Chapter 213: The Ambassador

“Fortunately, nothing serious happened.”

A surging wave of spiritual power erupted from between Yang Yan’s brows. Extending his palm, he scanned Snow Qing’s internal condition. After confirming that she had only fainted due to the earlier soul shock, he let out a relieved sigh.

The situation had been dire a moment ago. Given Yang Yan’s speed, he couldn’t reach the scene in time, so he decisively unleashed his current ranged attack—the Roar of the Lion-Tiger Beast King.

Of course, besides a stroke of luck, Yang Yan’s precise timing was crucial in rescuing Snow Qing. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to save her with only minor injuries in such a life-or-death moment.

The moment he seized was the instant right after Snow Qing had launched her attack but before Old Hu’s counterattack had formed.

Though it sounds simple, catching that fleeting opportunity mid-battle is difficult. If Yang Yan had acted too early—before Snow Qing’s attack was unleashed—his Roar of the Lion-Tiger Beast King, despite its formidable power, would have been insufficient alone to defeat a peak Soul Realm cultivator. Once Old Hu recovered, he would have struck Snow Qing immediately, who, still reeling from the soul shock, would have stood no chance of resistance.

Conversely, if Yang Yan had waited too long, Old Hu’s attack would have already intercepted Snow Qing’s assault, possibly capturing her outright.

Thus, Yang Yan’s split-second judgment was pivotal to the entire battle’s outcome. This calmness under pressure and ability to find the best solution during crises was forged through countless life-and-death battles—qualities far beyond those sheltered prodigies nurtured within great sects and powerful clans.

Now, Yang Yan keenly felt how invaluable such steadfastness, honed through mortal combat, truly was. Had this been any other peer, it would have been difficult to make such a correct decision so swiftly.

“I must hurry back to the Artificers’ Guild!”

Gathering his thoughts, Yang Yan wasted no time. The situation was critical, and distinctions of gender no longer mattered. He swiftly scooped Snow Qing into his arms and took off toward the Artificers’ Guild.

Though patriotism was not his strongest trait, this was his doing, after all. He had little interest in the conflict between the two empires, but as a citizen of the Feiyun Empire and now a member of the Artificers’ Guild, he had no hesitation. First, he would report the matter, and how it was resolved would be up to Feiyun’s higher authorities.

Flying swiftly, it took less than half an hour before Yang Yan arrived outside the Artificers’ Guild. Despite the early hour, Blackstone Plaza outside the guild was bustling. Thanks to Yang Yan’s recent victory in the Artificers’ Competition, the Feiyun Empire had secured a three-year usage right for the Sacred Spirit Tower. The younger generation of guild members were excited, inspired anew by Yang Yan’s sudden rise, leaving behind their long-dormant desire for spiritual cultivation.

The plaza was crowded—some tested their soul power before the black stone stele, while many others worked on refining magical treasures atop various stone platforms.

“Look, Senior Brother Yang Yan is back!”

Yang Yan’s sudden appearance drew attention. A young guild member called out joyfully.

“Is that… Senior Sister Snow Qing in his arms? What happened to her?”

The shout instantly attracted everyone’s gaze. When they saw Snow Qing unconscious in Yang Yan’s arms, their faces turned shocked. They hurried over.

“Take good care of her!”

Yang Yan had no time to explain. He handed Snow Qing to a guild member and strode quickly toward the guild hall.

Though many were surprised by his urgency, they wisely refrained from questioning. They carried Snow Qing into a nearby chamber to tend to her injuries.

Striding into the guild hall, Yang Yan found Vice President Rob sitting at the main seat. Franklin was absent, so Rob was in charge.

“Vice President Rob, I have urgent matters to discuss!”

Ignoring the astonished looks from the elders, Yang Yan approached Rob directly, cutting through formalities.

Having known Yang Yan for years and seeing him return from the Sacred Spirit Tower in such a hurry—even without Franklin present—Rob immediately sensed the gravity of the situation. He quickly led Yang Yan into a private chamber behind the hall.

Without wasting words, Yang Yan recounted the events inside the Sacred Spirit Tower and the ensuing clash between the two parties after they exited. Naturally, he concealed all information about Naling’s whereabouts.

“This is outrageous!”

