The next day.
At dawn, Gu He rose and prepared his belongings for the journey ahead.
"Creak!"
Pushing the door open, he stepped outside and noticed a small figure sitting in the gazebo not far away.
"Girl, why are you up so early?" Seeing the Little Fairy Doctor dozing off against the railing, Gu He couldn't help but feel puzzled.
He approached and gently patted her delicate cheek.
"Teacher…?"
At his touch, the Little Fairy Doctor stirred awake, her drowsy eyes blinking up at him.
Gu He frowned slightly. "Disciple, why didn't you sleep inside?"
The Little Fairy Doctor jolted fully awake, her expression shifting as if remembering something urgent.
"Ah! Teacher, I—I have something for you!" Little Fairy Doctor quickly retrieved a large bundle from her spatial ring and hugged it to her chest, her face brightening with a sweet smile.
"Since you're going on a long journey, I prepared some pastries for you to eat along the way."
She beamed. "Don't worry—they're all your favorites!"
Gu He stared at the hefty package in her hands, then spoke softly, "Did you… stay up all night making these?"
The Little Fairy Doctor nodded slightly. "Teacher, you've always loved my cooking. With you gone for so long, I thought you might miss it… so I made extra."
A warmth spread through Gu He's chest. He took the bundle from her hands and smiled. "You silly girl. You've truly touched this teacher's heart. I haven't spoiled you for nothing."
The Little Fairy Doctor giggled shyly.
Gu He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Go on, get some rest. I'll only be gone a month—I'll return before you know it."
"Mm!" With an obedient nod, Little Fairy Doctor turned and headed back to her room.
Gu He glanced at the bundle in his hands before storing it in his ring. Then, with a thought, he activated So Far Away.
In the next instant, his figure vanished, reappearing at the foot of Misty Cloud Mountain.
Gu He released Xiao Jin—the golden-winged bird he had stored in the system space the night before.
"Xiao Jin, grow larger!"
At his command, the small bird transformed into a massive, sky-covering beast, soaring into the air.
Gu He leaped onto its back, and soon, they disappeared beyond the Misty Cloud Sect's territory.
"First, I need to find a place to break through to the Dou Ancestor realm…" Seated cross-legged on Xiao Jin's back, Gu He's eyes gleamed with contemplation.
After a moment, he pointed toward a distant range. "Head in that direction."
"Screech!"
With a piercing cry, Xiao Jin accelerated, cutting swiftly through the clouds.
…
High above the sky, amidst swirling mist…A colossal golden bird streaked through the clouds at blinding speed.
Gu He stood firmly on its back, his soul power extending downward, scanning the terrain below.
"We are almost there…" Gu He eyes narrowed slightly as a towering mountain range came into view.
"Xiao Jin, prepare to descend." As the Magic Beast Mountain Range loomed closer, Gu He issued the order.
"Screech!"
Xiao Jin let out another cry before diving toward the ground.
Gazing at Qingshan Town below, Gu He felt a flicker of nostalgia.
"The last time I was here, I was merely a Dou King."
"Now, just a few months later, my strength has reached the peak of the Nine-Star Dou Emperor."
Gu He had no intention of stopping in Qingshan Town this time. Instead, he guided Xiao Jin toward the secluded valley he remembered from his last visit.
Passing through dense forests, they finally landed at the valley's entrance.
Xiao Jin shrank back to its smaller form, perching on Gu He's shoulder as he surveyed the area.
Standing at the mouth of the valley, Gu He couldn't help but marvel at fate's whimsy.
"Last time, I came here to break through to the Dou Emperor realm. Now, I return to ascend to Dou Ancestor."
"Truly, destiny works in mysterious ways." Steeling himself, Gu He stepped forward.
Even before fully entering, he could feel the thick, almost tangible energy saturating the air.
"What an ideal place for a breakthrough." A satisfied smile crossed Gu He lips as he ventured deeper.
Inside, the dou qi grew even denser, condensing into a visible mist.
Lush medicinal herbs thrived in abundance, their fragrant aroma mingling with the energy-rich fog, invigorating the senses.
Yet, as Gu He took in the sight, a question arose in his mind.
'Why does this valley have such concentrated dou qi? And why do so many rare herbs grow here?'
Last time, he had been too preoccupied with his breakthrough to ponder it.
Now, however, the peculiarity struck him.
'Could there be a secret hidden within this valley?' The thought sent a thrill through Gu He.
'Perhaps some extraordinary treasure lies here, creating this phenomenon.'
Excitement flickered in his eyes.
If his guess was correct, whatever lay hidden here must be extraordinary.
With that, Gu He unleashed his soul power, scouring every inch of the valley for clues.
His senses probed through the mist, searching for anomalies.
"Huh?" A moment later, his soul power converged on a particular corner of the valley.
There, the dou qi was noticeably denser than anywhere else.
"This must be the source."
In a flash, he appeared before the spot—a section of the mountain wall where dou qi mist seeped through a narrow crevice.
"So this is where the valley's dou qi originates." Realization dawned on Gu He.
"Then… there must be something hidden behind this wall."
After a brief hesitation, he summoned his Natal Divine Flame. Purple fire erupted from his eyes, engulfing the mountain wall.
Under the relentless blaze, the stone began to melt away…
…
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