Chapter 208: Departure
A few days later.
Two streaks of light shot out from the Snake People's territory, heading towards the Black Corner Region. The two people leaving were naturally Yao Yan and Zi Yan. As for Cai Lin, she stayed behind in the Snake People's territory to look after Cai Die, who had not fully completed her transformation yet.
This process might take two to three years.
Inside the palace.
Cai Lin watched the departure of the two, a ripple of emotion passing through her deep purple eyes. After a moment, she regained her calm. She hadn't asked Yao Yan for any promises nor inquired about when he would return because she knew that there would inevitably be a time for them to meet again. When that time came, if Yao Yan's strength was not greater than hers, she would certainly demand an explanation!
Her cold, beautiful eyes lowered as she gazed at Cai Die, curled up in her arms. After a sigh, she thought to herself. She could endure this herself, but she wasn't sure if her younger sister would be able to accept Yao Yan leaving again once she woke up.
In some ways, Yao Yan was indeed cold-blooded, too rational, never tied down by emotions.
For Yao Yan, power might be more important than anything else.
Cai Lin could understand it, even accept it, but that didn't mean she was willing to watch Cai Die suffer the same fate.
"I hope that when we meet again, you're still this strong!" Cai Lin's gaze turned slightly colder, her red lips parted as she spoke softly. Then she looked at the mutated Green Wood Fox left behind by Yao Yan. The little fox was timidly looking at her, resembling an abandoned little beast.
Seeing the timidity in its eyes, Cai Lin's coldness disappeared instantly, and she sighed helplessly. She realized that her emotions were always easily influenced by Yao Yan.
She knew that this pet was deliberately left behind by Yao Yan, likely to accompany Cai Die.
...
...
In less than half a day, Yao Yan and Zi Yan arrived at the border of the Jia Ma Empire. Meanwhile, Hai Bo Dong, who had been waiting here for several days, appeared. He looked somewhat surprised as he saw Zi Yan, the purple-haired little girl beside Yao Yan, and curiously asked, "Who is this?"
"Zi Yan, I met her at Canaan Academy. Her original form is a 5th-rank magical beast," Yao Yan answered softly.
Then, he turned to Zi Yan and continued the introduction.
"Zi Yan, this is Hai Lao."
"Hai Lao," Zi Yan blinked her eyes, then called out in a clear voice. She looked Hai Bo Dong up and down and thought to herself that this man didn't seem very strong, nowhere near as powerful as that old man Su Qian.
Hai Bo Dong was surprised and said, "It seems her bloodline is very special."
"Yes, she will be traveling with me to the Central Plains. Let's head out. If there's anything to discuss, we can talk along the way," Yao Yan said decisively. Despite the carefree lifestyle in recent times, he hadn't lost sight of his pursuit of strength.
He knew very well that in order to maintain the "happy" life he had now, he would need formidable strength.
Hai Bo Dong nodded. His wings of Dou Qi slightly trembled, and he followed Yao Yan and Zi Yan towards the Black Corner Region. He was also going to the Black Corner to visit, and on the way, he would take charge of the Heavenly Court that Yao Yan had left there. However, he was a bit surprised that Yao Yan hadn't brought Cai Lin and Cai Die along.
"Won't those two Medusa Queens be coming with you to the Central Plains?" he directly asked.
"Cai Die's bloodline has evolved and needs time to undergo its transformation. Cai Lin stayed behind to look after her. It will likely take several years... I can't just stay here and wait," Yao Yan answered in a calm tone.
Those close to him knew his situation. Had he not contacted the Hun Hall, he might have spent more time in the Jia Ma Empire, but now that he had made contact with them, Hun Master would never give him much time to waste.
This period of time might be his last moments of freedom.
Once he entered the Central Plains, Hun Master would certainly arrange some trials for him, even offering the bodies of imperial-level powerhouses.
At that thought, Yao Yan couldn't help but feel a sense of suppression. He knew there was no choice. From the moment he had the Spirit Devouring Clan's bloodline implanted in him, certain paths had already been set, and the weak never had the luxury of choice, especially when being targeted by powerful forces.
Hai Bo Dong froze for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled and said, "In that case, the next time I see you, it will likely be years from now."
"Years?" Yao Yan didn't know.
