A Visiting Card and a Late-Night Talk Between Father and Son

Jia Xingtian looked at his granddaughter in front of him, first asking her to sit opposite him before he slowly spoke.

"Ye'er, you must have heard about the news from the Xiao Family in Wu Tan City."

Yaoye calmly replied, "Great-Grandfather, are you referring to Xiao Ming of the Xiao Family? Not long ago, the Shadow Guard did give me some intelligence, and I've already read it."

"So what do you think of Xiao Ming?" Jia Xingtian asked.

After pondering for a while, Yaoye said, "He is a prodigy, and a prodigy who has already matured. For the sake of the Imperial Family's stability, we might be able to win him over. If successful, a Grade Six Alchemist can offset the influence brought by Pill King Gu He the Misty Cloud Sect."

Yaoye the First Princess of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, Jia Xingtian had always intended to groom as the ruler of the Jia Ma Empire, so his first thought was the interests of the Jia Ma Imperial Family.

Jia Xingtian nodded in satisfaction.

"You're right, we do need to win him over, so I've decided to have you personally lead a group to Wu Tan City."

Yaoye was somewhat surprised by the decision to Jia Xingtian.

Although she believed that Xiao Ming was indeed trying to win him over, a Grade Six Alchemist could already create a considerable force on his own.

Those with such capabilities are not easily won over.

The reason why Misty Cloud Sect was able to recruit Pill King Gu He was because Gu He was not yet Grade Six Alchemist at that time. With the help of the Misty Cloud Sect's resources, Gu He was able to advance to the Sixth Rank so smoothly.

Moreover, Gu He is fond of Misty Cloud Sect Master the Yun Yun Sect, which is another important reason why the Misty Cloud Sect can keep Gu He in check.

Xiao Ming is different from Gu He; there's no one he likes in the Jia Ma Imperial Family.

Now, even if she travels a long way to get there, it probably won't make any difference.

Her plan was simply to send someone a generous gift to establish a good relationship.

At the very least, shouldn't you research their preferences before visiting them?

"Ah, I understand your thoughts, but Ye'er, you might not know this, but the Young Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect is engaged to the Xiao Family of Wu Tan City. Although the betrothed is not Xiao Ming, their shared clan status will greatly strengthen the relationship between Xiao Ming and the Misty Cloud Sect. With two Grade Six Alchemists, the Misty Cloud Sect's influence will likely far surpass its current level!"

"But this marriage contract cannot be broken by our efforts to win it over, unless..." Yaoye thought of the crucial point, but suddenly fell silent.

She wasn't stupid; she naturally understood what Jia Xingtian meant.

With a long sigh of relief, Yaoye said, "Great-Grandpa, I understand. I will do my best in this matter, but I cannot guarantee success. After all, Xiao Ming is a genius, and whether he would even consider me a worthy Ye'er is another matter."

"Yes, just do your best in this matter. Even if it doesn't work out, you should still maintain a good relationship with both sides."

"Ye'er understands."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I need you to do on this trip. The Guardian Beast of the Nation, the Dark Sea Flood Dragon, has suffered a relapse of its injuries. Remember to invite him to Jia Ma Holy City to treat the Divine Beast. I also want his help in refining a Breaking Sect Pill. As for the reward, we can discuss it."

Yaoye nodded easily in response. Compared to the previous matter, she thought it was much simpler to invite Xiao Ming to refine pills and treat illnesses.

"Alright, let's get ready and set off."

Two days later.

The main gate of the Xiao Family residence.

Two rows of guards stood imposingly on either side of the gate, keeping a watchful eye on everything around them.

Suddenly, an old man emerged from the crowd and walked towards them.

Upon noticing this, one of the two rows of guards stepped forward to greet the visitor, stopping him and saying, "Halt! This is the Xiao Family residence. What brings you here?"

"I am a steward of the Misty Cloud Sect. I have come here to present a letter of Visiting Card."

As he spoke, the old man took out a white note from his pocket and handed it over.

In the Jia Ma Empire, when formally visiting other powers, it is customary to present a formal Visiting Card informing the other party of one's arrival date. (69 new posts on Bashu)

This also avoids the awkward situation of the other party's main person not being home when you arrive, and giving them time to prepare is also a polite practice.

If you don't send Visiting Card, you might be treated as an unwelcome guest.

"Visiting Card from the Misty Cloud Sect?"

The guard was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. Misty Cloud Sect was a dominant force in the Jia Ma Empire. What business did they have visiting the Xiao Family? Could it be because of Supreme Elder Xiao Ming?

Although he was very puzzled, the guard did not ask any questions. Instead, he took the Visiting Card and glanced at the cover. He found that it was indeed Visiting Card from the Misty Cloud Sect, and it even had the sect's symbol on it.

The guard quickly and politely replied, "I will forward the visiting Visiting Card to the Clan Leader."

"Alright, now that the Visiting Card has been delivered, I'll take my leave!"

Take care!

Gut

The moon was like a silver plate, and the sky was filled with countless stars.

