Don't worry.
Seemingly noticing the hesitation in Xiao Yan's eyes, Elder He slowly spoke, his tone carrying an undeniable power as he explained to Xiao Yan.
"My conduct and style have been evident to all in Wind Lightning City over the years."
Forcibly involving others in our battle would be detrimental rather than beneficial.
We both know perfectly well that this kind of thing benefits no one.
The two of them will stay here, Wind Lightning Pavilion will protect them.
I will handle Tan Bin's tip-off according to the cabinet rules, but I will never take his life.
Miss Lin is a descendant of the Lin family, so there's no way she could be harmed.
His tone was frank and confident, not like he was lying.
Of course, given his power and status, there was absolutely no need for him to lie to the two younger men.
"I only agreed to let you stay. Now, judging by the time, the people from the Yellow Springs Pavilion should be here by now."
Elder He looked up and glanced into the distance, then looked at Xiao Yan and added calmly.
"As for the rest, I will not concern myself with them."
Settle your own grudges.
That debt of gratitude I owe to the Yellow Springs Pavilion ends here.
If you can escape from them, that's your skill; if you can't, I won't kick you when you're down.
The gates of the Wind Lightning Pavilion will remain open to you—if you manage to return alive.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan took a deep breath.
Elder He has already done everything he could to reach this point.
The other party's attitude was clear: he was neither Xiao Yan's enemy nor an accomplice of the Yellow Springs Pavilion, but merely an outsider paying off old debts.
What he wanted was to leave Xiao Yan behind and hand him over to the Yellow Springs Pavilion. As for what would happen after the people from the Yellow Springs Pavilion arrived, he would not interfere.
The flames in his hands transformed into wings behind him, howling as they unfurled in the night. The wings, a blend of blue and white flames, spanned a full three zhang (approximately 10 meters), scorching and distorting the surrounding air.
Xiao Yan burst into the air, his wings flapping violently, creating a gust of wind that scattered sand and gravel across the ground.
"Since you have invited me, senior, I will gladly accept your invitation."
Xiao Yan's voice came from mid-air, his tone devoid of fear or anger, but instead carrying a sense of heroic spirit.
As Xiao Yan left, he turned and gave Lin Wan'er a reassuring look.
Lin Wan'er stood there, looking up at the ball of bluish-white flame that Xiao Yan had transformed into, flying further and further away. Something was swirling in her eyes, but she bit her lip to keep it from falling.
She knew that at this moment, the only thing she could do was protect herself and not add any burden to Xiao Yan.
After all, Elder He was right.
The opponent was a genuine Dou Zong expert, and one who had truly and undeniably entered the Dou Zong realm.
If Lin Wan'er and Tan Bin were brought along, Xiao Yan wouldn't be able to protect them at all.
Xiao Yan was well aware of this. Although his Twin Flame Wings could support brief gliding and mid-air changes of direction, there was still a considerable gap between them and true flight.
Facing Dou Zong, he would have to fight with all his might to protect himself.
"Call!"
The flames streaked across the night sky like shooting stars flying backwards.
Xiao Yan's figure transformed into a streak of bluish-white light, shooting out towards the Wind Lightning City at such speed that it left a long trail of flame in the night sky.
His figure grew smaller and smaller in the moonlight, like a moth flying into boundless darkness.
Elder He remained standing in mid-air, gazing in the direction Xiao Yan had gone, and slowly shook his head.
A complex expression appeared on his thin face, a mixture of regret and helplessness. Then he took a step forward, his figure flashing in mid-air.
With each step he took, a ripple would appear in the space beneath his feet, and he would instantly appear dozens of feet away.
That was Dou Zong expert's initial mastery of the laws of space, and its speed was far beyond what ordinary flight could achieve.
In a few flashes, he had already locked onto Xiao Yan's back.
" Brother Tang!"
Upon seeing this, Lin Wan'er couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, and involuntarily took a few steps forward.
But those two streaks of light were moving too fast, and in the blink of an eye they had become two points of light on the horizon.
She remained where she was, gazing up at the empty night sky, a deep worry in her eyes.
Her hands were clenched into fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms.