He had no idea what awaited him in the Central Plains. Given Hun Master's nature, he wouldn't allow Yao Yan to follow a slow, gradual path. And since Hun Master knew that Yao Yan had cultivated the Burning Decision, he would undoubtedly try to recruit all kinds of heavenly flames for him. The Central Plains had many such forces, and they weren't weak.
"Let's hope so~" Yao Yan smiled lightly, his eyes filled with a slight sense of seriousness.
Hai Bo Dong noticed the change in Yao Yan's expression and couldn't help but furrow his brows. He sensed that Yao Yan had a lot on his mind. Could it be that there were enemies in the Central Plains? Quickly, he remembered Yao Yan's background. If he had no enemies, he wouldn't have fallen into the Jia Ma Empire from the space turbulence.
With this thought, Hai Bo Dong fell silent. For someone like Yao Yan to feel pressure, the enemy must be incredibly strong—forces beyond his reach.
He needed to find a way to break through to Dou Zong!
Soon, he shifted the topic to the Heavenly Court, asking about the number of strong individuals there and the future development path.
Yao Yan shared his plans, and the number of strong individuals in the Heavenly Court made Hai Bo Dong's face change slightly. He hadn't expected Yao Yan to recruit so many strong fighters. It wasn't just the founding of a force—it was almost as though Yao Yan had taken control of the entire Black Corner Region. There were several Dou Zong level experts, and there was even cooperation with Canaan Academy, where they could call on elders for help when necessary.
What shocked Hai Bo Dong even more was that Yao Yan had even managed to recruit a Dou Zun!
Unbelievable.
"The Dou Zun will travel with me. The journey to the Central Plains is far, and we need to be cautious," Yao Yan explained softly. He wasn't concerned about the development of the Heavenly Court. On the surface, the Heavenly Court was cooperating with Canaan Academy, but behind the scenes, Hun Hall would also be keeping an eye on things. It would be difficult for any issues to arise.
Hai Bo Dong looked at Yao Yan with a complicated expression. He didn't know what to say. Yao Yan was truly a freak of nature. His rate of growth was beyond comprehension, and it was impossible to understand.
"So, Hai Lao feels pressured?" Yao Yan laughed lightly.
"A little."
Hai Bo Dong nodded and spoke honestly.
Yao Yan said calmly, "There's no need. If anyone's not happy, just kill them. Before I leave, I'll make it clear to those people, even if they're Dou Zong, it'll be the same. If you really feel pressured, you can go find Cai Lin."
Hai Bo Dong nodded. Even if Yao Yan hadn't said so, he would have done it. With his current strength, he couldn't deal with those people. But if Cai Lin was present, many troubles could be solved.
The two continued to chat casually.
A few days later, the three arrived at the Magic Flame Valley, where the Heavenly Court had already been established.
Compared to a month ago, the Magic Flame Valley had completely changed. Many mountains had been cleared, and numerous buildings had sprung up. Clearly, in the near future, this place would become a massive city. In the center, there was a massive gateway, with space distorted and the light dim, as though it could swallow everything.
This was the work of the Heavenly Fire Venerable. With his mastery of formations and his strength as a five-star Dou Zun, creating a stable spatial wormhole was nothing difficult.
According to Yao Yan's previous plan, this spatial wormhole would eventually connect to the Starfall Pavilion. With the help of the Starfall Pavilion's influence, they would gradually expand towards the Central Plains, and this place would become a springboard, attracting countless talents and resources from the Northwestern Continent.
The top-tier forces in the Dou Qi continent almost all had such arrangements.
"Spatial wormhole!"
Hai Bo Dong recognized it immediately, his eyes showing some awe. He hadn't expected to encounter this again. He remembered the time when he traveled via a spatial ship, many years ago, when he was still a Dou Wang.
"Whoosh!"
Almost as soon as Yao Yan and the others appeared, several powerful auras immediately surged up, heading straight towards Yao Yan. However, upon recognizing their identities, the auras quickly withdrew, and two figures swiftly approached.
"Greetings, Lord!" The two elders, Jin and Yin, appeared, stepping on the air, and respectfully saluted Yao Yan.
The two had now broken through to Dou Zong, their strength firmly at the one-star Dou Zong level. Their speed of breakthrough was evidently faster than that of the old man Yun Shan, due to their accumulation and the special fusion technique they used.
