Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Yan had been in the Ginseng Spirit Realm for ten days. In the outside world, Xiao Yan, the ultimate champion of this year's Alchemist Grand Meeting and Second-Tier Alchemist had refined Emperor Grade Complete Pill, had completely disappeared for ten days after the Alchemist Grand Meeting.
This surprised many forces in the Ancient Wilderness City. A living person, a powerful Half-Emperor, had quietly disappeared after the Alchemist Grand Meeting. This was enough to attract their attention.
Over the course of ten days, the various families and forces that had originally come to visit Xiao Yan finally couldn't hold out any longer. Some gave up on their own initiative, while others thought that Xiao Yan was deliberately being arrogant, and thus left one after another.
The Alchemist Guild offered no explanation, as they had no idea where Xiao Yan had gone since he left, and no one in the entire Wilderness had seen Xiao Yan leave the city.
Those who knew that Xiao Yan possessed the Void Lightning Pool Invitation had their own judgment. The Void Lightning Pool was no ordinary cultivation material; it was a creation of heaven and earth that could rapidly enhance the strength of Half-Emperor. Given Xiao Yan's personality, he would never give it up. Even if he left the city, Xiao Yan would definitely return within two months.
Of course, many people also cast doubtful glances at the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion. They remembered that at the Alchemist Grand Meeting, Elder Xuan had stood up for Xiao Yan on behalf of the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion. With Xiao Yan's talent for cultivation, he might actually be valued by the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion. Perhaps Xiao Yan is currently staying in the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion.
Unfortunately, even though everyone had their own ideas, what kind of power was the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion? Not to mention in the Ancient Wilderness City, there were many people who feared it throughout the entire Southern Region. When looking for someone, they absolutely could not go to the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion. Even if Xiao Yan was indeed among them, it was absolutely unacceptable.
This also demonstrates just how terrifying the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion's power is in the Southern Region!
In a secluded and quiet courtyard in Ancient Wilderness City, several figures dressed in brocade robes sat around a table in a dusty house.
These people were none other than Mo Zhai companions who had fled in panic at the Alchemist Grand Meeting. However, in the arena at this moment, besides Mo Zhai, Yan Bing, and Old Monster Hu, there was another completely unfamiliar person present.
"Hmph! That little beast, is he really so cowardly? To avoid us, he's playing hide-and-seek again."
Mo Zhai's eyes were gloomy. The thought of Xiao Yan filled him with rage. His reputation, which he had built up over many years, had been stolen by a junior. What Xiao Yan had obtained should have been his!
"Hiding from us? I don't think so. Elder Xuan has already intervened. Even if Zhou Tai has left, with his puppet around, it won't be so easy for us to take him down!"
Yan Bing narrowed her eyes slightly, and her icy gaze sent a chill down the spines of everyone present.
Old Monster Hu's eyes flickered slightly as he glanced at the three guys sitting in front of him. He remained silent, behaving himself. The latter guy, though not as strong as him, was still Peak of the Late Seven-Star Half-Emperor Stage. Right now, Mo Zhai was clearly following Yan Bing's lead, and he himself was the weakest one in the group, so he naturally had to be extremely careful.
Upon hearing Yan Bing's words, Mo Zhai frowned, thinking that Yan Bing was boosting the morale of others and diminishing his own. With Yan Bing's strength at the Peak of the Late Eight-Star Half-Emperor Stage, how could he be afraid of a lifeless puppet? As for Elder Xuan, he could just hand him over to Old Monster Hu. There was no need to fight to the death. As long as he was stalled, Yan Bing would have enough time.
"Elder Yan Bing, this..."
"Hmph! You think Gu Li and Chi Lin are just for show? They've been brothers for years, their teamwork is impeccable. Even I would have to exert a lot of effort if they joined forces. With these few men, how could they possibly kill Yan Xiao!"
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Mo Zhai's head, instantly extinguishing the anger that had just risen in his heart.
Seeing this, the Seven-Star Half-Emperor knew that Yan Bing was already very dissatisfied with Mo Zhai. If it weren't for him, Yan Bing wouldn't have gotten involved with Xiao Yan, let alone Zhou Tai. Now that Yan Bing was angry, he quickly spoke up:
"So, where exactly did this Yan Xiao go? To disappear without a trace in the Ancient Wilderness City is simply impossible. There are quite a few Half-Emperor level experts in the city, and they would detect even the slightest fluctuation of Dou Qi. Moreover, Yan Xiao is an alchemist, and the Dou Qi within his body is even more intense. Once he makes any move, he will inevitably be discovered."
Upon hearing this, Yan Bing suppressed her anger, narrowed her eyes, and gulped down a mouthful of tea. Then, she clenched her fist, and the jade teacup instantly turned into powder, which fluttered down between her fingers.
"Hmph! No matter where he is now, we'll just wait for him at the Void Lightning Pool! I refuse to believe that the Cloud-Hidden Pavilion will send anyone in to protect him!"
