Tanner Xiao already knew that Evan Yang had appeared here because the starry sky teleportation array malfunctioned, causing a spatial distortion.
Not only that, Evan Yang also saved Tanner Xiao, making him both grateful and deeply impressed. Tanner told Evan everything he knew.
However, Tanner was after all just a native of a fifth-class planet, so his knowledge was limited. Still, Evan was satisfied—these details would help him get familiar with the place.
Led by Tanner Xiao, Evan Yang arrived at a city. According to Tanner, this was the largest city on the planet, called Purple Sky City, with a population exceeding ten million.
So at a glance, the city walls stretched as far as the eye could see.
"So big." Evan Yang was amazed at the sheer scale of the city. He thought of Baina—he used to believe Baina was the largest, but here, it was at most a fifth the size.
"Come on, follow me." Tanner Xiao was overjoyed to return safely to the city, but still felt immense gratitude toward Evan Yang. Without Evan, he wouldn’t have made it back alive.
Evan Yang followed Tanner Xiao all the way until they arrived at a grand manor, with the sign reading 'Xiao Manor.'
When Tanner Xiao appeared, the guards at the gate hurriedly bowed and greeted him, "Young Master."
"Hmm, where’s the butler?" Tanner Xiao asked curiously. Normally, the butler would be waiting at the door for him at this hour, so he found it odd not to see him.
"He..." The guard wasn’t sure either and didn’t know how to answer.
Just then, someone rushed out from the manor, calling, "Young Master, you’re back!"
"Butler, why so slow today?" Tanner Xiao asked curiously.
"N-nothing, just had a small matter to handle, so I was late," the butler replied.
"Oh? Go prepare a table of food and wine. I want to entertain my friend." Tanner Xiao didn’t pay it any mind and gave instructions, then led Evan Yang inside without waiting for a reply.
The butler answered, "Right away." He stared at Evan Yang, then muttered to himself after Evan left, "Is he the one who saved this useless kid?"
Tanner Xiao had no idea what the butler was thinking. He brought Evan Yang to the main hall, where a middle-aged man stepped out, glanced at Tanner, then at Evan, and said, "Tanner, where have you been to end up in such a mess?"
"Father, I was ambushed today, but luckily Brother Evan saved me." Tanner Xiao addressed the middle-aged man, who was his father—the current Xiao Patriarch, Cyril Xiao.
Cyril Xiao was shocked to hear Tanner had been ambushed. "Who? Was it those guys?"
"Not those guys, but three other bandits. They’re actually the three famous bandits of Northridge Star." Tanner Xiao explained.
Cyril Xiao frowned. "How could it be them? Do they think our Xiao Family is easy to bully?"
"Dad, I don’t know either. All I know is, if it weren’t for Brother Evan, I’d probably be dead right now, and that treasure would’ve definitely been stolen by them." Tanner Xiao replied.
Hearing that Evan Yang had rescued Tanner Xiao from those three bandits, Cyril Xiao hurriedly bowed. "Thank you!"
Evan Yang hadn’t expected the patriarch to react so suddenly, but he couldn’t blame Cyril Xiao. On Northridge Star, anyone at the Out-of-Body Stage could be the planet’s master, and even Cyril Xiao was only at early Out-of-Body. To defeat three Spirit-Wandering experts, Evan must be at least Out-of-Body level. Not knowing Evan’s true cultivation, Cyril greeted him with great respect as the family head.
"Brother Evan, come in and take a seat. I’ll thank you properly in a bit." Tanner Xiao said with a smile.
Evan Yang was about to agree when Cyril Xiao spoke awkwardly, "Tanner, come with me for a moment. Your friend can wait here for now."
Tanner Xiao wanted to ask why, but Evan Yang spoke first: "Go ahead, Tanner."
Cyril Xiao hadn’t expected Evan Yang to be so easygoing. He nodded and smiled, then took Tanner Xiao away.
Evan Yang was left alone in the main hall, curiously observing his surroundings. He only snapped back to attention when a maid brought him a cup of tea.
Meanwhile, Tanner Xiao was in Cyril Xiao’s room.
"Tanner, what really happened today? Tell me everything." Cyril Xiao felt something was off—only their family knew about the treasure, so how did the bandits find out?
Tanner Xiao didn’t know the seriousness of the situation and recounted the whole story to Cyril Xiao. Hearing that Evan Yang had single-handedly blocked everyone and returned the treasure, Cyril finally recognized Evan’s character, though he still couldn’t figure out how the bandits learned the secret.
Today, Tanner Xiao had followed Cyril Xiao’s orders to retrieve a treasure from a certain place. In theory, no one else should have known, but somehow, the bandits did.
So at this moment, he was feeling suspicious.
"Dad, it’s nothing. I’ll go keep my friend company, otherwise I’d be a terrible host. And here’s the treasure for you." Tanner Xiao said after Cyril Xiao had no more questions.
