“What? All the medicinal ingredients have been destroyed? And what about the Second Elder? Where is he?” Within the great hall, a furious roar almost tore the roof off. A guard, trembling, knelt before Gally Bi, his face filled with fear as he swallowed hard, and shakily said, “The Second Elder was also killed by the person who destroyed the medicinal ingredients!”
The raging face suddenly froze, and Gally Bi felt his legs go weak. He then plopped down onto the chair behind him, his face in a daze. Gally Nü was one of the three Great Fighters in the Gally family, and his death would undoubtedly add to the turmoil already plaguing the Gally family.
Seeing Gally Bi’s expression, the messenger guard also looked grim. The image of the terrifying strength of the black-robed figure still echoed in his mind. It was unimaginable that the Second Elder, who was a three-star Great Fighter, had been reduced to ashes with just a glance from this mysterious person. The horrific scene made everyone present feel the true meaning of fear.
“Who killed the Second Elder?” After sitting for a long while, Gally Bi finally regained his composure, though his voice was hoarse. Clearly, Gally Nü’s death had dealt him a significant blow.
“We don’t know. The person was wearing a black robe, and no one saw his face. But he could control a pale white flame, and the Second Elder died in that flame.” The guard shook his head and spoke softly.
“Black robe? Control of a white flame?” After a brief silence, Gally Bi’s face slightly changed. Controlling flames to injure enemies was a method favored by alchemists. An alchemist who might have a grudge with the Gally family and had the strength to easily kill Gally Nü… These conditions made Gally Bi think of the black-robed alchemist he had encountered at the auction house.
Thinking of Yaphira and Gunny’s respectful attitude towards the black-robed alchemist, Gally Bi felt a bitter taste in his mouth. They seemed to have been wrong from the beginning. At the time, they had believed Xiao Yan’s family had only hired a mediocre alchemist, but now, reality was telling them that the alchemist of the Xiao family was far stronger than Liu Xi’s half-baked skills.
Slowly shaking his head, Gally Bi’s eyes flashed with venom and rage. Now, the medicinal ingredients worth forty thousand gold coins were destroyed, and due to financial issues, they still owed the Tamiel medicinal family thirty thousand gold coins. Gally Bi had originally planned to use these medicinal ingredients to make healing potions and pay after the sales. However, the current situation shattered all his plans.
The medicinal family cooperating with the Gallys also held considerable power in Tamiel. Once they learned about the destruction of the ingredients, they would surely send people to collect the debt. But the Gally family’s funds were almost depleted; how could they come up with such a large sum? If they couldn’t, the Gally family’s reputation would be ruined.
“Damn it!” Frustrated, Gally Bi slammed his hand on the table, causing the sturdy blackwood table to shatter. Splinters hit the guard’s face, but he could only grit his teeth and bear it.
Taking a deep breath, Gally Bi forcibly suppressed his rage and animosity towards the Xiao family. He waved his hand and, feigning calm, said, “Distribute all the remaining healing potions to the various markets. Also, make sure everyone who knows about this keeps their mouths shut. If word gets out, they will be punished according to the clan rules.”
“Yes, sir.” The guard’s body trembled slightly, and he respectfully replied before quickly retreating.
Looking at the empty hall, Gally Bi leaned wearily against the chair. Even if the Gally family survived this, their power would greatly diminish, making it hard to compete with the Xiao family. Thinking of this, Gally Bi sighed, feeling a hint of regret for his previous provocation of the Xiao family.
…
After completing some tasks, Xiao Yan returned to his normal form and went back to his family. He asked the Pharmacist Elder to make some restorative pills and hurriedly brought them to Xuner. Seeing the girl holding the pills, her clear, watery eyes slightly red, Xiao Yan felt an immense sense of satisfaction.
In the days following Xiao Yan’s destruction of the Gally family’s medicinal ingredients, although Utarn City appeared calm, observant people noticed that the Gally family members who usually caused trouble near the Xiao family’s market quietly retreated. Their usual arrogance had diminished, leaving everyone puzzled by the Gally family’s strange behavior.
Xiao Family, Discussion Hall.
“What is the Gally family up to lately? Are they showing weakness to us?” Receiving recent reports, Xiao Zhan furrowed his brows and asked the three elders in the hall with a puzzled expression.
Glancing at each other, the three elders shook their heads simultaneously. After a moment’s thought, the Grand Elder said, “An abnormal action is a harbinger of evil. Gally Bi is cunning and may be up to something. We should stay vigilant.”
Xiao Zhan nodded, and the cautious man naturally wouldn’t relax his attention just because of the Gally family’s surface actions. Looking around, Xiao Zhan saw Xiao Yan almost dozing off in his chair and shook his head helplessly. This little guy seemed to show little interest in family affairs.
“Yan, have you met the old gentleman recently?” Picking up his teacup and taking a sip, Xiao Zhan asked casually.
Hearing Xiao Zhan’s question, the three elders also turned their gazes to Xiao Yan. The old gentleman’s importance to the Xiao family was self-evident, but he seemed to favor Xiao Yan. No one else had ever met him alone. Everyone envied Xiao Yan for receiving such treatment.
Lazily lifting his eyelids, Xiao Yan muttered, “Yeah, I met him.”
After a brief pause, he added, “He said he wants to take me as his disciple.”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s last sentence, Xiao Zhan’s hand, holding the teacup, froze. He lifted his head, his face showing a complex expression, and stared at the boy curled up in the chair. Swallowing, he said incredulously, “You mean he wants to take you as his disciple?”
Lifting his eyelids, Xiao Yan looked at the ecstatic and excited Xiao Zhan and the three twitching elders beside him. He lazily nodded.
“Good, good, good…” His face flushed, Xiao Zhan gulped down the tea and stood up, pacing back and forth in the hall, rubbing his hands in excitement. “I knew my son wasn’t ordinary. Damn, anyone who dares call my son a failure again, I’ll beat them to death on the spot!”
Seeing Xiao Zhan’s excited state, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly and said softly, “In half a month, I’ll be going on a training trip with my teacher… I won’t be back for a year or more.”
“Huh?” Xiao Zhan was taken aback, his smile fading. He frowned and hesitantly asked, “You’re not planning to enroll in the Gana Academy? It’s a famous high-ranking academy on the Dou Qi Continent. If you get in, it would be very beneficial for you.”
“I’ll enroll, but I might miss classes for a year or two.” Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and smiled faintly. “Although Gana Academy is good, they can’t help me surpass Nalan Yanran in less than two years.”
Xiao Yan smiled, his gaze slowly sweeping over the hall. It was here that the proud woman had trampled his last shred of dignity.
Hearing the name that was practically taboo in Xiao Yan’s heart, Xiao Zhan’s face twitched slightly, and he fell silent.
Standing up, Xiao Yan lazily scratched the back of his head and slowly walked out of the hall. The young man’s soft laughter lingered in the air.
“Since she set a challenge, I will naturally accept it. Not to impress her, but to say at the meeting, ‘Your judgment is quite poor…'”
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