Chapter 376: Read, but Replied Nonsensically
Under the guidance of Venerable Tianhuo, the group flew across the vast mountain range for nearly half an hour before gradually coming to a halt. The others behind him were slightly stunned as they looked around, only to discover that this was still a lush forest, with no buildings or peaks in sight. It looked entirely like an ordinary sea of trees.
"Interesting, there's actually a formation here!"
Zi Yan, the stunning woman with purple hair, was intrigued at this moment, her gaze sweeping around with a hint of curiosity.
Moments later, Zi Yan smiled faintly, then extended her slender jade finger and lightly traced a line through the air. A spatial gate glowing with purple light appeared.
"Found it, let's go!"
Zi Yan turned her head and said cheerfully to the group.
"Knew we could count on you!"
Xiao Yuan didn't hesitate to praise her, giving her a thumbs-up along with a bottle of seventh-grade pills.
"Hehehe!"
Seeing this, Zi Yan immediately let out a naive giggle, prompting Cai Lin nearby to shake her head.
Silly girl, probably the kind to get sold off someday and still help count the money!
"Come to think of it, this is actually my first time entering the Starfall Pavilion as the young pavilion master!"
Xiao Yuan sighed with a trace of emotion, then took the lead entering. The others followed closely behind.
As they stepped through the spatial gate, they felt a momentary blur before their surroundings transformed dramatically—as if the stars had shifted. What was once an endless forest now featured a towering mountain, atop which faint silhouettes of buildings could be seen. Faintly, one could even hear the sounds of sparring and training.
"Screech!"
Shortly after they appeared in the sky, a group of over ten massive white cranes soared from the distant mountain peak. Standing atop the cranes were several human figures. The leading figure—a graceful figure in cyan—swiftly flew over and appeared before the group.
"Who are you people, and how did you get in?"
The girl looked young, dressed in cyan robes, with large, expressive eyes radiating innocence and charm. Her delicate face still carried a trace of youthful purity.
Upon hearing her, Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "You must be Mu Qingluan, Junior Sister Mu? I'm Xiao Yuan."
As he spoke, Xiao Yuan activated the same technique as Venerable Feng—the Windriding Art. A wave of green Dou Qi swept around him.
"You're... Senior Brother Xiao Yuan? Seriously?"
Mu Qingluan frowned, tilting her head as she eyed Xiao Yuan suspiciously.
"Heh, Elder Feng can confirm it for you."
Xiao Yuan didn't bother arguing further. He snapped his fingers, and an invisible spatial force spread out. His aura, that of a four-star Dou Zun, surged throughout the Starfall Pavilion.
Sensing the terrifying aura, one not any weaker than Elder Feng's, Mu Qingluan's eyes widened in disbelief.
Didn't the teacher say Senior Brother Xiao Yuan was a two-star Dou Zun? When did he become a four-star?
With an unfamiliar Dou Zun aura in their territory, many figures in the pavilion quickly gathered. The first to arrive, naturally, was Venerable Feng.
A gust of fierce wind swept through, and Venerable Feng's figure appeared before Xiao Yuan.
"Elder Feng, I got curious and sneaked in without telling you first. Hope you won't hold it against me?"
Xiao Yuan grinned as he spoke.
Venerable Feng was momentarily stunned but then replied, "Technically speaking, the Starfall Pavilion is built within a space formed by meteorite star force. Though it's not as vast as the artificial spaces created by Dou Shengs, its natural formation gives it exceptional concealment. Even Dou Zun powerhouses passing overhead would struggle to sense its presence—and yet, you just strolled in?"
"Hehe, well, I had help!"
Xiao Yuan's gaze turned toward Venerable Tianhuo and Zi Yan.
"I almost forgot—with Brother Tianhuo's abilities, spotting some clues wouldn't be too difficult!"
Venerable Feng smiled and cupped his hands toward Tianhuo.
"Haha, Brother Feng's place here is truly remarkable. Even I wouldn't be able to sneak in unnoticed without breaking the formation. But this kid's companions are truly extraordinary!"
Venerable Tianhuo chuckled in reply.
Having received some guidance from Tianhuo during his time at the Pill Tower, Venerable Feng had grown close with him and now addressed him as brother.
"Ugh."
Suddenly, Xiao Yuan frowned.
"What is it?"
Venerable Feng asked with concern.
"I just remembered something. Senior Tianhuo, please don't hit me."
Xiao Yuan's expression turned a little strange.
"I've never been to the Starfall Pavilion before, so I had Senior Tianhuo locate the formation, and Zi Yan brought us in. But…" He raised his hand and looked at the black storage ring on his finger. "Teacher, you just sat back and watched us struggle?"
As he finished, Yao Lao's figure emerged from the ring, laughter ringing out with it: "Didn't you look like you were having fun? I didn't want to ruin the mood!"
"Haha, this silly kid!"
Venerable Feng burst out laughing. Having always seen Xiao Yuan as sharp and calculating, this rare display of goofiness was surprisingly entertaining.
"Well, it's no big deal. Formations like this are rare even to me. Being able to witness one firsthand has been an eye-opener."
Venerable Tianhuo waved it off casually.
Meanwhile, Zi Yan, the little glutton, was still busy stuffing her face and ignoring everything else.
"Teacher."
Seeing that Venerable Feng had arrived and confirmed Xiao Yuan's group's identity, Mu Qingluan let out a sigh of relief and waved the white cranes to return.
"Mhm." Venerable Feng nodded with a smile and then gestured to Yao Lao. "Come, greet our Pavilion Master."
Mu Qingluan blinked in surprise. She looked at Yao Lao and suddenly realized he looked exactly like the ancestor in their sect's portrait. Instantly, she understood that Venerable Feng wasn't joking and quickly bowed. "Qingluan greets the Pavilion Master."
