Xiao Yan, a furious four-star Dou Zong!

Just as Shen Wen was about to turn and head to the Quiet Room to Cultivate, a gust of hurried wind swept past the courtyard gate, and a figure nearly stumbled as he rushed in.

Shen Wen looked up; it was Xiao Yan.

He had completely lost the composure that defined him as a prominent figure in the Inner Academy. His face was filled with anxiety and a hint of panic, and his breathing was somewhat ragged.

"Brother Shen!" Xiao Yan rushed to stand before Shen Wen, his voice laced with urgency. "Xun'er... Xun'er has been taken away!"

Shen Wen's brows lifted slightly. He did not look surprised, merely watching him calmly.

"It was her clansmen, they called themselves people of the Ancient Clan." Xiao Yan spoke rapidly, his hands clenching involuntarily. "Xun'er told me... told me not to look for her for now. She said to focus on improving my strength, and that she would wait for me in the Central Plains."

He paused, his voice filled with uncontrollable frustration and pain. "But... but how can I just watch? Those people... that leader, I only got slightly close and was blown away by a casual wave of his hand. I had no power to resist at all!"

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with unwillingness and confusion.

At Jia Nan Academy, he had overcome obstacle after obstacle and built a reputation, thinking he had closed the gap significantly.

Yet, that casual strike today was like a basin of ice water, chilling the pride that had sprouted from his recent successes.

When Xun'er's figure completely vanished into the horizon, he stood outside the empty courtyard, feeling utterly lost for a moment.

Instinctively, he thought of Shen Wen.

"Brother Shen," Xiao Yan raised his head, his gaze fixed tightly on Shen Wen. "What exactly is the background of this Ancient Clan? Xun'er, she..."

Shen Wen looked at him without concealing anything. "The Ancient Clan is one of the Ancient Eight Clans, with a Legacy stemming from the Dou Di Bloodline. More than one Dou Di has emerged from within the clan. Even today, there is no shortage of Dou Sheng powerhouses among them."

He paused, giving Xiao Yan a moment to digest this information before continuing. "Xiao Xun Er is the daughter of the Clan Chief of the Ancient Clan; her status is extremely noble."

"Ancient Eight Clans... Dou Di Bloodline... many Dou Sheng..."

Xiao Yan muttered, repeating the words, his face turning pale.

Each of these terms weighed a thousand jin, pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.

"Sigh..." An aged sigh sounded as Yao Lao's Soul drifted out from the ring. His illusory face carried a complex sense of emotion.

"I knew that girl had an extraordinary background, but I never expected... it to be such a heaven-defying background."

Xiao Yan stood where he was, as if all his strength had been drained away.

The glory of defeating strong enemies in the Inner Academy, winning fire energy, and being the center of attention now seemed so small and ridiculous in the face of this terrifying background.

He was silent for a long time before taking a deep breath and bowing solemnly to Shen Wen, his voice dry but earnest. "Thank you for clarifying this, Brother Shen."

Shen Wen nodded slightly in acknowledgment. He watched the panic in Xiao Yan's eyes gradually being replaced by a heavy burden, his mind turning.

He did not mention that the Xiao Family also originated from the ancient Xiao Clan, or that the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade might still be in Xiao Yan's possession.

Since Protector Wu had been dealt with by him and the Xiao Family hadn't been destroyed, the ancient emperor tuoshe jade should not have fallen into Xiao Yan's hands yet.

Of course.

He did have designs on that ancient jade, but after weighing the pros and cons, he decided not to act for the time being.

There was no other reason.

An existence like Gu Yuan, the Clan Chief of the Ancient Clan, might not have directly attacked the descendants of the Xiao Family out of respect for his past friendship with Xiao Xuan.

But if the ancient jade fell into the hands of an "outsider" like him, Shen Wen, Gu Yuan might not be so polite.

Now was not the time to touch this object.

Xiao Yan said nothing more, simply bowed to Shen Wen and Yao Lao, then turned and left the courtyard.

