News Spreads

"Did anything major happen in Central Plains during the hundred years I was trapped?" Yi Huang had returned to normal and begun reporting her work. Xiao Han happened to want to learn about current events in Central Plains as well.

"Basically, everything is as usual. The Soul Hall is still as arrogant as ever. The only major event was that Starfall Pavilion Master Medicine Venerable Yao Chen disappeared."

Oh? He disappeared? Xiao Han's heart stirred.

"Tell me more," Xiao Han said without revealing anything.

She nodded. "Around several decades ago, Starfall Pavilion announced that Medicine Venerable had gone missing. His disciple, Han Feng, claimed that Medicine Venerable had suffered cultivation deviation while refining a Ninth Grade Pill."

Then a trace of amusement appeared on Yi Huang's indifferent face. "But no one believed it!"

"How so? Is there something suspicious about it?" Xiao Han raised his eyes.

"Of course. Think about Medicine Venerable's strength." Yi Huang also quite agreed with Yao Chen's title as the Continent's Number One Alchemist.

In her heart, it was impossible for Medicine Venerable to run into trouble while refining pills. What was more,

"You don't know this, but that brat Han Feng hid himself in the Black-Corner Region after something happened to Medicine Venerable. He refused to come to Central Plains no matter what," Yi Huang said gossipily.

"Isn't that just giving himself away?" Xiao Han said with amusement.

"Exactly. Venerable Feng was even about to go find him personally." Her expression then turned solemn.

"But if Han Feng hadn't been Medicine Venerable's direct disciple, and if he didn't seem to be wary of something, that fellow Han Feng would have been finished long ago."

"The Soul Hall?"

"Probably. After all, given the relationship between the two of them, besides the Soul Hall, there's no one else who could stop him." Yi Huang nodded in agreement.

"Moreover, during the period before Yao Chen disappeared, he allied with the Pill Tower and several other forces to oppose the Soul Hall constantly.

"He caused the Soul Hall quite a bit of trouble. Back then, the Soul Hall hated him to the bone."

At this point, Yi Huang also revealed a trace of satisfaction at the Soul Hall's misfortune.

"Did you find out where Medicine Venerable went?"

Although Xiao Han knew Yao Chen's eventual whereabouts, he knew nothing about the twists and turns in between. He was still very curious.

For this reason, he placed his hopes in Langya Pavilion's intelligence network.

From the moment Langya Pavilion was established, Xiao Han had personally set up a powerful intelligence system, allowing Langya Pavilion's intelligence-gathering abilities to far surpass those of the other sects.

It was second only to colossal powers such as the Soul Hall and Pill Tower, and in some aspects, it even had a slight advantage outside Central Plains.

With the help of Langya Pavilion's capabilities, intelligence on the Northwest Continent had always been sealed off. Before he became trapped, the Soul Hall had been unable to infiltrate it.

"How could we possibly find out?" Yi Huang complained, rolling her eyes at Xiao Han.

"After Medicine Venerable disappeared, the Soul Hall also expended tremendous effort searching for him, yet they still haven't found him." As she spoke, Yi Huang propped herself against the table and leaned toward Xiao Han. With a playful look, she said,

"Does our Pavilion Master think that Langya Pavilion is already capable of rivaling the Soul Hall?"

Feeling the perfect figure right in front of him, Xiao Han swallowed and leaned back slightly.

He turned his head aside and said softly, "I know. Isn't it because I have confidence in you?"

Then, as though granted an amnesty, he said to Yi Huang, "Right, I brought back quite a few good things this time. Call Old Ye and some elders and disciples you select over, and give them some benefits."

"Oh?" Yi Huang narrowed her eyes, her tone turning unfriendly. "What about mine?"

Xiao Han's desire to survive exploded. He hurriedly stood up and comforted her, "Don't worry, I remembered yours. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"Fine, I'll wait." She revealed a smile like her scheme had succeeded.

Then, under Xiao Han's pained gaze, she cheerfully took out a pile of documents. "These are Langya Pavilion's affairs over the past hundred years. Please look them over. And this is some relatively basic intelligence to help you understand the situation."

