The masked Dou Emperor's corpse lay on the ground, his ribs shattered, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, staining the soil beneath him red.
A searing flame surged within him, and his breath gradually dissipated.
His eyes were still open, pupils dilated, he died with his eyes wide open.
Xiao Yan knelt on one knee, panting heavily.
His face was as pale as paper, and there wasn't a single part of his body that was unharmed.
The black robe was torn into strips, revealing a crisscrossing network of wounds beneath.
The deep, bone-revealing laceration on his left arm was still bleeding, dark red blood dripping down his arm and pooling in the soil beneath him.
Even more serious is the internal injury—a series of tearing pains emanated from the meridians, as if countless fine needles were piercing them.
His Soul Power was almost exhausted, his dantian was empty, and he couldn't even ignite a wisp of flame.
"Cough cough..."
He coughed twice, a metallic taste rising in his throat, and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Lin Zhentian, along with a few guards who were still able to stand, staggered over to Xiao Yan's side.
Upon seeing Xiao Yan's appearance, his expression changed, and he quickly squatted down and said:
"This... senior, how are you?"
Xiao Yan waved his hand, his voice hoarse and weak. "I... Tang San, it's nothing serious, just a bit exhausted."
Lin Zhentian nodded upon hearing this, wanting to help, but hesitated to speak up due to Xiao Yan's strength.
Xiao Yan glanced at him, took out a pill from the Black Dragon, and popped it into his mouth.
As the pill entered his stomach, a warm power slowly spread, nourishing his parched meridians and damaged flesh.
Seeing this, Lin Zhentian hurriedly called to the guards behind him:
"Quick! Clean this place up right away!"
The guards quickly sprang into action, dealing with the Dou Wang and Da Dou Shi and cleaning up the battlefield.
Xiao Yan did not refuse and let them handle it.
As the surroundings returned to calm, the woman who had been protecting Lin Zhentian walked over.
She wore a light green long dress, the hem of which was a little dusty, but it still couldn't hide her delicate features.
Her eyes were large, bright, and expressive; they were looking at Xiao Yan with gratitude and worry in them.
"Father, this benefactor..."
"This is Senior Tang," Lin Zhentian introduced. " Senior Tang, this is my daughter, Lin Wan'er."
Lin Wan'er gave Xiao Yan a slight bow and said softly, "Thank you, Young Master Tang, for saving my life."
"Nonsense!"
Lin Zhentian began to reprimand Lin Wan'er, saying:
" Senior Tang possesses extraordinary strength and saved us. How can you be so disrespectful?"
It's alright.
Xiao Yan waved his hand and said to the two of them:
I'm not very old, so you don't need to address me as a senior.
Being addressed as "senior" by a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties made Xiao Yan feel somewhat strange.
"Good."
Lin Zhentian nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said:
"In that case, I'll address you as... Brother Tang from now on."
Xiao Yan nodded without saying anything more.
What he needs most right now is rest and recovery, not pleasantries.
Lin Zhentian ordered his men to clean up the battlefield.
The bodies of the men in black were dragged to the roadside, and the body of the masked Dou Emperor was also turned over.
Lin Zhentian pulled off the black cloth covering his face, revealing an unfamiliar face.
It was a thin face with high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, and a scar at the corner of his mouth; he looked to be in his forties.
"Do you know him?" Xiao Yan asked.
Lin Zhentian shook his head, his brow furrowed. "I don't know him, but..."
He crouched down, rummaged through the masked Dou Emperor's body, and found a token.
The token is entirely black, with a blood-red "Huang" character engraved on the front and a skull flower engraved on the back.
" The Yellow Springs Pavilion's iron plaque," Lin Zhentian said in a deep voice. " The Yellow Springs Pavilion is a rare assassination organization; these must be assassins sent by the Yellow Springs Pavilion..."
" The Yellow Springs Pavilion "?
Even though he was far away in the Black-Corner Region, Xiao Yan had heard of the Yellow Springs Pavilion's excellent reputation.
The Central Plains forces consist of One Hall, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, Four Pavilions.
The Yellow Springs Pavilion is one of them; Xiao Yan isn't that lacking in information.
However, he was truly unaware that the Yellow Springs Pavilion was actually an assassination organization.
Xiao Yan glanced at the token but didn't ask any further questions.
He doesn't have a good understanding of the power structure in Central Plains, and since Yellow Springs Pavilion is an assassination organization, asking would be pointless.
"Patriarch Lin Clan," Xiao Yan asked, "Where is this place? How far is the nearest city?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhentian quickly replied:
"This is the territory of Tianbei City. It will take about half an hour to reach Tianbei City if you walk east."
Brother Tang, you saved our lives, and now you're injured like this, it's inconvenient for you to be alone.
Why don't you come back to the city with me and recuperate at my Lin Clan's residence? Although my Lin Clan isn't a wealthy one, I should at least do my part to repay your life-saving kindness."
Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment.
He definitely needs to find a place to recuperate now.
With his Soul Power depleted and internal injuries severe, if he were alone in this wilderness and were to encounter members of the Yellow Springs Pavilion or other Magical Beast, his chances of survival would be slim.
Moreover, he did need to understand the situation in Central Plains; Lin Zhentian seemed like a trustworthy person.
"Then I'll have to trouble you." Xiao Yan nodded.
Lin Zhentian was overjoyed and quickly ordered the carriage to be prepared, then helped Xiao Yan into the carriage.
Lin Wan'er also got into the car and sat on the other side, remaining quiet without saying a word.
The carriage creaked and groaned as it moved eastward along the dirt road.