His back was straight, but it was as if he were carrying an invisible mountain.

Cao Ying watched Xiao Yan's departing back and shook her head gently. "This time, the pressure on this kid Xiao Yan is going to be as heavy as a mountain." Her tone carried an objective judgment. "To be honest, I really don't think he can reach the point where he is qualified to marry the young lady of the Ancient Clan."

Her gaze shifted, falling on Shen Wen, her lips curling slightly. "Perhaps, someone like my husband might have a chance."

Beside them, Cai Lin heard this, and a trace of curiosity flashed in her purple eyes. She stroked her lower abdomen and looked at Shen Wen. "Oh? Husband seems to hold that kid in particularly high regard?"

Shen Wen smiled without explaining further, simply saying, "Things in this world are unpredictable. Who can say what the future holds?" He clearly did not want to dwell on this topic.

Changing the subject, he swept his gaze over the women in the courtyard, his tone returning to his usual composure. "For now, let us focus on our own cultivation. Once we clear out the claws of the Hall of Souls in the Northwest Continent, it will be time for us to return to the Central Plains."

Cao Ying nodded, putting away her playful expression, and said seriously, "I have reached the Peak of the Eight-Star Dou Huang and feel that the Ninth Star is not far off."

"Good." Shen Wen looked at her approvingly. "You might want to spend more effort on the Skill of Sky Control. This technique is exquisite. If you can gain some insight, it will not only be of great benefit to your Soul but also help you understand Space Power. When the time comes to Breakthrough to Dou Zong with the help of the Break-Sect Pill, your chances will be much higher."

Cao Ying's beautiful eyes lit up, and she responded earnestly, "I understand, I will study it more."

Shen Wen looked at Cai Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, Dan Chen, and Qing Lin. "You all need to hurry as well. The Central Plains is not like the Northwest; it is full of powerhouses and the situation is even more complex. Having an extra bit of strength means an extra bit of security."

Shen Wen returned to the Quiet Room and closed the door.

He sat cross-legged and flipped his palm. Several Medicinal Pills, the size of dragon eyes, deep in color, with energy halos faintly flowing on the surface, appeared in his palm.

These were Medicinal Pills he had refined for himself, modeled after the concept of the "zong ji pill," but without integrating Space Power.

It could be considered an "advanced version of the Huangji Pill" with more massive and pure energy, specifically used for rapidly accumulating Qi during the Dou Zong stage.

Of course, the Materials used for these pills and the time required were naturally incomparable to the zong ji pill.

Without hesitation, he picked up a Medicinal Pill and placed it in his mouth.

The pill melted upon entering his stomach, turning into a torrential stream of pure energy that rushed through his limbs and bones.

Almost simultaneously.

The power of the devouring ancestral talisman began to operate quietly within his body, like an eternal furnace, madly devouring, crushing, and purifying the surging medicinal power, transforming it into the most Origin Qi.

And the devouring and refining characteristics contained in the Kun Peng Treasure Technique further accelerated this process, ensuring that every bit of medicinal power was absorbed to the limit, leaving not a trace of stagnation.

The so-called "drug resistance" is essentially the accumulation of trace Impurities in the Medicinal Pill that are difficult to remove, affecting subsequent absorption.

But for Shen Wen, who possessed the devouring ancestral talisman, these Impurities also belonged to the category of "energy" and were devoured and refined together, posing no obstacle at all.

The moment the medicinal power of the second pill was completely refined, his body trembled slightly, and an invisible ripple spread through the space around him.

An aura, far stronger than before, erupted from his body, only to be quickly restrained by him.

Four-Star Dou Zong, achieved.

Shen Wen opened his eyes, a flash of bright light passing through them, and he nodded slightly as he felt the more powerful and solid Qi within his body.

Improving one's strength is always reassuring.

"Refining Medicinal Pills during this period has also accumulated a lot for me. As expected, refining Medicinal Pills allows one to kill two birds with one stone..."