Within the hall, the crowd sat in separate seats. Xiao Yan smiled as he gazed at the two people across from him. Wu Hao he had seen once in the Black-Corner Region, and there was not much change in him. As for Hu Jia, she had transformed directly from her previous little demoness persona into a brisk and efficient appearance. Her short hair made her appear less feminine but added a touch of heroism. Over the past two years, everyone had undergone some changes, more or less. Having been apart for so long, it was natural that a warm conversation took place upon their reunion. During their talk, the smile on Wu Hao’s face never waned. He had always held a deep respect for Xiao Yan, a respect that had subtly existed since Xiao Yan single-handedly defeated both him, Hu Jia, and Bai Shan during an examination in the outer academy. This respect had grown increasingly stronger over time.
Hu Jia, however, was different. She did not hide her dissatisfaction with Xiao Yan’s prolonged absence, voicing her displeasure straightforwardly. Nevertheless, overall, she was still very excited to see Xiao Yan again. “In these two years, you both have become Dou Wangs. Congratulations,” Xiao Yan said, holding a teacup and sighing with a smile. He recalled the reckless things they had done back then when they were just brash young men, barely more than Da Dou Shis themselves.
“Can’t compare with you…” Hu Jia pouted. From the moment she entered the room, she had sensed the powerful aura emanating faintly from Xiao Yan’s body, knowing full well that his strength had far surpassed theirs.
Xiao Yan smiled and asked softly, “How is the Yanmen now?”
“Naturally, it’s much better than before,” Hu Jia said proudly. “Wu Hao has already become an elder of the inner court. Although I also have the qualifications to become an elder, I haven’t taken that step because I need to manage the Yanmen. After all, once one becomes an elder, they can’t interfere too much in the affairs of the students.”
“Over the years, the members of the Yanmen have not changed much. In fact, the number has even decreased. Counting them up, there are probably no more than three hundred,” Wu Hao added with a smile. “The recruitment conditions for the Yanmen have become increasingly stringent. We only accept about fifty people each quarter, but don’t underestimate these few hundred. They almost entirely cover the cream of the crop from the inner court, with exceptional potential.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded slightly and smiled, “Quality over quantity, that’s excellent. The stricter the recruitment conditions, the more cohesive the Yanmen will be. They will take pride in their identity, which is very important.”
Xiao Yan was no longer the naive rookie he once was. Now, he was the founder of the Xiao Gate and the Flame Alliance, with considerable experience.
“How many of the Yanmen members who graduate will join the Xiao Gate?” Xiao Yan tapped his fingers on the table, asking a rather significant question. When he founded the Xiao Gate, the main reason was the hidden potential within the Yanmen. Most students who entered the inner court had decent cultivation talents, which would be fully nurtured in any sect. Now, with the alliance between the Xiao Gate and the Yanmen, the former could continuously receive fresh, high-quality support.
“A fair number. Every member selected to join the Yanmen is informed of its relationship with the Xiao Gate. As trust strengthens, we allow some members to enter the Xiao Gate early to increase their adaptability. Excluding special cases, about twenty Yanmen members enter the Xiao Gate each year,” Hu Jia said thoughtfully.
“And now, the relationship between the Yanmen and the Xiao Gate is known to the Canaan Academy. They do not oppose it; instead, they seem supportive. This makes the Xiao Gate more legitimate, and mutual support ensures maximum security in this chaotic place,” Wu Hao smiled.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, a relieved smile appearing on his face. The smooth operation of the Yanmen was a pleasant surprise. As long as the Yanmen existed, the Xiao Gate’s strength would grow significantly each year. Given enough time, there might be no other force in the Black-Corner Region that could compete with it.
“You’ve both worked hard over the past two years…” he sighed and sincerely thanked Hu Jia and Wu Hao. If not for them, the Yanmen would not have functioned so well, and his plans for the Xiao Gate would have fallen through.
“Come on, stop with the flattery. If you feel guilty, why don’t you manage it yourself?” Hu Jia quipped.
Xiao Yan let out a wry smile and sighed, “I wish I could, but I have too much on my plate.”
“Ha, she’s just venting. By the way, how long will you stay in the inner court this time?” Wu Hao asked.
At his question, the eyes of the people in the hall turned to Xiao Yan.
“Probably not too long. After I finish my business here, I plan to go looking for a different flame on the mainland. It will likely take an enormous amount of time, as finding such flames is extremely difficult,” Xiao Yan pondered for a moment before responding slowly.
“Another Heavenly Flame?” Xin Lan, who was listening, eyes flashed briefly, though she didn’t say anything.
“Always busy,” Wu Hao sighed. “Since you’re back, you should meet the brothers of the Yanmen. They’re curious and look up to you. Even I and Hu Jia can’t match your status with them.”
Xiao Yan stood up and replied cheerfully, “Of course. How could I not meet my own brothers?”
Behind Xiao Yan, Xiao Mei watched the slightly thinner figure of the former and smiled. In the two years since she last saw him, he had become more mature and reassuring. Now, he shone like a brilliant star, radiating dazzling light.
After chatting with Wu Hao and the others for a while, Xiao Yan met with the Yanmen brothers as promised. Then, amidst their amused gazes, he hastily fled, never expecting that they would be so crazy as to want to tear off his clothes as souvenirs.
After reuniting with Wu Hao and the others, Xiao Yan headed to the Elders’ Residence in the inner court. There, in the meeting hall, he found the head elder, Su Qian, waiting alone.
Su Qian, who was reading an ancient book in the living room, looked up at the sound of the door opening and saw Xiao Yan, his clothes disheveled, rushing in. With a teasing smile, he said, “Now you know how popular you are in the inner court? In all these years, I’ve never seen a student treated like you.”
Xiao Yan let out a wry smile and sat down in a chair, saying, “Head Elder, please don’t tease me.”
Su Qian smiled and, with a slightly more serious expression, asked, “Besides releasing the Heavenfire from the Heavenly Flame Tower, what else brings you to the Canaan Academy this time?”
Mentioning the serious matter, Xiao Yan’s expression became more solemn. He hesitated and said, “Head Elder, is the Dean not in the inner court?”
“Yes, he enjoys traveling the world and has not returned for nearly ten years. If not for the regular messages he sends back, I would think something had happened to him. Do you want to find him?” Su Qian replied helplessly.
Xiao Yan sighed and slowly pulled open his black robe, revealing a strange, chilling black mark on his chest, surrounded by mystical runes that sealed it like a cage.
Looking at the black mark, Su Qian’s expression changed slightly. With his discerning eye, he could see something amiss and said, “You’ve been poisoned?”
Xiao Yan nodded with a wry smile and briefly recounted the events.
“A Dou Zun expert…” After hearing Xiao Yan’s story, Su Qian’s expression became increasingly grave. After a moment, he shook his head and sighed, “Besides the Dean, there are no other Dou Zun experts in the inner court. The Canaan Academy does indeed have a few old monsters, but they haven’t reached Dou Zun level. Perhaps if they work together, they could reach that level temporarily, but it’s impossible to ask them to help. Their task is to protect the Canaan Academy, and they won’t show up unless the academy is in peril. Not even I have the authority to command them.”
Xiao Yan sighed, having no illusions about those hidden old monsters. Back then, the inner court was almost destroyed by Han Feng, yet those old guys never appeared, let alone help detoxify him now.
“If there are no Dou Zun experts, perhaps the only other way is…” Xiao Yan exhaled lightly and said slowly.
“What other way?”
“Find another Heavenly Flame!” Xiao Yan’s eyes suddenly burst with a blazing light as he said decisively.
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