Chapter 109: Listening to the Whispering Wind
Inside the room, Xiao Yuan stared at the jade slip in his hand, lost in thought for a long time.
It was the one Yun Yun had given him earlier—meant to be used when he encountered danger and needed her aid.
But now, it might be put to use for something else.
After all, Mo Cheng was once a disciple of Misty Cloud Sect, and in all likelihood, had spent these years currying favor throughout its ranks.
If Xiao Yuan didn't want to cause friction with the sect, it would be best for Yun Yun to act, or at least for the action to be carried out with her silent consent.
He couldn't allow Misty Cloud Sect to remain uninvolved—otherwise, some old dog might later use Mo Cheng's death as leverage against him.
Unlikely, but not impossible.
Besides, in the original situation, Nalan Yanran, the sect's young master, didn't handle this well either. She merely stood by coldly and even dragged the sect's name into it, demanding that the mysterious Dou Huang reveal their identity.
Even if that Dou Huang hadn't been Xiao Yan but someone else, such arrogance from the sect would be met with disdain.
Had it been Hai Bodong from twenty years ago, he might've frozen Nalan Yanran on the spot and dragged her to Misty Cloud Sect for a talk with Yun Shan.
Sure, he wouldn't have won the fight—but a five-star Dou Huang backed by the Mittel family was a top-tier force in the Jia Ma Empire. Even Yun Shan wouldn't want to provoke a Dou Huang over something trivial.
And within the same empire, Dou Huangs with no deep hatred generally considered one another allies. If a subordinate had done wrong, then the subordinate was to blame—not worth sacrificing a bond between Dou Huang-level powerhouses.
Having thought it through, Xiao Yuan decided to wait. He would head to Yancheng first, investigate the situation, collect the evidence, and then lay it all before Yun Yun to see how she intended to handle it.
But for now, there was another pressing matter…
With a flick of his finger, several scrolls appeared from his storage ring.
Having too many Dou Techniques was a problem of its own—he didn't have the time to train them all at once.
These scrolls weren't just wind-element; they included other attributes too, all at least mid-tier Xuan-rank and above.
Some of them had even come from Yun Yun's personal collection. A generous "soft meal" indeed—he'd eaten his fill.
Too bad he hadn't tasted anything softer…
After a bit of picking and choosing, Xiao Yuan picked up a light green scroll.
Mid Xuan-rank Dou Technique – Listening to the Whispering Wind
It seemed to be a reconnaissance skill, yet its rank was surprisingly high.
With curiosity, Xiao Yuan unfurled the scroll and began studying it carefully.
Listening to the Whispering Wind: a wind-element reconnaissance technique that utilizes ambient wind energy to eavesdrop on conversations and sense terrain. Its effectiveness scales with the user's soul strength—the stronger the soul and cultivation base, the wider the detection range and the clearer the results.
So… like a combination of directional hearing and radar?
Xiao Yuan stared at the scroll with an odd expression. He couldn't understand why a skill like this was mid-Xuan rank.
But then he remembered Xiao Yan's Fire Blowing Palm and Suction Palm were also Xuan-level—though at low-grade.
Especially the Fire Blowing Palm. Originally created for blacksmiths who needed to act as human bellows…
Hard to keep a straight face.
Still, for someone like Xiao Yuan—with soul perception rivaling an alchemist's and capable of training in wind-based techniques—this Dou Technique could actually unleash greater power than it was intended for.
Let's give it a shot.
Having decided, Xiao Yuan began learning it.
With his talent, his comprehension was fast.
Soon after, his hand seals changed. His soul force mingled with wind-element Dou Qi and dispersed into the atmosphere.
In an instant, the entire topography of Stone Desert City appeared in his mind.
He felt like he had a god's-eye view. A complete 3D model of the city unfolded in his consciousness.
But with it came a chaotic flood of noise.
Xiao Yuan's face went pale as he released the seal, clutching his temple against the stabbing pain.
Even though he'd prepared himself, the onslaught of overlapping voices was too much.
"Huff… this is a bit too effective."
He rubbed his brow and resumed practice.
As he continued trying, the silver moon set and the red sun rose. Stone Desert City, once peaceful, was again filled with bustle.
From afar, two overlapping figures slowly approached.
Hai Bodong carried Xiao Yan. Though Xiao Yan could simulate Dou Qi wings using Yao Lao's soul force, it was a heavy drain, so he lazily let Hai Bodong do the work.
He could fly, but preferred to be flown.
Hai Bodong found this odd—but since Xiao Yan had just made him a Breaking Barrier Pill, he didn't complain. If a sixth-tier alchemist wanted a ride, so be it.
"They're right up ahead—Stone Desert City."
Xiao Yan smiled as the skyline came into view.
"Mm. Xiao Yuan's already there?"
Hai Bodong nodded, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep. Third brother said he'd be waiting."
Xiao Yan replied with a grin.
"Of course you're here, Elder Hai!"
