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Xiao Yan believed Xun Er's suggestion and made defeating her father his goal.
He decided to cultivate even harder, striving to have a good match with him the next time he saw him, and earn his approval with his own strength.
However, defeating him would suffice; beating him up was unnecessary… he still had to save some face for his future father-in-law… Xiao Yan wasn't completely swayed by Xun Er, retaining some of his own thoughts.
Xiao Meng looked at Xiao Yan, who seemed to have made some kind of decision, and knew that he had most likely taken Xun Er's words seriously.
She clapped her hands and said, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about depressing things. In any case, Young Master Xiao Yan, as long as you know what you're doing, it's fine."
"Next, Miss Xun Er, let me and the Young Master be alone for a while. I also have many things I want to tell him."
"Just as you have your secrets, I have some of my secrets that I want to share with the Young Master."
Sharing secrets… Xun Er thought of the mysterious family vaguely behind Xiao Meng and nodded slightly:
"I only ask for one thing: don't bring unnecessary danger to Brother Xiao Yan."
"Don't worry, I won't… Come with me." Xiao Meng turned to look at Xiao Yan, pushed open the door, walked out, crossed the hallway, and headed up the stairs to the fourth floor.
Xiao Yan followed behind her, slightly puzzled.
Soon, they arrived on the fourth floor. Xiao Meng opened a door and walked in. Xiao Yan paused at the entrance, sniffing the fragrance in the air, hesitating for a moment… This was Xiao Meng's bedroom.
He didn't pause for too long and continued forward.
As soon as he entered the room, Xiao Yan was stunned.
Portraits of himself hung on the walls, and even the tabletop, chair backs, and bookshelves were carved with his likeness. The quilt and pillowcases on the bed also depicted him…
He couldn't help but feel a bit awkward: "The decorations in your room are truly unique."
Xiao Meng showed a clear smile, turned around, and said cheerfully:
"Do you think it's good too? I spent a lot of effort to get it right."
Why are you so calm and natural? Shouldn't you be the one who's embarrassed? Xiao Yan muttered inwardly.
He walked into Xiao Meng's room, pulled out a chair, and sat down, saying somewhat unnaturally, "What do you want to say?"
Xiao Meng smiled slightly, as if she hadn't noticed Xiao Yan's discomfort:
"You should have noticed that there's a force behind me… Actually, they already made contact with me when I was in Wu Tan City, but I never paid attention to them."
That early? Xiao Yan was slightly startled and called out to Yao Chen in his mind:
"Teacher, do you know anything about the mysterious force behind Xiao Meng?"
Within the deep space of the bone flame ring, Yao Chen's ethereal soul body pushed up his monocle:
"Do you really think I know everything? The Dou Qi Continent is vast and boundless. Who knows what terrifying forces are hidden in which corner?
My condition was very poor back then… At the time, I just felt that she herself was unusual, very special."
"Alright." Not getting an answer from Yao Chen, Xiao Yan wasn't disappointed; he had only asked with a 'let's see' attitude.
He gazed at Xiao Meng without speaking, waiting for her to continue.
"Young Master Xiao Yan… I might not be able to stay by your side anymore." Xiao Meng said with a hint of sadness.
Xiao Yan was startled and asked anxiously, "Why? Are people from your family forcing you?"
Xiao Meng was silent for a while, not answering. After a long time, she forced a smile:
"No, Young Master Xiao Yan, you must not conflict with them. That is a very strange, very terrifying race…"
Seeing her like this, Xiao Yan had his answer in his heart. He clenched his fists, seemingly calm, but flames seemed to burn in his eyes.
"Can you tell me what race it is? So I can find you later."
Xiao Meng's lips slowly curved upwards, and she shook her head:
"I cannot speak that name… Don't worry about my safety. I need to go back and accept the inheritance. Also, I'm not leaving right now; I still have some time, and I can still accompany you for a while."
Her voice grew weaker and weaker, and Xiao Yan could hear the heaviness and reluctance in her tone.
Xiao Meng took a deep breath, adjusted her mindset, and said with a cheerful demeanor:
"Hehe, Young Master Xiao Yan, although that family is a bit annoying, some aspects are quite good… To get me to agree to go back, they gave me quite a few good things."
