After parting with Yun Yun, Xiao Yan spread his Purple Cloud Twin Wings, turned into a streak of light, and sped toward the valley where Xiao Yi Xian was cultivating in seclusion.
The wind howled past him, and he soon arrived.
The moment he landed, a graceful figure came running out of the valley, her face bright with irrepressible delight.
"Young Master Xiao Yan! You're back!"
After three months apart, Xiao Yi Xian was noticeably more cheerful than before.
Her bright eyes brimmed with joy as she gazed at him without blinking.
Xiao Yan settled onto the ground and smiled at Xiao Yi Xian. "How has your cultivation progressed while I was away?"
Xiao Yi Xian smiled confidently, and Dou Qi surged out of her entire body.
A Dou Shi?!
And not just a One-Star Dou Shi!
She was actually a Nine-Star Dou Shi!
Xiao Yan's pupils contracted sharply.
Three months!
She had rocketed straight from a One-Star Dou Zhe to a Nine-Star Dou Shi!
What did that even mean?
Even his cultivation speed back in the day had fallen far short of something this terrifying!
But after the shock came overwhelming delight!
He had wanted to cling to Xiao Yi Xian's coattails in the first place. Now that his future pillar of support was progressing far faster than expected, wasn't that exactly what he wanted?
However, remembering that the woeful poison body advanced at the cost of toxins accumulating within her, Xiao Yan immediately grew cautious again.
He had to keep that buildup of toxins under control!
Xiao Yan stepped forward, took Xiao Yi Xian's hand, and began examining the accumulated toxins in her body.
A moment later, Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
Good, good. There wasn't much buildup, and it was still manageable.
But once Xiao Yi Xian advanced to Dou Ling, he would have to start refining Detoxification Pills for her to suppress the toxins.
And they would have to be Third-Tier Detoxification Pills at the very least.
Tsk!
His publicly displayed rank was only One-Star Dou Zhe right now. That was a little low!
It looked like he needed to raise it again!
Otherwise, what excuse could he use to refine Third-Tier Detoxification Pills?
After a little thought, Xiao Yan deliberately put on a devastated expression and sighed. "Ah, I risked life and limb on this trip and even had a fortuitous encounter, yet I only barely managed to advance from One-Star Dou Zhe to Six-Star Dou Zhe.
"I thought that already made me enough of a genius, but I came back to find you'd become a Nine-Star Dou Shi!
"What a blow!"
His words served two purposes: announcing his rank and playing weak while flattering her, so he could put Xiao Yi Xian out in front of him.
Yet Xiao Yi Xian froze when she heard him.
Xiao Yan's flattery and show of weakness did not make her feel smug.
Seeing his "dejected" expression only left her at a loss.
She considered herself a country girl from Qingshan Town.
Before Xiao Yan, who came from a great clan and was both handsome and gentle, she had always felt somewhat inferior.
Although her rapidly increasing strength had indeed made her much more confident and cheerful,
what occupied her thoughts most was merely whether she was now worthy of Young Master Xiao Yan.
She truly had not expected to deal Young Master Xiao Yan a blow.
Standing helplessly in place, Xiao Yi Xian did not know what to do.
Xiao Yan was also taken aback.
Wait, shouldn't a peerless genius like you step forward boldly at a time like this and declare that you'll look after me and protect me from now on?
What are you being so bashful for?
Forget it. Better take things slowly. She probably only just became strong and hadn't yet developed the heart of a powerhouse.
He had to nurture her confidence properly, so she would have the courage to shelter him from wind and rain in the future!
After spending another half day in the valley, Xiao Yan told Xiao Yi Xian about his plan to go to Black Rock City.
Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Yi Xian nodded and agreed to go with him.
They climbed onto Xiao Yi Xian's Flying Magical Beast. The Blue Giant Eagle beat its wings, whipping up a gale as it carried them swiftly toward Black Rock City.
Five days later, an enormous black silhouette appeared at the far end of the horizon.
That was Black Rock City!
As the largest city in the northeastern region of the Jia Ma Empire, Black Rock City was somewhat larger than Wutan City.
Its black walls towered into the clouds like a colossal black dragon crouching upon the earth, radiating an oppressive presence.
At the city gates, crowds streamed past amid a ceaseless flow of carriages and horses, painting a bustling scene.
After landing outside the city, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian walked toward the gates.
"Wow, what a huge city!"
Looking at the magnificent walls, Xiao Yi Xian could not help exclaiming in amazement.
She had never left Qingshan Town in her entire life!
This was her first visit to a large city, so everything seemed new and fascinating.
Xiao Yan smiled and was about to say something.
Suddenly, his steps faltered, and his gaze fixed on the towering city wall.
At the battlements stood a slender figure draped in a black cloak, perfectly still.
Yun Yun!
Why was she standing there?
Could she be waiting for me?
Xiao Yan's mind raced.
He was using his identity as "Xiao Yan" now, so he absolutely could not meet Yun Yun.
Lowering his head, Xiao Yan led Xiao Yi Xian toward the city, intending to slip inside quietly while praying that Yun Yun would not notice him.
However, things went against his wishes!
Just as they were about to blend into the crowd beneath the gateway, Yun Yun flew down from the wall and landed beside Xiao Yan!
Yun Yun's delicate brows knitted slightly.
Ever since arriving in Black Rock City, she had felt uneasy.
Thus, she had stood on the city wall every day, hoping that black-clad figure would arrive.
Today, she had still not spotted that black-clad figure from atop the wall, but another figure had suddenly caught her attention.
Looking at the handsome youth before her and the girl behind him who was watching her curiously, Yun Yun fell into a slight daze.
That build was so familiar. It bore a strong resemblance to Mister Li's!
But he was a little too young!
This youth probably wasn't even eighteen yet, was he?
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan raised his head, feigning a bewildered yet wary expression.
"Senior... is there something you need?"
His voice was Xiao Yan's own clear, youthful voice, entirely different from "Mister Li's" mature, resonant adult voice.
Xiao Yi Xian was nervously clutching Xiao Yan's sleeve, watching Yun Yun warily.
But after a brief pause, Xiao Yi Xian seemed to remember what Xiao Yan had told her along the way.
She hurried two steps forward and stood before Xiao Yan, nervous but forcing herself to look composed as she shielded him behind her.
Seeing this, Yun Yun could not help smiling.
This girl truly cared for this young man!
After looking once more over Xiao Yan's delicate yet unfamiliar face, Yun Yun shook her head.
It probably wasn't him. She had been mistaken.
Because she still had one crucial basis for her judgment...
He had no scent.
Then he definitely wasn't Mister Li.
A little disappointment crept into Yun Yun's heart.
"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else."
After that brief apology, Yun Yun stepped aside and cleared the way.
Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
Luckily, he had prepared beforehand and taken a Concealment Breath Pill, which perfectly concealed his aura.
Without another word, he took Xiao Yi Xian's hand, hurried past Yun Yun, and entered the city gates.
Watching their retreating figures disappear through the gates, Yun Yun flew back to the top of the wall and began staring into space again.
But after remaining dazed for a while, Yun Yun's expression suddenly changed!
Wait!
That young man just now had no scent!
He might not have Mister Li's scent, but a normal person shouldn't have no scent at all.
He must have used some method to conceal it.
Although his age and voice had made Yun Yun ninety percent certain that the youth just now was not Mister Li,
a hazy face suddenly surfaced in her mind.
It was the face she had glimpsed indistinctly during that night of intimacy.
It bore a faint resemblance to the youth she had just seen.
After some thought, Yun Yun flew down from the wall again, hoping to find the young man and girl from earlier.
Before you continue