The Xiao Clan, Ancient Chen Hall.
When Xiao Yan arrived, Xiao Siyu and the First Elder were already waiting there. To Xiao Yan's slight surprise, the Fourth Elder, Xiao Ming, whom he had met once before, was also there.
Upon approaching, Xiao Yan exchanged a brief greeting with Xiao Li, the steward of the Ancient Chen Hall, before turning his gaze to the Grand Elder and the Clan Chief. The latter, too, wore smiles as they looked at the belated Xiao Yan. The Grand Elder stroked his beard and said:
"Although you two are going on this trip to participate in the Pill Refining Grand Meeting in your individual capacities, there's no guarantee you won't encounter some Old Gu forces from the Central Region. To avoid unnecessary trouble, the clan has decided that the Fourth Elder will represent the Xiao Clan and lead you both on this journey."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan suddenly realized why Xiao Ming was here. Although he claimed to be there on behalf of the Xiao Clan, he was actually there to protect the two of them.
Xiao Siyu, standing to the side, chuckled and pursed her lips upon hearing Xiao Zhen's words, saying:
"Grandpa, are you referring to the Bai Clan as the trouble you're talking about?"
The relationship between the Bai Clan and Xiao Clan is now very different from that of the past. Any contact can trigger a series of troubles. In the past six months, many Xiao Clan people who went out have lost their lives at their hands.
" The Bai Clan's brats are nothing but clowns in the end. I'm just worried that this Pill Refining Grand Meeting has attracted many low-profile forces from the Central Region, including some ancient clans. If you two encounter those arrogant fellows, you might not be so willing to back down."
Upon hearing Xiao Zhen's words, Xiao Yan and Xiao Siyu, backed by the Xiao Clan's resources, naturally acted with a fiery temper. As for Xiao Yan, even with the immense power of the Bai Clan, his attitude remained unchanged. If no one was there to protect him on this trip, the Xiao Clan's higher-ups were truly afraid that something might go wrong.
Coming to his senses, Xiao Yan immediately clasped his hands in a solemn gesture towards the people in front of him and said in a deep voice:
"Clan Chief, Great Elder, I am leaving now. I will be entrusting Bai Hua and the others to your care."
Seeing this, the others smiled and nodded, offering a few words of comfort, which put Xiao Yan at ease.
After talking with the Grand Elder and the others for a while, the latter gave them a few instructions. Seeing that the two juniors were getting a little impatient, Xiao Yuheng finally smiled and spoke.
"Hehe, alright, now that everyone's here, let's set off. The journey ahead is long, and arriving a day earlier will give us more time to prepare."
After speaking, Xiao Yuheng waved his hand to signal Xiao Ming to set off. The latter simply nodded and, without saying a word, headed towards the entrance of the Xiao Clan. Afterwards, Xiao Yan looked at the Fourth Elder who was rushing away with a look of astonishment, opened his mouth slightly, and then quickly set off with Xiao Siyu beside him to follow.
The Pill Tower is located in the northeast of the Central Region. Due to the large number of alchemists under its command, the most prosperous cities in the entire Central Region are also within the Pill Tower's sphere of influence, which is also known as the Pill Region.
The three of them will first need to use teleportation arrays to travel through some neighboring cities and sects, but of course, they will still need to fly thousands of miles on their own.
The Central Region is vast and geographically expansive. Even with Xiao Yan's current strength and the assistance of the teleportation array, it would probably take the three of them nearly three months to reach the Pill Region together.
In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
In recent times, Xiao Yan and his group have been traveling non-stop, crossing several states along the way. What they have seen has broadened Xiao Yan's horizons. Along the way, they have encountered many sects and forces that usually keep a low profile, but once they get close, the aura emanating from the depths of those sects is so powerful that even Xiao Yan is secretly shocked. There are many auras that even he cannot fathom.
This is, after all, the Central Region. Anyone who can establish a sect here is certainly no ordinary person.
This is a vast, endless, and eerie mountain range.
It's eerie because, despite the clear blue sky, snowflakes drift between heaven and earth, and the mountains below, resembling ruins, are covered in snow. The snow-covered plains are empty, and a strange, poisonous aura rises everywhere, turning this place into a deadly wasteland.
In the sky, Xiao Yan and his companions had been flying for nearly two hours, yet the world remained unchanged. Upon closer inspection, Xiao Yan noticed that the thick snow on the ground below, as well as the poisonous barrier, exuded a terrifying aura that sent chills down one's spine.
"This... this is actually the result of a battle between powerful individuals!"
Sensing the eeriness of this mountain range, Xiao Yan couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Immediately, Xiao Siyu, standing beside him, nodded in agreement.
"Moreover, this place was originally a plain, but it was changed into this state because of the great war."
"Could it be a clan war that turned such a vast area into this state?"
"No, that great battle only involved two people."
As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking with a question, Xiao Ming, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up:
"That battle was a decisive battle between two Yuan Sheng powerhouses who were once renowned Central Region. After that battle, the original Heavenly Capital Plain was transformed into the Twin Saint Mountain Range."
"A decisive battle among Yuan Sheng level experts!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was even more shocked. As far as he was concerned, the strongest person he had ever seen was Yuan Zun. Even so, he was already a being with extraordinary abilities. As for the Yuan Sheng realm experts, he didn't even dare to think about them.
"In that battle, one person perished, and the survivor was also severely injured. That person was a woman named Yi Shengdu..."
Upon hearing Xiao Ming's words, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, secretly thinking to himself, "This name seems familiar." But before he could ponder it further, Xiao Ming continued:
"The world also calls her Du Sheng'e because she possesses a rare and precious physique, the Woeful Poison Body. Such a physique would normally make survival extremely difficult, but she forcefully suppressed it and reached the level of Yuan Sheng. It is said that when Du Sheng'e broke through to the Yuan Sheng Saint realm, even the Pill Tower Ancestor personally paid her a visit."
"But now, all of that has changed. Few people on the continent still remember her name. However, you are probably familiar with the Tribulation Crossing Sect that she founded."
" The Tribulation Crossing Sect?"
Hearing Xiao Ming's words, Xiao Yan was deeply shocked. But the moment he heard the last sentence, his mind suddenly flashed back to the fierce battle between the Heavenly Cloud Manor and the Ghost Fiend Gate of the Tribulation Crossing Sect. At that time, the Dragon Clan intervened, and the name Yi Shengdu was indeed mentioned. It seemed that it was precisely for this reason that Xiao Yi Xian...
However, just as Xiao Yan's thoughts were racing, a nauseating and eerie laugh suddenly rang out around the three people who were flying at high speed.
"Hehehehe, it's like finding a needle in a haystack! Xiao Yan, we've been waiting for you for a long time..."