Leisure Amidst the Bustle

As time passed, Xiao Yan gradually grew bored. After all, many things here were dispensable to him. For instance, the Earth-tier Dou Technique currently being auctioned sparked rather fierce competition, yet it held no great temptation for Xiao Yan. Having the Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler was already quite good, and furthermore, Xun Er had secretly slipped him a scroll of the Ancient Emperor Seal. Though still incomplete, its might was already quite terrifying.

Amidst his boredom, Xiao Yan cast his gaze toward the three young women. Qing Lin was sitting upright and properly; ever since Xiao Yan's arrival, she had always positioned herself as a maid. In the beginning, she had even secretly brought a basin of washing water into his room, causing Xiao Yan's eyelids to twitch wildly at the sight.

If those fellows from the Heavenly Snake Mansion ever found out that their sanctified saintess, whom they treasured like a precious jewel, was personally serving Xiao Yan with his washing and grooming, there was no telling what kind of trouble might arise. Xiao Yan had spent a great deal of effort explaining to Qing Lin that he could handle washing and grooming by himself, and that it absolutely did not mean he had any issues with her.

Yet on that exact occasion, Xun Er happened to come looking for him as well. When Xun Er saw Qing Lin's slightly red and swollen eyes alongside him, Xiao Yan had nearly passed away on the spot.

Fortunately, after much persuasion lately, Qing Lin had finally transitioned out of the mindset of a mercenary group's maid, though she still obeyed Xiao Yan's every word.

As for Zi Yan, she was unusually keeping her eyes closed and cultivating. Through her unremitting efforts of asking Xiao Yan for medicinal pills every day, she was finally only a kick away from reaching the Dou Emperor realm. Recently, she was even unusually able to calm her mind and cultivate on occasion. Xiao Yan was also very curious as to what kind of terrifying strength Zi Yan's monstrous talent would yield after advancing to the Dou Emperor realm. After all, Zi Yan could already hold her own against some ordinary Dou Emperors now.

Just as he looked at Xun Er, he found that Xun Er was also secretly glancing at him. Their gazes met; Xiao Yan remained unperturbed, but Xun Er turned her head away as if nothing had just happened. Unfortunately, the slowly reddening graceful neck betrayed its owner's little inner thoughts. Xiao Yan then reached out and pulled Xun Er's hand into his own. However, due to the dim lighting in the VIP room, no matter, nobody noticed Xiao Yan's little move. Although Xun Er's neck grew increasingly flushed, she ultimately made no sudden movements and simply let her hand be held by Xiao Yan.

"Xun Er? Do you want to buy something as a gift for you?" Xiao Yan transmitted his voice.

Hearing Xiao Yan say this, Xiao Xun Er was exceptionally happy as well, and she said with a radiant smile, "Xiao Yan big brother has already given me one. Let me give a gift to Xiao Yan big brother instead."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan chuckled as well. "Heh heh, how could I accept things from you, girl? I still owe Xun Er money right now."

Xiao Xun Er caught the implication in his words, knowing that Xiao Yan was talking about the time in Wutan City when she paid for his medicinal herbs, and her gaze grew even softer. That period of time was also very precious to her; of course, in Xiao Xun Er's eyes, any time spent together with Xiao Yan was precious.

"Well then, it seems Xiao Yan big brother isn't interested in the Blood Essence Demon Fruit either. Looks like I went to all that trouble for nothing," Xiao Xun Er said with a pout, though her eyes were filled with playful teasing.

"Really?" Xiao Yan couldn't help but cry out in surprise without controlling his volume at all. The remaining five people inside the room were all startled by Xiao Yan. Seeing Xiao Yan holding Xun Er's hand, Xu Chengzze and Su Zhang both turned their heads away as if they had seen nothing, though the sharp-eyed Xiao Yan still noticed the slight curvature of the corners of those two men's mouths. Xu Yingwu let out a muffled chuckle toward Xiao Yan, wearing an expression that declared he understood everything.

