The figures all wore purplish-black robes, their faces expressionless. Their shifting gazes were like keen blades, and an icy chill radiated from every one of them. With their arrival, even the temperature in the air seemed to freeze solid.
The man among them was clearly their leader. Clad in black armor, he had a sturdy build, long brown hair that danced in the wind, and sharply defined features that gave him a rugged, masculine beauty.
At that moment, a domineering, scorching aura faintly seeped from his body. It sent ripples through the space around him, making it clear that he, too, was an immensely powerful Dou Zun expert.
The moment he saw Gu Xun'er, delight appeared on his cold, stern face. Once the figures beside him had stepped aside in orderly succession, he slowly emerged from their midst and approached her. His expression turned respectful as he bowed and said,
"This subordinate is Yang Hao, Third Commander of the Black Annihilation Army. By order of the Elder Council, I have come to escort you back to the clan, Miss."
Yang Hao gazed at Gu Xun'er with profound respect, but an imperceptible trace of affection flickered within his eyes. Although Gu Xun'er had gone to the Xiao Clan as a child, the spatial passage made returning home extremely convenient. She would occasionally return to collect things she wanted to bring Xiao Yan, lingering briefly in the Gu Clan as well.
Countless young experts of the Gu Clan had been struck by her heavenly beauty upon seeing her. Coupled with her status, it had inspired affection for her in nearly all of them, and Yang Hao, Third Commander of the Black Annihilation Army, was naturally no exception.
Although Yang Hao was several decades older than Gu Xun'er, powerful cultivators on the Dou