Pill King Gu He

After dinner, Sun Er went to chat with my mother, while I followed Dad to the study.

The Nalan Family was unlike the Xiao Family. As a great clan, its rules were strict. Beneath the clan leader, there were no First or Second Elders. Instead, there were eight elders overseeing different affairs: the Punishment Elder, Alchemy Elder, Skill Transmission Elder, Guardian Elder, Finance Elder, Internal Affairs Elder, Weapon Crafting Elder, and External Affairs Elder.

My dad was Nalan Tu, the Internal Affairs Elder, responsible for managing internal affairs. Put simply, he managed the vast Nalan Residence, as well as several estates on the outskirts of Gama City.

Maintenance of pavilions and towers, the management and promotion of maidservants and servants, procurement of food and wine, even the monthly allowances for members of the Nalan Family... all of it fell under my dad's jurisdiction.

But right now, Dad did not look too pleased. Nalan Jie had probably given him quite an earful during the day...

He took a sip of tea before saying, "Ye Er, you came back with the Old Clan Leader. You should know about his condition... right?"

I nodded, my voice somewhat low. "The Old Man was afflicted with Branding Iron Poison in the Monster Mountain Range. What did the Alchemy Elder say?"

The Alchemy Elder was a Fifth-Rank Alchemist, only one rank below Pill King Gu He. I could not help but harbor a sliver of hope. The Old Man's poisoning was not yet severe; it had not penetrated his bones or reached a terminal stage. Perhaps he could be cured without an Exotic Flame.

But Dad shook his head and sighed. "Branding Iron Poison is stubborn and difficult to remove. Even the Alchemy Elder can only find a way to suppress it; he has no means of eradicating it. Tomorrow, I'll invite Mister Gu He over. Perhaps he'll have some solution."

For a moment, I fell silent. Quite a few Dou Emperors had died from Branding Iron Poison. It was terrifyingly dangerous. I was afraid that it truly could not be cured without an Exotic Flame!

Yet a trace of luck still rose in my heart. The Old Man had only just been afflicted with Branding Iron Poison. Perhaps... perhaps Pill King Gu He had earned such a tremendous reputation because he truly could cure the Old Man?

I could not help but give a bitter smile. People really feared hope and wishful thinking the most. Looking at Dad, I said, "Father, I'll come with you tomorrow."

"That's fine. It'll be good to let you see the world."

After thinking for a moment, Father added, "I also heard that you want to become an alchemist. What, do you want to take Mister Gu He as your master?"

I shook my head. That old fellow Gu He was also eyeing the Azure Lotus Core Flame. How could I possibly take him as my master? When I fought him for the Azure Lotus Core Flame someday... heh, if word got out that a student was competing with his teacher for something, would I have any reputation left?

"Why take an outsider as my master? It's not as if the Nalan Family has no alchemists!"

I asked in return with a smile, "The Alchemy Elder is a Fifth-Rank Alchemist, not much inferior to Gu He. I can simply take the Alchemy Elder as my master."

"It's good to take one of our own as your master. Only..." He glanced at me teasingly. "Not just anyone can become an alchemist. We'll have to see whether you have the talent."

I laughed loudly, patted my chest, and said with absolute confidence, "Father, just wait and see!"

Father laughed as well. "Fine, then I'll wait and see!"

After chatting a little longer, I returned to my room. The lanterns along the way were dim, and there were hardly any maidservants or servants in sight. They had all gone to sleep, and the courtyard had fallen silent.

I pushed open my door and had barely stepped inside when a figure suddenly threw herself into my arms. Then a familiar laugh rang out. It was Nalan Sun.

She looked up at me and said, "Brother, why are you only coming back now?"

I froze for a moment before realizing what was happening. Pulling her away with some annoyance, I said, "Why aren't you back in your own room? What are you doing here?"

"I want to hear you tell stories..."

Sun Er acted coquettishly, then grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the table and chairs. "Brother, you said before that you entered the Mountain Forest and killed a first-tier magical beast, Rock Python. What happened after that? What happened after that? Brother, hurry up and tell me!"

I gave a dry cough. "We'll talk about that tomorrow. It's late now, so hurry back to your room and sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, I'll continue the story."

Nalan Sun refused. She looked at me with wide, pitiful eyes and said, "Brother, I'm not sleepy. I want to hear your story!"

"How could you not be sleepy? You're obviously yawning already."

"I..."

Nalan Sun pouted and glanced around my room. Suddenly, she released me and ran to my bed. Then she turned back to look at me with a smug grin. "This works, right? Ha! I can sleep while listening to you tell stories. Hehe, Sun Er is so smart!"

Sun Er had probably taken a bath. She had changed into a thin, loose pale-yellow dress, her hair hanging messily behind her. Her cheeks were rosy, and her large eyes blinked at me... leaving me covered in black lines!

