Battle Through the Heavens: The Road to Ascendance Begins at Jia Nan Academy

Venerable Feng sighed softly and shook his head. "I can hardly believe so many earthshaking things happened in just a few years."

His gaze dropped to Xiao Yan, who was cultivating intently on the eagle's back. "Old friend, this disciple of yours is quite something. He has your old bearing—steady, neither arrogant nor impatient, and blessed with extraordinary luck. He even has a little girlfriend with a remarkable background..."

"If that girl hadn't helped, I never would have thought you were hiding on the remote Northwestern Continent. You had me searching all over the Central Plains."

"Ah..."

Yao Lao gave a deep sigh. "That girl is truly devoted to Little Flame, and her background is a mystery. I only hope that, after all they've been through, the two of them can have a happy ending."

Before reaching Dou Sheng, one had no standing to be taken seriously by an Imperial Clan. Even at Dou Sheng, one barely gained a voice in the eyes of those proud people. Fortunately, he and Xiao Yan had another identity: alchemists.

"Old friend, it's a good thing you abandoned your plans for Jia Nan Academy's Heavenly Flames in time."

At the mention of the Ancient Imperial Clans, Venerable Feng's expression grew grave. He lowered his voice. "During the years you were missing, that old fellow Mang Tianchi took another step forward and broke through to Half-Saint."

"You know how fiercely he protects his own. If you'd taken the Heavenly Flames back then and caused a major incident, it would have been hard to settle."

"Is that so? The world really does change in unexpected ways."

Yao Lao sighed, then turned solemn. "Don't worry. That was only a desperate measure when we had no other choice. Now that we have a better option, I won't act