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When Xiao Lin and Yun Shan flew back, Jia Xingtian, Fa Ma, and Hai Bodong—the three Dou Huang powerhouses—had already gathered the remaining people from the Jia Ma Empire.
Upon seeing the two return, many people who had good relations with Xiao Lin immediately came forward to express their concern.
"Good kid, I knew you'd be fine!"
Seeing Xiao Lin safe and sound, Nalan Jie excitedly slapped his shoulder.
"It's all thanks to Sect Master Yun Shan passing by at just the right moment. Otherwise, you wouldn't be seeing me again," Xiao Lin said, his face remaining calm and his heart steady.
To the outsiders, however, it certainly appeared that way.
The others also came over to greet Xiao Lin.
This time, they had to remember the favor of Xiao Lin leading away the Dou Huang Ying Changkong by himself.
"Alright, since everyone is back, let's search the surrounding area for one more day to see if there are any resources we missed. In the meantime, look for those who haven't returned yet, and then we'll head back."
Jia Xingtian spoke on behalf of the other three Dou Huang powerhouses, announcing their decision.
Because this secret realm itself was not very large, and combined with the fact that over a thousand people from the Jia Ma Empire, the Luo Yan Empire, and several other small countries had explored it, the realm was basically picked clean.
Furthermore, there was the matter of Yan Luotian, the Sect Master of the Gold Goose Sect, blowing up the area where the cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques were stored.
This made it even less necessary for them to stay. Of course, if some people wanted to try and scavenge for leftovers and stay behind, they wouldn't object.
However, if those people were bumped into and killed by those from the Luo Yan Empire, it would no longer be their concern. Right now, the people of the Jia Ma Empire were a single unit, but once the secret realm exploration ended, everyone would go their separate ways.
No one was responsible for anyone else's life or death.
As for the Xiao Clan's exploration party, the original lineup—aside from Xiao Lin—consisted of ten Da Dou Shi and one Dou Ling. When Xiao Lin returned and counted heads, he found that the Xiao Clan had lost three Da Dou Shi.
However, the several people who survived had all seen varying degrees of improvement in their strength. It was clear that their journey through the secret realm had yielded harvests. Of course, this situation didn't just happen to the Xiao Clan; other factions were the same.
Those who survived had either improved their strength or obtained certain resources. Overall, everyone was relatively satisfied with this secret realm exploration journey.
Although Xiao Lin had only raided one Formation Pavilion, his harvest was definitely the lion's share among everyone present. Once the exploration was over, he would certainly need to go back and properly digest what he had gained this time.
The next day, as if by prior agreement, the people of the Jia Ma Empire swept toward the eastern side of the secret realm, while the Luo Yan Empire explored toward the west.
During this period, both sides found many people who had not yet returned to their respective teams. What Xiao Lin felt regretful about was that he did not see any Xiao Clan members among those who returned.
By now, it could be concluded that the three Da Dou Shi from the Xiao Clan who hadn't returned had likely met with misfortune. Whether they were killed by people from the Luo Yan Empire or encountered danger while exploring, it meant they could no longer return to the Xiao Clan.
However, regarding such matters, let alone Xiao Lin, even the Xiao Clan members who followed him out were mentally prepared. After all, how can one see the rainbow without experiencing the wind and rain?
What made Xiao Lin feel relatively relieved was that Xiao Ze, Xiao Zhen, and Xiao Yi—
The three he thought highly of—had all survived this time, and each looked as if they had gained a lot. If no accidents occurred, after Xiao Lin took over the position of Xiao Clan Leader, these three could become Xiao Clan Elders.
If they worked hard in the future to promote to Dou Ling and lived until his son Xiao Zhan inherited the position of Clan Leader, these three could even enjoy some benefits and be promoted to Grand Elders!
Of course, the premise of everything was that they had to live until then. However, along with Xiao Lin awakening his past life memories, everything in the Xiao Clan had already begun to change unknowingly.
Although the changes were subtle, if this continued over a long period, even without Xiao Lin, the Xiao Clan's strength would rise to a new level by the time the original story began. At the very least, in Wu Tan City, no random "cats or dogs" would be able to challenge the Xiao Clan anymore.
That night, the group from the Jia Ma Empire decided to rest for one night and end the secret realm exploration the next day.
On the other side, the Luo Yan Empire made the same decision.
However, as the exploration was about to end, some people were not at peace. The place where the Luo Yan Empire side set up camp belonged to the Dou Huang Ying Changkong and his subordinate Black Eagle Bandit Group.
At this moment, Ying Changkong had a dark face as he listened to his subordinates report the harvests and losses of the secret realm exploration.
Due to the terrible reputation of Ying Changkong and his Black Eagle Bandit Group within the Luo Yan Empire, no other faction existed near his campsite; everyone stayed far away from them!
In response, Ying Changkong didn't care much. Clearly, he was well aware of his and his group's reputation. Since others were unwilling to get close, they were happy to have the peace and quiet, weren't they?
In fact, if others had gotten close to the Black Eagle Bandit Group's camp, he would have suspected that the various factions of the Luo Yan Empire were plotting to join forces to wipe them out!
Perhaps Ying Changkong and his Black Eagle Bandit Group had done too many wicked deeds in their daily lives and were suffering retribution, as their losses in this secret realm exploration were actually greater than their gains!
Among the many factions, they were likely the only ones in this situation.
It was no wonder Ying Changkong's face grew darker and darker as he listened to the report.
"Bastards! How can this be? How could the manpower we brought this time suffer losses of more than two-thirds? Tell me, did some son of a bitch in the Luo Yan Empire secretly play dirty against us?"
Finally breaking down, Ying Changkong began to scream and curse at his subordinates in a fit of rage.
It wasn't surprising he thought this way.
Although the various factions of the Luo Yan Empire had united this time to fight the Jia Ma Empire, if the enemy from Jia Ma wasn't there, the coalition might have been aimed at his Black Eagle Bandit Group!
Therefore, he saw these losses as completely unreasonable!
While Ying Changkong was flying into a rage, his subordinates were all as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound. It was clear that Ying Changkong did not treat his subordinates well in his daily life. Otherwise, why would they be so terrified of him?
One could only say that as a Dou Huang, reaching this point was quite a failure.
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that the Black Eagle Bandit Group's losses had already exceeded two-thirds, he might have killed a few subordinates to relieve the pent-up frustration in his heart. After all, from his perspective, nothing had gone right during this trip!
Setting aside the losses of his men, he had clearly caught that Dou Wang from the Jia Ma Empire, and it looked like the inheritance obtained by the opponent was about to fall into his hands. Who would have known that Yun Shan would jump out halfway and ruin his good fortune?
Later, when he wanted to turn back and fleece the other people from the Jia Ma Empire, the struggle for the central hall of the secret realm ended early, and the Dou Huang powerhouses from both sides returned.
This left Ying Changkong unable to even scavenge for scraps.
He had lost both the watermelon and the sesame seeds!
Afterward, as soon as he returned and found that more than two-thirds of his men were lost, how could his mood be smooth?
"Cursed Yun Shan, and that Dou Wang brat! Don't let me find an opportunity, or else you better be ready to face my most violent revenge!"
In the end, Ying Changkong chose to vent all his fury on the heads of Xiao Lin and Yun Shan.
"Is that so? I'm really looking forward to it. Just how exactly do you plan to take revenge on me?"
Just as Ying Changkong's voice fell, a voice suddenly echoed in his tent without any warning, causing his soul to nearly leap out of his body in fright!
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