Word Count: 3,439 Words
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Venerable Lei felt a flicker of hope upon hearing that Xiao Yan was open to negotiation and said, "As long as Grandmaster Yan agrees to release Qing Er, my Wind Lightning Pavilion is prepared to gift you the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body cultivation scroll unconditionally."
If Feng Qing Er were killed, his Wind Lightning Pavilion would undoubtedly suffer catastrophic consequences! Besides, since Xiao Yan had already learned the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body wasn't much of a sacrifice.
Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head. "Venerable Lei, the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body is already mine by right from our wager. If you want to exchange for Feng Qing Er's life, you'll need to offer a different price."
Xiao Yan didn't bother with haggling or small talk; he simply waved his hand and tossed a slip of paper to Venerable Lei.
One glance at the list and Venerable Lei's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Every item was a tier 8 main ingredient, and there were even three Rank 8 Monster Cores! Wasn't this an attempt to dig up the very roots of the Wind Lightning Pavilion?!
Xiao Yan saw Venerable Lei's eyes bulge and said with a placid smile. "I've heard the Wind Lightning Mountain Range is abundant in medicinal ingredients, and the Wind Lightning Pavilion stands as the most powerful among the Four Pavilions. I believe exchanging this small quantity of medicinal ingredients for the life of a Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe genius is quite a bargain. Don't you agree, Venerable Lei?"
Venerable Lei nearly exploded in curses. The quantity might be small, but the quality was anything but!
Over the years, his Wind Lightning Pavilion had controlled numerous mountain ranges and excavated many ruins of ancient experts throughout the Central Plains. They had indeed accumulated many precious medicinal ingredients and Monster Cores.
However, many of these Monster Cores and tier 8 medicinal ingredients had already been traded away. After all, tier 8 medicinal ingredients could be exchanged for tier 7 pills, and alchemists from both the Pill Region and Pill Tower frequently purchased ingredients from the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
Their inventory was already depleted. Now, with a casual wave of his hand, Xiao Yan demanded over a dozen tier 8 main ingredients and three Rank 8 Monster Cores! The Wind Lightning Pavilion truly might not be able to produce that much, especially since Xiao Yan had specified the exact medicinal ingredients he wanted.
Xiao Yan glanced at Feng Qing Er and slowly tightened his grip. Her voice strained from her throat as she managed to plead, "Venerable... save me."
Venerable Lei clenched his fists tightly, blue veins bulging on his forehead. He, Venerable Lei, had dominated the periphery of the Central Plains for many years and was renowned throughout this Northern Region. Who wouldn't give him some face?
Now, Xiao Yan had not only secretly learned the Three Thousand Lightning Movement but had also captured Feng Qing Er to threaten him. This was simply an unparalleled humiliation!
Yet there was nothing he could do.
Venerable Lei forcibly suppressed the fury in his heart. He retrieved a silver-white scroll crackling with lightning from his storage ring and said, "Xiao Yan, this is the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body cultivation scroll. Release Qing Er first. My Wind Lightning Pavilion cannot produce all these medicinal ingredients at once. I need some time."
Xiao Yan shook his head. "Venerable Lei, the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body rightfully belongs to me. As for the time you need, I'll give you three days. During these three days, my Yan Alliance will stay in Wind Lightning City."
"Regarding Feng Qing Er, rest assured. As long as she harbors no ill intentions, I guarantee not a single hair on her head will be harmed."
Xiao Yan exchanged a look with Venerable Tian Huo, who instantly understood. He approached Venerable Lei and extended his hand to receive the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body cultivation scroll.
Crack!
Venerable Lei's fingers clenched forcefully. One could imagine the rage in his heart at this moment. If Feng Qing Er were not Xiao Yan's hostage, he would have risked his life to kill Xiao Yan on the spot. How could he endure such suffocating humiliation!
But the decision was no longer his to make. Whether he wanted to comply or not, he had no choice!
Grinding his teeth, Venerable Lei handed the cultivation scroll to Venerable Tian Huo.
Xiao Yan took the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body cultivation scroll from Venerable Tian Huo and released his grip on Feng Qing Er's neck. He weighed the scroll in his hand, then smiled and said, "Venerable Lei, rest assured. I, Xiao Yan, am a man of my word. As long as your Wind Lightning Pavilion doesn't do anything foolish, I guarantee Feng Qing Er will eat well and live well under the Yan Alliance's care."
A few moments later, the four of them returned to the Eastern Pavilion of the Wind Lightning Pavilion. Qing Lin immediately floated to Xiao Yan's side the moment he appeared.
The elders of the Wind Lightning Pavilion exchanged uncertain glances upon seeing both Venerable Lei and Feng Qing Er present.
