Incurable Without an Exotic Flame

"Mr. Gu He."

Inside the hall, my father gave a slight bow and said.

"Sit."

Gu He pointed to a chair beside him. Once my father had taken his seat, a Maidservant brought over tea. This was no ordinary fine tea, but tea specially refined by alchemists. Its effects were comparable to medicinal pills, though unfortunately, none of it was for me.

As a junior, I did not even have a seat before Gu He. I could only obediently stand behind my father, lower my eyes, and listen to their conversation.

Gu He looked at my father and asked calmly, "Elder Nalan, why have you come to see me?"

My father did not answer. He merely shifted his gaze to Liu Ling. Gu He shook his head and said, "Liu Ling is my personal disciple. Elder Nalan, just say what you need to say. There is no need to avoid him."

I curled my lips and glanced at Liu Ling. This guy was doing quite well for himself, having caught the Pill King's eye. At least he would never lack medicinal pills for cultivation in the future.

At that moment, Liu Ling seemed to sense my gaze and turned to look at me as well. Our eyes met. Liu Ling gave me a somewhat effeminate smile, and I returned it with a brilliant one before looking away.

When I lowered my head, the smile vanished from my face, and I began cursing inwardly. Though it had lasted only an instant, I had clearly felt Liu Ling's disdain and condescension toward me!

Isn't he just a First Grade Alchemist? In the end, wasn't he still trampled into a dog by Xiao Yan? Looking all high and mighty, and he dares look down on me?

My father then said, "Mr. Gu He, it is like this. The Old Clan Leader of our family was injured in the Monster Mountain Range some days ago. We would like to ask Mr. Gu He to take a look at him."

At last, a trace of emotion appeared on Gu He's calm face. He frowned and asked, "Old Clan Leader Nalan was injured? What did your family's Alchemy Elder say?"

My father showed a bitter expression. He sighed before saying, "To be honest with Mr. Gu He, our Old Clan Leader was accidentally afflicted with Branding Iron Poison while killing a Branding Iron Poison Seal Python... The Alchemy Elder can only find ways to suppress it. He cannot eradicate the Branding Iron Poison."

After saying that, my father actually stood and cupped his fists toward Gu He. "I ask Mr. Gu He, for the sake of our past friendship, to lend us a helping hand. The Nalan Family will certainly spare no reward."

I stared blankly at my father's back. After some thought, I realized that as a junior, I had no status to speak of, so there was no need to care about saving face. Gritting my teeth, I dropped to my knees and bowed. "I ask Mr. Gu He to lend us his aid!"

Unexpectedly, Gu He merely swept a glance over me. Without even lifting his eyelids, he turned his gaze back to my father, as though I did not exist at all.

Fortunately, I did not bow solely for Gu He to see. More than that, I bowed for my father and for the Nalan Family. I bowed to Gu He once more before rising and returning behind my father.

"Branding Iron Poison..."

Gu He's gaze passed through the doorway and settled on the courtyard as he murmured those words, their meaning hard to discern.

He withdrew his gaze, looked at my father, and said, "Elder Nalan, you know how formidable Branding Iron Poison is, do you not?"

My father gave a bitter laugh. "I truly did not know much about it before. I only heard the Alchemy Elder explain it yesterday. It is said that many Dou Emperors have died from Branding Iron Poison."

Gu He nodded and rose to his feet. "That is why I cannot guarantee anything. I can only do my best."

Joy appeared on my father's face. "As long as Mr. Gu He is willing to act, that is enough. Whatever Mr. Gu He requires, the Nalan Family will give its full cooperation!"

As one of the Three Great Families of the Gamma Empire, a promise from the Nalan Family was enough to excite countless people. Yet Gu He's expression remained calm. He simply waved a hand and said he needed to prepare a few things.

A short while later, Gu He and Liu Ling returned to the hall. My father exchanged a few pleasantries with Gu He, and the four of us left the residence.

My father still rode in the carriage, and Liu Ling climbed into Gu He's carriage as well. Only I still had to ride a horse. I rather hated riding horses. It was mainly because of the jolting, and because I had to spend mental effort controlling the horse. How could that compare to lying comfortably in a carriage?

After a bumpy journey, we returned to the Nalan Residence and headed straight for the courtyard where the Old Man lived.

This courtyard was not as refined or luxurious as mine. It was rugged and imposing, much like the Old Man himself.

