At the exit of the Inner Courtyard, several figures flashed out. Upon seeing their faces, it was none other than Xiao Yan, Xuner, and the others. Following behind them was Lin Yan, who had curiously tagged along. Just as Xiao Yan and his group emerged from the forest, a faint, aged voice rang above their heads: “To leave the Inner Courtyard, you must obtain a pass from an Elder. What are all of you up to, gathering in such a large group?”
Hearing the voice, Xiao Yan and the others quickly looked up and saw an old man standing on a tree branch. Upon closer inspection, it was Su Elder, whom they had seen when they first entered the Inner Courtyard.
“Su Elder, I am student Xiao Yan. I have an urgent matter that requires me to go to the Outer Courtyard. My pass hasn’t been processed yet, so please make an exception for us!” Xiao Yan stepped forward, suppressing his anxiety, and spoke respectfully to the old man on the tree branch.
“Oh? Xiao Yan?” At these words, Su Elder was taken aback and immediately fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan. Seeing the somewhat familiar face, a smile appeared on his originally calm expression: “Hehe, it’s Xiao Yan. Feeling stifled in the Inner Courtyard and want to go out for a walk?”
“Not at all, something urgent has come up and I need to go out and check it,” Xiao Yan replied with a wry smile, bowing to Su Elder. “Elder, I’m counting on you.”
Su Elder hesitated slightly. According to the rules of the Inner Courtyard, without a pass, it was absolutely not allowed to let anyone out. However, Xiao Yan was different; he was someone Grand Elder had personally instructed to take special care of. Moreover, although he had been stationed here, he had heard about Xiao Yan’s ability to refine fifth-grade medicinal pills. Therefore, he was quite eager to help.
“According to the rules, one cannot be let out without a pass, but today, in consideration of Xiao Yan, I will make an exception.” After a moment’s thought, Su Elder waved his hand and smiled.
“Thank you, Elder!” Seeing Su Elder nod, Xiao Yan was overjoyed.
“Heh, you sure have some pull, old man. Every time I’ve come here, he always keeps a stern face and wouldn’t let anyone through without a pass. I never thought he would make an exception for you,” Lin Yan said in surprise, standing behind Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan smiled. He understood that the reason these Elders were being so polite to him was mostly because of his ability to refine fifth-grade medicinal pills. As an alchemist, he was well aware of the allure of fifth-grade pills to these Dou Wang-level Elders.
“Brother Xiao Yan, don’t worry. It shouldn’t be anything too serious in the Ganal Academy,” Xuner, who had been watching Xiao Yan closely, suddenly said softly. Although the former hid it well, she still noticed a faint trace of anxiety on his brow.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly and whispered, “But you know, Xiao Yu is proud. If it weren’t for something truly significant, she wouldn’t come to me. We are family, after all, and the Xiao Clan has already been brought to this state because of me. I do feel a bit sorry for them.”
Xuner smiled faintly and gently squeezed Xiao Yan’s hand, signaling him not to worry too much.
As they spoke in hushed tones, the open space before them began to ripple violently. Suddenly, the space seemed to be forcibly torn apart by an invisible giant hand, revealing a resplendent silver gate in everyone’s sight.
“I have already sent a signal outside, so there are griffins waiting. The deep mountains outside the Inner Courtyard are filled with magical beasts. Without griffin mounts, it would take at least a week to reach the Inner Courtyard,” Su Elder, who had lightly landed on the ground, explained to Xiao Yan and the others with a smile.
“Thank you, Su Elder. I will definitely repay your kindness,” Xiao Yan bowed in gratitude and, without lingering, strode towards the silver gate. In a flash of light, his figure vanished.
Following Xiao Yan, Xuner and the others quickly caught up. With a shimmer of silver, the area outside the forest became empty again.
“Seeing how hurried Xiao Yan looks, it seems there is indeed an emergency. I should probably report this to the Grand Elder,” mused Su Elder as the last person disappeared through the silver gate. He then turned, conjured a pair of dou qi wings, and sped off towards the Inner Courtyard.
Beyond the silver gate, a vast expanse of continuous mountains stretched out before Xiao Yan’s eyes. Not far ahead, a deep ravine cut across, disappearing into the horizon. Beside the ravine, a massive griffin flapped its wings, and two handlers sat atop it.
“Ha, you folks are going to the Outer Courtyard, right? Please come up,” one of the handlers stood up and welcomed Xiao Yan with a smile.
