Inside the Nalan Clan compound, the black-faced Dou Wang leaned against the head of his bed. Three years of torment from the Branding Poison had reduced the once sturdy and powerful Nalan Jie to a gaunt figure, his eye sockets deeply sunken. He looked as if he could die at any moment.
He knew his own condition all too well. If it weren't for his strength as a Dou Wang, the various elixirs propping him up, and the alchemists he periodically hired to alleviate his symptoms, he would have collapsed long ago.
But even so, he could feel the poison gradually seeping into his bones. The effectiveness of these remedies was waning. He had five years at most.
Once he fell, the great Nalan Clan would inevitably face a dire situation.
Fortunately, there was still Nalan Yanran. When she grew up, the Nalan Clan might have a chance to return to the ranks of the three great clans.
"How is Yanran now?"
With these complicated thoughts swirling in his mind, Nalan Jie asked his not-so-capable son, who stood beside the bed.
He did not know what his father was thinking, but when Nalan Yanran was mentioned, a proud smile appeared on Nalan Su's face.
"Father, I received a message from Yanran the day before yesterday. She broke through to the ninth stage of Dou Zhi Qi some time ago. Now she just needs to polish her foundation. She should be able to be promoted to Dou Zhe within half a year."
"Not bad."
Nalan Yanran was just over thirteen now; she would not even be fourteen in half a year. With the support of the Nalan Clan and Yun Yun's guidance, it shouldn't be difficult for her to surpass him in the future. He just didn't know how many years it would take.
Suddenly, he thought of another person.
"How is Xiao Yan, the one from the Xiao Clan who has an engagement with Yanran? Has his health problem been resolved?"
"No. He is still at the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi. He's a well-known failure now. The higher he once stood, the more pitiful he is today. Father, do we really want Yanran to fall into this fire pit? What about the engagement?"
When it came to the engagement, Nalan Su couldn't help but frown.
At this moment, he had completely forgotten how happily he had laughed when he heard that Xiao Yan was an eleven-year-old Dou Zhe more than two years ago.
Nalan Jie frowned slightly but finally shook his head, unwilling to continue the topic.
He knew that both father and daughter were dissatisfied with the engagement, especially Nalan Yanran, whose resistance was growing stronger.
But this was something he and Xiao Lin had agreed upon. He couldn't bear to look down on others just because they had turned from a genius into a failure. Though he had his own thoughts, he cared more about his reputation and didn't want to be criticized.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this. Did you go to the palace again today?"
"I went, but didn't see him. That boy relies on the favor of the royal family and is very arrogant. He doesn't take our Nalan Clan seriously at all," Nalan Su said angrily.
With his status, going to visit a junior and being turned away three times was a source of great resentment. Even Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang three times to invite him to his thatched cottage.
Nalan Jie also frowned, but he was more disappointed with his son than with the young man he had never met.
"Don't say such things in the future. A Dou Ling master in his teens is a guest of honor wherever he goes. Before Yun Yun entered her life-and-death seclusion, her cultivation speed was not as fast as his. In the future of the Jia Ma Empire, the person with the greatest hope of breaking through to the Dou Zong realm is not from the royal family, nor the two from the Misty Cloud Sect and the Alchemist Guild. He has the greatest hope."
"If you have any such thoughts, just keep them to yourself. Also, we have been too close to the Misty Cloud Sect in recent years. We should keep a proper distance. You should pay more attention to this."
Nalan Su responded with a serious face, "I understand."
One shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket. You must always leave yourself a way out. In this regard, Nalan Su had learned from his father.
He had been doing this for years, but because of Nalan Yanran and the rapid development of the Misty Cloud Sect, the balance had shifted too far. Now that the royal family had a nearly demonic genius, the Nalan Clan's position had to swing back.
As the father and son were chatting, a servant's voice was heard from outside the door.
"Master, Master Chen is visiting."
Nalan Su frowned and stood up to open the door. "Which Master Chen?"
"To the master, he said he came from the palace. I did not dare to neglect it."
From the imperial palace, with the surname Chen?
Nalan Su reacted, turned to look at the black-faced Dou Wang, and upon seeing his father nod, he quickly became serious. He adjusted his expression and closed the door.
"You fool! You dare to make Master Chen wait? Why didn't you invite him in?"
"Master, I have already invited Master Chen to the secondary living room."
"You dare talk back? Have him moved to the main living room. No, forget it, I'll go myself."
Nalan Su cursed, but then he came to his senses. If he moved Chen Guan to the main living room now, wouldn't it just tell everyone they hadn't taken him seriously before?
In the secondary living room, Chen Guan looked at the low-key decorations without much thought. He had never been to the Nalan Clan before.
He didn't have to wait long. Soon, he heard hurried footsteps outside. When he turned, Nalan Su had already walked in with a hearty laugh.
"Haha, sorry to have kept you waiting, Master Chen. I heard from the servants that you were visiting the Nalan Clan, and I couldn't believe it for a moment. I'm sorry for not welcoming you in person."
"Master Nalan, you are too polite," Chen Guan said, standing to return the greeting while sizing up this political fence-sitter. "I am a junior, so how could I let you come to greet me? I missed you twice before and felt very sorry. After finishing my training today, I heard from the little princess that you had come again. It is only right that I should come and apologize."
Deep down, Chen Guan didn't have much good will towards the Nalan Clan, which had repeatedly changed its allegiances. This was true in their dealings with the royal family in the original story, and also true in their dealings with Xiao Yan.
However, there was no conflict between him and the Nalan Clan now, and he saw no reason not to be civil.
Hearing the young man's humble words, Nalan Su's resentment lessened. He immediately greeted him warmly, had someone bring tea, and began to lavish him with praise. Chen Guan realized there were so many nice ways to describe a person; he was truly ignorant. He had originally planned to only exchange pleasantries for three minutes, but before he knew it, five had passed, with Nalan Su calling him 'dear nephew' as if they had the best of relationships.
After the business of mutual flattery had ended, Chen Guan finally got down to business.
"Uncle Nalan, I came to visit you today firstly to apologize and secondly to ask what you wanted to talk to me about so as to save you from running around."
Nalan Su did not give an immediate answer but sighed and told him about his father's current situation.
Chen Guan asked with concern, "If it is poison, didn't you ask an alchemist to take a look?"
"Of course I did. I have invited some of the best alchemists in the Imperial Capital and several nearby cities, including President Fa Ma. I also invited him privately last year, but they couldn't cure it. The best they could do was alleviate it slightly. Some time ago, through my connection with the Misty Cloud Sect, I spent a lot of money to invite Pill-King Gu He, but even he was powerless."
"However, Gu He did provide one possible solution. If there were a Heavenly Flame, perhaps the Branding Poison could be eradicated. But in the entire Jia Ma Empire, where can we find an alchemist with a Heavenly Flame? I can only try my best to inquire."
"It was unexpected. Just when I was about to give up, I happened to hear two alchemists talking in the city. They said that the genius of the royal family might possess a Heavenly Flame. When I heard that, I thought, is there anyone more talented than my nephew?"
"Although the possibility is not great, for my father's sake, I still don't want to miss any opportunity. So, I wanted to ask my nephew."
So, it was a blind cat catching a dead mouse, Chen Guan thought. But this time, the dead mouse delivered itself to his mouth.
Chen Guan showed a look of sudden realization.
He laughed and said, "That's quite a coincidence."
(End of Chapter)
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