In the room, the laughter gradually subsided. Feeling the immense, abundant power surging within him, Xiao Yan smiled contentedly, slowly tightening his fists. A rich jade-like glow swiftly spread over the surface of his palms, its subtle intensity gradually sharpening into sharp brilliance. With his feet slightly splayed, Xiao Yan suddenly planted his soles firmly into the ground, and his body seemed to shift position seamlessly, appearing instantly about one meter to the left. His clenched fists, radiating a powerful force that made the air itself seem to freeze, struck hard against a massive support beam ahead. With a slight curl of his palm, Xiao Yan's fingers subtly bent, a faint green glow spreading across his fingertips. After a moment, he lightly flicked his fingers, and a surge of green energy shot out like a sharp arrow, then crashed against the table with a loud *thud*, shattering a vase resting upon it. "Qi projection..." Seeing the broken vase, Xiao Yan smiled softly. At this level of Great Combatant, Qi could now separate from his body and no longer be constrained by it—giving him a distinct advantage in battle. His gaze slowly swept across the room. With a gesture of his hand, he retrieved the Qinglian from his storage amulet, then waved his palm, sending a surge of energy that pushed open the window. Gazing out at the late afternoon sky, he was slightly surprised—having expected the process to take much longer than it had. Standing by the window, Xiao Yan paused and contemplated for a moment, just about to step outside, when a cheerful voice from the doorway announced, "Done, then?" "Heard this, Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. With Hai Bo Dong's strength, he naturally could clearly sense the gradually recovering energy fluctuations within the room. Immediately after Xiao Yan responded, Hai Bo Dong pushed open the door, smiled, and surveyed the room before his gaze settled on Xiao Yan, a slight sense of astonishment appearing on his brow. 'Your aura seems to have reached Grand Battle Style,' he remarked. Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Though he had just completed his promotion, his aura was still slightly unrefined, so Hai Bo Dong, as a strong warrior, could immediately discern the depth of his power. 'So this must be your true strength,' Hai Bo Dong said, stroking his beard and scanning Xiao Yan with a gaze that grew increasingly unusual, occasionally frowning. After a moment, he slowly spoke. Xiao Yan's heart skipped a beat; his eyes naturally narrowed slightly as he silently stared at Hai Bo Dong, saying nothing." "Heh, I've always found it strange. At your age—under twenty—you couldn't possibly have developed the strength to match a Dou Huang-level warrior, even if you began training from birth." Hai Bopo Dong waved his hand, signaling Xiao Yan to relax, and said, "I suspect there must be, or perhaps even sealed within you, some incredibly powerful force. It's likely that it's precisely this force that enables you to fight off Dou Huang-level warriors." "Don't worry, I have no other intentions. Every time I observe you, I feel your displayed strength steadily growing, which is why I've come to this conclusion. Heh, though now it seems my intuition might be quite accurate." "Haibo Dong smiled at Xiao Yan." "Though that power wasn't truly your own, the fact that you can command it means even a Duke-level warrior will have to respect and be cautious around you. In this world, as long as you possess power, you earn the respect and equal treatment of the strong. People don't care where that power comes from or whether it truly belongs to you—what matters most is simply whether you have power yourself." Xiao Yan nodded silently. Indeed, no matter who holds the power, whoever can command it becomes its master. Haibo Dong fully understood this point, so he didn't care about the origin of Xiao Yan's power. What mattered to him was whether, after wielding that power, Xiao Yan could stand equal to him. "Hehe, I just went out and received something..." Observing Xiao Yan's expression, Hai Bo Dong skillfully shifted the topic, suddenly drawing out a letter from his vest, crafted with a simple yet majestic elegance. On the surface of the letter, a white cloud and a long sword were depicted, the sword firmly planted within the cloud, radiating strong, piercing energy. "From Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow at the distinctive design, expressing surprise. "Yes," Hai Bo Dong nodded, holding the letter up. "This is an invitation from Yunlan Sect to the leading figures and powerful individuals of the Imperial Capital." "An invitation?" "You must have guessed it—this is due to your upcoming three-year agreement with Nalan Yanran tomorrow. Yunlan Sect is currently extending invitations to many influential people to attend at Yunlan Sect tomorrow. I believe this is an effort to bolster Nalan Yanran's status as the future Deputy Sect Master. After all, if she succeeds, not only within Yunlan Sect, but also beyond it, her reputation will significantly rise." "Hai Bo Dong smiled and said, "Isn't Cloud岚 Sect being rather arrogant? If Lan Yanran loses, who will face embarrassment? And what about Yun Yun—her forehead is being squeezed?" Xiao Yan scoffed. "Perhaps this isn't really Yun Yun's concern. As far as I know, Yun Yun isn't even currently at Cloud岚 Sect; everything is being managed by the senior monks in the Council Hall." Hai Bo Dong spread his hands. "Not at Cloud岚 Sect? This three-year agreement is of great significance to Lan Yanran. At such a crucial moment, wouldn't it be surprising that her teacher, who is supposed to be overseeing it, isn't present?