His gaze slowly swept over the medicinal herbs recorded within the scroll. After a moment, Xiao Yan nodded slightly, put away the scroll, and fell into deep thought. These herbs were quite rare, and gathering them all would surely take a considerable amount of time. It seemed that for these medicinal herbs, he would need to seek out Sea Elder. The Mitter family, as the most extensive auction house in the empire, naturally had an abundant collection. Though these herbs were rare, they should still be able to gather some.
Thinking of this, Xiao Yan let out a breath of relief, got off the stone bed, and walked slowly out of the secret chamber. As soon as he stepped out, a maid who had been waiting there hurried up, and respectfully said, “Third Young Master, the Eldest Young Master said that if you come out of the secret chamber, please go to the living room.”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, waved the maid away, and strode towards the living room. After about ten minutes, he appeared outside the living room, hearing the voices of Xiao Ding and Xiao Li inside. There was also a familiar female voice; Xiao Yan could clearly recognize it as the voice of Royal Princess Yao Ye.
“What is she doing here?” His eyes narrowed slightly, and then he pushed open the door and walked in.
In the hall, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were chatting and smiling with Yao Ye. Hearing the sound of the door opening, their gazes lifted, and seeing Xiao Yan, their smiles widened.
“Ah, Mister Xiao Yan, it’s really not easy to meet you. Yao Ye has come several times in the past two days, but this is the first time we’ve met,” Yao Ye, seeing Xiao Yan enter, smiled charmingly and stood up, joking with him.
Xiao Yan smiled, his gaze briefly meeting Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, then he found a chair beside them and sat down. He asked, “What brings Princess Yao Ye here this time?”
“Mister Xiao Yan has helped the royal family avert a significant crisis; isn’t it natural for me to visit? Do I need a reason?” Yao Ye’s bright eyes rested on Xiao Yan, and she smiled with a bit of restraint.
Xiao Yan shook his head with a smile, but said no more. He took a sip of tea from a cup beside him, then lifted his gaze and fixed it on Yao Ye. He didn’t believe she was really here just to check on his wounds.
Under Xiao Yan’s intense gaze, Yao Ye’s smile faded after a while. She sighed lightly and said, “I heard that Mister Xiao Yan plans to establish a force in the Gama Empire?”
“Our Xiao family has many enemies. To protect our clansmen, we need sufficient strength to guard them,” Xiao Yan replied calmly, not hiding anything.
Yao Ye’s eyes fixated on Xiao Yan for a moment, then she said softly, “The royal family does not oppose your plan to form a force; we can even lend you a hand. However, we hope that what happened with the Yunlan Sect will not recur.”
Hearing the seriousness in Yao Ye’s words, Xiao Yan’s eyes half-closed. Since she had already stated it clearly, he didn’t need to avoid the subject. He replied, “Princess Yao Ye can rest assured. Xiao Yan is not Yun Shan. As long as the royal family doesn’t make any moves against my Xiao family, I will remember the royal family’s assistance.”
Seeing the serious look on Xiao Yan’s face, Yao Ye felt a slight relief. She smiled and said, “Mister Xiao Yan’s character is one that I trust. Now that the Yunlan Sect has dissipated, the Gama Empire needs a strong force to represent it. By the looks of it, Mister Xiao Yan is indeed the best candidate.”
Xiao Yan smiled and said, “It’s best that the royal family is not opposed to this. We are all former comrades-in-arms, and I don’t want any tension between us. As for the formation of the force, I will discuss it in detail with Princess Yao Ye once I have a clearer idea.”
Yao Ye nodded and said, “Very well, then I will await the good news.”
After finishing her words, Yao Ye stood up. With a wave of her hand, about a dozen jade boxes appeared on the table. She smiled and said, “Great Grandfather asked me to bring these. Mister Xiao Yan is a high-ranking alchemist, so I’m sure you won’t have too much trouble with your injuries. These herbs might be of some use to you. The royal palace has other matters, so I must leave. Farewell.”
With that, Yao Ye turned and slowly left, disappearing from their sight after a while.
Watching Princess Yao Ye depart, Xiao Yan stood up and went to the table. He opened the jade boxes, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out, causing him to raise an eyebrow. The royal family’s gift was indeed generous.
