Xiao Yan leaned back against the panquin a down his wine cup. At this moment, his eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed as if, in that instant, his gaze could see through everything about Yun Shan, as if uhe scrutiny of those eyes, even a Dou Aor like Yun Shan was nothing more than a transparent nobody, uo ceal anything from him.

  This gaze made Yun Shan feel as if he had been struck by lightning; cold soured down his entire body.

  Only now did he finally feel the grip of fear. He realized that he was like a mere puppet held in the grasp of an invisible giant hand. He had thought he'd escaped from uhe Five Finger Mountain and believed himself to be above others.

  But iy, Xiao Yan had seen through him all along.

  "If your st resort is the Hall of Souls, then gratutions—you won't o trouble yourself anymore. You take a good rest and sider yourself off duty," Xiao Yan said leisurely via spiritual voice transmission.

  "Who the hell are you, that even Protector Wu does not show up?!" Yun Shan was geerrified now, as he had absolutely no idea why Protector Wu hadn't appeared! If it was out of fear of the fa behind Xiao Yan, then this Xiao Yan was simply too terrifying!

  "Me? Didn't your disciple and grand-disciple tell you? My name is Xiao Yan, from Wu Tan City," Xiao Yan introduced himself using spiritual voice transmission.

  These words fell on Yun Shan's ears like Xiao Yan was toying with him, but the senteruck him like a bolt from the blue.

  "I'm also a Di Css Soul Envoy of the Hall of Souls."

  !!!? Yun Shan's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Xiao Yan, utterly dumbfounded.

  He couldn't prehend it.

  Even if Xiao Yan was a Di Css Soul Envoy, that shouldn't be enough to make someo the Protector level apprehensive!

  "Sigh, I've been sitting for too long; it's time to stretch my legs. Sino one has invited me to step off the panquin, I suppose I'll have to e down myself." Xiao Yan slowly stepped down from the panquin and stretched zily.

  Only then did everyone realize that Xiao Yan had not even stepped off the panquin until now!!

  The entire Misty Cloud Sect, including the Dou Aor Yun Shan and even the sect's protective grand formation, had all made an appearance, yet they still couldn't do anything to Xiao Yan!

  In fact, at this moment, everyone's mouths hung agape. They all stared at Xiao Yan in a daze, feeling that he had suddenly bee utterly unfathomable.

  Only Medusa cast a sidelong g Xiao Yan, as if to say, 'You act as if you defeated Yun Shan yourself. Wasn't it others who did all the work while you merely talked?'

  Ling Ying merely smiled without saying anything. Being adept at leveraging others to help oneself was also a form of great wisdom.

  Xiao Yan sloroached Yun Shan. A beautiful figure appeared before him. Yun Yun spread her arms to block his path, her eyes pleading as she said, "Xiao Yan, please don't."

  When Xiao Yan heard Yun Yun's impl void saw the ey in her eyes, his heart skipped a beat.

  "Sect Leader Yun Yun, you've misuood. I'm not here to trouble Old Sect Leader Yun Shan; I'm here to trouble you," he said, pointing at her.

  Yun Yun was stunned upon hearing this, doubting her own ears.

  "Sect Leader Yun Yun, your sect's First Elder, on the basis of unfounded charges, instructed many disciples to attack me. There o be an expnation for this, don't you think?" Xiao Yan said with a grin.

  Not only was Yun Yun bewildered by this, even Yun Shan didn't know what Xiao Yan nning!

  Yun Yun's delicate brows knitted slightly. She looked toward Yun Leng and said, "Yun Leng, Yun Sha, Yun Du, Ge Ye—you four have itted a grave mistake. Now, in my capacity as the ninth-geio Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, I hereby expel you from the sect. Pack up your belongings and leave the Misty Cloud Sect today!"

  Upon hearing these words, Yun Leng roared with a furious expression, "Yun Yun! You are not our Misty Cloud Sect's Sect Leader! I do not aowledge it! You have nht to expel me! I only take orders from Sect Leader Yun Shan alone!"

  Seeing Yun Leng's outburst, Yun Shan fixed his gaze firmly on Xiao Yan. After p for a moment, he slowly said, "Yun Yun has always been the Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect. Her words are my words."

  Yun Leng and the others were instantly stupefied as if struck by lightning and sat there in a daze. No matter how he thought about it, Yun Leng couldn't uand why Yun Shan would abandon him!

  "It's you! It's you, Xiao Yan! What exactly did you do? Why is this happening?!" Yun Leng seemed to have gone mad. He couldn't uand how, despite his unwavering loyalty to Yun Shan, he would end up like this.

  Xiao Yan shrugged and said, "You went crazy on your own. I didn't force you."

  "Since Sect Leader Yun Yun has provided an expnatio's discuss the matter of pensation." Xiao Yan looked at Yun Yun with a mischievous expression.

  Upon hearing this, Yun Yun's heart trembled as she recalled what had happened in the cave back then!

  "I've heard that yate of Life ah is a secret realm. Nan Yanran's rapid improvement in strength was due to the training she underwent there. I want to ehe Gate of Life ah," Xiao Yan immediately put away his pyful expression and said very seriously.

