In the room, Xiao Yan shielded his face with both hands. After a long while, he cautiously peeked through the gaps of his arms, eyeing the black ring before him that remained motionless. Only then did he lower his arms and check his body, seemingly unscathed. The robe that had been puffed up by the soul’s fluctuation now slowly settled down. Feeling no discomfort, Xiao Yan let out a small sigh of relief. He gazed at the black ring before him but saw no sign of the Pharmacist Elder.
“Exactly what happened?” Frowning, he murmured in confusion and called out again. But the black ring only emitted a deep, dark glow, with no response, not even a hint of soul activity; it was as still as a dead pool.
“Did it fail? But the soul fluctuation earlier was indeed that of the teacher…”
After waiting for a long time without any reaction, Xiao Yan’s face showed a mix of bewilderment and disappointment. If the Pharmacist Elder had truly awakened, he would have responded immediately. The current scene seemed to indicate that his soul was still bound by some restriction, preventing him from conversing freely.
However, regardless, the light emitted by the black ring suggested that the Pharmacist Elder’s condition was much better than when he was in a deep sleep. It seemed the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva was not entirely useless.
Xiao Yan stared at the floating ring for a long time, then sighed deeply. He reached out, grabbed the ring, and placed it back on his finger. This time, the ring did not resist. The dark glow continued to shine for a moment before it completely faded, becoming as inconspicuous as before.
Gently stroking the calm black ring, Xiao Yan massaged his forehead. After a while, he laughed bitterly and muttered, “Teacher, don’t worry. I will continue to find ways to help you recover.”
Sighing again, Xiao Yan was about to meditate when a gust of wind carrying cold air rushed through the window. As the window was pushed open forcefully, Hai Bo Dong appeared in the room. Looking at Xiao Yan, he asked with a hint of surprise, “Recovered?”
Xiao Yan was taken aback, then realized. The intense soul fluctuation earlier must have caught Hai Bo Dong’s attention. Such powerful soul waves were very sensitive to strong experts like Hai Bo Dong.
“I obtained the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva and took it just now. The soul power did surge for a moment. Unfortunately, it soon subsided again…” Xiao Yan said, half-truthfully.
Hai Bo Dong was stunned, then chuckled bitterly, “So you mean you haven’t fully recovered? Was the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva ineffective?”
“I’m not sure, but at least I can feel the restored soul power. Before, there was no trace of it. So, the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva does have some effect,” Xiao Yan replied with a tinge of helplessness. “It seems I need to find another way to restore the soul power…”
“Ah, I got my hopes up for nothing,” Hai Bo Dong shook his head in disappointment and sat down. “If your strength had recovered, our trip to the Yunlan Sect would have been much safer. Without it, even with my protection, it’s still dangerous. The Yunlan Sect has existed for so long, and their elders are incredibly strong. Moreover, they excel in combined fighting techniques. Even I would have to avoid direct confrontation…”
“Hehe, with a Battle Emperor like you, even if we can’t win, we can always run, right?” Xiao Yan joked.
“It’s not that simple…” Hai Bo Dong shook his head and fell silent for a moment. Then, he stared at Xiao Yan and said in a low voice, “Kid, in one more day, we’ll be going to the Yunlan Sect. There are some things I need to discuss with you beforehand.”
Seeing Hai Bo Dong’s serious expression, Xiao Yan was slightly surprised but nodded silently, “Go ahead.”
“I said before that I would try to protect you, but only under the condition that we don’t anger the Yunlan Sect too much. You should know, I have a deep connection with the Mither family. Any of my actions will affect them. Although they are one of the three major families in the Jia Ma Empire, the Yunlan Sect is the most powerful. With their long history, even the Jia Ma royal family can’t match them. Of course, this is in terms of overall power. Regardless, the hidden strength of the Yunlan Sect is not as simple as it appears…”
“You know, on the Dou Qi continent, although human lifespans are limited, if one advances in rank within their lifespan, it can extend their life. The previous Sect Leader of the Yunlan Sect, Yun Shan, was an eight-star Battle Emperor when he passed the position to Yun Yun. He still had a lot of time left. Though few have heard of him in recent years, silence doesn’t mean he’s gone…”
“You mean the previous Sect Leader of the Yunlan Sect is still alive?” Xiao Yan asked quietly.
