A Second Meeting

"Teacher, why is this damn thing so heavy!"

Magical Beast Mountain Range, outskirts of Green Mountain Town.

Xiao Yan took a trembling step forward, gritting his teeth as he spat out the words. Behind him, a massive black ruler nearly as tall as he was pressed down, leaving him struggling to catch his breath.

This bizarre combination naturally drew the attention of others, and the people coming and going in Green Mountain Town stared at Xiao Yan with clicking tongues and looks of wonder.

"The people here are certainly fierce..."

Passing by a pharmacy, Xiao Yan couldn't help but exclaim as he looked at the mercenaries hanging from the large trees in front, still struggling in their restraints.

"Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion!"

Xiao Yan forced himself to stand straight and read the sign standing to the side. Seeing the dazzling array of medicinal herbs inside the shop from afar, he lifted his feet and walked in.

"Yang-Returning Powder? Can restore a small amount of Dou Qi?!"

"Healing medicine? Rapidly heals wounds!"

"..."

Xiao Yan gazed at the various medicines labeled with their names and effects in the transparent display cases, smacking his lips as he dragged his exhausted body along.

"Little Yanzi, look over there!"

Yao Lao's voice was uncharacteristically urgent. Xiao Yan looked in the direction indicated by Yao Lao, and a blade of grass alternating between red and white instantly captured his attention.

"Good eye, little brother. You've taken a liking to a medicinal herb personally picked by our Pavilion Master at first glance."

The young man who had been sitting behind the counter, bored and idle, hurried forward to greet him upon seeing someone interested in the Ice Spirit Flame Grass.

Such a precious herb, yet it's placed casually in a display case. But looking at the preservation method, it's quite professional. This is truly strange, Xiao Yan thought to himself.

"May I ask what the price of this herb is?"

"This medicine is not for sale."

The young man's indifferent sentence left Xiao Yan, who had been prepared to grit his teeth and bleed money, stunned.

Not for sale? If it's not for sale, why put it on display?!

"My Pavilion Master said, whoever can discern its mystery may take it for free!"

Mystery?

Xiao Yan felt a headache coming on. Why was this another person who loved to speak in riddles!

After saying that, the young man looked at Xiao Yan with a beaming smile.

Over the past half-month, Xiao Yan was the eighty-sixth person to ask about the Ice Spirit Flame Grass, yet no one had been able to take it away.

Try to snatch it? Heh, did you see those people hanging on the trees outside?

The Hall Master had already given orders: only when someone successfully takes the Ice Spirit Flame Grass would those people be allowed to come down.

"Little Yanzi, don't just focus on the Ice Spirit Flame Grass!"

Yao Lao's voice arrived just in time, causing Xiao Yan, who had been staring fixedly at the Ice Spirit Flame Grass, to frown slightly.

"Eh?"

Xiao Yan then scanned the entire area behind the counter and realized: how could such a precious Ice Spirit Flame Grass be placed casually in the cabinet for the lowest-grade Yellow Lotus Essence, and in the very corner at that?

"Oh, the fifty-seventh person to notice the placement issue!"

The eyes of the young man who had been observing Xiao Yan lit up with excitement.

Snatch it! Hurry up and snatch it! That way the Hall Master will make a move again!

"Excuse me, please take this thing out so I can have a look."

Xiao Yan's polite voice caused the smile on the young man's face to stiffen. He had no choice but to take out the Yellow Lotus Essence from the very corner with an unnatural expression.

Xiao Yan gently lifted the Yellow Lotus Essence, carefully scratching the surface with his fingernail. Through the crack, he saw a core as crimson as blood. He leaned in and sniffed; a faint scent of blood drifted out.

"Blood Lotus Essence, a high-grade medicinal herb!"

Xiao Yan's confident voice rang out. The young man slumped like a deflated ball, his face falling as he said listlessly:

"Congratulations, both of these medicinal herbs are yours!"

"Little brother, please wait. My Pavilion Master would like to see you."

The young man called out to Xiao Yan, who had already stepped out of the shop, and then bowed slightly under Xiao Yan's puzzled gaze.

"The Pavilion Master of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion?"

Xiao Yan frowned slightly. Could it be that he wanted to go back on his word?

"Is this little brother surnamed Xiao?"

Xiao Yan was startled. How could this Pavilion Master know his identity?!

"My Pavilion Master said that once you go, you will understand."

Xiao Yan felt a sense of vigilance. He secretly circulated the Dou Qi within his body before walking toward the backyard of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion.

"Alright, you can all go now!"

Seeing Xiao Yan enter, the young man waved a hand at the people in the trees, and the restrictions placed by Yun Zimo dissipated completely.

Those people landed on the ground, exchanged surprised glances, hurriedly offered their thanks, and fled. The young man smiled contemptuously and resumed his post as the receptionist behind the counter.

Xiao Yan walked into the backyard and saw a woman in a white dress sitting in the center of the main hall. She wore a veil, and her temperament was elegant and ethereal.

Is this the master of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion? She doesn't look very old!

"Little Yanzi, trust you've been well?"

Just as Xiao Yan was feeling puzzled, a warm and hearty voice echoed from the hall. His gaze sharpened, and he saw a figure he had been "longing for day and night."