"That's enough fighting," Xiao Yan said calmly, his voice carrying throughout the entire Eastern Pavilion.
Zi Yan stopped her attacks with lingering reluctance at his words. Fei Tian was utterly shocked at this moment. This little girl only had the strength of a 3-star Dou Ancestor, but her physical strength was extraordinary. He couldn't do anything to her and had even suffered a bloody nose from one of her punches!
All the Wind Lightning Pavilion elders turned simultaneously toward Venerable Lei, awaiting his orders.
Venerable Lei suppressed the fury in his heart, waved his hand, and announced, "This Four Pavilion Grand Meeting is now concluded. All participants and spectators are to leave Lightning Mountain immediately."
"As for other matters, it was merely a misunderstanding that has now been resolved. All Wind Lightning Pavilion disciples, return to the Eastern Pavilion."
A misunderstanding?!!
Venerable Huang Quan and Venerable Jian were dumbfounded. They looked at the devastated Eastern Pavilion: the ground melted into a massive crater by Xiao Yan, the enormous building pockmarked with Zi Yan's fist imprints, and other structures damaged by battles between Dou Ancestors like the Serene Sea Scaly Beast.
How could this Eastern Pavilion maintain any semblance of its former glory? Half of it had collapsed!
And this was a 'misunderstanding'?!
Many observers understood that the Wind Lightning Pavilion and Yan Alliance must have reached some agreement!
Negotiation was, after all, the norm for great factions; only rarely would a true sect-annihilating war erupt.
Venerable Huang Quan and Venerable Jian exchanged glances, cupped their hands toward Venerable Lei in the sky, and then departed with their disciples. They clearly had no desire to become entangled in this mess.
Venerable Feng fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan and sent a spiritual transmission: "Xiao Yan, I wish to speak with you."
Xiao Yan turned to look at Venerable Feng, considered for a moment, then nodded. "I'll be staying in Wind Lightning City for three days."
Venerable Feng nodded heavily at Xiao Yan's answer. There were matters he absolutely needed to clarify. He then promptly departed Lightning Mountain with Mu Qing Luan.
The disciples and elders of the Wind Lightning Pavilion exchanged glances and began tending to the wounded as the spectators and participants left one after another.
The Pavilion Masters of the Southern and Western Pavilions were in the most miserable state. They had been slammed into the ground by Venerable Tian Huo, shattering every bone in their bodies, all to give Venerable Lei a chance to escape and rescue Feng Qing Er.
If not for the tenacious vitality of a 9-star Dou Ancestor, they would likely have died on the spot.
Xiao Yan looked at Venerable Lei and smiled. "Venerable Lei, I am a man who keeps his promises. I hope you are the same."
Of course, what Xiao Yan truly hoped was that Venerable Lei wouldn't attempt anything foolish. Otherwise, Little Fairy Doctor would have to intervene.
With that, he swaggered out of the Eastern Pavilion of the Wind Lightning Pavilion. He didn't even bother to restrain Feng Qing Er.
Feng Qing Er watched Xiao Yan's retreating figure. Her delicate hands, hidden within her sleeves, clenched briefly before going limp again. With the Wind Lightning Pavilion utterly defeated, where could she possibly escape?
Could she outrun a Hall of Souls Venerable? Could she escape from an 8th-tier alchemist of the Hall of Souls?
Despair written across her face, she followed silently behind Xiao Yan.
"Qing Er, where are you going?!" The 6-star Dou Ancestor old woman called out urgently.
Feng Qing Er gave no answer. She didn't even look at her, simply continuing to walk in silence.
Everyone turned toward Venerable Lei, shocked to see he made no attempt to stop her!
Their Wind Lightning Pavilion had been defeated! Feng Qing Er was now a hostage!
"Fei Tian, mobilize the medicine repositories of all three pavilions and every store in our cities. I need every medicinal ingredient on this list gathered within three days." Venerable Lei tossed Xiao Yan's paper to Fei Tian.
When Fei Tian saw the list of precious medicinal ingredients and Rank 8 magical beast cores on the paper, he immediately understood everything!
The Wind Lightning Pavilion had been defeated. Feng Qing Er was a hostage, and the items on this paper were the ransom!
"Venerable! Even if that Xiao Yan is an 8th-tier alchemist, he can't just throw his weight around like this! This is kidnapping and extortion! If we report this to the Pill Tower..." Fei Tian blurted out hurriedly.
"Hmph, he is a Pill Tower alchemist. Do you think the Pill Tower would concern itself with so-called justice? Besides, this is fundamentally a conflict between the Yan Alliance and Wind Lightning Pavilion. The Pill Tower won't intervene." Venerable Lei snorted coldly.
