The Black Domain Plain had been traversed by Xiao Yan on several occasions, so he was quite familiar with it. Upon arriving, he exhaled deeply, relieved—once he passed through the plain, he would enter the Black Angular Domain. As his destination drew nearer, Xiao Yan grew slightly more relaxed. He greeted the two young healers, having them alight, and after resting for roughly two or three hours, rose again and took the lead, swiftly flying across the Black Domain Plain. With his current strength, he no longer needed to walk the entire way as he had during his first journey—such a method was not only time-consuming but also potentially troublesome if encountering a Black Storm. At their pace, the journey across the Black Domain Plain took only two hours, a significant improvement over the several days it had taken on their initial trip. After crossing the Black Domain Plain, Xiao Yan gradually slowed his pace. The Black Angle Domain was densely populated with dragons and serpents, and across its vast expanse, countless powerful individuals lurked in the shadows. If he still traveled as he had in the past—unconstrained and headlong—he risked drawing unnecessary attention. After all, the people here were constantly on the brink of survival, always ready to pounce with fierce determination as long as there was sufficient gain. No matter who they were, they would surely come at you with full force. Following the route stored in his memory, Xiao Yan led the two young healers, gliding at low altitude. Whenever they passed through Black Angle Domain cities, they would descend and walk through them, pausing along the way at auction halls and pharmacies and other establishments, hoping to find the materials they needed. Thus, the pace of Xiao Yan and his companions naturally slowed down considerably, though it spared them many complications. Along the way, Xiao Yan gathered information about the "Xiao Sect." However, perhaps due to this being a peripheral region of HeiJiao Domain, while many people had heard of this newly risen force in recent years, they were not well-informed about its specific details. Xiao Yan found this somewhat frustrating. Nevertheless, from the information he collected, he learned that the "Xiao Sect" had not encountered any major issues he had anticipated—this gave him considerable relief. Since it was confirmed that the "Xiao family" was unharmed, Xiao Yan no longer felt urgent to hurry on, instead taking the two young healers and traveling through various cities, gathering information about the specific materials needed to control the calamity toxin. As Xiao Yan had previously obtained the fragmented map of the Pure Lotus Demon Fire at an auction, he was particularly interested in the major auctions being held in the Black-Angle Domain, and thus inquired about them as he gathered information. Through this method of progressing while continuously gathering news, after about ten days, Xiao Yan and his companions gradually reached the central region of the Black-Angle Domain, where he finally secured some favorable news regarding the large-scale auctions. Within this Blackthorn Domain, nearly every city regularly hosts auctions. However, these individual events are typically of modest scale and thus fail to capture Xiao Yan's attention. Periodically, however, powerful factions within the domain—those with exceptional strength—collaborate with other factions to gather a wide array of items, culminating in large-scale, joint auctions. Such events are truly grand occasions within the Blackthorn Domain, and the quality and rarity of the items offered are sufficient to draw countless powerful individuals and factions. The items being auctioned here far surpass the offerings of the Mitre Family of the Gamma Empire. Consider Xiao Yan's three thousand thunderous steps—a body technique of Rank E, highly coveted even by Rank Emperor-level warriors—being presented for auction. This alone underscores the significant stature of these joint auctions. The auctions hosted by the Mittel family might only draw the attention of a few high-tier cultivators, but for someone like Xiao Yan, they simply fail to exert much appeal. In contrast, the large-scale auctions held in HeiJiao Domain are quite different—stronger cultivators, even at the Douzong level, are not uncommon to attend. This particular auction that Xiao Yan has learned about is being held in Black Emperor City, located slightly west of the central region of HeiJiao Domain. The city is owned by the "Black Emperor Sect." The Hei Huang Sect enjoys considerable renown within the Black Angle Region, yet unlike other sects, it maintains an unusually reserved demeanor. Although its Master has not been included on the Black Angle Region's "Black List," few other sects venture to challenge it within the territory it governs. The sect has stood firm in the region for a long time; even the two elder figures, the Gold and Silver Masters, are said to have treated its humble Master with great courtesy. This alone clearly attests to the Master's exceptional standing. Within the Black Horn Domain, there truly are hidden talents and rising stars—this is no exaggeration. The Black Register certainly holds some value, though it is far from comprehensive. In this turbulent land, true powerhouses often choose to remain concealed. Upon learning that the Black Emperor Sect would be hosting a major auction, Xiao Yan paused thoughtfully and decided to first head to the so-called Black Emperor City. He was particularly enthusiastic about such a grand event—perhaps there, he could stumble upon the long-sought news regarding the final fragment of the map. Even if he failed to secure that information, the gathering of powerful figures from across the domain would surely offer the richest pool of intelligence. With any luck, he might also learn about the rare flames or the three essential materials needed to control the Catastrophic Poisonous Body. After making up his mind, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated. He paid a premium to obtain a detailed map of the Black Horn Domain and then, accompanied by the two young healers, set off from the city toward the famed Black Emperor