Zhang Yan saw that it wasn’t Ke Xiu Jun. He merely glanced at Yan Yuqin casually, then withdrew his gaze, still seated atop the rock, paying no further attention.
A trace of surprise flickered across Yan Yuqin’s delicate face.
She was known for acting unpredictably, her temperament volatile, and her family status could be considered among the "great family" echelon. As such, fellow direct lineage disciples of the Xuan Clan tended to approach her with caution, while many harbored disdain or indifference. Loose cultivators, upon encountering her, often fled in an instant—how could they dare look into her eyes so calmly?
Yet, glancing at Zhang Yan’s demeanor, it was clear he did not hold her in any regard.
Earlier, Yan Yuqin had felt dissatisfied over someone barging into Qingcun Mountain ahead of her. So she had rushed in ahead of her entourage. However, accustomed to having servants attend her, entering and exiting with grand displays of pomp and circumstance, she now felt somewhat out of place traveling alone. Forced to stop and wait for her entourage to catch up, she was momentarily bored when her interest was piqued by how markedly different Zhang Yan appeared compared to ordinary cultivators.
A glint appeared in her phoenix eyes, and with a graceful raise of her hand, a dazzling streak of flame measuring over ten feet long shot out from her sleeve. With a sharp hiss, it scorched the air audibly, driving directly toward Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting. Observing the trajectory of the Xuan Guang, he immediately discerned that this woman was merely testing him superficially.
But before the Xuan Guang even neared him, waves of intense heat surged forth, scorching the grass into a shriveled, yellowed state in its wake.
Zhang Yan felt a ripple of surprise. Given her cultivation in the Third Realm Xuan Guang, the Qi Mechanism should have been concentrated singularly, refined and seamless, leaving no trace nor leakage.
Yet, her fire-element Xuan Guang emitted scorching heat waves during its flight, suggesting either flawed cultivation techniques or an error during cultivation, leaving her Dharma practice impure and not fully perfected.
Zhang Yan speculated internally. Rumors had circulated that this woman had encountered a flaw in cultivating her Mysterious Technique—it seemed they were accurate after all.
In just a blink, the Xuan Guang reached him. He narrowed his eyes slightly but remained seated. Without rising, he met it with a heavy grunt.
The grunt rolled like muffled thunder through the valley, startling flocks of birds into chaotic flight. The searing Xuan Guang, akin to fiery crimson scales and plumed flames, was confronted by an invisible Qi wave and abruptly recoiled, scattering entirely within moments.
Zhang Yan’s expression remained placid, as though he had accomplished nothing of significance.
Had the Xuan Guang been finely refined and flawless, it wouldn’t have been so easy for him to counter, likely requiring him to maneuver around it. However, given Yan Yuqin’s flawed Xuan Guang, he could extinguish it in one swift motion.
While the discrepancy might be minor, in the eyes of such cultivators, it was an enormous flaw.
Yan Yuqin let out a startled "Eh?" Her face showed surprise. She had only acted out of boredom to probe Zhang Yan’s abilities and discern his background. She had never expected her Xuan Guang to be so effortlessly thwarted.
With one brief exchange, her practiced eye immediately discerned that Zhang Yan cultivated the Power Dao, prompting her to scrutinize him further. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on NovᴇlFire(.)nᴇt
Despite turning the matter over repeatedly in her mind, she couldn’t recall any outstanding disciples from the Great Xuanmen Sects with Zhang Yan’s particular appearance.
After a prolonged silence, she abruptly parted her lips and asked, "Let me ask you—would you be willing to join my clan as a guest?"
As a direct lineage disciple from a noble Xuan Clan, she naturally had her cultivation necessities fully provided for by her family. However, disputes over Dharma treasures and cultivation techniques between fellow clan disciples were inevitable, and she couldn’t handle every matter personally. Recruiting skilled loose cultivators or disciples from declining noble families to assist with inconvenient tasks—or even act as reinforcements in critical moments—was invaluable.
She regarded Zhang Yan’s cultivation as formidable, and furthermore, grasped at first glance that he was a rare Power Dao practitioner. It was only natural that the idea of recruiting him would arise.
Confidence in her status as a Yan Clan disciple led her to believe that, unless Zhang Yan hailed from the Ten Sects of Xuanmen, he would most likely not decline.
But unexpectedly, her words provoked hearty laughter: "This young lady wishes Li Yuanba to serve her? I’m afraid you lack the qualifications yet."
The laughter roared across the valley, bold and domineering, brimming with arrogance that dismissed the Yan Clan entirely. Yan Yuqin’s face turned icy as she shouted, "Impudent!"
With a flick of her sleeve, a fiery red mist surged upwards from behind her. The mist gathered overhead into a blazing mass that swirled and danced, the sound of Qi vortices churning tumultuously, its presence utterly overbearing.