She traveled from the southern continent, across Zhongzhou, to the northwestern Jia Ma Empire, all to witness this legendary three-year agreement with her own eyes.
"Then why don't we all take a vote by show of hands?"
"Those willing to be friends with Xiao Yan, please raise your hands!"
the crew-haired young man said with a smile.
As he finished speaking, no one except Lei Shen and the woman in the black dress raised their hands.
"The result seems clear. Lei Shen, Ye Ling, everyone has their own aspirations, so we won't argue."
"If you two think you can stand up to us twelve time travelers, feel free to side with Xiao Yan."
"Now, you may leave."
The crew-haired young man smiled, not taking action due to the disagreement.
Of course, the main reason was that he was unsure of Lei Shen and Ye Ling's hidden weapons, so he didn't dare to act rashly.
"Well, those with different ideals cannot work together."
"If you want to stir up trouble, go ahead!"
"Don't blame me for not warning you. The tiny Jia Ma Empire has gathered so many time travelers like us."
"No one knows how many hidden figures there are in the Black Horn Region, Canaan Academy, and even in Zhongzhou. I advise you not to overdo it."
Lei Shen finished speaking, flicking his sleeves and leaving the area.
Ye Ling sighed softly and blended into the shadows nearby, also not lingering.
"Who of you wants to approach that storyteller?"
"People like him with limited brains are the easiest to use as pawns. Let him help us test Xiao Yan!"
"Also, our 'Slaying Flame Alliance' is officially established."
After Lei Shen and Ye Ling left, the crew-haired young man smiled and said to the crowd.
...
Outside.
As Lei Shen left, he happened to run into the fake Xiao Yan heading upstairs.
It wasn't that Lei Shen had seen Xiao Yan before, but the man was so easily recognizable with his iconic giant ruler on his back.
The fake Xiao Yan carried this item because of his role-playing system: the more convincing he was, the higher his character's progress.
The giant ruler was Xiao Yan's symbol, so he couldn't just take it away.
Once he had perfectly unlocked the Xiao Yan character, he would become the Flame Emperor, a renowned figure on the Sky List of the Great Thousand Worlds.
Who would then dare to call him a fake?
"Xiao Yan?"
Lei Shen met Xiao Yan and immediately asked for confirmation.
"Hmm?"
"Who are you?"
the fake Xiao Yan asked, a puzzled look on his face.
"Heavenly King Covering Tiger!"
Seeing the fake Xiao Yan's confusion, Lei Shen immediately began exchanging secret codes.
"Pagoda River Demon!"
the fake Xiao Yan said, his eyelids twitching.
Oh my goodness!
Are there a few more time travelers?
First it was me, then the storyteller, and now there's another one.
He's encountered two time travelers in one day. What kind of luck is this?
"There are many travelers up there who want to harm you. You'd better leave the Jia Ma Empire immediately, otherwise your life will be in danger at any time."
Lei Shen said this and left.
He really didn't want to be an enemy of Xiao Yan, but it was impossible for him to go head-to-head with twelve travelers.
So, he could only remind the other party, and that was the most he could do.
"There are many travelers up there?"
When the fake Xiao Yan heard this, his calves began to cramp.
What kind of Dou Qi continent had he traveled to?
He thought it would be a great thing to follow Xiao Yan's path and leave Xiao Yan with nowhere to go.
But now it seems that he may have to take the blame for Xiao Yan.
"System, can I play someone else?"
"Playing Xiao Yan is too dangerous, I can't handle it!"
The fake Xiao Yan cried to the system.
"Ding! The current character's progress is less than 50%. You cannot switch to another character midway."
"Host, please continue to work hard and strive to increase the progress to more than 50%. You will be able to unlock a new character."
The system's response made the fake Xiao Yan's forehead sweat. Then, he turned and walked out.
No, he had to hide for a while, stay out of the spotlight.
...
Time flew by, and soon seven days had passed.
Xiao Yan's Infinite Plundering System had successfully merged with Mo Cheng's strongest Guardian Spirit System, advancing to Level 4.35.
As soon as the system recovered, Xiao Yan immediately activated the internal chat function.
