A female disciple of the Xingyun Pavilion appeared in the sky above the lush forest. She was quite capable and strikingly beautiful. Chen Guan had never seen her before, but he guessed her identity.
It was Mu Qingluan!
Without wasting any time, Chen Guan easily apprehended her.
Mu Qingluan's face was filled with despair, expecting a Barbie-like moment, until Chen Guan revealed his identity, a sense of relief washed over her.
"Master Chen Guan, the Young Pavilion Master is not in the Pavilion. If you're looking for him, you can go to the Tianmu Mountains. I went there with the Young Pavilion Master, but when I left, he was still nowhere to be seen."
Upon learning of Chen Guan's purpose, Mu Qingluan made no secret. The close relationship between the Xingyun Pavilion and Danta, and between Chen Guan and Xiao Yan, was no secret.
"I understand. Thank you."
Chen Guan excused himself and departed without a trace of regret.
It was only then that Yao Chen and Venerable Feng finally noticed the commotion.
"It's Master Chen Guan from Danta, looking for the Young Pavilion Master. It seems he has something to discuss," Mu Qingluan reported truthfully.
"It's this kid, surprisingly. Never mind. I don't think it's anything bad." Yao
Chen smiled and shook his head, dismissing the question.
In the past, he might have been more cautious, but now, there was no need.
As for why he was looking for Xiao Yan, it wouldn't be long before they knew for sure. Meanwhile, Chen Guan headed straight for the Tianmu Mountains. This time, it took him nearly two days to finally see the towering peaks shrouded in dense mist. The Tianmu Mountains are renowned throughout the entire northern region of Zhongzhou, primarily for the Tianshan Blood Pool, which appears every three years. Its miraculous properties hold a profound allure for most Dou Huang powerhouses, and these are mostly the younger generation, as the blood pool's transformative, breakthrough-enhancing properties are particularly effective for the younger generation. Naturally, to cultivate outstanding young talents within their own sects or schools, some major powers also pay close attention to the Tianshan Blood Pool. The distinction between Dou Huang and Dou Zong marks a significant watershed. In Zhongzhou, Dou Huang powerhouses are considered the strongest of the strongest; only by achieving Dou Zong can one truly enjoy the status of a powerful leader. If Dou Huang represents the core elite of a family, then Dou Zong represents the pinnacle of power. A family possessing just one Dou Zong powerhouse boasts a reputation and influence far exceeding that of a family with ten Dou Huangs but no Dou Zong. This is the influence of a Dou Zong! This demonstrates the immense gap between Dou Huang and Dou Zong. It's for this reason that the Blood Pool atop the Tianmu Mountains has become renowned. Such a precious resource should naturally attract numerous powerful forces to claim its possession, but to date, no single power has managed to monopolize it. Even forces like the former Fenglei Pavilion have struggled to achieve this. This was likely due to the sheer scale of the Tianshan Blood Pond's implications. Monopolizing it would inevitably make them a target of public criticism. Furthermore, the Fenglei Pavilion was also constrained by the other three pavilions, and the four square pavilions were mutually disaffected, each vying to outdo the other. Naturally, they wouldn't allow one another to monopolize it. Therefore, amidst the intertwining forces, the Tianshan Blood Pond has remained unclaimed to this day. If a claimant were to be found, perhaps the indigenous magical beasts of the Tianmu Mountains could be considered. But alas, humans wouldn't give up. The allure of the Tianshan Blood Pond was enough to draw them in fearlessly. As the relevant information flashed through his mind, Chen Guan shook his head and smiled. "Just a minor skirmish!" His immense spiritual power quietly emanated, revealing the billions of gold-eating rats hidden within the misty mountains. Though the strongest was only at the Dou Zong level, their presence was impressive enough that even those below the Dou Zun level wouldn't dare to underestimate them. A local tyrant, nothing more than that. Without alerting the Gold-Eating Rat Clan, Chen Guan concealed his presence, moving as if into an uninhabited area. Soon, he arrived at the summit of Tianmu Mountain. Once there, Chen Guan could already sense a familiar, fiery aura, and the strange fire within him stirred. He was certain that Xiao Yan was at the bottom of the blood pool. "Looks like I've arrived just in time." Sensing the fluctuating aura, Chen Guan smiled faintly, his figure disappearing into the void. "Boom!"
