Leaving the Mitel Auction House, Xiao Yan stood at the crowded intersection of the bustling streets, gazing at this city where he had spent over a decade. After a long moment, he let out a lonely, wistful sigh, then clenched his fists tight, as if steeling himself, and whispered softly, "The world out there... will surely be even more magnificent..." With that, Xiao Yan smiled, shaking off the melancholy in his heart. He took a step forward, merged into the crowd, and swiftly vanished from sight.
After gathering all his supplies, Xiao Yan spent the remaining two days in leisure, settling his mind to savor the fleeting moments of peace. It seemed Yao Lao understood his state of mind, for the old man refrained from interrupting, leaving Xiao Yan to arrange his time as he pleased.
Xiao Yan's quietness over the past two days did not go unnoticed by the sensitive Xun'er. Whenever she had nothing to do, the girl stayed close to him, her bright, watery eyes brimming with reluctance and deep attachment.
As for this little shadow, Xiao Yan could do nothing but comfort her gently in private, which managed to lift Xun'er's spirits just slightly.
Walking along the paths of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan stretched his lazy limbs. Today was the day to leave. He had just gone to see his father and told him of his plans.
Upon hearing that Xiao Yan would be setting out today, Xiao Zhan, though deeply reluctant to let him go, understood that his son's vision would not be confined to the small Wutan City. With his talent, only the boundless sky beyond could allow him to freely spread his wings.
The young eagle has grown—it is time to soar!
"Yan'er, if the opportunity arises in the future, you might visit Stone Desert City near the border of the Jia Ma Empire. Your eldest and second brothers are building their careers there. I hear they've established a mercenary group called 'Desert Iron' in recent years. By local standards, it's already a respectable force."
Recalling his father's words from the study earlier, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. After their coming-of-age ceremony, the two brothers had left to gain experience and make their way in the world. At the time, their father had not yet become the clan head. Over the past few years, whether due to the long distance or the demands of managing the mercenary group, they rarely returned to Wutan City. Still, the bonds of brotherhood from their youth gave Xiao Yan a measure of warmth whenever he thought of them.
"Xiao Yan." Turning the corner, a woman's gentle voice stopped Xiao Yan in his tracks. He raised his head to see the beautiful woman by the roadside and couldn't help but smile. "Instructor Ruolin? Why aren't you out recruiting?"
"I came back to pick up some things. Now I'm heading to get Xun'er."
The young man's words were met with a gentle smile from the youth. "Senior, could you leave me in peace for a moment?"
"Heh, sorry about that. I tend to talk too much. Didn't mean to bother you." The young man's smile faltered for a moment, then he nodded with a grin, turned, and walked back toward the tent.
"Heh heh, Lin Nan. What's this? Taken a fancy to her?" As he approached the tent, a teasing voice suddenly drifted out.
Lin Nan paused, glancing at the grinning Luo Bu. He leaned against the tent pole, raised his cup of water for a sip, and let his narrowed gaze settle on the slender figure of the girl bathed in the glow of the setting sun. A flicker of heat passed through his eyes. "Girls of this caliber are rare. Not many at the Academy can compare to her."
"But she doesn't seem interested in you." Luo Bu's tone was playful.
"Interest needs to be cultivated. There's plenty of time ahead—no need to rush," Lin Nan replied with a smile.
"She... seems quite close to that fellow named Xiao Yan." Luo Bu glanced at the girl not far away, his tone seemingly casual.
The gently swaying water cup stilled. Lin Nan's brow furrowed. "That guy really lasted twenty rounds against Instructor Ruolin?"
"It's true. You few were outside for the assessment that day, so you didn't see it. But we all witnessed it with our own eyes. Instructor Ruolin even used 'Water Mandala' in the end, but that guy still endured it." Recalling the battle that day, Luo Bu's face involuntarily flashed with a trace of shock, and he spoke in a low voice.
Lin Nan's grip tightened slightly. He drained the rest of his water in one gulp and said with a dismissive snort, "Even if it's true, I'm not going to give up on her because of that. Sure, his cultivation talent is impressive, but when it comes to winning a girl's heart, he's got a long way to go. Heh, and he's going to be separated from Xun'er for a whole year. That's a year I'll have plenty of time to make Xun'er's feelings for him fade..."
At this thought, Lin Nan felt a swell of confidence. As a seasoned charmer of women, he was quite certain of his ability to capture a maiden's heart.
"Xun'er." Just then, Instructor Ruolin rushed into the square, coming to a stop in front of the girl. After catching her breath, she said softly, "He's gone."
Xun'er's small hand trembled slightly. She was silent for a moment, then gave a faint nod.
"Xun'er, don't be sad. It's only a temporary separation." Seeing Xun'er's quiet composure, Instructor Ruolin sighed and offered her comfort.
"Mm." Xun'er nodded gently, then suddenly stood up. Under Instructor Ruolin's puzzled gaze, she walked toward the tent where Lin Nan and Luo Bu were.
The girl approached slowly and came to a stop before the two. Her delicate face betrayed no hint of emotion, but her bright, expressive eyes were fixed on Lin Nan as she said in a soft voice, "Senior, would you spar with Xun'er?"
"Uh..." Taken aback by Xun'er's request, Lin Nan froze for a moment before breaking into a smile. "If Senior Sister Xun'er wishes for a spar, I naturally won't refuse. I'll suppress my strength to match yours during the match."
Xun'er blinked her long eyelashes, said nothing more, and strode into the tent with a composed, unreadable expression.
"Hey, be careful. She's a six-star Dou Practitioner," Luo Bu warned with a grin as he watched the girl enter the tent.
"I broke through to seven stars two months ago." Lin Nan smiled faintly, gazing at the tent. "Seems like this might be a good start. Girls are always at their most vulnerable when they're hurting like this."
The corner of his mouth quirking upward, Lin Nan straightened his clothes. Then, under Luo Bu's envious gaze, he walked into the tent.
Standing outside the tent, Luo Bu waited for several minutes. Then the tent flap was lifted, and the girl with the indifferent expression slowly emerged.
"What..." Seeing that it was Xun'er who came out first, Luo Bu couldn't help but be taken aback. But one look at the girl's expression, and he didn't dare ask a single question.
The girl stood outside the tent, raising her delicate face to gaze at the setting sun. By now, the young man had probably already left the city, hadn't he?
Her small fingers brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. After a moment, Xun'er turned her head and said to Luo Bu in a quiet voice, "If I ever hear anyone speaking ill of Brother Xiao Yan again... I will kill."
Those bright, watery eyes fixed on him like a blade, and Luo Bu found not a trace of a smile could form on his face. A chill crept from the depths of his heart.
Withdrawing her gaze, Xun'er slowly walked out of the square.
After Xun'er had left, Instructor Ruolin and Luo Bu hastily pulled open the tent flap. Their bodies jolted.
Inside the tent, Lin Nan lay curled on the ground. His once handsome face was now swollen and bruised beyond recognition, looking hideous. Scattered around him on the ground were over a dozen bloodied teeth, lying here and there—a sight that was nothing short of ghastly...