69novels 516. An unexpected encounter with Cao Ying
516. An unexpected encounter with Cao Ying
Xiao Yan chuckled as he looked at the endless stream of figures appearing before him.
Teacher Yao Lao, Father Xiao Zhan, Xun'er, Little Fairy Doctor, Qing Lin, Eldest Brother, Second Brother...
One by one, people who were extremely important to him appeared, calling out to him in a warm and familiar way. However, in the perception of his soul in the spiritual realm, these images were still too unreal.
Apart from the initial appearance of Yao Lao, which caused Xiao Yan to pause for a few breaths, Xiao Yan did not stop his steps at all.
As Xiao Yan ventured deeper, the gray mist before him gradually thinned, and his soul perception returned to normal. A distorted black hole, over ten feet in size, appeared before him. Xiao Yan knew that he had passed this first trial without any major incident.
"Is this the passage to the second level?"
To be on the safe side, Xiao Yan slowed down after seeing the illusion, so he wasn't the first to arrive here. There was an open space before the spatial black hole, where a few people were observing something.
With Xiao Yan's arrival, everyone's attention turned to him. Having secured first place on the Heavenly Talent Ranking, Xiao Yan was already a household name in Saint Pill City and one of the biggest favorites to win the Pill Gathering. His appearance at this moment naturally drew a lot of attention.
Xiao Yan glanced around but didn't see Lei Jingxiao or Yao Qingyu. Among these people, there was only one person he recognized.
"How could it be her?"
Dressed in a black dress, she exuded a cool and aloof air. Her skin was as white as snow, and her long, black hair was casually draped over her shoulders. Her face was slightly thin, but exceptionally delicate, like porcelain, making her irresistible to touch. Her long, narrow, and slightly languid eyes held a hint of allure, making her captivating and charming.
The woman, standing to one side, also noticed Xiao Yan who had just arrived. After exchanging a glance with him, a faint smile slowly curved her slender lips: "Mr. Xiao Yan, what a coincidence."
The person before me is the Danta Demoness, a disciple of Xuan Kongzi, and Cao Ying of the Cao family.
Feeling Cao Ying's alluring, fox-like charm, Xiao Yan became more cautious: "Why are you the only one here? Where is Ling Zhuo?"
Not only was Ling Zhuo absent, but Elder Mu Gu and Yao Qingyu, who were under the command of the Ling Clan, were also not here at the moment; only Cao Ying was present.
Cao Ying shrugged: "Based on past experience, everyone should gather here. We got separated as soon as we entered the first level. I originally thought my teacher would explain everything to Mr. Xiao Yan, and I was even thinking of asking you about it."
Seeing this, Xiao Yan cautiously used his soul power to carefully scan his surroundings, finding nothing unusual. Following Xiao Yan, more people continued to emerge from the gray mist.
Xiao Yan noticed that Cao Ying's gaze was fixed on him, and frowned: "What, do you want to fight me here?"
"Mr. Xiao Yan, you flatter me. Who doesn't know about your feat of breaking through to both the Dou Zun and Soul Spirit Realm in a single day? Ying'er knows she is no match for you and would never dare to make a move against you."
Cao Ying then smiled gently: "I'm only staying here now to thank Mr. Xiao Yan for sparing my life."
Xiao Yan was not a bloodthirsty person, and given that the situation was still unclear, he wouldn't act rashly. Furthermore, unlike Ling Zhuo, after learning about Cao Ying and Dan Chen's backgrounds, Xiao Yan didn't harbor any ill will towards them. Xiao Yan even wondered if, without the participation of the Spirit Clan, the Pill Gathering might have been a contest between himself and Cao Ying and Dan Chen.
However, Xiao Yan wasn't completely relaxed: "So you're planning to wait for them to arrive so they can capture and kill me together?"
"Hehe, Mr. Xiao Yan is really joking. Ying'er has no grudge against you, so why would she want to harm you?"
"You now belong to the Spirit Clan, so you should be my enemy," Xiao Yan said calmly.
Cao Ying reached out and gently stroked her collarbone, her tone pitiful as she said, "Women like us, lacking strength, naturally gravitate towards whichever side is stronger in order to survive. I hope Mr. Xiao Yan won't take offense."
As Cao Ying spoke, the people around her felt a surge of affection for her because of her gentle and charming voice. If they weren't wary of Xiao Yan's strength, they probably would have already shown their power and responsibility in front of Cao Ying. However, Xiao Yan still looked at Cao Ying coldly. Someone who was known as a vixen in Saint Pill City, anyone who actually believed that the person in front of him was a helpless innocent flower was truly a fool who had lost his mind.
"So, if I become stronger, Miss Cao Ying will side with me?" Xiao Yan suddenly asked under these circumstances.
Cao Ying glanced slyly to the right with her foxy eyes, a concerned smile appearing on her face: "Mr. Xiao Yan, the Spirit Clan is a family descended from the Dou Di, and their power is unstoppable. I advise Mr. Xiao Yan not to think about fighting against the Spirit Clan, but to submit as soon as possible, so as not to regret losing his life."
As she spoke, Cao Ying had already gracefully walked up to Xiao Yan, her breath sweet as orchids, and said softly with concern, "It's such a pity that such a genius as Mr. Xiao Yan died such an untimely death."
Xiao Yan looked at the alluring beauty so close to him, but his eyes remained unmoved: "No need for you to trouble yourself."
After waiting for so long, Xiao Yan still hadn't seen Lei Jingxiao, Yao Qingyu, and the others, which basically confirmed that there was more than one entrance. Knowing that there was no point in waiting any longer, he gave Cao Ying a slight nod and left through the spatial passage. Several people had already entered through the spatial passage before, and it seemed that there were basically no problems.
Xiao Yan knew that this space connected to the second trial of the Pill Gathering. Originally, there should have been someone from the Pill Gathering here to issue tasks, requiring contestants to search for specific medicinal herbs. However, the rules of the Pill Gathering had been changed, and everyone now had to find the materials for the pills they needed to refine themselves, so no one was here anymore.
This wasn't the first time Xiao Yan had used the spatial passage, and now that he had reached the Dou Zun realm, there was nothing for him to worry about. The spatial passage wasn't long; in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xiao Yan could already see the light at the end of the passage.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to enter the second stage, he suddenly felt a strange reaction from his Red Lotus Karmic Flame.
As the first strange fire he obtained, Xiao Yan was naturally very sensitive to the reaction of the Red Lotus Heart Flame; he had experienced this feeling before. It was the strange feeling of mutual attraction between strange fires of the same kind when Huo Zhi first summoned the Red Lotus Karmic Flame.
The feeling was fleeting; when Xiao Yan tried to sense it again, it was gone. A flicker of joy crossed Xiao Yan's heart; the Red Lotus Karmic Flame's reaction meant that the Fire Child was very likely nearby.
"No wonder we couldn't find you anywhere in Zhongzhou. So you were sent to Saint Pill City?" Xiao Yan muttered to himself.