In Yan City, inside Jin Yao's villa, Xiao Yan and his two companions stood solemnly. Just then, above the villa, the figure of an old man slowly descended towards them.
"Haha, Brother Xiao Yan, it's been five years! Your cultivation and strength have improved by leaps and bounds! You've actually reached the Five-Star Dou Di! This really makes this old man of mine lose face!"
Before the person even arrived, their hearty laughter could be heard from afar, echoing throughout the small courtyard.
The person who came was Fang Qian, the manager of Heavenly Cloud Auction House.
Five years have passed, and Fang Qian's cultivation has reached the Early-stage Four-Star Dou Di. In Yan City, he can be considered the number two figure. However, compared to Xiao Yan's rapid advancement in cultivation, his level seems insignificant.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Xiao Yan and Dong Chuan, who were sitting at the stone table, exchanged a smile, stood up together, and looked at Fang Qian. On the other side, Jin Yao took out several exquisite jade cups from the room, filled them with tea, and walked over with light steps.
"Hehe, you're too modest, brother. I only managed to acquire this level of cultivation by sheer luck. But Brother Fang Qian, you're truly vigorous and energetic, even more so than before, after five years."
"Haha, this kid's trying to change the subject!"
Lowering himself, Fang Qian chuckled, then his gaze flashed as he saw Jin Yao strolling over with a cup of tea. A hint of surprise flickered in his old eyes. He exchanged a glance with Dong Chuan, and both of them couldn't help but smile slightly. Then, after Jin Yao put down her jade cup and walked away, Fang Qian whispered teasingly to Xiao Yan:
"Tsk tsk, Brother Xiao Yan is quite something! Miss Jin Yao is one of the top experts in Yan City. Usually, she wouldn't be very hospitable even to the two of us. But today, upon seeing Brother Xiao Yan, she's become as docile as a little wife, hahaha."
"Forehead..."
Xiao Yan was taken aback, then gave an awkward laugh, followed by a wry smile:
"Brother, please don't tease me like that. I treat her like an older sister, and she naturally only treats me like a younger brother. We're just siblings."
Upon hearing this, Dong Chuan and Jin Yao were momentarily stunned. Their eyes met briefly before they burst into laughter. Fang Qian's gaze swept back and forth between Xiao Yan and Jin Yao, but he thought to himself:
"You treat her like an older sister, but do you even know how she sees you?"
The three chatted casually for a few more minutes, but when the topic turned to Xiao Yan's next destination, the expressions on Dong Chuan and the other man's faces changed slightly.
"What, you're going to open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb alone?"
"Yes, because there's something very important inside waiting for me to retrieve it."
Facing Fang Qian, Xiao Yan nodded, his expression resolute.
"But you should also know that to open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb, you must first gather all three of Venerable Heavenly Severing's signature Dou Technique. Only by using all three Dou Technique together can you open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb. You simply cannot do it with just one of them!"
"How will I know it won't work if I don't try? It would be too hasty to dismiss it before seeing the results with my own eyes. Even if my Heavenly Severing Steps alone cannot open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb, I must still try it myself."
Despite Dong Chuan and the other man's repeated attempts to dissuade her, Xiao Yan remained steadfast in her resolve. No matter what, she was determined to visit the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb, even if she ultimately failed to open it, she wanted to prove it to herself.
Seeing Xiao Yan's unwavering resolve, the two brothers could only sigh helplessly in the end.
"Hehe, brothers, don't worry. If we really can't open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb, I can just turn back. Don't you two trust my abilities?"
Upon hearing this, Dong Chuan and the other man smiled and nodded. They had no doubt about Xiao Yan's strength.
Even as Half-Emperor, Dou Di was able to frustrate and even kill Dou Di experts. Now that he has reached the Five-Star Dou Di, Xiao Yan's combat power is even more terrifying than before. Nowadays, even in the entire Western Region, there are probably only a handful of people who can rival Xiao Yan.
When do you plan to leave?
Three days later.
Xiao Yan smiled and spoke without the slightest hesitation.
As Xiao Yan uttered his words, he failed to notice that not far behind him, Jin Yao, her delicate body shrouded in a red dress, was staring intently at him with her beautiful eyes. A complex expression flickered deep within them. Finally, she turned away forlornly and walked alone to the edge of the pond...
Meanwhile, on Qingtuo Mountain, the Four Great Sects finally made their move.
The Heavenly Sword Sect Sect's headquarters.
In the council hall, four figures stood abruptly, each with a somewhat gloomy expression. In particular, Jian Ming, the sect leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect, had an uncontrollable surge of killing intent in his eyes.
"I never imagined that kid would grow so fast! In just a few short years, his strength has already reached the Five-Star Dou Di!"
"That kid was already known for his extraordinary combat power when he was Half-Emperor, far surpassing other experts of the same level. With his current strength, he's probably already capable of fighting Six-Star Dou Di!"
"What are we going to do now? A few days ago, someone reported that he had left the Xilin Mountain Range and was heading west. I wonder what he's up to now."
"Hey, Wu Jitian, the western part is your Battle Martial Sect's territory. A few years ago, I heard that Xiao Yan had a fight with one of your Battle Martial Sect's deacons. Could it be that he went there for you?"
The slightly heavy words had barely faded when a cold laugh came from another person's mouth.
"Hmph, Jian Ming, mind your own business. Xiao Yan alone doesn't have the ability to break into my Battle Martial Sect!"
"Hehe, that's not necessarily true. I heard that kid is also a physical cultivator, not only with impressive battle Dou Qi, but also with considerable physical strength. Plus, he's an alchemist, tsk tsk..."
Upon hearing this, Jian Ming let out a strange laugh, his face full of sneers.
"I think your Heavenly Sword Sect is terrified of Xiao Yan Xiao Yan. All you talk about is how powerful he is, you're really boosting his morale!"
"What did you say!"
"Enough! The most important thing right now is how to deal with Xiao Yan, not us fighting amongst ourselves. Of course, if any of you want to deal with Xiao Yan alone and are unwilling to join forces, you are welcome to step forward now. We can part ways and see who has the last laugh."
Just as the two were arguing, Chen Zhen suddenly stood up and stopped them with a single sentence. In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere in the room calmed down again.
"Could he be going to... the Western Wilderness Region?"
Suddenly, Ye Luotian, who had been silent all along, cautiously glanced at the three people in front of him and said awkwardly.
Ye Luotian's sudden words successfully drew the attention of the three people, especially his mention of the Western Wilderness Region. The mere mention of this immediately brought to mind the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb.
Could it be that he really is going to the Western Wilderness Region?
Immediately, the same question arose in the minds of all four of them.
"Very likely."
"Although the Battle Martial Sect is located in the West, Xiao Yan alone cannot truly threaten him. How could he possibly contend with the power of an entire sect by himself!"
"If that's the case, then Xiao Yan's westward journey now has only one purpose..."
" Western Wilderness Region!"
"Is he planning to open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb all by himself?"
"What a joke! Since he wants to go, let him go. As long as we intercept him at his inevitable route and retrieve the Heavenly Severing Steps, we can eliminate Xiao Yan and obtain the Heavenly Severing Steps. Then, when we open the Heavenly Severing Ancient Tomb, everything inside will belong to the four major sects. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
After their exchange, the three men revealed a sinister smile, completely forgetting about Ye Luotian, as if they had never considered him from the beginning.
It's a pity that while the three families thought this way, Ye Luotian thought the same way. He deliberately pointed out Xiao Yan's purpose, just to get these three families to set off to intercept Xiao Yan.
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. Now, Ye Luotian is that fisherman!