Standing firm amidst the wind and sand, the cloaked figure finally sighed, gradually turning around, his slender hand gently lifting the black hood, slowly peeling it back. Instantly, the delicate, serene face, pale and graceful, emerged vividly against the relentless wind and sand. Gazing at the young man whose face radiated a bright, joyful smile, Yun Zhi's rosy lips could not help but gently curve into a smile. Though the sharp words spoken by Xiao Yan earlier had carried considerable weight, she did not let them deeply affect her—she knew they were merely a burst of enthusiasm, a laugh born of excitement. Even so, the words had gently stirred a soft spot within her heart. "Ah, I suppose I've been recognized after all..." With a delicate movement of her hand, Yun Zhi brushed aside a strand of her hair, gently waving the strange long sword in her hand, a touch of resignation gently blooming on her beautiful face. "Hehe." Staring at that familiar, beautiful face, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile, lifting his hand to support the Qinglian Seat and taking a few steps forward, saying, "It's been half a year—how have you been?" "Pretty good," replied Yun Zhi, gently pressing her full lips as if trying to maintain her usual composed demeanor. Yet every time her gaze fell upon the boy's radiant smile, the calmness she had carefully cultivated on her cheeks would quickly dissolve. Repeating this several times, Yun Zhi finally sighed softly and nodded slightly, speaking in a gentle tone. As her eyes swept over Xiao Yan, a subtle glow brightened her beautiful gaze. After six months of training, Xiao Yan's figure had grown noticeably more upright. His previously delicate face, slightly softened by several months spent in the desert, now bore a deeper, sun-kissed hue. The once gentle contours had now subtly taken on a touch of determination—clearly, the young man had grown and matured significantly over this period. As a guest of Yunzhi, she has seen countless young and brilliant men—some so handsome they could make women fall in love with them—yet she has never shown any extra attention to them. Among all of them, only the young man currently before her, whose relationships are tangled and complicated, has stirred a quiet sense of wonder within her, one that arises from his personal growth. "Have you reached the Battle Master rank?" Yunzhi glanced at him, slightly surprised, then reassured herself. When they last parted, Xiao Yan had already reached the peak of the Battle Competitor tier. Given his talent, it was only a matter of time before he surpassed that level. Yet, to achieve a solid and rapid advancement from Battle Competitor to Battle Master within just six months—something that had been quite unexpected—was indeed a surprise to Yunzhi. "Yes, just by luck," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, his gaze lingering on Yunzhi. The initial excitement had now settled into calmness. After a brief pause, he hesitated and asked, "How did you end up becoming close to Dan King Guo He?" Upon hearing Xiao Yan’s question, Yun Zhi was slightly taken aback, then her eyes sparkled as she spoke softly, “Dan King Gu He has wide connections throughout the Jia Ma Empire, and I’ve known him personally. I once owed him a favor. This time, when he comes to the desert in search of rare flames, he has also invited me along.” “Oh.” Nodding, Xiao Yan silently admired Gu He’s standing in the Jia Ma Empire once again, then glanced down at Qinglian Seat and asked, “Then… if you don’t bring back the rare flame, won’t he hold you accountable?” “Perhaps he will. But my duty is merely to ensure their safety—beyond that, I don’t have much obligation. Moreover, he sees you as a mysterious Dou Huang powerhouse. Therefore, he must understand how difficult it is to seize a rare flame from such a strong warrior. If I fail, he won’t be able to say much—though he may certainly feel a bit disheartened. Yun Zhi sighed softly. Though she had known Ancient River for a long time, she was well aware of Xiao Yan’s stubborn nature. If it came down to actually seizing the unique flame, the young man would likely turn cold right away. Though Xiao Yan often appeared more mature than his peers, in certain matters, he was just as inflexible as a three-year-old child—once he had something he wanted, he’d never let go. Gently massaging her slightly aching forehead, Yun Zhi chuckled bitterly, silently lamenting her own bad luck. She hadn’t encountered anyone worse than this particular one. If it had been anyone else, even a Duke-level warrior, she would have found a way to claim the unique flame. With her current strength, she could easily snatch it away in a matter of seconds. But for this man—someone who had once stood bare before her, with a complex relationship between them—she simply found it difficult to act against him. "Hehe…" Seeing that he clearly understood Yunzhi's dilemma, Xiao Yan awkwardly smiled, holding the Qinglian seat close to his chest and mumbled, "Sorry, I've been tracking this thing for nearly half a year now. Even if you hadn't come to the desert, I would have gone to find Queen Medusa myself." "But what are you doing with the Qi Fire? With your current strength, even a slight contact with it would mean your bones turned to