"Mhm, you filmed that quite well."
Xiao Feng clapped his hands, reached out, and the two Demonic Beast Cores embedded in the stone wall floated down toward him.
As for the method of using Demonic Beast Cores to record images and sounds, don't ask—it came with the Legacy.
Xiao Feng kept one for himself in case of need and handed the other to Nalan Yanran.
Nalan Yanran's face was drooping. How could she film it badly? She had rehearsed it several times; if she couldn't film it now, she wouldn't be able to annul the engagement today.
"Then next, Young Miss Nalan, please be as harsh and merciless as you need to be," Xiao Feng said with a smile before leaving.
Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran, who were still there, exchanged a glance. Neither said much, and they silently continued their journey.
The events that followed were basically the same as in the original work: Xiao Xun Er's protection of Xiao Yan prevented him from making a fool of himself. Even so, the 'Salted Fish' felt extremely unwilling, and his motivation to become stronger instantly exploded.
On one side, Xiao Yan was cursing the heavens by the cliff—we won't dwell on that. On the other side was the gentle warmth of a reunion after a long separation, which we can discuss in detail.
Three years is enough time to erase the traces of a person's existence. Xiao Feng was very lucky; besides Xiao Linger, who might hate him forever, he still had Xiao Xun Er, who would cherish him forever.
They say a girl changes dramatically as she grows. The fourteen-year-old girl already possessed a delicate figure. Her light green dress was lightly cinched at the waist, perfectly highlighting the center of her S-curve. Although not exaggeratedly curvaceous, at this tender age, paired with a body as fresh as a budding green lotus and eyes like raging fire, it was enough to melt Xiao Feng right there.
Perhaps it was the sense of distance brought by the long separation, or maybe the shame that came with growing older, but the girl didn't rush into Xiao Feng's arms immediately. She just stood gracefully at the doorway, gazing obsessively at Xiao Feng's face, her red lips parting as she softly murmured, like a sleepwalker, "Xiao Feng... Gege..."
The clear wind, carrying the girl's soft voice and sweet scent, brushed past Xiao Feng's ears. Just those four words were like a ship finding its harbor; his beating heart instantly calmed down.
Xiao Feng quickly stepped forward and gently pulled the girl into his embrace.
After three years apart, he suddenly felt that he owed the person before him too much. Even his embrace became gentle, afraid of causing her even the slightest pain.
The girl wrapped her arms around the boy's body, and the two pressed tightly together. Their two hearts began beating in sync at that moment.
It was only then that the boy suddenly realized what the wind hadn't carried: the fiery yearning the girl had deeply hidden in her heart.
"Xun'er, I missed you so much," Xiao Feng said, gently stroking the girl's beautiful hair and greedily inhaling her scent.
The girl's pretty face was so flushed it looked like it might drip blood. "Xun'er missed you too..."
Three years of Secluded Training significantly increased Xiao Feng's cultivation. This rapid, level-skipping progress made him feel unsettled, so he planned to stabilize for a while, properly consolidate his gains, and, incidentally, spend time with his wife.
After the two of them lingered affectionately for a while, Xiao Feng suddenly remembered something. "Right, where is Huo Huo?"
"Xiao Yan Gege seems to have suffered a great blow and hasn't returned yet." Xiao Xun Er's tone held inevitable worry. After all, he was a brother who lived in the same courtyard, and due to the principle of loving the house and the crow, Xiao Xun Er's attitude toward Xiao Yan was much better than others'.
"Xun'er, wait for me here. I'm going to the back mountain to look for him."
"Let's go together."
"No need. Just stay here."
Xiao Feng held Xiao Xun Er back and left the courtyard alone.
He didn't notice that the crack in the door of the courtyard, which originally belonged to him, slowly closed again.
Xiao Feng followed the path to the Broken Cliff and, sure enough, saw Xiao Yan lying there.
"Huo Huo, are you okay?" Xiao Feng sat down beside him.
Xiao Yan looked Xiao Feng up and down, then grinned. "I'm fine, Brother Feng. You don't need to worry about me. It was just an annulment. I've accepted it, and I don't even care anymore."
