Chapter 4: Langya Pavilion of the Central Plains

"Just execute the plan as you originally intended," Xiao Han said. "Where were you planning to retreat to in the first place?"

"Wutan City," Xiao Zhan added, worried that Xiao Han might not be familiar with it. "It is an extremely remote little city. The forces within it are of average strength, which fits the requirements perfectly."

"Very good. Also, after Xiao Lin wakes up, do not let word out that he is still alive. Tell him to conceal his identity," Xiao Han instructed. "You all prepare yourselves first; wait for my return."

"Yes."

Seeing the members of the Xiao Clan filled with fighting spirit, Xiao Han left with satisfaction.

The intelligence Xiao Han shared today was partly what he had investigated himself, and partly what he had already known.

Stating it this way was meant to bring them enough pressure to broaden their horizons, so they wouldn't just make a fuss in this tiny patch of land.

Above the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Han spread out his Soul Power, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Found you!"

Suddenly, space distorted, and Xiao Han stepped inside.

He had come here for no other reason than to find the overlord of this mountain range—the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King.

At this moment, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was only a Sixth-Tier intermediate Magic Beast, lazily basking in the sun in front of its cave.

"What a cozy life," the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King sighed. In its long beastly life, besides fighting, basking in the sun was one of its few pleasures.

Suddenly, a man in white stepped out of the space in front of it.

"Hello there!"

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King jumped up abruptly, trembling all over. "I did not know a senior was gracing me with their presence. What instructions do you have? I, Old Zi, will certainly tell you everything I know, hold nothing back, and I am willing to serve as a beast of burden without hesitation..."

Xiao Han's mouth twitched. It was actually this cowardly!

It was no wonder the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was so submissive; the bloodline inheritance of the person before it told it that if it encountered such a being, it should bow down immediately, not run away, and certainly not resist.

Forget it, Xiao Han gave up.

"I've come to ask you for a favor..."

"No problem! Senior, just give the order. I, Old Zi, will have absolutely no objections," it said, while using its claw to pat its chest in assurance.

"..."

"As compensation, I..."

"No compensation needed! It is an honor to do things for a senior; how could I accept a reward?" the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King hurriedly stopped him.

Damn it, you're trying to test me! Good thing I'm smart and witty!

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King laughed triumphantly in its heart.

Looking at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's slightly sleazy smile, Xiao Han had no idea what it was imagining.

He simply stated his price: "One Transformation Pill."

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was suddenly conflicted. On one hand, it worried this was a test, and if it agreed, the powerhouse before it might just take its magic core; on the other hand, it desperately needed this pill...

For a moment, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King fell into a struggle, glancing at Xiao Han from time to time.

Xiao Han couldn't take it anymore. With a flick of his hand, a jade bottle appeared before the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King.

"Take it quickly, stop dawdling!"

The Lion King was overjoyed. "Yes."

It opened it to take a look and felt it. "It's correct."

Only then did it remember there was still a big shot here, and it said respectfully, "Senior, what are your instructions?"

A contract appeared before the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King. At first, its expression turned solemn, thinking this person wanted to make it his slave.

When it finished reading the entire content, it happily signed it immediately.

There was no other reason; the content of this contract was practically a windfall.

All it had to do was provide a large amount of Medicinal Herb regularly and secretly arrange for Magic Beasts to protect some humans.

For it, being the boss of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, this was just a matter of moving its lips.

Not only could it obtain an Earth Tier Cultivation Method, but it could also receive Medicinal Pill from time to time.

It even got to latch onto a top-tier powerhouse just like that.

It had thought today would be a disaster, but it turned out to be a stroke of fortune. What a bonanza.

But after signing, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King reacted and asked cautiously, "Dare I ask, Senior, why offer such good terms? Even if you had just forced me..."

"You don't need to worry about that. Just do as the contract says." Before it could finish, Xiao Han interrupted.

Just as the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King said, with Xiao Han's strength, he could have completely forced the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King to sign a master-servant contract instead of this cooperation-like one.

He could have achieved his goal all the same. But this involved Xiao Han's principles of conduct.

Perhaps because his strength grew too quickly, Xiao Han had never worried about cultivation resources, and his Cultivation Method and Dou Technique were always maxed out.

