Lazily staring at the black, shattered jade fragment, Xiao Yan casually held it in his hand. The jade was not smooth; instead, it was covered with tiny particles, suggesting that the material was not of high quality. Furthermore, there were faint cracks on its surface, and even some sand stuck in the crevices. Playing with the jade, Xiao Yan frowned slightly. Relying on his intuition, he felt something slightly strange about it, yet he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. His soul power probed around, but there was no response, nor did he receive any information. “Could I have been mistaken?” he muttered to himself in confusion. Slowly, Xiao Yan’s fingers traced over the jade, intending to put it down, but his hand hesitated. After a while, he shook his head helplessly and looked up at the man eagerly watching him. He then casually picked out a few barely passable herbs from the stone table and waved them at the man, smiling, “Do you want to trade or sell?”
“Master, I want to exchange for a tier three medicinal pill,” the man perked up, quickly adding with a sheepish smile, well aware that these herbs might not be worth a tier three medicinal pill. Glancing at him indifferently, Xiao Yan put the items in his storage ring and then took out a bottle containing only three Replenishment Pills. Tossing it to the man, he said, “This is the tier three Replenishment Pill. It can quickly restore consumed Dou Qi. As it’s a common consumable medicinal pill, I’ll give you three.”
Fumbling to catch the bottle, the man’s joy was evident on his face. Three Replenishment Pills were worth no less than 40,000 gold coins. With this, he had made a good deal. He immediately bowed to Xiao Yan’s lazy, turning back.
Leaving the stall, Xiao Yan exited the eastern district and, running his fingers over his storage ring, the black, shattered jade reappeared in his palm. Frowning, he played with it for a while but still found no clues. With a sigh, he put it away.
Standing in the center of the hall, Xiao Yan looked around in bewilderment. After a moment, he pulled over a clear-featured maidservant and asked in a low voice about the location of the Black Rock City Alchemist Association’s president. Though slightly annoyed by the abrupt grab, the maidservant, who seemed to be in a hurry, instantly showed some respect when she saw the tier two alchemist badge on Xiao Yan’s chest. Pointing to the sparsely populated western district, she said softly, “That’s where the presidents of the various imperial city branches are located, but only alchemists of tier three and above are allowed to enter.”
“Thank you very much.” Thanking her, Xiao Yan headed towards the quiet western district, only to be stopped by two guards at the entrance as expected. “Could you please inform Master Frank or Master Oto from Black Rock City that Xiao Yan is here to see them?” Xiao Yan smiled at the two cold-faced guards.
Noticing the tier two alchemist badge on Xiao Yan’s chest and his youthful appearance, the two guards were slightly surprised. Such a young person being a tier two alchemist was indeed rare. Their coldness melted a bit, and one of them nodded, saying, “Wait a moment,” before retreating and quickly heading upstairs.
With his hands in his sleeves, Xiao Yan stood at the entrance, eyes closed, quietly waiting. Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed, and an elderly figure appeared before Xiao Yan, his face full of delight.
The old man quickly approached the door, looking around but not seeing the person he expected. His smile froze, and he scowled at the guards, “Where is he? You didn’t chase him away, did you?”
“Master Oto,” hearing the old man’s scolding, Xiao Yan smiled and called out.
“You…” Hearing the somewhat familiar voice, Oto was stunned. He looked at the unfamiliar young man with a puzzled expression. After a long moment, he exclaimed, “Xiao Yan? What happened to you?”
Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head, whispering, “I’ll tell you later. There are too many people here.”
“Alright, come in then.” Understanding, Oto nodded and glared at the guards, “You two didn’t hear anything, got it?”
Seeing Oto’s menacing look, the two cold-faced guards gave a wry smile and nodded wisely. After years of guarding, they knew the rules. This action made Xiao Yan nod in approval. Indeed, Oto, as the vice president of the Black Rock City Alchemist Association, was thorough in his actions.
Following Oto, Xiao Yan slowly ascended the stairs. Once the crowd thinned, Oto whispered, “Xiao Yan, what happened to you? Did you offend someone? Tell me. In this holy city, my words carry some weight.”
“Thank you, Master Oto. Just a personal matter, I don’t want to be recognized,” Xiao Yan declined with a smile.
“Alright, suit yourself,” Oto said, sensing Xiao Yan’s reluctance. His seasoned gaze swept over Xiao Yan, and after a while, he said with concealed surprise, “Young man, your strength has grown significantly in a year. You must be at least a five-star Dou Shi now, right?”
“Luck, just luck,” Xiao Yan replied with a smile.
“Wow, you’re impressive. Such talent is breathtaking. I wonder which old man is lucky enough to have such a student,” Oto praised, his face filled with admiration.