"Alright, I'm relieved if you can move past it." Xiao Feng nodded, then touched the ring on his hand. A large pile of items appeared before them—medicinal herbs and Demonic Beast Cores. It was less than one-tenth of what was in his ring, yet it astonished Xiao Yan so much he nearly fell off the cliff.
"Huo Huo, I found some medicinal herbs over the years. I don't know how to deal with them, so you take them."
"Some...?" Xiao Yan was still in shock.
He couldn't recognize the medicinal herbs, but he could sense the energy fluctuations of dozens of Demonic Beast Cores. Could the herbs placed alongside these cores be ordinary?
"I'm rich..." Xiao Yan nearly drooled.
"Huo Huo, work hard! Don't waste my good intentions!" Xiao Feng spoke earnestly, offered a few more words of advice, and then left.
Long after Xiao Feng had left, Elder Yao reappeared in front of Xiao Yan. He looked in the direction Xiao Feng had departed, his expression serious. "This older brother of yours is not simple."
When Xiao Feng returned to the small courtyard, he was surprised to find his dwelling had been usurped.
"Qing Lin, how have you been these past few years? Has anyone bullied you?"
Although surprised, Xiao Feng quickly understood. The only place this girl would willingly stay was probably here.
Qing Lin smiled and shook her head. She puffed out her chest, suppressing the urge to throw herself into Xiao Feng's arms, and began tidying the bed.
"Young Master Xiao Feng, Sister Xuner said you enjoy drinking tea, so Qing Lin has specifically learned how to brew it these past few years."
Qing Lin finished tidying the bed. The hot water had just boiled, and she quickly brewed tea and brought it over.
Xiao Feng took a light sip, smiled, and rubbed the girl's head. "Girl, I'm not truly treating you like a Maid. Just do things you like."
The girl half-closed her eyes, enjoying the rare affectionate gesture. "Qing Lin likes it best when I can help Young Master."
That night, Qing Lin slept on a makeshift bed on the floor, and Xiao Feng lay on the bed. It took a long time for both of them to fall asleep.
It wasn't until the latter half of the night that a certain pretty dark figure, who had been listening by the door, returned to her own small courtyard.
The next day, Xiao Feng specifically paid a visit to Xiao Zhan again.
Now, he had many matters to deal with and rarely had time to return to the small courtyard to eat or sleep.
'Nalan Yanran must be on her way back to the Cloud Mist Sect. Even if she doesn't mention me, Ge Ye will definitely report to Yun Yun. I might as well just make a trip to the Cloud Mist Sect and greet her.'
Thinking this, Xiao Feng simply pulled Xiao Xun Er and Qing Lin over. "Want to go out together?"
Qing Lin was overjoyed, and Xiao Xun Er also looked expectant.
Leaving Wutan City, Xiao Feng mentally summoned Great Eagle to pick them up.
"Master, I'm busy Cultivating!"
"If you don't come over now, I'll castrate you today!"
"Coming, coming!"
The trio hadn't walked far when fierce winds erupted. A dark shadow circled above them, exuding the aura of a Fifth-Tiered Magical Beast, making Xiao Xun Er feel as if she were facing a formidable enemy.
"Don't worry, it's here to pick us up," Xiao Feng explained with a smile, allowing Xiao Xun Er to relax.
She knew Xiao Feng had a Flying Mount, but she hadn't expected it to be a Fifth-Tiered Demonic Beast.
"Xiao Feng Gege, just how many secrets are you hiding?" Xiao Xun Er murmured beside Xiao Feng.
Xiao Feng pinched the girl's face. "No matter how many I hide, they won't be more than yours, girl. Let's go."
Xiao Feng used Dou Qi to support the two of them, and they sat together on Great Eagle's back.
"Xiao Feng Gege, you wouldn't happen to have the strength of a Dou Huang, would you?" Xiao Xun Er asked suddenly, deep in thought.
Xiao Feng tapped the girl's head. "If you're too smart, you might not be able to get married."
Xiao Xun Er rolled her eyes and began to admire the land below them.
"Young Master Xiao Feng, where are we going?"
Xiao Feng looked into the distance. "I'm taking you to visit the Cloud Mist Sect."
