Chapter Twenty-Six: Goodbye, Xiao Yan

Time flew by. Two years had already passed since the Flame Clan's public convention!

During these two years, Huo Xuan had remained in the Yan World. Aside from cultivation, he only did two things. The first was improving his alchemy skills. Huo Xuan conservatively estimated that he would need to reach Eighth Grade before he could have a chance to subdue the Three Thousand Burning Flame at the future Pill Gathering. Now, two years later, Huo Xuan was already capable of successfully refining Seventh Grade Pills! His soul realm had also risen from the Mortal Realm to the Spirit Realm!

The other was learning from Yan Jin how to handle the Flame Clan's various affairs, large and small. After all, besides possessing great strength, a clan leader also needed to be adept at managing all kinds of matters.

The Three-Year Agreement was about to begin. Huo Xuan prepared to leave the Yan World once again and head for the Jia Ma Empire.

"The Three-Year Agreement... time really flies! Xiao Yan, your end is near!"

Huo Xuan's strength had now reached the Dou Huang Peak, just one step away from Dou Zong! Compared to Huo Xuan, Huo Zhi's strength was somewhat lacking. She had only reached the level of a four-star Dou Wang, though with the Red Lotus Karma Flame, she could still fight some low-level Dou Huangs.

Because he had promised Huo Zhi earlier, Huo Xuan spent a long time discussing the matter with the clan leader and the elders before they finally agreed to let him take Huo Zhi out of the clan with him. Yan Yang and Yan Ya would still serve as their guards.

Canaan Academy.

Within a quiet pavilion, an incomparably beautiful figure stood elegantly. A gentle breeze blew toward her, causing her long black hair to drift softly in the wind. As the hem of her dress fluttered, it faintly revealed the girl's perfect, graceful silhouette.

The girl wore a simple yet elegant purple dress as she gazed calmly at the sky in silence. Her peerlessly beautiful face was like a blooming snow lotus—noble and untouched by dust.

At that moment, a trace of sorrow flashed through Gu Xun'er's beautiful eyes, as though something weighed on her mind.

"Come out."

As the girl's voice fell, a black shadow suddenly emerged strangely from one of the pavilion's shadows. The black figure was none other than Gu Xun'er's guard, Ling Ying.

"Miss!" Ling Ying said respectfully.

"Old Ling, what is it that has made you so anxious?" Gu Xun'er asked calmly.

"Miss, you have delayed the matter of returning to the clan for two years already. News has come from the clan that the clan leader is preparing to send someone to bring you back by force."

"I understand."

Seeing Gu Xun'er's response, Ling Ying could not help but reveal a bitter smile. He knew that the reason Gu Xun'er refused to return to the clan was entirely because of Xiao Yan. She feared that once she returned, she would never see Xiao Yan again.

"Also, news from the clan says that the clan leader and the elders have arranged a marriage for you," Ling Ying said after hesitating briefly.

"What?" Gu Xun'er froze at those words, and an unnatural flicker passed through her beautiful eyes. That beautiful figure with its alluring curves seemed to tremble lightly at that moment as well. After a while, Gu Xun'er asked softly, "Is that true?"

"It is." Ling Ying nodded.

"Who is the man?" Gu Xun'er asked again after falling silent for a long time.

"That man is Lei Dong, with whom Miss once had an unfinished marriage arrangement years ago. Two months ago, the Lei Clan leader brought Lei Dong to the Gu Clan once more to propose marriage. The clan says that Lei Dong has now reached the level of a six-star Dou Huang, and he is also the Young Clan Leader of the Lei Clan! After discussing it, the clan elders believed that if Miss married Lei Dong, the relationship between the Gu Clan and Lei Clan would grow even closer. It would be even more beneficial to the Gu Clan's future development, so the clan leader agreed to this marriage."

After hearing Ling Ying's words, Gu Xun'er's pretty face immediately turned deathly pale. Only after a moment did her complexion return to normal.

"Old Ling, you may leave first," Gu Xun'er said, waving a hand at Ling Ying.

"Yes, Miss!" Ling Ying glanced at Gu Xun'er, whose cold expression had returned, before retreating into the darkness once again.

"A marriage arrangement... Lei Dong... what... should I do?"

After a month of travel, Huo Xuan's group arrived at the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire.

"We've finally reached the imperial capital!"

Huo Xuan raised his head and looked up at this holy city of the Jia Ma Empire. In terms of size and grandeur, no other city in the Jia Ma Empire could compare to it. However, compared with Yan City of the Flame Clan, Gu Sacred City of the Gu Clan, and Saint Pill City of the Alchemy Tower, it appeared far too small.

To the north of this city lay a vast and magnificent mountain range, sprawled like a giant dragon. It faintly radiated soaring Spiritual Qi. That was the Yun Lan Sect, the super faction famed throughout the Jia Ma Empire.

However, if Yun Shan, that Dou Zong, was excluded, a faction like the Yun Lan Sect likely would not even rank as third-rate in the Central Plains. It could be wiped out in minutes.

Along the way, Huo Xuan had gradually noticed many alchemists hurrying in this direction. After entering the capital, he saw the alchemists' purple robes standing out conspicuously throughout the streets and alleys. Every street bore traces of alchemists' activities.

