Xiao Yan's face, previously shrouded in shadow, suddenly turned from a smile to a deepening gloom. Though three years had passed and both of them had changed significantly, he could still faintly see the traces of the once delicate young girl in the moon-robed woman. Lan Yanran! His fists were clenched tightly, fingernails digging into his palm, sending sharp waves of pain through him. He didn't blink, fixed solely on the woman's every subtle expression. A surge of uncontrollable anger welled up within him. Perhaps over the past three years, she had lived a life of great comfort at Yunlan Sect—what of himself? He had repeatedly survived near-death experiences, time and again. Maybe she didn't know that each time he pushed himself to the brink of endurance, it was precisely because of her that he managed to endure, gritting his teeth and persevering. His body trembled slightly, then, after a while, a fierce energy surged suddenly from within him. "Xiao Yan?" Haibo Dong, standing behind Xiao Yan, was momentarily stunned upon sensing the sudden, uncontrollable surge of energy radiating from him. He immediately hurried to speak softly behind Xiao Yan, his voice slightly tinged with cold aura. The sound reached Xiao Yan, helping him gradually regain composure from the unexpected emotion that had surged within him. He took a deep breath of the cool air, closed his eyes slowly, and murmured to himself, "I didn't expect that..." Indeed, he hadn't expected it. Within just three years, the beautiful woman standing not far ahead had been the steady source of motivation, urging Xiao Yan to persevere through solitude and dedicate himself to rigorous cultivation. Now, encountering her again, the emotion stirred within him brought about an almost uncontrollable sense of disarray. "It really wasn't something I expected..." The soothing laughter of the medicine elder echoed slowly within Xiao Yan's heart. As someone who had always been by his side throughout his cultivation journey, he naturally understood the profound impression this woman held in Xiao Yan's mind—though that impression had been forged through her own actions of trampling upon Xiao Yan's dignity. Nevertheless, no matter how one looked at it, this woman's place in Xiao Yan's heart likely rivaled that of Xun'er, though certainly in a completely different direction and with a distinct emotional depth. A woman who could make a man remember her vividly and deeply, moment after moment, had, in a sense, achieved her purpose—regardless of her original intentions. He plunged his hands into the black robe, vigorously rubbing his face until the delicate features flushed with a few streaks of red. Only then did Xiao Yan stop, took several deep breaths, and gradually calmed his mind. With a slightly cold gaze, he scanned Lan Yanran and the elderly man standing beside her—both of whom had left a deep impression on him—and quietly asked in his heart, "Master, can you detect her current strength?" Upon hearing this, Yao Lao remained silent for a moment before responding, "Not yet..." Xiao Yan's heart sank immediately, and he murmured in astonishment, "Not yet? How is that possible? With Master's prowess, he should be able to uncover her true strength. Could it be that she has already reached the Domain of the Emperor in the past three years?" "Blah! What nonsense!" "Seeing Xiao Yan in such a state, Yao Lao couldn't help but chuckle and sighed, then continued, "It's not because of her that I'm unable to detect her true strength. I can feel a layer of energy membrane enveloping her—this very membrane is blocking my soul-based detection." "Based on my experience, she's likely wearing some device capable of shielding detection. So you don't need to worry too much. When you finally face her in battle, her true strength will become evident." Yao Lao reassured him. "Phew..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan finally exhaled, slowly calming down his emotions and gently turning his head toward Hai Bo Dong, whispering, "All good now." "What's wrong?" Hai Bo Dong was slightly surprised, staring at the young man cloaked in black robes. It was the first time he'd seen Xiao Yan lose his composure to the point of being unable to maintain his own aura. "Nothing." Shaking his head vaguely, Xiao Yan slightly raised his head and noticed that a wave of astonished glances had been cast upon him due to the sudden surge of energy he'd just emitted. Among these gazes, he clearly sensed one that was both cool and slightly surprised. Gently lifting his gaze, his eyes passed through the lowered black veil and met the woman in the moon-colored robe who had turned to look at him. Fixing her beautiful, captivating face—through which he could still faintly discern the outline of the young girl from years past—Xiao Yan slowly exhaled, lightly tapping his chest with his fists to suppress the fresh surge of anger rising within him. He then turned to Haibo Dong and said softly, "Let's go." Seeing Xiao Yan's sudden, inexplicable behavior, Haibo Dong was momentarily puzzled. After a brief pause, he glanced toward the woman at the entrance, his brows furrowed, as if gradually beginning to grasp the meaning. Shaking her head in resignation, Hai Bo Dong quickly followed, walking side by side with Xiao Yan toward the main gate. ... Gazing at the two enigmatic figures fully draped in black robes, Nalan Yanran blinked her long lashes with interest. Her gaze lingered on Xiao Yan for a moment—without knowing why, she always felt an inexplicable connection with this man in the black robe. Of course, it wasn't the kind of feeling between a man and a woman; rather, it seemed more like an intuitive sense of rivalry between long-standing adversaries. Gently rubbing her