Chapter 9: Xiao Yan: Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West of the River!

The Imperial Capital of the Jia Ma Empire.

The Xiao Family's new manor.

Compared to the celebrations on the Yun Lan Sect, this place seemed shrouded in a layer of heavy gloom, so oppressive it made one unable to catch their breath.

Xiao Ding sat in a wheelchair, gritting his teeth tightly, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

The veins on the backs of his hands bulged out one by one!

He had just learned of Yun Yi's terrifying strength from Xiao Yan's mouth, and his heart was filled with resentment and unwillingness.

If Yun Yi was truly this powerful, how exactly was the Xiao Family's blood feud to be avenged!!

Thinking of this, a trace of pain and confusion flashed through Xiao Ding's eyes.

At this time, among those people Xiao Yan had invited from the Hei Jiao Yu, quite a few had already left without a word, departing in haste.

They had witnessed Yun Yi's terror and were unwilling to risk following the Xiao Family any longer.

Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and several others also came before Xiao Yan, their faces showing difficulty. "Xiao Yan..."

Lin Xiuya frowned slightly, speaking with a trace of apology, "We also plan to take our leave."

"It's not that we don't want to help you, but with the current situation, even if we stay, we probably won't be of much help."

Liu Qing nodded helplessly at the side, his face full of regret.

Although Xiao Yan felt lost in his heart, he still understood their decision.

He forced out a trace of a smile with great difficulty, looking at Lin Xiuya.

"I understand. That you could come along, I, Xiao Yan, am already grateful beyond measure."

At this moment, Xiao Yan's eyes revealed a trace of desolation.

Of the three great families of the Imperial Capital, now only the people of the Mittel Family and the Mu Family had followed over.

The Nalan Family seemed intent on drawing a clear line with the Xiao Family; their gates were tightly shut, refusing any of their people to visit.

It could be said that those still by his side now were all people who truly wished Xiao Yan well.

Xiao Yan looked at the crowd before him, his heart filled with gratitude.

He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "Thank you all for supporting me, for helping me."

"But heaven has unpredictable winds and clouds; our alliance, let it dissolve here."

"With such a strongman appearing in the Yun Lan Sect, I don't want to implicate everyone because of my own affairs."

"Everyone also has their own lives and families to look after; let's just disperse..."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, another portion of people cupped their fists at him and left.

With every person's departure, Xiao Yan's heart ached once.

"Xiao Yan, the Northwest Continent is still too small. When you have time, go to Zhongzhou!"

Lin Xiuya patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and said earnestly, "Perhaps in Zhongzhou, you can find opportunity; in the future, you might have a chance to reach Dou Zun!"

"Thank you for the auspicious words. In the future, I, Xiao Yan, will go to Zhongzhou to see you all..."

Xiao Yan gripped Lin Xiuya's hand in return, his gaze very sincere.

"Good, we'll wait for you."

Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and the others exchanged a glance, then turned and left.

"Zi Yan, you're not leaving?"

Xiao Yan knew Zi Yan wanted to find her clansmen, which would inevitably also require going to Zhongzhou.

"I'm not leaving."

Zi Yan shook her head, her hands on her hips, leaning against the doorframe, the corner of her mouth pouting slightly.

"Wherever you go, I'll go."

"What's so great about a Dou Zun? I, Zi Yan, will definitely be even more powerful than a Dou Zun in the future!"

Originally she still felt that failure was just failure; at worst, she'd come again next time.

She hadn't expected that the appearance of a single Yun Yi would directly cause the alliance Xiao Yan had painstakingly built to scatter.

This made a trace of indignation appear in her heart as well.

Hearing Zi Yan's words, the remaining people all smiled; not many took it seriously.

Besides Zi Yan, Hai Lao and Mu Chen and others also chose to stay.

Their roots were here.

Until the very last step, it is hard to make the decision to leave one's hometown.

