Night fell, and the darkness enveloped the earth. High in the sky, the silver moon hung, casting a faint glow that slowly chased away the shadows. In the tranquil courtyard, the three brothers lay on comfortable armchairs, gazing at the starlit sky. Occasionally, they would lift their wine cups and toast each other.
Draining his wine cup, Xiao Yan turned to look at his two elder brothers, who were slightly drunk, and slowly rose to his feet. He retrieved two scrolls from his Nalan Jie, their covers ancient and rustic, and placed them gently on the small table beside Xiao Ding and Xiao Li. Seeing their puzzled looks, he smiled and said, “These are two Middle Xuan Tier cultivation techniques, one of wood and one of thunder, which perfectly match your affinities. Each scroll also comes with a high-level Xuan Tier combat skill. Together, they are quite formidable.”
Hearing this, the eyes of Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, already slightly clouded by alcohol, suddenly brightened. A single high Xuan Tier technique was already a rare treasure in the Jia Ma Empire, let alone one that came with a matching combat skill. Such a combination was undoubtedly more valuable than other cultivation methods of the same tier.
Under the allure of such treasures, even the usually calm Xiao Ding showed a trace of desire on his face, while Xiao Li, without hesitation, grabbed the silver scroll and played with it affectionately as soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking.
“If we were to auction these, anything less than three million gold coins would be an insult to their value,” Xiao Ding said, gently caressing the green scroll. The soft, pliable texture told him, a man familiar with magical beasts, that this material must come from at least a fourth-tier beast’s hide.
Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. To simultaneously offer two high Xuan Tier techniques, each with a matching combat skill, was a move that few, if any, could make in the Jia Ma Empire. Xiao Yan, too, would not have had the means without the vast trove provided by the Pharmacist Elder.
“Last time, I meant to give you these, but I left in a hurry and forgot,” Xiao Yan explained. During his journey to the Snake People, he had obtained these two techniques from the Pharmacist Elder, but his tight schedule had prevented him from handing them over until now.
“Though these techniques are extremely rare, since you’re offering them, we won’t be so hypocritical as to refuse them. Otherwise, it might upset you.” Xiao Ding, understanding Xiao Yan’s nature, did not reject the generous gift. He simply smiled and nodded, carefully tucking the scroll into his robes without further ado.
Watching them put away the scrolls, Xiao Yan smiled and looked up at the stars, saying softly, “Everything is arranged. I can leave with peace of mind tomorrow.”
Xiao Ding nodded and, turning to Xiao Yan, said, “Little guy, your big brother and I will wait here for the day when your name will resound across the Jia Ma Empire. Cheers!”
Seeing Xiao Ding’s sudden exuberance, Xiao Yan felt a warmth in his heart and, taking the offered cup, drank it all in one go. He knew what Xiao Ding meant; if he could defeat Nalan Yanran and walk out of the Yunlai Sect, Xiao Yan’s name would overnight become a sensation throughout the Jia Ma Empire.
“Of course… Little Yan, if you don’t come down from the Yunlai Sect, your big brother and I won’t seek revenge right away. But we will bide our time, gritting our teeth and waiting… Until the day we can leave a wound that will pain the Yunlai Sect to the bone, we will bite them hard and break their bones!” Xiao Li patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, his smiling face hinting at a chilling resolve.
In the desert, fierce beasts that lunge and roar are not as terrifying as the silent, venomous snakes lying in wait beneath the sand. They seldom show their fangs, but when the moment is right, they strike with lethal precision…
The three Xiao brothers, with Xiao Ding’s calm wisdom, Xiao Li’s ruthless cunning, and Xiao Yan’s enigmatic power, each posed a unique and unsettling threat to their adversaries.
Looking at Xiao Li’s stern face, Xiao Yan felt a wave of warmth and nodded, taking another fiery gulp of wine. The three laughed heartily.
The next morning, Xiao Yan and Hai Bo Dong left the Desert Iron Mercenary Company without alerting anyone, as silently as they always did. High in the blue sky, two streaks of light suddenly appeared in the distance, bringing a gust of wind. Moments later, they flashed across the horizon, leaving behind many envious onlookers on the ground.
