Lemme Ride You

Back Mountain.

Hun Xiu sat cross-legged atop the back mountain, absorbing the fighting spirit of heaven and earth. With each breath, a terrifying aura emanated from him, creating a storm of Dou Qi. Centered on Hun Xiu, a whirling tornado formed, accompanied by a loud, howling sound.

---

In the distance, Hun Tian Di and Gu Yuan stood, watching the scene unfold. Gu Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of terror as he observed the vast amount of energy Hun Xiu absorbed.

With a hint of awe, Gu Yuan remarked, "It's truly terrifying that someone in the Dou Huang realm can devour and absorb so much Dou Qi."

Despite his extensive knowledge, Gu Yuan found himself shocked. The Dou Qi absorbed by Hun Xiu was more akin to that of a Dou Zong powerhouse.

"I wonder what his true strength is like," Gu Yuan pondered aloud.

Hun Tian Di, standing beside him, smiled faintly and replied, "The clan's young master competition is only a few days away. It will be easy to see how strong he really is then."

Gu Yuan chuckled. "Is there anyone among the younger generation of the Soul Clan who can defeat him with a single move?" he asked curiously.

He had come to the Soul Clan for two reasons: first, to let Xun'er visit her "fiancé," and second, announcing to the Soul Clan about a secret mission for Xun'er which actually is to visit the Xiao family and retrieve the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. The upcoming clan competition, however, presented a perfect opportunity to gauge the Soul Clan's current strength and compare its younger generation to his own ancient clan.

Hearing Gu Yuan's question, Hun Tian Di smiled and said, "Several of the younger generation have already reached the Dou Huang realm."

Gu Yuan's eyes widened in surprise. "The younger generation of the Hun Clan is this formidable?"

While the Dou Huang realm might seem insignificant to someone at Gu Yuan's level, such strength in a youth signified immense potential. With proper growth and protection, they could reach unprecedented heights.

Hun Tian Di remained composed. While the younger generation of the clan had made remarkable progress, much of their strength came from the redistribution of cultivation resources originally allocated to Hun Xiu.

Despite being a one-star Dou Huang himself, Hun Xiu's cultivation method was unique. Unlike others, he relied solely on absorbing the Dou Qi of heaven and earth without using any clan resources. This allowed Emperor Hun Tian to allocate these resources to other talented individuals, such as Hun Feng, Hun Yu, and Hun Huan'er.

Hun Feng, at just nine years old, had already reached the five-star Dou Huang realm. Hun Yu and Hun Huan'er followed closely, with four-star and two-star Dou Huang realms, respectively. Yet, none of them matched Hun Xiu in the sheer volume of Dou Qi absorbed during cultivation—a mystery even to Hun Tian.

(TL/N: Like Hun Tian Di said, he's cultivation is solely by absorbing Dou Qi while the others used their clan's cultivation resources + absorbing dou qi which is why they managed to get pass Hun Xiu's cultivation realm having higher realm that him. Yeeeah boy, the Soul Clan is rich. I don't know why he didn't use any cultivation resources though, don't ask me.)

The only plausible explanation lay in Hun Xiu's super-divine bloodline, a rare and enigmatic trait with effects still under observation.

As Hun Xiu cultivated, he suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence approaching. Opening his eyes, he was met with a pair of large, curious eyes staring intently at him. A chubby little face hovered inches away from his own.

"Xun'er..." Hun Xiu muttered in surprise.

The surrounding Dou Qi storm dissipated as Hun Xiu ceased his cultivation. He looked at the small figure before him and asked, "How did you get here?"

Despite her young age and lack of cultivation, Gu Xun'er had somehow bypassed the intense Dou Qi storm and reached the back mountain. Hun Xiu suspected either his father or Gu Yuan had a hand in her arrival.

Without answering, Xun'er plopped herself onto Hun Xiu's lap. Resting her chin on her tiny hands, she stared at the barren landscape below and muttered, "Brother Xiu'er, do you hate Xun'er?"

Hun Xiu was momentarily stunned. "Why would Xun'er think that?" he asked gently, smiling faintly.

The little girl pouted. "Because.... Mooooo.. Then can Brother Xiu'er play with Xun'er?"

Hun Xiu chuckled at her innocence. Lifting her up, he asked, "What does Xun'er want to play?"

Her round eyes sparkled with excitement. "Brother Xiu'er, be a horse and let Xun'er ride you! Okay?"

Hun Xiu: "..."