"Xun'er, as a prodigy of the Gu Clan, must know something about this. I need to find an opportunity to ask her," Xiao Yan decided silently.
"Suit yourself. Once the Heavenly Tomb opens, most guests will be sent out of the Gu Realm. You have two days to decide. After that, I won't be responsible," Gu Nanhai responded, looking relaxed. As someone of his status, Xiao Yan's request, as a mere Dou Ancestor, would certainly be easy to fulfill.
"Thank you for your time, Senior," Xiao Yan said, bowing respectfully before leaving the mountain with Yao Lao and Venerable Feng.
"Gu Fei, now that we've obtained the Xiao Clan's ancient jade, I won't linger any longer. I'll visit again for tea another time," Gu Nanhai remarked, before he and his companions vanished, leaving Gu Fei deep in thought.
The ancient jade of Tou She, connected to the Ancient God's Mansion, serves as the key to opening it. But this jade has long been split into eight pieces, and without all of them, it's useless.
The Gu Clan had coveted the Xiao Clan's ancient jade for years. Now that they had it, other thoughts might arise. Earlier, Gu Fei decided that once the Gu Clan acquired the jade, he would ensure the Hun Clan knew about it. This would cause suspicion and likely delay some of their plans.
"When the time is right, I'll add fuel to the fire and make the Hun Clan truly wary," Gu Fei resolved. His goal was to hinder the Hun Clan's plans; if they succeeded in destroying the Ling Clan and the Shi Clan, their strength would grow immensely.
Gu Fei knew he had to rapidly increase his own strength to play a crucial role in the impending clash between the two clans.
...
The Next Morning.
At Xun'er's residence, the tranquil environment contrasted sharply with the grandeur of the Gu Clan's palace.
"The day after tomorrow, the Heavenly Tomb will open. I have the chance to enter it with Brother Gu Fei. I must seize this opportunity!" Xun'er thought, sitting cross-legged in her room, already looking forward to the time alone with Gu Fei.
"Miss, Xiao Yan has arrived," Ling Ying announced from outside her room.
"Xiao Yan? What's he doing here?" Xun'er was surprised.
"If you don't wish to see him, I'll send him away."
"It's fine. Let him come in," Xun'er hesitated for a moment before agreeing. She knew Xiao Yan wouldn't seek her out without a good reason, so she suspected something important must have happened.
After a moment, she changed her clothes and slowly stepped out of her room.
"Thank you for seeing me, Xun'er," Xiao Yan smiled as Xun'er approached.
"What brings you here?" Xun'er asked, frowning slightly. Ever since the coming-of-age ceremony, she had been mindful that if she wanted to rekindle her relationship with Gu Fei, she couldn't be entangled with other men. If word got out about Xiao Yan visiting her, it could lead to misunderstandings.
"Xun'er, I wanted to ask if you know where my father is," Xiao Yan inquired directly.
"What happened to Uncle Xiao?" Xun'er asked, surprised. She hadn't been keeping track of Xiao Yan's affairs over the years and was unaware of Xiao Zhan's disappearance.
"You really don't know?" Xiao Yan pressed.
"Xiao Yan, what are you implying? Do you think I would lie to you?" Xun'er retorted, clearly displeased.
"I trust you," Xiao Yan replied gravely, though doubt lingered in his heart. He wondered why someone as powerful as Xun'er, from the mighty Gu Clan, had come to his Xiao family as a child. The more he thought about it, the more he suspected that the Gu Clan had been targeting the Xiao family from the start.
However, Xiao Yan knew that if Xun'er was unwilling to share, pressing her would yield no results.
"Xun'er, I have another question," Xiao Yan continued. "Do you know about the ancient jade?"
Xun'er's expression shifted slightly as she recalled being sent to the Xiao family to find out if they possessed the ancient jade.
"You're talking about the Tou She Ancient God Jade, right? It's not exactly a secret on the continent," Xun'er explained. "Legend has it that the Ancient God Jade can open the Ancient God's Mansion. However, the jade has long been split into eight pieces, scattered among the eight ancient clans."
'If it wasn't the Gu Clan, then who could have taken my father?' Xiao Yan thought, beginning to doubt his earlier suspicions.
"Xun'er, you know I don't know much about the history of the Xiao Clan. Could you tell me more?" Xiao Yan softened his tone, looking at Xun'er with pleading eyes.
"A thousand years ago, the Xiao Clan was as powerful as my Gu Clan. But then your ancestor, Xiao Xuan, the top expert of the time, attempted to become a Dou God. He sacrificed the bloodline of his entire clan in the process but ultimately failed..." Xun'er began, her heart softening as she shared what she knew.
"After his failure, with the clan's bloodline weakened, Xiao Xuan was gravely injured. It was then that the Hun Clan launched a surprise attack, leading to the clan's annihilation... Your ancestor Xiao Xuan is now buried in the Heavenly Tomb."
'My ancestor, who was once so powerful, is buried in the Heavenly Tomb?' Xiao Yan's admiration for his ancestor grew as he heard this.
"Is there any way for me to enter the Heavenly Tomb?" Xiao Yan asked eagerly, explaining, "I just want to pay my respects to my ancestor!"
"The Heavenly Tomb opens every twenty years. The Xiao Clan originally had two slots. However, over the years, those slots were borrowed by my clan. The chances of reclaiming them are slim," Xun'er replied. She then turned and began to walk back to her room.
Before closing the door, she left Xiao Yan with one final statement that left him frozen in place.
"Xiao Yan, if it's not necessary, don't come looking for me anymore!"