As Xiao Yan and his group entered the spatial passage, the light in front of them suddenly became bright, causing them to instinctively close their eyes slightly. They then slowly opened them, and the look of surprise in their eyes intensified.
What appeared before Xiao Yan and the others was an extremely long blue stone staircase. There were no buildings on either side of the staircase, only lush greenery. Looking into the distance, one could see many buildings peeking out from among the greenery, and faintly, one could hear voices coming from afar, which eventually faded into the verdant greenery.
Looking back now, everything behind them is gone. Except for the archway, which still stands, the original spatial barriers on both sides have been transformed into an extremely thick city wall, towering majestically under the cover of moss. An Old Gu and weathered aura emanates from it.
"Indeed, there's a hidden paradise inside."
Looking up at the world before him, Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the sky above, his eyes narrowing. There, he could vaguely sense a distortion. Clearly, the entire Xiao Clan was shrouded in a distorted space. Such a vast spatial barrier was truly a grand undertaking. No wonder it was so different from the bustling, ordinary scene he saw outside. As one of the three great clans of the Central Region, it was no mere figurehead.
"Please follow me, all three of you."
The middle-aged man smiled at Xiao Yan, then moved, stepping into the void and rushing forward. Xiao Yan and Bai Hua exchanged a glance, nodded slightly, and then followed closely behind.
A moment later, the four of them stood on a cliff. In front of them were still a series of stone steps, but now, on both sides of the steps, there were many buildings built against the mountain. Stone steps spiraled up the cliff on both sides, and above were two small squares of the same size. Many disciples dressed in the Xiao Clan clothing were moving back and forth on them. Occasionally, shouts of sparring would ring out, giving the place a bit of vitality.
In the very center of the two squares, directly above the ascending stone steps, stands a grand hall suspended in mid-air, where the four people are now standing.
With a series of steady footsteps, an elderly man dressed in purple robes walked out of the main hall. His gaze swept over Xiao Yan and his companions, then stopped on the middle-aged man. He glanced at the latter and said indifferently:
" Xiao Huan, do you know your crime?"
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and hurriedly said:
"I have failed in my duty, and I am willing to accept punishment. But Elder, all of this is..."
"Enough, you don't need to say anything more. If you wait for the report, the entire Xiao City will probably be in chaos. Go now, and I won't say anything more about what to do."
The old man said something indifferently, and Xiao Huan bowed respectfully with a pale face. Judging from this, this elder probably already knew what had happened in Xiao City, and his intention to bring Xiao Yan and the other two here was probably useless.
However, just as Xiao Huan was about to lead Xiao Yan and the other two away from this place, the purple-robed elder spoke up again, saying:
"You can leave, they stay."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Huan was immediately taken aback, and Xiao Yan and the other two beside him were also slightly stunned. The former was about to speak and argue, but the cold gaze of the purple-robed old man suddenly shot over, causing his heart to tremble. He couldn't help but look at Xiao Yan and the other two with an apologetic expression, then gritted his teeth and quickly retreated.
After Xiao Huan left, the old man slowly surveyed the three people before him. Noticing the difference between Bai Hua and Lian'er, a hint of surprise flashed in his usually calm eyes. He nodded slightly, then fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan and said calmly:
"You're Xiao Yan?"
Upon hearing the old man's words, Xiao Yan's expression instantly changed. He immediately looked up, staring at the old man with a face full of surprise. After hesitating for a long while, he finally frowned and said in a deep voice:
How did you recognize me, senior?
"Hmph, within the Xiao Clan today, who among the elders doesn't recognize you? Ever since you entered Xiao City, your identity has been no longer a secret."
The old man chuckled, seemingly finding Xiao Yan's words somewhat laughable.
Xiao Yan was speechless. He thought he had been quite cautious along the way, and even after entering the Xiao Clan's territory, he had not easily revealed his identity. However, he did not expect that he had already been discovered by the old man in front of him.
"If you want to probe the ways of my Xiao Clan, you shouldn't use outsiders to test them. Once you're inside the clan, you'll experience it for yourself. However, I advise you not to use this method elsewhere in the future, or you might find yourself in a trap."
After a gentle reminder, Xiao Yan quickly nodded and bowed in thanks. The old man waved his hand lightly and said again:
"Let's forget about those for now. The Grand Elder has high expectations for you. Just focus on your cultivation and don't follow in your ancestor's footsteps."
"Ancestor Xiao Xuan, what happened to him?"
As soon as the purple-robed elder finished speaking, Xiao Yan's expression immediately hardened, and his face darkened. His primary concern upon arriving at the Xiao Clan was naturally Xiao Xuan's condition, but judging from the elder's words, Xiao Xuan's situation did not seem ideal.
"Well... since you're here, you should just ask him yourself."
Just as the old man was about to speak, he suddenly turned his gaze to a corner of the sky, where a streak of light was flashing by at an extremely fast speed. In the blink of an eye, it had already appeared in front of the main hall. At the same time, Xiao Yan's gaze met the figure formed by the streak of light.
The figure was dressed in white, with long hair, and eyes that were as dark and deep as the starry sky. A faint smile graced his handsome face, and his entire being exuded an elegant temperament that was hard to match.
"Hehe, little guy, it's been a few years and you've actually advanced to the Yuan Zong. Not bad, it seems you've found what you've been looking for."
Sensing the aura within Xiao Yan that was far stronger than his own, Xiao Xuan couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration. Seeing that Xiao Xuan was unharmed, the latter finally relaxed.
"Ancestor Xiao Xuan, how have you been these past few years?"
Relieved, Xiao Yan asked with concern.
Upon hearing this, the purple-robed elder beside him shifted his gaze and immediately looked at Xiao Xuan. Xiao Yan before turning his attention back to the elder beside him, respectfully cupping his hands in greeting, and saying:
" Elder Li, it's been a long time!"
"Ha, ever since you crossed the threshold of my Ancient Chen Hall, it seems you've never been here again."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan smiled noncommittally. The old man glanced indifferently at the two people in front of him, then turned and walked into the main hall behind him. At the same time, his indifferent voice rang out again.
"Alright, I never serve customers here. Since you're here, I won't bother finding someone to show him the way. You can take him there yourself."
After speaking, the old man disappeared into the main hall. Xiao Xuan chuckled and nodded, then looked at Xiao Yan with a smile. The latter, however, looked at Xiao Xuan with suspicion, frowning and asking in bewilderment:
Where to?
"Go see the Xiao Clan chief."
Xiao Xuan nodded and smiled, and said.
" The Xiao Clan Chief... indeed, after meeting him, I can truly say I've joined the Xiao Clan!"
With a soft laugh, Xiao Yan slowly raised his head and looked at the stone steps leading up the mountain behind the main hall. In a daze, a low murmur slowly escaped from his mouth.