After making some inquiries, he learned that the imperial capital was about to hold the Seventh Alchemist Convention. He had heard that because of this convention, there were quite a few good items in the trading and treasure-hunting area of the Alchemist Guild.

What good things could an Alchemist Guild in some small empire on the Northwest Continent possibly have? Huo Xuan had not wanted to take a look, but under Huo Zhi's "threats," he could only agree.

To ordinary people, the items here were all rare curiosities they had never seen before. Yet in Huo Xuan's eyes, they were basically nothing but junk.

Huo Zhi was a girl, after all, and shopping was simply in a girl's nature. She weaved back and forth through the treasure-hunting area without buying anything, since these items were simply too low-end. Even so, Huo Zhi browsed with great enthusiasm, like a child who had never seen the world. It was not really her fault—she had lived in the Yan World since childhood, and over the past eighteen years, the number of times she had gone outside could be counted on one hand.

In his previous life, Huo Xuan had heard that taking one's girlfriend shopping was a terrifying experience. Since he had not had a girlfriend in his previous life, he thought people were exaggerating. But now, he fully understood how they felt. That saying was absolutely true.

Suddenly, Huo Xuan spotted an extremely familiar figure in the crowd.

Xiao Yan!

At that moment, Xiao Yan was trading with someone beside a Stone Platform. Behind it sat a gaunt man with a rather wretched-looking face. Since the medicinal ingredients displayed on the Stone Platform were not particularly rare, few people came over to inspect them.

"Huo Xuan, Brother, what's wrong?" Huo Zhi asked when she noticed Huo Xuan acting strangely.

"I ran into an old acquaintance. Come on, let's go take a look at him." As he spoke, Huo Xuan took Huo Zhi's hand and walked toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the items on the Stone Platform one by one before finally stopping on an inconspicuous piece of broken black jade in a corner.

Xiao Yan casually picked it up. The jade was not smooth to the touch; instead, it was covered in tiny grains, as though its material was rather poor. There were also faint cracks across its surface, with traces of sand and dirt still stuck in the crevices.

Xiao Yan played with the jade piece, frowning slightly. By instinct, he felt that the item was somewhat unusual, but he could not say what was unusual about it. He probed it with his Soul Power, yet there was no reaction whatsoever, nor did he receive any information.

Seeing this, Huo Xuan raised his hand. A burst of suction suddenly appeared, immediately drawing the broken jade piece into his palm.

"Hmm?"

Xiao Yan had clearly sensed that the broken jade fragment was anything but ordinary. Just as it was about to fall into his hands, someone else had snatched it away. His brows furrowed slightly as he turned toward the thief in annoyance.

When he saw that it was Huo Xuan, Xiao Yan froze for a moment. Then, with a trace of anger in his voice, he said, "It's you!"

Huo Xuan smiled. "That's right. It's me!"

"What are you doing here?" Xiao Yan demanded, glaring at Huo Xuan.

"Have you forgotten? The Three-Year Agreement is almost here."

"The Three-Year Agreement!"

Xiao Yan was stunned upon hearing this. That was right—the Three-Year Agreement was nearly upon them. He was no longer the useless trash he had been back then. After three years of arduous cultivation, not only had his cultivation soared, but he had also obtained a great opportunity. He was confident that he would definitely defeat Huo Xuan in the Three-Year Agreement.

Seeing Xiao Yan fall silent, Huo Xuan continued, "How about this, Xiao Yan? Admit defeat right now, and I might consider sparing your life."

"Hmph! Just you wait! I'll definitely defeat you!"

Huo Xuan watched Xiao Yan leave in disappointment, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips. He asked the stall owner, "What do you want in exchange for this jade fragment?"

"I'd like to exchange it for a First Grade Pill." The man's spirits lifted at once, though he phrased it tactfully. He knew in his heart that the jade fragment did not seem to be worth the price of a First Grade Pill.

Huo Xuan put the jade fragment into his Storage Ring, then took out a jade bottle and tossed it to the man. After that, he took Huo Zhi's hand and turned to leave.

The man caught the bottle in a fluster, unable to hide the joy on his face. But after opening the jade bottle, his expression instantly changed. What was inside was not a First Grade Pill at all—it was a Third Grade Pill!

"Did I misjudge this item? But no matter how I look at it, that thing is just an ordinary piece of jade! Why did that kid..." the man muttered in confusion.

In truth, Huo Xuan did not know what the jade was either. He had merely noticed that it was something Xiao Yan wanted. Usually, if the protagonist took an interest in something so plain and unremarkable, it had to be a good item. As for why he had given the man a Third Grade Pill, it was because Huo Xuan had quite a few pills on him, but he really did not have low-grade pills like First Grade Pills.

"Huo Xuan, Brother, is there anything special about this jade fragment? And who was that person just now? He seemed to bear a deep hatred toward you. Also, what is this Three-Year Agreement?"

"What is special about this jade fragment? Huo Xuan, Brother, doesn't know either. I just feel that it isn't an ordinary object. As for that person just now, his name is Xiao Yan!"

"Xiao Yan? His surname is Xiao..."

Huo Zhi murmured to herself for a while, then thought it over carefully and asked, "Could he be from the Xiao Clan?"

"That's right! He is from the Xiao Clan."

"And the Three-Year Agreement? Why does he hate you so much?" Huo Zhi continued asking.

"That's a long story..."