Chapter 487

Xiao Yan stared in shock at the leader, and Yun Yun naturally noticed Xiao Yan too; her gentle, water-like eyes stirred slightly as they gazed at each other across the distance.

Yun Yun had changed little since before; petals drifted in threads from the space wormhole, swirling with the wind around her, her figure swaying gracefully, her flower-like beauty and moon-like grace laid bare in her mature allure.

At the sight of Xiao Yan, Yun Yun's eyes held a softness and unique charm, as if recalling, as if missing, as if greeting.

Looking at Yun Yun—still as beautifully captivating and elegant as ever, radiating noble grace—Xiao Yan momentarily forgot the Ancient Ruins had opened. Especially her water-like gentleness, which made her beauty even more radiant and her charm even greater.

Yun Yun had always been gentle, especially when she revealed that water-like softness—someone who drew affection and brought comfort.

At this moment, Yun Yun looked helplessly at Nalan Yanran beside her, clearly understanding this was her disciple's little scheme.

When Yun Yun glanced at Nalan Yanran beside her, Xiao Yan finally noticed: oh, so you're here too.

"Hmph, so that's your little lover—I wondered why you and your master suddenly claimed you needed a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique." Suddenly, a woman dressed in He Huan Sect attire glanced at Xiao Yan, then gave Yun Yun a cold smile—as if to say, I've seen through your little scheming act all along.

"But it doesn't matter—whoever he is, he won't be a match for my beloved." This woman was only a Four Star Dou Zun, but behind her stood two He Huan Sect Elders, both Five Star Dou Zuns; the He Huan Sect was indeed one of the Two Sects, and its strength was no weakling's.

Hearing the woman's words, Xiao Yan frowned, immediately sensing Yun Yun was in trouble.

Xiao Yan was about to step forward and ask what had happened when he saw Nalan Yanran walking toward him, while Yun Yun and the He Huan Sect group swiftly flew toward the grand hall.

At once, Hai Bodong and the others noticed something was amiss. Yun Yun was the Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect—why had she suddenly aligned with the He Huan Sect? And Yun Yun hadn't appeared for a long time; only Nalan Yanran occasionally sent word back.

"Could we speak for a moment?" Nalan Yanran flew before Xiao Yan and asked.

Xiao Yan nodded, told Xiao Yixian and the others, then flew aside with Nalan Yanran—he had many questions too.

"What's going on? Why are you with the He Huan Sect?" Xiao Yan frowned and asked.

For the woman who had once been the noblest in the Jia Ma Empire and the first to share such tender, ambiguous moments with him, she had always carried considerable weight in Xiao Yan's heart.

Nalan Yanran wore a light green robe, not the Silver Moon Robe of Yun Lan Sect's Young Sect Master; this attire instead accentuated her alluring, curvaceous figure.

Hearing Xiao Yan's question, Nalan Yanran's beautiful face wore a look of helpless amusement, tinged with a bitter smile: "I knew you'd come to the Ancient Ruins, so I took the liberty of claiming we needed a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique to get my master to come with me."

"Uh, that's not important—get to the point." Xiao Yan waved his hand.

Nalan Yanran couldn't help but pout slightly, glancing at Xiao Yan with a glare, but continued: "Do you remember when we were at the Tian Shan Xue Chi? I told you then—my master once stumbled upon a strange, injured old woman in a cave within the He Huan Sect's territory, and she nursed her back to health and brought her meals?"

Xiao Yan's expression turned strange—something that couldn't happen even on Blue Star had occurred on the Dou Qi Continent.

Bringing meals and healing a stranger—only Yun Yun could think of such a thing. How bored and kind must one be to do that?

Xiao Yan nodded.

"Later, we learned the strange old woman's name was Hua Po Po. My master felt the old woman had little time left, lonely and destitute, so for years she searched for Elixirs to heal her and cared for her—but eventually, the eccentric old woman still reached the end of her life and passed away." Nalan Yanran sighed too; she'd always been by Yun Yun's side and knew this odd old woman well.

