杨青谭 and Zhou Yan spoke without paying attention to her, which made Xiao Lan even more resentful of Zhou Yan.
"That's right, for the future, those ignorant memories of childhood should be forgotten as soon as possible!
If Uncle Zhou Wangchen was still a pinnacle strongman of the Third Level of Sword Intent, that would be fine. But now, even Uncle Zhou Wangchen can barely protect himself. The sufferings we have borne for Uncle Zhou Wangchen over the years are enough!"
Xiao Linlin continued to persuade Xiao Chan'er.
"Yes, I understand. I will try to forget and live my own life."
Xiao Chan'er's response was somewhat helpless, yet she nodded resolutely.
Upon hearing these words, Xie Feng felt a tinge of jealousy, but because they had let go of their concerns, he felt slightly more at ease.
Thinking of the recent arrogant oppression of the Xiao family by the Xu family, an idea formed in his mind, and he suddenly said, "Father, Aunt Lan, the Xu family is currently so unruly. They even dared to attack us at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion. I will take people to eradicate the Xu family and present a generous gift to the Xiao family!
The Xiao family will find it much easier to rise if they take over the Xu family's resources."
"Very well, bring along four Guest Elders at the Sword Intent First Layer Heaven to assist. When killing, plan carefully and leave no one alive. Cut the grass and remove the roots; don't leave future troubles, understand?"
Xie Xikun stroked his coarse black beard and nodded with satisfaction.
The beautiful woman, Xiao Lan, was also quite pleased with Xie Feng's approach.
Yet none of these people noticed that in the moment Xie Feng lowered his head, there was a sinister and malicious glare in his eyes.
This time, seeking people to annihilate the Xu family was not solely to destroy them. He also intended to kill Zhou Yan and capture Gu Xi to humiliate her brutally!
...
The Gu family.
In the courtyard of Gu Yan.
"Yan'er, your Uncle Xiao Zhan has no words to describe, being a person needs to separate public and private matters. Don't let a moment of impulse affect your willingness to save your Uncle Xiao Zhan."
Zhou Yan sat beneath the ancient pine tree in the courtyard.
Here, the breeze through the pines and the flowing streams created an elegant environment.
After learning about the whole matter, Gu Yan was somewhat furious. His temperament suggested that he almost charged out violently, now that he had nearly restored some of his strength with vague signs of a breakthrough.
Fortunately, Gu Xi had calmed him down.
Yet, once calmed, he became even more worried about Xiao Zhan's situation.
Zhou Yan, sitting alone here, saw Gu Yan coming over personally, ready to offer Zhou Yan some 'ideological guidance.'
"Uncle Gu, I understand this. I didn't say I wouldn't help Uncle Xiao Zhan. I can differentiate between personal grievances. Uncle Xiao Zhan has raised me as his own, a bond deeper than mountains, which I cannot ignore.
Those words at the Treasure Pavilion were merely directed at them, so you can rest assured."
Zhou Yan spoke calmly.
"Sigh, that's good. Among all this, the most pitiful might still be Xiao Zhan. You know your Uncle Xiao Zhan's character. If he knew how his daughter and sister were treating you, he would probably... probably be so angry that he would spit blood.
The Xiao family, it's worrying!"
Gu Yan frowned deeply, lamenting.
Zhou Yan smiled lightly, somewhat indifferent: "They definitely won't let him find out. Even if he does, they might just say that I am merely my father's substitute and not truly his flesh and blood, claiming my father's real son should actually be Zhou Lingyao."
"Sigh... a misfortune of the family."
Gu Yan's anger dissipated into endless sighs.
Cultivators, especially the head of a family, often had to submit to reality. Even if he had the power to fight, various concerns prevented a grand and unrestrained battle.
He didn't fear death, but the Gu family still had many issues requiring his attention. With the Gu family's capabilities, what could they possibly challenge the Zhou family with? Nothing at all!
Even if he went himself, it would merely result in him being slain with a single sword.
Without reaching the Sword Intent Realm, he was just a useless being!
"I will treat Uncle Xiao Zhan, but I'll do it in eighteen days. By then, after healing Uncle Xiao Zhan, I will head straight to the Zhou family for the competition, reclaiming my status in one fell swoop!"
"Yes, I will handle the family matters, send away the servants, and now the Gu family has few people, with some harboring disloyalty. It's best to let it scatter, reducing my pressure, so I can wholeheartedly pursue the Sword Dao."
Gu Yan decided at that moment.
Spending a lifetime guarding a small family in Tianji City, he saw no path forward. Furthermore, the Zhou family he was about to visit...
The once ambitious dreams seemed long gone, but now he hoped urgently for such days to come soon.
"Uncle Gu, why must you do this? Establishing a family took countless efforts..."
Zhou Yan was moved. Gu Yan's actions were largely because he knew that accompanying him to the Zhou family might result in never returning. It seemed as though he was making arrangements for his final matters.
"It's okay. With Xi'er having a status and promising future in the Cold Ice Sword Sect, I am already satisfied. All these years, I've always owed you, Yan'er. This time, even if it's the Ancient Forbidden Land or the Sword Soul Forbidden Land, I won't hesitate to accompany you through it!"
