Xiao Yan was not able to stop Yun Yun’s departure. This was because he clearly understood within his heart that despite Yun Yun not having developed too much hatred over the destruction of the Misty Cloud Sect, she was ultimately the sect leader of the Misty Cloud Sect no matter how one put it. It was impossible for her not to feel a slight grudge. At the same time, she may have been thinking of remaining by Xiao Yan’s side to lend him a hand, but she still faintly felt some resistance to such an idea.

This resistance came from her feelings toward the Misty Cloud Sect. It came from the many years that the Misty Cloud Sect had groomed her.

Perhaps part of the reason Yun Yun wanted to leave the Jia Ma Empire this time around was to resolve the resistance she felt in her heart. She had mentioned that she would be able to return the day she was able to place the Misty Cloud Sect deep within her heart without it being brought back up.

It was not difficult for Xiao Yan to forcefully get Yun Yun to stay given his current strength and those of the experts beside him. He had special feelings for Yun Yun. Those matters within the ‘Magical Beast Mountain Range’ when he was young back then were things he had difficulty forgetting. The lovely events that had occurred within the mountain cave would cause his heart to vaguely wiggle at the slightest memory from those days.

Hence, he did not stop Yun Yun in order to allow her to resolve the knot in her heart

XIao Yan remained on the Misty Cloud Mountain for three days. Yun Yun finally ceased delaying any longer on the morning of the fourth day. She was afraid that if she continued to remain by his side, the difficult thoughts of leaving would scatter. Hence, she brought Nalan Yanran and quietly left while Xiao Yan Yan was training with his eyes shut.

Yun Yun, who had left quietly, did not realize that Xiao Yan, whose eyes had been tightly shut, had opened slowly when she turned around. His gaze was gentle as he looked at that moving figure, but he did not say anything to stop her, watching her leap into the sky. Finally, she disappeared from his sight.

Xiao Yan’s expression quietly became dark during the time Yun Yun took to quietly disappear from Xiao Yan’s line of sight. He extended his hand and picked up the deep-blue armor vest that was folded neatly by his side. A slight fragrance remained on it.

Xiao Yan’s finger traced those tiny crack lines at the edge of the armor vest. The gentleness in his eyes grew even richer. This inner vest had rescued him a couple of times back then. Quite a number of fragments had fallen during the times it protected him. Finally, these fragments were quietly and bitterly searched for by Yun Yun before once again being set into the vest. Of course, some of those that were impossible to find due to various reasons were meticulously mended by Yun Yun with the same material.

Although this inner vest was Yun Yun’s personal object that she had always kept close to her and ended up forming a slight relationship with it, attempting to search for those tiny fragments within this enormous Jia Ma Empire would require one to expand an incredible amount of effort. Hence, this point made Xiao Yan give up any grudges from the past.

Xiao Yan let out a deep sigh after storing the inner vest into his storage ring. He immediately stood up and his gaze glanced in the direction in which Yun Yun had disappeared. A moment later he muttered, “Take care.”

Xiao Yan’s shoulders trembled after he was silent for a moment. A pair of jade-green fire wings surfaced on his back. With a gentle flap, he immediately rushed in the direction of the capital. Xiao Yan’s injuries had unexpectedly recovered during these three days. He sensed the barrier to the Dou Huang class a couple of times while recovering his Dou Qi. However, this was merely a feeling. A true breakthrough did not appear.

The difficulty of attempting to breakthrough to the Dou Huang class far exceeded Xiao Yan’s expectations. Despite him having undergone a big life and death battle with Yun Shan, there was still a gap left.

Xiao Yan was not too anxious in regards to this. This was because he vaguely knew that it would not be long before he would advance to the Dou Huang class. Perhaps, all it required was a slight opportunity of luck and that breakthrough would naturally arrive.

“Dou Huang...” Xiao Yan’s figure flew through the air like lightning, leaving behind only a faint-black figure. He narrowed his eyes and the fists under his sleeves were tightened. Given his current fighting strength, all the Dou Techniques other than the three colored fire lotus that he used with all of his strength, were able to fight with a person at the peak of the Dou Huang class with high chances of victory. If he were to use the three colored fire lotus, he would definitely be able to kill an expert at the peak of the Dou Huang class. Moreover, even elite Dou Zong below that of three stars would also receive serious injuries. If one of them were to experience an unlucky moment, he or she would end up like Yun Shan, whose Dou Qi within his body had become sluggish from the explosion, and be faced with subsequent fatal blows.

However, the latter’s chances of victory were not considered to be very likely. If not for some good luck that day, it would have definitely been impossible for him to kill Yun Shan. Moreover, this slaughter was not under the precondition of him fighting until he was seriously injured. There was a taste of risking one’s life to go all out during such a battle. After all, no matter how one put it, Xiao Yan’s actual strength was merely at the peak of the Dou Wang class. This level was too far from an elite Dou Zong. If Xiao Yan had not been in possession of a couple of strong Dou Techniques, it would have been impossible for him to endure twenty exchanges in the hands of a Dou Zong.

