Upon hearing Lin Yuan's words, Mitel Tengshan forcefully suppressed the shock in his heart and began recounting all the intelligence he knew.
However, as he spoke, the respect on his face grew even more pronounced than before.
Mitel Tengshan explained everything in detail, holding nothing back. This included the fact that Yan Xiao was actually Xiao Yan, that both the Mitel Family and the Jia Ma Imperial Family had already discovered his true identity, and that Xiao Yan might attend the Mitel Family banquet tonight.
"So that's how it is it's him." After hearing the report, a faintly amused smile appeared on Lin Yuan's face as he said calmly, "If it's him, then such achievements are nothing surprising."
At the same time, he already had a clear answer in his mind regarding whether Mitel Tengshan would become his subordinate.
"You know Xiao Yan?" Mitel Tengshan asked in surprise. From Lin Yuan's tone, it seemed that the Tianshu Star Lord was acquainted with Xiao Yan.
Lin Yuan waved his hand indifferently. "You could say that. But Patriarch Tengshan, there's no need to concern yourself with it. Regarding him and the Xiao Family, just proceed according to your own plans and strategies. It has no effect on me."
Hearing this, Mitel Tengshan let out a sigh of relief. Since there was no enmity between this man and Xiao Yan, he could continue advancing the plan to form a marriage alliance with the Xiao Family.
"Also, as a reward for the help the Mitel Family has given me over the past year, take this." As he spoke, Lin Yuan took out a jade bottle from his storage ring and handed it over.
Mitel Tengshan accepted the bottle. Upon closer inspection, his pupils shrank.
"This is a Mighty Hung Pill and a top-grade one at that."
As the operator of an auction house, Mitel Tengshan had a keen eye. He immediately recognized that this was the finest pill he had ever handled.
He cupped his hands respectfully. "Thank you, sir."
Lin Yuan waved it off with a faint smile, his tone carrying deeper meaning. "No need for courtesy. I do not let my own people suffer losses. So, regarding what I mentioned earlier, Patriarch Tengshan, think it over carefully."
After that, Hai Bodong and Mitel Tengshan departed, leaving with hearts filled with shock and complicated emotions.
Watching their retreating figures, Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"With the Purple Restoration Pill, Ice Spirit Marrow, and the Mighty Hung Pill, combined with Hai Bodong's years of accumulation, it won't be long before he advances to Eight-Star or even Nine-Star Dou Emperor. With Hai Bodong's strength and Mitel Tengshan's intellect, the Mitel Family will be able to rapidly expand within the Jia Ma Empire, gathering heavenly treasures for me."
As for whether the Mitel Family would choose to become his subordinate, Lin Yuan was not worried. After all, the allure of the Breaking Zong Pill to peak Dou Emperor experts was something he trusted completely.
"It seems that, due to preconceived impressions, I've been rather lenient toward certain people," Lin Yuan thought, rubbing his temple. "But it doesn't matter. Consider it a small indulgence within the bounds of my strength. Occasionally acting this way isn't so bad."
At that moment, a clear, bell-like laugh sounded from behind him, it was Qing Lin.
"Hehe, Young Master, you really are quite mischievous. Even after removing your disguise, the face you revealed was still a fake one."
Lin Yuan chuckled softly. "Who says that beneath a fake must be the real? I've already been sincere enough by showing my true age, that's sufficient. When traveling outside, it's better to be cautious. However…"
He looked at the charming young girl covering her mouth as she laughed, a teasing glint appearing in his eyes.
"Qing'er, your current appearance does have a bit of a 'queenly' demeanor. As expected of the famous 'Qing Queen' of the Inner Academy."
Indeed, Qing Lin's current appearance was not her true face either. Compared to her original looks, this one carried a bit more heroic charm, and faint traces of Lin Yuan, the Little Fairy Doctor, and Queen Medusa could be seen in it.