Rob was visibly disturbed by what he heard. He hadn’t expected the audacity of the Tianlong Empire to try and absorb all the soul power from within the Sacred Spirit Tower. Such actions were nothing short of robbery—shameless and brazen.

“Yang Yan, wait here. I’ll summon the three envoys!”

After a moment’s thought, Rob’s expression grew solemn. He instructed Yang Yan before quickly heading deeper into the guild’s inner chambers.

Yang Yan had heard Franklin mention these envoys before—they represented the three powers of the Feiyun Empire: the Martial Way Sect, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, and the Xuantian Hall. The Artificers’ Competition was a grand event, so these three factions sent representatives to congratulate and also to curry favor with Franklin.

Though Franklin usually showed little interest in these factions, they were the empire’s three dominant forces. The Sacred Spirit Tower incident involved matters far beyond the Artificers’ Guilds of two empires—it touched on the core interests of these supreme powers.

Though these three major sects constantly competed, they could temporarily unite against external threats. Otherwise, endless internal strife would only allow outside forces to profit—the last thing they wanted.

Thus, despite their internal battles, these three factions presented a unified front against foreign incursions.

Not long after Rob left, hurried footsteps echoed. He soon returned with three middle-aged men into the chamber.

Yang Yan immediately focused on the three figures behind Rob. To his left stood a burly man, broad-shouldered and tall, with a thick beard and a diagonal scar slicing through his large face. His bulging muscles exuded raw power.

Without introduction, Yang Yan recognized him almost instantly.

Among the empire’s three great powers, the Martial Way Sect was famed for physical strength and straightforward combat—preferring direct, forceful confrontations. Unlike sects that solely cultivated physical power, the Martial Way Sect passed down an ancient and mysterious technique combining physical strength and spiritual power, unleashing devastating attacks blending both.

Yang Yan had great interest in such profound martial arts. His own Divine Saint Xuantian Skill was legendary even in ancient times, and his Nine Nether Lunar Technique, tailored for his Yin Body, held potential to reach Heavenly rank once he opened all five spirit pivots.

He imagined that if he could obtain the Martial Way Sect’s secret technique and combine it with his own peak martial and spiritual skills, his combat power would be terrifying.

Previously, he thought such ambitions naive. But as he grew stronger, these great sects no longer seemed unreachable. Given his current progress, it wouldn’t be long before he earned the right to converse with them as equals.

Though he coveted such martial arts, his desire wasn’t yet desperate. His cultivation of the Divine Saint Xuantian Skill and Nine Nether Lunar Technique remained at early stages, so even if he acquired the fusion technique now, it would be of little use.

Calming his mind, Yang Yan turned his gaze to the man in the center.

Unlike the hulking figure to the left, this man appeared around thirty, wearing elegant white robes. His delicate and handsome features held a refined air, and he held a silver-white folding fan made from special materials. From afar, he seemed ethereal and carefree.

“This must be the Wind and Cloud Pavilion’s representative,” Yang Yan thought.

True to its name, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion’s disciples were renowned for agile, swift footwork. Among equals, they were the most feared opponents. Their extraordinary speed granted battlefield initiative, and even when outmatched, they could escape with ease.

It was said the pavilion’s leader possessed a rare wind-attribute spiritual body—a variation of the five elemental attributes—granting innate nimbleness and grace. Combined with advanced footwork martial arts, even cultivators of far higher rank could not match their speed, leaving them nearly invincible in battle.

To Yang Yan’s right stood a peculiar figure—small and wiry like a monkey, his face pocked with numerous sores and pustules. A small goatee added a comical touch.

More striking was the massive black mountain-cleaving axe strapped to his back—taller than he was. Such an appearance would be impossible to ignore on any street.

This odd character was clearly from the Xuantian Hall.

Rumor had it that the hall’s leader collected oddities from the cultivation world—strange physical constitutions, unknown mutations, and unusual attack methods. Normal people were never accepted; the more abnormal one was, the better they fit in. Undoubtedly, this sect was the most suitable for someone like Yang Yan.

His rare Yin True Body, unique martial arts, and relatively young age combined with notable accomplishments in both artifact forging and spiritual cultivation made him a monster in their eyes—and monsters thrived in the Xuantian Hall.

Rob introduced the three briefly to Yang Yan, confirming his expectations.

