Xiao Ning's succession ceremony caused a bigger shock than anyone imagined. Wu Tian city was a small city in the remote corner of the Jia Ma Empire. Under normal circumstances, no one would pay attention to it, but because of the presence of the Xiao Clan, everything changed.
Xiao Clan was special; It once stood with other ancient clans, rampaging throughout the continent. After its sudden decline, the Xiao Clan disappeared from the face of the continent.
In the same period, a small clan with the same name appeared in the remote corner of the barren region of the Dou Qi continent. Since then, many forces have been monitoring them.
The Dou Grandmaster peak strength Xiao Ning showed on the surface was enough to panic them, not to mention the hostile forces present within the Jia Ma Empire.
Xiao Ning's return pushed the Xiao Clan into the center of the storm that would shake the foundation of the empire.
...
Xiao Ning seemed calm; after the ceremony, he took a storage ring and handed it to Xiao Zhan, the new grand elder. It contained numerous resources suitable for the clan's current situation.
There were some aptitude-changing medicines and foundation elixirs in the storage ring. That could speed up and let everyone in the clan become a Dou Practitioner.
"I will be in closed-door cultivation for the next ten days." Xiao Ning informed the elders and returned to his residence.
It only seems logical for Xiao Ning to consolidate his position as the clan's patriarch. Yet, he did the exact opposite, handed over everything to Xiao Zhan and retreated. It was all a part of his bigger plan.
Handing Xiao Zhan everything was to lure Xiao Yan out of hiding and accumulate his strength in secret. This will also allow him to deal with other minor obstacles, Ao Ba Clan and Jia Lie Clan.
...
Back in his house, Xiao Ning looked at his grandfather and Ya Fei sitting in front with a wry expression on his face.
The two came back the moment he returned, and both looked at him with a questioning look.
Xiao Ning couldn't bear it anymore; he took a deep breath and said, "Grandfather, secretly recruit nine young, loyal clansmen."
"There might be a big battle soon, and someone from within the clan might be involved." Xiao Ning spoke enough.
Xiao Ning's grandfather's face changed after listening; a few words were enough for him to understand many things. However, he knew his grandson wouldn't lie to him; hence his expression became ugly.
Ya Fei's pretty face also showed a slightly serious expression, but she didn't look worried. Instead, her confidence lay in her man, Xiao Ning.
"I will help increase your strength in the next ten days," Xiao Ning smiled.
His smile seemed to affect their thoughts, and the atmosphere wasn't as gloomy as before.
"You... brat!" Xiao Ning's grandfather cursed. But the pride on his face betrayed him.
A smile bloomed on her charming face after Ya Fei saw the interaction between grandfather and grandson.
The elderly got up, his eyes looked back and forth, and with a playful smile, he spoke while stepping out, "Brat, cherish her."
Xiao Ning sat there helplessly, and a lovely blush appeared on Ya Fei's cheeks.
"Fei'er, I know you have always desired a stronger strength. I have a way to turn your desire into reality, but there is a certain risk involved."
Xiao Ning's words captured her attention, and the blush on Ya Fei's face subsided. Instead, she stared at Xiao Ning with sparkling eyes filled with trust towards him.
He smiled after getting the answer from his lover's eyes. A tiny blue-green lotus materialized in the next second and floated above his hand.
"This is Green Lotus Core Flame, a heavenly flame; refining it not only your strength will rise, but it will also deepen your potential."
When Xiao Ning regained his memories, he had already thought of giving Green Lotus Core Flame to her.
Ya Fei gasped after she heard the word 'Heavenly Flame.' No matter what, she belonged to one of the most prominent clans of the Jia Ma Empire. She also knew better than others about the allure of a heavenly flame.
The news of heavenly flame was enough to attract the Dou Emperor class cultivators.
She kept looking at the tiny lotus floating above Xiao Ning's hand and couldn't utter a word. Her mind was in chaos.
Suddenly Ya Fei remembered the news she had heard from Gu Ni, and her eyes widened with shock. "Xiao Ning, is this the heavenly flame which Pill King Gu He and his team went out to capture but returned empty-handed?"
Now it was Xiao Ning's turn to be taken aback. The Green Lotus Core Flame has always been with him, and he never met Gu He or the latter's group.
There was something wrong with it, but Xiao Ning did not bother to think. Instead, he was thinking about the methods to increase the success rate. Refining a heavenly flame was no joke; he had seen Medusa's condition himself.
"No matter what, now it is in my hands," Xiao Ning shook his head and replied. Then, in his mind, he thought, 'Anyway, a few months later, I will confront him.'
Ya Fei blinked her eyes after hearing his response.
...
The two quietly left the Wu Tian city and came to the nearby magical beast mountain range.
Xiao Ning quickly made a cave; with the lingering aura of heavenly flame, it was very secure. No magical beast dared to come nearer.
Xiao Ning and Ya Fei sat inside the cave on the cold ground with her back facing him.
Xiao Ning was going to cleanse Ya Fei's body before increasing her chances of subduing the heavenly flame. At the same time, it will also make her foundation more robust.
A dark golden flame appeared in his palms. It was the new flame that evolved from his Golden Budha Flame. It was because of this flame that Xiao Ning disdained other heavenly flames.
His palms touched her bare back, and the dark golden flame entered Ya Fei's body.