So many years!
A strange light flashed in Venerable Feng's eyes.
How long did he search for Yao Chen?
It went on for so long that he was almost ready to give up.
That old fellow disappeared without a word back then, and the entire Central Plains thought he had perished.
Only he, only he, refused to believe it.
He knew Yao Chen too well; that old guy wasn't going to die so easily.
He could sense Xiao Yan's wariness towards him.
This kid had been Xiao Xin choosing his words since the beginning, and his caution and wariness made Venerable Feng feel both helpless and gratified.
To maintain such composure and principles even when facing a Dou Zun is a quality far superior to those who would rush to fawn over a powerful figure.
"Boy, just tell me one thing: is the person who taught you this Dou Technique still alive and well?"
Even as Dou Zun expert, he couldn't hide his excitement when he asked that question.
Xiao Yan noticed a noticeable tremor in Venerable Feng's voice.
A complex and indescribable emotion welled up inside me.
He was almost certain that the Venerable Feng before him was not an enemy of the Yao Lao.
An enemy wouldn't have their voice tremble uncontrollably when asking, "Is he alright?"
Someone who covets a Heavenly Flames will not only show concern but also greed when they hear news of it.
Although he was quite certain that the other party and the Yao Lao were not enemies.
But he dared not gamble on that even the slightest possibility.
Anyway, since Yao Lao is with Xiao Huohuo now, they will meet sooner or later.
When that day comes, whether Venerable Feng is a friend or foe, Yao Lao will decide for himself; there's no need for him to overstep his bounds.
"That senior is now unharmed."
Xiao Yan spoke softly, neither humble nor arrogant.
He simply told Venerable Feng what he most wanted to know: he was still alive, he was alright.
"Call..."
As Xiao Yan finished speaking, he clearly felt that the previously stagnant space seemed to lighten up a bit at that moment.
The omnipresent, invisible pressure quietly dissipated.
The aura emanating from the Venerable Feng before them seemed to have softened somewhat.
The imposing aura he had exuded, though deliberately restrained, was still suffocating, but with that long exhale, it dissipated by more than half.
"Hahaha..."
A hearty laugh came from Venerable Feng.
The laughter echoed across the ruins, and an undisguised excitement appeared on his face.
He reached up and stroked his short beard, his hand trembling slightly.
"Old man, I knew you wouldn't die so easily!"
The Venerable Feng spoke these words with great vigor.
His gaze then fell back on Xiao Yan, but the look in his eyes was completely different from before.
The way he looked at Xiao Yan carried a hint of kindness and appreciation for a junior.
Although it's unclear why Yao Chen would pass on the Radiant Heaven World-Burning Spear to this young man.
But since he chose them, he trusts them.
"Smack!"
Venerable Feng reached out and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder.
The movement wasn't forceful; the palm struck down with a crisp sound, carrying a warmth that touched the heart.
His tone carried a hint of unreserved praise:
"With the cultivation of Dou Emperor, he faced a Dou Zong and three other experts of the same level who were trying to kill him."
Yet he managed to do all this, killing one person, severely injuring another, and even withstanding two attacks from Dou Zong.
In my travels Central Plains, I've seen countless young people who claim to be geniuses, but those who can reach your level are few and far between.
Venerable Feng revealed a broad smile, a smile brimming with genuine appreciation.
There was also a hint of pride in the younger generation.
He paused, then raised his voice a few decibels, as if announcing an undeniable conclusion.
"Very nice!"
Xiao Yan opened his mouth, as if to say something, but what rose in his throat was a metallic taste.
He gritted his teeth and forced back the surging breath, simply nodding to Venerable Feng.
To receive such straightforward praise from a Dou Zun expert, it would be a lie to say one isn't excited.
But in his current state, he simply cannot properly respond to this great kindness.
Not far away, Old Ghost Liu and his group had not yet left.
It's not that they don't want to leave, it's that they're afraid to leave.
Without the Venerable Feng's permission, how dare they leave on their own?
They could only stand there like three wooden stakes, unable to move or stay, not even daring to breathe loudly.
When Old Ghost Liu saw Venerable Feng patting Xiao Yan on the shoulder and praising him with a smile, saying "Very good," his heart sank to the bottom.
"Senior Venerable Feng, this person... this person is from my Yellow Springs Pavilion..."
Old Ghost Liu mustered his courage and spoke with difficulty.
But before he could finish speaking, Venerable Feng casually glanced over.
At a glance, the second half of Old Ghost Liu's sentence was completely blocked in his throat, as if someone had grabbed his neck.
"I'll vouch for this person. If there are any problems, have Yellow Springs come to me personally."
As the Venerable Feng's words fell, the entire sky fell silent.
He said those words so casually, his tone so indifferent, as if he were merely instructing a servant to bring a pot of tea.
But no one in the entire Central Plains dared to doubt the weight of those words.
Those whom Venerable Feng said he would protect, he truly protected.
Anyone who wants to make a move must first get past Venerable Feng.
As for those who have passed the test of Venerable Feng, looking across the entire Central Plains, the number of people who have the confidence to say this can be counted on one hand.
Old Ghost Liu lowered his head to the extreme.
Are you serious about sending the Pavilion Master to find Venerable Feng?
The Yellow Springs Venerable once fought the Venerable Feng decades ago.
The outcome of that battle was known throughout the Central Plains.
