Several emerald bamboos grow in the courtyard of the Qingzhu Pavilion. Moonlight filters through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Xiao Yan pushed open the door, walked slowly to the bedside, and sat down cross-legged.
A lingering stinging pain remained in his meridians, an internal injury sustained during his battle with the masked Dou Emperor.
The man's final strike contained a chilling Dou Qi. Although most of it was blocked by the Soul Armor, some of it still seeped in and ran rampant through his meridians.
Xiao Yan took out a healing pill and put it in his mouth.
The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a warm power flowed down the throat, slowly spreading to every part of the body.
Under the influence of this warm energy, the cold, icy Dou Qi began to be forced out of the body little by little.
He closed his eyes and channeled his Soul Power through his body.
An hour later, Xiao Yan opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.
The yin and cold Dou Qi within the body has been mostly expelled, but the damage to the meridians still needs time to recover.
He didn't continue treating his injuries, a hint of helplessness on his face.
Back in the Pope's Palace, he was cornered by Bibi Dong and had no choice but to forcibly open a spatial passage using his Soul Division Martial Soul.
He worried that if he wanted to return to the Douluo Continent Dou Qi Continent, the exit would also appear inside the Pope's Palace.
That's why he doesn't dare go back yet.
While a level 54 Soul King isn't considered weak in the Douluo Continent, he's still far inferior to Titled Douluo like Bibi Dong.
All he could do now was pray that Zhu Zhuqing and the people from the Dark Hall would listen to him and go into hiding.
"Wait a little longer," Xiao Yan murmured to himself, "I'll come back for you when I'm strong enough."
After saying this, he closed his eyes again and continued his cultivation.
A vast amount of Spiritual Soul Power spread outwards from Xiao Yan as the center.
Near the council hall of the Lin residence, Xiao Yan sensed a familiar aura—the fluctuation of Lin Zhentian's Soul Power.
At this moment, Lin Zhentian is speaking with his clansmen in the council hall.
"Big brother, just who is this Tang San? He was able to save you from a masked Dou Emperor, so his strength must be more than just what it seems, right?"
The speaker was Lin Zhenshan, who had welcomed them into the city during the day, and his words carried a hint of probing.
"Second brother, Brother Tang's strength is indeed extraordinary."
Lin Zhentian's voice rang out.
"But he saved my life and Wan'er's life, so he is a benefactor of our Lin Clan. As for who he is and where he came from, those things are not important."
"Brother is right," Lin Zhenshan said with a smile.
"I'm just a little curious. How could he actually kill Three-Star Dou Emperor... When did such a young expert appear around Tianbei City?"
" The Central Plains are a vast and resource-rich land, full of hidden talents; this is not surprising."
Lin Zhentian said calmly, "It's getting late, Second Brother, you should go back and rest early."
I've already arranged for the Qingzhu Pavilion to host a welcome dinner for Brother Tang tomorrow.
"Okay, I'll head back now."
Xiao Yan sensed Lin Zhenshan stand up and walk out of the council hall with a smile.
But in the instant he turned around, Xiao Yan clearly sensed the intense malice emanating from Lin Zhenshan.
Xiao Yan sneered inwardly.
He has an extremely keen perception of the soul level; when a person harbors malice, the fluctuations in their soul will undergo subtle changes.
The soul fluctuation Lin Zhenshan had just made clearly carried a chill.
He was new to the Lin Clan and knew nothing about their internal affairs, nor was he interested in getting involved.
Once he recovers from his injuries, he will leave this place and head to the depths of Central Plains.
He needs to become stronger in the Dou Qi Continent, strong enough to fight against Titled Douluo, and then return to the Douluo Continent.
Therefore, for him, the Lin Clan was just a place to stay, not worth investing too much energy in.
However, that Lin Zhenshan...
Xiao Yan recalled the chilling aura he had just sensed. That feeling was somewhat similar to the aura emanating from the masked Dou Emperor earlier.
They all carried a chilling, deathly aura.
But he didn't think too much about it. With his current strength, a small family in Tianbei City wasn't worth his excessive worry.
As long as Lin Zhenshan doesn't provoke him, he won't bother with him.
Xiao Yan closed his eyes and focused his attention back on the injuries inside his body.
Nothing more was said that night.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, there was a knock on the door of the Qingzhu Pavilion.
"Young Master Tang, are you awake?"
It was a soft female voice.
Xiao Yan opened his eyes, jumped off the bed, and went to open the door.
Standing outside the door was Lin Wan'er.
Today she changed into a light blue long dress, and her long hair was casually tied up with a jade hairpin, revealing her fair neck.
The morning light shone on her, giving her a soft golden glow.
She was carrying a food box, and when she saw Xiao Yan open the door, a smile appeared on her face.
"Young Master Tang, my father asked me to bring you breakfast."
She picked up the food box, her tone somewhat Xiao Xin.
"Your injuries haven't healed yet, so I asked the kitchen to make some extra nourishing soups. I don't know if they'll suit your taste."
