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Xiao Yan led his group towards Stone Desert City. From a high altitude, overlooking the land, he suddenly sensed a burst of Dou Qi below.
A middle-aged man was protecting a little girl, being chased by two first-tier Magical Beasts that lived in the desert.
The middle-aged man looked remarkably familiar; it was Payne!
Xiao Yan's expression changed, and he rushed down.
He used the Heart Flame ignited by the Fallen Heart Flame to burn the two Magical Beasts chasing Payne into ashes.
Seeing the Magical Beasts slain, Payne immediately bowed and thanked the powerful expert who had helped him:
"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life..."
The words "...of kindness" didn't leave his mouth. He looked at Xiao Yan's face and said with excitement, "Young Master Xiao Yan? Young Master, is it really you?"
"Cousin Xiao Yan?" The little girl protected by Payne stared blankly at Xiao Yan, rubbed her eyes with a hand that had chili water on it, pouted, and burst into tears.
"Wahhh... Cousin Xiao Yan, the family is gone, dead, all dead... Everyone is dead... Uncle Patriarch too..."
Xiao Yan recognized the sobbing little girl; it was Xiao Qing.
He suppressed the sadness in his heart, stroked Xiao Qing's head, and comforted her, "Don't cry, don't cry. Cousin is still here, Xiao Qing, don't cry..."
Then, he looked at Payne with a heavy expression and asked, "What exactly happened back then?"
Payne said with hatred, "It was those two bastards, Jia Liebi and Aoba Pa. Dissatisfied with the Xiao Family's expanding influence in Wu Tan City, they were instigated by others and led people to attack the family.
"I found out that the person who united these two families was the master of that Alchemist Liu Xi, a third-grade Alchemist.
"However, that third-grade Alchemist seemed to have someone else behind him. Xiao Qing said she saw people from the Yunlan Sect."
Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Qing, who nodded, "Yes, it was people wearing the same clothes as that bad woman. I saw it with my own eyes."
With Xiao Qing, the eyewitness, even if Xiao Yan was unwilling to believe it, he had to accept that the Yunlan Sect was involved.
It was just Yun Shan's attitude back then that puzzled him. To understand what truly happened, he would have to confront Yun Shan.
"What's wrong? Master Xiao Yan?" Ban Lao asked, his eyes flickering.
Xiao Yan said vaguely, "There was a problem. While I was away, the family was attacked. It's possible it was done by people from the Yunlan Sect."
"What?" This news caused concern among the people of the Black-Corner Region. The situation seemed different from what they had expected.
"Don't worry, everyone. The Yunlan Sect isn't a monolith; some people there have their own ideas. Perhaps my Xiao Family affected the interests of some of them," Xiao Yan reassured.
"If this was instructed by Yun Shan..." Fan Lao seemed to be having second thoughts.
Xiao Yan glanced at him, "If it was Yun Shan's instruction, then this time, it will likely be a life-and-death battle between him and me... If Sect Master Fan wants to leave now, I won't say another word."
Gold and Silver Elders's eyes flickered. After a moment of thought, they said, "We believe that since young friend Xiao Yan dares to say such words, he must have some confidence. But the danger level is not comparable to what we discussed before, after all, being an enemy of a Dou Ancestor is no joke... This reward..."
Xiao Yan said very straightforwardly, "If such a situation arises, the reward will be doubled."
"Good, it's a deal!" Gold and Silver Elders nodded.
Since they had already come, the rest of the people also didn't want to make a wasted trip. With Gold and Silver Elders setting an example, they all agreed one after another.
Xiao Yan said in a slightly cold tone, "I will never go back on the promised reward, but if anyone flees during battle, then don't blame me for being merciless afterwards."
"Don't worry, if such a person appears, we won't spare him either," Gold and Silver Elders guaranteed, patting their chests.
This team, which had almost fallen apart, stabilized again.
After settling Payne and Xiao Qing in a nearby city and having Sect Master Su Mei and Tie Wu each leave a Dou Spirit subordinate as guards, their group continued on their journey.
Upon arriving at Stone Desert City, they lined up and hovered in the air, releasing their Dou Emperor aura without any concealment.
The powerful experts of the Jia Ma Empire gathered in the city had not yet dispersed; they were discussing whether to counterattack the Chu Yun Empire as retaliation.
Feeling the aura in the sky outside the city, their expressions all changed.
Jia Xingtian, Yun Yun, and others soared into the sky, their gazes solemn as they looked at the eight figures exuding powerful auras.