"See you!" She waved and then walked out with light steps.

While Xiao Han and Yi Huang were talking, news of Ice Saint's return to Langya Pavilion swept across Central Plains like a typhoon.

"Ice Saint is back! Prepare gifts at once. I'm going to visit Langya Pavilion," the master of a certain force declared.

"Damn it, how did that scourge Su Lin"—the alias Xiao Han used while traveling the continent; only Yi Huang and Ye Jianxin knew his true identity—"come back..." Amid a series of crashing sounds, an angry shout rang out from the room of the Heaven Underworld Sect Master.

As one of the few forces in Central Plains that had a grudge against Xiao Han, the Heaven Underworld Sect had suffered quite a loss in its confrontations with Langya Pavilion.

"Ice Saint is back?" A chilling voice echoed through a dark hall. "Increase the intensity of the investigation."

That simple piece of news caused a violent upheaval.

"Ice Saint has returned?" At that moment, Venerable Feng, who was acting as Starfall Pavilion's master, wore a sorrowful expression. "Yao Chen, you old bastard, where did you run off to?"

It was no wonder Venerable Feng reacted this way. As forces from the same Southern Region of Central Plains, Langya Pavilion had been in conflict with the local hegemon, Starfall Pavilion, over various interests since its establishment.

At first, Starfall Pavilion was stronger than Langya Pavilion because it had been established earlier and possessed Yao Chen, a Peak Dou Zun and the Continent's Number One Alchemist. This was even more so after Ice Saint disappeared.

However, the good times did not last. Yao Chen disappeared afterward as well. Now, both pavilion masters had vanished.

If the times of their disappearances had not differed, Central Plains would probably have been spreading rumors that the two pavilion masters had fought to the death over the position of hegemon in the Southern Region of Central Plains and ultimately perished together.

However, with Yi Huang and Ye Jianxin still present in Langya Pavilion, its strength had instantly surpassed Starfall Pavilion, which had been almost entirely supported by Yao Chen and was now being held together by Venerable Feng alone.

During that period, the other three pavilions among the Four Directions Pavilion had even wanted to join forces with Langya Pavilion to drive Starfall Pavilion out of the Four Directions Pavilion and let Langya Pavilion take its place.

But whether out of fortune or misfortune, Langya Pavilion was unwilling.

Although this fit Langya Pavilion's style of not taking advantage of others' misfortune, it still left Venerable Feng somewhat disappointed.

He had wanted to guard the position for his old friend, yet those young fellows actually looked down on it!

"What terrifying young people." All three of them—Xiao Han included—were Dou Zun experts, but they were younger and stronger, and their potential clearly far exceeded that of Starfall Pavilion.

Even Venerable Feng had to admit this.

Now that Ice Saint had returned to Langya Pavilion, Starfall Pavilion might never again be able to contend with Langya Pavilion in the Southern Region of Central Plains.

Even Yao Chen's return would be unable to change this.

"Looks like those young people were the ones who saw things clearly after all!" Venerable Feng sighed.

Langya Pavilion had always kept a low profile since its establishment. Although its strength had now far surpassed that of the so-called Four Directions Pavilion, it had never made any attempt to seize forces or territory.

From the elders to the disciples, none of them took the initiative to provoke others. The elders could enjoy their retirement, while the disciples could cultivate in peace.

For some unknown reason, every one of them advanced rapidly in strength.

During the hundred years Ice Saint was missing, Langya Pavilion's territory had indeed shrunk somewhat, but that was all territory it had given up voluntarily.

The pavilion's overall strength, however, had continued to rise. It even had more than ten newly advanced Dou Zun experts.

Damn!

Venerable Feng was seized by envy, jealousy, and hatred.

But afterward came a wave of relief. Fortunately, for various reasons, Starfall Pavilion and Langya Pavilion had rarely clashed.

Nor had the two sides ever engaged in any vicious bloodshed. In addition, they visited one another and exchanged gifts during festivals. Their relationship was not good, but it was not bad either.

They were simply familiar strangers.