Departure

"When do we leave?" Venerable Wind asked.

"Tomorrow!" As the words fell, Xiao Yan quietly clenched his fists. Thinking of those days long past, of that warmth, of that face like a father's, he felt as though needles were piercing his heart.

In one more month, it would have been six years. Over those six years, Xiao Yan had lost count of how many nights he had thought of that old man who had painstakingly taught him. He did not dare imagine how much pain the old man had endured over these five years and eleven months. He did not even know whether he was still alive.

And now, this day, this moment, had finally arrived. Even if he had to stake everything he had, he would rescue that old man. For that, he was willing to give his life.

Morning arrived quietly. When the first ray of dawn fell, several figures shot out from the Pill Tower and halted in the sky some distance away.

Xiao Yan looked at the others and clasped his hands with unprecedented solemnity. "I'll be relying on all of you this time."

The others returned the gesture. Xiao Heng also put away his carefree demeanor and said gravely, "Don't worry! As long as the intelligence is accurate, our current strength should be more than enough to handle it."

Because of Xiao Heng, Xiao Yan's path of growth had changed somewhat, and he had endured even more hardship. However, the strength at his side had also increased considerably.

Counting their forces: Heavenly Flame Venerable, a six-star Dou Zun; Venerable Wind, Xiao Yi Xian, and Elder Yuan, all four-star Dou Zuns; Gu Yue and Iron Sword Venerable, three-star Dou Zuns; and Xiao Heng, a five-star Dou Zun.

That made seven Dou Zun experts in total. Adding