"Third brother, it seems we can't keep a low profile this time,"
Xiao Ding said to Xiao Yan beside him upon seeing the mission.
"No matter. With Elder Ling joining us, and Third Brother at the helm, I believe no one in the Jia Ma Empire can stop our rise."
Xiao Li expressed confidence, even rubbing his hands in anticipation of a major undertaking.
"Those below Dou Zong will advance directly to two major realms. What about those above Dou Zong?"
Hai Bodong asked, examining the mission details.
He was only half a step away from Dou Zong, and if Xiao Yan could brew a Breaking Sect Pill for him, he would have a 100% chance of achieving the breakthrough.
If those above Dou Zong didn't see any improvement, it would be a bit of a waste for him.
"Those above Dou Zong will receive a small increase in their cultivation level based on their situation. Furthermore, the rewards for deputy leaders are five times those of ordinary members, and for leaders, ten times."
Xiao Yan's words made Ling Ying even more focused on improving his status within the group.
"Brother Xiao, just speak frankly!"
"What will it take to get me the position of deputy leader?"
Ling Ying looked at Xiao Yan. At that moment, he finally understood what it meant to be stronger together.
"As long as you perform outstandingly on this mission and make sufficient contributions, I will definitely give you the position of deputy leader."
"Now, this mercenary group needs a slight change,"
Xiao Yan said, officially renaming the 'Motie Mercenary Group' to 'Dao Sect'.
The former leader, Xiao Yan, became the Dao Sect's leader, Han Tianzun.
An internal sect announcement:
"Ding, Captain Xiao Yan, officially renaming the Motie Mercenary Group to Dao Sect!"
"Dao Sect ranks: Sect Master, Deputy Sect Master, Inner Sect Elders, Outer Sect Elders, Inner Sect Disciples, Outer Sect Disciples!"
"Also, sect members above the rank of Elder are not allowed to use their real names. They must choose their own titles. Personal information can be hidden or disclosed as desired."
(Note: The Sect Master and Deputy Sect Master have the right to view hidden information.)
...
"Third brother, this is..."
Xiao Li looked at Xiao Yan with some confusion.
"Once we expand rapidly, we'll inevitably absorb some people."
"No one can guarantee that there aren't time travelers among them, so I need to take precautions."
Xiao Yan's words were met with nods from everyone.
Indeed, as he'd said, problems could easily arise once they began expanding.
Xiao Yan's proactive preparations were essential.
"Third brother is so thoughtful. Let's all change our names!"
Xiao Ding said, changing his Dao Sect name to [Deputy Sect Master - Chu Yang].
Hai Bodong changed his name to [Deputy Sect Master - Dong Huang].
Ling Ying kept it simple, simply going by [Lord Ling].
"Third brother, how about I call myself Yun Potian? Later, when I meet someone from the Yunlan Sect, I can still annoy them."
Xiao Li thought for a moment and said with a smile.
"I've already used this alias. Second brother, think of another one."
"Then Ye Fan, Ye Tiandi, that's not bad either."
"Sorry, I've used that one too."
"You used it again? You've also used Li Feiyu and Lin Dong, right?"
"Indeed."
"Well, then I'll just go by Wuming!"
Xiao Li sighed, and finally, he returned to his original form and changed his name to Wuming. After
everyone changed their names, Xiao Yan gave his instructions again and then prepared to leave for Yancheng.
"I'll deal with Mo Cheng first. I'll leave the mission to you guys."
"Also, I'll have 'Xiao Yan' go to Jia Ma Holy City,"
Xiao Yan said, retrieving a puppet in his own image from the system space.
The three-year agreement was about to expire.
'Xiao Yan' had to appear in Jia Ma Holy City.
"How about I just come and destroy the Yun Lan Sect directly?"
"With my Dou Zun strength, I can easily do that,"
Ling Ying suddenly said.
"Old Ling, if my third brother really wanted to destroy the Yunlan Sect, he would have done it long ago."
"His main purpose is to attract those time travelers hiding in the dark."
"The three-year agreement with the Yunlan Sect is one of the most important events in the entire Doupo. It will definitely attract many time travelers."
"Those are our real enemies. Compared with them, the Yunlan Sect is nothing."
