Battle Through the Heavens

On a street that was next to the Nalan clan, Xiao Yan and Hai Bo Dong separated. Only then did Xiao Yan slowly walk toward the huge compound not far away.

As he walked closer to the house which was filled with a majestic and imposing aura, Xiao Yan was stunned to see that the entrance was actually clustered by quite a number of people. Moreover, these people were all wearing the alchemist robes and the few bright silver colored ripples on their chests proudly revealed their status and tier.

Anyone who walked down this street, where people come and go, would throw envious and respectful glances at the group of alchemists who were whispering amongst themselves. In their hearts, alchemy was an occupation which was so elevated that they were like nobility.

When faced with this considerably large powered alchemists, the Nalan clan clearly did not dare to easily slight them. Some servants were explaining something to the alchemists waiting at the entrance in a reverent and respectful manner. Only when they discovered that the other party had the qualification to enter did they let them through. Some of the alchemists whose ability had some problem could only be rejected by the smiling faced servants. Although such an action caused those alchemists that were blocked to feel dissatisfied, when they thought of Nalan clan’s strength and the relationship between Nalan Yanran and the Misty Cloud Sect, they could only bottle up their unhappiness, dust their sleeves, and leave.

After staring at the entrance for a while, Xiao Yan realized that the alchemist who were allowed to enter appeared to be tier three alchemist. On the other hand, the alchemist who were rejected were tier two along with some tier one alchemists who had come to join the fun…

Xiao Yan lowered his head and glanced at the tier two alchemist badge on his chest. He helplessly shook his head, lifted his leg and walked toward the main door which was tightly guarded.

Pushing through the human crowd, Xiao Yan took a step forward. An old man, who appeared to have the position of the housekeeper, hurriedly came forward. However, when he saw Xiao Yan’s young appearance and the tier two alchemist badge on his chest, a disappointment that was somewhat difficult to sense flashed through his muddled old eyes. Although the other party’s age had caused him to feel some shock, this tier of Xiao Yan’s did not reach the minimum requirement,

Although his heart was somewhat disappointed, the old man who had worked as a housekeeper at the Nalan clan for decades would naturally not be foolish enough to display it on his face. Immediately, he revealed a gentle smile and laughed, “This Little Brother. I am the Nalan clan housekeeper. I think that you should be here to try if you can cure our clan’s Nanlan Jie Old Sir, no?”

Xiao Yan nodded his head. He did not openly speak. His ordinary face, had a different appearance since it was covered by the ice silk dough, felt somewhat icy.

Xiao Yan’s nearly cold expression caused the old man to be at a loss. This kind of attitude was somewhat different compared to other the alchemists. A moment later, he helplessly said, “I’m sorry, Little Brother. This time around, our requirement is a tier three or higher alchemist. You… doesn’t appear to have reached the requirement, have you?”

“One’s tier cannot represent everything.” Xiao Yan’s voice was suppressed by himself until it was somewhat hoarse. His calm tone caused the old man’s eyebrows to knit slightly.

Seeing the old man’s helpless face, Xiao Yan shook his head. He took out Ya Fei’s recommendation letter from his storage ring and handed it over to the former. Inserting his hands into his sleeves, he said softly, “You should avoid erasing the last little chance your Old Sir has left. The tier of one, cannot represent everything. Didn’t Pill-King Gu He also fail to cure your Old Sir?”

Xiao Yan’s words caused the old man’s face to change slightly. After receiving the recommendation letter and seeing who had recommended this alchemist, he could not help but be somewhat astonished as he lifted his head to take a glance at Xiao Yan. He mused for a long while before clenching his teeth and steped aside to make way. Facing the guards at the door, he cried out in a low voice, “Move aside!”

“Sir, please enter. I hope that you will really be able to cure our Old Sir. If that is the case you will forever be our Nalan clan’s friend.” The old man bowed slightly toward Xiao Yan. Due to the display of Xiao Yan from before, the old man’s words were actually filled with respect.

Xiao Yan nodded his head slightly. His face still had the same expressionless manner. Without saying any other nonsense, he slowly walked into the main entrance and disappeared from everyone’s stunned sight.

After entering the main entrance, a pretty female servant hurriedly walked out from one corner. After which, she gently said a few words to Xiao Yan before leading the way from in front.

Xiao Yan followed behind the female servant at a neither fast nor slow pace. His gaze swept over this luxurious mansion. The towering atmosphere of the buildings caused him to secretly nod his head. Not mentioning anything else, this Nalan clan was indeed one of the three large clans of the Jia Ma Empire. This large wealth was something that the Xiao clan could never compare to.

Walking on a small path that was paved by green colored stone fragments, Xiao Yan’s eyes suddenly narrowed slightly. From his senses, numerous hidden gazes and Spiritual Strengths had shot out from hidden corners as he entered deeper into the interior of the Nalan clan, capturing every action of Xiao Yan into their eyes.

Xiao Yan carelessly raised his head and his gaze randomly drifted across the roof of a building. There were some dark black shadows hidden in the darkness of the spot. Many sharp arrow heads that were painted black to cover the reflection from the sun were slowly moving within the mansion. Any little sign of trouble would instantly cause them to send out an attack.

“The defense is really quite tight…” Xiao Yan frowned slightly and helplessly shook his head. He raised his head and watched a luxurious large hall that appeared at the end of the small path. His gaze passed through the unlatched door and was able to faintly see that there were quite a number of people standing within it.

As he slowly walked into the hall, there were some soft and private whispers that were emitted from within. He gently pushed open the door, the soft whispers in the hall suddenly ceased. After which, numerous gazes were thrown toward the door. When everyone’s gazes drifted towards the tier two alchemist badge on his chest, they were momentarily stunned. An astonishment immediately flashed across their eyes. Clearly, they all felt that it was strange that a tier two alchemist had the qualifications to enter this place.

