Sect Master Yun Yun

"Minions! Find that human woman for me!"

"Purple Crystal Winged Lion King?"

Sure enough, the plot was still following its original course.

With a thought, Xuan Jin released the vast aura of a Five-Star Dou Ancestor without restraint.

An invisible pressure crashed down from the heavens like the sky collapsing and the earth caving in.

In an instant, the entire mountain range fell silent.

Birds and beasts went quiet; all was still.

Countless Magical Beasts moving through the forest, regardless of rank, trembled beneath that terrifying aura and prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

At the same time, elsewhere in the forest.

A massive male lion covered in purple crystals and bearing a pair of wings on his back paced about restlessly.

He was the ruler of this region, a Sixth-Order Magical Beast—the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King.

Around him, several slightly smaller but equally powerful Fifth-Order Magical Beasts lowered their heads and waited for their king's command.

"A bunch of trash! You can't even find a human Dou Emperor whose strength I sealed away!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King roared, and the sound waves shattered several nearby trees.

He had just fought a fierce battle with a human female Dou Emperor. Although he had successfully sealed her Dou Qi with his innate ability, the Purple Crystal Seal, he had also suffered considerable injuries.

More importantly, that damned woman had cut off most of his horn!

Damn it!

Just as the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was about to order his subordinates to expand the search, a terrifying pressure that made even his soul tremble descended from the sky.

Thud!

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's enormous body went weak uncontrollably beneath that pressure. His four limbs buckled, and he crashed to his knees, smashing a huge pit into the ground.

The Fifth-Order Magical Beasts beside him lay flat on the ground, their bodies shaking like sieves.

"D-Dou Zong?!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's voice was filled with fear.

When had such a terrifying figure come to this mountain range?

A Dou Zong was an existence capable of crushing him to death with ease!

Could it be an expert backing that woman?

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's heart sank to the bottom.

This was a huge problem.

Run?

Where could he run?

Before a Dou Zong, could a Sixth-Order Magical Beast like him possibly escape?

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King lay on the ground, not even daring to twitch. He could only wait in despair for that terrifying existence to arrive.

There was only one thought in his mind.

Today, he was probably finished.

On the other side, Xuan Jin's Soul Power spread out like a tide and soon locked onto a cave hidden deep within the dense forest, concealed by vines.

Inside the cave, a faint life force flickered in and out.

His body flashed, and in the next moment, he appeared at the cave entrance.

The cave was dimly lit. A woman in a plain dress leaned against the stone wall, her aura weak.

It was Yun Yun.

Her plain dress was torn in many places and stained with dirt and blood. Her once noble and elegant phoenix hairdo had fallen loose, with several strands of dark hair clinging to her pale cheeks, making her seem somewhat fragile.

Her eyes were tightly shut. Several bloody wounds marked her chest; not only had they severely injured her, but a strand of purple Dou Qi had also sealed her own Dou Qi.

Xuan Jin walked up to her, extended two fingers, and placed them on her wrist.

Her pulse was weak but relatively steady.

It was only that her Dou Qi had been completely sealed, leaving her unable to mobilize even a trace of it.

Xuan Jin sent a thread of pure Dou Qi into her body to stabilize her heart meridians.

Then his attention fell on the hideous wound on her chest.

The flesh around the wound had already begun to darken. If it was not treated in time, there would likely be serious consequences.

"What a bother," Xuan Jin muttered.

To apply medicine, he first had to deal with the clothing around the wound.

Without thinking much of it, he reached out and began tearing at the already badly damaged cloth.

At that moment, Yun Yun slowly woke from her unconsciousness.

She opened her eyes groggily. The first thing she saw was the profile of an unfamiliar man, whose hand was resting on her chest.

"Y-you—who are you?!"

"What are you trying to do?!"

Humiliation, fury, and alarm surged through her in an instant. Without a second thought, Yun Yun tried to mobilize her Dou Qi and counterattack.

However, her sea of Qi was completely empty. The seal prevented her from drawing upon even the slightest bit of strength.

Interrupted by her movements, Xuan Jin frowned impatiently.

He could not even be bothered to look at her face, merely lowering his head to focus on treating her wound.