"Brother Yun Li!"

Xiao Yan shouted in pleasant surprise, taking a long stride forward to embrace Yun Zimo.

"It's been over a year. You seem to have changed quite a bit?"

"How have I changed?"

"You look much more composed."

The two laughed as they looked at each other, and Yun Zimo finally introduced the quiet Xiao Yi Xian standing to the side.

"Xiao Yi Xian, master of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion and guest elder of the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Little Yanzi, don't get too close to that woman. She is a poison master at the level of a nine-star Dou Practitioner!"

Yao Lao's voice rang out at the perfect moment, causing Xiao Yan to naturally shift his raised hand into a cupped-fist salute.

"Wasn't Brother Yun Li at the Misty Cloud Sect? Why are you staying in this Green Mountain Town?"

At the banquet, Xiao Yan voiced his confusion.

"My mercenary group happens to have its headquarters in Green Mountain Town," Yun Zimo said with a light laugh.

"I just happened to come by to check on things while I was down the mountain on business."

Happened to?

Xiao Yan didn't believe this for a second. Based on his understanding of Yun Zimo, this guy did everything with a premeditated purpose. For all he knew, the mystery behind that receptionist might have been set up by him!

Thinking of the counter and the young man's questioning, Xiao Yan was suddenly jolted awake. How did Yun Li know he would come to Green Mountain Town?

Xiao Yan didn't believe in clairvoyance. His first thought was that there were Misty Cloud Sect eyes everywhere along the way, perhaps even in Wutan City and the Xiao Clan!

He didn't believe Yun Li would harm him, but he couldn't be so sure about the Misty Cloud Sect—or the Nalan Clan...

Yun Zimo didn't know that Xiao Yan had instantly thought of so much, but even if he did, he would likely just laugh it off.

"What star Dou Practitioner are you now?"

"Eight-star!"

"Oh?"

Yun Zimo was somewhat surprised. This was much higher than he had anticipated. He had originally thought it would be a struggle for Xiao Yan to reach five-star, let alone eight.

"I never slacked off on the methods Brother Yun Li gave me, even during those three years. Perhaps my foundation was laid well, so I'm advancing a bit faster now."

Xiao Yan scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin.

He really has the heart to train that hard. Yun Zimo sighed; he was truly worthy of being the future Flame Emperor. He knew how insane his own methods were. It seemed most of the Xiao Clan's resources had been consumed by Xiao Yan. No wonder the clansmen despised him so much; anyone would be annoyed to see a "trash" occupying the most valuable resources.

"It's your good luck that you weren't beaten to death," Yun Zimo said with certainty.

"Seeing your blood and qi are abundant and your Dou Qi is solid, such training hasn't damaged your potential. Either you've been managed well, or you've been gorging on resources."

Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly. Yao Lao had also been amazed back then. To satisfy the resource requirements, he had been goaded into borrowing money from Xun Er several times, which made him feel embarrassed, as if he were a man living off a woman.

According to Yao Lao, things like standing in a horse stance under a waterfall, running while carrying giant boulders, and tempering the body with clubs...

These were life-threatening methods. Yun Li only dared to suggest them because he himself had been raised on such resources; otherwise, one would surely vomit blood and die within half a month.

However, because Dou Qi and physical essence complement each other, training this way could theoretically achieve several or even dozens of times the effect. Thus, even though it required Xiao Yan to swallow his pride and ask for more, the supply of resources had never stopped!

"Here, this is a gift I prepared for you. Consider it a substitute for not being there in person."

Yun Zimo took out the Eagle Wings scroll and gently pushed it toward Xiao Yan.

"This!"

Xiao Yan stood up in shock. A Xuan-tier high-level flight Dou Technique—Eagle Wings!

"This is too valuable! I cannot accept it!"

Xiao Yan declined repeatedly. How could he accept such a gift, especially the rarest type of flight Dou Technique?

"Is it valuable?"

Yun Zimo took out another high-level storage ring and tossed it toward Xiao Yan.

"Then is this valuable?"

"Brother Yun, I..."

Xiao Yan looked at the high-level Storage Ring and the Flight Dou Technique in his hands, at a loss for words.

"These are things I'm personally sponsoring you with; they have nothing to do with the Misty Cloud Sect. I picked up this Flight Dou Technique, and the Storage Ring was taken from an enemy. Since I have no use for them, I might as well put them to good use."

Yun Zimo said nonchalantly, earning an eye-roll from Xiao Yi Xian.

However, what Yun Zimo didn't mention was that the Storage Ring was actually obtained after he slaughtered a veteran Dou King from the Black-Corner Region...

"Don't be in such a rush to thank me. Yanran's cultivation environment is better than yours, she has more resources, she's being personally taught by the old Sect Master, and she works harder than you. If you just wander the continent blindly on your own, that Three-Year Agreement will be nothing but a joke."

Yun Zimo said this deliberately.

"So, don't let me down when it comes to the Three-Year Agreement!"

Hearing Yun Zimo put it this way, Xiao Yan steeled his heart, nodded heavily, and said.

"Brother Yun, I understand!"