"Thank you, young master."
He solemnly put on the storage ring, examined it for a few moments, and confirmed it was correct before cupping his hands and saying, "Young master, you may proceed."
"Thank you."
Zhou Yan nodded his thanks and then stepped forward.
Before long, he walked out of the tavern.
Outside the tavern, a luxurious carriage was parked.
A young man in black sat in the carriage, his face somber, his aura cold and arrogant, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light. He seemed noble, yet like a ferocious beast, making one dare not approach.
"Young master, that young brother is out."
Inside the carriage, the young man in black opened his eyes, looked at Zhou Yan through the window, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and said slowly.
"Hmph! A mere eighth-level Divine King realm, how dare he address me as brother?"
The young man in black snorted coldly, his face growing more grim, and said with a chilling voice, "Let's go, we'll head over."
"Right away."
The coachman quickly agreed and urged the carriage forward, quickly chasing after Zhou Yan.
"Little brother, what a coincidence, are you also heading to the Wan Tong Merchant House?"
From inside the carriage, the young man in black lifted the curtain, his gaze fixed on Zhou Yan, and said mockingly.
"Oh? You recognize me?"
Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow and asked with interest.
"Heh heh... My name is Wang Hao, from the Northern Nether Commandery City."
The young man in black, Wang Hao, put on a fake smile and said sarcastically, "Rumor has it that you freeload at the Zhou Mansion, doing nothing all day but loafing around."
"Today, you've become even more audacious, daring to offend me, Wang Hao. You're simply asking for death."
"Haha... So it's Wang Hao, my apologies."
Zhou Yan laughed heartily and said, "However, since we've met, you should stand up for me."
"Heh heh... Stand up for you? On what grounds?"
Wang Hao scoffed dismissively, mocking him.
"On the grounds that I am the eldest young master of the Zhou family, Zhou Yan!"
Zhou Yan stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Do you know, that old fellow just now, actually wanted to rob this young master!"
"Oh?"
Wang Hao's brow twitched, his gaze fixed on Zhou Yan, and he said coldly, "Kid, you want to use me to get rid of that old man?"
"You are quite clever." Zhou Yan nodded in admiration and said with a smile, "That's right, that's exactly what I intend to do, so I hope you can help me."
"Kid, I think you're tired of living..."
Hearing this, Wang Hao was furious. He suddenly drew his saber and slashed fiercely towards Zhou Yan's head.
*Swish, swish, swish~*
In an instant, saber energy swept out, transforming into a rain of blood that enveloped Zhou Yan.
This blood rain contained a potent poison, enough to kill a Martial Disciple realm cultivator.
"A mere trick!"
Seeing this, Zhou Yan shook his head. With a wave of his sleeve, a gust of wind howled, directly shattering the saber energy. Then, he unleashed a punch, annihilating the blood rain and striking Wang Hao's chest.
*Bang!*
A muffled thud echoed. Wang Hao cried out in pain, his body flying backward, slamming heavily against the edge of the street and collapsing into a bloody mess.
"Pfft..."
Wang Hao struggled to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with hatred and despair.
"You... how can you be so strong!"
Wang Hao roared, unable to believe it.
In his estimation, his strike would surely have killed Zhou Yan.
Who would have thought the outcome would be the exact opposite.
"There are many people stronger than me in this world," Zhou Yan shrugged and said. "But you will only ever be able to look up to me, and even then, you'll need to kneel on the ground and beg for my forgiveness."
By the end of his sentence, Zhou Yan's gaze turned sharp, filled with dominance, arrogance, and disdain.
"Ptooey..."
Wang Hao, his face full of resentment, spat fiercely.
"Not convinced?" Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes, a cold smile appearing on his lips. "If that's the case, I'll cripple your cultivation and then throw you into the dung pit to feed the fish, letting you taste what it's like to have your face shoved into the dirt..."
As he spoke, Zhou Yan raised his foot and stomped down.
With a *crack*, it landed on Wang Hao's dantian.
"Ahhh... you damnable little beast, how dare you, how dare you do this to me!"
Instantly, a piercing wail resounded through the heavens.
"Kid, I'll remember you. Just you wait, one day, I will make you pay the price!"
Wang Hao, his face contorted in pain, gnashed his teeth and said fiercely.
"Scram."
Zhou Yan glanced at Wang Hao indifferently, then moved his feet and left directly.
"Young master, you..."
The coachman opened his mouth, wanting to speak but hesitating, but ultimately held back.
A moment later, he drove the carriage slowly towards the Zhou family.
...
Upon returning to the Zhou Mansion, Zhou Yan walked straight into the living room and instructed a maid to brew him a pot of tea.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan frowned, his heart beating violently.
"What's going on..."
"My soul power is becoming restless..."
Zhou Yan's expression changed slightly as he sensed something was amiss. He immediately sat down cross-legged and began to circulate his energy to regulate his breathing.
*Buzz~*
A moment later, Zhou Yan's consciousness stirred, and a strange power surged from the depths of his soul.
"Is this... soul power?"
Zhou Yan was ecstatic. He hadn't expected the soul power of this body to be so potent!
"As expected of the eldest young master of the Zhou family."
Zhou Yan sighed inwardly.
This body possessed fifth-grade potential, a rare physique for body cultivation.
Therefore, the soul power of this body was exceptionally vast, comparable to a two-star Martial Master.
"In that case, this trial mission should not be difficult for me."
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up, a smile appearing on his lips.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan's pupils widened, his face showing a look of shock.
"Martial Master?"
Under Zhou Yan's gaze, a ball of searing flame erupted from within his dantian.
"Is this... Spirit Fire?"
Zhou Yan's eyes widened in surprise. "No wonder the soul power I awakened is so unique. It turns out to be Martial Master-level Spirit Fire!"
This ball of Spirit Fire was a purplish-gold color, radiating intense heat, as if the temperature of the entire room had risen considerably.
"Not bad, not bad."
Zhou Yan nodded with satisfaction.
Martial Master-level Spirit Fire was extremely rare, with only a handful even in the royal family.
"This trip to Nanyang Commandery City was truly worth it."
Zhou Yan's lips curled into a smile. "Not only did I find the third-tier martial skill 'Nine Revolutions Dragon Elephant Art,' but I also gained a Martial Master-level Spirit Fire."
"It was worth the effort of traveling two thousand li and spending half a Profound Origin Pill."
"This loss was worth it."
With that, he returned to his room in good spirits, ready to meditate and recover.
...
At the same time.
In the barren mountains and wild lands outside Nanyang City, a group of Martial Sect experts gathered, their faces grim.
They had already searched an area of dozens of li but found no trace.
"This kid, did he perhaps escape?"
The black-clad middle-aged man at the forefront, his face ashen, snorted angrily. "Hmph, whether he escaped or not, let's first return to Nanyang Commandery City and report to Commander Wang."