Battle Through the Heavens: I can solidify the talents of all things

At this moment, Xiao Yan's gaze began to fall on the little girl who was sitting quietly next to Gu Yuan.

The little girl looked to be about three or four years old, wearing a light purple dress, and her features were as exquisite as jade carvings.

Those clear, bright eyes held a calmness and a touch of indifference beyond her years; she simply sat there quietly, as if everything around her was irrelevant.

"Wow, this little girl is quite adorable, like a porcelain doll."

With the aesthetic perspective of an adult, Xiao Yan began to evaluate Gu Xun'er.

"However, she seems a bit cold and unapproachable. This little girl's name must be 'Xun'er'? What a beautiful name! Is she this powerful figure's daughter? What's the purpose of sending her to our Xiao family? Boarding her? Letting her roam freely? Or is there some other special purpose?"

While making endless guesses, he continued to maintain the bewildered expression of a four-year-old child, even tilting his head deliberately to appear more "innocent".

He thought, "The Xiao family seems to be a deeper place than I imagined. This suddenly appearing 'benefactor,' accompanied by an excessively cute little girl, feels like things aren't as simple as they appear!"

Xiao Yan turned his gaze to the little girl named Xun'er again, and met her clear but emotionless eyes as she occasionally looked up.

Xiao Yan immediately flashed what he considered to be the most harmless and innocent smile.

If Xiao Qing were here, he would probably think that Xiao Yan would suddenly say: I've seen this sister before!

That's not an exaggeration!

Just then, Xiao Zhan appeared at the entrance of the council hall.

He walked in with steady steps, his gaze immediately falling on the middle-aged man with an extraordinary demeanor.

Upon seeing this, the First Elder quickly stood up, his face beaming with smiles, and introduced the two: "Clan Chief, you've finally arrived! This is Senior Xiao Yuan, whom the late Clan Chief often mentioned, the one who has shown great kindness to our Xiao family!"

The First Elder then turned to Gu Yuan and respectfully said, "Senior Xiao, this is Xiao Zhan, the current patriarch of our Xiao family."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhan suddenly realized something.

It turned out to be the benefactor whom my father greatly respected during his lifetime!

Xiao Zhan dared not be negligent and immediately stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Gu Yuan. He said sincerely, "Junior Xiao Zhan greets Senior Xiao! I have often heard my late father mention your kindness. It is truly my honor to meet you today!"

Although Xiao Zhan had secretly advanced to the Dou Ling level, he was filled with awe in the face of this person who had helped his father break through to the Dou Wang level and who seemed to be a generation older than his father. He secretly guessed that the other party was at least a Dou Huang level expert, so he adopted a very humble attitude.

Gu Yuan nodded slightly in return, then looked calmly at Xiao Zhan and stated his purpose directly: "Clan Chief Xiao Zhan, there's no need for such formalities! I have indeed come here to ask you for a favor."

"I want my daughter Xun'er to stay at the Xiao family's house for a while, and I will bring her back to her family in the future."

Gu Yuan looked at Gu Xun'er, who was sitting quietly beside him. His tone was calm, but it carried an unquestionable meaning.

Although Xiao Zhan was somewhat surprised, he showed no sign of it on his face and immediately solemnly promised, "It is an honor for our Xiao family that Miss Xiao can stay with us for so long! Senior, rest assured, the entire Xiao family will take good care of you and will never let Miss Xiao suffer the slightest grievance!"

Gu Yuan shook his head, sighed softly, and said in a calm but meaningful tone, "No special care is needed. Just treat them like any other member of the clan."

"Letting her experience ordinary life is the best thing to do."

The two clan leaders, one the patriarch of an ancient imperial clan standing at the pinnacle of the continent, and the other the patriarch of a fallen ancient imperial clan, the Xiao family, once again completed a meaningful and mysterious intersection that spanned a thousand years in this brief conversation!

-

At this moment, Xiao Qing also arrived at the entrance of the council hall.

He didn't rush in, but stood at the doorway, looking at the scene inside the hall.

At this moment, everyone in the hall naturally noticed that a young man had appeared outside the door.

"Is it Qing'er?" Xiao Zhan's heart stirred slightly, and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.

Gu Yuan's gaze had already been subtly sweeping over the ancient black ring on Xiao Qing's finger the moment Xiao Qing appeared—the Bone Flame Ring!