Yao Lao shook his head with a wry smile. "You old rascal, trying to embarrass me."
"You've always been the Pavilion Master of Starfall Pavilion. How could it be embarrassing?" Venerable Feng smiled and turned to Mu Qingluan, "With Venerable Yao here, you all are in for some blessings."
"Venerable Yao?"
Hearing that name, Mu Qingluan's heart trembled. Back in the day, Yao Chen's fame was unmatched in the Central Plains. She had heard Elder Feng mention him before, but never imagined she'd one day meet him in person.
"Enough with this old man's nonsense. We've been traveling for days. Let's take a rest. Go arrange accommodations."
Yao Lao waved his hand.
Yao Lao's return undoubtedly brought great excitement to Starfall Pavilion. Many disciples and elders, who only knew of him through legend, were filled with curiosity. For years, Venerable Feng had essentially built the Pavilion from scratch, but even so, he had always left the Pavilion Master's position vacant. He firmly believed that Yao Lao would return one day—and that seat had always been reserved for him.
Now, that day had finally come. The day after Xiao Yuan and his group arrived, Venerable Feng gathered all the disciples and officially announced the return of the Pavilion Master.
This news sent shockwaves through the Pavilion. While everyone had long regarded Venerable Feng as the de facto leader, the true return of their head felt unfamiliar. Fortunately, the unease didn't last long and was soon replaced by a strange excitement.
Even the younger disciples were familiar with the name Venerable Yao. The elders, of course, were overjoyed. They knew well just how famous Yao Chen had been on the Central Plains—perhaps even surpassing the three great heads of the Pill Tower. With someone of his stature as Pavilion Master, Starfall Pavilion's future looked incredibly bright.
Yao Lao could only smile bitterly at the attention. After all these years, he'd come to understand that individual power, unless overwhelming, couldn't compare to the strength of an organization. His former carefree ways had allowed Hall of Souls to exploit him once. Now that fate had given him another chance, he wouldn't let the same mistake happen again. Facing off against Hall of Souls would require real power. The Flower Sect and Burning Flame Valley were already in place—Starfall Pavilion was next.
Seeing Yao Lao no longer make excuses, Venerable Feng felt a weight lifted from his heart. He had always believed Starfall Pavilion belonged to Yao Lao. All these years, he had only been keeping the place in order. Their bond went beyond life and death. For Yao Lao, Venerable Feng had searched tirelessly for years. What did the position of Pavilion Master matter to him? Besides, he knew Yao Lao's personality—he hated management. In the end, Feng would likely be the one handling everything anyway.
Then there was Xiao Yuan, the returning Young Pavilion Master.
While the younger disciples may not have known Yao Lao well, they were certainly familiar with the names Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan.
One was the champion of the Pill Meet. The other, the youngest Little Pill Tower Giant in history.
What's more, the one who had handled the Han family situation had been Starfall Pavilion's disciples. They knew very well that before joining the Pill Tower, Xiao Yuan had single-handedly crippled the Wind and Thunder Pavilion—another of the Four Pavilions. Just defeating the Four Elders of Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Lightning alone had earned him immense respect.
To kill four Dou Sect experts single-handedly!
Such strength would easily earn him elder status even in Starfall Pavilion!
Not to mention, he was a verified eighth-grade alchemist certified by the Pill Tower!
Even Dou Zun powerhouses had to treat someone like that with courtesy!
Starfall Pavilion may not have had a large number of disciples, but their quality was exceptional. Naturally, they held someone like Xiao Yuan in high esteem.
Venerable Tianhuo also took on the role of guest elder. Though the Pill Tower was impressive, it was no match for a core sect like Starfall Pavilion.
Besides, he liked the atmosphere here—especially the natural Starfall Array, which fascinated him. He spent time daily studying it, hoping to find ways to improve it.
Venerable Feng welcomed this enthusiastically. In terms of insight and knowledge, even a well-traveled man like Yao Lao paled in comparison to Venerable Tianhuo.
As for Cai Lin and Zi Yan, they didn't care—they just followed Xiao Yuan.
And Xiong Zhan? There was nothing to say. He went wherever the little lady and Brother Xiao Yuan told him to. As long as he stayed with them, he wouldn't suffer any losses.
But the rest period was short-lived. Just three days later, a report arrived from one of the elders sent out by the Pavilion.
The ruins had opened!
Inside the Starfall Pavilion's main hall, everyone gathered.
Venerable Feng and Yao Lao sat side by side, with no distinction between their status, fitting for Yao Lao's temperament.
"According to our preliminary investigation, the ruins that appeared in the Beast Region this time seem to have belonged to a peak Dou Sheng expert," Venerable Feng began.
Xiao Yuan nodded—he had come precisely for a Dou Sheng's remains!
"Ancient times were vastly different from the present. Over the countless years, many ruins were buried or lost—but some reemerge, like this one.
Every emergence of an ancient ruin brings chaos and bloodshed. The relics left behind by a Dou Sheng expert possess unimaginable allure, enough to drive anyone mad."
Here, Venerable Feng looked toward Xiao Yuan.
"This time, the ruins appeared in the Beast Region—territory of the Magic Beast Clans. You know how fiercely territorial they are. They won't tolerate human powerhouses taking a share. Though you are strong, you must be careful.
Some of those clans have Dou Sheng-level powerhouses. Usually, you wouldn't encounter them—but in their own territory, be cautious!"
Venerable Feng warned.
"Understood, Elder Feng. I'm heading to the ancient ruins to find Dou Sheng remains as materials to restore my teacher's body. Whoever stands in my way—will die!"
Xiao Yuan nodded solemnly.
???
Venerable Feng blinked in confusion.
Read, but replied nonsensically?
(END CHAPTER)
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