He exchanged a few words with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, revealing that Dao Sect's expansion was proceeding smoothly.
They had now expanded to Black Rock City. With the help of their shadow clone, Ye Fan, and the He family, they had successfully subjugated the city's major and minor factions, incorporating them into Dao Sect territory.
Back in Yancheng, Hai Bodong, through friendly negotiations with Jia Xingtian and Yun Yun, had helped the Mo Clan stabilize their acquired territory and planted the Dao Sect flag.
Initially, Jia Xingtian had expressed dissatisfaction, but upon learning Hai Bodong's Dao Sect affiliation, Yun Yun sided with him.
This silenced Jia Xingtian.
Xiao Yan then sent a message to Ling Ying, urging him to arrive at Jia Ma Holy City as soon as possible.
Dou Zun-level combat power was crucial, and Ling Ying's presence would give Xiao Yan a greater sense of security.
Having explained everything, Xiao Yan finally left the room.
Prepare to go to the Nalan Clan and retrieve the Seven Illusions Azure Spirit Saliva to restore the Medicine Emperor's strength a little more.
If things get out of control, at least I can save my life.
...
The Nalan Clan.
Nalan Yanran had already returned to the Imperial Capital with Yun Yun.
Upon learning that Grandpa was gravely ill, even on the verge of death, Nalan Yanran froze in shock.
In his previous life, Grandpa's injuries were also serious, but not so severe as to cause him to be unconscious.
"Alas, Master Guhe once said that only the power of the Strange Fire can dispel the branding poison."
"Unfortunately, our trip to the Tagor Desert not only failed to find the Strange Fire, but Master Guhe even lost his life."
"Father has sought help from many alchemists, but alas, they are all helpless,"
Nalan Su sighed, observing his daughter's distraught expression.
"I know someone who can save Grandpa."
"Please, father, find the Seven Illusions Azure Spirit Saliva first,"
Nalan Yanran said, turning and walking out.
Just as she was leaving, she ran into the imposter Xiao Yan.
He should have come to Nalan Jie's house to treat him long ago
, but after being frightened by the Thunder God, he hid for seven days before daring to venture out again.
He even put away his Xuanzhong Ruler, lest those time travelers recognize him as Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan?"
Sadly, he never expected that Nalan Yanran would recognize him the moment they met.
"Xiao Yan? Who is Xiao Yan?"
"You've got the wrong person? My name is Yanxiao, and I'm the Yafei of the Mitel Family. They recommended me to help Old Master Nalan expel the brand poison,"
the imposter Xiao Yan denied, horrified.
(Note: The imposter will be referred to as Yanxiao from now on.)
At the same time, his hand subconsciously touched the mask on his face.
The mask was still there, so how had they recognized him?
Could Nalan Yanran also be a time traveler?
This thought made him wary.
However, he didn't know that Nalan Yanran had instantly identified him as Xiao Yan
because, in his previous life, Xiao Yan had come to the Nalan Clan wearing this very mask.
Therefore, she had immediately determined he was Xiao Yan.
"Just assume you're Yan Xiao!"
"Come with me quickly, my grandfather is dying."
Nalan Yanran didn't bother to argue with him. She just wanted him to save her grandfather quickly.
"I want a reward..."
Yan Xiao said quickly as Nalan Yanran dragged him into the Nalan Clan.
"I know, isn't it the Seven Illusions Azure Spirit Saliva?"
"As long as you help my grandfather remove the branding poison, the Seven Illusions Azure Spirit Saliva will be given to me by the Nalan Clan,"
Nalan Yanran interrupted him before he could finish.
"Young Sect Master Yanran, long time no see!"
Just as Nalan Yanran and Yan Xiao were about to enter, the real Xiao Yan finally arrived.
Of course, he was still disguised as Chen Beixuan.
"Master Chen?"
Nalan Yanran heard the voice and immediately turned around, recognizing Chen Beixuan.
[So he came to the Imperial Capital after leaving the Mo Clan.]
[He must have come for the Alchemist Conference, right?]
Nalan Yanran's eyes fell on the Alchemist badge on Xiao Yan's chest, and she thought to herself.
"That's the feeling, the feeling of being able to listen to the voice of your heart."