“Yang Yan, please recount the Sacred Spirit Tower events to the three envoys in detail,” Rob said.

Yang Yan nodded and carefully told the story again, omitting any mention of Naling.

After hearing the account, the envoys’ expressions grew grave.

None had expected the Tianlong Empire’s brazenness—not only to attempt to plunder all the soul power from the tower but to openly use force within Feiyun’s territory.

“Damn it! Those scoundrels from Tianlong Empire are so arrogant! Do they think no one in Feiyun dares to resist?”

The Martial Way Sect envoy was the first to speak. His booming voice shook Yang Yan’s head like thunder. His temper matched his imposing physique.

The other two, who usually disliked each other, nodded unusually in agreement.

“Let’s go. To cause such a ruckus on our turf shows utter disrespect. We must teach them a lesson. Capture those Tianlong bastards—we’ll get to the bottom of this,” said the refined-looking man with the folding fan.

The ugly, monkey-like Xuantian Hall envoy also nodded.

However, Yang Yan’s pupils contracted slightly as he heard the handsome man’s words.

He sensed the man’s skepticism—he did not fully believe Yang Yan’s one-sided story.

When they heard the name “Naling,” Yang Yan clearly saw fleeting shock and greed flash in all three pairs of eyes.

Though brief, his sharp senses caught these subtle emotions.

Looks like smuggling Naling out of Daling City would be far harder than anticipated.

Yang Yan felt a flicker of worry.

These experienced elders had surely seen it all; they would not believe Yang Yan’s words without question. They remained doubtful about Naling’s mysterious disappearance.

They wouldn’t buy the idea that such a rare treasure could vanish into thin air. The Tianlong Empire’s recklessness—resorting to open conflict within Feiyun borders—suggested something was amiss. Most likely, Naling was in the possession of one of the five who entered the Sacred Spirit Tower. And this youth before them seemed the most suspicious.

Of course, they would not voice such suspicions openly. Yang Yan was one of their own and recently won the Artificers’ Competition, so without proof, they wouldn’t dare move against him.

“Let’s go!”

After the refined man and the ugly envoy expressed agreement, the towering Martial Way Sect envoy strode without hesitation toward the guild hall’s exit.

The other two followed suit after exchanging glances.

Just as Yang Yan exhaled, thinking the matter might no longer concern him, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion envoy suddenly stopped and turned back to him.

“You will come with us. You’re the only witness to everything. If we capture those men, we’ll need your testimony to ensure they can’t deny it.”

Hearing the handsome man’s words, Yang Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Though polite, the underlying message was clear. Yang Yan, shrewd as he was, understood perfectly.

“Yes.”

But considering the overwhelming power of the three great sects within the empire, Yang Yan quickly masked his expression and nodded, then followed at a measured pace.

Ultimately, his strength was still too weak. Against these colossal factions, Yang Yan alone had little room to resist.

The three sects wield immense influence inside the empire, and it wouldn’t take them long to uncover his identity.

If he antagonized any of the three now, his base in Jinhua City and the Zhang family would soon be exposed.

If he were alone, he might evade retaliation by fleeing neighboring empires, beyond their reach.

But his father, Zhang Tai, was another matter. Though Yang Yan bore little affection for the Zhang family he grew up in, he could not ignore his father’s feelings.

The elder had once opposed the entire ancestral clan for Yang Yan’s sake, leaving a deep imprint on his heart as one of the most important people in his life.

The Zhang family in Jinhua City was his father’s lifelong legacy. Expecting him to abandon the clan and flee alone was unrealistic.

Moreover, revitalizing the Zhang family was his father’s lifelong dream. Yang Yan had always been filial and had worked tirelessly to fulfill that ideal, striving to grow stronger.

Now that he possessed the strength and qualifications, he could make the Zhang family a dominant force not only in Jinhua City but potentially across the entire Jin Prefecture—if he wished.

Yet, deep down, he still resisted such ambitions. The small city allowed him to act with impunity, but once a force grew large, it would inevitably attract the attention of the three great sects.

Caught between these powers, none of whom he could afford to offend, the Zhang family might not survive.

Yang Yan hoped to create a situation where the Zhangs could be shielded and his father protected without drawing undue notice or provoking powerful factions.

(End of chapter)