu Qingyang sighed deeply. He had witnessed everything firsthand, including Xun'er's willingness to do anything for Xiao Yan.

"Even after she finally woke up two years later, she had not truly recovered. Her body was much weaker than before, and she could not use her battle qi at will, nor could she withstand any huge emotional fluctuations. For the next year, she spent almost all of it in the deepest part of the clan's forbidden area, where several elders took turns caring for her, allowing her to recuperate quietly and isolate herself from all the disturbances of the outside world."

Gu Qingyang looked directly at Xiao Yan again: "So, Xiao Yan, do you understand now? Xun'er didn't not choose you; it's just that she was completely unaware of your outburst outside."

"It was because Xun'er's injuries were too severe this time that the clan ultimately chose to make the Xiao family disappear by accident. Xun'er couldn't bear any more shocks. I was aware of this and agreed to it."

Xiao Yan had no doubts about what Gu Qingyang said, not because Xiao Yan trusted Gu Qingyang so much, but because this explanation could explain why Xun'er had not shown up when the Xiao family was facing a life-or-death crisis.

Xun'er was seriously injured because of her news, so she naturally couldn't take care of the Xiao family. Because of her actions, many people in the ancient clan were already dissatisfied with her. After her death, there would naturally be beings like the ancient demons who wanted to clean up the Xiao family. Everything made sense!

From the very beginning of the Heavenly Tomb incident, when Xun'er stood firmly on Xiao Yan's side, Xiao Yan basically knew that it was the Ancient Clan, not Xun'er, who was targeting him.

She chose the most direct way to express her support. The only barrier between Xiao Yan and Xun'er completely disappeared at this moment, and was replaced by a deeper heartache and love for Xun'er.

"Thank you for letting me know, but why are you telling me this?"

Xiao Yan hadn't forgotten that Gu Qingyang was the true leader of the Gu Clan's prodigies, and that at a time when everyone in the Gu Clan wanted to take his life, Gu Qingyang didn't take advantage of Xiao Yan while he was healing Huo Zhi, nor did he threaten to kill him. He even acknowledged that Xiao Yan agreed to attack the Xiao Clan. This attitude was truly intriguing.

After explaining everything, Gu Qingyang calmed down: "Because I want you to understand that Xun'er has never wronged you in this matter, and the pain she has endured is far greater than you can imagine. Her feelings for you have always been consistent. I hope you can truly understand her predicament and, from now on... treat her well."

Gu Qingyang's words were extremely sincere, just like the entrustment of Xun'er's real brother.

At this point, a hint of melancholy appeared in Gu Qingyang's eyes: "Xiao Yan, you are truly lucky. Xun'er was raised in the Xiao family since she was a child, and you hold an extremely important place in her heart. You are the lover she truly chose. This has nothing to do with your strength or your background; it's simply because you are Xiao Yan. I sincerely hope that you will not let her suffer any injustice because of the Gu Clan's actions."