Seeing Xiang Yan's wide-eyed expression, the middle-aged man couldn't help but smile as well, saying, "Surprised, aren't you?" Upon hearing this, Xiang Yan gradually regained his composure from shock, quietly observing the middle-aged man, and clearing his throat with a dry laugh—struggling to find the right words. Before such a powerful figure, it seemed as though any thought that crossed his mind would inevitably be noticed. "Heh, my name is Gu Yuan. To be honest, we met when you were born, though no one knew my identity at the time..." the man said with a calm smile. Xiang Yan was utterly astonished, clearly not expecting to have encountered this powerful elder of the Gu clan from the very beginning of his life. "I wonder, Gu Yuan clan head, what important matter brings you to this young disciple?" Xiang Yan asked, hesitating politely. "Of course—it's about your relationship with Xun'er," Gu Yuan replied with a smile. Hearing this, Xiao Yan's heart stirred slightly, and his brows furrowed involuntarily, saying, "So the Elder of the Gu Yuan Clan doesn't wish for me to be with Xun'er?" "My intention isn't necessarily to force her. As long as Xun'er is willing, I, as her father, wouldn't be able to compel her. Moreover, with her current Shenshi lineage, even I, as the Elder of the Gu Clan, cannot command her to do anything against her will." Gu Yuan smiled and said, "Your words may not quite reach the level of the young elite of our clan, but they are certainly acceptable." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then a gleam of joy appeared in his eyes. During his time in the ancient realm, he had encountered most of the Gu Clan members who harbored some hostility toward him; yet Gu Yuan was surprisingly different. "Thank you, Elder Gu," Xiao Yan said, bowing with genuine delight. "You don't have to be overly enthusiastic just yet. Although I won't be obstructing you, some of the elders—and even the older beings within our ancient clan—still harbor reservations. After all, Xun'er is a divine-blooded lineage that has not appeared in our clan for nearly a thousand years. They naturally don't want this precious lineage to be compromised merely because of other factors. Therefore, the obstacles you'll face won't be easy to overcome. From my position as clan chief, I simply can't offer you much direct assistance, since the clan chief must always prioritize the clan's interests." Gu Yuan spoke calmly. Xiao Yan remained silent, gently nodding. "Of course, aside from my role as clan chief, I am also Xun'er's father. As long as she likes something, I will certainly like it too." Gu Yuan smiled slightly. "I have no significant complaints about you. Though your own bloodline has been dormant, you've achieved accomplishments that are no less impressive than those of anyone born with a strong bloodline—this is truly admirable." "But honestly, if I had known back then that this would be the outcome, I never would have sent Xun'er off to the Xiao family... Ah, I never thought that, after all, I'd end up losing both the thing I wanted and my daughter—this deal has truly been a loss." For such words, Xiao Yan could only blush and remain silent, unable to speak a word. "I won't interfere in your affairs, but I do need you to promise me a few things..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's heart stirred slightly, and he spoke with care, "What exactly would you like me to do?" "Don't worry," said Gu Yuan, "it's not something difficult at all. All I ask is that, as long as Xun'er remains below the rank of Battle Saint, you ensure she remains pure—unspoiled." After a brief pause, Gu Yuan added. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face instantly turned awkward. He had never imagined that Gu Yuan would request such an unusual condition—was it possible that he seemed, in fact, eager to rush into a romantic relationship? "Hehe, young people naturally have their moments of impulsiveness. You two don't see each other very often, cough..." Speaking the last part, Gu Yuan couldn't help but clear his throat. "The main issue is that Xun'er's bloodline hasn't yet stabilized. Moreover, you're not from the Gu clan. If you engage in hasty romantic or marital affairs, it could compromise the stability of Xun'er's bloodline. Should such things happen, I'm certain the elders in the clan would intervene forcefully. You should therefore be aware of the consequences." Xiao Yan nodded with a wry smile. Was this the kind of rather unusual matter that a figure of such stature would bring up before him? "This is merely a side note. The real issue I've come to address is the Dusha Ancient Emperor's Jade on your person." Gu Yuan paused, then gazed steadily at Xiao Yan, speaking slowly. Hearing the name Tuosha Guidi Yu, Xiao Yan's expression could not help but subtly change. Naturally, he knew that this ancient jade was now the most precious possession of the Xiao family. The Huadeng Palace had seized his father precisely for this mysterious jade. Yet, the details of the jade's significance on his person were known to only a few. "Doshagudi was the last Divinity Emperor of the Qi Continent. Since then, no one has ever reached the realm of Divinity Emperor—once merely legendary—up until