Are You Looking for Me?

Hearing that, Zhang Xuanchen found himself unable to refute her for a moment.

After all, it seemed his father really had forgotten.

If Yan Ruyu had been an enemy, he would already have been separated from his head by now.

He had not expected his first trip far from home to teach him such a lesson.

He still lacked experience.

"The outside world is nothing like the Lineage. Until you fully understand someone, trust no one. Of course, your Sister Yan is trustworthy."

As she spoke, Yan Ruyu moved to ruffle Zhang Xuanchen's hair.

He tilted his head aside, avoiding the demon claw she had extended.

Helplessly, he said, "Sister Yan, I'm grown up now. Don't rub my head in the future."

"Grown up? Where exactly are you grown? You're just a sixteen-year-old little brat."

Yan Ruyu waved her hand dismissively.

"Alright, your sister still has things to do. Be careful, and don't go getting yourself buried outside. The spirit meal chef of my Horizon Restaurant still needs your guidance, after all."

Though the two only shared a cooperative relationship, her words of concern were sincere.

At that, Zhang Xuanchen nodded seriously.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sister Yan. This Little Brother will be extra careful. Until we meet again."

With that, Zhang Xuanchen left and headed toward the teleportation array.

After Zhang Xuanchen departed, the Elder beside Yan Ruyu asked in confusion,

"Miss, he may have some talent, but it isn't enough to warrant such importance from you, is it?"

Yan Ruyu chuckled and did not answer him directly.

Smiling, she said, "Elder Xu, do you remember why we came to the South Sea Immortal Continent?"

Elder Xu pondered for a moment. "To seek the Hidden Dragon."

"Yes, to seek the Hidden Dragon. Master has five disciples in total. He said that only the one who finds the Nanhai Hidden Dragon may obtain the true inheritance of the Heavenly Secrets Lineage and become the master of Horizon Pavilion."

Yan Ruyu looked up at the sky. A faint pink light flickered in her eyes, her lips moving in murmurs as her slender fingers continuously calculated.

She clearly felt that she was already very close to the Hidden Dragon, yet she could not calculate the final step no matter what.

It was as though someone had concealed the Hidden Dragon's aura; it drifted unpredictably, impossible to grasp.

Elder Xu said in a low voice,

"Once trapped in muddy mire, swallowing cold rain, scales dust-covered yet hiding proud bones; now lurking in the South Sea, storing thunder that could shake heaven, claws and fangs awaiting their time to shatter the firmament.

Miss, this Zhang Xuanchen clearly does not fit."

Hearing that, Yan Ruyu shook her head.

"Whether he is or not is unimportant. What matters is that I saw potential in him. Hasn't Horizon Pavilion stood tall until now by recognizing pearls with discerning eyes and making friends far and wide?

It is only a small investment. If we can earn the favor of a future powerhouse, it can only benefit us, can it not?"

"Miss is farsighted indeed. This old servant cannot compare."

"Let's go. Don't keep Third Junior Sister waiting too long."

"Yes."

Meanwhile, after asking around in many places, Zhang Xuanchen finally returned to the location of the teleportation array.

He had no idea how Yan Ruyu had done it, but she had actually caught him thirty kilometers away.

He spent three thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones to arrive at Qingmu Market, the closest market to the Dragon Mountain Range.

Checking the location of the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire in his mind once more, he found that it was still over two thousand kilometers away.

If he rode a First-grade Top-tier Flying Boat, it would take roughly a day and a half.

If he rode a First-grade Top-tier Flying Boat and flew without stopping, it would take around two days, which was still enough time.

After thinking it over, Zhang Xuanchen ultimately chose to travel on foot.

What a joke. As a Qi Refining cultivator, flying at top speed over the Dragon Mountain Range was no different from courting death.

The unbroken mountain peaks resembled the exposed spine of a crouching giant dragon, and the air carried a primitive, weighty aura.

Ancient pines leaned diagonally against the cliff faces, pale green mist winding between their gnarled branches streaked with countless patterns.

It gave the entire mountain range an air of mystery.

A young man darted swiftly through the forest.

The Earth Vein Volcano was not deep within the Dragon Mountain Range, but rather in a relatively deep area of its outer region.

It was still within the acceptable range.

Just as Zhang Xuanchen raced through the forest, a sharp black claw suddenly appeared before him.

The black claw gleamed as though it intended to slice Zhang Xuanchen in two.

"Damn!"

Faced with the sudden attack, alarm bells rang in Zhang Xuanchen's heart. He dropped to his knees, leaned back, and slid beneath the lethal strike.

After dodging it, he instantly turned around and looked at the cold demonic beast before him, its body pitch-black, its fur dotted with faint white spots, and its eyes crimson.

"A First-grade Late-stage Shadow Leopard! Damn it, I ran into such a troublesome demonic beast not long after setting out. This luck is truly beyond compare."

A trace of gravity surfaced in Zhang Xuanchen's eyes. The Clear Wind Sword appeared in his hand as he fixed his gaze on the beast.

The Shadow Leopard excelled at concealment and ambushes. If his reaction had been even slightly slower just now, he would already have lost his life.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several sword blades slashed toward the Shadow Leopard.

Using the ancient pines, the Shadow Leopard leaped back and forth. Every sword blade missed, leaving deep scars upon the trunks.

Roar!

The Shadow Leopard let out an angry roar, opened its blood basin of a mouth, and pounced again.

Clang!

The Clear Wind Sword collided with the sharp black claw, producing a crisp ring.

With a thought from Zhang Xuanchen, three Flying Swords instantly appeared at the Shadow Leopard's side.

He flicked a finger.

Pfft!

The three Flying Swords instantly pierced into the Shadow Leopard's body.

As blood sprayed out, the Shadow Leopard let out a whimper before collapsing to the ground, its aura extinguished.

Without hesitation, Zhang Xuanchen directly severed its head to prevent it from playing dead.

After storing the corpse in his Storage Bag, he cast a sidelong glance toward a patch of grass, gave a wicked smile, then turned and continued on his way.

After he left, three figures emerged from the grass.

The Lean Man exclaimed with lingering fear,

"Big Brother, this kid isn't weak. A Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator killed a Shadow Leopard in just a few moves. Are we still doing this job?"

"Do it! Of course we do it! Just not now. That man is in a hurry, but his destination is clear. He must have found something good.

We'll follow behind him. This time, we might just reap a decent harvest!"

The one called Big Brother was a burly middle-aged man with a ferocious scar across his face. Watching Zhang Xuanchen's vanishing back, he licked his pale lips.

Hearing that, the Fat Middle-aged Man beside him nodded as well. "We've followed him for an hour already. How can we give up now?

Big Brother and I are both Qi Refining Eighth Layer, while you, Third Junior Sister, are also Qi Refining Level 7. Are you still afraid of him?"

The scar-faced middle-aged man withdrew his smile and said coldly,

"Enough nonsense. Hurry and follow him! Don't lose him! Remember to keep your auras concealed!"

With that, the three swiftly chased in the direction Zhang Xuanchen had gone.

When they reached a massive boulder, the three stopped.

"What's going on? Why did his aura disappear here?!"

"Fuck! Could that kid have discovered us?"

The Lean Man asked doubtfully, "That shouldn't be possible, right? We concealed our auras and kept our distance from that kid. Logically, he shouldn't have noticed us."

Just as the three were confused,

an icy voice sounded behind them:

"Are you looking for me?"