"Little Yanzi, it really is you! Come to think of it, it's been almost a year since you came of age. With your temperament, there was no way you could sit still in the Xiao Clan."
The three draped their arms around one another's shoulders. After so many years apart, they naturally had plenty of catching up to do.
It was a joyous day for the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Sheep and pigs were slaughtered, and a lavish feast was laid out.
Even Xiao Yan, who normally never touched a drop of alcohol, made an exception and drank merrily with his two elder brothers, determined not to stop until they were drunk.
But Xiao Yan's cultivation now far surpassed theirs, making him much more resistant to substances like alcohol, which acted much like poison. By the time he felt groggy, scarcely anyone present was still sober.
After the feast, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li arranged the best room for Xiao Yan, weary from his journey, so he could rest for a day. Everything else could wait until tomorrow.
For once, the ever-diligent Xiao Yan slept in, only waking when the sun was already high and the sound of the door opening reached him.
"Young master, time to get up."
A gentle voice sounded beside Xiao Yan's ear, reminding him of Xun'er.
He wondered where that girl, already beginning to blossom into a breathtaking beauty, was now, and whether their paths would cross again.
Even though I've become a Dou Ling, it's still nowhere near enough. I have to grow stronger!
He opened his eyes to see a girl in a green cloth tunic wringing out a washcloth over a copper basin, preparing to wash his face and help him dress.
As Xiao Yan opened his eyes, their gazes met.
Her