Xiao Yan’s gaze swept across the large hall. In the spacious hall, there were ten plus alchemists wearing the same robes as he did. On their chests, they wore tier three alchemist badges. However, these tier three alchemist were mostly middle-aged. Among them, there were even two whose heads were completely white.

Ignoring those strange gazes, Xiao Yan slowly moved his gaze, finally stopping at a middle-aged man’s body which was seated on the leader’s seat in the hall. This person did not wear the long robe of an alchemist but seated in an impressive manner. As his tiger like eyes opened and closed, he had an imposing manner that was not reduced even without anger.

Xiao Yan’s gaze moved away from the middle-aged man body and finally frowning paused on a beautiful lady’s lovely body by the side. This lady was not unfamiliar to Xiao Yan, causing him to slowly exhale in his heart…

By the middle-aged man side, Nalan Yanran wearing a moon robe sat quietly. Her pretty eyes watched Xiao Yan who had just entered and a surprise similarly flashed across her pretty face.

As Xiao Yan’s gaze stared at the middle-aged man, the latter also placed his gaze on his body. When the middle-aged man saw the young appearance of the former, he was momentarily stunned. He immediately stood up, cupped his hands together and said with a smile to Xiao Yan, “This young brother, I am the Nalan Su of the Nalan clan.”

“Nalan Su?” Once this name entered his ears, the two hands of Xiao Yan in his sleeve trembled slightly. The corner of his eyes involuntarily twitched as his gaze stared intently at this seemingly heroic middle-aged man. This person was actually Nalan Yanran’s father, who was also the man who had nearly become Xiao Yan’s father-in-law…

“Yan Xiao…” Slowly suppressing the inexplicable emotions in his heart, Xiao Yan voice was slightly hoarse as he said, “Ya Fei xiao-jie of the Primer clan had recommended for me to come and try to see if I could help expel the poison from Grandfather Nalan.”

“Oh, haha, you are recommended by Niece Ya Fei? Please sit.” Hearing this, Nalan Su suddenly nodded his head and laughed.

Xiao Yan nodded lightly. He walked to the last spot in front of the numerous strange gazes and then quietly sat down. He naturally knew the meaning behind those strange gazes. What can a mere tier two alchemist do when even Pill-King Gu He cannot solve the problem?

After sitting on the chair, Xiao Yan descended into silence. However, he was still able to clearly sense that Nalan Yanran’s gaze seemed to have paused for quite some time on his body. Immediately, he frowned in his heart and silently said, “Have I been recognized? How is that possible?”

“Why does this person give me the feeling that he looks familiar?” Nalan Yanran’s pretty eyes glance at the black robed man seated in the corner. Her eyebrows were knit together as she softly muttered.

“Hehe, I think that everyone here is clear what kind of problem that our Nalan clan is stuck with. My father had been struck by the ‘Searing Poison’, it’s reputation is renowned for how potent it is. Now, the poison has erupted and he can finally no longer suppress it. Pill-King Gu came once before, but he was still unable to do anything. Although he said that a ‘Heavenly Flame’ needs to be used to remove the poison from my father’s body, it’s just that an alchemist who possesses a ‘Heavenly Flame’ is far too rare. Trying to find one is really far too difficult. Therefore, we can only try other methods. Everyone here can be considered among the more established alchemist grandmasters in the Jia Ma Empire and each of you have your unique ability. Therefore, I would like to invite everyone to try and see if you have any other solution?” Nalan Su took a look around as he laughed with a somewhat gloomy voice.

“I will not say any other nonsense. As long as you can help cure my father. You will definitely not be disappointed with the reward!” Nalan Su waved his large hand and pointed to a side door. He said, “My father is in there. I would like everyone to take turns and give it a try.”

Hearing the words, the ten plus alchemist in the large hall exchanged glances with each other. A moment later, an old man with a flowery white head stood up with a smile and took the lead in entering the side room. However, after ten minutes, he shook his head and walked out. He returned to his seat and spoke to Nalan Su with an awkward smile, “I’m sorry, Clan Head Nalan, that ‘Searing Poison’ is really far too stubborn. I have refined over ten plus antidote pills, but all of them had no effect.”

Hearing the old man’s words, Nalan Su and Nalan Yanran by the side sighed in disappointment. They exchanged glances with one another, smiled bitterly and shook their heads.

Behind the old man, the ten plus alchemists took turns to enter the side room. However, after over ten minutes, all of them walked out with embarrassment. Clearly, they did not have the ability to remove the potent poison that even Gu He could do nothing about.

As each of the alchemist walked out with embarrassed faces, the disappointment on Nalan Su’s and Nalan Yanran’s faces also grew increasingly dense. When the last alchemist walked out from within, their emotions finally sank slowly. On one side, Nalan Yanran’s pretty eyes became slightly red.

In the large hall, the ten plus tier three alchemists were no longer as pleased and prideful as before. Their embarassed old faces remained silent.

Following everyone’s silence, the atmosphere in the hall also gradually became depressing. A long while later, Nalan Su sighed and forcefully said with a smile, “Thank you everyone. It looks like my father’s life is fated to have this calamity. Although you have failed, I will still ask the housekeeper to give all of you a great recompense.”

Hearing these words which were expelling people in disguise, everyone smiled bitterly and shook their heads. They stood up and left. In this kind of atmosphere, they really did not have the face to stay behind for the recompense.

“Let me try…”

Those indifferent words were suddenly emitted from the corner of the room, interrupting the silent atmosphere. The young tier two alchemist walked out with a calm face. His calm voice caused everyone in the hall to give him a sidelong glance.