However, if Xiao Yan were to successfully breakthrough to the Dou Huang class, it was likely difficult for Xiao Yan to find an opponent that could match him in the Dou Huang class by relying on the mysterious ‘Flame Matra’ and his strong Dou Techniques. Even if he were to meet an elite Dou Zong, he would still be able to rely on his superimposed wings and frightening speed to gain the ability to flee. If he dared to forcefully use the three colored fire lotus and risk his life, he might be able to kill that person as long as they were a three or four star Dou Zong or a lesser rank.

Of course, this kind of opportunity was accompanied by far too much risk. After all, it was likely that Xiao Yan would meet his own demise should he fail to kill his opponent.

“That one protector of the ‘Hall of Souls’ already possessed the strength of a Dou Zong. I do not know how many such experts remained within that organization. It seems that I will at the very least need to reach the peak of the Dou Huang class or even the Dou Zong class in order to rescue teacher. Otherwise, I would only be allowing myself to get caught if I were to forcefully head over. At that time, everything would truly be over.” The wild wind blew beside Xiao Yan’s ears as the scenery below flashed past while this thought rotated within his heart.

“Xun Er has also said before she left that I cannot go and look for her before reaching the strength of a Dou Zong. I think that her clan’s strength is not inferior to the ‘Hall of Souls’. Ugh... this path seems to be very long...” Xiao Yan sighed softly within his heart. His expression gradually became determined. Xiao Yan had to put in a tremendous amount of effort to become a person whom all the experts within the Jia Ma Empire looked up to after being ridiculed as the trash of his clan. It was something that an ordinary person had difficulty doing it. Everything was difficult in the beginning. Since he had already passed through the hardest period, he no longer needed to withdraw nor feel the slightest fear.

The current him was no longer the young and ignorant man from back then!

“Father, teacher... Xun Er, wait for me. Xiao Yan will not disappoint you!”

Xiao Yan inhaled a deep breath of air. His shoulders shook and the jade-green fire wings became much denser. His flying speed soared at this moment. Finally, he transformed into a black lightning bolt as he flew to the enormous capital that had appeared in his sight.

Xiao Yan flew to the capital and appeared in the sky above the Xiao Mansion a moment later. His body turned and he swiftly rushed down.

Some human figures in the dark corners of the Xiao Mansion flashed as Xiao Yan’s body descended from the sky above the Xiao Mansion. Weapons containing cold glints flickered in their hands, emitting dense, cold lusters.

However, these black figures had just rushed out of the darkness, prepared to stop this uninvited guest, when a powerful aura descended from the sky. It suppressed their bodies which were about to leap forward. A faint voice was also transmitted into everyone’s ears at the same time.

“There is no need to panic. It’s me.”

Those black figures finally paused after hearing this familiar voice. They knelt on one knee and greeted the black-robed, young man, who was suspended in the sky. They immediately shrank back into the darkness in a ghost-like manner after causing the entire Xiao Mansion to enter a defensive state.

“These subordinates who are groomed by second brother are indeed quite good. Their bloody aura has an extraordinary fighting strength. With them protecting the Xiao Mansion, it is likely that an ordinary expert would have difficulty intruding into it. In the face of a stronger person, there was still Medusa, Zi Yan, and the others. Anyone would definitely be detected upon entry.” Xiao Yan’s gaze fluttered slightly as he looked at the black figures, who had shrank into the darkness, while he muttered softly to himself.

When Xiao Yan suddenly recalled Zi Yan in his heart, he suddenly remembered that that this little girl had actually blocked Protector Wu after his strength had soared from swallowing Yun Shan’s spirit. This was really somewhat extraordinary. It should be known that a blow from Protector Wu in that condition was likely something that even experts at the peak of the Dou Huang class like Hai Bodong and Jia Xing Tian would not dare to easily receive. Yet this girl had actually received it head-on. Moreover, she did not receive any injuries other than feeling a little weak.

“Looks like this girl’s original form is really quite extraordinary as teacher had mentioned. Once I advance to the Dou Huang class, I will have some confidence in refining a ‘Body Transforming Pill’. At that time, I will definitely refine one for her and see just what being her original form is to actually possess such an ability.”

Xiao Yan’s figure landed in the Xiao Mansion. After which, he moved along the small path and arrived outside the living room a moment later. There was the sound of a conversation faintly transmitted from Xiao Ding and the others. He smiled slightly and pushed open the door to enter.

Xiao Yan, who had suddenly pushed open the door to enter, caused Xiao Ding and Xiao Li to be startled. They immediately rejoiced and came forward.

“If you continue to remain away, we would have had to invite Old Hai to go to the Misty Cloud to search for you.” Xiao Li patted Xiao Yan’s shoulders and helplessly spoke.

Xiao Yan smiled. He did not mention anything that happened during these three days. His gaze turned to Xiao Ding as he spoke with a soft laugh, “Big brother, we can invite chairman Fa Ma and the couple heads from the large clans over tomorrow. It is time to establish the faction that will protect our Xiao clan.”

Joy flashed across Xiao Ding’s eyes when he heard this. He said, “Have you completely recovered from your injuries?”

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. He looked at the joyous eyes of the two people and muttered softly in his heart, “The Xiao clan will surpass the Misty Cloud Sect and become the overlord of this Jia Ma Empire! Father, I will definite fulfill your wish!”