Hearing his teasing, Qing Lin's face instantly flushed with a shy blush, her voice turning slightly coquettish. "Young Master~"
Seeing her bashful expression, Lin Yuan felt a stir in his heart. He stepped forward, gently patted her shoulder, and said warmly, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Qing'er, make good use of your time and practice what I taught you. It will be needed very soon."
At the mention of serious matters, Qing Lin nodded earnestly. "Yes, Young Master."
Afterward, she returned to the secret chamber of the residence and began diligently practicing the soul techniques Lin Yuan had taught her.
"Xiao Yan might attend tonight…" Lin Yuan's gaze deepened as he pondered for a moment. "In that case, it's about time I meet him and Yao Lao, again after so long."
At this moment, inside the VIP room of the Mitel Auction House.
A handsome young man dressed in an alchemist's robe sat with his eyes closed, lightly tapping the table with his index finger.
The sound of the door opening rang out, and he opened his eyes to look.
A graceful woman walked in with elegant steps. She wore a tight-fitting red brocade dress of exquisite craftsmanship. Its tailored cut perfectly outlined her alluring figure. Beneath the dress, a glimpse of her fair, slender legs was visible, captivating to behold. Her delicate waist, seemingly graspable with one hand, was accentuated by a silver belt, making her appear even more charming and seductive.
Of course, if Lin Yuan were present, while appreciating her beauty, he might still mutter inwardly, "Not as good as my Queen."
The woman approached the young man and handed him a storage ring, smiling sweetly. "Little brother Xiao Yan, everything you wanted is here. Your sister went through quite some trouble to gather all of it."
Xiao Yan accepted the ring and carefully inspected it. Seeing that all the medicinal ingredients he needed were present, he immediately felt relieved. Catching the faint, alluring fragrance from her, he cupped his hands lightly and said, "Thank you, Sister Ya Fei."
This beautiful woman was none other than Ya Fei, once the chief auctioneer of Wu Tan City and now the person in charge of the Mitel Auction House.
Hearing his thanks, Ya Fei nodded in satisfaction, a sly smile appearing on her face as she spoke in a soft, seductive tone, "Little brother Xiao Yan, thanks can't just be words, you need to show it with actions. Tonight, would you be my escort and accompany me to a banquet?"
Looking at her smiling face, now carrying the cunning of a fox, Xiao Yan felt slightly cornered. He could only smile helplessly and nod. "Alright, Sister Ya Fei."
"Hehe, you little rascal. That expression of yours, you're clearly taking advantage yet still acting reluctant," Ya Fei teased.
"My mistake, Sister Ya Fei…" Xiao Yan replied with a wry smile.
That night, at the Mitel Family estate, a grand banquet was about to begin.
Dressed in a red qipao with a white fox-fur shawl draped over her shoulders, Ya Fei walked arm in arm with a disguised Xiao Yan toward the banquet hall, chatting and laughing.
The surrounding crowd, both men and women, looked at them with traces of envy.
A combination of genius and beauty always drew attention.
At that moment, a vast and mysterious fluctuation swept out from the back mountain of the Mitel Family estate, passing through the entire venue.
Strangely, no one noticed it except Xiao Yan.
"This is…?" Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened slightly as his steps paused.
The moment the fluctuation passed over him, the usually calm Wind and Thunder Fury Flame within his body suddenly became more active. He glanced around, only to find that no one else showed any reaction.
"What's wrong, Yan Xiao?" Noticing his abnormality, Ya Fei leaned closer and asked softly.
"It's nothing." Xiao Yan gave a reassuring smile, but inwardly he called out, "Teacher, did you sense that fluctuation?"
Soon, Yao Lao's voice sounded in his mind, carrying a hint of gravity.
"This is a unique resonance between Heavenly Flames. Only those who possess one can sense it. Wait this familiar aura… could it be him? It seems that fluctuation was an invitation directed at you and me."
At the mention of "Heavenly Flame," Xiao Yan's eyes immediately turned serious and burning with anticipation.
