A kind laugh rang out, and Xiao Yan and the others paused in their steps. They exchanged glances, and then their gazes returned to the old man in front of them.
The old man had a full head of gray hair, a ruddy and full face, and a tuft of beard on his chin. His slightly withered hands were slowly stroking his hair. His cloudy old eyes were smiling as he stared at the group of people in front of him. His smile deepened, especially when his gaze fell on Xiao Yan.
Seeing the old man's expression, Xiao Yan knew that the other party must know his identity, otherwise he wouldn't show such an expression. Without much hesitation, while remaining vigilant, he carefully cupped his hands towards the old man and said:
"I am Xiao Yan. May I ask what brings you here, sir?"
Sensing the change in Xiao Yan's aura, the old man nodded with a kind smile, and then said:
"Sir, there's no need to be nervous. Within Donghua City, no one can harm you, and I am no exception."
Upon hearing the old man's words, Xiao Yan was immediately taken aback, but before he could even ponder why, the old man continued speaking:
"I am Zhang Li, the manager of the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion in Donghua City. My master ordered me to wait here for you, sir. Before leaving, he repeatedly instructed me that if Xiao Yan, come here, you must treat him with the utmost respect. If anyone dares to cause trouble, no matter who they are, they will never appear in Donghua City again. So, sir, you can rest assured in Xiao Yan Donghua City."
The old man chuckled and gestured for Xiao Yan to follow. Xiao Yan then realized why the old man recognized him at a glance; it was Luo Jin who had done it. Moreover, judging from Zhang Li Li's words, it seemed that the power of the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion in this area was much stronger than he had imagined!
"You're too kind, senior!"
Coming to his senses, Xiao Yan quickly cupped his hands in greeting to the old man before leading the others, under Zhang Li's guidance, towards a certain place in the city center.
"Although Donghua City is nominally under the control of the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion, it is still part of the Southern Region. Apart from managing some trivial matters, most of the resources and shops in the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion still belong to the Southern Region forces. Don't underestimate them. Although they appear to be ordinary shops opened by Origin King, they are backed by much more powerful forces."
As the group curiously surveyed the surrounding shops, Zhang Li uttered a slightly alarming voice. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded in understanding. Considering that Donghua City was a leading and important city in the Far Southern Land, the people who could establish shops here and remain so stable could not be ordinary forces.
"You're referring to Origin Emperor, aren't you, senior?"
Xiao Yan smiled. Those who could establish power here were naturally the Origin Emperor experts.
"Hehe, Mr. Xiao Yan, that's hard to say. The Southern Region is vast and sparsely populated, with countless reclusive powerhouses. What you've seen is merely the surface of the Southern Region."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression tightened slightly. He understood the implication in the old man's words. It was similar to the Qinhuang Lost Valley in the Western Region. On the surface, it was the largest power in the Western Region, but the true leader was actually the Murong Clan located in the Western Wilderness Region. Or it was like the Blood Flame Bird clan in the Fire Maple Forest in the Far Southern Land. So far, Xiao Yan had only seen Zhu Hao, the patriarch of the Blood Flame Bird clan, and his son Zhu Can. The sheer size of their entire clan was unimaginable.
The continent is vast, and there are many hidden talents among its people. This is why one must be cautious when traveling across the continent, because there is no absolute power on this continent.
A moment later, the group appeared in a pavilion. After everyone was seated in the hall, Zhang Li walked to the front of them, cupped his hands in greeting, and slowly said:
"Do you gentlemen have any knowledge of my Cloud-Hidden Pavilion, or rather, the Central Region?"
Upon hearing this, the people present shook their heads. This was their first time visiting the Central Region of the Continent, so who would know what it was like? As for the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion, even Xiao Yan only knew that it was a force belonging to the Central Region, but he did not know exactly which force it was.
Seeing everyone shake their heads, Zhang Li gave a clear, understanding "hmm," seemingly unsurprised by the outcome, before continuing to speak.
"Before his departure, the Pavilion Master specifically instructed me that if you all come here, you must clearly tell you that the Central Region is different from the border regions of the continent. The forces there are more complex and more dangerous. What Mr. Xiao Yan needs to pay the most attention to are some of the more powerful forces in the Central Region."
"The power structure in the Central Region differs from other places. Apart from some powerful magical beast groups, the human forces are led by the Pill Tower, followed by the Heavenly Yuan Zong and the Ghost Gate, then the three major clans: the Xiao Clan, the Bai Clan, and the Ouyang Clan. Finally, there are Four Great Sects, led by the Cloud Immortal Sect, with the Ghost Fiend Gate also among them. My Cloud-Hidden Pavilion's Heavenly Cloud Manor is one of them. As for the other force, it is called the Tribulation Crossing Sect, which I believe Mr. Xiao Yan will come into contact with in the future."
As he finished speaking, Zhang Li's gaze involuntarily fell on Xiao Yi Xian and Lian'er. With his keen eyesight, he could naturally see the differences between the two women.
When Xiao Yan heard about the Xiao Clan mentioned in the words, his expression changed. He hadn't expected the Xiao Clan to be among the super powers in the Central Region. But because of this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but worry about Xiao Xuan's current situation. The latter had not yet obtained the complete third volume of the Origin Return Mantra, and his cultivation would inevitably be affected. He would probably encounter trouble in the Xiao Clan.
With this thought in mind, a cold glint flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. If Xiao Xuan was unharmed, that would be fine, but if he went to the Xiao Clan and saw Xiao Xuan being treated coldly by others, then he would rather not have this so-called family.
A thought flashed through Xiao Yan's mind, and then Zhang Li spoke again.
"Although these forces mostly operate independently, Mr. Xiao Yan should pay particular attention to the Ghost Fiend Gate and the Cloud Immortal Sect. On the surface, these two forces are indeed on par with the Heavenly Cloud Manor and the Tribulation Crossing Sect, but in reality, they are branches of the Heavenly Yuan Zong and the Ghost Gate. The two are wary of each other and have been fighting for many years, with their presence distributed along the borders of the continent. Only in recent years, as the Ghost Fiend Gate has gradually consolidated its power, have they withdrawn from the continent's borders. Even so, Mr. Xiao Yan should still be extremely careful if he encounters them in the future."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded solemnly. He naturally understood the reason why the Ghost Hall was consolidating its power better than anyone else. However, now that he was about to set foot in the Central Region, he did not expect that the first thing he would face was the Ghost Fiend Gate. As for the so-called Ghost Gate, it was probably an even more terrifying existence!
"Furthermore, before his departure, the Pavilion Master specifically instructed that if Mr. Xiao Yan encounters any trouble he cannot resolve, he should simply come to my Heavenly Cloud Manor, and the Pavilion Master will certainly do his utmost to assist him!"