A Promise Worth a Thousand Gold

After Xiao Yan, Su Zhang, and Xu Yingwu had spoken for a while, Yang Yue hurried over as well. Seeing Su Zhang grinning from ear to ear, he said, "Old Su, congratulations."

"It was all thanks to my junior brother."

"Junior brother?" Yang Yue was slow to react and asked blankly.

"Xiao Yan became a disciple my teacher accepted later on. I only learned of it recently. He also brought my teacher's guidance, which allowed me to break through."

As he spoke, Su Zhang shot Xiao Yan a look. Xiao Yan naturally understood and nodded in agreement. Yao Lao's situation was far too special, so for now, it remained a secret shared only by the three of them.

"Oh? I truly hadn't expected that." Yang Yue gave Xiao Yan an interested look. Both Xiao Yan and Su Zhang knew that an old fox like Yang Yue would not be so easily fooled, but at this point, it was merely an explanation. No matter how shrewd Yang Yue was, how could he possibly connect this to Yao Lao?

"Junior brother, your senior brother has just crossed the threshold into the seventh tier. I can hardly wait to refine a batch of pills. Whenever you have time, come to the Echo Sect and find me," Su Zhang said sincerely.

Xiao Yan knew his senior brother's temperament. If Su Zhang said this, he certainly meant it. Over the past few days of speaking with Xu Yingwu, Xiao Yan had also learned that Xu Yingwu was the young sect master of the Echo Sect. Since childhood, he had displayed astonishing talent in alchemy and could be called the number one young alchemist in the Northwest Region. Su Zhang was not only Xu Yingwu's teacher, but also the Echo Sect's foremost guest elder, with considerable authority within the sect.

Xiao Yan smiled and replied, "Senior brother, go ahead. Once I finish dealing with matters here, I will definitely pay you a visit."

With that, Su Zhang left with a reluctant Xu Yingwu in tow. Even as Xu Yingwu walked out the door, he kept staring at Xiao Yan, making Xiao Yan's skin crawl. Of course, he knew Xu Yingwu only wanted Yao Lao's guidance.

"You really do keep giving people surprises." Yang Yue looked at Xiao Yan with a complicated expression. Su Zhang's answer had truly shocked him today. Su Zhang had always been proud of his status as an alchemist and looked down on everyone. Though Yang Yue was the lord of a manor, the two had always interacted as equals.

Su Zhang's enthusiasm toward Xiao Yan could not have been faked. Although Su Zhang had been unwilling to elaborate, Yang Yue knew their teacher had to be an extraordinary figure.

Xiao Yan himself was a genuine Dou Emperor. Yang Yue had specifically had people verify that over the past few days. Even Yun Shan, the local tyrant and Dou Zong of the Jianan Empire, had been forced to yield before him.

A sixth-tier alchemy master—those pills displayed for visitors at the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion had already proven that.

And now, there was that terrifying teacher behind him, a background even the Heavenly Snake Mansion had to take extremely seriously.

"Manor Lord Yang, you flatter me. I'm probably not as complicated as you think," Xiao Yan said with an easy smile.

"Then why didn't you mention Qing Lin's matter to my old friend just now? If he spoke up, your chances of getting what you wanted would greatly increase."

Xiao Yan paused, then answered frankly, "Senior brother would certainly be willing to help me, but I also hope to prove to Manor Lord Yang that Xiao Yan is absolutely not an unreasonable man."

"Hahaha! Just what one would expect of the young." Yang Yue laughed.

After laughing for a while, Yang Yue fell into thought. Then he said solemnly, "Top three. If you can secure a place among the top three at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly for my Heavenly Snake Mansion, you may take Qing Lin away for ten years. After ten years, you must bring her back to the Heavenly Snake Mansion."

Xiao Yan shook his head. Just as Yang Yue thought Xiao Yan was afraid and intended to bargain, Xiao Yan raised one finger.

"I will take first place. From then on, the Heavenly Snake Mansion will return Qing Lin's freedom. If you need her, she may decide for herself whether to come."

"Young man, are you sure you want to make such a boast? You may not yet know what kind of opponents you will face at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly. Those monsters at the top have claimed the lives of Dou Zongs," Yang Yue warned.

Yet he did not see the fear he had expected in Xiao Yan's eyes. Instead, he saw confidence—the confidence unique to a youth.

"As long as they are of the younger generation, I, Xiao Yan, fear no contest with them."

Yang Yue had overlooked it, but Xiao Yan himself knew that he was only an eighteen-year-old youth as well.

"Then I will wait and see."

Heavenly Snake Mansion, Martial Arts Arena.

Tianlan City did not permit unprovoked fighting, so every major faction had dedicated Martial Arts Arenas for members of their sects to spar and exchange pointers. At this moment, only three people stood within the Heavenly Snake Mansion's most central and secure Martial Arts Arena, one capable of withstanding Dou Zong-level combat.

At the edge of the arena stood a girl in green. Her long green hair flowed like a waterfall, and her lively eyes seemed able to speak. Judging by her features alone, she was already breathtakingly beautiful. Yet her figure had developed wonderfully as well, the slight swell at her chest above her slender waist enough to stir one's thoughts. But if outsiders had been present, they likely would have been most astonished by her strength. Two Dou Emperors were sparring in the center of the arena, their Dou Qi shockwaves powerful enough to pierce stone and split metal, yet they could not even ruffle the girl's clothes.

One combatant was Zi Yan, moving so fast that only a purple blur could be seen. Every punch thrown by her peak Dou Wang strength carried successive sonic booms. Her opponent was a gigantic python nearly two zhang long, its entire body jade-green. Every strike and sweep carried tremendous force as it lashed relentlessly at Zi Yan.

The terrifying sixth-tier magical beast, the Jade Blood Demon Python.

Sweat beaded on Zi Yan's forehead, and parts of her clothes had already been torn. Due to her race, she could suppress the vast majority of magical beasts, but the Jade Blood Demon Python controlled by the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils ignored that restriction. Furthermore, under Qing Lin's control, it had become exceptionally cunning. After half an hour of fighting, Zi Yan had suffered several losses in a row.

"Hmph, you ugly legless freak, take this!" Purple light gathered in Zi Yan's eyes. The Jade Blood Demon Python suddenly became sluggish, and Zi Yan's fist struck squarely against its head.

The Jade Blood Demon Python let out a howl. Even under the command of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, it was filled with fear toward Zi Yan.

Invisible Dou Qi separated Zi Yan from the Jade Blood Demon Python. "All right, today's training ends here. Zi Yan, you mustn't damage Qing Lin's snake."

"That ugly freak is thick-skinned and tough," Zi Yan said indignantly. Of course, Xun Er knew Zi Yan had held back that punch. This was only a spar, after all.

"Zi Yan, you need to better control that spatial ability of yours. Qing Lin, you must hurry and learn to split your focus and control more magical beasts. The Jade Blood Demon Python is powerful, but your insufficient strength will become a weakness."

Both Zi Yan and Qing Lin nodded seriously. Xiao Xun'er's advice had all been based on their performance, and the improvement in their strength from this daily training was clear for all to see.

"Sister Xun Er, has Xiao Yan still not come out of seclusion?" Zi Yan asked.

"Yes, it has already been fifteen days." Xiao Xun'er was worried as well, but she understood Xiao Yan better and was willing to wait patiently.

Inside a secluded chamber of the Heavenly Snake Mansion, Xiao Yan, having exhausted the last trace of his Dou Qi, looked at the Imperial Extreme Pill he had just refined with satisfaction.

Xiao Yan licked his lips and said, "After working so hard for so long, I hope this auction won't disappoint me."