Hearing Xun'er's words, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly serious. Indeed, as the Medicine Elder had predicted, the matter involving the Tosheda Ancient Emperor's jade carries immense weight—anything even remotely connected to the name of the Supreme Sovereign, the highest title in this realm, would instantly gain tremendous value. The ancient clan has long recognized this: their people carry the bloodline of the Supreme Sovereign, which has established their current status on the Continent of Qi, though not necessarily unique, certainly among the very elite. "Therefore, until Xiao Yan possesses absolute strength, the Tosheda Ancient Emperor's jade he holds must remain absolutely concealed!" Xun'er's tone was now grave. With the Xiao family now in decline, even though there had been an ancient agreement between the ancient clan and the Xiao family's ancestors, the current situation has caused significant internal disagreements within the ancient clan. Should this matter come to light, it would not be surprising if certain powerful members of the ancient clan took independent action—thus placing Xiao Yan in an extremely perilous position. Seeing Xuanyi's serious expression, Xiao Yan slowly nodded and said in a low voice, "The Spirit Palace took my father because of this, too?" Xuanyi gently agreed, "The Xiao family once counted as one of the top powers on the Qi Continent. Back then, even the Ice River Valley could hardly match their strength..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with surprise—he hadn't expected the Xiao family to have reached such a glorious height. "Unfortunately, over time, the Xiao family gradually declined. Eventually, some of their ancestors had to leave Zhongzhou and settle in the Jima Empire..." Xuanyi said softly, "As the generations passed, except for a few members of the family, few of the younger generation knew these stories anymore." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. To have developed the Xiao family to such an extent, the ancestor of old must have been a truly extraordinary figure. "Hehe, that ancestor of the Xiao family truly was an extraordinary talent. Within just a few centuries, he rose to the pinnacle of the continent—back then, there were only four individuals who could rival him..." Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Xun'er seemed to sense exactly what he was thinking, and smiled. Even though Xiao Yan had anticipated this, he couldn't help but feel profoundly amazed. On such a vast continent, only four people could match him—such an achievement was truly astonishing. "I never imagined that ancestor achieved such greatness..." Simply contemplating this, Xiao Yan felt a surge of passion and enthusiasm. "His innate talent was truly admirable, even earning the respect of the ancient clans. At that time, under his leadership, the Xiao family maintained particularly strong relations with the ancient clans—indeed, the alliance was established then..." Xun'er smiled. "An alliance?" "The elder ancestor of the Xiao family once had a good relationship with the Ancient Clan. When he passed away, he asked the Ancient Clan to look after the Xiao family, especially to preserve the family's lineage at critical moments. This alliance proved quite effective right after his passing, but as time went on and the Xiao family gradually faded from the continent, the effectiveness of the pact began to wane." Xun'er looked at Xiao Yan and said, "When I first went to the Xiao family, my father wanted me to have a peaceful childhood, and also, some members of the clan hoped I would retrieve the Tu She Ancient Emperor's Jade from there." Xiao Yan smiled, a touch of cunning and pride in his expression: "Heh, they never expected that not only did they fail to retrieve the Tu She Ancient Emperor's Jade, but they ended up losing something even more precious." "What?" Xun'er was startled, and upon seeing Xiao Yan's sly smile, finally understood what he meant, her cheeks flushing with modest embarrassment. "By the way, what was the elder ancestor's name?" Completely charmed by Xun'er's bashful demeanor, Xiao Yan felt a surge of irritation rise in his abdomen. He gritted his teeth, quickly suppressing it—he absolutely didn’t want to scare off the girl who was so reserved with strangers, yet so shy and delicate in his presence. Xun'er gently brushed a strand of dark hair from her forehead,掩ed her mouth with her hand, and smiled lightly. "Are you trying to make that ancestor your idol?" "He's my ancestor, my forebear. If I don't even know his name, what would that say about me?