"Don't move. Be quiet," he said flatly, without any discernible emotion.

"You lecher! Let go of me!"

As the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect and a Dou Emperor, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?

Yun Yun struggled violently.

Xuan Jin's patience finally ran out.

He stopped what he was doing. A terrifying pressure erupted from within him, pressing down on Yun Yun like a mountain.

"I told you not to move."

His voice remained calm, but the chilling coldness within it caused the temperature throughout the cave to plummet.

"If I truly wanted to do anything to you, you would not be able to resist even at your peak."

Yun Yun's body instantly stiffened.

Before such absolute power, her little struggle seemed utterly laughable.

She could clearly sense that his strength was far above hers.

Could he be... a Dou Zong?

The thought flashed through her mind, making her entire body turn cold.

She finally realized that she had misunderstood him.

If a Dou Zong truly wished to harm her, why would he need to resort to this?

Shame and lingering fear flooded her heart. Yun Yun's face alternated between red and white, and she no longer dared to move at all.

Seeing that she had calmed down, Xuan Jin ignored her and continued what he was doing.

He deftly cleaned the wound, took out a bottle of Fifth-Order Medicinal Powder from his Storage Ring, and applied it evenly.

After finishing that, he took out a Fifth-Grade Pill that emitted a rich medicinal fragrance, pried open Yun Yun's mouth, and directly fed it to her.

The pill melted as soon as it entered her mouth, transforming into a gentle medicinal force that quickly spread through all four limbs and every bone in her body.

Yun Yun finally regained some strength. Though she still could not move, she could now speak.

She looked at the impossibly young man before her. Her voice was weak, yet sincere.

"Th-thank you."

Xuan Jin stood up and dusted off his hands.

"Stay here. Don't go anywhere. I'll be back shortly."

With that, he turned and walked out of the cave, leaving Yun Yun alone to stare blankly at his retreating back, her heart full of confusion and shock.

Xuan Jin exited the cave. With a flash, he appeared in midair.

He glanced back at the hidden cave and calculated inwardly.

"Now I'll go meet that lion and get the Companion Amethyst Crystal Source. While I'm at it, I'll see whether he has any good medicinal herbs hidden away."

Leave nothing behind!

Xuan Jin had always been a professional when it came to stripping others clean.

He thought of Yun Yun in the cave again.

"The Misty Cloud Sect's sect master... this connection could be useful."

He knew that the Misty Cloud Sect wielded great influence within the Jia Ma Empire. In the future, Ya Fei would inevitably have dealings with them while operating in the Imperial Capital.

Giving Yun Yun a favor now could also be considered a form of help for Ya Fei.

After all, when he left the Northwest Continent in the future, Ya Fei would still need to manage it. And Ya Fei's bodyguard would naturally be Hai Bodong, the "angel investor" from the original story.

Moreover, Xuan Jin remembered that Yun Yun would later become the sect master of the Flower Sect in the original story.

The Flower Sect was considered a first-rate force even in Zhongzhou, and it even had a Dou Saint expert overseeing it.

This investment was guaranteed to bring profit.

Of course, if Yun Yun did not go to Zhongzhou as she had in the original story, it did not matter. It was merely an idle move to begin with.

Xuan Jin did not delay any longer. After determining the direction of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's lair, he transformed into a streak of light and sped away.

Everywhere he passed, the pressure belonging to a Dou Zong followed him like a shadow, causing every Magical Beast throughout the Magical Beast Mountain Range to tremble in fear.

Before the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's massive lair.

The enormous Purple Crystal Winged Lion King lay on the ground with his huge head buried between his paws, his entire body trembling.

He had been lying there for nearly half an hour.

That terrifying pressure hung over his head like a sword, leaving him too afraid to move.

He could sense that the Dou Zong expert had paused somewhere nearby for quite some time, apparently handling something. Then, that aura had headed directly toward him.

"It's over, it's over. He's definitely here to settle the score with me."

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was filled with despair.

He only hoped that the great expert would take pity on the difficulty of his cultivation and leave him with an intact corpse.

While he was lost in wild thoughts, a black figure appeared soundlessly in the air above the lair.