Xiao Xun Er frowned slightly. "Xiao Feng Gege, you aren't planning to just charge up there, are you?"
The girl knew Xiao Feng's personality: normally amiable and easy to talk to, but if something he valued was touched, he would fight with his life.
"What's good about fighting and killing?" Xiao Feng shook his head. "We're just going for tea."
Xiao Xun Er looked at Xiao Feng doubtfully, somewhat confused by his actions.
Xiao Feng offered no explanation. His trip was just a matter of a few words, merely to eliminate the influence brought by the Xiao Family's Dou Huang.
Great Eagle soared across the sky, breaking through clouds and wind. The scenery below rapidly sped backward. The three talked and laughed, arriving near the Cloud Mist Sect in about two hours.
"Riding a Demonic Beast directly up the mountain is like a provocation. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."
Xiao Feng told Great Eagle to go play, and he led the two girls toward the Cloud Mist Sect.
The Cloud Mist Sect seemed to have known in advance; as soon as the trio reached the foot of the mountain, someone was waiting there.
"By order of the Sect Master, I am waiting here for the three Distinguished Guests."
That person bowed respectfully, maintaining a very humble posture.
Xiao Feng waved his hand, guessing that Ge Ye had already relayed the message ahead of time. "Lead the way."
The three ascended the mountain. Xiao Xun Er's personality was relatively reserved, while Qing Lin was much more lively, occasionally letting out quiet "wows..."
Xiao Feng laughed. It seemed Qing Lin had been doing very well these past three years, and her innocent nature was slowly being released.
The Main Hall of the Cloud Mist Sect was very grand; it could easily accommodate a thousand people. Now, with only a few people sitting there, it seemed somewhat empty.
Directly above, a Cyan Jade Couch was placed. Yun Yun, the Leader of the Cloud Mist Sect, was sitting and reclining upon it. Her long cyan dress trailed directly on the ground. The magnificent robes concealed her figure. Her dark hair was coiled into the shape of a Divine Phoenix, and a Cyan Jade Phoenix Hairpin was tucked into her hair, with dangling jade beads gently swaying.
Her jade hand supported her exquisite face, and her flowing gaze gradually retracted as Xiao Feng approached.
Yun Yun seemed to have been waiting for a long time. After Xiao Feng approached, she sat up straight. Her Phoenix eyes scrutinized Xiao Feng, and her expression still held disbelief.
Xiao Feng led Xun'er to sit down, while Qing Lin stood behind Xiao Feng, her gaze lowered, no longer looking around.
"Sect Leader Yun, do I look particularly good?" Xiao Feng took a sip of tea and asked leisurely.
When he raised his eyes to look at Yun Yun, his gaze fell more on the area behind her, where a sword was hanging.
Truly beautiful.
Because Xun'er was by his side, Xiao Feng dared to drink the Cloud Mist Sect's tea without worry. Even if it was poisoned, Xun'er would have a way to force them to hand over the Antidote.
Of course, in reality, he didn't take a big gulp; he only took a small sip.
Suddenly, Xiao Feng thought of something very important: Why did I forget to take Poison to build up resistance!
As soon as the thought arose, he couldn't help but shiver: Did leveling up make me stupid? Why would I think about taking Poison!
Yun Yun smiled indifferently. "Young Master Xiao Feng is not only handsome, but his Talent is also quite astonishing."
Xiao Feng didn't care about her flattery and asked, "I heard you were involved in Nalan Yanran's annulment of the engagement?"
"So, Young Master Xiao Feng, are you here at my Cloud Mist Sect to demand an explanation?" Yun Yun narrowed her eyes, and her gaze toward Xiao Feng became even colder.
"The annulment has already happened. No matter what, the scars left behind won't change. Of course, I didn't come here because of that."
"Young Master Xiao Feng might as well speak plainly."
"I don't want your people to interfere with Xiao Yan, and at the same time, I don't want to expose my own strength. I believe Sect Leader Yun can manage that, right?"
Yun Yun looked deeply at Xiao Feng. This youth, who was the same age as Xiao Yan yet already a Dou Huang like herself, made her extremely wary.
She pondered for a long time and asked, "Only this?"
"That's all."
"Good. It's a deal!"