In the vast and treacherous Dark Plains, Xiao Yan had passed through this region several times and was quite familiar with it. Upon reaching the plains, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. As long as they could cross these plains, they would be able to enter the Black-Corner Region. The closer they got to their destination, the more relaxed Xiao Yan felt. He signaled for Little Healer Immortal and the others to land and rest for about two to three hours before continuing their journey. With his current strength, Xiao Yan no longer needed to traverse the plains on foot like he did the first time, which not only took a very long time but also posed significant dangers if they encountered a black storm.
With the speed Xiao Yan and his companions now possessed, crossing the Dark Plains took merely two hours, a far cry from the arduous journey that took two or three days the first time. After traversing the Dark Plains, Xiao Yan gradually slowed down. The Black-Corner Region was a place where dragons mingled with snakes, a vast territory hiding countless strong individuals. If they continued to rush recklessly, they might attract unnecessary trouble. After all, the people here were hard-boiled warriors who lived by the edge of the knife; if the benefits were substantial enough, they would attack without hesitation, regardless of who you were.
Following the route in his memory, Xiao Yan led Little Healer Immortal and the other at a low altitude, landing to walk through any city they encountered. They would take the opportunity to linger in the city’s auction houses and herbal medicine shops, trying to find the materials they needed. This way, their travel speed naturally slowed down, but it reduced potential troubles. During their travels, Xiao Yan also inquired about the “Xiao Sect,” but perhaps due to their location in the outer regions of the Black-Corner Region, while many had heard of the recently emerging power, they did not know much about its specifics. This made Xiao Yan somewhat helpless, but from the information he gathered, it seemed that the “Xiao Sect” had not encountered any major troubles, which was a relief.
Since he learned that the “Xiao Sect” was fine, Xiao Yan was not in a hurry to reach it. Traveling through various cities, he inquired about the materials needed to control the Catastrophic Poison Body. Additionally, since he had once obtained the fragmented map of the Heavenly Demon Lotus Flame at an auction, he was very interested in the large-scale auctions in the Black-Corner Region. Therefore, he also inquired about upcoming auctions.
After traveling for over ten days, Xiao Yan and his companions finally reached the central part of the Black-Corner Region. It was here that he finally got some information about a large-scale auction. In the Black-Corner Region, almost every city held auctions frequently, but the scale of these individual auctions was small, so they did not attract Xiao Yan’s attention. However, from time to time, some powerful forces in the Black-Corner Region would join hands with other factions to hold large, joint auctions.
These large-scale auctions were one of the highlights of the Black-Corner Region, offering items of high grade and rarity, attracting countless strong individuals and factions. The items auctioned here were far beyond what the Mi Tie Family in the Jia Ma Empire could offer. For instance, the Lightning Evasive Technique, a rare Earth-class movement skill even craved by Battle Emperor experts, could be auctioned here, highlighting the importance of these auctions. The Mi Tie Family’s auctions might draw the attention of Dou Wang experts, but not Xiao Yan’s, who was more interested in the Black-Corner Region’s large-scale auctions, which attracted Battle Sect-level experts.
The auction Xiao Yan learned about was to be held in the city of Black City, controlled by the Black Emperor Sect. The Black Emperor Sect was well-known in the Black-Corner Region but maintained a low profile. Although its leader was not on the “Black List,” very few factions dared to challenge it within its territory. The sect had stood in the Black-Corner Region for a long time, and even the Gold and Silver Elders treated the low-profile leader with great respect, indicating the leader’s formidable strength.
The Black-Corner Region was indeed a place where hidden talents abounded. The so-called “Black List” had some credibility, but there were also many strong individuals who chose to remain hidden. Upon learning of the large-scale auction, Xiao Yan decided to head to Black City. He was very interested in such events, hoping to obtain information about the last piece of the fragmented map. Even if he didn’t, the auction would gather many strong individuals, providing rich information, possibly even about different types of Heavenly Flames or the three materials needed to control the Catastrophic Poison Body.