The newcomer simply hovered there quietly, neither speaking nor moving.

Yet that silent pressure was more terrifying than any thunderous roar.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King struggled to raise his head and saw the young man in black robes.

He felt even more miserable.

Such a young Dou Zong?

He had to be a core disciple from some superpower out on training! People like this were the ones he could least afford to offend!

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King did not dare show the slightest negligence. He immediately transformed into human form.

A burly middle-aged man with long purple hair appeared on the spot. He hurried out of the lair, bowed respectfully toward Xuan Jin in the sky, and lowered his head until it nearly touched the ground.

"Xiao Zi pays respects to Lord Dou Zong!"

His voice was filled with reverence.

"I did not know of your arrival and failed to welcome you properly. I hope you will forgive me, my lord!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King naturally did not fear a Dou Emperor, but Xuan Jin was a genuine Dou Zong. The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was not some protagonist, so he did not possess such powerful ability to challenge opponents above his rank.

Xuan Jin lowered his head and looked at the purple-haired burly man below, whose attitude was humble to the extreme, and found it somewhat amusing.

These Magical Beasts truly were the classic sort who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

Still, he liked those who knew the times.

It would save him a great deal of unnecessary trouble.

Xuan Jin looked down at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and finally spoke, his voice calm and emotionless.

"That human woman you were pursuing earlier."

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's heart sank sharply. As expected, he had come for that woman!

He hurriedly explained.

"My lord, it was a misunderstanding, a tremendous misunderstanding! Xiao Zi failed to recognize greatness and did not know that lady... was your woman.

Had Xiao Zi known, even if you gave me a hundred times the courage, I would never have dared lay a hand on her!"

"I am not here to hear your explanation," Xuan Jin interrupted. "Compensation."

Upon hearing the word "compensation," the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King froze briefly, then felt wild joy in his heart.

If he was willing to accept compensation, that meant there was still room to negotiate. At the very least, his life was safe.

He immediately nodded and bowed.

"Of course, of course! Please name your terms, my lord. So long as Xiao Zi can provide it, I will not utter a single word of refusal!"

Xuan Jin did not stand on ceremony and said directly, "Give me some Amethyst Spirit Crystal, along with all of your Companion Amethyst Crystal Source."

His tone was not one of negotiation, but notification.

The muscles on the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's face twitched violently.

The Amethyst Spirit Crystal was manageable. Though precious, he could condense more with enough time.

But the Companion Amethyst Crystal Source was a supreme treasure prepared for his descendants!

Handing all of it over made his heart bleed.

But did he have any choice?

He raised his head and met Xuan Jin's calm, expressionless gaze.

He did not doubt for a moment that if he dared say the word "no," his head would be separated from his body the next instant.

"Y-yes! Please wait a moment, my lord. Xiao Zi will fetch it at once!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King forced out a smile uglier than crying and turned to walk into the lair.

Xuan Jin drifted in after him.

The inside of the cave dwelling was a world of its own, immensely spacious. Purple-glowing crystals were embedded everywhere, illuminating the entire cavern as brightly as day.

Deep within the cave dwelling stood a massive stone platform, covered with all kinds of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that emitted an enticing medicinal fragrance.

Xuan Jin's Soul Power swept over them.

"Hmm, there are several Sixth Tier medicinal herbs. Their age is decent."

With a casual wave of his hand, several oddly shaped medicinal herbs rose from the stone platform and automatically flew into his Storage Ring.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King watched with heartache, yet he could only pretend not to notice.

He walked to the center of the stone platform and carefully lifted a Jade Box carved from purple crystal. Then, from beneath the platform, he took out a pure Amethyst Spirit Crystal as large as a human head.

"My lord, the Companion Amethyst Crystal Source and the Amethyst Spirit Crystal are both here." He respectfully presented the items.

Xuan Jin accepted the Jade Box and opened it for a look.

Inside was a viscous purple liquid that gave off strange energy fluctuations. It was precisely the Companion Amethyst Crystal Source.

He nodded in satisfaction and put the items away.

With the matter settled, Xuan Jin prepared to leave.

He had just reached the cave entrance when he stopped again and glanced back at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, who was still frozen in place.

