"Wind Spirit Fractal Sword!"
On the open plaza, Xiao Yan darted with lightning speed, evading five razor-sharp spirals of sword energy. His figure flickered like a phantom, materializing behind Nalan Yanran in an instant.
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
A low, resonant voice echoed as he clenched his fist, the force within it surging violently. Under the shocked gazes of the Yun Lan Sect disciples, he drove his fist into Nalan Yanran's back with ferocious power.
"Senior Sister Nalan!"
"Young Sect Leader!"
Her delicate frame was flung forward, fragile as a flower caught in a storm. The disciples on both sides of the plaza let out anxious cries.
"Impressive strength, but to defeat Yanran, I'm afraid it's still not enough!"
From the elevated platform, Yun Yun observed the scene calmly, her expression unchanged despite her disciple's setback. A faint smile curved her red lips, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.
A boy from a small family in Wu Tan City, reaching this level in just three years… and the way he spoke of that person in the desert…
She was certain now—it had to be connected to him.
This boy was no ordinary talent. He hadn't even used his Heavenly Flame yet, and he likely had other trump cards. After all, the events in the desert and what happen to the Mo Clan weren't feats a mere Da Dou Shi could accomplish.
But he should know better than to reveal those cards today.
And yet… A strange sense of delight stirred within her. It wasn't just about her disciple's victory. If the person he had trained couldn't overcome Yanran, then she would still come out on top!
In the arena, just as Na Lan Yanran was about to crash into the ground, she waved her jade-like hand, flipping gracefully in midair to land on her feet.
Relieved sighs rippled through the disciples on both sides as they saw her unscathed.
Her clear eyes narrowed with newfound gravity as she looked at the composed Xiao Yan. In a soft voice, she said, "You've truly surprised me. The you of today is no longer the useless young master of the Xiao family from three years ago."
A gentle force of wind emerged, swirling around her body, lifting her eerily into the air. She raised her arm slowly, and a vibrant cyan glow surged along the slender blade of her sword.
"But now, I don't just represent myself—I represent the Yun Lan Sect. For its honor, I cannot lose!"
"So, from here on, you'd better be careful!"
___
On the stone platform, the Yun Lan Sect elders froze as they watched the girl hovering under the blazing sun, surrounded by swirling gusts of wind.
"She's going to use that?"
"It seems the match is about to end. To push Yanran to this point… this Xiao Clan boy is truly formidable!"
As the elders murmured in awe, the energy around Nalan Yanran in midair began to roil like boiling water. Rings of tangible cyan energy radiated from her, spreading outward.
In an instant, the light on her sword blazed, dazzling and piercing, like a miniature cyan sun.
"Xiao Yan, let's settle this!"
Her gaze shifted to the boy below, his eyes narrowed against the glare. For the first time today, she spoke his name—the name she had once despised.
Is she finally playing her trump card?
Xiao Yan tilted his head slightly, staring into the blinding light. His soul perception detected the terrifying energy amassing within it.
His hand tightened around the handle of the Mysterious Heavy Ruler, his expression flickering for a moment. To counter this move, he would need to use his Yi Huo. But the thought of the mysterious figure hidden within the Yun Lan Sect made him hesitate.
Suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind. That morning, when he visited Brother Bai, there were no jests or words of encouragement—just a single, solemn sentence:
When in doubt, don't hesitate. Follow your heart's most instinctive desire and act boldly!
My heart's desire?
In that instant, Xiao Yan's mind crystallized. For three years, he had gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and exhausted every means to grow stronger—all to defeat the woman standing before him!
"Teacher…"
He glanced down at the black ring on his finger, a flicker of struggle in his eyes, as if making a monumental decision.
"Haha, my disciple, don't fear! This puny Yun Lan Sect doesn't intimidate your teacher. You have no need to hold back!"
"Cultivation is about clarity of purpose. Why else do we train so hard? If you reach a high realm but still live as stifled as you did before, what's the point of cultivating at all?"
"Good!"
Xiao Yan nodded firmly, taking a deep breath. A spark of fiery determination ignited in his eyes, growing brighter by the second.
"That's the spirit! Young people should burn with passion. Even if your teacher can't hold them off later, isn't there still that Xiao Bai kid?"
Xiao Yan nearly stumbled at the muttering in his mind. The old man's earlier words had set his blood ablaze, only to take a sharp, absurd turn.
