Outside the Welcoming Guests Pavilion, chaos reigned.
Several figures in black darted around outside the pavilion like ghosts, wielding curved blades that gleamed with an eerie light as they attacked Li Xuantong, who stood guard at the entrance. Black ribbons of energy clashed with golden sword Qi, erupting in thunderous booms. The surrounding buildings lay in ruins, and many terrified passersby fled in all directions.
Although Li Xuantong was powerful, his opponents were numerous, coordinated and fierce in their assault. For the moment, even he struggled to gain the upper hand. Several wounds had appeared on his body, and his face was somewhat pale.
"Blood Shadow Cult scum, how dare you attack in Tianbei City!" Li Xuantong roared. He swept his sword out, sending golden sword Qi shooting forth like a torrential downpour and forcing several men in black back.
"Commander Li, I'm your opponent!" a hoarse voice rang out. A tall old man in black appeared before Li Xuantong as if he had teleported. He held a long black scythe, its blade wreathed in thick black Qi, and gave off the terrifying presence of an Initial Origin Emperor.
"Blood Shadow Protector!" Li Xuantong's pupils contracted. He had not expected to encounter a protector-level figure of the Blood Shadow Cult here. "So more than one of you really did infiltrate Tianbei City!"
"Hehe, didn't expect that, did you?" the old man in black said with a vicious grin. "Today is the day you die! Take the Welcoming Guests Pavilion and capture Li Xuantong alive!"
At his command, the surrounding men in black attacked even more fiercely. Some even began assaulting the pavilion's doors, clearly intending to force their way inside.
"Don't even think about it!" Li Xuantong roared. He tried to fall back and defend the pavilion, but the old man in black kept him tightly engaged, leaving him no chance to break away. He was frantic. There were still many innocent guests inside the Welcoming Guests Pavilion, and if these remnants of the evil cult broke in, the consequences would be unthinkable.
At that critical moment, a sharp streak of fire shot over from afar like a meteor, striking a man in black who was preparing to break down the door.
Sizzle!
Flames swallowed the man in black in an instant. His scream cut off abruptly, leaving nothing but charcoal scattered across the ground.
"Who?!" The old man's expression changed, and he looked toward the sound.
Xiao Yan burst from the crowd like a ghost and reached the front of the Welcoming Guests Pavilion in a few flickers. Green Lotus Core Flame blazed around him, its scorching heat forcing the surrounding men in black to retreat several steps involuntarily.
"Xiao Yan!" A flash of pleasant surprise crossed Li Xuantong's eyes when he saw Xiao Yan, only to be replaced by worry. "It's dangerous here. Get out of here!"
Xiao Yan ignored his warning and fixed his gaze on the old man in black. Sensing the presence of an Initial Origin Emperor within him, Xiao Yan's expression gradually grew grave. "You remnants of the Blood Shadow Cult are bolder than I imagined."
"Another one come to die?" The old man in black sized Xiao Yan up. Sensing the presence of an Intermediate Origin King within him, he showed a flicker of contempt. "A mere greenhorn dares meddle in my affairs? Kill him too!"
Two men in black immediately charged at Xiao Yan with vicious grins, their curved blades whistling through the air as they aimed for his vital points.
Xiao Yan's eyes turned cold. Instead of retreating, he advanced. With a wave of his left hand, Fallen Heart Flame turned into a whip of fire that coiled like a spirit snake around the curved blade of the man on his left. At the same time, he gathered dense Origin Qi in his right hand and sent a punch crashing toward the man on his right.
Clang!
The whip of fire collided with the curved blade with a piercing metallic ring. The man in black felt a scorching force travel along his weapon, numbing the web between his thumb and forefinger and nearly knocking the blade from his grasp.
On the other side, Xiao Yan's fist, trailing a fierce gust, slammed into the other man's chest.
Pfft!
The man spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward like a kite with its string cut. He struck a wall, and it was unknown whether he was dead or alive.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yan had dealt with one of the men in black. That display of strength stunned the others for a moment, and they looked at him with greater wariness.
"Interesting." Surprise flashed through the old man's eyes. He then shouted to the remaining men in black, "Deal with this brat first!"
Several men in black immediately abandoned their assault on the Welcoming Guests Pavilion and turned to surround Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan was utterly unafraid. He alternated between Green Lotus Core Flame and Fallen Heart Flame, sometimes turning them into a sky-filling rain of fire, sometimes concentrating them into sharp blades of flame, forcing the men in black back again and again. His movements were nimble and graceful as he slipped freely between them, occasionally supplementing his attacks with fist imprints formed from Origin Qi. Every strike caused his opponents considerable trouble.
Though his opponents were numerous, very few could truly threaten him, and for the moment they could do nothing to him.
"Damn it!" Seeing this, the old man in black cursed inwardly. He wanted to attack Xiao Yan himself, but Li Xuantong kept him tightly engaged, leaving him unable to spare the attention. He had not expected a seemingly ordinary young Intermediate Origin King to possess such strength.
Seeing this, Li Xuantong felt the pressure on him ease considerably. He was even more shocked by Xiao Yan's strength, but he also breathed a sigh of relief and focused on fighting the old man in black.
