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After a long silence, Xiao Zhan's face broke into a relieved smile; he didn't need to urge his son, as Xiao Yan already understood the importance of expanding the Xiao Family.
Moreover, his son's taste and capability were quite good, as he had managed to get involved with the Yunlan Sect's Sect Master.
He nodded in satisfaction: "Xiao Yan, don't let that girl down… You did well. The future of our Xiao Clan rests on you."
Xiao Yan's face twitched: "Uh, those were all accidents, accidents… It's all Ape Lord's fault for messing around."
Inside the bone flame ring, Yao Chen's soul body's expression changed from playful to solemn; he seemed to have just heard something extraordinary.
The Xiao Clan? Was it that Xiao Clan?
He looked at Xiao Zhan with uncertainty, then suddenly thought of Xun Er, realizing that this possibility seemed quite high.
"Xiao Yan, what are your plans for the future?" Xiao Zhan asked.
Xiao Yan, who was already prepared, replied: "I plan to study at Jia Nan Academy. Also, I need to clarify the situation with Yun Yun to Xun Er and Xiao Meng."
Xiao Zhan nodded: "Alright, they are both good girls. However, regarding Xun Er, if you want to satisfy her father, you'll have to work hard. Especially since you've gotten yourself into romantic trouble, her father's approval might be difficult to obtain."
Having learned from Wu Meng what kind of person Xun Er's father, Gu Yuan, was, Xiao Zhan naturally knew how difficult it would be for Xiao Yan to gain his approval.
Xiao Yan didn't overthink Xiao Zhan's words, simply assuming he meant that Xun Er's father would be displeased with his philandering, and he gave a sheepish smile.
Xiao Zhan tried several times to reveal some family matters to Xiao Yan but swallowed his words back each time.
After a long silence, he said: "Xiao Yan, you've grown up. Go out and explore with confidence. Don't worry about the family; I'm here. When a young eagle's wings are fully grown, it should spread them and soar."
"Mm." Xiao Yan nodded heavily.
He didn't stay in the Xiao Family for too long; if he hadn't wanted to personally inform Xiao Zhan about the outcome of his battle with Nalan Yanran, he wouldn't have returned.
Walking through the Xiao Family's courtyard, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. An indescribable strange sensation spread throughout his body.
His figure paused slightly; for a moment, he seemed to feel gazes from all directions directed at him.
However, after sweeping with his spirit power, he found nothing. His gaze lingered on the Xiao Family members coming and going around him, but he found nothing unusual, except that their actions of rubbing their right eye sockets seemed a bit more frequent.
"Is it my imagination?" Xiao Yan frowned in confusion and walked out.
Not long after he left, the Xiao Family members stopped what they were doing and simultaneously turned their heads to look in the direction he had left.
"Tsk, we were almost discovered."
"Yeah, if I hadn't been quick-witted and changed the action of pinching my eye socket to rubbing my eye, I might have been exposed just now."
"We've dealt with Xiao Yan; it's time to prepare to welcome the next wave of guests."
"Jie jie, strange, but good. I'll take this opportunity to infiltrate the Soul Clan. Leaving a clone there can pinpoint the location of the Soul Realm."
The Wu Mengs' mouths curved slightly backward, forming identical smiles.
…
After walking out of Wu Tan City, Xiao Yan glanced at the familiar city behind him. The sounds of the bustling crowd seemed to gradually fade away in his ears. The plaque hanging at the city gate with the three characters "Wu Tan City" seemed to have been recently renovated, appearing vibrant and bright under the sunlight.
He chuckled softly, waved his hand as if saying goodbye, and then strode forward.
His pace quickened, from a fast walk to a jog. He suddenly lunged forward, purple wings unfurling behind him, and amidst the exclamations of the crowd, he soared into the sky.
The Black-Corner Region was far away, and he didn't want to waste too much time on the journey, so he chose to travel using his Purple Cloud Wings.
After flying for some distance, he felt a little tired. Although he could now sustain it much longer than when he first obtained the Purple Cloud Wings, he was still only a Dou Grandmaster and couldn't use it as a regular means of travel like a Dou King.
In a forest where the trees were not tall or dense and looked peaceful, he slowly descended, retracted his Purple Cloud Wings, and rested against the trunk of a large tree.
He took a flask of water from his space ring, took two big gulps, drinking most of it directly, then wiped the water from the corner of his mouth and panted:
"This Jia Nan Academy is really far. Even if I fly all the way, it will probably take a long time."
Yao Chen's voice sounded in his mind: "Such a long journey can be considered a small test for you. Constantly exhausting and recovering your Dou Qi during the journey will also benefit your cultivation."
"Teacher…"
"Be careful, someone is coming." Just as Xiao Yan was about to speak, Yao Chen suddenly warned.
Xiao Yan heard the solemnity in Yao Chen's tone and immediately took out his ancient ruler from his space ring, then popped a Qi Recovery Pill into his mouth.
He looked into the depths of the forest with a serious expression and whispered: "Since you've come, don't hide."
Seeing Xiao Yan on guard, Wu Meng pulled down the large hood of his cloak, adjusted the monocle on his right eye, and slowly walked forward.
Xiao Yan frowned when he saw Wu Meng, whose entire body was shrouded in a black robe, making his appearance unclear:
"Who are you?"
Wu Meng chuckled softly: "I'm not here for you. Let Yao Chen come out; I have a deal to discuss with him."
"Yao Chen?" Xiao Yan was slightly startled, then understood that this was probably his teacher's name, and he asked in his mind:
"Teacher, is he here for you?"
Xiao Yan's vigilance towards Wu Meng reached its peak. Venerable Yao was his biggest secret, yet this unknown person in front of him had revealed it with a single sentence. A faint sharpness flashed in his eyes.
Yao Chen did not immediately appear, nor did he communicate with Xiao Yan. The other party might be bluffing him. Although targeting Xiao Yan meant the possibility of bluffing was very small, he still held a glimmer of hope.
Seeing no movement from Yao Chen, Wu Meng continued: "How long do you plan to hide in that ring? Do I have to make a move before you'll show yourself?"
"Alas…" A helpless sigh sounded, and Yao Chen's soul body flew out from the bone flame ring, hovering behind Xiao Yan.
"Who are you? And how did you know I was here?"
Wu Meng didn't answer his question, making a "tsk" sound, and said:
"It's truly lamentable that Venerable Yao, who was once famous throughout the Central Continent, has fallen to such a state."
Venerable Yao… When Xiao Yan heard this title, his heart trembled. Venerable, that was a title for a Dou Venerate expert!
Although Xiao Yan had speculated about Yao Chen's past cultivation level, he was still greatly shocked when it was truly confirmed.
No wonder Teacher used to look down on Pill King Gu He, the Jia Ma Empire's number one Alchemist, saying he was nothing. If Teacher was originally a Venerable, then it made sense…
Moreover, Teacher was clearly an Alchemist, and his own strength had reached the Dou Venerate level, so his corresponding Alchemist level was very likely to be eighth-grade!
Yao Chen's eyes narrowed slightly: "My friend, what exactly do you want to say? You shouldn't have come all this way just to scare an old man like me, right?"
"Heh, how would I dare? I said from the beginning, I'm here to make a deal with you."
Saying that, Wu Meng raised his right hand, and from the palm exposed beneath his black robe, a soul body that was quietly sleeping appeared.
When he saw that soul body, Yao Chen's aura fluctuated, his ethereal soul trembled, and he gritted his teeth, spitting out a name:
"Han Feng!"
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