A Journey Far Afield Once More?

Xiao Yan was practically thrown out of the Library Pavilion, though he landed steadily enough and suffered no injury.

Seeing Xiao Yan come out like that, Su Qian's heart sank. He thought Xiao Yan might not have made a choice; otherwise, why would he have been the last to emerge?

Xiao Yan got to his feet and bowed. Su Qian frowned and asked, "Why did you stay until the very end? Could it be that you didn't obtain anything?"

He knew Xiao Yan's situation well. If Xiao Yan had been dazzled by all the treasures and hesitated to decide, Su Qian could understand it, considering his experience. Still, he could not help feeling somewhat disappointed.

Xiao Yan respectfully handed over the scroll in his hand.

"This student spent a great deal of effort on this item and only managed to obtain it by luck at the very end."

Seeing that Xiao Yan had at least obtained something, Su Qian finally relaxed. He took the scroll and gave it a glance.

"Nether Dragon Prison-Suppressing Song! It was actually this Dou Technique!"

Su Qian could not help crying out in surprise. Even the two stone figures beside him let out soft sounds of astonishment upon hearing his words.

Seeing their reactions, Xiao Yan thought this Dou Technique might be some forbidden heretical art. He hurriedly asked, "Great Elder, is there something wrong with it?"

Only then did Su Qian come back to his senses. He returned the scroll to Xiao Yan, his expression brightening. Xiao Yan truly had not disappointed him!

"Haha, there is nothing wrong with it. This Dou Technique was placed in the pavilion when the Headmaster first established the academy. Countless students have tried for it since then, yet all missed their chance. Now that you have obtained it, it is your good fortune!"

Xiao Yan immediately felt relieved. "So that was it. This student only encountered it at the very end; otherwise, I would not have delayed until time ran out."

Even now, recalling it gave Xiao Yan a lingering sense of fear. Yet when he carefully savored that hair-raising experience, he felt inexplicably excited.

Had some strange trait awakened within him...?

At that moment, Thousand Elder spoke from behind them. "The treasures of the Library Pavilion have the ability to choose their owners through the Headmaster's methods. Since you obtained it, it means you are qualified to cultivate it. Practice diligently in the future, and do not disgrace this Dou Technique!"

Then his fingers moved slightly beneath his sleeve, and a point of light shot into Xiao Yan's hand. Xiao Yan caught it and looked closely. It was another bundle of scrolls!

"This Dou Technique has some connection with me. Though I have never cultivated it, I do possess some methods and techniques for practicing this kind of Dou Technique. I shall give them to you."

If he had been facing an ordinary student, this existence comparable to a supreme elder would naturally not have said much. But Xiao Yan was a student so exceptional that even Su Qian intended to send him to the Central Domain. Coupled with that copy of the Nether Dragon Prison-Suppressing Song, Thousand Elder did not mind offering him some guidance.

Xiao Yan was naturally overjoyed and quickly put it away. "This student thanks Senior for bestowing this method."

Thousand Elder said nothing further. Hundred Elder seemed somewhat unwilling to be outdone and spoke up.

"Boy, you said you only encountered that item at the end. Could it be that you broke its protective barrier in such a short time? Were all those light clusters you encountered earlier shattered with a casual wave of your hand?"

Xiao Yan could not quite figure out this elder's temperament. If Thousand Elder was kind and amiable, then every word from Hundred Elder carried the air of someone looking for trouble. He had no idea who had offended him...

Still, Xiao Yan did not dare be negligent and honestly replied, "Reporting to Senior, this student exhausted all his strength to obtain that Dou Technique. As for before that, I obtained a sixth-grade medicinal pill formula. Breaking that protective barrier indeed did not take much effort."

Who would have thought that after Xiao Yan finished speaking, Hundred Elder would fall silent? Even Su Qian and Thousand Elder stopped speaking, making the atmosphere awkward for a moment.

After a while, Hundred Elder's voice finally drifted over.

"Boy, why are you still here? Are you waiting for this old man to give you something too?"

Xiao Yan had no idea how he had made this elder dislike him so much. He could only repeatedly say that he would not dare while turning to Su Qian for help.

Su Qian, who understood perfectly well what had happened, said nothing. With a flash of his figure, he took Xiao Yan away from the valley, leaving behind only the stone statues of Thousand Elder and Hundred Elder.

