Thinking this way, Yan Xiaobao and Lan Feng quickly arrived at the main castle in the city center. Their breaths were shallow, their entire bodies vigilant, ready to retreat if they were not treated kindly.
When Yan Xiaobao reached the castle, he wished he had more ti to walk, but no matter how much he wished for it, it would not happen. Resigning himself, he moved toward the castle gate.
Just as Yan Xiaobao was about to walk past, he was stopped by two Snake-n who appeared far stronger than Sha Yun. Their race reminded him of her, and he swore that one day he would take her and her sisters to the Divine Domain; a place where they truly felt at ho, rather than abandoned.
He quickly shook his head, dismissing the nostalgic mories of Sha Yun and others from the depths of his mind. As he gazed at the two beasts before him, his eyes grew sharp.
Both of them appeared tense, as if they were confronting soone far beyond their strength, but their loyalty was unwavering; neither seed to regret their decision to block the path of this young man with white hair.
"No entry for strangers," one of the guards said after swallowing nervously. His voice quivered slightly. Seeing how fearful they were of stopping him, Yan Xiaobao understood that Lan Feng had been correct when he said other beasts regarded him as a Saint.
Almost laughing, Yan Xiaobao paused in his tracks, feeling there was no need to harm anyone from Wan Qiao, not even injure one unnecessarily—it would be too easy for a woman to turn against him.
Staring at the guards, Yan Xiaobao thought for a mont before opening his mouth. "I’ll wait here, but one of you go and inform Wan Qiao that Lan Feng has arrived. Lan Feng and Yan Xiaobao."
After speaking, Yan Xiaobao stood there and waited for one of them to take action. As he did so, his heart wrestled with unease, worrying about what might unfold. Still, he had already inford the guards and could not turn back now. Whether his racing heart was due to Lan Feng’s fear or Yan Xiaobao’s anticipation, neither n nor beasts could guess.
Seeing the young man just standing there without showing signs of trouble for the two guards, they both exhaled a sigh of relief. Then, exchanging glances, one of them imdiately rushed into the castle, heading toward the room where the mistress of the Divine Domain was reading various reports.
The guard ran into the castle, slowing down when he saw an enormous iron door. He stopped before the door, catching his breath briefly, then knocked gently, prompting a voice to call him in.
The guard stepped through the doorway and looked at the woman before him. She was an astonishing beauty, her hair cascading in streams of golden locks—so golden they seed forged from sunlight itself. Her beautiful curls frad her face and accentuated her golden-brown eyes.
Looking at the stunning woman before him, the guard felt his heart racing, his gaze unable to leave her. It was as though she held everyone captive with a re glance.
"Miradi, there’s an expert outside hoping to speak with you," he said, panting heavily while still captivated by her beauty. "He introduced himself as Lan Feng and Yan Xiaobao."
The woman, who had been entirely focused on her paperwork, suddenly froze in her actions, and the room was filled with an icy aura. The temperature plumted sharply.
"What did you just say?" the woman asked, her voice low and deliberate, each word chilling the spine of the trembling guard still inside the room. The guard, his voice hoarse, repeated what he had said before: "An expert is waiting outside to et you; he identifies himself as Lan Feng and Yan Xiaobao."
Upon hearing the repeated words, Wan Qiao fell silent for a mont. Her eyes shut, her head resting in her hands. There seed to be an internal struggle within her, but after a while, she lifted her head and sighed deeply.
"Invite him in. Lead him to my private room—this marks our first reunion in years," she said, then stood and walked toward her private chambers. That room was the one place within the castle where she knew there were neither spies nor mory Stones monitoring her every move.
Upon realizing that they were acquaintances, the guard was astonished as he dashed back to the entrance where the young man was still waiting. As he approached, the previously respectful guard now displayed even greater reverence, bowing to the young man and signaling for him to follow. Yan Xiaobao simply shrugged.