Feeling the mounting pressure from the air above, he rolled his eyes, ignoring the old codger. He retrieved a pale purple pill from his storage ring, popped it into his mouth, and swallowed.
Then, opening his mouth, he exhaled a burst of purple flame that hovered above his left hand.
"That flame… why does it look so familiar?!"
On the stone platform at the plaza's edge, Fa Ma shot to his feet, his eyes locked on the purple fire.
"Isn't that the flame Yan Xiao used at the Alchemist Conference?"
Jia Xing Tian's eyes narrowed to slits. After a long moment, he turned to Fa Ma, their gazes meeting with expressions both strange and vivid.
Yan Xiao is Xiao Yan!
The supposed "useless" young master from the Xiao Clan of Wu Tan City had, in a mere few years, risen to challenge Na Lan Yanran, the Young Sect Leader of the Yun Lan Sect. His alchemical prowess had reached the fourth tier, claiming the championship at the Alchemist Conference!
Jia Xing Tian's thoughts raced. He recalled three years ago when the Nalan family's grandfather and granddaughter had caused a stir over the broken engagement. Given the involvement of the Yun Lan Sect and the Nalan Clan, he had investigated the Xiao Clan.
The Xiao Clan had once been a prominent family in the Jia Ma Empire's capital but had fallen into decline and relocated to Wu Tan City.
During that investigation, a curious rumor had surfaced: The Xiao Clan produced two prodigies, both of whom became failures!
One was the Xiao Yan standing below. The other, it seemed, was named… Xiao Bai!
Bai… as in Master Bai?
Jia Xing Tian's heart clenched, startled by the audacious thought that surged within him. His mind conjured the image of a handsome, gentle face. He shook his head frantically, trying to dispel the notion.
Master Bai may look young, but his demeanor suggests he's at least twenty-four or twenty-five.
Xiao Bai, on the other hand… Based on the investigation, he would be barely twenty this year.
A twenty-year-old with a cultivation possibly at Dou Huang, and a sixth-tier alchemist?
Preposterous! Such a prodigy couldn't possibly exist. No way, absolutely impossible!
Master Bai and Xiao Bai cannot be the same person!
"He's Xiao Yan?!" a young voice exclaimed in shock.
"Ling-er, why the fuss?" Gu He glanced at his disciple behind him, speaking calmly. "Didn't he announce his name at the start?"
"I know you're fond of Yanran, but as an alchemist, you must remain composed. No matter how great the turmoil in your heart, your face must remain steady. That's the basic quality of a qualified alchemist!"
"No… Teacher, he's Xiao Yan, but he's also Yan Xiao!" Liu Ling said urgently.
At the Alchemist Conference, Liu Ling had been positioned near Yan Xiao and had paid close attention to him, recognizing the purple flame.
"Yan Xiao? The champion of the Alchemist Conference?"
Gu He's gaze settled on the fire-wielding youth in the arena, his expression one of surprise. He nodded slightly. "With his connection to that Master Bai, it's no wonder he's made such astonishing progress in three years."
"But don't worry. After today, he and Yanran will have no ties. Just treat Yanran well, be proactive, and in time, she'll be moved by your sincerity. Women, after all, are sentimental creatures!"
"…" Hai Bo Dong.
Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong shot a glance at Gu He, seated a few spaces away, his eyes tinged with pity and strangeness. No wonder this guy has pined for Yun Yun all these years, only to let that other guy get ahead!
Isn't this just being a hopeless simp?
"It's you!!"
In midair, Nalan Yanran's pretty face shifted, her hands trembling slightly as she stared in disbelief at the black-robed youth below.
That fire-spitting gesture was so familiar, and the flame itself was identical!
She had even mocked him for it… That guy was so flashy!
"Yan Xiao… Xiao… Yan, Yan… Xiao!"
Murmuring to herself, the figures of the youth in the plaza and that arrogant boy began to merge in her mind.
Her teeth bit into her red lips, her expression flickering rapidly. Her body stiffened, as if struck by lightning.
"You knew all along… you knew!"
Her once-calm face grew pale, memories flooding her mind.
No wonder Yan Xiao had always been biased against her, treating her father and grandfather with indifference.
She had thought he was emulating Master Bai, even privately mocking his clumsy imitation.
Master Bai, though sometimes cold, had never shown her disdain or given her the cold shoulder. But this boy's eyes always carried an air of utter contempt, paired with arrogance and aloofness!
"Yan Xiao?!" On the high platform, Yun Yun's willow brows furrowed as she observed her disciple's reaction.
