Nalan Yanran's Advance

As Second Elder, Zhang Tian had his own residence on Yunlan Mountain. The small courtyard had been built beside the bustling training ground, but Zhang Tian did not mind. If he wanted more peace and quiet, he could always go to the Secluded Cultivation Room. Overall, it was still much better than the Xiao Family.

"Knock, knock, knock. Second Elder, are you there?" Nalan Yanran's voice came from outside the door. Zhang Tian paused slightly and put down the map in his hand. It depicted a vast desert, covered in winding red routes.

"Come in," Zhang Tian replied. With a soft sound, Nalan Yanran slowly pushed open the door, entering the room with a trace of nervousness on her face.

Her large, dark eyes looked around, but she did not find any sign of Xiao Yan.

"What are you doing holding bedding?" Zhang Tian found Nalan Yanran's appearance rather amusing. How had the once-proud favored daughter of heaven become so cautious and timid?

"Second Elder... Master told me to come over and ask for your guidance," Nalan Yanran said timidly. Facing Xiao Yan's teacher still put great pressure on her, so she directly sold out Yun Yun.

"Oh, right, there was such a thing." Zhang Tian frowned, then nodded.

"Second Elder... you?" Seeing Zhang Tian's reluctant look, Nalan Yanran's heart sank, and she opened her mouth somewhat fearfully.

Seeing Nalan Yanran like this, Zhang Tian's face filled with a smiling expression. He had imagined many outcomes: after being rejected in the engagement, Nalan Yanran might become furious, resent Xiao Yan, or bury herself in bitter cultivation.

But looking at her now, Nalan Yanran seemed to have fallen for Xiao Yan. That made things very interesting. After all, the two of them had once had an engagement between them.

"In a few days, I'm going to the Tagor Desert with your teacher. Time might be a little tight," Zhang Tian said with a light smile. Xiao Yan, that fellow... mm, he really was quite impressive. Zhang Tian could not think of any other words to describe it. Or perhaps girls all liked those who were powerful and handsome?

"However, since I promised your teacher, I won't go back on my word." Zhang Tian glanced at the uneasy Nalan Yanran and smiled.

"You don't need to be afraid of me. For this month, just treat me as your teacher. Well, speaking of which, delaying myself for a month because of you really is troublesome. Forget it, just consider it compensation for canceling the engagement." At the end, Zhang Tian even teased the young girl a little.

"Let me see, where did my Symbiotic Amethyst Source go? Oh, found it." Zhang Tian rummaged through his storage ring and finally found a piece of Amethyst Source no smaller than the one he had just handed to Yun Yun.

"Wasn't this given to Master?" Nalan Yanran tapped the Symbiotic Amethyst Source with her slender jade fingers and asked curiously.

"It was only a small piece cut off." Zhang Tian spoke indifferently, then turned back to glance at Nalan Yanran and asked strangely, "You can't really think you're worth a Rank Six Magic Core and a complete piece of Symbiotic Amethyst Source, can you?"

Nalan Yanran's face flushed red, while inwardly she was so depressed she nearly spat blood. What kind of bizarre comparison was that? Listen to yourself—was that even something a person should say?

"This Symbiotic Amethyst Source will be of great use to you. It can speed up your cultivation and even improve your aptitude." Zhang Tian tapped the Symbiotic Amethyst Source, wondering inwardly whether he should ask Yao Lao to help refine it, so Nalan Yanran could quickly break through to Great Dou Shi and leave.

After thinking it over, Zhang Tian gave up on the idea. After all, Xiao Yan still had a big piece over there, and it would be better to have Yao Lao handle that. Once they retrieved the Azure Lotus Core Flame as well, Xiao Yan breaking through to Dou Ling probably would not be much of a problem.

The small piece to be given to Nalan Yanran was roughly one-tenth the size of Xiao Yan's piece. He had to admit, Yun Yun was really impressive, managing to pry even that much out of his hands.

What's the point of beating up the protagonist? Nurturing the protagonist, then showing off using the protagonist—that's what feels good. Zhang Tian sighed inwardly. This transmigration wave really was comfortable.

"Wait, I think I still have a portion of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. This was prepared by an old fellow, and it can just happen to increase the dosage for you." Zhang Tian thought for a moment, looked at Nalan Yanran's Six Star Dou Zhe cultivation, and felt he could perhaps add a little more.

"I'm going out for a bit," Zhang Tian said to Nalan Yanran, signaling for her to wait. Then he left the room.