She walked to the bedside, pulled out the second drawer of the nightstand, and took out a cylindrical transparent crystal container from inside. The container was transparent, with a faint, starlight-like glow emanating from its inner surface, and specks of light like stars in the night sky.
Further inside was a flowing, sea-blue substance.
Taking the container Xiao Meng tossed to him, Xiao Yan examined it closely and showed a hint of surprise. The Heavenly Flame in his body reacted unusually.
The sea-blue substance in the container did the same, flowing and transforming into the shape of a flame, constantly flickering.
This small transparent crystal container held a Heavenly Flame!
"Shaped like water, deep blue in color, with the faint sound of raging waves, moving like a surging tsunami… The Sea Heart Flame, ranked fifteenth on the Heavenly Flame list!" Yao Chen's voice carried undisguised surprise.
Xiao Yan himself had such a guess, and after Yao Chen's confirmation, he looked at Xiao Meng with both surprise and confusion:
"Did your family give this to you?"
Xiao Meng gave a "heh" sound: "Uncle Zhou from the family gave it to me. To get me to call him Uncle Zhou, he gave me this…
If I hadn't thought that Young Master, you are an Alchemist, and this thing should be useful to you, I wouldn't have compromised!"
Xiao Yan suppressed the craving for the Heavenly Flame in his heart and said:
"I can't accept this; it's too valuable… You should refine it yourself. Even if you're not an Alchemist, possessing a Heavenly Flame would be greatly beneficial to you."
Xiao Meng showed a sweet smile:
"Your consideration for me makes Xiao Meng very happy, but there's no need to decline. Let it accompany you in my stead…
This was originally for you, a reward for your Xiao Family taking care of me for so many years…"
She took out another jade bottle and said, "This is a 'Earth Spirit Pill,' which can be used to assist in refining a Heavenly Flame…"
Xiao Yan opened his mouth, touched in his heart.
The Xiao Family had indeed never mistreated Xiao Meng in the slightest, but that still couldn't compare to the value of a sixth-grade medicinal pill and a Heavenly Flame.
If this was an expression of gratitude from Xiao Meng's family, he absolutely wouldn't believe it.
Even if it was, it must have been Xiao Meng's best effort, even agreeing to many harsh conditions to obtain it!
Looking at Xiao Yan's dazed expression, Xiao Meng teased:
"Don't you still have a three-year agreement? You must win… If you lose, I'm afraid you'll really only be able to become a live-in son-in-law of the Yunlan Sect…"
After a pause, she continued, "How about we also make a three-year agreement? After Yun Yun's three-year agreement ends, if your strength can rival a Dou Venerate in another three years, come find me, how about that?"
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. This was three years and another three years, endless!
He nodded without hesitation and asked, "Where should I find you?"
Xiao Meng did not give an answer, a serious expression on her face:
"That depends on your own ability… If you can't even do that, then there's no need to come find me… That race is truly exceptionally dangerous!
The last room on the left from the stairs on this floor is my cultivation room. If you're in good condition, Young Master, go refine the Heavenly Flame."
When Xiao Yan walked out of Xiao Meng's room, holding the transparent crystal container sealing the Sea Heart Flame and the jade bottle containing the "Earth Spirit Pill," he was still a bit dazed.
He walked to the cultivation room, closed the door, took out the lotus platform that nurtured the Azure Lotus Core Flame from his space ring, and sat down cross-legged.
Xiao Yan did not immediately refine the Sea Heart Flame. He rubbed both sides of his forehead with his right thumb and middle finger, mentally processing the events of the day.
First, he confessed about Yun Yun, then he was told that Xiao Meng was also leaving, and they made a "three-year agreement," followed by being gifted the Sea Heart Flame and the Earth Spirit Pill…
Looking at the Heavenly Flame and the medicinal pill before him, Xiao Yan showed a bitter smile. This gift was exchanged for Xiao Meng leaving him…
If he could, he would rather not have these treasures, in exchange for Xiao Meng's longer companionship.
"There's no need to be so anxious about gains and losses. Adjust your state and absorb it. What you need most right now is strength!" Yao Chen's voice echoed in his mind.
"You need strength to defeat Yun Shan, you need strength to find Xiao Meng, you need strength to gain the approval of Xun Er's father and make her family yield…"
Xiao Yan closed his eyes for a long time. When he opened them again, he had regained his calm: "I understand, Teacher."
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