  "You want to ehe Gate of Life ah?" Yun Yun was utterly baffled; she hadn't expected that the pensation Xiao Yan wanted was to train ie of Life ah???

  Upon hearing Xiao Yan's request, Nan Yanran's beautiful eyes widened in shock behind him. She recalled that during their duel not long ago, Xiao Yan had asked if there was a way to ehe Gate of Life ah!

  'Could it be that he orchestrated all of this with the goal of entering the Gate of Life ah!' Nan Yanran's face ged dramatically. At this moment, she looked at Xiao Yan as if he were a terrifyi.

  Could all of this have been calcuted by this person?

  But after thinking it over, she felt it was impossible because Xiao Yan couldn't have possibly known that the First Elder would inexplicably make things difficult for him, eveing to violence.

  Only Yun Shan had a ptive expression.

  After p for a while, Yun Yun said, "The Gate of Life ah requires someone capable of activating it to enter. Even though I'm the Sect Leader, I 't forcibly open it. But if you wish, I let you try."

  "Xiao Yan thanks Sect Leader Yun for making this possible. It seems I still have the fortuo appreciate the beautiful sery of the Misty Cloud Sect," Xiao Yan said with a sunny smile.

  Theurned around, raised his hand, and addressed all the surrounding spectators: "Everyohe show is truly over this time. You should all go home now; there's nothing more to see."

  Everyone could tell that Xiao Yan was issuing a polite order to leave! Just as he had said at the very beginning, it was necessary to distinguish who was the host and who was the guest.

  Now, Xiao Yan eaking with the authority of the host.

  And this time, no one dared to say otherwise, not even Yun Shan, who remained silent.

  Everyone exged gnces, cupped their fists toward Xiao Yan, and swiftly departed from the Misty Cloud Sect without lingering. From this moment on, the Jia Ma Empire was about to undergo a major upheaval.

  Xiao Yan had caused a huge otion in the Misty Cloud Sect, yet he remained as steady as Mount Tai even when fag the Dou Aor Yun Shan. Queen Medusa herself had even appeared at the Misty Cloud Sect to protect him!

  This was undoubtedly explosive hat would send shockwaves through all the empires in the North-Western Region!

  "Old Hai, I've troubled you this time. I'll e to the au house to find you ter," Xiao Yan said to Hai Bodong via spiritual voice transmission.

  Hai Bodong frowned and said, "You're not really pnning to stay in the Misty Cloud Sect, are you? If we leave and that old fellow Yun Shan causes trouble..."

  Xiao Yan chuckled, "It's fine. Queen Medusa is still here. Even if I 't defeat him, I at least escape. Besides, Old Hai, don't fet I still have an ace up my sleeve."

  Hai Bodong was startled upon hearing this. He recalled that terrifying fire lotus from before, and acc to Xiao Yan, there was even an upgraded version of it.

  Moreover, with Medusa present, Xiao Yan's safety was at least guaranteed. He didn't say much more and took his leave from the Misty Cloud Sect.

  Seeing that the majority of the people in the square had dispersed, Xiao Yan used his Eagle Wings to fly over to Ling Ying. He retrieved a few brocade boxes and a letter from his ste ring and hahem to him.

  "Old Ling, please deliver this letter and these items to Xuell her that after I settle the members of the Xiao Jia Ma Sacred City, I will return to Jia Nan Academy. Ihe brocade boxes are a Four Lines White Spirit Pill and some pills for Dou Masters and Dou Practitioners. The letter already expins their uses. Please give them to Xun Er as well." Whenever Xiao Yaioned Xun Er, his expression would soften.

  Seeing the gentle look in Xiao Yan's eyes, Ling Ying patted his shoulder and said, "Young Miss will surely be very happy to receive Young Master Xiao Yan's gifts."

  "By the way, there's one more thing I o trouble Old Ling with." Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, a fsh of killing i passing through them. Although he didn't say anything, his eyes had already veyed the message.

  Ling Ying's eyes flickered, and he nodded subtly. Of course, he uood that Yun Leng and the other three o be thhly elimihese four had already offended Xiao Yan beyond reciliation, so let them disappear entirely!

  Once all the items were put away, Ling Yied into the shadows and disappeared.

  Xiao Yan's expression immediately ged after firming with his Spiritual Strength that Ling Ying had truly left.

  He hadn't even dared to take out the Soul and Token with Ling Ying around, fearing that something might happen.

  His purpose in orchestrating this battle wasn't merely to establish his domihere was an even more profound underlying meaning.

  'I didn't expect that there's actually a Protector within the Misty Cloud Sect! This is a bit troublesome.'

  Xiao Yan slowly shifted his gaze in a particur dire. The reason Yun Shan couldn't summon the Protector was very simple. Wheered the Misty Cloud Sect, the Soul and Token had emitted a soul light path. That Protector Wu had likely been aware of his arrival long ago.

  For others, the matter of the Misty Cloud Sect had already cluded, but for him, this was merely the end of the first act.

  He took out the Soul and Token from his ste ring, and a subtle soul light pointed in the dire from which Yun Shan had earlier emerged.

  'Looks like I pay a visit to the Hall of Souls tonight.'