"Sorry, but I cannot tell you their location. Although you say they're missing, they separated themselves from the rest of the world on their own accord, and they're living happily from what I saw." Yuan refused Long Chen's request without hesitation.
"They separated themselves? Why would they—" Long Chen halted his mumble when he suddenly recalled the Xi Family's history.
'The Xi Family disappeared shortly after the Dragon Clan's war with Cultivators many centuries ago. I guess they didn't want to deal with humans after what happened…' He sighed inwardly.
But this only created more questions for Long Chen.
'Why would the Xi Family that despises humans give a human the Golden Dragon Robe? This doesn't make sense no matter how I think about it.'
"Anyways, I have entertained you for long enough. If you have more questions, save them for after we all leave this place." Yuan turned around and began walking away.
"How about I come with you?" Long Chen started following him.
He still had many questions and wanted to recruit Yuan to his side, after all.
However, Yuan quickly turned around and held his arms up, pointing his palm directly at Long Chen's face, "Please leave me alone. I already have enough company with me."
"..."
Long Chen halted his steps and no longer followed Yuan.
Yuan quickly escaped the crowd.
"There's too much attention on me. I will meet you guys a few miles ahead." Yuan notified the Tian Family through divine sense as he flew away.
"I've never seen such an arrogant bastard before! He thinks he's above us just because he got lucky in the Sword Pagoda! I doubt he's actually that talented!" The people behind Long Chen gritted their teeth in anger.
"How could someone from a backwater place like the Third Heaven possibly have more talent than us?! He must have used some trick to beat the Sword Pagoda!"
Long Chen couldn't even be bothered by these people and merely remained silent, his eyes staring at the direction that Yuan disappeared to.
'Xiao Yang… What a mysterious fellow.' Long Chen realized at this moment that he's never been intrigued by another individual to such an extent.
Long Chen left the place shortly after, and when that happened, the other people at the Sword Pagoda went into an uproar.
"The Sword Pagoda has collapsed! What should we do now?!"
"I don't think there is anything we can do now…"
"Heavens! He defeated not only the Nine Swords Trial but also the Sword Pagoda! A legend is about to be born! I must let the others know!"
The name Xiao Yang began spreading within the Nameless Emperor's Tomb like a wildfire during a heatwave.
When the big families and powerful sects heard of Xiao Yang and his feats, they immediately decided to recruit him to their side.
"We must find this Xiao Yang before the others and recruit him to our sect!" A famous Sect Leader roared at his disciples.
"My daughter! I want you to meet with this Xiao Yang and bring him to our family at all cost!" A renowned Patriarch said to his precious daughter with an urgent expression.
"But father… You already engaged me to the Ming Family…"
"Screw the Ming Family! This Xiao Yang takes priority! If the rumors are true, he'll definitely become a prominent figure in not just the Third Heaven but the entire Nine Heavens!"
Some people in the Nameless Emperor's Tomb shifted their attention to Yuan after hearing his achievements, treating him as though he was another treasure in the tomb that must be acquired.
However, since the rumors sounded too good to be true, most people doubted it and decided to ignore it.
Meanwhile, a dozen miles away from the Sword Pagoda, Yuan regrouped with Tian Yanyu and Tian Suyin.
"You really dropped a lot of jaws back there— mine included…" Tian Yanyu said as she stared at Yuan, still with a somewhat dazed look on her face.
"..." Tian Suyin remained quiet, her thoughts unknown.
Tian Yanyu continued, "I've been dying to ask you— what happened on the sixth floor? Why did it take you almost a week to pass it when the seventh floor didn't even last an hour?"
"Oh, I was given a week to comprehend something. That's all."
"That's it? Although it's very different from the previous floors, it sounds boring. What about the seventh floor? What did it look like up there?"
"Same as the other floor— empty and boring."
"What about the reward?! You cleared the Sword Pagoda, right? Surely, the reward must be extravagant!" Tian Yanyu's eyes were essentially glowing from excitement at this moment.
Yuan shook his head, "Besides this key, I didn't really receive much."
"Seriously…?" Tian Yanyu was baffled after hearing this, and she looked like a child who just had her dreams crushed.
"Didn't you also receive a key at the Nine Swords Trial? What does it do?" Tian Suyin looked at the key with interest. Her instincts told her that the key would lead to something special.
"Indeed, but I don't know its purpose. I only know that I have to collect seven more before heading to the deepest parts of the tomb."
"That's impossible even for you. Not even half of the tomb has been explored since it was discovered, yet you want to go to the deepest area? You'll just be walking to your own grave."
Yuan smiled, "I think I will be fine. After all, fate brought me here."
'Fate? What a lunatic…' Tian Suyin shook her head inwardly.
"Anyways, my next destination is the Sword Temple." Yuan announced a moment later.
"The Sword Temple is located at the border of the outer area. It'll take us two weeks just to get there even if we traveled there in a straight line without rest." Tian Suyin said.
Yuan nodded, "You don't need to follow me there if you don't want to. I don't want to waste your time, either."
"Nonsense! We've already come this far, it would only be a waste if we stop here! And I'm sure that we'll get to witness something jaw-dropping again, so I won't leave even if you force me!" Tian Yanyu quickly said.
Yuan showed a defeated smile, "Alright, I won't stop you."
They resumed their journey shortly after.