At that moment, the surrounding heaven and earth suddenly erupted with a roar of energy, and the energy within this world began to surge violently.
Following this roar, the surrounding energy seemed to be drawn, frantically converging towards the volcano's crater. Upon closer inspection, the energy was concentrated precisely where the Tianshan Blood Pool lay.
Dou Zong Xiao Huohuo is about to appear!
Two similar auras were detected and approached nearby. Judging from their appearance, they were likely the two Dou Zongs of the Gold-Eating Rat Clan. They marveled at the fluctuations.
"This aura... doesn't sound like someone who's just been promoted to Dou Zong."
"Well, this aura alone is no weaker than that of an ordinary one-star Dou Zong. However, it's possible that the aura reached its peak during the breakthrough. Perhaps once the breakthrough is complete, it will gradually decrease."
Amidst the awe and admiration of these two Dou Zongs, as well as the many onlookers in the mountains, Xiao Yan finally made his grand entrance.
Bang!
Suddenly, as if bombs had been dropped, countless water jets shot out from the water's surface, reaching the sky. The water columns exploded, like a torrential downpour beneath Tianmu Mountain. The
blood-soaked water jets erupted in a blanket of spray. A moment later, a clear, crane-like cry suddenly erupted from the depths of the blood pool, carrying a considerable amount of fighting spirit. It broke through the surface of the water and shot straight into the sky.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The clear roar was like a tremor that shook the heavens and the earth. The water jets erupted, space distorted, and even the entire Tianmu Mountain trembled. Cracks spread rapidly around the crater like a spider web, and a deafening roar echoed continuously.
Bang!
The shaking of the mountain had barely subsided when a massive column of water, nearly filling the entire blood pool, erupted from it like a volcanic eruption, forcibly dispersing the swirling waters on the surface.
The water column reached tens of feet in height, and at the moment it reached its apex, it shattered with a bang, sending a massive mass of water plummeting to the sky, forming a continuous curtain of rain between heaven and earth.
The rain slammed heavily onto the stone pavilion, creating a crisp, dripping sound. All eyes across the Tianmu Mountains were fixed intently on the sky.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the sky-spanning rain curtain seemed to be automatically parted by an invisible hand, creating a path that stretched to the heavens.
And within this fragmented rain curtain, a slender figure slowly emerged. His foot tapped lightly on the air, his body erect as a spear. The aura emanating from his body was like a slashing sword, piercing the boundless sky above!
Chen Guan, lurking in the shadows, watched in astonishment. This was a breakthrough for a mere Dou Zong. Anyone who didn't know would have thought it was the patriarch of one of the eight ancient clans overcoming a tribulation.
Got it, got it!
When it came to pretense, Huo Huo was truly gifted.
"Xiao Yan, see you down the mountain. We have something to discuss."
A voice suddenly echoed from the void. The next moment, the torrential rain, as if imbued with life, surged upward, coalescing into several water dragons before plunging back into the pool of blood.
Suddenly, the sky cleared, the rain ceased, and a peaceful atmosphere reigned.
The sudden movement startled everyone, and the two Dou Zong masters of the Gold-Eating Rat Clan were particularly apprehensive. Such a powerful being was lurking in the shadows, completely unaware of it. If someone attempted to take their lives, wouldn't that be as easy as taking something from a bag?
A Dou Zun master!
With trembling eyes, they gazed into the sky, only to catch sight of the last scrap of clothing disappearing into the void.
"Who is this powerful being? How terrifying!"
"This piece of clothing looks familiar. I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."
"Is it related to Xiao Yan? Could it be the Medicine Venerable or the Wind Venerable from the Xingyun Pavilion?"
"Not likely. Neither of these two Venerables sound so young."
"..."
A piece of clothing attracted the attention of the entire Tianmu Mountain Range. People were talking and speculating about the identity of the mysterious powerful being.
In the sky, Xiao Yan, posing with his eyes closed, felt a wave of embarrassment.
A cough.
He coughed dryly to cover it up, and no longer wanted to stay here. After bowing and thanking the two Dou Zong powerhouses of the Gold-Eating Rat Clan, he quickly hurried down the mountain.
The others didn't know the owner of the piece of clothing, but Xiao Yan couldn't have been unaware of it.
As he expected, when Xiao Yan arrived at the foot of the mountain, Chen Guan was waiting with a smirk on his face.
"Brother Guan, you are so unkind!"
(End of this chapter)