Qing Lin looked completely bewildered, while Zi Yan indignantly said, "What are you up to, Xiao Yan, keep it down!"

Xiao Yan scratched the back of his right head, not taking it to heart, and then continued to ask in a low voice, "Is that true, Xun Er?"

Xiao Xun Er's face was already flushed with a bashful blush, but she still nodded and handed a Storage Ring to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan received it with both hands, and upon sensing it, what lay within was precisely the Blood Essence Demon Fruit required for Yao Lao's resurrection.

Xiao Yan rejoiced in his heart. Teacher, another medicinal ingredient has been gathered. Your resurrection is getting closer and closer.

Yao Lao said, "Indeed. The background of this little girlfriend of yours is truly terrifying. But since you got the medicinal ingredient, why did you let go of your little girlfriend's hand?"

Xiao Yan was astounded to discover that in his excitement just moments ago, he had naturally let go of the hand he was holding. Knowing that so many people had been watching just then and Xun Er hadn't made a move, he had been the one to proactively separate. Looking at Xun Er, who had turned her head to the side and refused to look at him at all, Xiao Yan could only use a voice audible only to the two of them to say, "Xun Er, that was just a moment of excitement, I definitely didn't mean to do it."

Xun Er offered her hand forward once more and said, "Xiao Yan big brother is a dummy. You aren't allowed to let go again this time."

Xiao Yan naturally seized the chance to hold Xun Er's hand once again, causing Yao Lao to sigh repeatedly. "You brat really have great luck..."

Xiao Yan went on to ask instead, "Teacher, we're only lacking one main ingredient now, and we've already collected two kinds of Heavenly Flames. When will we resurrect you?"

When Xiao Yan chose the Burning Mantra back then, it was partly because the things he wished to pursue were not easily attained and required him to possess powerful capabilities, and partly because he genuinely hoped to help Yao Lao resurrect. The longer they spent together, the stronger this wish became; without Yao Lao, he surely could not have reached where he was today.

Yao Lao also fell silent for a long time, then sighed. "I lost my physical body for many years and hardly dared to dream of the day I could be resurrected. I never expected that day is now right around the corner."

He continued, "This Bone Chilling Flame of mine will eventually be given to you anyway. Coupled with the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame and the Sea Heart Flame, it is actually enough. However, your body only recently tended toward perfection, so absorbing the Sea Heart Flame must still wait until this Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly concludes. After it ends, there will only be a single main ingredient left, and coupled with the corpse of a Dou Zong powerhouse, I can reform."

A Dou Zong, huh, Xiao Yan muttered inwardly. If only I could catch someone from the Soul Hall.

After all, Dou Zong powerhouses were often the leaders of a sect, and Xiao Yan was not someone willing to slaughter the innocent at will, even for Yao Lao's resurrection. Yet the Soul Hall was not only the murderer who killed Yao Lao, but had also targeted the Xiao Clan; it could be said to be an irreconcilable blood feud. Slaughtering them brought Xiao Yan not a single ounce of pressure.

"Instead of worrying about the physical body, you'd better hurry and search hard for the third main ingredient, the Ten Thousand Year Green Spirit Vine. Otherwise, your little girlfriend is going to find it for you first again."

Xiao Yan wore a bitter smile as well. Since it concerned Yao Lao's resurrection, he could not afford to pass it up, but from the bottom of his heart, he was also unwilling to be a kept man living off a woman.

I still need to work hard myself. I can't owe Xun Er too much, Xiao Yan thought to himself.

Of course, unbeknownst to Xiao Yan, the forces behind Xiao Xun Er had long since happily accepted the Gu Yu. Even if a certain male surnamed Gu was dissatisfied with Xiao Yan as his yet-unseen son-in-law, he had been dissuaded by a group of elders on the grounds that "the young folks are in mutual affection, so let's not stand in their way."