Learning the News

Xiao Yan had clearly never expected Huo Zhi to do such a thing. He froze slightly, instinctively about to politely decline this overly precious gesture.

But as though afraid he would refuse, Huo Zhi quickly stepped forward and, without giving him a chance to object, pressed the jade pendant, still warm with her body heat, into Xiao Yan's palm.

Having done all this, Huo Zhi seemed to have exhausted every bit of courage she possessed. She no longer dared to look at Xiao Yan's suddenly flustered expression, nor did she leave him any opportunity to refuse again. She abruptly turned around and hurried away from him, leaving behind only a graceful yet somewhat hasty silhouette. Rather than leaving, her steps seemed more like an attempt to conceal the turmoil in her heart and the faint blush on her cheeks.

Xiao Yan stood there alone. He unconsciously curled his fingers around the pendant, clearly feeling the faint coolness within its smooth warmth. In the end, he made no further attempt to decline it.

The spatial energy before him began to surge violently. The vortex-like spatial passage leading outside stabilized completely, glowing with familiar light. Xiao Yan no longer hesitated and carefully stored the jade pendant deep within his Storage Ring.

The next instant, he turned into a black shadow streaking forward and plunged into the violently spinning spatial passage without looking back, his figure instantly swallowed by distorted light.

At the core of Medical Poison Valley in the Central Plains, within the valley master's residence.

"Valley Master, someone outside is requesting an audience." A maid dressed in the valley's pale blue uniform stood respectfully outside the door as she reported.

An elegant female voice came from within. "Who is it?"

"A Dou Emperor named Wang Zhuang, accompanied by a girl