Before Xiao Yan could speak, Xiao Ding explained with a smile.
"It was I who was reckless. I was still thinking in my old way."
"This world is overrun with time travelers. We really can't be the first to step out."
Ling Ying nodded gently after hearing Xiao Ding's words.
"Okay, I'll go to Yancheng first. Feel free to contact me if anything happens."
With that, Xiao Yan took a step and disappeared from the crowd.
...
Yancheng!
News of Mo Cheng's birthday had already spread.
Powerful forces in the surrounding area had arrived to celebrate days in advance.
The Mo Clan was the preeminent power in the eastern provinces of the Jia Ma Empire.
Even the royal family was reluctant to provoke the Mo Clan unless necessary.
This was because Mo Cheng was once an outer sect deacon of the Yun Lan Sect. However, the Mo
Clan had recently begun to expand rapidly, and almost all forces in the eastern provinces had submitted to it.
Its influence had even approached Black Rock City.
If it weren't for Ye Fan's shadow clone, who was in charge there, and with Mo Cheng's birthday approaching, Black Rock City would likely fall under the control of the Mo Clan.
"Ding, congratulations, host! A new treasure chest has spawned in the boudoir of Mo Linglin, the second daughter of the Mo Clan."
"Please find and open the treasure chest within twelve hours. Expired treasure chests will disappear."
As Xiao Yan entered Yancheng, a system notification chimed in his mind.
This spawning treasure chest was clearly a new feature brought about by the consumption of Ling Ying's system.
Simultaneously, by consuming Ling Ying's system, his own system had also been upgraded to Level 4.25.
As for the chat group, even though he became the group owner, he couldn't allow the lower-level system to consume the higher-level one.
He could only wait until his own system reached Level 5 before merging the two.
"I feel like my system has been corrupted. A treasure chest spawned in someone else's boudoir,"
Xiao Yan thought to himself. He strolled around the city briefly, listening to the opinions of those around him.
From the crowd's thoughts, Xiao Yan concluded three things:
First, the Mo Clan was overbearing and unpopular.
Second, Mo Cheng was powerful, capable of transforming his Dou Qi into wings.
Third, Mo Cheng wanted to take in an adopted daughter during his birthday celebration.
[Mo Cheng can actually transform his Dou Qi into wings?]
[What's going on? Isn't he only Dou Ling-level?]
[If he's a Dou Wang, how can I kill him?]
Just as Xiao Yan was listening to his inner voice, a woman's inner voice caught his attention.
Turning, he saw that the person who wanted to kill Mo Cheng was none other than Nalan Yanran, with whom he had made a three-year pact.
"Nalan Yanran?"
Xiao Yan's eyes flickered slightly at the sight of his fiancée.
He had known something was amiss when she broke off the engagement.
However, he hadn't been able to listen to her inner voice at the time, so he had no idea if she was a time traveler.
Now, meeting her again, he had to listen carefully.
"Uncle Ge, when did Mo Cheng achieve Dou Wang-level strength?"
Nalan Yanran asked with a puzzled expression upon learning that Mo Cheng could transform his Dou Qi into wings.
She had been in seclusion for the past few years, rarely coming out. She
had come out this time precisely to kill Mo Cheng before Xiao Yan could.
After all, Mo Cheng's death was the beginning of the Yunlan Sect's true downfall.
After her defeat by Xiao Yan in the three-year pact, the Great Elder, Yun Leng, seized upon the matter of Mo Cheng.
After being humiliated, she not only summoned the previous Sect Master, Yun Shan, but also used this as an excuse to attack the Xiao Clan members of Wutan City.
This provoked Xiao Yan to return to the Yunlan Sect, forging a mortal feud with them.
Of course, she knew that the Soul Palace was behind all this, even their Grandmaster Yun Shan was under their control.
However, the true trigger for this chain of events was her decision to break off the engagement and Mo Cheng's death.
While her "breakoff" was now a foregone conclusion and irreversible,
Mo Cheng's death was still possible.
At least, Mo Cheng could not die at Xiao Yan's hands.
She had already prepared to personally kill Mo Cheng before arriving.
After this period of seclusion, her strength had already reached the level of a four-star Dou Ling.