“Although I can’t be certain, the chances are not small. If he’s alive, he must have broken through to the Battle Sect level by now.” Hai Bo Dong sighed, “So, if possible, try not to cause too much conflict with the Yunlan Sect. Otherwise, even if you have connections with Fa Ma and Jia Xing Tian, they won’t risk offending the Yunlan Sect for you!”
Xiao Yan’s expression remained calm, unfazed by these words. He never harbored such extravagant thoughts. He had only known Fa Ma and Jia Xing Tian for less than a month. Expecting them to fight the Yunlan Sect for him was absurd.
“If it comes to that, I suppose even Old Hai would choose to withdraw, right?” Xiao Yan muttered, knowing that his relationship with Hai Bo Dong was merely a transaction. If not for the Purple Soul Recovery Pill, they would have parted ways long ago.
Hai Bo Dong fell silent, staring at the young man’s calm face. After a while, he said, “As long as Yun Tian doesn’t appear…”
His meaning was clear. If the previous Sect Leader, Yun Tian, showed up, he would have to think of the Mither family and stop intervening in the conflict between Xiao Yan and the Yunlan Sect.
“Kid, you’re still young. With your talent, your potential is limitless. Before you become a true powerhouse, you need to be patient. Sharp edges do not benefit you. When you can control that immense power, it won’t be too late to challenge the Yunlan Sect,” Hai Bo Dong patted Xiao Yan’s shoulder and said earnestly.
Xiao Yan nodded silently. Without the teacher’s power, he was just a Dou Shi. In the Yunlan Sect, such a rank was common. However, as Hai Bo Dong said, he was still young, and that was his greatest asset!
“Haha, well, I just wanted to remind you to be careful when you go to the Yunlan Sect,” Hai Bo Dong stood up and smiled at Xiao Yan. “It’s getting late. Get some rest. Tomorrow, take a break, and then we’ll head to the Yunlan Sect!”
Xiao Yan nodded, watching Hai Bo Dong leave the room. After a long while, he exhaled deeply. Hai Bo Dong’s words made him realize the harsh reality. Despite the apparent kindness of Fa Ma and Jia Xing Tian, their actions were based on the uncertainty about Xiao Yan’s background and his mysterious teacher. If he clashed with the Yunlan Sect, they would not risk offending the sect for him. Reality was cruel, indeed.
Lying on the soft bed, Xiao Yan propped his head on his arms, staring at the ceiling. His eyes closed slowly, then opened abruptly, revealing no fear in his black pupils. Whether it was naive or arrogant, he had already resolved that this trip to the Yunlan Sect would not be abandoned for anything. Even if the Yunlan Sect had a Battle Sect, he would keep his word and go!
“Do not provoke me, and I will not provoke you…” His lips formed a thin, determined line. If the Yunlan Sect tried to bully him, he would show them that he was not made of clay…
“No matter what, I must win this three-year agreement! I need to prove the value of my three years of hard work! If I fail, all my efforts will be wasted!”
Fists clenched, Xiao Yan took a deep breath, straightened his back, and leapt up to sit cross-legged on the bed. “Nalan Yanran, wait and see!”
He placed his hands in a cultivation seal, calming his turbulent emotions, and quickly entered a state of meditation. Since the Pharmacist Elder had not appeared as expected, Xiao Yan decided to prepare himself thoroughly tonight. Tomorrow, he would consume the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill, break through the Dou Shi barrier, and advance to Da Dou Shi. This time, failure was not an option!
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