After receiving Liu Xi's promise, Nalan Jie left, tears of gratitude streaming down his face. When his figure finally disappeared beyond the courtyard, Liu Xi stood up, turning toward Xuan Hao with a calm smile.
"Teacher, it's over now."
Xuan Hao nodded slowly. "I never thought that the Nalan Clan's patriarch had been suffering from that searing poison for two full years, yet still managed to appear completely normal."
Liu Xi replied lightly, "The strongest figure of a great clan carrying an incurable poison would shake their foundation to the core. Of course, they'd keep it buried at all costs. With his Dou Wang strength suppressing it at full force, no one would notice—aside from me, perhaps only President Fa Ma could have sensed something was off."
Xuan Hao chuckled. "He's lucky you came back when you did—and even luckier that you obtained a Heavenly Flame. Otherwise, once that poison erupted, the Nalan Clan would've fallen from a top-tier family to a mere second-rate power in the capital. Still, one stalk of Seven Magical Green Spirit Saliva is a small price for his life. It's said this rare plant tempers the soul, allowing the user to experience seven illusions—joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, and desire—strengthening the Spiritual Power within. For an alchemist, it's a true treasure."
Liu Xi's lips curved slightly. Over the years, his Spiritual Power had continued to grow steadily, but recently, progress had slowed—likely because he was nearing the late Mortal Realm of soul cultivation.
The Soul Realm, too, was divided into four stages: Mortal, Spirit, Heavenly, and Emperor. Below the Dou Zong level, very few could even perceive or use soul power. But once mastered, it could be steadily refined to perfection—and reaching the pinnacle of the Mortal Realm was the natural limit for most.
Liu Xi intended to use the Seven Magical Green Spirit Saliva to test whether he could push his soul power past the slow bottleneck and reach Mortal Realm Perfection, the prerequisite to becoming a 7th Tier Alchemist.
To him, this herb was one of the key treasures he'd come to the Jia Ma Sacred City for—and Nalan Jie's desperate plea had fallen right into his plans.
Seeing that Xuan Hao was already weary from the long day, Liu Xi said softly, "Teacher, there's nothing left for tonight. You should rest early."
For a Dou Wang like him, those wines from the banquet couldn't possibly intoxicate him—but Xuan Hao was not so resilient.
After sending his teacher off, Liu Xi returned to his room. With a faint smile, he channeled his Dou Qi to heat a tub of water, washed away the lingering scent of alcohol, and, for the first time in a while, slept deeply through the night.
---
The Next Morning — Northern Jia Ma Sacred City
At the northern edge of the sacred capital, a vast mountain range coiled like a slumbering dragon. Mist and clouds drifted among countless pavilions, and faint Dou Qi fluctuations filled the air. This was none other than the empire's foremost sect—the Yunlan Sect, standing just beneath the Imperial Family in power.
The mountain path leading to the summit was heavily guarded. Patrols of stern-faced enforcers wielding blades moved in formation—each team led by a Dou Shi, with the members all high-ranked Dou Zhe. Even the youngest among them would have been top-tier students in Jia Nan Academy's outer court.
Inside Yunlan Sect's grand discussion hall, a woman sat gracefully upon the main seat. She wore a long, pale-blue gown that accentuated her elegant figure. Her hair, pinned into a phoenix-shaped bun, shimmered under the soft light. Her beautiful face was calm and poised, yet her aura exuded an undeniable nobility—she was none other than Sect Master Yun Yun.
Her tranquil voice broke the silence. "Elder Yun Leng, have you confirmed the identity of the alchemist who refined that 6th Tier Pill in the Sacred City yesterday—the one who caused the heavenly phenomenon?"
The elder known as Yun Leng rose and clasped his hands respectfully. "The investigation is complete. His name is Liu Xi. He was recognized as a prodigy in his youth and was later taken in by a senior elder of the Alchemist Association as a disciple. However, instead of joining the association's headquarters, he went to Jia Nan Academy for further study. Four years later, he returned and directly refined a 6th Tier Pill at the Alchemist Association in the Sacred City, causing a world-shaking phenomenon."
Yun Leng paused, then glanced toward an elderly man sitting across from him—Gu He, the Pill King. Only after Gu He nodded slightly did Yun Leng continue:
"According to eyewitness alchemists, the flame Liu Xi used during his refinement was azure in color, incredibly potent—likely an Heavenly Flame."
The moment those words fell, even Gu He's calm expression changed. His eyes flickered with a complex light. "Azure flame… then it must be the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame list. That young man's fortune is truly remarkable."
Though Yun Leng and Gu He held equal status as elders, Gu He's position was different. Not only was he a Dou Wang, but also a respected 6th Tier Alchemist. Yun Leng didn't mind the interruption and waited patiently before continuing.
"Afterward," Yun Leng went on, "the Alchemist Association publicly announced that this 6th Tier Alchemist had officially joined them. Moreover, President Fa Ma himself directly appointed him as the Grand Elder of the Association—his rank even above Fa Ma's own. The Association is now preparing to hold a grand celebration and invite all major powers of the empire to witness it."
Gu He frowned deeply, his pride stung. In his early days, he too had been guided by Fa Ma and had always addressed him as his senior. Later, after winning the championship at the Alchemist Convention, he caught the eye of the former Yunlan Sect Master, Yun Shan, and under the sect's patronage became today's "Pill King Gu He."
But now, hearing that a mere youth had been elevated above Fa Ma himself—it made his chest tighten unpleasantly. If Fa Ma was his senior, and Liu Xi stood above Fa Ma, then didn't that make him Gu He… Fa Ma's disciple's disciple? A generation below even that brat? The thought alone was enough to make him fume silently.
Yun Yun, sitting high upon the dais, listened quietly until Yun Leng finished. Then her voice sounded, gentle yet authoritative:
"Have you learned of his connections with other powers in the Sacred City? Any past grievances with our Yunlan Sect?"
Yun Leng pondered before replying, "Aside from his teacher, the Alchemist Association elder, he has had little contact with other forces in the capital. However, our investigation shows that he currently travels with two Dou Huang-level powerhouses—one confirmed to be the former Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, and the other an unknown female expert whose identity remains unclear."
The entire hall fell silent. Even Yun Yun's brows furrowed slightly. The presence of two Dou Huangs was no trivial matter—especially when Yunlan Sect itself had only her as its sole Dou Huang, with the previous Sect Master, Yun Shan, long in closed-door seclusion.
After a brief pause, Yun Leng added cautiously, "Our Yunlan Sect has never offended him. There should be no hostility between us."
A subtle wave of relief rippled through the hall. Many elders let out quiet breaths—offending an alchemist with two Dou Huangs at his side was something even the mighty Yunlan Sect couldn't afford.
Yun Yun nodded lightly. "The Alchemist Association has always maintained neutrality. Since this Liu Xi has been made their Grand Elder, he will likely remain impartial. During his upcoming ceremony, I will personally prepare a generous gift and attend to express Yunlan Sect's goodwill."
"Sect Master is wise!"
"Sect Master is wise!"
Voices of approval rose throughout the hall.
Yunlan Sect already had the Pill King Gu He; there was no need to compete for another 6th Tier Alchemist. As long as they avoided conflict, cooperation would be enough. Yun Yun's decision was indeed the most prudent path.
(End of Chapter)
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