“‘Xiao Gate’s,’ Xiao Yan?”

Xie Zhen’s expression immediately changed when he heard that calm voice enter his ear. Other people might feel that this name was foreign, but he was extremely familiar with it. The founder of Xiao Gate. The young expert who was renowned throughout the ‘Black-Corner Region’ back then!

Even though it had been two years since that time, quite a number of people within the ‘Black-Corner Region’ still remembered this name. Moreover, the interior of their Demon Flame Valley had accommodated quite a number of experts who had nowhere to go after being chased by this black-robed, young man. Hence, he retained a deep memory in regards to this person.

“Isn’t it rumored that he left the ‘Black-Corner Region’? Why would he appear in this place?” Xie Zhen rubbed away the blood trace from the corner of his mouth. A storm brewed within his heart. After all, this person had even killed an expert like Han Feng who had half a foot in the Dou Zong class back then. His return would undoubtedly bring a lot of pressure on the Demon Flame Valley.

This thought churned within Xie Zhen’s heart as an intention to withdraw gradually surfaced with it. Back then, Xiao Yan was able to kill an expert like Han Feng. Now that two years had passed, it was likely that his strength was even more terrifying. It was likely that he would have difficulty stopping Xiao Yan by himself.

Xie Zhen’s fighting intent swiftly dispersed when this thought appeared. His dark and cold eyes swept in all directions without leaving a trace. His feet suddenly stepped on a rock behind him as his body turned into a green figure that shot toward the group of students where Xiao Yu was located.

This action of Xie Zhen immediately stirred the fear of these students from the Jia Nan Academy. With their strength, there was a gap similar to that of a little chicken and an old eagle when facing the former. There was no point in even comparing.

Xie Zhen swiftly flashed over while everyone was panicking. However, when he was about to charge into the student group, a faintly black figure flashed and appeared in a ghost-like manner a short distance away. The enormous black ruler in his hand carried a hot wind and the sharp sound of rushing wind as it was hacked at the former’s head.

“This fellow... what frightening speed...”

Xie Zhen’s heart sank when he saw this black figure appear a ghost. His body suddenly twisted and he turned around. After which, he rushed toward the valley’s entrance. He sternly cried out to the people from the Demon Flame Valley while he fled, “Attack, kill all of them!”

The two expert Dou Wangs were startled when they heard Xie Zhen’s stern cry. They immediately faced each other, clenched their teeth and took out their weapons. After which, they emitted a low cry as they led the many black figures to rush angrily at Xiao Yan.

“All of you should step back.”

Xiao Yan turned his head and spoke faintly to Xiao Yu and the others behind him as he watched these black-clothed people charging over.

Xiao Yu did not hesitate after hearing this. She waved her hand and made everyone hurriedly move back.

A bright-silver glow suddenly erupted under Xiao Yan’s feet after he saw Xiao Yu and the others move back. His body immediately trembled and numerous afterimages suddenly appeared in the valley. His body transformed into a blurry black line. In an instant, he appeared in front of an expert Dou Wang.

The sudden appearance of Xiao Yan caused the expression of that Dou Wang to change. However, his reaction was still quite quick. Without thinking, the sharp longsword in his hand carried a dense forceful wind as it pierced toward Xiao Yan’s throat.

“Clang!”

Xiao Yan’s eyes were indifferent as he watched this expert Dou Wang, who dared to take the initiative to attack. A cold smile was lifted on the corner of his mouth. His heavy ruler was violently swung and eventually collided with that longsword. One could only hear a clear sound as that longsword broke apart like a weak wooden twig. A majestic force poured out and finally entered the body of that expert Dou Wang.

“Grug!”

Fresh blood was wildly spat out. During this time, the clear sound of bones being broken rang out. That expert Dou Wang from the Demon Flame Valley immediately flew back before striking the mountain wall with his head. A ‘bang’ sounded and his head burst apart like watermelon.

One strike!

In merely one strike, an expert Dou Wang ended up losing his life in this place. This shocking scene caused cold air to climb from the remaining expert Dou Wang’s feet to his head. He did not even hesitate a little. The Dou Qi wings on his back were swiftly extended as he charged into the sky. His body turned and fled.

However, the temperature around his body suddenly soared when he had just turned his body. Immediately, a wisp of jade-green flame flashed and appeared. Finally, it transformed into a fierce flame that completely wrapped around him.

“Ah!”

A fierce flame immediately burned the body of that fleeing Dou Wang in the sky. A sharp miserable scream reverberated in the valley, causing a chill to run over the bodies of those black-clothed people.

The miserable cry merely lasted for a moment before it stopped. Soon after something resembling black charcoal fell from the sky. It was still vaguely emitting a charred smell.

The black charcoal item fell in front of those dozens of black-clothed people. These elites of the Demon Flame Valley, whose hands would not even feel numb when killing people, involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of saliva at this moment. Their eyes were horrified as they stared at Xiao Yan a short distance away. They immediately looked at each other and chose to flee together without even coming to an agreement. When faced with an expert of such a level, they would only end up being nothing but a sacrifice if they charged forward.