After considering it, he took out a pill from his Storage Ring and flicked it with his finger.

The pill traced an arc through the air and landed precisely in the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's hand.

"A Fifth Grade Healing Pill. It's yours."

With that, Xuan Jin's figure vanished from the cave entrance.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King stared blankly at the pill in his hand, unable to react for a moment.

After a while, he looked at his utterly empty treasury, then at the pill in his hand, and let out a long sigh.

Forget it. Better to lose wealth than invite disaster.

Being able to trade those things for his life was worth it.

By the time Xuan Jin returned to the cave, Yun Yun was already able to sit up on her own.

The effects of the Fifth-Grade Pill were quite good. Combined with the thread of Dou Qi Xuan Jin had previously transferred to her, her complexion had improved greatly, though her body remained weak.

When she saw Xuan Jin return, she instinctively straightened her disheveled clothes.

"You're back." Her voice was still somewhat hoarse.

Xuan Jin nodded and asked, "How do you feel?"

"Much better."

Yun Yun moved her arm.

"Thank you for your pill. My name is Yun Yun. May I ask your name, sir?"

"Xuan Jin." Xuan Jin gave his name succinctly.

Yun Yun silently repeated the name to herself. It was unfamiliar.

In the Jia Ma Empire, or even among the experts of the entire Northwest Continent, there seemed to be no Dou Zong by that name.

Her curiosity deepened. Just who was this young man?

After giving his name, Xuan Jin sat down by himself and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, showing absolutely no intention of asking her name.

Yun Yun felt an inexplicable emotion stir within her.

After all, she was a Dou Emperor, one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts, and a woman of no ordinary beauty.

He had saved her, seen her body, yet he could not even be bothered to ask her name?

She could not help asking, "Young Master Xuan Jin, aren't you... curious about my identity?"

Xuan Jin did not even open his eyes. He merely gave a soft laugh.

"The Jia Ma Empire's only female Dou Emperor—who else could it be besides Yun Yun, the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master?"

His tone was calm, yet utterly certain.

Yun Yun was stunned by his words.

Xuan Jin actually knew who she was!

He had known from the very beginning!

Then before, he...

Yun Yun's thoughts were in chaos.

The next moment, an idea flashed through her mind.

A young Dou Zong surnamed Xuan, with unfathomable strength, and also an alchemist capable of casually producing a Fifth-Grade Pill...

Not long ago, Yanran had returned from Wutan City and reported to her that a mysterious "Master Xuan" had appeared at the Miter Auction House. He was absurdly young and suspected to be a Sixth Grade Alchemist. He had even directly refused the Misty Cloud Sect's recruitment.

Could it be...

Even Yun Yun's voice trembled.

"Could it be... you are the 'Master Xuan' who appeared in Wutan City?"

Xuan Jin finally opened his eyes.

He did not answer. He merely looked at her calmly, which was as good as admitting it.

Yun Yun's mind went blank.

It really was him!

The mysterious alchemist who had stirred the entire Imperial Capital and drawn countless great factions to pursue him was actually the young man before her who had saved her life!

This world was far too small.

Yun Yun looked at Xuan Jin's unbelievably youthful face, her heart churning like a stormy sea.

No wonder he had dismissed the Misty Cloud Sect's recruitment.

A Dou Zong around twenty years old, a Sixth Grade Alchemist...

In his eyes, the Misty Cloud Sect probably truly amounted to nothing.

She suddenly recalled the words Yanran had repeated.

"The Jia Ma Empire is too small."

So he truly had the right to say that.

Yun Yun remained immersed in her immense shock, unable to calm down for a long time.

Xuan Jin, however, had already grown somewhat impatient.

He stood and walked over to Yun Yun.

"The seal in your body was left by the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King. I can help you remove it."

Yun Yun abruptly came back to herself, and hope instantly ignited in her eyes.

"Really? Then I'll have to trouble..."

"It will hurt." Xuan Jin interrupted her.

"Very badly. I will use Heavenly Flames to directly burn the seal out of your body.

If you can endure it, you will regain your freedom. If you cannot, your meridians will be damaged. Bear the consequences yourself."