With the addition of numerous high-level Dou techniques, she was confident she could not lose to Mo Cheng.
However, upon her arrival, she had unexpectedly heard the news that Mo Cheng could transform his Dou Qi into wings.
This made Nalan Yanran's heart sink to the bottom.
Could it be that fate was truly unchangeable?
Was Mo Cheng destined to die at Xiao Yan's hands?
Some might wonder at this point: since Nalan Yanran knew what was going to happen, why didn't she just tell Yun Yun or Yun Shan?
If Yun Yun and Yun Shan knew, they would surely try to change the tragic outcome.
However, Yun Shan and Yun Yun didn't have a bird's-eye view. Even
if Nalan Yanran spoke out, it would be difficult for them to trust her.
Furthermore, it would expose her rebirth, putting herself in danger.
After all, Yun Shan was someone willing to cooperate with the Soul Palace for a breakthrough. Nalan Yanran certainly didn't dare to reveal her rebirth easily.
She could only use her limited power to quietly alter these events.
"No, fate can definitely be changed. Didn't I change my teacher's fate?"
"She didn't meet Xiao Yan when she went to the Demon Beast Mountain Range. There must be some way to prevent Mo Cheng from dying at Xiao Yan's hands."
Nalan Yanran pondered a solution.
As long as Mo Cheng survived Xiao Yan's hand, Yun Leng would have no excuse to trouble Xiao Yan during the three-year agreement, regardless of victory or defeat. And
her Grandmaster Yun Shan wouldn't be awakened.
At that time, he would tell Xiao Yan that an organization called the Soul Palace was targeting the Xiao family.
That way, Xiao Yan's hatred and wrath would no longer be directed at the Yunlan Sect.
He would even remember his favor.
This was Nalan Yanran's plan to save the Yunlan Sect.
Whether it would succeed depended entirely on who would kill Mo Cheng on his birthday.
"I'm not entirely sure, but if Mo Cheng truly ascends to Dou Wang status, he'll likely be recalled to the Yunlan Sect and appointed an elder."
Ge Ye shook his head. His mission on this trip was, first, to celebrate Mo Cheng's birthday and, second, to verify whether he had truly attained Dou Wang status.
"Recall him to the Yunlan Sect?"
Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes flickered with worry at this.
Judging from the current situation, Mo Cheng was increasingly valued by the sect.
But she knew that even if he truly was a Dou Wang, he wouldn't be able to defeat Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan could, in a short period of time, unleash a power comparable to that of a Dou Zong.
In that scenario, Mo Cheng would still face certain death.
His death would only make Yun Leng cling even more tightly to Xiao Yan, and if that happened, the Yun Lan Sect would ultimately face extinction.
Nalan Yanran felt a wave of despair at this thought.
She was to be reborn, only to watch helplessly as the Yun Lan Sect fell into ruin while she and her teacher fled to Zhongzhou?
Nalan
Yanran didn't realize that Xiao Yan had heard every word of her thoughts.
"Reborn?"
"Goodness! So this Nalan Yanran is a reincarnated being! No wonder she suddenly decided not to break off the engagement."
"Is it because you know I'll become the Flame Emperor that you're willing to share my joys and sorrows?"
Xiao Yan looked at the girl, clad in a moon-white dress, whose every gesture exuded a sense of exquisite elegance.
The doubts that had lingered in her heart for years were finally resolved at this moment.
Then, as they passed each other, Nalan Yanran failed to recognize Xiao Yan's changed appearance.
Xiao Yan soon arrived at an inn, planning to rest before heading to the Mo Clan that night to explore the area.
Before entering, Xiao Yan retrieved a fourth-grade alchemist badge from his system space and pinned it to his chest.
This badge was exactly what Liu Xi had earned during his previous assessment, so now it was being put to good use.
After all, countless people came to congratulate Mo Cheng on his birthday.
The inns in the city had already been booked by members of the Mo Clan.
Without some status, it would have been difficult to find a place to stay.
"Hiss!"
"Fourth-grade alchemist?"
"Elder Mo Cheng is so generous that even a fourth-grade alchemist came to celebrate his birthday.
" "Tsk tsk, there aren't many fourth-grade alchemists in the entire Jia Ma Empire. Meeting one this time is truly a privilege."
