The few simple words slowly drifted in the square, causing many disciples from the Yunlan Sect to turn their heads with varying emotions.
This name was not unfamiliar to them. Due to his engagement with Nalan Yanran, Xiao Yan had become the subject of much gossip and ridicule among many of the Yunlan Sect disciples.
In the past, whenever a Yunlan Sect disciple mentioned him, there was always a hint of disdain and mockery. After all, he was just a member of a small family/clan, and he was also a cultivation waste who dared to aspire to marry the future leader of the Yunlan Sect.
But later, when they heard that Xiao Yan had regained his talent and was even taken as a disciple by a mysterious powerhouse, their extreme disdain towards him gradually subsided.
Today, as everyone watched the young man who remained calm and composed even in the face of the entire Yunlan Sect's attention, they couldn't help but feel awed. He didn't seem like a waste at all. It appeared that the upcoming battle between him and Nalan Yanran might not be as simple as it seemed.
The Elders and the Sect Leader Yun Yun of the Yunlan Sect were more concerned about the three words that Xiao Yan had just mentioned: the Swallowing Star Sect.
According to the report from the sect's steward, Ge Ye, the person who took Xiao Yan as his disciple was at least a Dou Wang who excelled in body techniques, and even more likely a Dou Huang powerhouse.
A Dou Huang was a rare existence in the entire Jia Ma Empire. It was highly likely that Xiao Yan was taken as a disciple by a Dou Huang powerhouse. This made them take the three-year agreement between the Little Sect Leader ( Nalan Yanran ) and Xiao Yan more seriously.
Everyone who has reached the level of a Dou Huang is an outstanding individual with amazing talent, and they have all had their fair share of big or small adventures. Who knows if they have any special methods to rapidly increase the strength of their disciples?
If Xiao Yan does manage to surpass the Little Sect Leader's strength during these three years and mercilessly defeat her in front of so many people from the Jia Ma Empire, it would not only be a lifelong shame for the Little Sect Leader but also a great blow to the reputation of the Yunlan Sect that has lasted for thousands of years. If Nalan Yanran takes over as the Sect Leader in the future, she would lose much of her prestige and ability to intimidate various forces within and outside the empire.
Now that they have heard Xiao Yan mention the Swallowing Star Sect, the elders of the Yunlan Sect and Yun Yun couldn't help but frown, their expressions becoming increasingly serious. There are different kinds of Dou Huangs with different backgrounds, those who inherited their power through their sect and those who were self-taught. With Xiao Yan's reported background, it is even more likely that he could surpass Nalan Yanran's strength.
Sitting on the high platform in the square, Yun Yun furrowed her slender eyebrows and tapped the armrest next to her with her delicate fingers, murmuring to herself: "Swallowing Star Sect? Swallowing Star Sect? My Yunlan Sect has some records of the famous forces in the northwest of this continent, why have I never heard of such a sect?"
At this moment, after the two people in the square introduced themselves, an elderly man in a white robe standing in the center of the square slowly stood up and spoke in a calm voice: "I am the Elder of Yunlan Sect, Yun Leng."
"This three-year agreement between you two is to be presided over by me. The purpose of this competition is for sparring, and the rule is..."
"Life and death, each to their own fate!"
Before Yun Leng could finish his sentence, Xiao Yan's face showed a hint of aggression and he interrupted him with a light chuckle.
"Kid, you are fortunate to have a strong master. You have a bright future ahead of you, so why hold onto temporary anger?"
After being interrupted, Yun Leng suppressed his anger and spoke in a polite manner.
They still wanted to be cautious. If it came to a fight to the death, regardless of which side lost, there would be no benefit to the Yunlan Sect. Needless to say, if Nalan Yanran died, she was the next sect leader of the Yunlan Sect. And if Xiao Yan died, his mysterious master might bear a grudge and seek revenge against the Yunlan Sect, which they could not afford.
Xiao Yan had not yet responded, but Nalan Yanran spoke up with resentment in her eyes, her voice clear and cold: "Life and death, each to their own fate!"
Three years ago, the humiliation Nalan Yanran suffered when she went to the Xiao family to call off the engagement had been etched in her heart. For the past three years, she had been using this as motivation to work hard in her cultivation. She even begged her master to set aside some of the sect's affairs to strictly guide her in her practice, all for the sake of this day.
Just defeating Xiao Yan won't be enough to make her let go of her grudges!
Yun Leng was taken aback and glanced back at Yun Yun for approval. After receiving her nod, he waved his hand and said: "Alright, it shall be as you wish. In this battle, let fate decide life and death!"
As Yun Leng spoke the latter half of his sentence, his voice rang out like a resounding bell throughout the square, making it clearly audible to everyone.
"Bold move! This will be an interesting battle to watch."
"Bold move? I think there's something hidden behind it. I heard that when Nalan Yanran came to break off the engagement, she was overbearing and embarrassed Xiao Yan and his father. Later, a mysterious powerhouse appeared and severely reprimanded Nalan Yanran."
"These two are not fighting just for the sake of a fair fight, but to have a legitimate chance to kill each other and resolve their grudges."
Some young descendants of influential clans who knew some inside information began to discuss, which even made some empire powerhouses who usually didn't care about such trivial matters understand the situation.
Jia Xing Tian, the ancestor of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, suddenly looked at the arena and said to the person next to him: "Do you see the one standing on the side of the arena? Isn't that the old man Hai Bodong?"
Fa Ma, the president of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Association, looked over with a change in his expression and said with a frown: "It really is him. Didn't he disappear twenty years ago? How could he appear here, and it seems that he is following this young man named Xiao Yan."
"Could it be that he is the mysterious powerhouse who took Xiao Yan as his disciple?"
Mu Chen, the Clan Leader of the Mu Clan, one of the major clans of the empire, looked solemn and shook his head.
"I don't think so. When I first looked at it, I thought it was the old servant that Xiao Yan brought from his family/clan. When they climbed the mountain, Xiao Yan was slightly ahead of him."
"How is that possible? Old Hai is such a proud and arrogant person. How could he willingly let someone walk in front of him, especially a young kid?"
Jia Xing Tian exclaimed in shock. He had been closest to Hai Bodong in the past and knew his character the best, but this behavior was not something Hai Bodong would do.
The three suddenly fell silent. All of them were shrewd people who had thought of the same thing.
What could make this young man named Xiao Yan so worthy that even Hai Bodong would willingly fall behind him? It was impossible that Xiao Yan's strength was superior to that of Hai Bodong.
Aside from that, it's unlikely that the unknown son of the leader of the small and unknown Xiao family/clan would be the one. It's probably in the hands of the mysterious powerhouse who took Xiao Yan as a disciple.
Fa Ma looked at the scene, his expression shaken, and hoarsely uttered two words: "Dou...Dou Zong!"
Jia Xing Tian's face looked strange as he shook his head: "Just being a Dou Zong isn't enough. Given Old Man Hai's temperament, he must be at least a peak Dou Zong, or even a... Dou Zun!"
"Dou Zun?! Isn't that a bit too exaggerated?"
Mu Chen couldn't believe what he was hearing and exclaimed.
Just a single Dou Zong could easily sweep through the entire Jia Ma Empire, while a Dou Zun is already a dominant figure throughout the entire Dou Qi continent. How could they possibly make an appearance in the remote and insignificant country of Jia Ma Empire, located in the northwest corner of the continent?