The Yellow Springs Venerable was defeated by the Venerable Feng within a hundred moves.
That defeat was regarded by Yellow Springs Venerable as the greatest disgrace of his life.
From that time on, everyone in the Yellow Springs Pavilion was strictly forbidden from discussing anything related to Venerable Feng.
Anyone who dares to mention Venerable Feng's name in front of Yellow Springs Venerable is asking for trouble.
Should he go and confront Venerable Feng?
If that Old Ghost Liu really goes back and relays these words to the Pavilion Master, the Pavilion Master will chop him up himself before Venerable Feng even has a chance to make a move.
Watching Xiao Yan, who possessed two different kinds of Heavenly Flames and Earth Tier Dou Technique, leave, Old Ghost Liu could only swallow his anger and resentment.
The two Dou Emperor behind him were in even worse shape. The wind-attribute Dou Emperor was supporting the earth-attribute Dou Emperor, both of them with ashen faces and bloodless lips.
They had traveled a long way, expecting it to be an easy hunt.
As a result, one was killed on the spot by Xiao Yan, another was severely injured by Xiao Yan, and the last one, although not injured, was so frightened that he lost all fighting spirit.
This trip was a complete disaster for the Yellow Springs Pavilion.
"Oh, right, you probably won't be able to pass that message on to him."
Venerable Feng seemed to suddenly remember something.
He turned his head slightly, as if he had just realized that there were still a few people standing not far away. His deep eyes turned to Old Ghost Liu, his gaze calm and without the slightest ripple.
He spoke calmly.
As soon as he finished speaking, a void rift suddenly appeared behind Old Ghost Liu and the two Dou Emperor.
The crack opened silently, like the gaping maw of a ferocious beast, and an irresistible spatial suction force surged out from it, enveloping the three of them.
"If you manage to get out of here alive, then this matter is settled."
Venerable Feng spoke in a calm tone, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.
Old Ghost Liu's face turned deathly pale in that instant.
He wanted to beg for mercy, to kneel and kowtow, to do anything to save his life, but the spatial suction gave him no chance at all.
He and the two Dou Emperor were helplessly sucked into the rift.
The spatial rift quietly closed, and Old Ghost Liu and the two Dou Emperor completely disappeared from this world.
In the final moment before the crack closed, Old Ghost Liu's shrill and desperate screams could still be faintly heard, but then everything fell silent.
Venerable Feng nodded in satisfaction.
He searched for news of Yao Chen all over the continent for so many years, but still found nothing.
Once today's events spread, Yellow Springs Venerable will likely immediately connect them to Yao Chen's news.
Normally, Venerable Feng would not bother with a junior like Old Ghost Liu.
But since it concerned Yao Chen, he had no choice but to make an exception.
Moreover, the people in the Yellow Springs Pavilion are not kind-hearted individuals.
Killing them carried no psychological burden for Venerable Feng.
After doing all this, Venerable Feng turned around and his gaze returned to Xiao Yan.
His movements were casual and composed, as if he had just easily wiped out a Dou Zong and two Dou Emperor with a mere dusting of his clothes.
Xiao Yan has persevered until now, sustained entirely by his indomitable will.
He watched as Old Ghost Liu and his group were effortlessly wiped out by Venerable Feng.
Watching the Dou Zong expert who had driven him to the brink of defeat being swept into the spatial rift like an ant, a hint of longing appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes.
This is the power of Dou Zun.
With a mere gesture, space shattered, and the Dou Zong was reduced to ashes.
This is the true powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of the continent, the kind of person he aspires to become.
Immediately, the will that had sustained him until now finally crumbled.
All the injuries erupted simultaneously at that moment, like a flood bursting its banks.
A strong wave of dizziness washed over him, gradually engulfing his consciousness.
His vision began to blur, and the Venerable Feng's blue robe turned into a blurry blue halo in his eyes.
His body swayed, his legs could no longer support him, and he fell straight backward.
He completely lost consciousness.
"... This kid."
Venerable Feng looked helplessly at Xiao Yan, who was lying on the ground, and shook his head.
A wry smile appeared on his thin face.
Before he could even finish his question, this kid just fainted right in front of him.
That's fine too.
Although he only saw the latter half of the exchange just now, the scene of the Radiant Heaven World-Burning Spear with the Luo Tian Finger was enough to make him look at this little guy in a new light.
His praise of Xiao Yan just now was not empty talk, nor was it just a polite remark to elevate someone he valued in front of Old Ghost Liu.
He genuinely thought this kid was pretty good.
"Very good." These three words, spoken by Venerable Feng, carried more weight than a hundred words of genius from anyone else.
Venerable Feng reached out and lifted Xiao Yan up, a gentle azure Dou Qi qi surging from his palm like an invisible cloud.
Xiao Yan's body hovered in mid-air, the bleeding from the wound on his back temporarily stopped under the protection of the cyan Dou Qi, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
Immediately, a spatial rift appeared in front of Venerable Feng.
He stepped into the crack, the hem of his blue robe fluttering slightly at the edge. Then, he and Xiao Yan behind him vanished completely from the spot.
The crack behind him slowly closed, swallowing up the last trace of spatial fluctuation.
The Stone Forest ruins have returned to silence.
The only remaining trace in the air was a faint, lingering breeze left by the dissipation of the Venerable Feng's azure Dou Qi aura.
There is no trace left to prove what just happened here.