Xiao Yan smiled, not delving into the topic. They continued walking at a steady pace, side by side. “We’re here.” Passing through several luxurious rooms, they stopped outside a spacious room. Hearing the shouts inside, Oto smiled at Xiao Yan, “Frank is scolding Xuemei. She used his tier four medicinal formula to trade for a peach blossom fire. He’s heartbroken…”
Xiao Yan chuckled. He knew Xuemei would be scolded for trading a tier four medicinal formula, which was no ordinary item.
Entering the spacious room, Xiao Yan’s eyes scanned the area and finally landed on the center. There, Franck, wearing alchemist robes, was frothing at the mouth, his face livid as he slammed the table. Before him, Xuemei clutched the peach blossom fire, silent despite his fury. At another corner of the table, a woman in red clothing watched Xuemei’s misfortune with glee. Hearing the door open, she shifted her gaze to Xiao Yan behind Oto and huffed, “Teacher, this is the person you came to meet? What a big deal…”
Hearing her, Franck paused his scolding and turned to Xiao Yan, “Old Oto, who is this?”
Seeing the bewildered looks, Xiao Yan touched his neck and, after a moment, tore off a skin, revealing his fair, youthful face. “Master Franck, it’s been a year, and you seem even more vigorous.”
“Xiao Yan? It’s you, kid. I thought you wouldn’t come,” Franck said, overjoyed, upon recognizing the face that had lost some of its youthfulness.
Xiao Yan smiled and walked forward, looking at the elegant and enchanting Xuemei in her silver robe. She met his gaze, and they exchanged polite smiles.
“Master Franck, although the peach blossom fire isn’t particularly powerful, it is much stronger than ordinary Dou Qi-ignited flames. It is also less frenzied and more delicate, making it very suitable for alchemy. Though a tier four medicinal formula is precious, you must have read it already. With your strength, you could prepare another copy in time, right?”
Looking at the pink fire in Xuemei’s hand, Xiao Yan addressed Franck.
“Ah, I guess so. But it will take at least half a year to prepare another tier four formula. It’s too troublesome,” Franck sighed, finally stopping his scolding.
Relieved that her teacher had stopped, Xuemei smiled gratefully at Xiao Yan, her cold beauty more captivating than ever.
“Are you defending Xuemei? Do you like her?” Linfei, Xuemei’s rival, jumped in, arms akimbo, glaring at Xiao Yan’s fair face. Strangely, she mused, “He seems much better-looking than before?”
Ignoring the feline-like Linfei, Xiao Yan stared at her pretty face until a slight blush appeared. He then burst into laughter, leaving Linfei flustered, stomping her feet.
“Xiao Yan, you must be here for the Alchemist Conference, right?” Oto pulled Linfei aside and sat, smiling.
Hearing Oto’s words, Franck’s eyes lit up, and he turned to Xiao Yan, knowing this young man’s exceptional alchemy talent. If Xiao Yan participated, he would be a top contender for the championship.
Xiao Yan smiled, tapping his fingers on the table. “What’s the benefit of participating? Just for a title? I’m not very interested in that.”
Oto and Franck were taken aback. “If you stand out in the Alchemist Conference, your future will be smooth. Many powerful forces will invite you. Your reputation and status in the empire will skyrocket.”
“Think of Gu He, the Pill King, who rose to fame this way.”
“Sorry, I don’t like joining any forces,” Xiao Yan shrugged, stretching lazily. “So, tell me, what real benefits are there?”
“Hey, you’re too practical!” Linfei, hearing this, frowned.
Xiao Yan shrugged, ignoring her.
Sighing, Oto and Franck exchanged a glance. “Every champion of the Alchemist Conference becomes an honorary elder of the Alchemist Association, enjoying the same benefits and rights as the elders. You’ll get help from any branch within the empire and priority access to rare herbs in the association’s warehouse.”
“Across the entire empire, no more than fifteen people enjoy this privilege. Any force, including the royal family and the Yunlan Sect, will think twice before moving against you.”
Xiao Yan’s tapping fingers paused, and his eyes sparkled. He was tempted. Knowing he would eventually clash with the Yunlan Sect, having such support would be a great advantage.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s interest, Oto smiled, adding, “This year’s champion prize is a tier six medicinal formula.”
“A tier six formula?” Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed, taking a deep breath. Such a formula was valuable, even compared to earth-tier techniques.
“What is it, and what does it do?” Xiao Yan asked cautiously, noting that while rare, the effects mattered.
“The Soul Fusion Pill, which allows the soul and body to merge. It’s a bit unconventional but a divine medicine for soul entities. It can rapidly restore soul power and heal past injuries.”
“Soul entities? Restore soul power?” Picking up on the key terms, Xiao Yan’s heart raced.
“Get me that formula, or I won’t let you live!” Suddenly, a seductive voice, carrying a hint of allure, entered his mind, causing his sleeve to grow cold.
The sudden, seductive voice made Xiao Yan’s grip tighten. A chill spread through his chest, and he recognized the voice: the Queen Medusa, hidden within the Heavenly Swallowing Serpent.
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