"Hehe, that's true. As long as Brother Zhang Hao successfully breaks through to the Eight-Star Half-Emperor, we'll immediately set off to find them. That will be the day Yan Xiao and Gu Li die!"
Old Monster Hu echoed with a forced smile.
This caused a chilling glint to flash in Yan Bing's eyes. She glanced at the Seven-Star Half-Emperor called Zhang Hao, then looked at Old Monster Hu and said in an extremely domineering tone:
"No! Once I break through to the Nine-Star Half-Emperor, I will personally kill those three!"
This cold shout made Mo Zhai and Old Monster Hu freeze in their tracks. They exchanged a barely perceptible glance before looking at Yan Bing and nodding firmly.
The moment Old Monster Hu nodded, a bead of cold sweat slowly dripped down his cheeks from between his hair.
In the Ginseng Spirit Realm, atop a mountain peak, Xiao Yan, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, slowly emerged from his meditative state. The surging Dou Qi within him was gradually suppressed, and the howling winds around him returned to calm once more.
By this time, it was already dusk...
As dusk fell, wisps of golden light lingered on the distant horizon, while the azure sky was tinged with red, and fiery clouds hung like flames across the heavens.
Xiao Yan calmly gazed at the golden glow, which gradually turned into a fixed stare. The golden glow reflected from the depths of his pupils transformed into a peerless woman in a green dress, whose beauty could topple kingdoms.
It was Xiao Yan's wife, Xun'er.
Xiao Yan raised his hand slightly, and Xiao Yan Dou Qi from his palm, gradually condensing in front of him.
Xun'er and Cai Lin, both possessing stunningly beautiful faces, appeared before Xiao Yan.
" Xun'er... Cai Lin, before I knew it, I've been away from the Dou Qi Continent for a year. How have you been while I was gone...?"
With a gentle lift of his hand, Xiao Yan tenderly stroked the cheeks of the two illusory beauties before him, as if they were right in front of him.
A year away from home, though not a long time for powerful individuals like them, the separation from the mainland made them miss each other even more.
In the Dou Qi Continent, Central Plains, within the territory of the Nine Netherworld Python Clan, at this moment, several figures stood before a vast lake. Leading them was a stunningly beautiful woman with an aloof and elegant demeanor, and beside her was another peerless beauty whose looks were no less captivating.
Beside the two women stood a tall, robust, and muscular man.
"Thank you Yao Ming, for lending me this Nine Nether Yellow Springs!"
The first to speak was the stunningly beautiful woman at the head of the group. As soon as she finished speaking, the other woman beside her smiled and nodded in agreement, casting a grateful glance at Yao Ming.
"Haha, there's no need for thanks, it's nothing. The Yellow Springs Blood Crystal in the Nine Nether Yellow Springs have all been collected, and my clan probably won't need them for a long time. Since that's the case, I might as well do you a favor and lend them to Brother and Sister Cai Lin for a while, hahaha!"
This peerless woman, along with the woman beside her, was none other than Cai Lin and Xun'er.
With the matter of the Nine Nether Yellow Springs resolved, Xun'er looked at Cai Lin with a worried expression, her brows furrowed as she said with concern:
" Cai Lin, are you really going in...? I'm worried..."
Hearing Xun'er's concerned words, Cai Lin smiled warmly, nodded, and slowly extended her fair hand to hold Xun'er's soft and delicate hand.
"What are you worried about? I'm just going in to take a look. If there's anything wrong, we can deal with it later. Besides, with my current strength, what place in this Dou Qi Continent can't I go? It's just a lake. I can just go in and be done with it. There's nothing to worry about..."
As soon as she finished speaking, as if to completely convince Xun'er, before Xun'er could even open her mouth, Cai Lin immediately followed up with a smile:
"Besides, aren't you afraid that guy will forget about us after he goes to the new world? What if he becomes a womanizer and finds another wife? If possible, I can just go there first and keep an eye on him, and see if he dares to go around philandering!"
Upon hearing these words, both Cai Lin and Xun'er burst into laughter, prompting Yao Ming, who was standing to the side, to purse his lips in disapproval.
The two women chatted and gave each other a few more instructions. Although Xun'er was unwilling, Cai Lin insisted on doing it, and Xun'er couldn't stop her even if she wanted to. Rather than feeling helpless and worried, she would rather pray for her and hope that Cai Lin would not have any accidents when she went down to the Nine Nether Yellow Springs.
Meanwhile, amidst the laughter and joy just now, Xun'er once again began to miss Xiao Yan.
She had almost forgotten that as time passed, Xiao Yan had been away from the Dou Qi Continent for a year. Now that she thought of him, she felt even more worried and wished she could immediately enter that mysterious passage and go to where Xiao Yan was to find Xiao Yan.
While Xun'er was lost in thought, Cai Lin's delicate body trembled, and her graceful figure instantly appeared on the lake surface. After taking one last look at Xun'er and Yao Ming on the shore, a solemn expression appeared on Cai Lin's beautiful face.
What lies at the bottom of the Nine Nether Yellow Springs, she still doesn't know. The reason she wants to go down is simply to understand how the once enormous Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python Clan ultimately met such an end...