forehead, Nalan Yanran pushed the rather absurd thought out of her mind and turned to look at Ling Lin beside her, smiling softly, "I'm sure these two must be the ones you clashed with yesterday." Linglin nodded awkwardly, her peripheral glance slightly hesitant as she scanned the two black-robed figures. She knew that, in the eyes of such powerful individuals, she was no different from an ordinary person—should she offend them, they might simply be furious enough to kill her outright, and that would hardly be surprising. Seeing Linglin nod, Nalan turned to Ge Ye and whispered, "Ge uncle, can you perceive the true strength of these two?" "Is it really that much beyond my abilities, Miss?" Ge Ye chuckled, shaking his head with a wry expression. His cloudy gaze, sharp as that of an eagle, fixed steadily on the two figures approaching slowly. He sighed, "I can't see a single one of them clearly. Clearly, their strength far surpasses mine." "Heard Eg Ye say this, Nalan Yanran's delicate features clearly flashed a look of astonishment. Over the past three years, Eg Ye has steadily progressed from his initial rank of Seven-Star Grand Combatant to achieving the strength of Two-Star Combat Spirit—thanks in part to the elixirs provided by Elder Guhé, yet now he truly stands as a formidable force. It's rare indeed that someone could earn such praise from him. Such a person must surely rank at least Five-Star, if not Seven-Star, Combat Spirit." "Indeed, the teacher is right—the number of hidden talents within the Jamma Empire is quite substantial," Nalan Yanran murmured softly. Though she had intended to make an effort to meet such strong individuals, upon observing the attire of Xiao Yan and Xiao Xin, she wisely decided against it. Clearly, these two had deliberately dressed in such a way to avoid being recognized. With that in mind, Nalan Yanran naturally saw no point in making a scene or appearing ungraceful. After all, her own status still demanded that she maintain her dignity. "Yanran sister, hehe, truly sorry—our family has been quite busy these past few days, and we've almost overlooked our esteemed guests." Suddenly, a clear and bright laugh rang out at the entrance, followed by a handsome young man entering with a warm smile, speaking intimately to Lan Yanran. Gazing at this young man entering, Xiao Yan's steps paused slightly again, a strange feeling rising in his heart—he realized this young man was precisely the one who had accompanied Lan Yanran to the Xiao family three years ago, the brilliant young talent who had captured the hearts of so many of the family's admirers. "Heh, the current atmosphere is truly refreshing—these three have managed to come together once again." Xiao Yan shook his head, murmuring a quiet chuckle in his mind. "Thank you, Mr. Mo Li," Lan Yanran smiled gently on her delicate face, her expression composed and reserved, showing no softening despite the warmth in the young man's eyes. Seeing Nalan Yanran's gentle smile, a young man known as Mo Li felt a swift wave of disappointment flash across his eyes. After years of companionship, the woman he had regarded as his ideal—his heart's goddess—seemed still to lack the depth of feeling he had hoped for. It truly left him feeling somewhat disheartened. That sense of disappointment quickly faded, and Mo Li smiled, saying, "Sister Yanran, why don't we go to the Mo family together later? It will be a convenient detour." Upon hearing this, Nalan Yanran hesitated slightly before nodding warmly. Watching her nod, Mo Li felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. No matter what, these years of shared experiences had yielded some tangible results. If it had been someone else, she likely would have politely declined. Thus, he was confident that, with his exceptional cultivation talents and noble lineage, combined with his refined appearance, she would eventually fall into his grasp. "As long as she truly becomes my wife in the future, who in the Jiami Empire will dare to stand above me?" A quiet ambition stirred within him, unspoken and unnoticed. As his gaze suddenly fell upon the two figures slowly approaching the main gate, he recalled the report from his uncle today and hurried forward, warmly greeting them. Noticing his actions, Lan Yanran also turned her attention toward them, showing equal interest in these two enigmatic figures in black robes. "Good day, both of you," said Mo Li, smiling warmly. "I am Mo Li from the Mo family. Yesterday, my sister inadvertently offended you both, and as a result, my father has sent me here to personally apologize to you." The sincerity in his smile was evident. "If it's not too much trouble, today happens to be a joyous occasion at our family—would it be possible for you to grace us with your presence and join us for a chat?" Indeed, Mo Li spoke with remarkable grace and precision, making it easy for others to feel at ease. Yet for Xiao Yan, who already held a strong negative sentiment toward him, this display of charm proved entirely ineffective. Pausing, Xiao Yan watched Mu Li with a touch of amusement, thinking to himself—what a splendid expression he would make if he knew that the respectful "Mr." he had been calling him was once a mere waste of talent, barely able to be handled by one hand. With a cold smile, Xiao Yan slightly raised his head and said in a calm tone, "No need for an invitation. Our purpose is to go to the Mu family. I believe Mu Li will soon be able to meet us there." After speaking, Xiao Yan walked straight through Mu Li, and the two of them slowly stepped out of the gate, eventually fading into the bustling streets. Standing at the entrance, Nalan Yan slightly furrowed her brows, murmuring softly, "This voice... why does it feel so familiar?"