Xiao Yan leaned against the carriage wall, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.
Lin Wan'er would steal glances at him from time to time, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of indescribable emotion.
After about half an hour, the carriage finally came into view of the outline of a city.
Tianbei City.
The city wall is ten zhang high and is built of bluish-gray boulders. Despite hundreds of years of wind and rain, it remains as sturdy as ever.
There was an arrow tower every hundred paces along the city wall, with colorful flags fluttering atop it.
Above the city gate are three large characters: " Tianbei City ". The strokes are vigorous and powerful, and they gleam with a faint silver light under the moonlight.
There were guards at the city gate, but upon seeing the Lin Clan's carriage, they quickly made way and did not conduct any inspections.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from inside the city gate.
A group of people rushed out of the city, led by a middle-aged man in his fifties, slightly overweight, with a face somewhat similar to Lin Zhentian, but with a more sinister look in his eyes.
He was dressed in a brocade robe with a jade belt around his waist, giving him an air of wealth and nobility.
"Big brother!"
From a distance, the middle-aged man dismounted upon seeing Lin Zhentian's group and quickly walked to the carriage, his face filled with concern.
"Big brother, you're finally back! I heard you were attacked on the way, and I was so worried!"
How are you? Are you badly injured?
Lin Zhentian lifted the carriage curtain and saw the middle-aged man; a complex expression flashed in his eyes.
"Second brother, what brings you here?"
The middle-aged man was Lin Zhentian, Lin Zhenshan's second younger brother.
According to the Lin Clan's rules, Lin Zhentian is the eldest son of the main wife and will inherit the position of family head.
If Lin Zhentian dies, according to the order of succession, the position of family head should be taken over by Lin Zhenshan.
"I heard my elder brother is in danger, how can I sit still?"
Lin Zhenshan looked anxious. "I brought men to meet you. Thankfully, my brother is alright!"
As he spoke, his gaze passed over Lin Zhentian and landed on Xiao Yan inside the carriage.
Who is this?
"This is Brother Tang."
Lin Zhentian explained, "He's the one who saved us tonight. If it weren't for Brother Tang, my son and I probably wouldn't be back."
Lin Zhenshan narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's robes were tattered, his body was covered in wounds, and his aura was weak; he looked utterly disheveled.
But Lin Zhenshan's pupils contracted slightly—he sensed a dangerous aura emanating from Xiao Yan.
"I see."
Lin Zhenshan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Yan.
"Many thanks to Brother Tang for your chivalrous act of saving my elder brother's life. My Lin Clan will repay you handsomely!"
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, without saying a word.
His gaze, peering through the gaps in his straw hat, landed on Lin Zhenshan.
His Second Martial Soul soul, the Soul Division, granted him soul perception, making him extremely sensitive to malice.
At this moment, he clearly sensed that although Lin Zhenshan was smiling, a subtle, cold glint flashed in his eyes.
The feeling was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, watching its prey.
Xiao Yan sneered inwardly. It seemed the Lin Clan wasn't so monolithic after all...
"Brother, let's go back to the manor first."
Lin Zhenshan stepped aside, "I've already had food and wine prepared to welcome you and Brother Tang."
Lin Zhentian nodded and told the driver to continue driving.
The carriage entered the city gate and headed towards the city center along the main street.
Xiao Yan peered through the gap in the curtains, surveying the unfamiliar city.
The streets were lined with shops, and although it was late at night, several taverns and teahouses were still lit up.
Occasionally, a few pedestrians would hurry by, and upon seeing the Lin Clan's carriage, they would all make way for it.
After about fifteen minutes, the carriage stopped in front of a magnificent mansion.
The Lin Residence.
A plaque hangs above the main gate of the mansion, bearing the two large characters "Lin Mansion" in vigorous and powerful strokes.
Two rows of guards stood at the entrance, and they all bowed when the carriage stopped.
Lin Zhentian jumped down from the carriage and personally helped Xiao Yan down.
" Brother Tang, you're badly injured. I'll have someone arrange the best room for you. Rest first, we can talk about it tomorrow."
Xiao Yan nodded. He really needed rest now, not drinking and socializing.
Lin Zhenshan followed beside him, his face still bearing a smile, but his gaze never left Xiao Yan.
"Housekeeper!"
Lin Zhentian shouted, "Arrange a room for Brother Tang!"
Clean up that Qingzhu Pavilion in the backyard!
The housekeeper quickly agreed and jogged off to make the arrangements.
Xiao Yan followed the steward towards the backyard.
Lin Zhentian wanted to take him there, but Xiao Yan refused.
"Master Lin Clan, you go ahead and attend to your business. I can go by myself."
Lin Zhentian hesitated for a moment, then nodded and beckoned Lin Zhenshan and the other clansmen to the council hall.
Xiao Yan followed the steward through a long corridor to the backyard.
The backyard was much quieter than the front yard, with a few green bamboos planted there. The moonlight shone on the bamboo leaves, giving them a faint silvery glow.
Qingzhu Pavilion is located next to the bamboo grove. It is an independent courtyard, not large, but very elegant.
"Young Master Tang, please rest first. If you need anything, please let us know," the steward said respectfully.
Xiao Yan nodded, went into the room, and closed the door.
He looked around; the room was tastefully furnished. The bedding on the bed was newly changed and had a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Hot tea and snacks were laid out on the table, along with several bottles of healing pills.
The window was half-open, and the night breeze blew in, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves.
Xiao Yan didn't rush to bed. Instead, he walked to the window, opened it, and looked towards the council hall.