Though he appeared carefree on the outside, both Lan Feng and Yan Xiaobao were carefully observing everything, constantly on guard for possible traps or ambushes. They both knew there was only a 50 percent chance of success.
Unfortunately, with such a high chance of success, there was an equally significant risk of failure—sothing neither humans nor birds wished to consider at present. Following the guard, they entered the beautiful stone castle. Having studied history extensively in his old life, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but admire the structure of the castle, comparing it to dieval castles of the old world.
Thinking about his old world, it was impossible for him not to feel a slight pang of nostalgia. He couldn’t help but wonder how his parents were doing, and what had beco of Li Fen. Contemplating this, he knew many years had passed. His parents must be old by now, and Li Fen would have grown up into an adult—hopefully with a family of her own.
As he thought about Li Fen, Yan Xiaobao realized there was no emotion left but a yearning to wish her the best in life. Years had passed, and Yan Xiaobao was no longer the person who had once lived in the old world. Here, he had learned the art of cultivation. He had made new friends. He had been transford. Through his myriad experiences, he had changed. Having skirted death on multiple occasions, he had endured it all because Lan Feng had shared his body with him. Together, they had survived. Lan Feng, a proud and eccentric bird, truly was now his closest friend. Their bond was the relationship that had changed him most significantly.
As he reminisced about his old world and how he had changed, he arrived at a wooden door. The door bore exquisite carvings of vermillion birds, an absolute masterpiece created by a master craftsman.
"I will take my leave," the guard said, bowing to Yan Xiaobao, feeling the sweat covering his palms. His heart started beating faster than before. The young man considered his next move briefly. Now or never, he thought, and knocked firmly on the door, the sound echoing throughout the hallway.
"Enter!" a deep yet captivating voice called out. Yan Xiaobao opened the door, curiosity stirring within him about who this Wan Qiao might be. Entering the room, Yan Xiaobao saw the woman, and as he gazed at her, his jaw dropped, his eyes widened.
Looking at the woman before him, this was not the first ti he had seen her. At ten years old, he had sold a pill to a woman who had paid him a handso sum for it. This woman had been the most beautiful person Yan Xiaobao had ever encountered. She had etched herself into his mory so profoundly that now, as she stood before him, he recognized her instantly.
Seeing the shock on Yan Xiaobao’s face, the beautiful woman smiled. A gentle smile spread across her lips.
Like an eagle striking, Yan Xiaobao was unable to stop her as a flat hand landed suddenly on his cheek. The slap sent him flying against the wall, leaving his head spinning. His vision blurred, and blood began streaming from the impact. Blood also filled his mouth. If her intent had been truly malicious, that single slap might have killed him.
Yan Xiaobao struggled to stand, waiting for his vision to clear, his gaze questioning as he stared at the woman before him. The last ti he’d seen her, she’d been incredibly kind to him. Now, however, she seed utterly hostile. Could it be she hadn’t recognized him this ti? Yan Xiaobao was completely at a loss.
Just as Yan Xiaobao’s eyes began to return to normal, he saw another slap coming his way. He instantly leapt backward, raising his hands in defense.
"Wait! Hold on!" he shouted. "Let’s talk this over!"
"The ti for talk has long passed," the woman growled, delivering another slap that sent him flying across the room, crashing into yet another wall.
As his head smacked into the stone wall once more, Yan Xiaobao groaned in pain. This ti, there was no blood, but the pain was still severe, and everything around him spun, making it impossible to see clearly.
Just as Yan Xiaobao was about to curse his rotten luck, he suddenly felt a warm, comforting energy spreading from his Dantian Cave. A green pearl orbited within, releasing its stored energy gradually outward. It flowed into his ridians, then spread throughout his body, reaching his head. Right in front of Wan Qiao, the blood dripping from the wounds on his head, as well as the internal injuries inflicted from being hurled against the stone walls, healed rapidly, leaving only traces of blood on his snow-white hair.
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