"And then?"

"And then…" Nalan Yanran's expression turned strange too: "Before she died, Hua Po Po used the He Huan Sect's top Secret Technique—Transfer Flower and Graft Wood—to transfer her entire Nine-Star Peak Dou Zun cultivation energy into my master, and gave her a Jade Token to become the new Sect Master of the He Huan Sect."

"Huh????"

Xiao Yan was stunned, mouth agape as if he could stuff a duck egg inside, eyes bulging wide!

This twist is insane!

Seeing Xiao Yan's dumbfounded, comical expression, Nalan Yanran covered her mouth and giggled, then continued: "It's bizarre, right? But it happened."

"I…" Xiao Yan was at a loss for words—this was even more absurd than when he joined the Soul Palace!

He just wanted to say: awesome.

In all his years traveling the Dou Qi Continent, Xiao Yan had never encountered such a thing—an ultimate expert transferring their lifetime's power to someone before dying.

And Dou Qi itself can't be directly transferred—yet the He Huan Sect possessed such a Secret Technique.

But then he thought again—he didn't envy Yun Yun, because among all the people he knew, only Yun Yun could possibly receive such a fortune.

Because only she was truly kind; when he first met her, he'd been astonished by her gentle kindness.

When Yun Lan Sect suffered its great disaster and many disciples died, she, a Dou Huang, personally visited every household to apologize, blaming herself as Sect Master for failing to protect them.

Xiao Yan couldn't understand it—he always believed cultivators lived and died by fate, wealth and status determined by heaven, and it wasn't something she could have prevented.

Yet precisely this "foolish" thing, she did. And now, again—there was probably no second person on the entire Dou Qi Continent who would do such a thing.

Precisely because of this kindness, she had utterly moved the eccentric old woman, earning this Good Fortune.

"Do kind people truly receive good rewards?" Xiao Yan couldn't help but sigh—this wasn't fortune, it was Good Fortune, something Xiao Yan could never obtain.

It wasn't that Yun Yun was lucky—it was inevitable she would receive such Good Fortune. As long as she remained kind, encountering it was merely a matter of time.

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Nalan Yanran nodded; her master was unique—truly kind, truly gentle—something she could never learn in her lifetime.

"Naturally, my master was deeply troubled by this sudden turn of events. After properly burying Hua Po Po, she took the Jade Token to the He Huan Sect, intending to return it—after all, she was the Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect, and couldn't possibly become the He Huan Sect's Sect Master." Nalan Yanran sighed: "Everything was going fine—until we discovered the current He Huan Sect Sect Master, Hua Jin—the very woman who just mocked my master. She claimed Hua Po Po's Dou Qi rightfully belonged to the He Huan Sect, and forced my master to transfer all her inner energy to her."

At this, Nalan Yanran's cheeks flushed with anger—clearly furious at this woman who had gone too far.

Not just Nalan Yanran—Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly; this clearly crossed his line.

"How could my master possibly refine such a massive amount of Dou Qi in such a short time?" Nalan Yanran gave a bitter laugh: "Now the Flame Sealing has merged into her body—if we try to extract it, it will kill her. That wicked woman clearly wants to take my master's life."

"But fortunately, it seems Hua Po Po had arranged something beforehand, so many Elders stand by my master's side—this woman dares not forcibly seize the energy, but has set a challenge: to duel my master."

"A duel would be fair enough—but the He Huan Sect has a strange rule: a man and woman may fight together. That means this woman can team up with a Six Star Dou Zun called Yao Hua Xie Jun." Nalan Yanran sighed.

"Fight together?" Xiao Yan frowned slightly. A Four Star Dou Zun and a Six Star Dou Zun teaming up? That was truly unfair.

Then Xiao Yan felt something odd: "Isn't the He Huan Sect supposed to be an all-female sect? Why are they transferring Dou Qi and allowing male-female duos? This… feels a bit like the He Huan Sect from novels—with Cauldrons and all that?"