Although there were hardships along his path of growth, it was mostly smooth sailing.

Having not suffered too much from the harshness of society, Xiao Han's way of dealing with people leaned more towards his previous life.

Under normal circumstances, he practiced equal exchange and would never use his cultivation to suppress others or bully the weak.

Of course, excluding those who maliciously provoked him. For those people, Xiao Han would show them why the flowers are so red.

In the survival-of-the-fittest Dou Qi Continent, this was simply a breath of fresh air.

It was precisely because of Xiao Han's style that his reputation on the continent had always been good. Others were basically happy to be on good terms with him.

"Afterwards, wait for me to send you a message, and then the transaction will begin."

"Yes."

After resolving the matters in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Han prepared to return to his own force—the Langya Pavilion in the Central Plains.

Thinking of the figure waiting for him at the Langya Pavilion, Xiao Han couldn't help but show a smile.

Central Plains, Langya Pavilion.

As a force founded by the former rogue cultivator and Peak Dou Venerate Bing Zunzhe, the Langya Pavilion has always been the top choice for rogue cultivators looking to join a faction.

Bing Zunzhe possessed immense strength, yet he never bullied the weak, and he even held his own Disciples to strict standards.

Precisely because of this, the Langya Pavilion enjoys an excellent reputation within the Central Plains. At the same time, compared to the internal factional strife and infighting of many other forces,

the atmosphere of the Langya Pavilion is relatively harmonious; although there is competition, it is mostly healthy, which has attracted many powerhouses hoping to enjoy their later years in peace.

Although the disappearance of the Pavilion Master of the Langya Pavilion, Bing Zunzhe, a hundred years ago caused the force to suffer great losses, they managed to preserve this foundation through the efforts of the various guest elders and the Disciples of the Langya Pavilion.

Recently, however, the people of the Langya Pavilion have been very excited—for no other reason than that their Pavilion Master, Bing Zunzhe, is about to return.

"Hurry up, work hard, set it up a bit neater..."

"A bit more to that side, yes, yes, yes..."

"I'm telling you all, the Pavilion Master is about to return, so the welcome ceremony must be well prepared; no slacking off."

"Did you hear me?" one of the young Disciples was directing a group of junior brothers and sisters to decorate the facade and arrange the venue.

"Yes!"

Years of suppression were all released during this period.

The Elders, who usually wore gloomy expressions, were all smiling happily at this moment.

And now, many Elders were craning their necks in anticipation, their expectations mixed with a hint of anxiety.

At the very front stood a beautiful woman wearing a ru-skirt, with an elegant temperament and a joyful expression on her face. She was none other than the Vice Pavilion Master of the Langya Pavilion, Yi Huang, a Five-Star Dou Zun.

"Vice Pavilion Master, the Pavilion Master is arriving today, right?" The one asking was the Great Elder of the Langya Pavilion, Ye Jianxin—the sworn brother of Bing Zunzhe and an Eight-Star Dou Zun.

She glanced at him, "Rest assured, I said it would be today.

Lao Ye, you've asked me more than ten times in the last half-day; are you that anxious?"

Hearing this, Ye Jianxin said, "How can I not be anxious? He has been missing for a hundred years."

"Don't worry, he said he was just trapped in a secret realm; isn't that quite common?" As she spoke, a slight blush appeared on Yi Huang's face, and she said mysteriously,

"Besides, he said there is a surprise waiting for us, too."

"Oh?" This made Ye Jianxin look forward to it; for no other reason than that this guy Xiao Han never disappointed anyone.

"Are you two finally going to tie the knot?" Seeing the look of joy on Yi Huang's face, Ye Jianxin teased her.

As Xiao Han's brother, he was incredibly anxious about the situation between Yi Huang and Xiao Han.

His own children were already Dou Wangs, yet his brother was still a bachelor; how could he not be anxious?

Especially that blockhead Xiao Han, who just wouldn't open his heart. Yi Huang was also deeply devoted to Xiao Han, hanging herself on one crooked tree.

She had even guarded the Langya Pavilion for him for a hundred years without the slightest bit of news.

As one of the only two people who knew Xiao Han's secret, he also understood the misgivings in Xiao Han's heart.

But if there were still no result after all this, Ye Jianxin might disregard their brotherhood and draw his sword to hack him.