Mu Chen sighed at the side; seeing Xiao Yan's desolate expression, he could only speak to comfort him.

"Xiao Yan, rest assured, I will definitely keep supporting you."

"The current problem is just what to do about that Yun Yi of the Yun Lan Sect. What if he..."

"I actually feel that as long as we don't provoke the Yun Lan Sect from now on, that Yun Yi won't make a move against us!" Hai Bodong stroked his chin, speaking pensively.

These words made sense; everyone nodded.

Because everyone knew in their hearts that if Yun Yi wanted to kill them, he could have killed them all back at the Yun Lan Sect.

"Don't be discouraged, kid. These years, your progress is no less than Yun Yi's back then."

"Perhaps after venturing out for a while, in the future you can surpass him!"

Hai Bodong patted Xiao Yan's shoulder. "At worst, we'll take revenge in a few years!"

The corner of Xiao Yan's mouth revealed a trace of a bitter smile; he knew everyone wanted to comfort him.

With his current cultivation base and methods, facing a One-Star Dou Zong required going all out to barely contend.

A Dou Zun strongman...

Right now, even if he exerted all his strength and exhausted every means, it was impossible to injure them in the slightest.

Right now, he wasn't too willing to stay in the Jia Ma Empire any longer.

Xiao Yan wanted to relocate his whole family to Hei Jiao Yu.

There, at least the Xiao Family still had Xiao Gate.

But if he could never surpass Yun Yi in this lifetime, he feared he could only die with regrets.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yan's heart felt as if it had been crushed by someone, so painful.

"Xiao Yanzi, you don't need to be too discouraged."

"Dou Zun, for you, is not impossible."

Yao Lao's voice rang out in Xiao Yan's mind.

"I... can I really do it?"

He hasn't even reached Dou Zong yet.

"Did you forget?" Yao Lao chuckled lightly, "I once was also a Dou Zun!"

Yao Lao's words were a great encouragement to Xiao Yan.

"As long as you devour more Heavenly Flames, you definitely can!"

"And it will be fast!"

One sentence made Xiao Yan, who had already been dejected, see hope again.

"Devour Heavenly Flames..."

"Fine, if you can't surpass him in ten years, then thirty years..." Nowadays, he knew he had only one goal: to defeat Yun Yi, the great mountain standing before him!

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully the young and poor!!!"

Meanwhile, inside Yun Lan Sect.

Yun Shan and Yun Yi, the two master brothers, finally dispersed from their drinking party.

Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran accompanied Yun Yi as they walked toward the back mountain.

Not long after, they arrived before a quiet and secluded courtyard.

Along the way, Yun Yun's mood seemed especially relaxed.

She slightly raised her head, turned her face, tucked the stray hair by her ear, and looked at Yun Yi.

"Master, after you left back then, I was afraid the courtyard would be desolate, so I moved over."

"Ancestral Master, Master cleans the courtyard several times every day!" Nalan Yanran laughed, rushing ahead to push open the courtyard gate.

Looking at this courtyard that had hardly changed in nearly thirty years, Yun Yi was somewhat surprised.

But as soon as he walked into the courtyard, he found that many portraits were hung here.

And the people in the portraits seemed to be... himself.

Nalan Yanran covered her mouth and giggled on the side, "Ancestral Master, these were all painted by Master herself."

Hearing this, Yun Yun's cheeks instantly flushed a faint red.

She slightly lowered her head and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Over these many years, I've always missed Master, so I couldn't help but paint some portraits."

"These are all Master's longing for Ancestral Master~~"

Nalan Yanran's laughter couldn't be covered anymore.

This laughter made Yun Yun's pretty face even redder, but she only glared at Nalan Yanran without refuting.

Hearing this, Yun Yi's corner of mouth slightly rose, and a warm current surged in his heart.

It seems that over these twenty-plus years, I am still missed by people.

But this painting is too ugly, isn't it!

(Chapter End)