Having frequently comprehended the power of Dou Zong, breaking through the final barrier was just a matter of opportunity.
The Breakthrough Pills had been the key to their success!
"Jin and Yin, the first two to pledge loyalty to me in the Black Corner Region. This is Hai Bo Dong, a friend of mine. After I leave the Heavenly Court, he will take charge of this place. You two will need to follow his orders," Yao Yan said softly, looking at the two.
"Understood!" The two responded without hesitation, bowing respectfully.
They now trusted Yao Yan immensely, and they were in awe of his strength and talent. They were eager to follow Yao Yan and see how far he would go. In the near future, the Heavenly Court might truly become a top-tier force, establishing a foothold in the Central Plains.
This was something they had never doubted.
Even just the presence of a Dou Zun would give the Heavenly Court the qualifications to stand firm in the Central Plains!
As the conversation ended, Yao Yan led Hai Bo Dong and Zi Yan to the farthest palace, the one floating at the highest point.
...
"Old Yao, your efficiency is impressive. You've already completed the spatial wormhole so quickly," Yao Yan said as he entered the palace and saw the Heavenly Fire Venerable busy working. He walked over and greeted him with a smile.
The Heavenly Fire Venerable looked at Yao Yan and smiled, saying, "That thing isn't difficult at all. Any Dou Zun could build it... But compared to the spatial wormhole, the array I've created is true art!"
As he spoke, hundreds of jade tablets flew out of his hands, flying toward various parts of the Heavenly Court. In the next moment, a massive red energy shield enveloped the entire Heavenly Court, and a scorching aura began to rise.
"Truly impressive!" Yao Yan stood next to the Heavenly Fire Venerable, watching the scene with amazement.
There were very few people in the world who could study formations to this extent.
"This array, once activated, can withstand the attacks of dozens of Dou Zong. Even a Dou Zun would be able to hold for a long time. It's the perfect defensive array for the Heavenly Court. This here is the core jade tablet of the formation," the Heavenly Fire Venerable said as he tossed the jade tablet to Yao Yan.
The array had long been completed, and today was just a test. Since it was done, it was naturally time for Yao Yan to take charge.
Yao Yan took the jade tablet and handed it to Hai Bo Dong, smiling, "Hai Lao, this Heavenly Court is now under your command."
"…Mm!" Hai Bo Dong froze for a moment upon hearing this, then took a deep breath, feeling a tremendous amount of pressure. He nodded heavily in response to Yao Yan's trust.
"Control it with your Hun power, don't resist. I'll teach you how to use it," the Heavenly Fire Venerable said, not questioning Hai Bo Dong's background. Since he was brought by Yao Yan and given the jade tablet, he was clearly someone Yao Yan trusted. Without hesitation, he passed on the method of controlling the array through Hun power.
Hai Bo Dong closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing the method, then respectfully bowed to the Heavenly Fire Venerable, his eyes flickering with a bit of emotion. This was the first time he had met a Dou Zun-level powerhouse! It felt like a dream.
"We should depart as well!" Yao Yan looked at Hai Bo Dong, who had absorbed the method, and spoke to the Heavenly Fire Venerable.
"So soon?" The Heavenly Fire Venerable was a bit surprised, then looked at Zi Yan beside Yao Yan and couldn't help but feel suspicious. "What about Cai Lin and her sisters? Did you have a fight with them? Are you not taking them to the Central Plains?"
"Cai Die's bloodline has evolved and needs a few years to complete the transformation," Yao Yan explained.
The Heavenly Fire Venerable gave Yao Yan a strange look. It seemed that Yao Yan had indeed found a perfect method for bloodline evolution, but this method seemed somewhat unorthodox.
Yao Yan, with a thick skin, completely ignored the Heavenly Fire Venerable's strange gaze and acted as if he had done nothing wrong.
"Better to leave early, the Black Corner Region really doesn't hold much interest," the Heavenly Fire Venerable said with a smile. He was looking forward to the journey to the Central Plains. With his strength, the Black Corner Region had no one who could catch his eye.
To put it bluntly, he could single-handedly overturn the entire Black Corner Region in one day.
"Then let's go."
Yao Yan nodded, his expression tinged with some sadness as he thought of old friends. He wondered how they were doing now.
(END CHAPTER)
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