Just then, Master Liu and Zhao Yu arrived as well. Both turned pale at the sight before them.
"Master Liu, quickly! Notify the city lord's residence!" Zhao Yu said urgently.
Master Liu nodded. Not daring to delay, he immediately turned and flew toward the city lord's residence, releasing an Origin Qi signal as he went. The light calling for help stood out in the sky.
The old man's expression darkened further when he saw the signal. "Finish this quickly!"
His assault suddenly intensified. As he swung his long black scythe, it carried the might to tear space apart, forcing Li Xuantong back again and again and leaving several more wounds on his body.
The men in black surrounding Xiao Yan also grew more frenzied. They were even willing to trade wounds for wounds in order to take him down as quickly as possible.
The pressure on Xiao Yan abruptly increased, and several cuts appeared on his body, instantly staining his clothes red with blood. But his gaze remained sharp. He circulated his Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames to their limits, and Green Lotus Core Flame suddenly surged, forming a massive vortex of fire that swept several men in black into it.
"Ahhh-!"
Screams rang out one after another as the men in black were burned to nothing within the vortex.
Having dealt with the men surrounding him, Xiao Yan did not pause for an instant. He flashed forward and charged at the old man in black. He knew he had to help Li Xuantong out of danger quickly; otherwise, if their opponent broke through Li Xuantong's defenses, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Get lost!" Sensing the threat behind him, the old man roared and swung his scythe backhanded at Xiao Yan. The black Qi on its blade had nearly condensed into solid form.
Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened. Not daring to meet the blow head-on, he spun like a top and narrowly avoided the deadly strike. At the same time, he raised his right hand and formed the Heavenly Flames Eternal Ruler, then smashed it fiercely toward the old man's back with a howling gust.
The old man had not expected Xiao Yan to be so fast. Unable to dodge in time, he could only circulate his Origin Qi to protect his back.
Bang!
The long ruler of fire slammed into his back. Although his Origin Qi blocked it and prevented serious injury, the blow still sent his Qi and blood roiling and made him falter.
Now!
Li Xuantong seized the fleeting opportunity. A fierce light flashed in his eyes, and his sword erupted with dazzling brilliance. Like a flood dragon bursting from the sea, it pierced straight through the old man's left shoulder!
"Ahhh-!"
The old man in black let out a shrill scream and staggered back several steps. He stared in disbelief at his left shoulder, where blood was gushing out.
"Retreat!" The old man knew reinforcements from the city lord's residence would arrive soon and that it would be too late if he did not leave now. He made an instant decision, turned and fled.
Seeing this, the few remaining men in black did not dare linger in the fight and scattered in flight.
"Trying to leave?" How could Li Xuantong let them go? He was about to give chase when Xiao Yan stopped him.
"Don't pursue a desperate enemy. Let's check on the situation inside first," Xiao Yan said.
Only then did Li Xuantong remember the guests inside. He hurriedly put away his sword and rushed into the Welcoming Guests Pavilion with Xiao Yan.
Most of the guests inside were hiding in their rooms in terror. Fortunately, the men in black had not broken into the pavilion, so there were no major casualties. Only some guest rooms had been caught in the fighting and badly damaged.
The two checked the pavilion and, after confirming there was no danger, breathed sighs of relief. They leaned against the wall, panting heavily.
"Thank you, Xiao Yan." Li Xuantong looked at Xiao Yan's wounds, his eyes full of gratitude. "If you hadn't arrived in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
"We're friends. There's no need to say that." Xiao Yan smiled, took out some healing pills and handed one to Li Xuantong before taking one himself.
The pill melted in his mouth, and a cool sensation instantly spread through his body, greatly easing the pain of his wounds.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside. Zhou Xiaotian had arrived with a large contingent of guards from the city lord's residence, and his expression turned grim at the sight outside the Welcoming Guests Pavilion.
"Xuantong, Xiao Yan, how are you both?" Zhou Xiaotian hurried forward and asked.
"City Lord, we're all right, but we let the Blood Shadow Cult scum escape," Li Xuantong said, a trace of frustration in his voice.
Zhou Xiaotian frowned and surveyed the devastation around him. "Seal off the entire city immediately and hunt down the Blood Shadow Cult remnants! Also, send people to trace their movements. Make sure you catch them all in one sweep!"
"Yes!" The guards immediately went to carry out his orders.
Only then did Zhou Xiaotian turn to Xiao Yan, a flash of appreciation in his eyes. "Xiao Yan, we have you to thank this time. You not only helped Xuantong out of danger but also killed quite a few remnants of the evil cult. The city lord's residence will reward you handsomely."
"It was my duty to do what I could for Tianbei City. I wouldn't presume to ask for a reward," Xiao Yan said.
Zhou Xiaotian was even more pleased with his attitude and nodded. "Good, you take responsibility! Focus on healing your injuries first. Leave the rest to me."
With that, he began directing the guards to clear the scene and make arrangements for the aftermath.
