"During your time here, don't wander around. Just stay put, and when the time comes, leave with the main group," Xun'er calmly advised.
Though her words expressed concern for Xiao Yan's safety, they inadvertently deepened the sense of inferiority in his heart, making him feel as if even Xun'er looked down on him.
Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly, feeling a surge of resentment and self-loathing.
"I haven't done anything improper. Does such a powerful clan like the Gu Clan need to mistreat their guests in the Gu Realm?" Xiao Yan retorted stubbornly after a moment.
"Haha, my Gu Clan would never invite a nobody like you. How did a low-level Dou Ancestor like you even get in?" a young man from the Gu Clan mocked as soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking.
"Xiao Yan is here as part of our Pill Tower delegation. He didn't sneak in," Xuan Kongzi interjected with a frown, defending Xiao Yan.
"Well, your Pill Tower sure has poor taste!" The young man continued to mock, showing no respect even to Xuan Kongzi, who was highly revered in Central Plains.
"Xun'er, don't worry. I won't cause trouble in the Gu Realm. I'll leave as soon as I finish some business," Xiao Yan sighed. He understood that stubbornness was futile without strength, and he didn't want to drag Xuan Kongzi and the others into unnecessary conflict.
...
"Wu Shuang, I'm here!"
"Hehe, sister, wait for me! I almost caught you!"
In the guest area of the Gu Clan, Wu Shuang and Xian Yue were happily chasing each other through the crowd.
"Ah..."
Suddenly, Xian Yue, distracted by talking to Wu Shuang behind her, failed to notice the person in front of her and bumped into them. Her small head collided with a soft body, causing her to stumble backward.
"Are you alright, little sister?"
The beautiful figure in front of her immediately reached out and caught Xian Yue before she could fall.
"I'm fine, thank you, pretty sister!" Xian Yue quickly expressed her gratitude after regaining her balance.
The person who had caught her was a young girl, only a few years older than Xian Yue. She appeared to be around twelve or thirteen, dressed in a white long dress adorned with exquisite floral and bird patterns, exuding an air of elegance. The girl also carried a unique scent that was comforting to those around her.
"Sister, you smell nice! It's so refreshing!" Xian Yue remarked innocently, then leaned closer to the girl and took a few more sniffs.
Hearing Xian Yue's candid words, the girl's delicate face broke into a sweet smile. She couldn't resist gently pinching Xian Le's cute cheeks.
In reality, the girl wasn't wearing any perfume. She belonged to the Ling Clan, one of the eight ancient clans. Members of this clan naturally exude this unique fragrance from birth.
"Sister, are you okay?" Wu Shuang arrived at the scene.
"I'm fine, thanks to this pretty sister. I didn't fall!" Xian Le reassured.
"Sister, what's your name?" Xian Yue asked curiously.
"Ling Xi," the girl replied with a smile, her voice as clear and melodious as a songbird.
At that moment, four figures approached from behind the girl. They were men and women of various ages, all carrying the same elegant aura as Ling Xi, indicating they were also from the Ling Clan.
(TL/n: Every member from Ling Clan is OC, since they were wiped out off-screen by the Hun Clan.)
"Xi'er, what happened?" A middle-aged woman in a white dress, whose voice was gentle and soothing, asked as she approached. This woman was clearly powerful, seemingly at the Half-Saint level.
"Mother, this little sister accidentally bumped into me, but she's fine," Ling Xi explained with a smile.
"So that's what happened. Hmm, a Dou Ancestor?" The woman's attention shifted to Wu Shuang, surprise flashing in her beautiful eyes.
The three people behind her were equally astonished. A child of such young age possessing the power of a Dou Ancestor was unbelievable.
"Little ones, you're from the Gu Clan, aren't you?" the woman asked with a smile.
"Yes! We've always lived here!" Xian Yue and Wu Shuang nodded in unison. Although their mothers had taught them not to talk too much with strangers, they didn't feel any ill intentions from the Ling Clan members.
"I've heard that the son of the Gu Clan's genius Gu Fei was born a Dou Ancestor. This little one must be that young master," a middle-aged man behind the woman speculated.
"How envious! If only our Ling Clan had such talented individuals," the group sighed in admiration.
"Pretty sister, would you like to play with us?" Xian Yue invited, feeling an instant connection with Ling Xi due to their close age and the earlier incident.
Ling Xi instinctively looked at the middle-aged woman beside her.
"Go ahead!" The woman nodded with a smile. In her mind, befriending the future leader of the Gu Clan seemed like a beneficial move.
"Thank you, Mother!" Ling Xi's demeanor relaxed, her cheerful nature taking over.
As Ling Xi, Xian Yue, and Wu Shuang walked away, a purple figure appeared in the distance, briefly glancing at the Ling Clan members before slowly following the children.
"That woman just now made me feel immense pressure!" the woman from the Ling Clan remarked with a solemn expression as she watched Zi Yan's retreating figure.
"The Gu Clan is known as the strongest of the ancient clans for a reason!"
...
"Father and Mother are over there!"
Soon, Wu Shuang spotted Gu Fei, Cai Lin, and Xiao Yi Xian in the crowd and happily ran over to them.
"Wu Shuang, it's lively tonight, isn't it?" Gu Fei lifted Wu Shuang with a doting smile.
Then he noticed Xian Yue and the young girl Ling Xi approaching.
"People from the Ling Clan?" Gu Fei immediately recognized Ling Xi's origin, instinctively frowning.
In the original story, during the Gu Clan's coming-of-age ceremony, the Ling Clan didn't attend because their space had suddenly closed off, later revealed to be due to an attack by the Hun Clan.
But now, with the Ling Clan's peaceful presence and their visit to the Gu Realm, could it mean that the Hun Clan's plans hadn't yet unfolded?