Jia Xingtian's gaze lingered on Gold and Silver Elders. He could feel that either of these two alone was no less powerful than himself, and their auras were perfectly integrated, as if they were one person. They might have cultivated some combined attack technique, and if they acted together, the power they unleashed would likely be even more terrifying.
"Sect Leader Yun Shan, Xiao Yan has come to fulfill the Convention, please come out and meet me." Xiao Yan spoke loudly, his voice, magnified by the spread of Dou Qi, reverberated far and wide, reaching the ears of everyone in Stone Desert City.
Xiao Yan... Jia Xingtian was slightly startled and turned his gaze to the Dou Emperor in the center. That handsome face had matured a lot compared to two years ago, gaining a bit more resoluteness, but it was his demeanor that had changed, his facial features not much. It was only because his hairstyle had changed to a buzz cut that he didn't recognize him immediately.
Two years... from a Dou Grandmaster to a Dou Emperor?
Those who had witnessed the battle at the Yunlan Sect and knew a little about Xiao Yan couldn't help but gasp. What kind of cultivation speed was this?
Yun Yun looked at that familiar face, her eyes filled with emotion. She wished she could immediately fly over and throw herself into this man's arms, but in public, as the current Sect Master of the Yunlan Sect, she needed to maintain composure, which was why she didn't move.
Xiao Yan noticed Yun Yun's gaze. Although he missed her greatly, what he most wanted to clarify with Yun Shan now was about the Soul Hall and the Xiao Family, to question him whether he had attacked the Xiao Family. So he didn't dare to meet her gaze for too long and shifted his eyes.
He scanned the crowd flying out from Stone Desert City but did not see Yun Shan's trace:
"Where is Sect Leader Yun Shan? Is he not here?"
Yun Yun glanced at Yun Du and Yun Cha, the newly rising Dou Emperor experts of the Yunlan Sect beside her, and asked, "Where is Master?"
"Old Sect Leader already knew that Mr. Xiao Yan would come, which is why he initiated this decisive battle. He said he would wait for Mr. Xiao Yan in the Snake-People Race Holy City," Yun Du replied.
A hint of surprise appeared on Yun Yun's face: "You all knew he was coming? Master pushed for the decisive battle with the Chu Yun Empire because of this?"
"Yes," Yun Cha nodded. "Old Sect Leader was worried about affecting your state of mind, Sect Master, and causing an accident on the battlefield, which is why he asked us not to tell you."
Yun Yun accepted this explanation. She also knew that once she learned of Xiao Yan's impending arrival, her emotions would fluctuate more or less.
"The Snake-People Race Holy City, huh..." A trace of nostalgia appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes. This was where he and Cai Lin first met.
He spoke, "Yun Yun, can we talk alone?"
"Okay." Yun Yun nodded.
The two landed on the ground, and Yun Yun led him to her residence.
Jia Xingtian looked at the people from the Black-Corner Region and cupped his hands, saying, "These friends, I presume, are all good friends of young friend Xiao Yan? That is Yun Yun, the Sect Master of the Yunlan Sect. You should know something about their relationship."
As he spoke, he revealed a knowing smile: "There's no need to worry about Xiao Yan's safety... Young people reuniting after a long separation, I imagine they have a lot to talk about. It's not right for us to just wait here. Why don't we come down for a drink and some pastries, and let me fulfill my duty as host?"
Gold and Silver Elders nodded and went to the City Lord's Mansion together.
In Yun Yun's room, Xiao Yan sniffed the faint fragrance in the room, feeling a little restless.
The two looked at each other for a long time, neither speaking.
Finally, Xiao Yan broke the silence: "Have you been well these past two years?"
Yun Yun replied with a smile, "What could be wrong with me? It's you, out there alone, you must have suffered a lot, right?"
Suffer? Xiao Yan thought about it and realized that the only time he could really be considered to have suffered was the pain he endured while refining the Heavenly Flame...
As for the tediousness of cultivation, for others it might be a painful thing, but for him, it was no such thing at all.
With Qing Meng's assistance, his cultivation speed was much faster than others, and he could vaguely sense his strength improving little by little. This pleasure of increasing strength far surpassed the tedium of cultivation.
With positive sensory feedback, he felt as if he were playing a game and grinding for experience levels, wishing he could cultivate twenty-four hours a day.
"It's alright." Xiao Yan felt the soft touch on his face and reached out to grasp Yun Yun's hand that had reached out to him.
He suppressed the rising desire in his heart, his expression serious, and asked, "Yun Yun, I want to ask you something. This is very important, and I hope you can answer me truthfully."