"Alright, go ahead. Don’t let him misunderstand." Cyril Xiao nodded, took the Immobilizing Disk, and watched Tanner Xiao leave.
After Tanner Xiao left, Cyril Xiao spoke to the shadows, "Come out."
"Patriarch." Two people stepped out from the darkness.
"Protect him well these days. Don’t let him get hurt again. Also, investigate who set him up." Cyril Xiao ordered.
"Yes." The two figures vanished.
Tanner Xiao had no idea Cyril Xiao had made such arrangements. He had already returned to the hall.
Evan Yang set down his cup and smiled, "Back already?"
"Yeah, sorry for making you wait. My dad just wanted to know what happened today, nothing else. Sorry to keep you waiting." Tanner Xiao smiled.
"No problem." Evan Yang replied casually.
Just then, the butler rushed over. "Young Master, this is bad—she’s here!"
"Who’s here?" Tanner Xiao was about to speak to Evan Yang, but was interrupted and sounded a bit impatient.
"Her—Miss Ling." the butler said urgently.
"What? Her? Where is she now?" Tanner Xiao was shocked, immediately looking for a place to hide.
"She’s at the gate." the butler replied.
"What? So fast? Why are you only telling me now? Didn’t I say to notify me when she was a hundred steps from the gate?" Tanner Xiao complained.
The butler answered, aggrieved, "I was busy ordering the kitchen just now and didn’t notice."
"Forget it, forget it, just hide! And everyone, don’t say I’m here." Tanner Xiao said, then quickly hid himself.
Evan Yang watched Tanner Xiao’s retreating figure in confusion. "What about me, then?"
"You? Just say you’re here to see my dad." Tanner Xiao called out as he ducked into the nearest room to the hall.
"So Miss Ling has a grudge with your young master?" Evan Yang asked helplessly.
"No, no grudge." The butler shook his head.
"Then why?" Evan Yang asked curiously.
The butler was about to answer when a fiery voice rang out, "Brother Tanner, where are you? I’m here to find you!"
A woman appeared—good figure, attractive face, long hair draped behind her. By all rights, such a young lady shouldn’t have scared Tanner Xiao so much, but her voice was indeed fiery.
Her voice was even louder than a man’s. She stared at Evan Yang and the butler, finally locking eyes with the butler. "Where’s your young master?"
"He’s not here," the butler replied, shaking his head.
"Not here? Impossible! I just heard someone say he came back with a friend." the young lady insisted, not believing him.
The butler was frustrated, sweat running down his cheeks. He wanted to explain, but didn’t know how. The young lady shifted her focus to Evan Yang. "You’re his friend, right? Where did he go?"
"I’m here to see the Xiao Patriarch," Evan Yang answered, following Tanner Xiao’s instructions.
"Xiao Patriarch? Don’t lie to me. You clearly came back with him." Miss Ling said, not believing him.
"I really didn’t lie to you," Evan Yang replied helplessly.
"Fine, I don’t believe you’ll stay silent." Miss Ling snorted coldly, then suddenly flashed over to Evan Yang.
Her early Spirit-Wandering cultivation meant nothing to Evan Yang. He simply flashed away from his original spot and sat somewhere else. Miss Ling tried to grab him but missed, shocked. "You!"
Evan Yang waved his hand. "I’m here to see the Xiao Patriarch. Please mind your manners, Miss."
"You! You dare resist!" Miss Ling shouted angrily.
Her voice was extremely loud, but Evan Yang wasn’t afraid at all. "Why shouldn’t I resist?"
"You! Fine! I don’t believe I can’t subdue you!" Miss Ling shouted, then tried to grab Evan Yang again.
But the result was the same—Evan Yang flashed away again.
Miss Ling was so furious she grabbed a nearby chair and hurled it at Evan Yang.
Evan Yang was secretly amazed by how fiery she was, quickly dodging out of the way.
Miss Ling still couldn’t catch Evan Yang, then glared at him. "Fine, fine! If you’re so capable, stay here and don’t leave!"
She stormed out in a rage.
"She just left?" Evan Yang said helplessly, looking at the shattered chairs around him.
The butler rushed over, so frustrated and terrified that he could only say, "You’re doomed."
"What’s going on?" Evan Yang wondered. Just then, Tanner Xiao quietly sneaked out, looked around to make sure the young lady was gone, and patted his chest. "She’s gone?"
"Yeah, she left. But she said she’s not done with your friend." the butler replied.
"Oh? It’s fine, she’s always like that." Tanner Xiao laughed.
Evan Yang was still confused, and the butler shook his head. "Young Master, this time is different. She tried to grab him and couldn’t, then tried to smash him but missed. She left in a rage, but I think she’ll soon come back with reinforcements."
"Bring reinforcements? Who does she think she is? Really, can’t she just behave for once? Why does she always act like this? She makes me afraid to see her." Tanner Xiao shook his head.
"But I heard she has a friend visiting lately, surrounded by experts. I’m afraid for your friend." the butler said quietly.