Yang Hao of the Ancient Clan

During these three months,

Old Yao had not only become proficient in wielding the strength of

his new body,

but had also casually constructed

a spatial passageway that led directly from

the Lion Nether Sect's stronghold

to the Jia Ma Empire.

Meanwhile,

within Jia Nan Academy, which bordered the Black Corner Region,

in the Inner Academy at its very heart,

Xiao Yan, who had just gone through the Strong Ranking Competition,

had also gained ample time to recuperate.

With Gu Xun'er

secretly providing Xiao Yan with

some precious resources,

Xiao Yan had not only entered the Strong Ranking, but his Dou Qi cultivation had already reached the level of a five-star Dou Ling.

Moreover, even his talent for alchemy

had been greatly unleashed after he became the disciple of

Elder Huo from the Alchemy Department!

Thus, he now not only possessed

Late Mortal Realm soul power,

but if he performed well, Xiao Yan could already easily refine some simple Rank 5 Pills.

Not long ago,

after Xiao Yan consumed

the pills he had refined himself,

his Dou Qi cultivation had surged by two stars!

Therefore, after some deliberation,

Xiao Yan had not entered the tower to cultivate during this period.

Instead, he quietly

tempered the suddenly surging Dou Qi within his body.

Amid his peaceful daily cultivation,

the Dou Qi within Xiao Yan that had originally

been somewhat unsteady

was gradually becoming more solid.

Yet during this brief, leisurely life,

for some unknown reason, his childhood sweetheart Xiao Xun'er had suddenly taken a liking to pulling him along

into the deep mountains of the Inner Academy in silence.

Then they would lie together upon the lush grass,

nestled against each other,

basking in the warm sunlight,

and fully enjoying this brief, happy life!

But these ordinary days soon underwent a change that Xiao Yan had never expected.

One day, while Xiao Yan was happily nestling against Gu Xun'er in the back mountains,

he suddenly discovered that a group of unfamiliar yet powerful auras was rushing toward their location.

Having just reacted, Xiao Yan immediately rose and grabbed Gu Xun'er beside him, intending to leave.

Yet just as Xiao Yan pulled Gu Xun'er up,

she too seemed to faintly sense

something. Her pretty face instantly changed,

and she hurriedly pushed Xiao Yan into the forest.

Gu Xun'er anxiously urged him,

"Brother Xiao Yan, listen to Xun'er! Hide in there now, and whatever happens, don't come out afterward!"

"Xun'er! Tell me! What exactly has happened? Are those people here for you?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan did not immediately follow Gu Xun'er's arrangements. Instead, he grabbed Xun'er's slender hand

and spoke in a deeply grave voice.

A moment later,

after struggling with Gu Xun'er for a while, Xiao Yan was eventually pushed into the nearby forest by her.

Not long after Xiao Yan was pushed into the forest,

suddenly, a great many

sharp sounds of rushing wind

rang out from the distant sky.

Moments later, more than a dozen

tiny black dots

appeared at the northern horizon.

The course of these dozen black dots was also extremely clear: they headed straight for where Gu Xun'er stood.

At the same time, Xiao Yan's gaze

watched through the gaps in the leaves,

fixed upon the dozen black dots within his sight.

Shock soon surged onto his face,

because these dozen black dots

were not the human figures he had imagined!

They were over a dozen entirely black magical beasts, each with a silver horn more than a zhang long growing from its head.

Although Xiao Yan had never seen or heard of these unfamiliar magical beasts before,

that did not stop him from being astonished. Judging from the auras these magical beasts emitted,

even the weakest among them

were combat-type flying magical beasts with the strength of the sixth tier.

Based on his current knowledge,

to raise such a large number of

flying magical beasts as mounts,

the terrifying faction behind them

was naturally powerful beyond anything

he could currently imagine.

After Xiao Yan's gaze slowly shifted away from these

Eight-Winged Unicorn Beasts,

it then settled upon their broad backs.

He saw that upon the back of every Eight-Winged Unicorn Beast stood a figure dressed in purple-black.

After Xiao Yan gave them a rough appraisal,

he discovered in shock!

The auras of these dozen or so figures were almost all like bottomless pools,

unfathomable to his current self!

He generally only sensed such a peculiar feeling from Great Elder Su Qian of the Inner Academy.

Damn! Could these dangerous fellows all be experts at the Dou Zong level or above?

Xiao Yan could not help but think to himself.

A moment later, the dozen massive Eight-Winged Unicorn Beasts slowly stopped before Gu Xun'er.

"Hehe! Miss Xun'er, after traveling for so long, we have finally found you!"

Among the dozen or so Eight-Winged Unicorn Beasts, one that seemed to be the leader was the first to slowly descend.

A man atop it smiled at Gu Xun'er.

"Hehe! I was wondering who it was. So it is Seventh Commander Yang Hao of the Black Annihilation Army."

Gu Xun'er casually swept her gaze over the man before her and spoke coldly.

"Hehe!"

"Since you know who I am, Miss,"

"then I should also let you know that we came today under the orders of the Clan Ancestor!"

"To bring you back to the clan as soon as possible!"

Yang Hao, who had descended from the back of an Eight-Winged Unicorn Beast, respectfully cupped his hands toward Gu Xun'er.

"Hmph! I already said that when I wish to return, I will naturally return on my own!"

"Why did you have to come all this way?"

Gu Xun'er responded coldly, her face full of displeasure at Yang Hao and the others' uninvited arrival.

"Hehe! You jest, Miss!"

"Since the Clan Ancestor has given his orders, we can only obey them!"

Yang Hao smiled faintly upon hearing this.

Just as he was about to continue speaking,

his gaze suddenly sharpened.

Then Yang Hao shifted his gaze

toward the dense forest not far away

and spoke in a deep voice. "What nerve!"

"Who is it that dares eavesdrop here?"

Before Yang Hao's voice had even faded, the expressions of the dozen or so figures around him instantly turned cold as well.

Immediately afterward, these dozen agile figures

flashed into the forest almost simultaneously,

intending to capture the eavesdropper hiding in the dark.

"Stop! All of you!"

Gu Xun'er's pretty face immediately changed at the sight.

She hastily shouted at them sternly.

However, Gu Xun'er had reacted a step too late.

Before her words had even fallen,

this one-sided battle

had already come to an end.

After hearing Gu Xun'er's rebuke,

these dozen people did not kill him.

Instead, one of them dragged the half-beaten-to-death Xiao Yan before Gu Xun'er.

Upon seeing Xiao Yan covered in wounds,

Gu Xun'er hurried forward and asked with concern,

"Brother Xiao Yan... are you... all right?"

In her anxiety, the habitual form of address nearly slipped out, and Gu Xun'er warily lowered her voice.