Seeing this, Yao Lao said meaningfully, "Little Yan, today you might meet someone unexpected. But don't rush, continue being your lady's escort. If you've agreed to something, do it properly."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan calmed down and entered the banquet hall, where many familiar faces were already present.
Soon, some interesting events unfolded at the banquet.
"Mu Zhan?"
"Ya Fei, long time no see. You've become even more beautiful, as expected of the wife I've already chosen…"
"You lunatic!" Ya Fei shouted angrily.
"Yan Xiao, if you know what's good for you, stay away from Ya Fei."
"Yan Xiao, what are you doing~" Ya Fei said with a coquettish tone.
"Yan Xiao, you're courting death. I'll grant your wish. Last time in the military competition, I was careless. This time, I'll show you my true strength…"
"Bang~"
"Yan Xiao, you bastard—you've actually broken through to Dou Grandmaster? Ah!"
Xiao Yan clapped his hands lightly and looked indifferently at Mu Zhan, who lay sprawled on the ground. "Mu Zhan, your strength doesn't match your arrogance. Stay away from Ya Fei from now on."
He then turned to Ya Fei with a smile. "I'm not really in the mood today. Let's go, Ya Fei."
Hearing this, Ya Fei walked over to Xiao Yan amid the envious gazes of the crowd and hooked her arm around his. The two then slowly left the venue together.
"Sister Ya Fei, did I do a good job as your escort?"
"Mmm, not bad." Ya Fei released his arm, a faint blush appearing on her pretty face. "Little brother Xiao Yan has grown up. The way you acted just now really made me see you in a new light."
"Haha, that's good. I still have some matters to attend to today, so I'll take my leave first."
After parting with Ya Fei, Xiao Yan flickered a few times and arrived at a secluded spot.
Moments later, a figure shot into the sky. Concealed by Yao Lao's soul power, he flew toward the back mountain of the Mitel Family. As the two drew closer, that mysterious fluctuation spread out once again, as if welcoming them.
Before long, they reached the back mountain without encountering any obstruction and saw the source of that strange fluctuation: Lin Yuan.
Seeing Lin Yuan, whom he had only met once, yet left a deep impression, Xiao Yan steadied himself and descended lightly in front of him, dispersing the pale fire wings behind his back.
At the same time, Lin Yuan, who had been sitting cross-legged in cultivation, opened his eyes and smiled faintly.
"It's been a while, you two, Senior Yao Zun Zhe, and Brother Xiao."
With his identity exposed in a single sentence, Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened. His hands quickly formed a seal, and his appearance returned to its original form. He stared intently at Lin Yuan, a trace of seriousness flashing in his eyes.
"I didn't expect that aura to be yours. Long time no see, Brother Qianlong."
"Qianlong is a thing of the past. Call me Tianshu now, that is my new title," Lin Yuan said calmly as he stood up.
"Brother Qian… Tianshu, you really are casual with names," Xiao Yan said with a slight pause before smiling.
"It's standard practice when traveling. Isn't it the same for you, Brother Xiao? The renowned young genius of the Jia Ma Empire, Yan Xiao." Lin Yuan returned the smile.
"For now, Brother Tianshu, you shouldn't call me a genius yet. My cultivation is still far behind yours," Xiao Yan waved his hand.
"For now? So you're confident you'll live up to that title in the future?" Lin Yuan asked with a teasing tone.
"Of course." Xiao Yan lifted his chin. As Yao Lao's disciple, even if he was currently weaker than his peers, he refused to lose in spirit.
"Good." Lin Yuan nodded and laughed. "That's exactly the spirit a young man should have."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan said somewhat speechlessly, "Brother Tianshu, although your strength is much higher than mine, we're about the same age. Why do you sound so old-fashioned?"
"Heh." Lin Yuan glanced at him and revealed a faintly enigmatic smile. "Though we're of similar age, there's an absolute difference between us."
Xiao Yan frowned slightly, pondering the deeper meaning behind those words. Moments later, his expression changed drastically. He pointed at Lin Yuan, his finger trembling slightly.