Xiao Yan glanced at her, then stepped aside. "Come in."
Lin Wan'er went inside, placed the food box on the table, and opened the lid. Inside were several delicate side dishes, two bowls of steaming rice porridge, and a soup.
She brought out the dishes one by one, her movements gentle and methodical.
"Young Master Tang, please try this."
Lin Wan'er pushed the bowl of soup in front of Xiao Yan, "This is a specialty of Tianbei City called Fire Ginseng Soup. It contains a hundred-year-old fire ginseng and several nourishing medicinal herbs, which are beneficial for those with damaged meridians."
Xiao Yan took the soup bowl and took a sip. The soup was rich, with a faint ginseng flavor and a hint of sweetness. After entering his stomach, a warm power spread out, nourishing the meridians in his body.
"Not bad." He nodded.
Seeing his satisfaction, Lin Wan'er's smile deepened, "Then I'll have someone make it again tomorrow."
Xiao Yan didn't reply, but quietly ate his breakfast.
Lin Wan'er sat beside her, hesitating several times before finally asking:
"Young Master Tang, what are your plans for the future? Are you going to stay in Tianbei City?"
"Not necessarily," Xiao Yan said. "Let's heal our injuries first."
"Oh," Lin Wan'er responded, lowering her head somewhat dejectedly.
After a while, she looked up again and said:
"Young Master Tang, could you... stay a little longer? My father said that things haven't been peaceful in Tianbei City lately, and the people from the Yellow Springs Pavilion have been targeting our Lin Clan for some reason."
Although you killed that masked Dou Emperor last night, I'm afraid the Yellow Springs Pavilion will send more people..."
Xiao Yan put down his chopsticks and looked at Lin Wan'er: "What did your father say?"
My dad said he'd figure out a way to deal with it.
Lin Wan'er bit her lip:
"But I know that even Dad isn't sure about it."
Although the Lin Clan is a prominent family in Tianbei City, they are insignificant compared to the Yellow Springs Pavilion.
The Yellow Springs Pavilion is one of the Four Pavilions, and its members are filled with experts. If they send just one of their strongest members, our Lin Clan wouldn't be able to withstand them."
Her voice grew softer and softer until it almost became a murmur.
Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment.
He knew Lin Wan'er was telling the truth.
The Yellow Springs Pavilion is indeed one of the major powers in Central Plains. For a small family like the Lin Clan of Tianbei City, the Yellow Springs Pavilion is indeed an insurmountable mountain.
But that's not his problem.
He came to the Dou Qi Continent to become stronger, and to return to the Douluo Continent.
Getting involved in the feud between the Lin Clan and the Yellow Springs Pavilion would do him no good.
"The main force of the Yellow Springs Pavilion is not here."
Xiao Yan said, "That person's strength last night wasn't top-tier even in the Yellow Springs Pavilion. They wouldn't send too many experts just for the Lin Clan. As long as your father handles things Xiao Xin, there might still be a chance."
Lin Wan'er was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Young Master Tang."
She stood up, cleared the dishes from the table, gave Xiao Yan a slight bow, and turned to leave Qingzhu Pavilion.
Xiao Yan watched her retreating figure and shook his head.
This eldest daughter of the Lin Clan is a kind-hearted girl. But she knows too little about the cruelty of this world.
A powerful force like the Yellow Springs Pavilion wouldn't need to go to great lengths to wipe out a small family.
Sending just three or four Dou Emperor would be enough to wipe out the Lin Clan from top to bottom.
Last night, he killed that masked Dou Emperor, which meant he had already made an enemy of the Yellow Springs Pavilion.
If the Yellow Springs Pavilion discovers that he was the one who did it...
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought of this.
He needs to recover his strength as soon as possible before leaving Tianbei City.
Although he wasn't afraid of the Yellow Springs Pavilion, he didn't want them to come knocking on his door before his injuries had healed.
Moreover, the Lin Clan was not related to him, and he had already done more than enough by saving the lives of Lin Zhentian and his daughter.
He has no obligation to fight against the Yellow Springs Pavilion for the Lin Clan.
Xiao Yan sat down cross-legged again and continued to heal his injuries.
But just as he was about to begin his cultivation, he frowned.
In a secluded corner of the Lin family's backyard, a figure was whispering furtively to someone.
That person was none other than Lin Zhenshan.
"... Tell the Dharma Protector that the one who killed Han Chi last night was a young man named Tang San."
He was in his early twenties, with a strength around the Three-Star Dou Emperor, and possessed a type of flame with icy attributes.
He was injured and is currently recuperating at my elder brother's Qingzhu Pavilion...
Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open.
Lin Zhenshan.
He was tipping off Yellow Springs Pavilion.
Xiao Yan's face darkened. He hadn't wanted to get involved in the Lin Clan's affairs, but Lin Zhenshan was courting death.
Since Lin Zhenshan wants to play, then he'll play along.
Xiao Yan stood up, pushed open the door, and walked out of the Qingzhu Pavilion.
The morning light shone on him, casting a long shadow.