But Xiao Yan didn't dwell on it—he figured it was just coincidence.

"Since it's male-female pairing, has your master found someone?" Xiao Yan glanced at Nalan Yanran, clearly hoping to get some "information" from her.

Nalan Yanran wasn't a child—she knew Xiao Yan's little thoughts. She muttered unhappily: "No way. My master was always caring for Hua Po Po—how could she have had a chance to meet any men?"

"Master Gu He once pursued my master, but…" Nalan Yanran gave Xiao Yan a strange look—her gaze said everything.

You drove him away.

"Cough." Xiao Yan awkwardly rubbed his nose: "As fellow members of the Yan Alliance, we should help each other and stand united against enemies. Don't worry—I'll handle it."

Seeing Xiao Yan's awkward expression, yet secretly pleased at hearing no man was near Yun Yun, Nalan Yanran's heart was a mix of emotions—some envy, some frustration.

After all, this man was the one she secretly loved.

"How long until the challenge?" Xiao Yan asked.

"Another three or four months, maybe. Don't you dare wait until the last minute—come as early as you can!" Nalan Yanran knew Xiao Yan's bad habit.

Xiao Yan fell silent for a moment, then said, "Fine, fine, fine. After I finish this Ancient Ruins, I'll go straight to the Flower Sect and stay there, alright?"

Xiao Yan sized up Nalan Yanran and said, "How come your Cultivation Realm is only Six Star Dou Zong? You're even slower than Hai Lao."

Judging by these past two years, Nalan Yanran must've been living a hard life—probably only got one major opportunity in the Tian Shan Xue Tan, and nothing else worth mentioning the rest of the time.

Yun Yun really is a good woman, but when it comes to teaching disciples, she'd starve them to death.

"Forget it. For the sake of Uncle Nalan, I'll lend you a hand. Stick with us for now—see if you can find something good."

"I don't need your help—I can manage on my own!" Nalan Yanran turned her head away, pouting, but a faint, almost imperceptible smile curled at her lips, her heart fluttering like a startled deer.

Xiao Yan waved his hand dismissively and ignored her, as if paying to watch a video and unlock the annual event.

Seeing Nalan Yanran trailing behind Xiao Yan, the Lord of Heavenly Flame and the others had no objections—Nalan Yanran had always been part of the Yan Alliance. If they knew these two master and disciple had already expanded the Yan Alliance's territory all the way to the Flower Sect, their expressions would've been priceless.

Hai Bodong lifted his head, stood tall, and gazed calmly at Nalan Yanran with the tone of a Senior Brother: "Nan Lan Clan girl, hmm—Six Star Dou Zong is already impressive. Keep pushing in your Cultivation, and you might surpass this old man."

At this moment, the entire Hai Gu Shan Mai had long since emptied out—from once teeming with beasts, now utterly deserted, everyone having rushed toward the grand hall.

Gazing at the Flame Passage before him, Xiao Yan's Heavenly Realm Soul swept across it. Facing the first defense created by a Dou Saint, his eyes showed no joy, no sorrow—he simply murmured, "Boring."

With a flick of his fingers, a pale-white flame shot out with a hiss, striking the Flame Passage. The moment the Bone Spirit Cold Fire touched the flames, a sharp crack echoed—and every flame along the corridor froze solid.

Both the flames and the Sealing Array were completely frozen. A hidden true passage beneath the corridor now revealed itself before Xiao Yan and the others.

With Xiao Yan's current strength, this first trial posed zero difficulty.

Seeing Xiao Yan shatter the Flame Passage outright with raw power and Bone Spirit Cold Fire, those blocked outside were left gaping in shock.

"Who is that?!"

"You don't recognize Xiao Yan of the Yan Alliance? Are you from another planet?"

Nalan Yanran beside Xiao Yan was also stunned—she'd guessed his strength had grown, but never imagined it had surged to this level!

Only two years had passed since they parted at the Tian Shan Xue Tan—how had his power skyrocketed so fast?!