"You… you… could it be…"
"Just as you think," Lin Yuan said calmly.
Xiao Yan's gaze dimmed. Then, as if recalling something, his eyes flickered, but soon he shook his head, his expression darkening once more, repeatedly telling himself in his heart, Xun'er is still waiting for me Xun'er is still waiting for me.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan smiled faintly and shifted his gaze to the Bone Flame Ring on Xiao Yan's hand.
"Senior must have already sensed my aura long ago. In that case, why not show yourself—Yao Zun Zhe?"
As his voice fell, a vast soul force surged out from Xiao Yan's body, condensing into a solid figure that stood quietly before Lin Yuan.
"This fluctuation… Dou Ancestor level, roughly that of a Two-Star Dou Ancestor." Sensing that Yao Lao's soul power had grown significantly stronger compared to a year and a half ago, Lin Yuan thought to himself, Though it's still slightly weaker than my Queen's.
"It seems that even without the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva, they've encountered other opportunities."
Yao Lao glanced at his somewhat foolish disciple, who seemed to have developed a strange competitive instinct, before turning his gaze toward the young man before him, who wore a faint smile.
"It has been a long time, little friend."
Looking at Lin Yuan, a trace of surprise appeared deep in Yao Lao's eyes, along with a hint of admiration.
"A Dou Emperor and a Five-Star Dou Emperor at that. Your progress is truly astonishing. At this level, even in Central Plains, you would be among the top."
"I owe it to our previous transaction. The cultivation technique you provided was indeed excellent and has helped me greatly," Lin Yuan replied honestly.
"The Heaven Fire Scripture you have quite the discerning eye. It is indeed an outstanding technique, even among High Earth Class techniques, it stands at the very top. There are only a handful that surpass it."
At this point, Yao Lao couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If they had failed to find a Heavenly Flame for a long time, he had even considered letting Xiao Yan switch to that technique.
Fortunately, Xiao Yan's fortune was excellent. At the Dou Master stage, he had already obtained the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame, which suited him perfectly. With both the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame and the Bone Chilling Flame, his Flame Mantra could at least reach Mid Black Class—perhaps even High Black Class.
Lin Yuan glanced at the master and disciple before speaking sincerely, "Under Senior's guidance, Brother Xiao is no less remarkable. In just a year and a half, he has risen from a Four-Star Dou Practitioner to Dou Grandmaster and even subdued a Heavenly Flame at the Dou Master stage."
"Perhaps in the future, on this Dou Qi Continent, the one who can stand alongside me will be Brother Xiao."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan felt his heart stir. Being acknowledged by someone he regarded as a benchmark and someone Yao Lao himself considered among the top talents of Central Plains, filled him with anticipation. He began to look forward to the day they would truly compete on equal footing.
Yao Lao, hearing Lin Yuan's sincere praise, felt greatly pleased. For someone like him, praise directed at his disciple was far more gratifying than praise directed at himself.
"Speaking of which, this place is a key area of the Mitel Family. It seems your relationship with them is quite close?" Yao Lao asked, changing the topic.
"Something like that. I've rendered them a small favor," Lin Yuan nodded. "During my travels, I saved their Supreme Elder, helping him break the seal on him and recover his former strength. This visit is simply to wrap things up."
"Traveling the continent…"
"Traveling the continent…"
At these words, Yao Lao felt a faint sense of nostalgia, recalling his youthful and spirited days.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, felt a trace of envy. If not for his urgent need to grow stronger to fulfill the three-year agreement, restore the Xiao Family's honor, and gain recognition from Xun'er's clan, he too would have liked to travel the continent alongside Yao Lao.
At this moment, Lin Yuan's voice interrupted their thoughts.
"The reason I came to find you this time is also related to my travels."
Yao Lao was slightly startled. "Oh? What do you mean?"
Lin Yuan's expression turned serious. "During my travels in the Jia Ma Empire, I happened to discover traces of those people. That is why I came to warn you."
"After all in your current state, you are exactly the prey they most desire."
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