As Xiao Yan entered the inn, everyone inside immediately noticed his alchemist badge. They
gasped, their gazes filled with respect.
"Sir, do you have an invitation to the Mo Clan?"
a rather pretty maid approached and asked respectfully.
"What?"
"Without an invitation, can't I stay in the hotel?"
Xiao Yan said to the maid with a smile on his face.
"This... Sir, you don't know that all the inns in our city are booked by the Mo family. Without an invitation..."
The maid's face showed embarrassment. Whether it was a fourth-grade alchemist or the Mo family, she couldn't afford to offend them.
"Sir, I can give you my room."
"If you don't mind, my lord, you may stay with me."
"My lord, I have two rooms in my superior quarters available."
Just as the maid was feeling awkward, the crowd around her began to speak up.
Among them were some strikingly beautiful young women, eager to establish a relationship with the alchemist Xiao Yan.
It showed just how formidable an alchemist's influence could be.
"Haha, please don't bother with this master's accommodations."
"Although my Mo Clan has booked every inn in the city, we won't prevent others from staying here."
"Master, I'm Mo Linglin, the second daughter of the Mo Clan."
"If you don't mind, on behalf of the Mo Clan, I formally invite you to attend our Great Elder's birthday celebration. Would you be so kind as to honor me?"
Xiao Yan was about to express his feelings when a soft, pleasant voice suddenly reached his ears. He
looked in the direction of the voice and saw a beautiful woman standing not far away, gazing at him with a gentle smile.
She was dressed in a tight red dress, tall and voluptuous, her pretty face a look of respect.
A small crystal pendant adorned her smooth forehead, adding a touch of spirit.
"Daoist, Chen Beixuan."
Xiao Yan took the invitation from her and announced his name with a smile.
As expected, the identity of an alchemist was different.
In the original novel, Mo Linglin was quite unruly, clashing with her former self and nearly dying from the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire.
But now it seemed she simply looked down on the weak.
However, she showed the respect due to the strong, as well as the proper etiquette expected of a lady from a noble family.
"Master Chen, I'm sure our Great Elder would be delighted to know you were coming to celebrate your birthday,"
Mo Linglin said, her pretty face a sweet smile, her voice growing more respectful.
"Miss Mo, I'm new here and don't know much about Yancheng or the Mo Clan. I wonder if we could chat privately so I can get to know them better,"
Xiao Yan said, inviting Mo Linglin.
"It's truly an honor to be able to speak with Master Chen."
"Make the best room in your shop available to Master Chen,"
Mo Linglin nodded gently, instructing the maid beside her.
The maid, seeing this, dared not neglect her. Since the Second Young Lady of the Mo Family had spoken, it was only natural that VIP treatment should be provided.
...
In the room.
"Master Chen, why haven't I heard of the Dao Sect you're talking about?"
"Could it be that you're not from the Jia Ma Empire?"
Mo Linglin asked curiously, sizing up the young fourth-rank alchemist before her.
"Yes, I'm from the Great Yan Dynasty, a small place, nothing compared to the Jia Ma Empire."
Xiao Yan spoke with a gentle expression.
The two conversed for a long time before Xiao Yan suddenly unleashed his soul power, instantly knocking Mo Linglin unconscious.
"Plunder all of Mo Linglin's memories!"
Stunning Mo Linglin, Xiao Yan plundered her memories, rapidly reviewing them in his mind before turning and leaving.
The moment he turned, he transformed into Mo Linglin's appearance.
...
"Master Chen is researching the recipe in the room. No one is allowed to enter this room to disturb the master before I come back. Do you understand?"
Xiao Yan, who had turned into Mo Linglin, walked out of the room and instructed the maid outside.
"Yes, Second Miss." The maid replied respectfully.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan no longer had any worries. He walked out of the inn and headed towards the Mo family.
Originally, he planned to take action at night, but since Mo Linglin gave him such a good opportunity.
Of course, Xiao Yan had to seize it and go to meet up with the shadow clone.
Then find an opportunity to kill Mo Cheng with one blow, and then silently wait for his sudden death.
From now on, each chapter will be 5,000 words, and try to write two chapters a day. I hope everyone will support me~
(End of this chapter)