Chapter 69: Xiao Yan: Lucky I Came to the Nalan Family Myself!
"Mr. Lu, that young man just now… who was he?" Mitel Tengshan asked.
The conversation between the two earlier had revealed quite a bit. A young alchemist with a Heavenly Flame, supported by Lu Bu a sixth tier alchemist no less was bound to catch anyone's attention.
"His name is Yan Xiao. My alchemy skills come from his teacher," Lu Bu casually waved it off. "If possible, Elder Tengshan, do me a favor and look after him."
Xiao Yan and Yao Lao were indispensable to his plan to deal with Wu Protector in the Yun Lan Sect. At this stage, they were crucial.
Hearing this, both Hai Bodong and Mitel Tengshan straightened up, their expressions turning respectful. Lu Bu's alchemy skills were taught by Yan Xiao's teacher? What level of existence must this teacher be? A Dou Zong? A Dou Sheng?
Either way, such a figure was worth forging ties with for the Mitel family!
"I understand, Mr. Lu," Mitel Tengshan replied solemnly. Even if not for the mysterious teacher, Lu Bu's own reputation made it impossible to ignore his request.
Lu Bu nodded, and with a wave of his hand, a few medicinal ingredients floated into the cauldron before him. The Green Lotus Core Flame surged, enveloping the cauldron as it began refining the materials.
A look of surprise flashed across Mitel Tengshan's face. Judging from the ingredients, Lu Bu was refining a sixth tier Huangji Pill, rather than the fifth tier Fuling Violet Pill.
It made sense, though. Despite being a fifth tier pill, the Fuling Violet Pill required numerous ingredients and a complex refining process, making it just as challenging as a sixth tier pill.
The difference was that while the Huangji Pill's ingredients were rare, they weren't impossible to find. Most importantly, Lu Bu had refined the Huangji Pill before and had the experience to streamline the process.
Even a child knows to tackle the easier questions first during an exam. Similarly, Lu Bu chose to refine the Huangji Pill before the Fuling Violet Pill to save time.
"If not for Yao Lao's many pill recipes, I'd never be able to pull this off…" Lu Bu thought to himself, marveling at his past decision to trade a map fragment for alchemy skills. Not only had he gained those skills without losing anything of value, but he'd also reclaimed the map fragment afterward. Truly, his ingenuity was unparalleled!
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, one medicinal ingredient after another was sent into the Blazing Fire Cauldron. The Green Lotus Core Flame danced deftly, extracting the essence of the ingredients. Lu Bu's soul power divided and maneuvered the refined materials to the side, ready for fusion.
A rich medicinal aroma wafted through the air, and Lu Bu's fluid movements made for an aesthetically pleasing display that captivated his two observers.
Mitel Tengshan's eyes gleamed with admiration. It was his first time witnessing a sixth tier alchemist refining pills up close.
In the Jia Ma Empire, there were a handful of fifth tier alchemists: two in the Alchemist Guild (the president and vice president), one in the royal family, and a few more scattered among noble families, most of whom were fourth tier at best. As for sixth tier alchemists, there was only Gu He.
Such individuals often carried an air of arrogance and wouldn't allow others to observe them. Watching Lu Bu refine pills was a rare privilege.
Hai Bodong, meanwhile, felt his excitement growing.
The pain of losing strength was something Xiao Yan could deeply empathize with. Once admired and respected, Hai Bodong had fallen so far that those who once bowed before him now trampled over him. The higher he had stood, the harder he fell.
But thankfully, Hai Bodong had chosen the right person to follow and made the right decision. What once troubled him now felt insignificant.
In the southern part of the imperial capital stood a grand and imposing mansion.
This was the estate of the Nalan family, one of the three great families of the Jia Ma Empire. Its head, Nalan Jie, was the Lionheart Marshal of the empire and a prominent military leader wielding significant power.
However, years of suffering from Branding Poison had left Nalan Jie with one foot in the grave. His title as Lionheart Marshal was now merely an empty honor.
If Nalan Jie were to pass, the Nalan family would lose its backbone and might end up like the Xiao family forced to leave the imperial capital in disgrace. But such an outcome was unlikely.
Thanks to Nalan Yanran's status as the Yun Lan Sect's young sect master, the Nalan family's position was secure. Who would dare touch the home of someone with such powerful backing?
More importantly, Nalan Jie wouldn't be dying anytime soon.
In a secret chamber, Xiao Yan wore a solemn expression as he carefully extracted the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Flame from Nalan Jie's body.
Following Lu Bu's or rather, Gu He's method, he guided the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Flame into Nalan Jie's body. The Heavenly Flame burned away impurities, refining the Branding Poison from his bones.
"How's it going, Brother Yan Xiao?" Nalan Su, Nalan Yanran's father, asked anxiously.
Xiao Yan glanced at the man who had nearly become his father in law and nodded slightly. "It's going well. However, it's impossible to eliminate the poison in one session. At this rate, it will take at least a week."
"That's wonderful news!" Nalan Su's face lit up with joy. His father's life was no longer in immediate danger.
"Thank you, Brother Yan Xiao. My gratitude knows no bounds," Nalan Yanran said, her exquisite features blossoming into a radiant smile. Clad in a snow white robe, her figure was graceful and elegant. At seventeen or eighteen, she was in the prime of her youth and beauty.
"No need…" Xiao Yan's expression remained stiff under his disguise. Internally, he cursed Lu Bu. If it had been that scoundrel here, the one lying on the bed might very well have been Nalan Yanran herself!
"Damn that bastard…" Xiao Yan grumbled to himself. At least this ordeal would soon be over, and he could part ways with Lu Bu. After this, his destination was the Jia Nan Academy.
The Nalan family didn't matter; it was Xun'er who held his heart!
Thinking further, Xiao Yan realized that returning the broken map fragment to Lu Bu might not be a bad idea. That way, Lu Bu wouldn't pester him anymore.
Compared to the elusive Dou Sheng inheritance, Xun'er was far more important!
"There's no need to thank me, Miss Nalan. This is simply a transaction," Xiao Yan said flatly, his tone cold and distant.
Nalan Yanran was momentarily taken aback. It was rare for anyone to treat her with such indifference.
"How interesting…" she murmured, a faint smile gracing her lips.
"You're truly gifted, Brother Yan Xiao," Nalan Su said with admiration. "Even Gu He hasn't mastered a Heavenly Flame, yet you wield it with such skill."
"You flatter me. There are many stronger than me," Xiao Yan replied calmly.
"Hahaha, no young talent could compare to you, Brother Yan Xiao. Your control over the Heavenly Flame rivals that of a third or fourth tier alchemist!" Nalan Jie added with a hearty laugh.
"You overpraise me…" Xiao Yan's face twitched. "I'll return tomorrow. Farewell."
"Brother Yan Xiao, traveling back and forth must be inconvenient. Why not stay here? You and Yanran are of similar age and might find much to discuss," Nalan Jie suggested warmly.
"There's no need. Farewell!" Xiao Yan's face darkened as he firmly declined, striding toward the door.
Thank goodness I came myself!
"Uh… Yanran, why don't you see Brother Yan Xiao out?" Nalan Jie suggested after a brief pause, confused by Xiao Yan's sudden shift in attitude.
Had he said something wrong?
Nalan Su was equally puzzled but didn't take offense. After all, he'd dealt with many eccentric alchemists in his time some far stranger than Yan Xiao.
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