Thousand Elder sighed leisurely.

"A sixth-grade pill formula obtained so casually—what talent! No wonder Su Qian was willing to make an exception for him at Canaan Academy."

Hundred Elder said nothing from the other side, but Thousand Elder knew him well enough to know that he was not the kind of person who expressed opposition through silence...

When Xiao Yan returned to the pill chamber of the Spirit Pill Pavilion, he was alone. He took out his spoils and examined them.

Mid-Earth Tier Dou Technique! Nether Dragon Prison-Suppressing Song

A soundwave Dou Technique, improved from a dragon clan Dou Technique. It mimicked the might of a dragon's roar, commanding all beasts and intimidating the mind. Once cultivated to great mastery, a single roar could shatter an enemy's meridians and turn their soul to dust!

Xiao Yan was extremely satisfied. Not only was this Dou Technique of an exceptionally high grade, it also combined physical and soul attacks. More importantly, soundwave Dou Techniques were inherently difficult to guard against.

Xiao Yan imagined fighting someone, with both sides' hands and feet locked against each other. Then Xiao Yan opened his mouth and let out a thunderous roar! Heh heh heh...

Although it was called a "song," that was really just how magical beasts described it. To Xiao Yan, it simply meant roaring, which reassured him greatly. After all, if it truly required singing a song, would he have to sing whenever he used the Dou Technique?

That would be far too bizarre.

However, Xiao Yan was not as excited as he had imagined. He merely skimmed through it before putting the scroll away, his thoughts returning to his earlier conversation with Su Qian.

"Central Plains, Central Domain? Great Elder, you want to take me somewhere so far away?"

"What? You do not wish to go?"

"Great Elder, you misunderstand. It is not that I do not wish to go. I have heard that the prosperity of the Central Plains surpasses all of the Dou Qi Continent, and I have long yearned for it. I simply did not expect this to happen so suddenly..."

"This old man is a Two-Star Dou Sect. Xiao Yan, do you think this old man can be considered an expert?"

"Great Elder's cultivation is unfathomable. A Dou Sect is a grandmaster; how could you not be considered an expert?"

"Correct. In the northwestern corner of the Dou Qi Continent, a Dou Sect is enough to establish a sect and rule over a region..."

"But Xiao Yan, do you know that in the Central Plains, low-star Dou Sects like this old man may not truly be as numerous as hairs on an ox, but they are by no means rare!"

"Take alchemists, for example. At Canaan Academy, teaching you up to the fifth grade is already the limit. Beyond that, even across the entire Northwestern Continent, Sixth-Grade Alchemists are exceedingly rare. Yet at the Pill Tower in the Central Plains, Sixth-Grade Alchemists are commonplace! Not to mention that a sixth-grade alchemist there is hardly the same as a sixth-grade alchemist here!"

"Great Elder, after saying so much... This student is slow-witted. Please speak plainly."

"This old man wishes to tell you that if you remain at the academy, and remain in the Northwestern Continent in the future, this old man believes you can reach my level. But that will likely be your limit."

"And the Central Plains are where the continent's experts converge. Only there can one become a true expert!"

"Now, this old man is giving you this opportunity. Will you accompany me on a journey and see the sights of this continent, or will you remain here in peace and return to your Jia Ma Empire someday to become a local emperor or a wealthy idler?"

"Go back and think it over slowly. This old man is not in a hurry."

"..."

"There is no need to think further! Great Elder has already said so much. If Xiao Yan still shrank back in fear, would that not betray the academy's nurturing? When we depart shall be entirely at Great Elder's command!"

"Hahaha—this old man did not misjudge you. I shall give you two days to settle some matters, and then we shall leave!"

"...Didn't Great Elder say you were not in a hurry...?"

As he was about to leave, Xiao Yan suddenly turned around and bowed deeply to Su Qian!

"For the academy's immense kindness, Xiao Yan will remember it for the rest of his life! I will repay it someday!"

Su Qian looked at Xiao Yan, whose forehead was pressed heavily against the ground, and was momentarily speechless. Soon afterward, he waved Xiao Yan away. After Xiao Yan left, Su Qian looked at the sun outside the window. A smile appeared on his withered old face as he murmured to himself.

"The Central Plains... how nostalgic."

"Come to think of it, this old man still lacks a personal disciple..."