Because Li Xuantong's injuries were more serious, the guards took him to the city lord's residence to recover. Xiao Yan, at Zhao Yu's insistence, returned to the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion to rest. Master Liu personally treated his wounds and even refined high-quality healing pills for him.
"Young friend Xiao, you really have helped us tremendously this time," Master Liu said with emotion as he bandaged Xiao Yan's wounds. "You not only saved the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion but also helped Commander Li out of danger. City Lord Zhou will surely reward you well."
Xiao Yan smiled. "I only did what I should have done."
"That may be true, but you've also offended the Blood Shadow Cult. I'm afraid you'll have to be more careful from now on," Master Liu said worriedly. "The Blood Shadow Cult acts in secret and with ruthless cruelty. They're extremely vindictive and will never let this go."
"I understand." Xiao Yan nodded. He had thought of that long ago. "When soldiers come, I'll meet them with arms; when water comes, I'll block it with earth. I'm not someone to be bullied easily."
Master Liu saw the determination in Xiao Yan's eyes and nodded without saying more, merely taking even greater care in treating his wounds.
Over the next few days, all of Tianbei City was placed under strict guard. Guards from the city lord's residence searched everywhere for the Blood Shadow Cult remnants. The atmosphere in the city was tense, and people were gripped by fear.
Xiao Yan, meanwhile, focused on recovering at the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion. During that time, Master Liu often came to discuss the art of refining medicine with him. The two enjoyed their conversations, and Xiao Yan learned much about medicine refinement in the Great Thousand World from Master Liu, deepening his understanding of Origin Qi pills.
Zhao Yu admired Xiao Yan all the more, attending to his every need and often asking him for guidance on medicine refinement.
A few days later, Xiao Yan's injuries had healed, and his Origin Qi had returned to its peak.
That day, Li Xuantong came to the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion. His injuries were mostly healed as well, though his expression remained somewhat grave.
"Xiao Yan, there's something I need to tell you," Li Xuantong said.
"What is it?" Xiao Yan asked.
"We've uncovered some clues about the Blood Shadow Cult," Li Xuantong said gravely. "When they infiltrated Tianbei City this time, their target wasn't just the Netherworld Flower in the Mist Forest, but also something in the city lord's treasury."
"What is it?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.
"A 'Space Fragment,'" Li Xuantong explained. "It's said to have been left behind by an ancient expert in space. It contains a trace of the origin power of space, and the Blood Shadow Cult seems to want to use it to repair a spatial passage."
"A spatial passage?" Xiao Yan's heart stirred. "What are they trying to do?"
"We don't know yet, but it certainly isn't anything good," Li Xuantong said. "We've also learned that the Blood Shadow Cult's headquarters may very well be hidden near the 'Soul-Severing Cliff' on the border between the Northern and Western Regions."
Xiao Yan nodded thoughtfully. It seemed the Blood Shadow Cult was larger and more dangerous than he had imagined.
"Oh, there's one more thing," Li Xuantong suddenly said. "The Li Clan seems to be looking for you too."
"The Li Clan?" Xiao Yan frowned slightly. "What do they want?"
"You injured Li Minghao. Although the Li Clan patriarch didn't act immediately out of consideration for the city lord's residence, he clearly won't let the matter rest," Li Xuantong said. "They seem to be planning to make a move against you when you take part in the competition for the Northern Region Youth Strongest Expert List."
"The Northern Region Youth Strongest Expert List?" It was the first time Xiao Yan had heard the name.
"It's a grand event held in the Northern Region every three years to select the strongest of the younger generation. Those who rank near the top not only receive generous rewards but also gain the favor of the major factions," Li Xuantong explained. "This year's competition will be held in Tianbei City in one month. I had intended to recommend you, but I didn't expect the Li Clan to try to use the opportunity against you."
Xiao Yan smiled. "Since they want to play, I'll play with them to the end. I'll take part in this Northern Region Youth Strongest Expert List competition."
He had been looking for an opportunity to test his strength in the Great Thousand World, and he could also show those blind fools that he, Xiao Yan, was not someone to be trifled with.
Seeing how confident he was, Li Xuantong felt reassured. "Good! With me around, they won't dare go too far. Besides, with your strength, if you achieve a good result in the competition, you might catch the attention of some top factions. That would also help you find your friends."
Xiao Yan nodded. This was indeed an opportunity.
Just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion, and an arrogant voice rang out. "Where's Xiao Yan? Get out here!"
Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of helplessness in the other's eyes.
Trouble had come knocking at last.
The two walked out of the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion. Outside, a group of Li Clan guards in fine clothes surrounded a middle-aged man with a gloomy expression. He was none other than the Li Clan's grand elder, a Peak Origin King expert-Li Chengfeng. Behind him stood Li Minghao, whom Xiao Yan had injured, now staring at Xiao Yan with venomous hatred.
"Xiao Yan, how dare you injure a member of my Li Clan! Today I'll clean house for the Li Clan and teach you a proper lesson, you brat who doesn't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth!" Li Chengfeng's gaze was as sharp as a knife as he stared fixedly at Xiao Yan. He released the full force of his Peak Origin King presence, pressing down on the people around him until they could hardly breathe.