At the top of the cliff, Xiao Yan lay reclining on the grass, a blade of grass between his teeth, chewing it slightly, letting the faint bitterness spread in his mouth.

He raised his somewhat pale hand to shield his eyes, peering through the gaps between his fingers at the enormous silver moon in the sky.

"Sigh..." Recalling the examination results Xiao Ming had given him a few days ago, Xiao Yan sighed softly, slowly withdrew his hand, rested his hands behind his head, and looked somewhat dazed.

Is there really no cure?

Thinking about the increasingly harsh words spoken among the clansmen after the failed attempt to find Xiao Ming for treatment.

Xiao Yan spat out the grass root from his mouth, suddenly jumped up, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace, and roared uncontrollably at the night sky:

"You son of a bitch, did you wear this body to be used as trash? Damn it!"

After roaring a few times, Xiao Yan's emotions gradually calmed down, and his face returned to its usual dejected expression.

Now that things have come to this, no matter how furious he is, he cannot undo the Dou Qi Cyclone he has painstakingly cultivated.

Shaking his head bitterly, Xiao Yan felt somewhat aggrieved, after all, he had no idea what had happened to his body.

He checked it himself on a regular basis, but found nothing amiss.

Clearly, his soul is getting stronger with age, and the speed at which he absorbs Dou Qi is even stronger than when he was at his peak a few years ago.

Even Xiao Ming, Grade Six Alchemist, said that there was nothing wrong with his body.

All of this demonstrates that my talent has never diminished.

However, all the Dou Qi that entered his body disappeared completely without exception, a strange situation that made Xiao Yan feel sad and disheartened.

With a sigh of dejection, Xiao Yan raised his hand, revealing a Black Ring on his finger. The ring was very antique, its material unknown, and it had some blurry patterns drawn on it.

This was the only gift his mother gave him before she died.

He had worn it for ten years since he was four years old. It was his mother's keepsake, and Xiao Yan had a deep attachment to it. Gently stroking the ring, Xiao Yan smiled bitterly:

"These past few years, I've truly let my mother down..."

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan suddenly turned around and smiled warmly at the dark forest, "Father, you've come?"

Although his Dou Qi was only at the third level, thanks to his two lifetimes, Xiao Yan's soul perception was exceptionally sharp. When he mentioned his mother earlier, he had already noticed a slight movement in the woods.

"Hehe, Yan'er, it's so late, why are you still up here?"

After a moment of silence in the woods, a man's concerned laughter could be heard.

The tree branch swayed, and a middle-aged man leaped out, a smile on his face, gazing at his son standing in the moonlight.

The middle-aged man, dressed in luxurious gray robes, exuded an air of authority with his imposing gait, and his thick eyebrows added to his heroic bearing. This was Xiao Zhan.

"Father, aren't you still awake?" Looking at Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan's smile deepened.

"Yan'er, are you still thinking about the examination Xiao Ming gave you?"

"Hehe, what's there to think about?" Xiao Yan shook his head with a mature air, but his smile was somewhat forced.

"Sigh..." Looking at Xiao Yan's still somewhat immature face, Xiao Zhan sighed, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Yan'er, you're almost fifteen years old, aren't you?"

"Yes, Father."

"In a little over a year, it seems... it'll be time for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony..." Xiao Zhan said with a wry smile.

"Yes, Father, there's still a little over a year left!" Xiao Yan replied calmly, his hand tightening slightly.

He was very clear about what the coming-of-age ceremony represented. Once he passed the ceremony, he, who had no potential for cultivation, would be disqualified from entering the Dou Qi Pavilion to find Dou Qi cultivation techniques. Instead, he would be assigned to various businesses within the family to manage ordinary affairs. This was the family rule, and even if his father was the patriarch, it could not be changed!

"I'm sorry, Yan'er. If your Dou Qi doesn't reach the seventh level within a year, then your father will have no choice but to reluctantly assign you to the family's businesses. After all, this family isn't entirely under your father's control. Those old guys are always waiting for you to make a mistake, and now the family has another Supreme Elder..."

Looking at the calm Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan sighed with some guilt.

"Father, I will work hard. In a little over a year, I will definitely reach the Seventh Stage Dou Qi!" After a moment of silence, Xiao Yan smiled and comforted him.

"Four levels in one year? I'm afraid only Xiao Ming could have done that." Although he was comforting his father, Xiao Yan inwardly gave a self-deprecating bitter smile.

The Xiao Family does indeed have a record of four rank in a year, but the person who set this record was not him, but Xiao Ming, and moreover, he is currently in a strange state.

Xiao Zhan, who was also very clear about Xiao Yan's background, could only sigh and agree. He knew how difficult it was to cultivate Fourth Stage Dou Qi in a year; otherwise, the Jia Ma Empire wouldn't have only had Xiao Ming after all these years.

"It's getting late, go back and rest. Tomorrow, the family has Distinguished Guest, so don't be impolite."

"Distinguished Guest? Who is it?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Xiao Zhan Xiao Yan, laughed, and left, leaving the curious Xiao Yan behind.