"Then there's no need to worry about anyone harboring ill intentions towards me."
Hearing the other person's inner voice again, Xiao Yan felt a significant sense of relief.
"I heard from the Mitel Auction House that the Young Sect Master's grandfather has been suffering from a branding poison for years. We've met a few times, so I came to see if I could be of any assistance,"
Xiao Yan said with a smile, looking at Nalan Yanran.
"Thank you, Master Chen, for your kindness. However, Xiao... this Mr. Yan Xiao has already agreed to treat my grandfather."
Nalan Yanran nodded gratefully to Xiao Yan and then spoke.
"Yan Xiao?"
At her words, Xiao Yan's gaze slowly fell on the person impersonating him.
Seeing Xiao Yan's gaze, Yan Xiao nodded in acknowledgement.
[Who is this Master Chen? Does he appear in the original novel?]
[Or is he also a time traveler? Could it be that after seven days of hiding, I still can't escape these people?]
[If I had known this would happen, I would never have played Xiao Yan!]
Yan Xiao appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was already wailing in agony.
Xiao Yan naturally overheard his thoughts.
"The fire tinges green, the fire is like a lotus, like a volcano. Could it be that you have refined the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire, ranked nineteenth on the Strange Fire List?"
Xiao Yan heard the imposter's thoughts and a smile played on his lips, deciding not to expose him for now.
The Imperial Capital was full of evildoers. Having him at the forefront to shield him from the thunder, attract hatred, and allow his true self to remain hidden would be perfect.
Hiss!
Yan Xiao gasped at his words.
A mere fourth-grade alchemist could actually see through the strange fire within himself?
As a qualified actor, he did possess the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire, and only then could he better portray Xiao Yan.
However, in the original novel, only the two elders, Qianbai, had ever seen through Xiao Yan's strange fire.
Now, the man before him could also see through it?
This filled Yan Xiao with shock.
"Your Excellency has a keen eye. I'd like to ask you, what's your name?"
Yan Xiao asked with a wary look in his eyes.
"Dao Sect, Chen Beixuan."
"Young Sect Master Yanran and I are old acquaintances. I heard their elders were in trouble, so I came to check on them."
"Since Brother Yanxiao also possesses a strange fire, I'll give you this opportunity,"
Xiao Yan said, gesturing for them to come.
Seeing this, Nalan Yanran didn't hesitate and led Yanxiao into the Nalan residence.
Xiao Yan followed suit.
Upon entering Nalan Jie's residence, seeing the elderly man lying unconscious on the bed, his expression agonized, Nalan Yanran's eyes welled up.
"Yanxiao, please hurry and save my grandfather,"
Nalan Yanran said, wiping away the tears.
"Okay, I'll do my best. Please leave the room."
"I'll let you know once I've exorcised the poison from Old Man Nalan,"
Yanxiao nodded.
Xiao Yan didn't say anything. Even if he left, his spiritual power could still monitor the situation inside.
He could even use the system to eavesdrop on his thoughts.
He doubted the other party could escape his grasp.
"Huh—"
"How could Nalan Jie's condition be even worse than described in the original novel?"
"Is it just because I arrived a few days late?"
After everyone left, Yan Xiao approached Nalan Jie, frowning and muttering to himself.
Although Nalan Jie looked gravely ill, for the sake of his role, he had to use all his strength to help Nalan Jie expel the poison from his body.
With this thought in mind, he helped Nalan Jie to his feet.
The Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire emerged from his hand, ready to expel the poison from Nalan Jie.
"Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire?"
"You are Xiao Yan, right?"
"You know I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Just as the strange fire in Yan Xiao's hand was about to touch Nalan Jie, Nalan Jie, who had been in a coma, suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes.
His skin instantly turned pitch black, and a gray poisonous aura spread, forming a poison barrier in the room, blocking out any outside perception.
"You... who are you?"
Yan Xiao was horrified upon seeing this and instantly jumped back, putting some distance between him and Nalan Jie.
He was truly convinced!
Could it be that Nalan Jie was also a time traveler?
"Jiejie—"
"Xiao Yan, prepare to die!"