City. … The Black Corner Domain is exceptionally vast—so expansive that even combined, the territories of the Jima and Shu Yun Empires fall short. Amidst this vast expanse, rife with chaos, countless powerful individuals thrive. Even with his current strength, Xiao Yan must remain somewhat cautious. Though he had previously defeated several Black Corner Domain factions, those were only a few. As his power has grown, so too has his perspective. He now clearly understands that within the Black Corner Domain, the combined strength of the Silver and Gold Elders alone is far from sufficient. What truly poses a threat are the quiet, unassuming figures who remain hidden. Therefore, in the Black Corner Domain, every action must be carried out with caution! ... On a shaded, lush forest path, three figures moved slowly. In front, a young man in a black robe held a green root between his teeth, his arms resting behind his head, lounging as the warm sunlight pouring down from the sky filtered through the tree leaves and gently fell upon his body. "Xiao Yan, how much longer until that cursed broken city?" the little girl with purple hair frowned, her face scrunched in irritation, demanding. "Almost there," the young man replied, chewing on the root, which carried a faint bitterness, with a lazy tone. "You've said that very sentence dozens of times already!" Hearing this, Zi Yan instantly lost her temper, leaping up and clinging to Xiao Yan like a slow-moving sloth, biting at him wildly. Observing her actions, the girl dressed in a white dress beside them smiled gently, then shook her head with a quiet amusement. "Little one, walking is also a form of cultivation. Don't always think about flying." Xiao Yan glanced at Zhi Yan hanging on his body, gave her no attention, and continued walking at a steady pace, smiling. "Who needs this dull training? Just give me the herbs I've found, and that'll be the best training of all." Zhi Yan protested angrily—over the past half-year, she had discovered numerous rare herbs, only for them all to be seized by this annoying man, whom she claimed was making efficient use of every resource. Xiao Yan shrugged, just about to speak, when his steps suddenly halted. His dark eyes narrowed, fixed on the distant forest. "What's wrong?" Seeing Xiao Yan stop, Zhi Yan blinked her large eyes, puzzled. "Someone appears to be coming this way from ahead—seems like they're fleeing," the young physician remarked casually, glancing at Xiao Yan as if waiting for his decision. "Don't worry about them. We'll keep moving." Xiao Yan smiled faintly. In the Black Angular Domain, feuds and killings unfolded every day—there was no way he could possibly save them all one by one. As Xiao Yan and his companions spoke, two figures struggling with unsteady steps emerged at the end of the forest path, looking disheveled. Nearby, in the distance, numerous dark silhouettes darted swiftly, their cold, murderous intent reaching even from afar. As the fleeing figures grew more frantic, Xiao Yan finally caught a clear view of the two. One was a man, around thirty, and the other a young woman. The man stumbled, with a few streaks of blood on his clothes, clearly wounded. The young woman, dressed in a light purple robe, appeared relatively unharmed, yet her delicate, beautiful face was now etched with growing panic. Perhaps due to his injuries, when he had initially fled, his steps wavered and he nearly stumbled, almost falling. The young woman quickly steadied him, and in the midst of their conversation, a few misty droplets formed in the clear, lively eyes of the girl, shimmering with concern. While they were thus delayed, the numerous shadow figures behind them surged forward, their cold, lethal intent causing cold sweat to bead on both of their backs. The man clenched his teeth, turned his head to gaze at the rapidly approaching pursuers, and a growing sense of despair settled in his heart. Just as that despair began to take hold, his eyes caught sight of three figures standing not far ahead. With a sudden, urgent cry, he exclaimed, "Friends ahead—please, lend me your aid! I will offer you an exceptionally generous reward afterward!" As he spoke, the pursuers suddenly accelerated, their figures flashing into motion, and soon formed a complete encircling formation, fully encompassing the area. And just so, the three figures—Xiao Yan and his companions—found themselves precisely within that encircling circle. "Hahahaha, still trying to escape?" A black-robed figure stood above the two below, looking disheveled, and chuckled mockingly. Seeing their escape route now sealed off, the man's sense of despair deepened, and he could only turn his pleading gaze toward Xiao Yan and his companions. Xiao Yan glanced at the man, then swept his eyes over the purple-robed young woman beside her. Though her features carried a touch of youthful awkwardness, anyone with a keen eye could see that she was a truly promising beauty—once she matured, she would surely win over many men who would fall at her feet. Yet, alas... she didn't have the time. "Young man, the road stretches ahead—each of us takes our own path. Please, don't interfere!" One of the black-robed figures, having noticed Xiao Yan and his companions, stepped forward with a cold gaze and spoke firmly. "I'm merely passing by..." Xiao Yan said calmly, then turned his gaze away from the purple-robed girl, who still looked full of hope, and walked straight ahead with a composed, indifferent expression. At the sight of Xiao Yan's actions, both the man and the young woman instantly turned pale, the latter clenching her silver teeth tightly, glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan's back as if utterly bewildered—why was this person so well-looking yet so timid and hesitant? The black-robed guards, meanwhile, were highly satisfied with Xiao Yan's composed demeanor, chuckling appreciatively. At the moment his steps slowed, the man's face instantly brightened, while the surrounding black-robed figures grew utterly cold in expression. "Young man, if you don't want to lose your life, you'd better lead everyone and leave right away—otherwise..." the leading black-robed figure said, his voice cold and steady.