Qingshan Town

Remembering the speculation Elder Jia had once mentioned to her, Yun Yun was startled.

If that was truly the case, then things were rather troublesome, because a Dou Zong powerhouse with unknown intentions was hidden within the Jia Ma Empire!

"Did you see what this Dou Zong looked like?"

With that in mind, Yun Yun pressed him again.

Hearing this, Gu He recalled, "He was a man in a black robe. He looked fairly young, probably only a few years older than Sect Leader Yun."

At that answer, all the Misty Cloud Sect elders present froze for a moment, then frowned.

Young!

Far too young!

If Gu He had not said it himself, they would never have believed that someone could reach the Dou Zong realm before the age of thirty!

This had already surpassed their understanding. It was simply unimaginable.

Even Yun Yun wore a look of shock, while endless curiosity rose within her heart.

After all, throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire and even the Northwestern Continent, which Dou Zong powerhouse was not an old monster who had lived nearly a century?

Even she, hailed as the youngest Dou Huang in the Jia Ma Empire at only a little over twenty, had no idea how many years it would take her to reach the Dou Zong realm.

Yet now, a man only a few years older than her possessed such terrifying cultivation.

One could not help but wonder where he came from and what kind of force stood behind him!

"Sect Leader, could this man be related to the powerhouse beyond the Dou Huang realm you mentioned before?"

At that moment, Yun Ling, standing to the side, spoke up.

"I'm not certain."

Yun Yun shook her head slightly before saying, "But one thing is certain: this man is not a powerhouse from the Mulan Empire."

"Since he intervened to save Elder Gu He, it means he bears no grudge against our sect."

"If he appears in the Jia Ma Empire again, our sect need only treat him with courtesy," Yun Yun said slowly.

"Sect Leader is wise!"

Hearing Yun Yun's analysis, all the Misty Cloud Sect elders seated there spoke respectfully.

This conclusion undoubtedly made the elders present breathe a sigh of relief.

As long as he was not from the Mulan Empire, things would be much easier to handle.

"Enough. I will discuss this matter further with Elder Jia. You may all withdraw."

Yun Yun waved her hand, signaling everyone present to leave.

"Yes, Sect Leader."

Upon hearing this, the elders immediately bowed to Yun Yun, then turned and left the great hall one after another, leaving only Yun Yun and Gu He behind.

Yun Yun looked at Gu He and said softly, "Brother Gu He, you should leave as well. I will investigate this matter myself."

Hearing how Yun Yun addressed him, a trace of joy welled up in Gu He's heart. "Yun'er, I have some pills specially saved for you. Take a look and see which—"

"Elder Gu He!"

"Please mind your words!"

Before Gu He could finish, Yun Yun's delicate brows knit slightly as she interrupted coldly.

"Yun'er, I—"

Seeing the displeasure on Yun Yun's face, Gu He opened his mouth, wanting to explain something.

"Enough!"

"Gu He, you are to call me Sect Leader, or Sect Leader Yun, not Yun'er!"

Yun Yun shouted coldly, clearly unwilling to hear Gu He address her that way.

Hearing Yun Yun's rebuke, Gu He hesitated to speak. In the end, he could only nod helplessly. "Yes, Sect Leader Yun."

Anyone with eyes could tell that he liked Yun Yun. A large part of the reason he had joined the Misty Cloud Sect was because of her.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he could not win Yun Yun's heart. Instead, she treated him with cold indifference.

Even so, he had never given up. He remained by Yun Yun's side, hoping only that she would one day feel his sincerity.

For that reason, Gu He had persisted until now.

Seeing the despondent expression on Gu He's face, Yun Yun sighed softly. "Brother Gu He, I have only ever regarded you as an elder brother. I have no other feelings for you."

"So, you should stop wasting your time on Yun Yun."

Hearing Yun Yun's words, Gu He's heart ached. A bitter smile flashed across his face as he murmured in a low voice, "Like a brother...?"

Seeing Gu He like this, Yun Yun sighed inwardly as well, but she did not say anything more.

Though Gu He treated her well, she held no love for him.

Moreover, she still bore the mission of the sect on her shoulders, leaving her with even fewer choices.

A long while passed.

"Sect Leader Yun, then I'll take my leave first."

Seeing that Yun Yun was unwilling to speak with him further, Gu He wore a forlorn expression. He cupped his hands to Yun Yun, then turned and walked out of the great hall.

Watching Gu He's lost and dispirited back, Yun Yun could not help but feel a trace of guilt.

But she truly held no extra feelings for Gu He, so she could only hope that he would soon find the happiness that belonged to him.

Qingshan Town.

This was a small town in the Jia Ma Empire, located in the eastern region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Because it was so remote, it was not prosperous and saw few travelers.

Thus, most of the town's residents were ordinary people, with no powerful cultivators among them.

This also led to extremely poor order within the town. Those with a little cultivation often caused trouble, or formed powerful mercenary groups and robbed the property of people passing through.

Today, the blazing sun beat down upon the ground as though it would scorch the earth itself.

Most passersby wore light clothing. Some cooled themselves beneath the shade of trees, while others rested on patches of clean grass. The scene was leisurely and soothing.

At that moment, Xie Tianxiao, dressed in black, quietly arrived on a broad road.

"Qingshan Town."

"This place truly is barren. Most people haven't even reached the Dou Zhe realm."

Xie Tianxiao swept his gaze around and muttered to himself.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, a loud shout came from ahead. A group of people quickly closed in on Xie Tianxiao.

Xie Tianxiao looked over and saw around twenty people. They ranged from the seventh stage of Dou Qi to the Dou Zhe realm, while the leader was a five-star Dou Zhe.

"What is it?"

There was not the slightest ripple in Xie Tianxiao's voice. It was as calm as stagnant water.

"Hmph! Kid, this is your first time in Qingshan Town, isn't it?"

"Do you know that every newcomer who comes here has to pay us a thousand gold coins in protection money? Otherwise, we can't guarantee your safety here!"

The five-star Dou Zhe at the front fixed his eyes on Xie Tianxiao, a bloodthirsty gleam flashing in them.

Although Xie Tianxiao wore only black clothes and carried nothing else, the exquisite storage ring on his hand clearly revealed that he came from a wealthy family.

An ordinary cultivator could never afford something as precious as a storage ring.

"Oh no, that young man actually ran into Mu Xue!"

"Yeah, his luck is truly terrible. Mu Xue is a five-star Dou Zhe, and he's also from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group!"

"Ah, that young man doesn't look like he comes from a poor family. Why didn't he bring any guards with him to Qingshan Town?"

"Who knows? Maybe he's very confident in his own strength."

"Perhaps."

The passersby standing nearby began discussing among themselves upon seeing the leader.

They lamented Xie Tianxiao's terrible luck. He had only just arrived and already encountered a ruthless man from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group like Mu Xue.