ash." Gazing intently at the jade lotus seat in Xiao Yan's hands, Yunzhi slightly furrowed her brows, expressing her confusion. "Hehe, probably so... but I really need it," Xiao Yan chuckled, speaking somewhat hesitantly. Seeing Xiao Yan's uncertain expression, Yunzhi could only shake her head in resignation. Since he wasn't willing to elaborate, she decided not to press further. She then slightly turned her head toward the distant desert, saying, "You go ahead and leave now. Two more Snake Clan Battle Kings are on their way to catch up with you. I'll hold them off for a while." "Then what? I thought you'd just vanish without a word again." Xiao Yan shrugged and smiled. "Sorry, last time I truly had some urgent matters, so..." Hearing a hint of frustration in Xiao Yan's voice, Yun Zhi softly explained, then added, "Once I've intercepted them, I'll join up with Gu He and the others—after all, we had agreed upon that." "So sudden?" Xiao Yan sighed with a touch of resignation and chuckled, "It's hard to meet face to face just once, only to have to part ways so quickly. Next time we might not see each other again for quite some time. You people always seem so mysterious." Yun Zhi gave a gentle smile, gazing at the young man's face, hesitated a moment, then asked, "Have you always been practicing alone?" "Yes, that's right..." Xiao Yan nodded, stroking his chin, and didn't mention Master Yao at all. "...Although you have a good natural aptitude for cultivation, even the finest jade still needs careful shaping. By practicing alone, you'll inevitably take many unnecessary detours. If you don't mind, I can introduce you to a place where you'll be able to receive the very best cultivation conditions." Cloud Zhi's beautiful eyes gently sparkled as she smiled. "What place?" Stunned, although Xiao Yan hadn't been particularly enthusiastic, curiosity prompted him to ask. "Cloud岚 Sect." Cloud Zhi smiled slightly. "Cloud岚 Sect holds considerable influence within the Jima Empire. I happen to have a friend there. If you're willing, I can..." As she spoke, her words suddenly paused, for she noticed that the young man before her—whose face had previously been filled with warmth—had now unexpectedly grown somewhat gloomy. "What's wrong?" Cloud Zhi asked, slightly puzzled. "Heh, well, what good would it do me to go to a place like Yunlan Sect? I'd only end up looking foolish." Xiao Yan shook his head, coldly remarking. Observing Xiao Yan's suddenly sharp demeanor, Yun Zhi furrowed her brows, attempting to defend: "Yunlan Sect isn't as poor as you imagine. And given your natural talent in cultivation, who could possibly mock you? I'm doing you a favor—there, you'll be able to directly receive the most suitable qi techniques and combat skills tailored to your needs. Moreover, the students at Yunlan Sect are carefully selected, and their overall quality is quite good. You should be able to get along well with them." "Ah well, ah well. Honestly, I don't particularly care for that place. I can manage just fine on my own, practicing here by myself. I simply don't feel like going to all those different sects." Listening to Yun Zhi praise Yunlan Sect so highly, Xiao Yan felt a growing sense of irritation, especially when she mentioned their excellent qualities—how could that be? A spark of anger surged unexpectedly. Indeed, how could that be? How could a place nurture a woman like Nalan Yanran be any better? With a slightly gloomy expression, Xiao Yan exhaled, waved impatiently, and said softly, "Alright, I'll stop here. Since you're going to find Gu He and the others, we'll part ways now. I have my own urgent matters. I'll be off. We'll meet again when the opportunity arises—if you'd rather not see me, then that's perfectly fine." "Thank you for today's hospitality. I'll repay this favor whenever I can." Saying this, Xiao Yan cut short any further words, placed his palm on the Qinglian Seat, turned around, and with a gentle flick of his wings, swiftly ascended into the air, then swept toward the distance without looking back. Standing motionless on the dune, Yun Zhi watched the figure of Xiao Yan fade into a black dot. After a long while, she bit her lower lip tightly, her cheeks flushed with frustration, and stomped her foot angrily. A sense of helpless委屈 rose on her delicate face—she had done so much for Xiao Yan with good intentions, only to be met with such strong resistance. The sharp remarks and veiled criticisms he launched now made her feel as though her well-meaning efforts had been devoured by a wolf. After a vigorous outburst, Yun Zhi's rosy cheeks were flushed. She suddenly clenched her long sword tightly, exhaled softly, and instantly smoothed out the rare emotions that had surfaced—replacing them with a slightly cool, composed demeanor. Turning her head slightly, she coldly gazed at the two small black dots rapidly approaching at the horizon. "A bunch of sticky notes I can never shake off. Do you really think I won't strike them down?" With her sword slanted, a sharp sword aura burst forth from the tip. Yun Zhi calmly watched the two dots drawing nearer, a faint, icy curve forming at the corner of her lips—clearly, the one who had been deeply frustrated and angry over Xiao Yan's actions now intended to use these two as outlets for her pent-up emotions.