harleyscars 4. The Road Home
4. The Road Home
Gama Empire, Momo City, Blood Wolf Mountain.
Blood Wolf Mountain wasn't originally called Blood Wolf Mountain; it got its name from the Mad Wolf Gang that lived on the mountain. The Mad Wolf Gang caused chaos and murdering and robbing passing travelers had become commonplace.
Mo Mocheng had repeatedly sought help from the royal family, but for some reason, the Mad Wolf Gang was always able to cross the border and enter neighboring countries in advance whenever the royal family took any targeted actions.
The royal family knew that this was a way for the neighboring country to disgust the Gama Empire, so on the one hand, they strengthened the city defenses of Momo City, and on the other hand, unless there were special circumstances, they reminded passing caravans to take a detour.
The authorities were powerless against the Mad Wolf Gang, which emboldened them to frequently raid surrounding villages. Each successful raid resulted in a blood-soaked soup, known as the Blood Feast. Their fearsome reputation led to the mountain being renamed Blood Wolf Mountain.
Today is also the day the Mad Wolf Gang is holding a blood-red feast, but someone near the mountain suddenly noticed that the fire at the feast is a bit too big, as if the whole mountain is on fire.
"Is the Mad Wolf Gang up for another big operation? Get out of here!" Even a couple of skilled and daring passersby who happened to see this situation felt a chill run down their spines.
On the summit of Blood Wolf Mountain, unnoticed by anyone, Xiao Yan stood in mid-air, flapping his crimson wings and playing with a storage ring in his hand.
He clicked his tongue and said, "The Mad Wolf Gang is really rolling in money. Many of their things are rare and priceless herbs."
The old apothecary manifested and said, "Having occupied a region, you naturally have a substantial fortune, which has benefited you quite a bit, kid. How's the backlash going?"
Xiao Yan chuckled, summoning a crimson flame with his left hand—the Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame. "The Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame is good, but unfortunately, its backlash requires burning the guilty. It only lasted two days after being directed at Yun Leng in the Yunlan Sect, and now I have to kill someone again."
The old doctor comforted him, saying, "The Red Lotus Karmic Fire can burn away the evil thoughts in everyone's heart. You've only just arrived here and you've already started to self-immolate. You can be said to have committed countless sins. You don't need to be upset. Just like Yun Leng, he was injured so badly from just a little fire entering his body, which shows that he has done a lot of evil deeds. This is also the drawback of your forced absorption of fire. It should gradually disappear as your cultivation level increases."
Xiao Yan smiled gently: "It's alright, teacher. I don't think there will be any backlash for the next two weeks. Go home, my father has been waiting for my news for a long time."
With a flap of his wings, Xiao Yan transformed into a black streak, his heart set on returning home, and rushed towards Wutan City.
What Xiao Yan didn't know was that because the Mad Wolf Gang was destroyed, the Izumo Empire thought that Jia Ma had the intention to launch a counterattack, so the preparations for war were accelerated and a war was slowly brewing, but that's a story for later.
……
Xiao Yan flew to the outskirts of Wutan City and then slowly landed.
Looking at the city he had lived in since childhood, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile.
"Finally back."
Xiao Yan strolled towards the familiar street, at the end of which lay his own courtyard. Two large characters were clearly visible on the gate—Xiao Family.
"There are so many people!" Xiao Yan exclaimed.
Outside their own homes, rows of people lined up, all vying for the daily limited supply of healing potions.
The days when I competed with the alchemist from the Jia Lie family in alchemy seemed like yesterday.
Just as Xiao Yan was worrying about how to squeeze through the crowd, a sharp-eyed guard called out, "Young Master Xiao Yan!"
All eyes in the crowd turned to Xiao Yan. Everyone in Wutan City knew him. The three-year agreement had expired, and everyone was waiting for news from there. However, Xiao Yan, having traveled at breakneck speed, arrived even before the news itself.
The guard approached Xiao Yan and bowed, saying, "Welcome home, Young Master Xiao Yan. I am Li Yun. I wonder if you remember me?"
Xiao Yan laughed and said, "You've been guarding this gate for three years now."
Li Yun scratched his head and said, "These days, the Xiao family's gatekeepers are highly sought after. The clan leader has been talking about you every day these past few days. I'll go and deliver the message to you."