Xiao Yan’s indifferent gaze moved over the black-clothed people who swiftly retreated. A cluster of invisible flame appeared in front of him, and an invisible fluctuation immediately spread out.

“Bang! Bang!”

When the invisible fluctuation spread, Xiao Yu and the others watched with stunned expressions as those black-clothed people’s bodies strangely exploded into a cluster of ashes. The numerous low, muffled sounds caused goosebumps to stand erect on their bodies. This kind of mysterious and unusual killing method was something that they had never even heard of.

The repeated sounds of explosions resounded over the mountain valley, Around half a minute later, the dozens of fleeing black-clothed people turned into clusters of dark-black ashes on the ground...

The invisible flame in front of Xiao Yan slowly disappeared after the body of the final black-clothed person burst apart. That strange fluctuation also vanished...

Xiao Yan gently glanced at the black-colored ashes all over the ground. He patted his hands before his finger flicked the Heavy Xuan Ruler to place it inside his Storage Ring. After which, he turned his head and smiled to Wu Hao’s stunned group.

The coldness that covered Xiao Yu’s body disappeared when she saw the gentle smile on that familiar face. In an instant, the completely silent valley was once again filled with life. The young ladies who had escaped from a great disaster immediately gathered together and inquired about each other’s well-being. They also repeatedly threw their gazes in the direction of Xiao Yan. Those silvery-bell-like laughs and unusual gazes were shot over during this period of time.

Clearly, these flower-like young ladies possessed great interest for Xiao Yan. A great hero who had appeared out of nowhere and left behind many achievements within the Jia Nan Academy.

“That fellow has fled...” Wu Hao helplessly shook his head in the face of the chirping noises around him before he spoke to Xiao Yan. During the time that Xiao Yan was blocked by those people from the Demon Flame Valley, Xie Zhen had taken the opportunity of the chaos to flee from the valley.

“He cannot run away...” Xiao Yan laughed before immediately inquiring about Wu Hao’s health, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, with your medicinal pill, I should be able to completely recover after resting for a couple of days.” Wu Hao laughed as he replied.

“Elder Wu, are all of you alright?” Three human figures rushed down from the sky. One was Zi Yan holding Mai Di and Mo Ling as she flew down from above the valley.

Wu Hao shook his head. His gaze was immediately thrown to Zi Yan as he involuntarily laughed, “It is unexpected that you have also brought her back. First Elder has frequently talked about her...”

“Chi, what is that old fellow talking about me for? He is definitely thinking of asking me to do hard labor and get me to search for medicinal ingredients all over the mountains...” Zi Yan curled her mouth and spoke after hearing this.

Wu Hao could only smile in embarrassment when he heard her speak in this matter. He was naturally also aware of Zi Yan identity. If they were to talk about seniority, Zi Yan could be considered his senior’s senior. Hence, he naturally did not dare to have much objection to Zi Yan rolling her eyes.

“Your current strength... has likely broken through to the Dou Huang class right?” Wu Hao’s eyes swept over Xiao Yan’s body and involuntarily spoke after some brief hesitation.

The surrounding gazes were immediately thrown over when they heard Wu Hao’s words. Quite a number of people gently inhaled a cool breath of air when they saw Xiao Yan smile and nod. Dou Huang... that class was a level they were striving for. However, this Xiao Yan, who was not much older than then, had already achieved it. This caused them to be extremely envious.

Mo Ling and a couple of good friends were gathered together. Her watery eyes would occasionally shoot to Xiao Yan, whose face was covered by a slight smile. It must be said that the current Xiao Yan possessed quite a big attraction to these young ladies. Compared to him, the most renowned people within the academy seemed to have completely paled. There was no room for comparison between the two.

A ray of light suddenly appeared in the valley while everyone was softly conversing. Finally, it appeared in the sky from nowhere. A delicate hand was tossed and a human figure fell down. Finally, that figure heavily smashed into a spot not far from everyone.

The human figure that had suddenly landed caused quite a number of people to be shocked. Their gazes glanced over only to be stunned to realize that the human figures on the ground was actually Xie Zhen who had fled earlier. However, the latter was currently completely void of life. His face contained a strange grayish-purple color. It seemed that he had died from poison...

Shocked gazes remained on Xie Zhen’s corpse on the ground for a long while. Everyone gazes were suddenly lifted. Immediately, they saw a white-clothed lady that stood in the empty sky.

The white-clothed lady moved her feet softly under the shocked gazes of everyone. She slowly walked down through the empty air and revealed a warm smile to Xiao Yan. However, the words that she spoke caused quite a number of people to shiver as if they were cold.

“Sorry, originally, I was planning to capture him alive. It was unexpected that this fellow had such a low resistance to poison. He died immediately from the poison attacking his heart...”

Wu Hao wiped cold sweat off his face as he looked at the pretty face of the Little Fairy Doctor, which contained a smile. His heart immediately muttered why was it that the women who followed beside this fellow were so strong? Moreover, their tactics... were also this vicious.

Xiao Yan faintly nodded. He glanced at the corpse on the ground before slightly frowning. He looked at Wu Hao’s group and asked while deep in thought.

“Just what is this Demon Flame Valley faction?”