He never imagined that after dominating for so many years, he would misjudge someone so badly. If you had told me earlier you were an 8th-tier alchemist, I would have brought gifts to congratulate your Yan Alliance's first anniversary!
But he couldn't be blamed. Who could have foreseen such a young 8th-tier alchemist? Weren't such prodigies typically nurtured by the five great clans of the Pill Region? What kind of monstrous genius alchemist popped out of some backwater region like this?!
"My Wind Lightning Pavilion indeed cannot do anything to you right now, but if you simultaneously offend both the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe and the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe..."
A cold gleam flashed across Venerable Lei's face. The killing intent in his low murmur made those nearby shiver involuntarily.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan and his group confidently entered the largest inn in Wind Lightning City. The innkeeper, seeing the Yan Alliance, immediately cleared the premises to accommodate only them.
In the spacious luxury suite, Zi Yan asked curiously, "Xiao Yan, why did you bring this mixed-feather bird back? Is she for me to eat?"
Feng Qing Er instantly turned pale. She stared in terror at the little girl before her. Was she truly going to meet her end like this!
Xiao Yan waved his hand and replied, "Not at all. She's a hostage. The Wind Lightning Pavilion will have to trade medicinal ingredients to get her back."
Zi Yan's eyes sparkled with sudden realization. She had learned a new trick. So, one could exchange captives for medicinal ingredients!
Nalan Yanran shot Xiao Yan a contemptuous glance. "You're engaging in kidnapping and extortion."
"How can you call a mutually agreeable transaction 'extortion'? I haven't bound her; she's free to leave at any time." Xiao Yan refused to admit it.
Nalan Yanran was left speechless. As if she would dare to leave!
Qing Lin quietly poured Xiao Yan a cup of hot tea. Sitting in his chair, Xiao Yan said, "Feng Qing Er, repeat everything about the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe."
Though unsure why Xiao Yan wanted her to repeat herself, Feng Qing Er dared not disobey. She recounted the splitting and civil war of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe.
When she finished, everyone present was visibly shocked by this news!
The dragon island spaces of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe were completely sealed. Ordinary people had no way of knowing what occurred within them. Only the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe seemed to have discovered these secrets through some unknown means.
"Hey, mixed-feather bird, is what you're saying true? The Ancient Void Dragon Tribe is really in civil war?" Zi Yan's eyes narrowed as she questioned in a stern voice.
"It should be true. Though I haven't witnessed it personally, the elders of my tribe have mentioned it before," Feng Qing Er replied.
Xiao Yan looked at Zi Yan and asked, "Given the current state of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe, do you still intend to return?"
"I'm going back! No matter what, I must learn why my parents abandoned me in the outside world!" Zi Yan declared resolutely.
She recalled how, as a child, she had wandered the forests outside the Inner Academy, bullied by the beast kings and forced to live a life of hardship, exposed to the wind and rain. It wasn't until the First Elder brought her into the Inner Academy that this pitiful life ended.
She needed to know why she had been abandoned!
"Return? You are..." Feng Qing Er keenly noticed certain phrases.
Xiao Yan smiled, unconcerned about what Feng Qing Er might learn, and said, "She's an Ancient Void Dragon who ended up outside her tribe."
"Hmph!" Zi Yan tossed her hair proudly and looked haughtily at Feng Qing Er.
You dared challenge Xiao Yan? You're even braver than an Ancient Void Dragon!
"Ancient Void Dragon!!" Feng Qing Er's legs gave way, and she collapsed into a chair, staring at Zi Yan in shock.
This little girl was actually an Ancient Void Dragon! No wonder her strength was so formidable that even Fei Tian, an 8-star Dou Ancestor, couldn't handle her.
Xiao Yan glanced at Feng Qing Er. Her clothes were tattered, and in her startled state, some skin was exposed. He shook his head. "Qing Lin, take her to change her clothes. If people see her in this state, they might think I did something indecent to her, damaging the Yan Alliance's reputation."
"I understand, Young Master Xiao Yan."
Not long after Qing Lin took Feng Qing Er away, Venerable Tian Huo emerged from a wormhole and said, "That Venerable Feng has arrived."
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. He said to the others, "You all go and rest for now. I want to speak with Venerable Feng privately."
The others immediately left the room. Even Venerable Tian Huo didn't linger, choosing instead to guard the door from outside. With Xiao Yan's current strength, he would have enough time to intervene even if Venerable Feng launched a sudden attack.
Naturally, Xiao Yan wasn't worried about Venerable Feng at all. Little Fairy Doctor was also in the adjacent guest room, silently watching over him.
A short while later, the door to the room opened and Venerable Feng entered alone.