A voice echoed around them suddenly.
"Third brother!"
Xiao Yan lit up with joy, glancing around—but saw no one.
Hai Bodong looked confused too. He couldn't sense Xiao Yuan anywhere nearby.
"No need to look. I'm inside. Come on down."
Xiao Yuan's voice rang again.
They both realized he must've been practicing some sort of sound-based Dou Technique.
"Let's go see him."
Hai Bodong sped up, descending toward the Mo Tie Mercenary Corps' estate.
Inside the room, Xiao Yuan opened his eyes, tidied himself briefly, and stepped outside. Moments later, two figures landed from the sky.
"Xiao Yan. Elder Hai."
He greeted them with a smile.
"Third brother!"
Xiao Yan returned the smile and approached.
"Not bad. You're already a five-star Dou Shi."
Xiao Yuan nodded in approval after inspecting him.
"Hehe, got lucky! If there'd been more energy left in the Heavenly Flame, I wouldn't have made it."
Xiao Yan chuckled sheepishly.
"Wait, your aura…"
He soon realized his third brother had made big progress too.
"Heh, a small breakthrough."
Xiao Yuan replied with a grin.
Xiao Yan could only smile bitterly. No matter how hard he tried, the gap between them only seemed to grow.
"Alright, enough with the compliments. You two are giving me goosebumps."
Hai Bodong rolled his eyes.
"Well, we should congratulate you too, Elder Hai, for regaining your strength."
Xiao Yuan cupped his hands respectfully.
"Hah… I used to be a five-star Dou Huang. That Breaking Barrier Pill only brought me back to two-star. But hey, at least I'm Dou Huang again. I'll climb back up slowly."
Hai Bodong waved his hand, half-regretful, half-free-spirited.
"So you're finally planning to return to the Mittel family?"
Xiao Yuan could tell from his attitude. The Ice Emperor was proud—if he admitted this much, it meant he truly cared.
"Haha, I've had enough of selling maps in hiding. Time to go back and see what kind of girl my clan raised—one talented enough to catch your eye despite her average cultivation."
Hai Bodong teased with a grin.
Xiao Yan also chuckled.
Xiao Yuan only smiled wryly.
Sure, Ya Fei wasn't a cultivation prodigy—but her dedication and beauty made her irresistibly charming.
He hadn't fallen for her because of talent.
"Speaking of which, Elder Hai, you came at just the right time. I'm planning to stir up trouble with the Mo Clan. Want to come along?"
Xiao Yuan's tone suddenly turned serious.
"The Mo Clan? One of the Four Great Families in the northeast? They crossed you?"
Hai Bodong narrowed his eyes.
"Yes. They abducted my maid Qinglian. If I'd been a moment later, you'd have found my brothers and the entire corps dead."
Xiao Yuan's tone was calm—but his eyes were cold as ice.
"What? Qinglian? Why? The Mo Clan's never had beef with our family."
Xiao Yan frowned. He could tell how important Qinglian was to his brother. This was personal.
"Her constitution is special. That probably drew their attention. Before—"
Before he could finish, Hai Bodong picked up the thought.
"Special constitution, huh? No wonder. I warned you not to expose your dual-attribute Dou Qi so easily, precisely to avoid this kind of trouble.
I've dealt with the Mo Clan before. Their ancestor was an alchemist—but rather than proper pillcraft, he was obsessed with bizarre experiments.
He'd extract parts from magical beasts—claws, bones—and transplant them into humans!"
"Disgusting…"
Xiao Yan grimaced. Xiao Yuan nodded. He already knew, but now Hai Bodong had said it—he didn't need to fabricate the source.
"Yeah, sick stuff. But the guy did make it work. Many Mo Clan members received implants. Their strength increased, but they became grotesque.
Later, they began abducting humans with rare organs to harvest and transplant…"
Hai Bodong looked visibly disgusted.
"That's why I told Xiao Yuan—if he had to use his rare attributes in battle, make sure no one lives to tell the tale. Unless he's a Dou Huang, people will target him."
Xiao Yuan nodded, then continued:
"One more reason I want you there—Mo Cheng was once part of Misty Cloud Sect. Though he left to handle clan affairs, he continued offering lavish tributes and showing up for every celebration.
In return, the sect never targeted him—in fact, they made him an honorary outer elder.
So if we go, we need someone strong to anchor the scene. You, Elder Hai, are someone I trust. Will you join us?"
Hai Bodong pondered briefly, then nodded.
"I've got no pressing matters. And I don't like the Mo Clan either. Just regained my power—might as well test it."
"Excellent."
Xiao Yuan grinned.
"Brother, I'm coming too!"
Xiao Yan insisted. With Yao Lao behind him, he too was a Dou Huang-level force.
"Three Dou Huangs, then. Looks like the Mo Clan is done for."
Xiao Yuan nodded, a cold smirk forming on his lips.
(END CHAPTER)
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