"Uncle Gu..."
"Yan'er, take good care of Xi'er in the future. She is a strong girl, but she wouldn't harbor any malicious thoughts towards someone she loves. She acts strong to reassure you and also to protect everything she cherishes."
Gu Yan explained seriously.
"Uncle Gu, I understand. Xi'er is very good. I like her a lot."
Zhou Yan expressed sincerely.
"That's good, that's good. However you choose to develop, this old man won't interfere, Yan'er, always remember to leave yourself an escape route. If you encounter extreme danger, do everything you can to survive. Living is the real truth! Only by staying alive can other things be done.
Because once dead, nothing can be achieved!
Therefore, distinguishing between right and wrong, Affectionate Sword Dao and Lifeless Sword Dao, those can all be ignored..."
...
That afternoon, Gu Yan conversed with Zhou Yan, almost as if passing on his last words.
In truth, Zhou Yan wanted to say that the trip to the Zhou family wasn't as dangerous as Gu Yan imagined, but he never uttered these words. From Gu Yan's solemn demeanor, he sensed something unusual—the Zhou family appeared to be far more complicated than he imagined.
...
Night fell.
Zhou Yan meticulously evaluated and comprehended many swordsmanship heart method intent manuals from the Gu family that Gu Yan brought.
This was a request he made that afternoon, which Gu Yan agreed to without a moment's hesitation. Although he didn't understand what Zhou Yan needed these for, when he recalled that Zhou Yan broke through and comprehended Sword Intent in seven days—a feat he predicted would take five years—he proved understanding enough not to inquire further.
The actions of extraordinary geniuses were often peculiar; it seemed natural.
That was his rationalization.
If Zhou Yan knew how bizarre Gu Yan's thoughts had become due to his actions, he would undoubtedly be bemused.
At this moment, the reason for closely examining heart methods was rooted in the fact that after sensing the faint, subtly concealed Sword Intent radiating from Yang Qingtan, Zhou Yan instinctively sought to hypothesize his swordsmanship heart methods—a realization suddenly enlightened Zhou Yan: everything supporting swordsmanship, every heart method, essentially originated from various Sword Intents.
In other words, to truly comprehend the Xingyi Dragon Form Swordsmanship, one must first truly comprehend the Dragon-shaped Sword Intent!
Comprehend the Dragon-shaped Sword Intent Heart Method!
The heart method, Xingyi Dragon Form, included much experience and methods, but due to different meridians, transforming the True Twelve Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians energy into Sword Intent posed a challenge!
Therefore, an abundance of heart methods became the object of understanding.
That was why Zhou Yan had a vague notion from the start. Whether joining a sect or any complex power, without access to significant resources in a short time, he had no way to obtain major resources. The fierce competition in the Zhou family indeed existed, but he bore the direct bloodline of the Zhou family. That alone indicated that, as long as he possessed exceptional talent, he could secure infinite resources!
Even if certain individuals harbored evil plans, intending to kill him, as long as they dared not act openly, he was not afraid!
Moreover, within the Zhou family, he sought information about his father and solutions to resolve his father's crisis...
This was the plan he formed a long time ago. Now due to the lack of abundant heart methods, he felt an urgency to enter the Zhou family soon, gaining access to the Book Collection Pavilion, thus completing his understanding of the Xingyi Dragon Form Swordsmanship faster!
Comparing all swordsmanship and heart methods he encountered, the shape-intent cultivation technique, which progressed from Grandmaster to Shattering Void and pierced Heaven and Earth, was undoubtedly the strongest, without compare!
His mission was to repeatedly transform fist technique into swordsmanship, making it his own swordsmanship!
He studied heart methods book by book. After each, he savored a sip of Fiery Flame Sword Heart Wine before continuing his comprehension of Xingyi Dragon Form Swordsmanship. Whenever his brain felt fatigued or his emotions began to stir restlessly, he referred to the Bishui Sword Heart Method and other heart methods.
By doing so, he deepened his understanding of Xingyi Dragon Form Swordsmanship while harnessing the amplified insight to comprehend other swordmanship heart methods!
Zhou Family's Green Water Sword Technique, which he had already cultivated to Great Perfection, went through an evolutionary process during this continuous comprehension.
At first, he attempted to merge two forms, followed by three forms, then four...
Until, after more than ten consecutive days of comprehension, he achieved the ultimate Great Perfection of nine-form unity in the Green Water Sword Technique!
Throughout these ten days, Zhou Yan's realm naturally advanced to the Sword Qi First Layer Heaven.
Having already comprehended the Sword Intent and tempered Sword Intent, Zhou Yan neither actively broke through nor suppressed the process. Consequently, his cultivation smoothly reached the Sword Qi First Layer Heaven. His body, due to the breakthrough, transformed again, with the dual spiral Qi Columns reaching half Great Perfection.
In other words, in the Sword Qi First Layer Heaven, half of it required no accumulations!
This was because the size of his Qi Columns was six times greater than average. Otherwise, wouldn't he have directly leapt from the Sword Qi First Layer Heaven to the Second Layer Heaven and directly reached the Three Realms of Sword Energy?
Such talent was exceptionally astonishing!