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. Xun'er smiled softly, then added, "That ancestor of the Xiao family is called Xiao Xuan." "Xiao Xuan?" Xiao Yan murmured, then chuckled. "No wonder he's the patriarch of the Xiao family—such a bold name!" Xun'er sighed, a little exasperated. Her graceful demeanor, so effortlessly captivating, made Xiao Yan find himself utterly entranced. In the past few years, her charm had only grown stronger—every subtle expression and gesture radiated an undeniable, natural allure. "Xiao Xuan's ancient tomb is also located within the Ancient Realm, yet it possesses a peculiar power—members of the Ancient Clan cannot enter it. Although some of the Ancient Clan's practitioners with extraordinary strength can force their way in, Xiao Xuan has long held a deep debt of gratitude toward the Ancient Clan, so they refrain from making disruptive visits. As a result, over the years, very few have managed to reach that tomb..." Pausing, Xun'er's gaze shifted thoughtfully toward Xiao Yan, her eyes sparkling with contemplation. "If my judgment is correct, then only descendants of the Xiao family should be able to enter that tomb. Should you ever have the opportunity to visit the Ancient Realm, I would highly recommend making a journey there—perhaps you'll discover something truly remarkable." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression grew serious. He spoke solemnly, "My ancestors' tomb must be visited. Should I one day attain sufficient strength, I will relocate it to the Xiao family estate, so that future generations of the Xiao lineage may honor it with daily rituals." "If Xiao Xuan Master could hear this, he would surely be deeply pleased..." Xun'er smiled gently, then as though remembering something, added, "By the way, regarding your lineage as a descendant of Master Xiao Xuan, please keep this information confidential. Though the Xiao family was once prominent across the continent, this very prominence also brought them into conflict with several powerful factions. Some of these factions still exist today, and if they discover your connection, they may inevitably cause you some difficulties." "Are there any factions today that could match the strength of the current Binghe Valley?" Xiao Yan stroked his chin, asking. "You cannot simply summarize the powers in the Central Region as one hall, one tower, two sects, three valleys, and four halls. The Central Region is so vast that there are many hidden powers not included in this list. For instance, my ancient clan is not among them. As long as one knows of the ancient clan, can anyone truly claim that it is not formidable?" Xun shook her head helplessly, saying, "Among the Zhongzhou realms, some seemingly modest forces actually possess strength no less than the well-known ones. After all, their foundations are solid, and there are always some ancient, quiet immortals waiting in the wings. Moreover, even Ice River Valley isn't merely the forces you see on the surface." Xiao Yan tilted his head slightly, marveling—indeed, Zhongzhou truly lived up to the reputation of being full of hidden talents. "Brother Xiao Yan, I won't be able to stay long this time. If I remain too long, I might actually bring you a great deal of trouble. After I leave, everything will depend entirely on you. So, please don't be careless at all." Gently caressing Xiao Yan's face with her delicate hands, Xun spoke softly. Hearing that she would be leaving, Xiao Yan tightened his grip on her slender waist, his gaze fixed firmly on her graceful features, asking, "When will I finally be able to go to the Ancient Realm to find you?" "Heard this, Xun'er's lips curled into a sweet, gentle arc. "As long as you have confidence in yourself, whenever you'd like to come, that's fine. All that matters is that Brother Xiao will always know Xun'er stands firmly by you." Listening to this, Xiao Yan nodded slowly, tightly holding Xun'er in his arms, and whispered, "Don't worry... I know how many challenges and difficulties I'll face in that ancient realm. I won't rush headlong—I want them to understand that your judgment is the very best." After all, when Xiao's ancestors once earned the deep reverence of the entire ancient clan, Xiao Yan believed he would one day reach that same level. Then, even if he chose to be with Xun'er, no one within the ancient clan would be able to stand in his way. Xun smiled gently, her snowy chin lightly touching the air as she spoke. She didn't care how Xiao Yan performed, but she did worry that he might face some discrimination or cold glances in the ancient realm due to his relatively weaker strength. Xiao Yan gently rolled his throat, feeling a dryness in his mouth. The demonic fire that had previously surged in his abdomen suddenly burst upward, casting a glow of passion into his eyes. Noticing Xiao Yan's subtle changes, Xun'er's cheeks grew increasingly shy and rosy. Then, as Xiao Yan's hands slowly moved along her waist, she emitted a soft, delicate sigh. That faint moan resonated like a spell, causing Xiao Yan's heart to leap with sudden intensity. He finally reached out, embracing her and gently caressing her, then pressing a kiss to her inviting lips. When their lips met, the soft, smooth sensation instantly warmed both of their bodies, making them suddenly feel intensely hot.