“Thank you,” Xiao Yan didn’t waste any words. With a wave of his hand, he leaped onto the griffin, standing straight and steady on its smooth back. Xuner and the others followed suit, and, given their formidable strength, they naturally avoided the embarrassing mishaps that some new students might have experienced upon entering the Inner Courtyard.
Seeing their steady postures, the two griffin handlers praised them silently. They indeed lived up to their reputation as Inner Courtyard students, whose skills were far beyond those of Outer Courtyard students.
“Hold on tight!” One handler shouted, and the griffin’s wings flapped, creating a strong gust of wind. The massive creature soared into the sky, speeding towards the Outer Courtyard.
At the Outer Courtyard, the griffin landing plaza was bustling. Many students gathered around, drawn by the spectacle of the griffins. When these students saw the group descending from the griffin, they were momentarily stunned. Xiao Yan, Xuner, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao had been well-known stars in the Outer Courtyard before entering the Inner Courtyard. Even though more than half a year had passed, many still remembered them. Thus, as soon as the four appeared, whispers and admiring gazes filled the air.
Xiao Yan, in his hurry, paid no attention to the gazes. He led the group out of the plaza and headed towards where Instructor Ruolin lived.
“Hey, that girl in green is so pretty! I’ve never seen her before. It’s a pity; if I had, maybe I could have gotten to know her better,” some voices grew louder as they watched the group disappear. Over the past six months, a new batch of students had entered the Outer Courtyard, so many of the newcomers had never seen Xuner and the others. However, sensing the imposing aura of the group, the new students didn’t dare to be too loud. Once the group left, the voices naturally rose.
“Tsk, kid, you’re really asking for it. That’s Senior Xiao Yan’s woman. How can you even think of getting close to her?” A senior student, who appeared to be older, sneered at a new student who had just spoken.
“Who is Xiao Yan? I’ve only heard of the Freshman King Yan Cheng. I don’t know anything about Xiao Yan,” the new student, a troublemaker, shot back.
“Freshman King Yan Cheng? Hehe, a bunch of ignorant freshmen trying to compete with the real deal. When Senior Xiao Yan entered the Inner Courtyard, he was already a Six-Star Great Fighter. After half a year of hard training in the Inner Courtyard, his strength must have improved greatly. He might even be at the peak of a Great Fighter. What does Yan Cheng count for? A slap, and his mother wouldn’t even recognize him,” a senior student mocked. The so-called Freshman King was just a title chosen by the new students because Yan Cheng was the most outstanding. Although the new students weren’t very strong, they had numbers, giving them a considerable influence in the Outer Courtyard.
Hearing about the peak Great Fighter strength, the new student’s face changed. He understood the huge gap between the two and didn’t dare to speak any more flippantly. He slunk away, tail between his legs.
Xiao Yan and his group were unaware of the changes in the Outer Courtyard over the past six months. Even if they knew, they wouldn’t care. With their current strength, even in the Inner Courtyard, they were formidable, so they didn’t need to pay attention to these new students.
They quickly made their way to where Instructor Ruolin lived. Due to Xuner and Hu Jia, they attracted many glances. Some seniors recognized them, but the new students stared in curiosity, whispering among themselves.
After a hurried journey, it took about ten minutes for Xiao Yan to spot Instructor Ruolin’s elegant pavilion. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickened his pace. Finally, he reached the door and knocked gently.
“Creak!” The door opened, revealing a familiar, weary face. The tall, graceful figure and the long, slender legs—none other than Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu, who had opened the door, was taken aback to see the large group, but when her gaze fell on Xiao Yan, she froze. Her beautiful eyes welled up with tears, threatening to spill like a torrential downpour.
“Don’t cry, what’s wrong? I rushed here nonstop,” Xiao Yan said, startled by Xiao Yu’s show of vulnerability, and hurried to comfort her.
Xiao Yu, biting her lip, finally held back her tears. She grabbed Xiao Yan and rushed into the house. In her state, Xiao Yan dared not resist and let her lead the way.
Led by Xiao Yu, the group passed through the hall and arrived at a door. She slowed down and pushed it open gently.
Seeing the expression on Xiao Yu’s face, Xiao Yan’s hand trembled slightly. He walked into the room and saw a bed with a man lying on it. The man, about 25 years old, had his eyes closed, his face pale as paper, showing a hint of pain. His body occasionally twitched, and his face bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Yan.
Staring at the familiar face, Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly. His dark eyes reddened with veins, and a low, suppressed, and furious voice came out of his throat.
“Second Brother!”
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