With the flames gone, the Lion King surged forward like a breaking dam. Traps meant nothing—every trap was instantly frozen by Xiao Yan's Bone Spirit Cold Fire.

Xiao Yan's group, who had fallen far behind, suddenly overtook everyone!

With no flames or traps to hinder them, the Lion King's speed carried them through the hall to the grand hall in under a minute, arriving at a vast Guang Chang.

Already present on the Guang Chang were many who had arrived first—mostly the earliest rushers, including the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, the Nine Underworld Dark Python Clan, and Yun Yun's Flower Sect.

Seeing Yun Yun's relieved expression, Xiao Yan sighed helplessly—you still have time to worry about others, yet you don't even worry enough about yourself.

I'm a Five Star Dou Zun. You're barely One Star!

Xiao Yan knew now wasn't the time to speak with Yun Yun—he had other matters to handle first.

The moment Xiao Yan stepped onto the Guang Chang, his gaze locked onto the far end: a massive Stone Gate. Before it stood ten figures, rigid as spears, unmoved for ten thousand years. Their skin gleamed brilliant silver, their eyes hollow, faces expressionless—like ancient corpses.

"Those puppets resemble yours a bit," Xiao Yixian whispered beside him.

"Not Tian Yao Kui. Though both are puppets, their crafting methods differ," Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, a faint smile forming on his lips. "Perhaps the Ruins of the Sage Emperor hold a higher-level Secret Technique for puppet crafting."

Xiao Yan had originally planned to give Xing Tian a boost—looks like the Xuan Huang Flame still has some use after all!

"Beyond this Stone Gate lies the true Ruins," Xiao Yixian murmured, gazing at the heavy gate.

"Mm. But the gate is sealed, with faint Space fluctuations—clearly it can't be opened by brute force. If so, the key must lie with these ten puppets," Xiao Yan nodded slightly, scanning the crowd. Most were staring at the puppets, clearly realizing the same.

Soon, a One Star Dou Zun hermit could no longer hold back.

"Ten puppets at Dou Zong Peak? You think they can stop me?" The old man's feet shimmered with silver light; he thrust out a palm and shoved back three puppets, unable to suppress a grin.

Clearly, the gap between Dou Zong Peak and Dou Zun couldn't be bridged by sheer numbers.

"That old fool's in for trouble," Xiao Yan chuckled, as if he'd seen it all along.

No sooner had he spoken than silver light flared—ten silver puppets suddenly activated a silver Array, its ends linked. A strange energy surged through the Array, stacking and concentrating on the lead puppet.

A hum rang out—a golden light erupted. Brilliant and blinding, the lead puppet evolved from an Earth Demon Puppet into a Tian Yao Kui—and its power surged to Two Star Dou Zun!

With a thunderous boom, the old man was caught off guard. The Two Star Dou Zun Tian Yao Kui punched forward, creating a sonic boom that shattered Space. The old man, experienced as he was, hastily retreated to absorb the force—but still spat blood, staggering backward in shock.

The old man scrambled back beyond the Guang Chang. Only then did the Array on the puppets slowly fade, everything returning to its original state.

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, a look of hunger crossing his face. The ten puppets themselves meant little—he could craft them given time. But the Array on them? That sparked his interest.

With a boom, Xiao Yan stepped into Space, thunder erupting beneath his feet. His speed became lightning—he appeared instantly before the puppets.

Seeing Xiao Yan's Three Thousand Thunder Steps, Lei Dong's eyes flashed with coldness. The two sides had already torn the mask off—nothing left to say. Worse, the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, because of the Yan Alliance, planned to relocate to the Shou Yu. How could Lei Dong not hate Xiao Yan?

A hum rang out—the puppet Array activated again. The golden puppet stomped the ground and instantly appeared before Xiao Yan, its golden fist slamming down.

Feeling the weight of the punch, Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. Slowly, he raised his hand, fingers spread, catching the fist with a single palm.

"Five Star Dou Zun?!!!"

(End of Chapter)