now." Unperturbed by Xiao Yan's shifting expression, Gu Yuan continued, "It is said that when Doshagudi fell, he left behind a Divinity Emperor's relic site within which lay the secret to ascending to the rank of Divinity Saint. To discover this relic site, which has remained undiscovered until now, ancient eight clans and several powerful central-state factions once engaged in a great war many years ago. Yet, in the end, they only secured the key to the site—the Doshagudi Jade you now hold. Originally, this jade was divided into three pieces, but after enduring a series of fierce battles, it fragmented into eight. These eight pieces were then obtained by the ancient eight clans. The piece you hold is one of these eight." Xiao Yan nodded silently. Though he had a vague awareness of these events, he had always believed the Doshagudi Jade to consist of only three pieces. He now realized there were actually eight. "The reason the Huan Palace captured your father was undoubtedly to obtain the Tuosha Ancient Emperor Jade of the Xiao clan..." When mentioning the Huan Palace, Gu Yuan's brows furrowed slightly. "The Huan clan has always been the most enigmatic and mysterious among the Eight Ancient Clans. Back then, when the Gu and Xiao clans allied and fought against them, both suffered damage, though the Huan clan remained largely unscathed. Later, when Xiao Xuan became the leader of the Xiao clan, he had the opportunity to decisively defeat the Huan clan—yet ultimately, the Huan clan managed to gather numerous powerful warriors to surround and eliminate him, resulting in Xiao Xuan's demise and the subsequent decline of the Xiao clan." "Without the support of the Xiao clan, the Gu clan has been unable to launch a standalone campaign against the Huan clan, as everyone knows that prolonged conflict would exhaust both clans, creating opportunities for other powers to rise. Thus, this situation has persisted until now." "However, from the Huan clan's recent actions, it appears they are once again preparing for renewed action. Therefore, the Tuosha Ancient Emperor Jade must surely be their primary objective. Should they succeed in securing all of these j Xiao Yan nodded slightly, yet a sudden image flashed through his mind—a subterranean world of molten rock beneath the Canaan Academy. At the very end of that molten realm, something had once stirred the ancient jade in his hands. "Could it be," he mused, "that the hidden sanctuary of the Emperor of Battle lies precisely at the far end of that molten world?" He felt a strong intuition that whatever lay at the conclusion of that realm must be of utmost significance. "Then, what does the elder of the Gu Yuan Clan mean?" Xiao Yan regained his focus and spoke slowly. The elder Gu Yuan stared at Xiao Yan, then shook his head in resignation after a moment. "According to the older members of our clan, they believe you should hand over the ancient jade to the clan's stewardship. But I suspect you won't be willing to do so." Xiao Yan nodded gently. "There is a trace of my father's soul imprint on the jade. I need to rely on this to confirm his fate. Therefore, I must keep the jade myself." "The To-Shagui Jade is currently the most precious possession of the Xiao family. Should the time truly come when it must be used as leverage—indeed, even if it means trading it for Xiao Zhan—Xiao Zhan would not hesitate. This serves as a bargaining chip. With it in hand, he would not truly kill his father, but once the ancient jade is delivered to the Ancient Clan, and the Hollow Clan realizes its hopes are fading, they might well do something utterly ruthless and desperate. Ancient Yuan seemed already to have anticipated this response, thus displaying no further expression, merely nodding with a sense of resignation: "I already anticipated this answer." "Sorry, Elder Yuan," Xiao Yan apologized. "This proposal wasn't mine to begin with, though the other elders—likely—wouldn't be willing to let you carry such a vital asset so openly under the Hollow Clan's watchful eyes." Gu Yuan shook his head, then waved his hand. "Well, let's put this aside for now. In just two more days, the Heavenly Tomb will open. After you emerge from it, we can discuss the ancient jade then..." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, about to speak, when all of a sudden a gust of wind swept in from the foot of the mountain. He turned his gaze to follow the wind, and there, a graceful figure was swiftly approaching—Xun'er. "Ah, indeed, young women grow up and outgrow their parents' expectations. With this girl rushing so urgently, I suspect she's worried about how I'm treating you..." Seeing Xun'er arrive so hurriedly, Gu Yuan smiled with a touch of resignation, then turned to Xiao Yan and said, "Today's conversation is concluded. Remember what you promised me—never deviate from your word. And, above all, protect the ancient jade well." As the last syllable of Gu Yuan's words faded, his form slowly dissolved into the vast expanse of the heavens. Watching Ancient Yuan fade into the distance, Xiao Yan couldn't help but exhale a deep breath of relief, then turned to gaze at the elegant girl rushing toward him, her cheeks taut and her eyes filled with concern, and couldn't help but smile gently.