This gaze, seemingly casual, appears to see through all illusions; everything else seems pale and powerless in its eyes.

Xiao Qing keenly caught Gu Yuan's fleeting yet probing gaze, and his heart skipped a beat, his pupils contracting!

"Oh no! It's that old man Gu Yuan?!"

Only now did Xiao Qing realize that the middle-aged man in hemp clothing was Gu Yuan!

At this time, a middle-aged man with an unfathomable aura, dressed in simple linen clothes, came to visit the Xiao family with a three- or four-year-old girl.

Who else could it be but Gu Yuan, the patriarch of that ancient clan?!

Seeing Xiao Qing's expression instantly tighten, Gu Yuan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and he whispered in a voice that only those nearby could hear, "What an interesting young man."

Gu Xun'er, standing beside Gu Yuan, was shocked to hear her father, who stood at the pinnacle of the continent, actually praise a strange young man as "interesting"!

She couldn't help but slightly raise her eyes, and for the first time, her clear and bright eyes truly focused on Xiao Qing, with a hint of curiosity, and she made a mental note of this boy whom her father had described as "interesting".

At this moment, among all the members of the Xiao family, perhaps only Xiao Qing could elicit this slightly probing glance from her.

"In that case, I will entrust my daughter to Clan Chief Xiao Zhan. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now," Gu Yuan said to Xiao Zhan without looking any further.

"Rest assured, senior! Xiao Zhan will certainly live up to your expectations!" Xiao Zhan clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gu Yuan and solemnly promised.

Hearing this, Gu Yuan nodded, then looked at his daughter, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He gently stroked Xun'er's hair and said softly, "Xun'er, for now, stay at the Xiao family home. Father will take you back one day!"

Gu Xun'er raised her head and looked at her father with her big, reluctant eyes, her little face filled with disappointment.

But she seemed to have long been accustomed to obeying her father's arrangements, and finally nodded obediently, saying softly, "Yes, Father."

Just as Xiao Zhan and the three elders stood up, intending to bow and see them off, an invisible yet immense force descended quietly, firmly pressing the four of them back into their seats.

This force was gentle yet irresistible, as if the entire space had turned into solidified amber, and they were the dust particles sealed within it, unable to move even their fingertips.

"Clan Chief Xiao Zhan, three elders, please stay. There's no need to see us off." Gu Yuan glanced at them, then stood up and walked straight out of the hall.

As Gu Yuan passed by Xiao Qing standing at the door, his steps seemed to pause almost imperceptibly, and a meaningful sentence reached Xiao Qing's ears like a gentle breeze:

"good."

As soon as he finished speaking, the space rippled slightly, and Gu Yuan's figure completely disappeared, merging into the air as if he had never been in this remote city.

At this moment, Xiao Zhan and his companions could only remain frozen in place, watching helplessly as Gu Yuan's figure, like ink merging into water, slowly faded in the air and eventually disappeared completely.

Then, the power that had been binding them vanished silently, as if it had never existed.

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

The four high-ranking members of the Xiao family, who were considered prominent figures in Wutan City, had their backs soaked with cold sweat.

They looked at each other, both seeing indescribable horror and lingering fear in each other's eyes.

This is not only a gesture of polite refusal, but also a warning!

The Grand Elder's throat felt dry. He slowly sat up straight, his voice trembling slightly, and said, "This Senior Xiao's cultivation is truly unfathomable!"

No one can answer this question.

A heavy weight of fear, doubt, and immense pressure pressed down on everyone's hearts.

They vaguely sensed that the Xiao family might have been caught in the throes of a storm that was beyond their comprehension and far beyond their understanding.

Only when the invisible, soul-chilling sense of oppression completely disappeared did Xiao Qing slowly come back to his senses, and a fine layer of cold sweat had unknowingly seeped out on his back.

"Gu Yuan... Peak Nine-Star Dou Sheng!"

This is the most powerful expert Xiao Qing has encountered so far, standing at the pinnacle of this Dou Qi Continent!

It was just a brief encounter and a seemingly ambiguous comment, yet Xiao Qing deeply understood what a world of difference it meant, and at the same time, it strengthened his determination to improve his strength as soon as possible!

Fortunately, the mysterious book in my sea of ​​consciousness was not discovered!

The road ahead is long and fraught with danger!