Nalan Jie didn't even respond to Yan Xiao's words. Instead, he pointed his finger forward, and a giant finger of poisonous gas condensed and blasted towards Yan Xiao.
Seeing this, Yan Xiao naturally gave in. His time impersonating Xiao Yan hadn't been in vain.
He had already achieved the cultivation level of Xiao Yan's Dou Huang period in the original novel.
Of course, that was limited to cultivation level. For now, the only strange fire he possessed was the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire and the Purple Fire of the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
These were all granted to him by the system as his roleplay progressed.
...
When the battle broke out in the room, Xiao Yan's soul power outside was also isolated.
He had the ability to forcibly break this isolation,
but that would undoubtedly alert the person who had set the barrier.
Therefore, he didn't force his attack, but instead listened to the two people's thoughts.
Nalan Jie thought:
[Damn Xiao Yan, how could he have such power? Isn't Yao Lao asleep?]
[Miscalculated, miscalculated! This strength is no less than that of a Dou
Huang. I simply can't defeat him in a short time, and the barrier is at risk of breaking at any moment. What should I do?
Yan Xiao thought to himself:
"Who the hell is this Nalan Jie?"
"If I didn't have the protection of the strange fire, I would have been poisoned by this poisonous Dou Qi long ago. He's the one with the evil poison body, right?"
"No, I can't go on like this. I must break his barrier and let everyone outside know that there's something wrong with Nalan Jie."
"Otherwise, win or lose, I won't gain anything."
Listening to the two's thoughts, Xiao Yan roughly understood what was going on.
The imposter and Nalan Jie were fighting.
Nalan Jie, that bastard, was truly well-hidden. Fortunately, the imposter was shielding him from the lightning, otherwise, he would have been the one to be hit.
"Flame-Splitting Wave-Devouring Ruler!"
Just as Xiao Yan was complaining in his heart, Yan Xiao's inner roar echoed.
Nalan Jie thought to himself:
"This bastard actually used an Earth-level Dou technique!" "
Okay, I'll remove the barrier now and lure the powerful from the Imperial Capital. You'll no longer be able to hide your identity."
Nalan Jie's thoughts had barely escaped his lips when a massive, azure light, several dozen feet long, suddenly shot up from the room, soaring into the heavens.
Powerful waves of Dou Qi spread outward, drawing the attention of countless powerful figures.
Winged figures, emanating Dou Qi, soared rapidly toward the Nalan family.
"Grandpa!"
Nalan Yanran's expression changed drastically upon witnessing this sudden change, and she plunged into the lingering cloud of dust.
Nalan Jie thought to himself,
"So many powerful auras?"
When did the Imperial Capital have so many terrifying beings?
No, of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, retreat is the best. Nalan Jie's body is no longer usable."
Xiao Yan had originally stood aside, intent on watching the spectacle unfold, but upon hearing these words, his gaze flickered slightly.
So, Nalan Jie wasn't a time traveler?
Instead, it seemed as if something else had taken over Nalan Jie's body, controlling him.
"You're still trying to run from me?"
"Spatial lockdown!"
Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, secretly sealing off the surrounding space.
The 'branding poison' that had been trying to escape Nalan Jie's body was also locked in place.
That's right, Nalan Jie wasn't a time traveler.
That unfortunate time traveler had become the 'branding poison' within Nalan Jie.
Furthermore, it had devoured Nalan Jie's soul, secretly controlling him.
He had just attacked Yan Xiao, completely mistaking him for Xiao Yan, intending to devour his soul and acquire a better body.
Unfortunately, he had not only mistaken him for Xiao Yan, but also underestimated his strength, leading to this situation.
Whoosh—
locking the space, Xiao Yan waved his hand, his Dou Qi forming a hurricane, blowing away the smoke and dust, revealing the scene within. Yan
Xiao was seen, half-bent over, using his ruler to support himself, his face darkened, panting heavily.
Clearly, the fight just now hadn't been easy for him. From this, one could roughly judge the opponent's strength: he hadn't yet reached the Dou Zong realm.
As for Nalan Jie, he had already collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.
"Why?"
"Xiao Yan, why did you treat my grandfather like this!"
(End of this chapter)