About half a quarter of an hour later, Zhang Tian returned with a large wooden basin. After filling it with clear water, he placed it in the center of the room.

He took out a small pale-green jade bottle from within his clothes. It was filled to the brim with pale-green medicinal liquid, emitting dense energy. This was the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid Xiao Yan had once used.

"Although this medicinal liquid isn't especially expensive to you, this is an old fellow's secret recipe. You can't buy it even with money. Its value is definitely no lower than a fourth-tier pill formula." A full bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid was poured into the water, and the water in the wooden basin instantly turned emerald green, filled with medicinal fragrance.

"Take off your clothes." Just those words made Nalan Yanran's face turn crimson. She did not dare look at Zhang Tian, but still slowly began undoing her clothes.

As her garments slipped away, Nalan Yanran's young, tender body was revealed. She wore a pale-pink inner armor, exposing a pair of long, fair legs.

"Wait." Zhang Tian stopped Nalan Yanran, who was about to enter the wooden tub. Under her puzzled gaze, he stretched out a finger and dipped it into the medicinal liquid in the tub.

"Mm, the taste is salty... oh, no, the concentration of the medicinal liquid isn't quite enough." Smacking his lips, he felt the amount was still insufficient, so he took out another bottle and poured in half. Only then did he nod.

"That's fine now."

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran nodded and stepped her long legs into the wooden basin.

Although Nalan Yanran was only fifteen, she was tall and already reached Zhang Tian's shoulder. Her face was as white as snow, her skin smooth as congealed cream, and her swelling chest was only a little smaller than Yun Yun's.

"Refine the Symbiotic Amethyst Source together with it." Zhang Tian watched this scene and nodded. However, in the end, Nalan Yanran was still somewhat inferior to Xiao Yan, who had the protagonist's halo. She always found it difficult to calm her mind and enter a cultivation state, and refining the Symbiotic Amethyst Source appeared extremely difficult.

"What comes next may hurt a little," Zhang Tian said in a low voice. Although Nalan Yanran's meridians had been widened considerably under the Yun Lan Sect's nurturing, under such an impact, it was still unbearably painful.

However, the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid prepared by Yao Lao was extremely effective. It could consolidate one's foundation, improve aptitude, and also repair the slight meridian ruptures caused by forcibly refining the Symbiotic Amethyst Source.

"Ahhh!" Nalan Yanran cried out in pain, her brows tightly furrowed on her small face, her lips pale. Her entire body felt as though it were being torn apart, every inch of her flesh wailing in agony.

"Perhaps 'no breaking, no building' works for Xiao Yan, but you fall far too short." Zhang Tian shook his head. Fire-attribute Qi Methods were violent, and their ability to refine all kinds of energy was much stronger. As for the wind-attribute Qi Method Nalan Yanran cultivated, while it was sharp, swift, and extremely light, in reality, even its effect in repairing her own injuries was far worse.

"Your teacher hasn't given you the Yun Lan Sect's true inheritance to cultivate?" Zhang Tian said with a half-smile. The Yun Lan Sect seemed to have either a High Xuan Class or Low Di Class Qi Method for cultivation.

"N-not yet..." Nalan Yanran gritted her teeth and shook her head. Although she was Yun Yun's disciple, the position of Young Sect Master would only be confirmed at Great Dou Shi at the very least.

"All right, I'm leaving. You'll refine it here. The effects of the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid will last for several hours. From now on, use it every day. After refining the Symbiotic Amethyst Source, you'll be able to become a Dou Shi." Zhang Tian shook his head. Although this was somewhat inefficient, he had no intention of helping her personally. Instead, he was preparing to go find Yun Yun and set off for the Tagor Desert immediately.

"Second Elder is preparing to leave?" Sensing the tearing Dou Qi within her body, yet feeling that after it recovered, it became a little stronger than before, Nalan Yanran felt somewhat reluctant to part with him.

"I'm teaching you this time because I owe your master a favor. We don't really have much to do with each other." Zhang Tian shook his head. He had no intention of raising a disciple for Yun Yun. If he were not the sort of person who kept his promises, he probably would not even bother with Nalan Yanran.

However, if she became Xiao Yan's little girlfriend, she would still be worth paying a little attention to.

Xiao Xun'er was a bit prettier than Nalan Yanran. She probably had no chance, right?

Thinking of Xiao Yan's childhood sweetheart, Zhang Tian shook his head, feeling somewhat amused inwardly.