Sneak Attack!

However, even after returning to the bottom of the tower, this force did not end.

Boom!!!!

Inner Academy of the Jia Nan Academy, countless teachers and students were startled by a deafening roar!

They were horrified to see that the top of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower exploded as if it had been struck by a meteorite!

Something enveloped in a dense ball of Dou Qi aura burst forth from the tower, crashing straight into the sky, leaving a long trail of flame before disappearing into the horizon as a star.

In the spiritual world.

Snap!

Huo Yuhao slapped himself hard on the forehead.

"This His Majesty the Dragon Emperor —truly—" He was too embarrassed to continue, but he already understood that Zhukun had been sealed in this place by Tou She Ancient God for thousands of years. Besides the issue of strength, there was probably also a certain degree of reason related to his own personality.

After all, when Zhukun reached the pinnacle of the Battle Qi Continent, the Ancient Eight Clans were still small families. With his strength and lifespan, if he had patiently waited for the Tou She Ancient God Jade to appear before exploring, he would probably have become Dou Emperor long ago, instead of being trapped until now.

A day later, in the office of the Grand Elder of the Inner Academy of the Jia Nan Academy, Huo Yuhao, Zi Yan, and Su Qian were sitting together.

Zi Yan bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood, her small hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She raised her head, her purple eyes filled with resentment, longing, fear, and a barely perceptible glimmer of hope, and looked at Huo Yuhao, her voice trembling as she asked, "Huo Yuhao —that person—is he—really—my father?"

Huo Yuhao spoke softly, understanding that Zi Yan wasn't questioning his identity. "Zi Yan, Senior Zhukun —he absolutely didn't abandon you intentionally. He was trapped by the Tou She Ancient God, unable to escape for thousands of years. He had no choice—he misses you every moment."

Zi Yan's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up inside, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

She lowered her head, her voice choked with sobs, filled with unspeakable grievance and loneliness: "I—I know—but—I've always—always been alone—"

Great Elder Su Qian stepped forward, gently placing his broad hand on Zi Yan's trembling head, his voice low and firm. "Zi Yan, no matter what happens, Jia Nan Academy will always be your home."

Huo Yuhao looked at Zi Yan, knowing that she needed time to accept it, but some things had to be faced sooner or later.

He took a deep breath and held out his hand. "Okay, don't be afraid. Let's go down."

After saying that, Huo Yuhao took Zi Yan's slightly cold hand. With his other hand, he made a sweeping motion in the air, and the true form of the Guardian Mirror appeared behind him, emitting gentle spatial fluctuations.

In the blink of an eye, a flash of silver light appeared in the office, and the two figures disappeared, leaving only the ripples in the space where they stood slowly subsiding.

Su Qian gazed at the spot where they had disappeared and sighed with complicated emotions.

Jia Ma Empire, Misty Cloud Sect.

The winding stone steps stretched into the depths of the clouds and mist. Huo Yuhao, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Yi Xian were following an unfamiliar elder to the sect's main hall.

The road was unusually quiet, with few people around, and only the sound of the mountain wind rustling through the leaves.

--

However, wherever he looked, on the pillars, corners of the eaves, and branches, there were brand-new red ribbons tied with large "hi" characters posted on them. The bright colors dissipated a bit of the lonely atmosphere.

With the wedding date approaching, Xiao Yan couldn't hide his smile. He patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder and asked, "By the way Huo Yuhao, when will Father and my elder brother arrive?"

Huo Yuhao, standing beside him, glanced around subtly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, before casually replying, "Soon, probably another two days."

Xiao Yi Xian frowned slightly, her clear voice tinged with doubt. "According to the customs of the Jia Ma Empire, aren't the newlyweds supposed to be unable to see each other from the engagement date until the wedding day? Why did Sister Yun Yun suddenly call us over?"

"It's probably something important," Xiao Yan smiled nonchalantly, his tone full of anticipation.

You'll know when you see Yun'er.

The elder who had been leading the way stopped in front of the main hall and silently stepped aside. Xiao Yan, unsuspecting, stepped forward and pushed open the heavy hall door.

The heavy door hinges creaked, creating a silent atmosphere. Deep within the spacious hall, the person seated in the main seat was not Yun Yun, as they had expected.

It was her teacher, Yun Shan.

To one side of the main hall sat an unexpected figure.

"Brother Gu He?" Xiao Yan exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here? Where's Yun'er?"

Gu He glanced at him, his tone calm and even. "It was the former sect leader of Yun Shan who wished for me to stay and continue serving as an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect."

Yun Shan, sitting in the main seat, said with a smile, "Yun'er went to comfort Yanran. As the future heir of the Misty Cloud Sect, she can't be allowed to be discouraged forever because of one accident."

Yun Shan changed the subject, turning to Gu He and advising, "Grandmaster Gu He, there's no need to rush to refuse. You've been in the Misty Cloud Sect for many years; this place is already like your home. Besides—"

Yun Shan's gaze swept over Xiao Yan, and he continued meaningfully, "In the future, Yunji may leave the sect with Xiao Yan. You don't need to worry about awkwardness when you meet each other. Yanran, she will need your support in the future."

Gu He's expression remained unchanged, but he firmly shook his head. "I appreciate the Gu He sect leader's good intentions. However, my mind is made up, and there's no need to persuade me further."

Having said that, he stood up, gave Yun Shan a slight bow, and then turned to leave.

Xiao Yan turned his attention back to Yun Shan, but a sense of unease crept into his heart. "Uncle Yun, since Yun'er isn't here, what brings you here today?"

Yun Shan's smile gradually faded. He stared at Xiao Yan with a complex expression, a hint of barely perceptible guilt in his eyes.

"Well--"

"What I wish to ask is—" His voice suddenly lowered, each word resounding like thunder in the empty hall. "Is the soul of Venerable Yao Chen currently residing within you?"

"What did you say?!"

These earth-shattering words shocked Xiao Yan, causing his pupils to shrink sharply and his mind to buzz.

His fighting Dou Qi surged instantly, and he abruptly stood up, shouting sharply, "How could you..."

Before the words had even finished -

Swish!

A gigantic hand formed from boundless Dou Qi suddenly emerged from the void! Its speed surpassed the limits of visual perception, and carrying a suffocating pressure, it descended upon Huo Yuhao and his companions!

At the same time, the surrounding spatial forces surged and twisted violently like boiling water, and an invisible, solid barrier instantly took shape!

Huo Yuhao's eyes narrowed, and he immediately activated the power of space, attempting to take the two away.

However, the surrounding space was extremely chaotic, making it impossible for him to succeed in a short time!

"Mingming Yun Shan had no ill intentions at all! How could this be—"