I had no desire to end up in German Bone Orthopedics, not even at the slightest hint of it! My expression darkened. Pointing at the door with my right hand, I said gently, "Sun Er... are you going back to your room obediently, or should I have a maidservant tie you up and take you back?"

Nalan Sun froze, then pouted and asked, "Brother, why are you being like this? It's not as though we've never slept together before. Hmph, bad brother! Brother is mean! You went out once and now you don't want Sun Er anymore!"

Nalan Sun looked utterly pitiful, and my heart ached at the sight. I softened, thinking that Sun Er was only eleven or twelve. Sleeping with her did not seem like such a big deal, did it? Mother had not stopped Sun Er from coming here either...

But then I came to my senses. The important question was not how old Sun Er was, but how old I was... or rather, what I was thinking!

I gave a dry cough, my gaze unconsciously flickering over Sun Er's petite, delicate body and her fair, tender feet. My heart turned cold again.

After thinking it over, I explained gently, "Sun Er, I... well, I have a marriage agreement now. I have a fiancée. From now on, I can only sleep with my fiancée and cannot sleep with other women."

"Is Sun Er another woman too?"

Nalan Sun asked with a pout. That question went straight to the heart of the matter, leaving me speechless. I could not answer it, so I could only pull a stern face and stare at Sun Er coldly without saying a word.

Nalan Sun glared back at me with her big eyes. But after a while, she was still young and could not withstand her sleepiness. Before long, she began yawning one after another.

In the end, Sun Er could not outlast me. She could only curse at me as she left.

Watching Sun Er's retreating figure, I let out a long breath. I knew that I had once again overcome myself and become a good older brother!

I had spent these past days traveling. Now that I was home and my heart had settled, I immediately fell into a deep sleep. Only when a maidservant came to wake me the next day did I groggily awaken with a yawn.

Speaking of which, the Nalan Family truly was a great clan. As expected of an elder's son, I even had two young maidservants attending to me while I washed up. This treatment, tsk tsk...

After washing up, I went to eat breakfast. Nalan Sun was probably still angry about last night. The moment she saw me, she huffed angrily and ignored me.

There was not much I could say about that, so I could not be bothered to say anything. After breakfast, I changed into a very formal outfit with the maidservants' help and had my hair tied up properly. Only then did I leave the residence with Father, heading for Pill King Gu He's residence.

There were two carriages in our party. One carried Father, while the other was left empty for Gu He. As for me, I could only ride alone like the attendants.

As the imperial capital, Gama City was naturally bustling beyond measure. Pedestrians rubbed shoulders on the roads, and merchant caravans flowed like streams. It was said that one could dress in fine clothes in the morning and rags by night.

But we all bore the Nalan Family insignia. When pedestrians saw it, they stepped aside one after another, so the streets did not feel crowded.

Dressed in splendid robes, I rode at the very front to clear the way for Father until we arrived at Gu He Residence.

Gu He Residence was not as luxurious or grand as Nalan Residence. It was merely a small courtyard with three sections. Through the low walls, one could see that the courtyard possessed an antique charm. Every blade of grass and every tree carried a unique sense of refinement. It was truly extraordinary, worthy of his title as Pill King.

As the second highest-ranking person in the party, and to show respect for Gu He, I immediately dismounted, straightened my clothes, and personally stepped forward to knock on the door.

Before long, the gate opened to reveal a servant, who asked what business I had. I smiled faintly and said, "The Internal Affairs Elder of the Nalan Family seeks an audience with the old Pill King. Please inform him."

The Nalan Family name was quite useful. The servant did not dare neglect us and immediately went to report. Before long, a youth whose face was still somewhat immature but who was unmistakably clad in the robes of a First Grade Alchemist came out. He cupped his hands to me and said, "I am Liu Ling, disciple of the Pill King. May I ask who you are?"

Liu Ling? I froze for a moment before remembering that there seemed to be such a person. This Liu Ling seemed to have liked Yanran Jie as well? In the end... naturally, Xiao Yan had thoroughly trampled him in alchemy...

I chuckled and looked Liu Ling up and down. The kid really did not look bad. He was quite handsome. Returning the gesture, I said, "I am Nalan Ye, son of the Nalan Family's Internal Affairs Elder. Brother Liu, this way please. My father has come as well."

After leading Liu Ling over to the carriage, Dad leisurely descended only after Liu Ling had paid his respects. He followed Liu Ling into the courtyard, and I naturally followed behind Father.

We proceeded all the way to a hall. The three of us entered, and I saw a middle-aged man seated within.

He wore pale white robes, with his hair casually draped behind him. His face was sharply defined, his eyes full of composure, and his entire body exuded an indescribable aura.

Though it was our first meeting, I knew that this man was a Dou Wang powerhouse, the Gamma Empire's only Sixth-Rank Alchemist... Pill King Gu He!