The Name of Tianyan

The next day, the rooster crowed at dawn.

Dawn always comes earlier on snowy nights than usual, and the city, silent all night, begins to awaken once more.

Looking down from the sky, the few pedestrians on the streets gradually became bustling and crowded, and horse-drawn carriages left countless tracks on the snow.

In stark contrast to this dawn-awakening prosperity lies the riverside Misty Willow Alley.

The streets, which had been bustling all night, were now eerily quiet at dawn. Most of the courtesans and their patrons, who had worked hard all night, were now asleep, with only a few carriages occasionally leaving the stables.

A ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone into the room, illuminating the face of the man sleeping on the wooden couch.

Bathing in the morning light seemed to make him feel slightly uncomfortable; his originally peaceful face gradually furrowed his brows, and then at a certain moment he suddenly opened them.

After staring at the unfamiliar bed curtains for several breaths, a dull look of doubt finally flashed in Xu Yuan's muddled eyes.

But before he could think about it further, a woman's voice suddenly rang out in his mind:

"Woke up?"

"."

Hearing that familiar female voice, Xu Yuan's sluggish mind took two seconds to recall who the voice belonged to:

"You haven't said a word the whole way; I thought you were mute."

Luo Xiran snorted coldly:

"How rude! I act this way because I'm worried that you, brat, might harbor resentment. If I were to have any dealings with that current Holy Maiden, could you really feel at ease?"

"Oh, that's very thoughtful."

Forcing a smile, Xu Yuan rubbed his throbbing temples and struggled to sit up from the bed, glancing around at his surroundings.

The scene that met his eyes, however, took him somewhat by surprise.

The spacious room was decorated in an antique style, complete with elegant furnishings such as a screen embroidered with pictures of ladies, a precious guqin, a sandalwood chessboard, and a tea table. There was even a stage about ten feet long located more than ten meters away from the bed.

Upon seeing these furnishings, Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes in pain.

Brothel

Why is it in the brothel?

Leaning against the soft headboard, Xu Yuan rubbed his temples vigorously, trying to recall, but his mind was a complete mess.

It felt like someone had shoved a stick into his brain and then thoroughly churned it.

As soon as thoughts begin to wander, nausea, dizziness, and other discomforts will arise.

Stopping his thoughts, Xu Yuan asked in a dry, slightly pained voice:

"Where are we?"

Luo Xiran did not reply immediately. After a few breaths of silence, a gentle breeze stirred, and a beautiful figure materialized from the Blood God Stone.

Luo Xiran landed gracefully on her Lotus Boots, exuding an air of elegance. She glanced indifferently at the pained-looking brat and uttered two words:

"Gonglan" (brothel/brothel).

"Of course I know it's a brothel."

Xu Yuan raised his eyes with some difficulty and glared at the old woman. "I asked why you're here?"

Luo Xiran chuckled softly, walked to the tea tray in the room, and knelt down without keeping everyone in suspense:

"Wu Yuan brought you here."

"Qingyan."

Xu Yuan bit his lip and rubbed his temples. "Where is she?"

Luo Xiran fiddled with the tea set on the low tea table and replied softly:

"I kept watch over you all night, and then someone informed me that they wanted to see her, so I went out."

"."

Someone wants to see her.

These words served as a trigger, gradually bringing back memories of Xu Yuan's state before he lost consciousness the previous night.

The ripped black silk bodice, Tianyan's staff, a great sense of security, and the way she looked at him.

As the memory settled on her pair of divine, golden eyes, Xu Yuan lowered his dark eyes and a glimmer of gold suddenly appeared in them.

And in the instant the golden light appeared,

The nausea and dizziness I felt before losing consciousness last night surged back into my mind and spread rapidly throughout my heart.

Stopping the recollection, the discomfort immediately subsided, and the golden light in my eyes gradually faded.

Alone, leaning against the bed, silent and still.

After a while,

Luo Xiran's voice rang out with a smile, her tone gentle and melodious:

"Kid, it seems your comprehension of this Innate Dao Body is somewhat lacking."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes:

Do you know what happened last night?