“Xiao Yan, wouldn’t it be easier to fly directly to the capital? Why do we need to take a flying beast from Tango City? It’s much slower than flying ourselves,” Hai Bo Dong asked, his ice wings vibrating slightly as he glanced at the rapidly retreating landscape below.
Xiao Yan, who was rushing to his destination, could only chuckle inwardly, thinking, “The journey to the capital is thousands of miles. With the support of the Pharmacist Elder, I could manage, but now that he’s asleep, how can I, a six-star Dou Shi, maintain such a pace? If I falter, my weakness might be noticed.”
But he couldn’t say that out loud. Instead, he flapped his Purple Cloud Wings, slowing down a bit, and replied, “Just want to study the Heavenly Fire during the flight. Besides, aren’t you also looking for the ingredients to refine the Rebirth Purple Pill? Stopping at some big cities might give us a better chance of finding them.”
Hai Bo Dong’s expression softened, and he nodded reluctantly, thinking of the many rare herbs he still needed. There was no point in arguing anymore.
Seeing that Hai Bo Dong didn’t object, Xiao Yan sighed in relief. Flapping his Purple Cloud Wings, he sped up, his form turning into a streak of light and vanishing into the horizon.
They traveled from dawn till afternoon, when the outline of Tango City finally appeared in the distance. Landing outside the city, they dusted themselves off and entered the bustling streets.
Xiao Yan had once again donned his Rank Two Alchemist robe, and although the giant black ruler on his back made him look a bit odd, the city guards didn’t dare to stop an alchemist. Thus, they entered the city unimpeded.
Inside the city, they began searching through the large herbal shops, with Hai Bo Dong looking for the herbs to refine the Rebirth Purple Pill, and Xiao Yan observing discreetly for any herbs that could quickly restore soul energy.
Despite the many shops in Tango City, the herbs they needed were exceedingly rare. Disappointed, they moved on to the city’s auction house, but found nothing there either.
Standing in the street, the two exchanged glances, sighing in resignation. They decided to head to the central air transport station. With Xiao Yan’s alchemist status, they boarded a luxurious flying beast reserved for alchemists, and began a long, multi-day journey through the air.
Settling into a meditative posture, Xiao Yan awaited the arrival at their destination. During the flight, he avoided interacting with the other alchemists, though he noted with surprise that some of them did not seem to be from the Jia Ma Empire.
When the other alchemists saw Xiao Yan and his alchemist badge, they were shocked. His young age and rank clearly made them feel threatened.
Remembering his unpleasant experience on the previous flight, Xiao Yan was hesitant to engage with others. Even as he observed the lively conversations among the alchemists, he kept his distance.
Then, overhearing someone mention the word “conference,” he recalled the invitation from Master Otto, the branch president of the Alchemist Association, back in Black Rock City.
“So, these alchemists are going to the Alchemist Conference…” Xiao Yan mused. This explained why so many foreign alchemists were present in the Jia Ma Empire. “If it’s an Alchemist Conference, then surely many of them must have rare and precious treasures.”
His eyes lit up. If he could find a rare treasure to restore the Pharmacist Elder’s soul energy before facing the Yunlai Sect, he would feel more at ease.
With this in mind, Xiao Yan grew more eager. After nearly seven days of flying, the transport finally approached their destination: the capital of the Jia Ma Empire, the Holy City of Jia Ma!
Standing on the back of the flying beast, Xiao Yan gazed down at the majestic city below, exhaling deeply. Three years of hardship had brought him here…
As the flying beast descended, Xiao Yan’s gaze suddenly shifted to the north, where a massive, dragon-like mountain loomed, radiating a powerful aura. This was the Yunlai Sect, the behemoth of the Jia Ma Empire!
“Yunlai Sect… Nalan Yanran, the wastrel of old, has come as promised!!”
Staring intently at the towering peak hidden in the mist, Xiao Yan’s body trembled violently…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage