The moon was like a silver plate, and the sky was filled with countless stars.
By the time Xiao Yan and his group left the auction house, several hours had passed since the beginning. The once bustling Shuyang City was now somewhat deserted. However, many lights could still be seen in the city, and some streets remained as lively as ever.
Xiao Yan stood under the cunning moonlight, gazing at the countless stars above, hesitating for a long time.
Unexpectedly, even with the combined efforts of Ouyang Miao and An Nan, the Thousand Seal Ruler scroll still ended up in Zhao Jin's hands. A thousand High-Grade Spirit Stone —that was indeed a terrifying number that made people hesitate.
"Still thinking about what happened earlier?"
Ouyang Miao walked up from behind and gently patted Xiao Yan's shoulder in a comforting gesture.
The latter shook his head and gave a bitter smile. What could he do now that things had come to this? The Thousand Seal Ruler was already Zhao Jin's possession. He couldn't possibly snatch it away. Even if he had the desire, he probably didn't have the strength.
"How about... we intercept him? We outnumber him, and with the Fan Jian around, we might be able to take it."
Ouyang Miao's eyes flickered slightly as he stared at Xiao Yan and said.
Beside him, Fan Jian raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, looking at the former with a strange expression, while Xiao Yan shook his head and said:
"Ultimately, this is my own business. If I were to take action, it should be me. Besides, you are from the Ouyang Clan. If you were to attack Zhao Jin here, the situation would be unfavorable for you. It's better to avoid it."
"So what do we do now?"
Ouyang Miao nodded almost imperceptibly, then said softly.
"Let's go back. There's no need for us to stay any longer. But I wonder if you, Brother Ouyang, would be willing to come with me to the Xiao Clan?"
Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the person in front of him. Ouyang Miao was slightly taken aback, paused, and finally shook his head and chuckled.
"I think it's better to forget it. There are already grudges between the three major clans. Even if you lead the way, the Xiao Clan elders will never let me into the Xiao Clan. Besides, it would easily cause you trouble. Since you are going back to your clans, I should also set off for my return. If there is an opportunity, we can talk again next time we meet."
As he spoke, Ouyang Miao clasped his hands in a deep fist salute to Xiao Yan and the others in front of him Xiao Yan and the others returned the salute with smiles. Then, under the moonlight, the two turned and walked towards the other end of the street. After they had walked about a hundred feet, Xiao Yan suddenly shouted from behind:
"Brother Ouyang, were your previous words also a test? If I were to order you to attack solely for my own selfish desires, how would you treat me?"
In the distance, Ouyang Miao suddenly stopped and turned around, but no one could see his face clearly at that moment.
"Brother Xiao, just remember this: from this day forward, we are as close as brothers. If the Xiao Clan truly cannot keep you here, I will never go back on my word!"
Without further hesitation, Ouyang Miao leaped into the air and, along with Fan Jian beside him, swiftly disappeared at the end of the street. Xiao Yan stood silently in place, while An Nan beside him stared in disbelief. Anyone with eyes could understand the meaning behind Ouyang Miao's words: he hadn't expected that even the Ouyang Clan held this man in such high regard. Today's trip had certainly been worthwhile!
After seeing Ouyang Miao off, Xiao Yan and his two companions parted ways with the An Clan family. Although the An family wanted to invite Xiao Yan to their residence, Xiao Yan knew that Xiao Xuan was still waiting for their message, so he declined.
As the three of them rushed to the archway that had stood before the Xiao Clan, they unexpectedly encountered Xiao Tian, who had also returned. Naturally, their expressions were not pleasant upon meeting. However, just as Xiao Tian took the last step into the archway, his voice drifted over and reached Xiao Yan's ears.
I advise you to be mentally prepared.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan and Bai Hua exchanged glances, frowning slightly in confusion. They then stopped thinking about it and quickly passed through the archway to their residence.
When the group returned to the pavilion, Xiao Xuan was indeed still waiting for them in the hall. Upon seeing Xiao Yan and the other two return, Xiao Xuan immediately smiled, stood up, and went forward to greet them, asking with a smile:
What was the result?
"It went fairly smoothly."
Xiao Yan smiled, and after everyone was seated, he gave them a general overview of what had happened during the day. The latter nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. Although he could hear the danger in Xiao Yan's words, he was relieved that they had returned safely and even brought back the Sumeru Grass, which filled him with immense joy.
"Hehe, good, it's good that everything went smoothly. I never thought that the Emperor Seal Art of the Chizha Gu Clan would reappear on this continent, and even be more powerful than before. It's quite a blessing that you were able to obtain it, so you must cherish it. As for that Dou Technique, everything has its gains and losses. Since you can't get it, just let it go and don't worry about it."
Xiao Xuan asked him to put down his teacup and smiled.
Xiao Yan nodded, then brought up the matter of encountering the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion in Shuyang City earlier that day. To this day, he still didn't understand why the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion Ouyang Clan, which was also one of the three major clans, could maintain a place under the Xiao Clan were so cautious.
"Heh, those rules and obstacles you perceive will naturally disappear under the drive of profit. Cloud-Hidden Pavilion is a family power founded by the Heavenly Cloud Manor. Given Heavenly Cloud Manor's status on the continent, under normal circumstances, the Xiao Clan would never allow it to establish a presence within their territory. However, as you know, Heavenly Cloud Manor possesses the richest array master resources on the entire continent, including Formation Plate, ancient scrolls, and even unique secret techniques. With these things as a price, naturally no one will obstruct it. On the contrary, Cloud-Hidden Pavilion's power will receive protection from the Xiao Clan within a certain range. Even the Zhao Clan you encountered today cannot be easily touched."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan suddenly understood. Xiao Xuan smiled slightly and continued:
"This kind of thing not only applies to the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion, but also to other forces. If they want to establish themselves within the Xiao Clan's sphere of influence, they must pay a corresponding price. And this isn't limited to the Xiao Clan; the three major clans, the two major sects, and even the Pill Tower all do the same thing. Their purpose is simply to absorb the advantages of other forces, thereby continuously strengthening themselves and maintaining their superior position. As for other things, you'll have to discover and experience them for yourself."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but take a deep breath. Although he had established his own power on the Dou Qi Continent, he had never dealt with such matters before. Now, after hearing Xiao Xuan's words, he finally understood that there were so many intricate relationships among these so-called super powers.