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned and said in surprise. "It seems since our last encounter in Yancheng with those two enigmatic Dou Huang cultivators, Yun Yun and Old Jia had come over. According to Old Jia, she seemed to have found something significant at the very spot where we were fighting, after which she never returned to Yunlan Sect. I believe the thing she discovered is likely connected to those two mysterious Dou Huang cultivators—only such powerful figures would command her such deep attention." Hai Bo Dong mused. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, turned to gaze at the sky outside, which was gradually darkening, and remained silent for a while. Then he called out to Hai Bo Dong and stepped out of the inn on his own, standing at the end of the bustling street, slowly exhaled, and followed the crowd toward the Miter Auction Hall. There, he just happened to meet Yafei, who was patrolling the hall. The two exchanged a warm smile. Yafei sent away her attendants, while Xiao Yan followed the captivating figure who constantly drew the attention of the entire audience. Eventually, they settled in a quiet room near the window on the second floor of the auction hall. After taking the teapot from a maid and sending her away, Yafei personally poured a full cup of tea for Xiao Yan. Then, leaning back on the soft sofa, she stretched her arms, gently relaxing her body. With her waist slightly tense, the elegant and refined silk robe accentuated the fullness of her chest. "Shall we be heading to Yunlan Sect tomorrow?" With her jade hands supporting her delicate cheek, Lady Ya gazed through the transparent glass window at the bustling auction hall below, speaking casually. "Hmm," Xiao Yan nodded slightly, sipping his tea. "Ah, time flies—just three years, and the little one has grown so much." Turning to look at the ordinary young face, Lady Ya paused, and then, as a gentle blush crept across her graceful features, she said, "By the way, could we possibly remove it for now?" Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback, hesitated slightly, dipped his finger in his tea, and gently brushed it across his neck before carefully pulling off a sheet of facial skin. As the skin fell away, the plain face vanished, revealing a refined, elegant one—on which Lady Ya could still faintly discern the youthful contours of the young man from years ago. Her eyes remained fixed on the dark, ink-black gaze, as clear and pure as ever, despite the three years of rigorous cultivation. "It's still better now..." Leaning slightly forward, Ya Fei crossed her hands gracefully, placing her arms on the table with her chin resting on the interlaced fingers, smiling warmly at Xiao Yan. Gently touching the face that had been concealed for so long, Xiao Yan felt a subtle sense of warmth and reflection. "Once the affairs of Yunlan Sect are settled, where do you plan to go? Back to the Xiao family?" Ya Fei asked with a gentle smile. "I'll visit them again, but eventually, I'll head to the Gan Nan Academy." "Gan Nan Academy, huh..." Ya Fei paused, then as if remembering something, softly added, "To see Xun'er, perhaps?" "There are several reasons for that." Xiao Yan smiled, sipping his tea, without noticing the brief flicker of disappointment that passed over Ya Fei's delicate features. "Now that you're the one truly wielding power within the Mitel family, I believe that should I eventually leave, if you'd still need my assistance in managing the Xiao family, I will surely repay this favor." Xiao Yan held the teacup, hesitated a moment, and then stated the purpose of his visit—to seek out Yafei. Although among the people he knew in the Imperial Capital, there were many who were more capable than Yafei, he still trusted her more than anyone else. "Return? How shall I return?" Yafei smiled gently, her eyes sparkling. "Huh... we haven't even started on the tasks you've asked me to do, and already you're expecting a return?" Xiao Yan said, looking both amused and a bit embarrassed. With a slight frown, Yafei leaned back against the soft sofa, her long, graceful legs crossed, revealing a delicate, snow-white curve. "Who knows when you'll return next time? The last time you left, it was nearly two years. This time, I suspect it might be even longer." Xiao Yan smiled, didn't deny it, and gently shifted the conversation away from this topic. After all, he had already conveyed his message to Yafei, and he knew this astute woman would know exactly how to act. The two sat together again and chatted for a long time, until a slender crescent moon gradually climbed into the night sky, when Xiao Yan finally rose, bidding them farewell. In the spacious, quiet chamber, a man respectfully cleared the table, occasionally casting warm glances toward the graceful woman leaning against the glass window. He felt jealous of the previously unremarkable young man, for he had been able to engage in such intimate, heartfelt conversation with her. Leaning against the window, Ya Fei watched the tall figure slowly moving away below, and after a long while, sighed softly, her delicate features subtly tinged with melancholy. "I hope you will triumph..." Removed from the herbalist's robe draped upon his body, a deep black robe gave Xiao Yan's refined features an air of mystery. After gently wiping his face with cold water, Xiao Yan looked up at the mirror, where his slightly pale and scholarly face appeared, and offered a quiet smile. With his right hand extended, the light of his jade bracelet flickered, and suddenly, a massive black measuring rod—tall enough to match Xiao Yan's height—emerged. He grasped the handle of the rod, turned it over, and the sharp pressure of the airflow swept gently through the room. With a soft sound, the enormous black rod was slanted and secured against his back. After giving a light clap, Xiao Yan stepped out of the door, walked calmly down the inn corridor, and without disturbing anyone, proceeded steadily along the street, eventually reaching the city gate and standing atop a high hill outside the gate.