Xiao Yan seemed oblivious to these gazes, his steps neither too light nor too heavy, one step at a time, neither hurried nor slow. Though his figure appeared slender, it exuded a composure and ease that drew attention.
This period of focused practice was not in vain for Xiao Yan. When he first left the city gate, it was because he had only recently broken through to the three-star Great Dou Master level.
A faint aura occasionally emanated from his body, causing passersby to involuntarily distance themselves from Xiao Yan. The oppressive aura was something that these Dou Zhe, or even those who hadn't reached Dou Zhe level, could not withstand.
Having come this far, the aura emanating from Xiao Yan's body has gradually seeped into the depths of his body, and upon closer inspection, there is no longer any trace of anything unusual about him.
When the blazing sun, breaking free of the horizon, climbed high into the sky, Xiao Yan finally stopped, standing on a slope, gazing at the foot of the mountain at the end of his vision.
At the foot of the mountain, a huge military camp stretched out on the flat grassland, and through the white tents, one could vaguely see the presence of countless soldiers.
"Just as people said, the Gama royal family has stationed an elite legion at the foot of Yunlan Mountain!"
Xiao Yan withdrew his probing gaze, walked down the slope, and headed towards the foot of the mountain along the main road.
Although the military camp here was heavily guarded, it did not stop those who wanted to go up the mountain.
Therefore, after being glanced at by the guards, Xiao Yan followed the main road and stepped onto the foot of the mountain.
Lush greenery appeared on both sides of the mountain path, and the sounds of soldiers training gradually faded away. What appeared before Xiao Yan was a seemingly endless set of blue stone steps.
Looking out, it resembles a ladder to heaven.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, Xiao Yan raised his head and gazed at the ancient stone steps that had existed for countless years.
He closed his eyes, and faintly, he seemed to hear the sound of swords ringing down from the end of the stone steps, echoing through the mountains and forests, as clear and mesmerizing as the chiming of bells.
After a long silence, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, took a step forward, and landed firmly on the first ancient stone step.
At this moment, the three-year promise has officially come to an end!
The moment his foot landed, Xiao Yan could clearly feel that his soul seemed to exhale the pent-up frustration of the past three years.
Three years ago, burdened with the shame and anger of recklessness and naivety, the boy left home, ventured into the deep mountains and deserts, and transformed rapidly like a pupa amidst swords and bloodshed.
Three years have passed, worn away our naivety and witnessed our growth. All of this effort has been for today's promise!
Thousands of meters above this place, a white cloud followed Xiao Yan's footsteps, starting from the direction of Wutan Town, all the way to the capital, and then to Yunlan Sect.
A handsome man in a green robe reclined on a white cloud, occasionally taking a sip of fine wine, but his eyes were fixed on Xiao Yan below.
It was none other than Xiao Ning.
At this moment, Xiao Ning immediately noticed that Xiao Yan below was undergoing a transformation from the inside out.
"Tsk tsk, as expected of a protagonist-level character. Even though my arrival triggered a butterfly effect, he still underwent a spiritual transformation in the early stages of his cultivation. He has a bright future ahead of him!"
Xiao Ning narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue in amazement.
Below, Xiao Yan felt a strange emotion filling his chest. He kept walking, stepping up one step after another, his gaze fixed on the end of the stone steps.
His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of spatial barriers, landing on a woman sitting cross-legged atop the mountain.
"Nalan Yanran!"
Xiao Yan's lips moved slightly, and a name, calm yet tinged with other emotions, was quietly uttered from his mouth.
Finally, after climbing the long stone steps, a misty expanse appeared before us, like a celestial paradise. Behind the mist was a huge plaza.
The square is entirely paved with white boulders, giving it a rustic and grand appearance. In the very center of the square stands a huge stone monument.
The stone tablet records the names of the successive sect leaders of the Yunlan Sect, as well as those who made great contributions to the Yunlan Sect.
Xiao Yan stood at the end of the stone steps, looking around the entire square.
At this moment, nearly a thousand people sat cross-legged in a semi-circle in the square. Without exception, they were all dressed in moon-white robes with distinctive items such as cloud-patterned swords on their cuffs.
At the top of the square, there were towering stone seats, like those in a stadium from the previous life, with steps leading upwards, and generally the higher you go, the older the people sitting there are.
The highest stone platform was empty at the moment, while below it sat a dozen or so white-robed old men sitting cross-legged, their eyes closed in meditation.
Although on the surface these old men did not appear to have any special characteristics, the fact that their robes remained completely still no matter how the wind blew made it clear to everyone that these old men were not simple!
Below that was a separate stone staircase, where a woman dressed in a moon-colored robe sat. Her eyes were slightly closed, and a gentle breeze caused her robe to cling to her delicate body, revealing her perfect curves.
Xiao Yan looked closely and realized that the woman was none other than Nalan Yanran!
There were nearly a thousand people in the square, but at this moment, it was completely silent. Apart from the howling wind, there was not a single sound.
Occasionally, a slightly stronger gust of wind would sweep across the square, and suddenly, white robes would flutter everywhere, as if clouds were descending from the sky.
Such a sight is breathtaking at first glance.
At that moment, the sound of wind breaking rang out in mid-air, and a figure appeared on the towering treetop.
Xiao Yan looked up and realized that there were quite a few figures standing on the top of a row of giant trees around the square.
Even without knowing their identities, the aura emanating from them made Xiao Yan's heart skip a beat, knowing that they were important figures in the Jia Ma Empire.
While passing through the capital, Xiao Yan heard some rumors that the Yunlan Sect had sent out invitations to some prominent figures in the Jia Ma Empire to come and witness the three-year agreement that day.
Xiao Yan understood that the Yunlan Sect's move was to build momentum for their young sect leader, Nalan Yanran. After all, if she won, not only would the Yunlan Sect's prestige increase significantly, but it would also greatly enhance the entire empire's reputation.
"Heh, isn't the Yunlan Sect a bit too arrogant? If Nalan Yanran loses? Who will be the one who loses face? Did the person who made this decision have their head slammed in a door?"
Thinking of this, Xiao Yan sneered.
It seems that Yunlan Sect invited quite a few people.