Seeing his serious demeanor, Yun Yun's expression also became solemn: "Speak."
"Did your teacher, Yun Shan, really collude with the Soul Hall?" Xiao Yan asked.
"Soul Hall?" Yun Yun frowned slightly and shook her head, "Is that the name of some force? I've never heard of it, but in the past two years, I've sensed an evil and cold aura on some disciples, and their strength has also increased at an abnormal rate. I asked Master, but he never answered me..."
Xiao Yan nodded, and he had his answer in his heart.
Seeing his expression, Yun Yun couldn't help but press, "What's wrong with this Soul Hall?"
From Xiao Yan's choice of words and tone, she could tell that the Soul Hall was most likely not a good thing.
Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment but still answered truthfully: "You should know about the destruction of my Xiao Family. On the surface, it was done by the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Clan, but I suspect the Soul Hall's involvement.
"Also, I met a survivor of the Xiao Family, one of my cousins. She told me that on the day the Xiao Family was destroyed, she saw people from your Yunlan Sect mixed in with the Jia Lie Family."
"What?" Yun Yun's expression turned very ugly, and she subconsciously said, "That's impossible. Master had no reason to attack the Xiao Family. He... he even wanted you to marry me."
Xiao Yan didn't refute: "I also found it very strange. When you sent me the Three Thousand Lightning Movement Dou Technique, your teacher also had your junior brother bring me a gift, a seventh-grade medicinal pill... and under the pretext of hiring mercenaries to escort them, he also sent my two Elder brothers to Jia Nan Academy."
"When did I send you the Three Thousand Lightning Movement?" Yun Yun's beautiful eyes were filled with confusion.
"You didn't send it? So, this must also be your teacher's doing..." Xiao Yan rubbed his forehead, feeling that things were complicated.
"Perhaps some people in the Yunlan Sect were dissatisfied with you and acted without Master's consent," Yun Yun seemed to recall something and speculated.
"I've also considered that possibility... You're so beautiful and friendly; there must be quite a few people pursuing you." Xiao Yan made a joke to lighten the increasingly heavy atmosphere.
Yun Yun rolled her eyes at him and smiled, "Smooth talker... The person who hates you most in the Yunlan Sect isn't those who have ideas about me, is it?"
Xiao Yan also recalled a certain person, Yun Leng, the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect, who had lost face in the three-year agreement with Nalan Yanran and was injured by his Buddha Fury Fire Lotus.
"Are you talking about Yun Leng? Where is he now?" Xiao Yan asked.
"As for him... not long after the incident with your Xiao Family, he was executed by my teacher on the grounds of violating Sect rules," Yun Yun said with a complicated expression.
In her opinion, Yun Leng indeed had many incompetent aspects, but as a Grand Elder, he had rendered great service. Although he made mistakes, his crimes were not punishable by death.
However, if his death was linked to the destruction of the Xiao Family, it could be explained.
"Could it be that Master executed him because he harbored resentment towards you and retaliated against the Xiao Family? And Master discovered this and executed him?"
Xiao Yan frowned, always feeling that things were not that simple. If there were no Soul Hall factors involved, this possibility indeed existed.
But what about the Soul Hall? If everything was done by Yun Leng, wouldn't the Soul Hall be cleared?
Although there was no direct evidence to show that the Soul Hall played a role in this matter, he believed they must have interfered. Yun Shan's actions seemed more like a cover-up!
"Master, what do you think?" Xiao Yan asked Yao Chen in his heart.
Yao Chen responded, "Both are possible. You can ask Yun Shan during the duel, but he might not tell the truth. You'll have to look for evidence in the Yunlan Sect. If there are really people in the Yunlan Sect colluding with the Soul Hall, then Yun Shan can't escape responsibility.
"Yun Yun also said just now that Yun Shan was covering for those disciples whose strength increased abnormally... There's reason to believe he's an insider."
Xiao Yan looked at Yun Yun: "I will ask your teacher about these matters face-to-face to get a clear understanding. I hope you can investigate those abnormal disciples in the Sect... The Soul Hall is a notorious force in the Central Continent. Collaborating with them will not end well."
Yun Yun nodded slightly: "I understand. I also don't want Master to go astray."
After discussing the serious matters, the two fell silent again, and the atmosphere in the room became subtle.
They looked at each other, seeing the intense desire in each other's eyes, recalling the beautiful time they spent in the Monster Mountain Range.
Xiao Yan sealed the bone flame ring with Dou Qi...
Inside the bone flame ring, Yao Chen clicked his tongue and said, "Young, truly wonderful."
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