Xiao Yan sat alone in the room. Venerable Feng carefully sized him up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he asked in a deep voice, "Grandmaster Xiao Yan, forgive my directness, but I must ask... is the Qi Method you cultivate called the Flame Mantra?"
The moment Venerable Feng uttered the words 'Flame Mantra,' Xiao Yan's sharp Spiritual Strength clearly sensed the surge of emotion in him. There was hope in his gaze, but not a trace of greed—completely different from Han Feng.
Xiao Yan didn't hide anything. He nodded and took the Bone Flame Ring out from his Nihility Space.
He had hidden the Bone Flame Ring away long before coming to the Four Pavilion Grand Meeting.
"Bone Flame Ring! That's the storage ring I forged for him!" Venerable Feng stepped closer in excitement the moment he saw the ring. He recognized it as the Bone Flame Ring at a glance, even without holding it.
"Xiao Yan, where did you get this ring? Where is its original owner now?!" Venerable Feng asked, his voice trembling with excitement. He had been searching for nearly twenty years!
Xiao Yan's Soul State Spiritual Strength naturally allowed him to sense Venerable Feng's sincerity. Venerable Feng didn't want to know the whereabouts of the Flame Mantra, nor the Bone Chilling Flame, but news of the storage ring's owner.
First Elder Su Qian had been correct. Venerable Feng had indeed been searching for Venerable Yao's whereabouts all these years. Xiao Yan could read the truth in his eyes. This man was genuinely Venerable Yao's friend through life and death. There was no way to fake such a look.
Xiao Yan remained silent for a few seconds, then tossed the Bone Flame Ring to Venerable Feng and said in a low voice, "My mother found this storage ring by chance. There was once a weak soul imprint inside, but it eventually dissipated."
Venerable Feng immediately sent his Spiritual Strength into the storage ring. Upon sensing the familiar spiritual presence and confirming the soul imprint had indeed vanished completely, his body staggered backward several steps before collapsing into a chair.
Hun Huzi had once examined the ring and told Xiao Yan that a soul body had indeed been present, but they had been too weak to survive.
Venerable Feng wasn't as skilled as Hun Huzi, but he could sense the truth just as well. He knew Xiao Yan hadn't lied.
It was difficult to imagine what could render a Dou Venerate unable to stand steady.
Venerable Feng stared at the ring in his hands, his body trembling uncontrollably. His withered hands shook as he cradled the storage ring. In that instant, his hair visibly whitened.
The faith that had sustained him for years completely crumbled.
Rumors said Venerable Feng had never accepted Venerable Yao's death; he had searched arduously for over a decade. Han Feng had even fled to the Black-Corner Region to avoid him.
It was just like how some people refuse to believe a missing person was dead until they saw the corpse with their own eyes.
But what Xiao Yan brought this time was not good news—it was confirmation of death.
"Old thing, didn't you always say your Spiritual Strength was formidable and that you wouldn't die? Didn't you claim that, with the Bone Chilling Flame to protect you, death was never a concern…"
Drip.
A clear teardrop slid from Venerable Feng's aged eyes, his voice filled with inconsolable grief.
Xiao Yan watched silently from the side. At least Venerable Yao hadn't been entirely blind in his judgment; this friend of life and death had not been wrongly chosen.
It was just a pity he could no longer witness it.
Venerable Feng slumped weakly against the back of his chair, his eyes shut tight. Clear tears streamed unceasingly from the corners of his eyes. His hands gripped the storage ring tightly, as if desperately trying to clutch Venerable Yao's hand, unwilling to accept the fact of his departure.
Xiao Yan said nothing, remaining seated to the side, quietly observing the desolate old man before him.
At this moment, he was not the renowned Venerable Feng of the Douluo Continent, but simply an old man who had lost his most precious friend.
The sun descended from its zenith, gradually sinking toward the western horizon. The golden rays of sunset streamed through the window, falling upon the old man's figure.
Venerable Feng's withered hands gradually loosened their grip. He opened his eyes, knowing full well that he could not possibly hold onto something that had already vanished.
"I have already killed Han Feng," Xiao Yan said.
"Is that so... With an inheritor like you, he would likely feel gratified." Venerable Feng spoke with neither joy nor sorrow. The person was already dead; revenge held no meaning now.
With a soft click, Venerable Feng gently placed the storage ring on the table. His hands grasped the armrests of the chair as he pushed himself forcefully to his feet, resembling an old man approaching the end of his days.
He turned his head for one last look at the storage ring on the table, then nodded to Xiao Yan and walked toward the door with faltering steps.
In Xiao Yan's eyes at this moment, there was no Venerable Feng, only an old man whose steps were unsteady, whose eyes were clouded, and whose back was hunched.