“It seems the royal family is not very resistant to this matter,” Xiao Li said, glancing at the jade boxes.
“Not resistant, but because Third Brother now has many strong allies by his side. Otherwise, they would have interfered greatly,” Xiao Ding said with a calm smile. After the Yunlan Sect incident, the Gama royal family naturally became more cautious of powerful forces.
Xiao Yan smiled and said, “Regardless, it’s good that they have no objections. This way, forming the force will be less troublesome.”
Xiao Ding nodded and said, “For the formation of the force, I suggest integrating the major families and the Alchemists’ Guild to form a powerful alliance. This way, we can quickly strengthen our force, skipping the most tedious steps. And now, with the royal family’s support, we can recruit new and talented blood. In the long run, this will be highly beneficial to us.”
“Of course, to train strong fighters, we need cultivation techniques and combat skills. Let’s see if we can get the major forces to provide these.”
“Cultivation techniques and combat skills, I can handle. For the rest, Big Brother, you can manage. Those things are not my strong suit.”
Hearing this, Xiao Ding shook his head helplessly and said, “You’re already thinking of being a carefree boss… By the way, how are your injuries?”
“In a few more days, I should be fully recovered,” Xiao Yan replied with a smile.
Relieved, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li both relaxed. Xiao Li then said, “Once you recover, I may have to go to the Black Corner Region. After all, the ‘Xiao Gate’ there still needs me to manage it. Otherwise, when I return next time, everyone will have left.”
Xiao Ding nodded thoughtfully and said, “From what I hear, with the fresh blood provided by the Gan Nan Academy, the ‘Xiao Gate’ will surely have great potential. The Black Corner Region, though chaotic, has its perks. If we can expand the ‘Xiao Gate’ and secure a position there, it will become a formidable force. Once the Gama Empire’s power grows and we combine, we can match the top forces on the Dou Qi Continent.”
Xiao Yan nodded in agreement. The students who graduated from the inner academy were mostly very talented. If he could bring them under his wing, they would be a formidable elite force. He had never doubted the ‘Xiao Gate’s’ potential.
While the three brothers were discussing, a servant suddenly rushed in and said, “Master Xiao Yan, Miss Nalan is here to see you.”
Startled, Xiao Yan remembered that Miss Nalan was Nalan Yanran. What did she want?
“Please ask her to come in.” Xiao Yan’s eyes flickered, and he said softly.
“Hey, Nalan Yanran? We haven’t met the woman who almost became our sister-in-law,” Xiao Li sneered, looking at the retreating servant. It seemed he still held a grudge against Nalan Yanran’s actions from years ago.
“Those grudges were settled long ago. Don’t hold onto them,” Xiao Ding said sternly, frowning. He didn’t like Xiao Li bringing up those matters in front of Xiao Yan.
Shrugging, Xiao Li fell silent, slouching in his chair and lazily looking towards the entrance.
After a moment, the servant returned with a graceful figure trailing behind her. The figures stopped at the door, the servant bowed and left, and Nalan Yanran, wearing a mist-colored robe, entered, her gaze sweeping over the three in the living room. It finally landed on Xiao Yan, with a complex expression.
“Miss Nalan, what brings you to the Xiao residence?” Xiao Yan set down his teacup, his eyes lowered, and spoke softly.
Nalan Yanran bit her lip and said, “My teacher wants to see you one last time.”
“One last time?” Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed. He clenched his fists and his voice grew cold, “I hope you’re not telling me she’s done something stupid. I told you, even if the Yunlan Sect has disbanded, I can still find all of them!”
Nalan Yanran’s brow furrowed, “She would never do such a thing. If you wish to see her, follow me. If not, you may never have another chance.”
Without waiting for Xiao Yan’s reply, she turned and walked out of the mansion.
Frowning, Xiao Yan stood up, looked at Xiao Li, and threw a scroll at him. “Second Brother, gather all these herbs. I have a crucial use for them. Remember, no delays!”
Taking the scroll, Xiao Li nodded, understanding the urgency. Giving the scroll to Xiao Li, Xiao Yan exchanged a few words and followed Nalan Yanran, his face clouded. What was she up to?
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