Not long after Xiao Yan and Elder He left, and before Lin Wan'er could even compose herself, several powerful auras appeared from the distant horizon.
Those auras arrived with incredible speed, showing no sign of restraint whatsoever; on the contrary, it seemed as if they were deliberately releasing their oppressive power.
It swept across the night sky, startling everyone in the city who revealed their auras.
Within a few breaths, those auras reached the walls of Wind Lightning City.
There were four figures in total, with the leader standing at the forefront, surrounded by visible energy fluctuations.
With nothing beneath his feet and no support to lean on, he stood steadily in the void.
The other three followed closely behind him, hovering behind him, their auras equally powerful.
"They've gone this way!"
The newcomer's gaze swept over the group below, his eyes gleaming with a Youyou light under the moonlight, as cold as two poisoned daggers.
His gaze lingered on Lin Wan'er for a moment, then swept over Tan Bin and the two Wind Lightning Pavilion stewards holding Tan Bin, a disdainful smile playing on his lips, before ignoring them completely.
Although it was only a brief glimpse, the powerful aura pressed down like a mountain.
Lin Wan'er, Tan Bin, and the others were stunned, their breaths even stopping for a moment.
Lin Wan'er's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her legs went weak, but she gritted her teeth and refused to take a single step back.
The four figures then vanished in a flash, chasing after Xiao Yan and Elder He in the direction they had gone.
Their speed was astonishing; they vanished almost instantly, leaving only a blurry afterimage across the night sky, as if they had never existed.
" Dou Zong!"
Lin Wan'er's voice trembled slightly, and her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her throat.
Even though it was just a fleeting moment, Lin Wan'er still managed to clearly see the people chasing after her in mid-air.
The one at the head, who could stand in mid-air without needing to transform his Dou Qi qi into wings, was clearly a genuine Dou Zong powerhouse.
The three people following behind him, although they needed to condense their wings, were clearly three Dou Emperor- level powerhouses judging from the aura they exuded.
A Dou Zong powerhouse who could stand in mid-air without needing to transform his Dou Qi into wings, and three Dou Emperor.
"Oh no..."
Lin Wan'er murmured, her voice so soft that only she could hear it.
As she felt the other person's aura recede like a dark cloud, a look of despair appeared in Lin Wan'er's eyes.
It wasn't that she didn't believe in Xiao Yan's strength, but even the strongest person has their limits.
If we include Elder He, then that makes two Dou Zong and three Dou Emperor.
With such a lineup, let alone Xiao Yan, a Dou Emperor- level fighter, even a seasoned Dou Zong expert would probably have a hard time escaping unscathed.
With Xiao Yan's strength, how could he possibly escape from them?
Looking at Lin Wan'er's pale face, Tan Bin opened his mouth as if to say something to comfort her, but in the end, he said nothing.
Because he knew in his heart that Xiao Yan's chances of survival against such pursuers were extremely slim.
Wind Lightning City, Dou Qi roared out from mid-air, sweeping across the sky like an invisible gale, tearing several gaps in the clouds.
Xiao Yan's Twin Flame Wings propelled him to the limit, the blue and white flames trailing long streaks of light as he flew at high speed.
He channeled his Soul Power into his back, using every bit of it with meticulous care, while simultaneously unleashing his full soul perception to probe the movements behind him.
But the speed of Dou Zong was ultimately not something he could easily shake off.
Elder He's figure flashed through space several times before intercepting Xiao Yan's path.
His figure stepped out of the void, and the ripples in the space beneath his feet gradually dissipated.
The long blue robe stood motionless in the wind, like an insurmountable barrier that had suddenly appeared in front of him.
With his path blocked, Xiao Yan abruptly stopped in mid-air, his Twin Flame Wings flapping violently twice to steady himself.
His gaze fell upon Elder He, his heart pounding in his chest, yet his expression remained calm, his eyes flashing with surging Soul Power.
The Heavenly Flames in his palm was ready to be unleashed, and the Soul Power within his body surged and roared through his meridians, poised to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
Elder He also looked at Xiao Yan, who was suspended in mid-air with his hands still behind his back, and cyan Dou Qi slowly flowing around him.
