"How did you manage to do that? In just five years, you went from Six-Star Half-Emperor to Five-Star Dou Di! That's equivalent to a whole level!"
Jin Yao stared at Xiao Yan in shock. Even though she could clearly sense Xiao Yan's aura, she still couldn't believe that this black-robed man had actually reached the level of Five-Star Dou Di.
This is truly unbelievable.
However, after Xiao Yan's explanation, Jin Yao finally understood why Xiao Yan's strength had increased so rapidly—it was because he had absorbed the Heavenly Flames.
"Tsk tsk, Heavenly Flames, truly amazing! It can actually boost your strength by so much at once. If you had a few more Heavenly Flames, wouldn't your strength increase instantly, making you an unparalleled expert!"
Jin Yao looked at Xiao Yan with a hint of excitement in her beautiful eyes, as if that peerless expert was herself.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile and sighed:
"Absorbing Heavenly Flames is not as simple and easy as you think. I went through a lot of trouble to absorb the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, and I almost lost my life in the process. If it weren't for a bit of luck and a bit of confidence, I wouldn't be alive now."
Upon hearing this, Jin Yao pouted and fell silent. Xiao Yan paused for a moment, then continued:
"Furthermore, putting aside how difficult and dangerous it is to Heavenly Flames Heavenly Flames, finding one is also extremely difficult. As far as I know, I only know that there is one kind of Heavenly Flames in the Northern Region. As for others, I know nothing about them. I don't even know the exact location of those Heavenly Flames. I can only be certain that there are Heavenly Flames in the Northern Region."
The confidence in Xiao Yan's last words startled Jin Yao. She hadn't expected Xiao Yan to be so certain. However, she didn't know that it wasn't that Xiao Yan was certain about this information; he simply believed Gu You's words. If the latter said it existed, then it must exist!
"So what do you plan to do now? Set off for the Northern Region to search for the Heavenly Flames?"
Coming to her senses, Jin Yao frowned slightly, her tone tinged with reluctance, and asked cautiously.
"I plan to go to the Western Wilderness Region first. There, I also have something I need to retrieve, no matter what."
"You're not talking about that little girl named Murong Qianqian, are you?"
Jin Yao's eyes darted around, surprised that she had blurted out those words. The moment the words left her lips, a blush crept onto her pretty face, and she wished she could swallow back what she had just said.
"Well..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but be slightly taken aback. If Jin Yao hadn't mentioned it, he might have truly forgotten about that little girl. However, upon seeing Xiao Yan's dazed expression, Jin Yao assumed he was bothered by her earlier words and hurriedly began to explain, her voice slightly flustered:
"Don't get me wrong, I just happened to overhear it. You two were talking right behind me..."
The sound wasn't loud, but by the end, it inexplicably carried a melancholic tone.
Xiao Yan chuckled lightly, completely unconcerned. He then raised his gaze to Jin Yao and smiled:
"Sister Jin Yao, there's no need to overthink it. What I'm referring to is an object that's very important to me, not a person. Moreover, it has nothing to do with Murong Qianqian, and it's related to one of my elders..."
Having said that, Xiao Yan said no more, looked up at the sky, and was filled with hope.
Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Jin Yao's pretty face froze slightly. Then she saw Xiao Yan's stunned expression, an expression devoid of any romantic feelings, but rather one of reverence, just as Xiao Yan had said, as if he were an elder to her.
" Jin Yao! Get out here and face your death!"
However, at that moment, a deafening shout, like a thunderclap, came from above Yan City, causing the city below to tremble slightly.
Instantly, everyone in the city was shocked. All eyes turned towards the source of the sound like spotlights. As far as the eye could see, an old man in a gray robe stood in the void, his cloudy old eyes scanning back and forth across the city below. In the blink of an eye, he had already pinpointed Jin Yao's location.
" Jin Yao! Three years! I've waited three years! Today is the day you pay for your blood debt!"
The moment the old man saw Jin Yao, an extremely powerful aura suddenly burst forth from his body, transforming into an invisible energy storm that pressed down fiercely on Jin Yao in the city below.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan frowned immediately. His internal Dou Qi circulated rapidly as he prepared to suppress it. However, immediately afterward, another powerful aura emerged from the sky, forcefully suppressing the imposing aura of the gray-robed elder in the sky.
This sudden turn of events startled Xiao Yan. He turned around and his face immediately showed surprise, because the person who made the move was none other than Dong Chuan, the president of Heavenly Cloud Auction House!
" Heavenly Cloud Auction House has always maintained a neutral stance and never interferes in conflicts between any forces. Why would he intervene for you? Hey, could this uncle have taken a liking to you, Sister Jin Yao?"
With a slight frown, Xiao Yan then teased Jin Yao with a smile. Upon hearing this, Jin Yao blushed and stepped forward, grabbing Xiao Yan's waist with her hand. Instantly, Xiao Yan's expression twisted, and he cried out in alarm, begging for mercy.
"See if you dare to talk nonsense again!"
Jin Yao cursed angrily before turning her face away to look at the gray-robed old man high in the sky. A cold light gradually gathered in her beautiful eyes.
"Let's go up and take a look."
Coming to his senses, Xiao Yan also abandoned his playful thoughts. At Jin Yao's soft exclamation, he grabbed her hand and, with a swift movement, instantly soared into the sky.
"Hmph, Chairman Dong Chuan, what do you mean by this! Three years ago, you stopped me from killing this woman to avenge my son. Three years later, do you intend to stop me again?!"
In the sky, seeing that Dong Chuan had once again blocked his actions, the old man in the gray robe immediately showed anger on his wrinkled face. If it weren't for his fear of the strength of the person in front of him, he probably would have already rushed up.
" Zhao Mian, your son's death was an accident. Why do you keep pestering Jin Yao? Three years ago, I sent you away hoping you could reflect on your actions, but I never expected that three years later you would still be so stubborn."
Dong Chuan looked at the gray-robed old man opposite him and said solemnly.
"What misunderstanding! My son died because of this woman! The servants who reported back clearly stated that the person who chased after and tried to stop my son was this woman!"
"But you also said that your son was chasing after someone at the same time, and maybe it was because of him that your son died?"
"How is that possible! How could a mere Half-Emperor possibly be a match for my son!"
In the sky, Dong Chuan and the old man were arguing back and forth when, just then, two figures appeared in the air like lightning, blocking their path.
"Hehe, your son is Zhao Xian?"
"Who are you?!"
Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, the gray-robed elder immediately replied in a deep voice.
"You weren't wrong just now. Your son did indeed die at my hands."
Ignoring Zhao Mian's words, Xiao Yan smiled faintly and spoke nonchalantly. As Xiao Yan finished speaking, the expressions on the faces of Zhao Mian and Dong Chuan, who were high in the sky, froze.