After making his decision, Xiao Yan bought a map of the Black-Corner Region and set off with Little Healer Immortal and the other. Despite the vastness of the Black-Corner Region, exceeding even the combined territories of the Jia Ma and Cloud Empires, Xiao Yan was cautious. Although he had once defeated many forces in the Black-Corner Region, that was just a small part of it. With his growing strength, his discernment also increased, and he knew that the strongest figures in the Black-Corner Region were often those who kept a low profile.
On a green, tree-lined path, three figures walked slowly. The young man in black robes at the front was chewing on a bitter grass stem, his arms behind his head, lazily basking in the warm sunlight filtering through the leaves.
“Xiao Yan, how far is that darned broken city?” Behind him, the purple-haired girl pouted angrily.
“Almost there,” Xiao Yan replied indifferently, chewing on the bitter grass.
“You’ve said that dozens of times!” The girl, Zi Yan, exploded, leaping onto Xiao Yan’s back and biting him playfully.
The girl in white, Nalan Yanran, smiled and shook her head at Zi Yan’s antics.
“Little girl, walking is also a form of cultivation. Don’t always think about flying,” Xiao Yan said, laughing as he glanced at Zi Yan, who still clung to his back.
“This boring cultivation is useless. You should give me the herbs I found; that’s the best cultivation,” Zi Yan grumbled, frustrated that all the rare herbs she found over the past six months were taken by Xiao Yan, who claimed to use them efficiently.
Xiao Yan shrugged, about to reply when he suddenly stopped, his dark eyes narrowing as he looked into the distance.
“What’s up?” Zi Yan asked, blinking curiously.
“Someone is running towards us, seems like they’re escaping,” Little Healer Immortal said lightly, looking at Xiao Yan for his decision.
“Let’s just continue our way,” Xiao Yan smiled, uninterested in getting involved in the Black-Corner Region’s daily battles.
As they spoke, two figures stumbled out of the forest, pursued by a group of shadowy figures exuding murderous intent.
As the escapees’ plight worsened, Xiao Yan could see a man and a woman, both in their thirties, the man slightly injured and the woman, a young girl, panicked. The man’s injury caused him to stumble, and the girl hurriedly supported him, her eyes filled with fear.
Their delay allowed the pursuers to get even closer. Just as the man’s eyes filled with despair, he spotted the three figures and shouted, “Friends ahead, please help us! We’ll offer great rewards!”
As he shouted, the pursuers closed in, forming a circle that included Xiao Yan and his companions.
“Haha, do you still want to escape?” A black-robed man sneered at the two.
Seeing their escape blocked, the man’s despair deepened. He turned pleading eyes to Xiao Yan and his companions.
Xiao Yan glanced at the man, then at the girl, noticing her potential beauty. She didn’t have the time to mature, but unfortunately, she wouldn’t get the chance.
“Boy, stay out of this. Don’t meddle in others’ affairs,” the black-robed man said coldly.
“Just passing by,” Xiao Yan said indifferently, turning away.
Seeing his reaction, the man and girl paled. The girl glared at Xiao Yan’s back, struggling to understand why he was cowardly despite his good looks.
Satisfied, the black-robed men chuckled menacingly.
“Friend, we are from the Canaan Academy. Please help us. This matter is important, and we will reward you generously,” the man pleaded again.
“Teacher Medir, don’t ask him. He won’t help. Cowardly and cold-hearted, he won’t save us,” the girl spat.
Surprisingly, Xiao Yan paused as he was about to leave the black-robed men’s circle.
His pause brought hope to the man but chilled the black-robed men.
“Boy, take your people and leave, or you’ll lose your life,” the black-robed leader threatened.
Xiao Yan ignored the threat, turning to the pair.
“You are from the Canaan Academy?” he asked, slightly surprised.
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