The two faced off in mid-air, one old and one young, one Dou Zong and the other a Dou Emperor, separated by a distance of several dozen feet, the air seemingly frozen.
However, just as Elder He and Xiao Yan were about to make their move...
The powerful figures from the Yellow Springs Pavilion who were pursuing them had arrived.
"Hahaha, Elder He, how could a mere Dou Emperor manage to escape right under your nose?"
It seems you've been living a life of luxury in the Wind Lightning Pavilion all these years, and your hands and feet have become rusty!
Before the person even arrived, that powerful voice pierced through space and reached Xiao Yan and Elder He's ears.
The sound was rough and loud, like two pieces of sand rubbing against each other, carrying an undisguised flamboyance and wildness.
The powerful Dou Qi contained in the voice caused the surrounding air to tremble slightly.
Xiao Yan looked in the direction of the sound and saw four streaks of light rapidly approaching from afar.
The first one was the fastest, moving like lightning, and in an instant, the outline of the person approaching could be seen.
He was a tall and robust old man, dressed in a dark yellow robe, with white hair and beard, but he was vigorous and had bright, piercing eyes. The aura he exuded was slightly stronger than Elder He's.
Behind him, three Dou Emperor followed closely, spreading out in a triangular formation, subtly blocking all possible escape routes for Xiao Yan.
" Old Ghost Liu, I only agreed to help you keep him here, I didn't say I would help you take action."
Elder He spoke calmly, his tone carrying a clear hint of displeasure.
He was clearly unimpressed by Old Ghost Liu's sarcastic remarks, but he also didn't bother arguing with him.
His gaze remained calm as he watched the figures approaching from behind, and he continued speaking in a completely even tone.
"Whether he almost escaped right under my nose or he just stood there and let you catch him, my job is to make him stay here tonight and wait for you."
As for the rest, that's none of my business.
"Now that you have arrived, this matter is no longer the concern of my Wind Lightning Pavilion. Farewell."
After saying this, Elder He turned away without looking back.
His figure swayed slightly in mid-air, and ripples appeared in the space beneath his feet. He was already dozens of feet away.
He didn't even glance back at Xiao Yan, nor did he exchange a single polite word with that Old Ghost Liu; he left cleanly and decisively.
Such a carefree demeanor left Xiao Yan momentarily stunned.
He was prepared for a fierce battle, and had even mobilized his Heavenly Flames Martial Soul to the point where he could fight to the death at any time.
As it turned out Elder He really did leave without a second thought, without leaving any backup plan or giving him a final blow before leaving.
The other party's statement of "having a clear conscience" was not just empty talk.
However, Xiao Yan quickly came to his senses; now was not the time to ponder Elder He's style of doing things.
Sensing Elder He's aura was indeed genuine, the unique spatial fluctuations of a Dou Zong grew further and further away, eventually disappearing completely in the direction of Wind Lightning City in the distance.
Almost simultaneously, Xiao Yan's figure shot out again, his Twin Flame Wings flapping violently, transforming him into a streak of bluish-white lightning as he sped towards the distant mountains.
"You old codger, couldn't you have lingered a couple more breaths? It's just a few steps, and I have to do it myself!"
The powerful voice rang out again from afar, watching Elder He turn and leave without a second thought.
The burly old man known as Old Ghost Liu was so angry that his beard stood on end, and his voice carried a hint of rage.
However, despite his cursing, his footwork didn't stop at all.
He took a step into the air and his figure shot off like an arrow, chasing after Xiao Yan at a speed that far surpassed that of the three Dou Emperor behind him.
For a Dou Emperor to try to escape from Dou Zong using speed is nothing short of a pipe dream.
Then he saw Xiao Yan's departing figure.
The bluish-white flame was rapidly traveling through the night sky, its speed indeed much faster than that of an ordinary Dou Emperor, but in his Dou Zong perception, it was still as clearly visible as a firefly in the dark.
His large, bell-like eyes gleamed with a cruel glint in the moonlight, and a savage grin spread across his lips as he spoke coldly.
"Boy, you dare to lay a hand on anyone from my Yellow Springs Pavilion? Today, I'll skin you alive!"