Luo Xiran looked at him, her gaze filled with a hint of interest:

"What do you think? I was once Saint Venerable, and also one of the candidates for Holy Maiden."

Silence followed.

Although he was still dizzy and lightheaded, as the initial confusion faded, Xu Yuan's thinking began to return to normal, and he murmured softly:

"Potential candidates for the Holy Maiden?"

Although he had only embarked on the path of cultivation for a little over a year, the internal study materials of the Prime Minister's Prime Minister's Mansion had given him a perspective far exceeding that of ordinary Grandmaster.

The strange phenomenon just now was clearly something Tianyan had left for him.

As for what was left behind...

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan looked up at the leisurely woman over there, licked his dry lips, and uttered three words:

"The Yantian Art?"

Luo Xiran's eyes showed a hint of surprise:

"You little brat, how did you know that?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, chuckled softly, leaned against the headboard, and murmured an explanation:

"I know a little. Your elder brother once told me that only the Divine Spirit Soul Chapter of the Yantian Art could restore my memories."

Luo Xiran were fiddling with the tea set, paused slightly, and her brows furrowed slightly.

"Why does this guy tell you everything?"

Xu Yuan glanced at her, suppressed his discomfort by circulating the Blood Origin Heart-Fall Technique, and said with a light laugh:

"Since the people have defected, they naturally have no scruples about sharing this information."

As he spoke, the Blood Origin Heart-Fall Technique had already dispelled the nausea and discomfort in his heart.

His dry voice regained its warmth, and Xu Yuan's voice carried a teasing tone:

"And even if he hadn't told me, Xiran, aren't you planning to tell me now anyway?"

Luo Xiran's expression gradually turned serious as she stared at Xu Yuan:

"I'm willing to reveal this because the Tianyan Saintess passed on the Cultivation Method to you first."

"."

After a brief eye contact, Xu Yuan chuckled and shook his head.

Her words made it clear that while she wouldn't betray him, she also wouldn't do anything to betray the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion.

Thinking this, Xu Yuan slowly stood up from the bed, walked to the futon opposite Luo Xiran, sat down, casually picked up the fragrant tea she had just poured, drank it all in one gulp, and stared at her:

"So, can you tell me now how to practice this Cultivation Method?"

Luo Xiran seemed to have grown accustomed to the other party's rudeness, and poured another full glass:

"As I just mentioned, it's about comprehension."

Xu Yuan put down his teacup and frowned slightly:

"What's the meaning?"

Luo Xiran, her bright eyes smiling, pushed the teacup in front of her closer to him:

"The Yantian Stele, did my elder brother ever mention this to you?"

Xu Yuan glanced down at the rippling tea:

"You mentioned it? It seems to be the founding sacred object of the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion?"

"Yes."

Luo Xiran nodded slightly, her voice soft and gentle:

"The four chapters of the Yantian Art are extremely profound, impossible to record or teach; they can only be comprehended by studying the Yantian Stele."

"Doesn't the Yantian Art have five chapters?" Xu Yuan suddenly interjected, "And as long as you comprehend the fifth chapter, you can teach the Yantian Art to others."

"."

Luo Xiran taken aback upon hearing this, then sighed:

"It seems Luo Daofan really told you everything he knew."

"The Yantian Art does indeed have a fifth chapter, but it can only be comprehended after one has integrated all Four Chapters of Yantian into oneself."

Xu Yuan's eyes flickered, and he interjected again:

"Old Man Luo also mentioned this matter."

Luo Xiran chuckled:

"What did Luo Daofan tell you the name of the fifth chapter of the Yantian Art?"

Xu Yuan shook his head and chuckled:

"No, that old man didn't even recognize all the names of the four ordinary chapters, how could he possibly know the fifth one?"

The fifth chapter is called "Tianyan".

Xu Yuan suddenly fell silent.

Luo Xiran stared at Xu Yuan, her eyes deep and her lips curved into a smile:

"Yes, it is also bestowed the name of Tianyan."