Yesterday, when Yanran returned to the sect, she had spoken of meeting a certain Master. This Master had cured the poison afflicting Old Master Nalan—a mysterious toxin that even Gu He couldn't handle.
Not only that, he was also a sixth-tier alchemist with a cultivation so profound that a single shout had severely injured a Dou Wang from the Mu Clan!
Yanran's words had been filled with admiration for this Master, stirring a faint jealousy in Yun Yun, her teacher.
Throughout the conversation, Yanran had mentioned a youth named Yan Xiao several times.
Though she spoke of him briefly, Yun Yun could tell from her disciple's expression that Yanran held some fondness for this boy her age.
She knew her disciple well—Yanran's pride meant she rarely spoke of others so casually.
If Xiao Yan is Yan Xiao… then this so-called Master Bai…
Her jade-like hand tightened imperceptibly. A trace of unease crept across her serene, beautiful face, her heart churning.
Could it be him?
Back in the desert, the boy in the arena had let slip a mention of someone with the surname Bai. She had pressed him for answers, but he had given none.
Her gaze lifted, peering into the distance at the faint outline of a sprawling city. A sudden urge welled within her—to fly there and confirm if it was him.
"What's that…?"
At that moment, a commotion erupted in the arena. Not far off, Yun Leng seemed to witness something unbelievable, springing to his feet and taking a few steps forward.
"Heavenly Flame!"
At his shocked cry, Yun Yun's expression shifted, her eyes snapping to the arena.
In Xiao Yan's right palm, a cyan flame flickered quietly. The purple flame in his left hand seemed to shrink in natural fear, as if submitting to the superior flame.
He's finally used it… Yun Yun sighed softly, sensing that today's events were about to take a turbulent turn.
"Its color is cyan, shaped like a lotus… It's the Green Lotus Core Flame!"
Gu He's face changed, and he shot to his feet, eyes wide as he stared unblinkingly at the cyan flame. Gone was the calm demeanor he had shown while lecturing his disciple.
"So it was him!"
He turned abruptly, looking at the graceful, regal figure on the high platform. From her expression, Gu He realized—she knew. This was the person the Yun Lan Sect had been searching for.
What's her connection to this boy that she'd keep his secret this long, even defying the Old Sect Leader's orders and letting her authority as Sect Leader slip?
"Haha, I've searched high and low, and here you deliver yourself to me!"
Yun Leng let out a triumphant laugh, waving a hand to the waiting elders around him. "No rush. Let Yanran's matter conclude first. He's right here—where could he possibly run to?"
"Today, he won't escape, wings or no wings!"
As he spoke, his gaze flicked subtly toward Yun Yun, a faint, mocking glint in his eyes.
You can stay silent all you want. He walked into this himself. No matter your connection to him, as the Sect Leader of the Yun Lan Sect, can you openly shield someone we've declared wanted?
"Yes, Great Elder!"
The white-robed elders bowed in acknowledgment. Unaware of the deeper intricacies, they only knew the Yun Lan Sect had been hunting someone wielding the Green Lotus Core Flame.
"Sigh…"
Seeing Yun Leng's smug demeanor, Hai Bo Dong sighed helplessly, knowing a fight was inevitable today. He glanced at the empty seat beside him, exasperated.
Where's that guy gone? He still hasn't shown up!
"This kid… he's the one the Yun Lan Sect's been after! And at the Alchemist Conference, he already revealed one Yi Huo, didn't he?"
Noticing the actions of the Yun Lan Sect elders and deacons on the platform ahead, Fa Ma pieced it together. Shocked yet resigned, he shook his head. "He's the champion of our Alchemist Guild, after all. I'll have to plead his case later—see if the Yun Lan Sect will give this old man some face."
"Heh, Fa, old man, I'd advise you to stay out of it!"
Jia Xing Tian's wrinkled face broke into an irrepressible grin, a spark of excitement flickering within him. He finally understood why Master Bai had come to the Jia Ma Empire's capital.
He's here to back this kid up!
If the Yun Lan Sect clashed with Xiao Yan today and escalated the conflict, it might draw Master Bai out.
If that happened, the ensuing confrontation could resolve the Jia Ma Royal Family's long-standing threat in one fell swoop!
Fa, old man, wants to mediate? Not a chance!
This favor from Master Bai was well-earned, and today, Jia Xing Tian intended to repay it. No one would stand in his way!
____
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