Xiao Yan casually handed a jade bottle to Li Yun and said, "Let's go together."
Li Yun's eyes gleamed with barely suppressed delight. What could be anything but good if it came from Xiao Yan's hands?
As soon as he entered, a familiar feeling washed over him. "Home is the best place," Xiao Yan thought to himself.
"You little brat, why aren't you cultivating yet? Or do you want to suffer the same fate as your cousin Xiao Yan, where your fighting spirit regresses?" A harsh voice rang out in the courtyard.
Li Yun said awkwardly, "Young Master Xiao Yan, this..."
Xiao Yan touched his nose and shook his head helplessly. It seemed that three years had passed, and he was still serving as a negative example. His past self might have been angry, but now he just felt resigned.
"Ahem, Aunt Rong," Xiao Yan said first, after all, he was the junior.
"Hmm...hmm? Xiao Yan? You're back?" The woman who was scolding the child nodded at first, then her voice took a complete 180-degree turn. "Nephew Xiao Yan, have you eaten yet...it seems you didn't even send a message home."
"Mother, is that the good-for-nothing cousin Xiao Yan you were talking about?" Aunt Rong's son, Xiao Feng, who had just turned six, asked curiously when he saw Xiao Yan.
"How can you talk like that? You're so insensible," Aunt Rong scolded, her face flushed.
"But isn't this all what you said?" Xiao Feng said, feeling wronged.
Xiao Yan shook his head and smiled helplessly, then walked towards the hall.
The news of Xiao Yan's return home ignited the small town like a bomb, though Xiao Yan himself was unaware of it, as he was receiving comfort.
"Yan'er, you're alright. I believe in your potential. If you can't do it in three years, who knows what will happen in ten? You can't give up on yourself." Xiao Zhan walked up to Xiao Yan and comforted him.
"Father, actually I..."
"Hey, Clan Chief, you've got it all wrong. Xiao Yan is an alchemist. No matter how powerful Nalan Yanran is, she's still just strong on her own. With the help of that mysterious alchemist behind him, isn't it only a matter of time before Xiao Yan surpasses the Pill King Gu He in achievements?" the Second Elder said.
Then, in a rather casual tone, he said, "My grandson happens to need some elixirs to strengthen his body and replenish his vital energy. I wonder if young Yan could help? Don't worry, I'll provide five sets of materials, and any extras will be considered as payment."
"Second Elder has no problem with alchemy, but the three-year agreement is actually..."
"It's good that you're back. Just keep working hard at Canaan Academy." The elder sat in his seat, stroking his beard. The profits he had made from selling healing medicine over the past three years had already made the old man extremely satisfied with Xiao Yan.
"Clan leader, elders, Xiao Yan... Young Master Xiao Yan defeated the Grand Elder and... the former sect master of the Yunlan Sect. He is... a Dou Huang!" A young man ran into the hall, breathless, and said.
Xiao Zhan and the three elders were overjoyed. Xiao Zhan patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder and said, "Good! Well done, Yan'er! As expected of my son, Xiao Zhan, you were able to defeat Nalan Yanran. That's wonderful!"
The Third Elder said to the messenger guard, "Fool, you even read this message wrong! Don't you know about the three-year agreement between the young clan leader and Nalan Yanran? That's because they defeated the young sect leader of Yunlan Sect!" Although he was cursing, the surprise in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"I didn't misread it, did I?" the guard said, scratching his head, and then handed the message to the three elders.
The Third Elder glanced at the note, then looked back at Xiao Yan, who was sitting in his seat smiling and making no attempt to deny it. The First Elder tentatively asked, "Is this true?"
Xiao Yan nodded slowly.
Then Xiao Yan saw his father, whose mouth opened into an exaggerated circle. Xiao Yan never imagined that a human mouth could open to such a degree, and the hand patting his own shoulder froze.
The second elder squeezed the third elder's arm so hard that it turned blue, but the third elder was completely unaware.
He also plucked out a few strands of the elder's beard.
After a long while, Xiao Zhan's voice, amplified by the power of his Yellow Lion's Fury technique, spread throughout the Xiao family, causing the beams of the hall to tremble. "Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, my son is a Dou Huang! My son is a Dou Huang!"
That night, the Xiao family home became a sea of joy.