"Nalan Dong, you dare curse me to death? See if I don't beat you to death!"

The instant I stepped into the courtyard, I heard that furious roar. I bared my teeth. The Old Man truly had a violent temper. And the Nalan Dong he mentioned was the Alchemy Elder. Apparently, the Alchemy Elder had been staying here since yesterday, trying to treat the Old Man...

My father also looked embarrassed. After offering Gu He an apologetic smile, he hurried toward the depths of the courtyard. I followed close behind and saw two old men glaring at each other in a pavilion, hurling angry insults back and forth!

"Nalan Jie, you... you... bastard! Just die already! I have had enough of you. I'm not treating you anymore!"

The Alchemy Elder, Nalan Dong, was so furious that his goatee nearly stood on end, his entire face flushed red. Nalan Dong was highly senior, from my grandfather's generation, and also a Fifth-Rank Alchemist. He truly did not fear Nalan Jie. After speaking, he turned to leave.

How could my father let things continue like this? He hurried forward and tried to mediate between them. Unfortunately, before these two Old Guys, he was only from the generation of their sons. Instead, he got a thorough scolding from both old men...

Naturally, I shrank off to the side. In this situation, if someone from the grandchildren's generation like me stepped forward, I would simply be asking to be cursed at!

"Hehe, why must you two go this far? Quarreling like this in front of your children and grandchildren—aren't you afraid of losing face?"

A hearty laugh rang out. It was Gu He. Dressed in pale white robes, he walked forward with an unhurried expression and smiled at the two elders.

The two elders paused. After giving Gu He slight nods of acknowledgment, Nalan Jie burst into laughter. "Mr. Gu He has arrived! It is all because of that old fool. He has eaten for decades, yet he is still useless. He cannot cure my poison because he is incompetent, then says I am doomed to die... Hehe, isn't he asking to be beaten?"

At once, Nalan Dong's face turned scarlet. Pointing at Nalan Jie, he shouted, "Isn't it because you refused to cooperate with my examination? If you had cooperated properly, I might have found a solution long ago!"

"Bah!"

Without another word, Nalan Jie spat a mouthful of saliva at Nalan Dong! Nalan Dong jumped in fright and quickly dodged aside, then pointed at Nalan Jie and started cursing again!

Nalan Jie did not care in the slightest. Instead, he smugly retorted, "I let you examine me for an entire day, and you still didn't come up with a solution, did you?"

He then looked at Gu He and said with a smile, "Now that Mr. Gu He is here, come, take a look at me. How should this poison of mine be cured?"

Gu He hurriedly shook his head. "Old Clan Leader Nalan, Branding Iron Poison is troublesome. I may not necessarily be able to remove it. I can only do my best and try."

Nalan Jie did not mind. He cast a sidelong glance at someone and said, "That is still better than certain people!"

The veins on Nalan Dong's forehead bulged with anger, but he could not say anything. After all, he really was no match for Gu He. He even slowly edged closer to Gu He, wanting to see how this Sixth-Rank Alchemist would deal with the Branding Iron Poison that had left him helpless.

Seeing an opportunity, my father hurried forward to mediate again. At last, the atmosphere in the courtyard improved somewhat...

Liu Ling went to assist Gu He, leaving me as what seemed like the only idle person in the entire courtyard. Shaking my head, I headed for the kitchen, intending to personally keep an eye on the tea and pastries... Was serving tea and pouring water all I was fit for now?

When I arrived at the kitchen and took a look around, I found that the steward here managed things quite well. Once again, I had nothing to do. Feeling somewhat irritated, I returned to wait beside the pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, Gu He was examining the Old Man. I could not make sense of it, so I could only wait. Yet as time passed, I noticed Gu He's brow furrowing more deeply, his silence growing heavier, and the atmosphere in the pavilion becoming increasingly tense and solemn.

Affected by that atmosphere, I even slowed my breathing, watching carefully. But my heart grew heavier as well. Judging by the situation before me, I was afraid Gu He would not be able to cure the Old Man either...

After a long while, so long that Gu He's forehead was covered in sweat, he finally stopped. Following a moment of silence, he said, "Old Clan Leader Nalan, I have gained a preliminary understanding of this Branding Iron Poison and have roughly devised a pill recipe. Once I return and refine this Antidote Pill, it may be able to cure the Branding Iron Poison."

My father's face filled with joy. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he said, "That is wonderful! Mr. Gu He truly deserves to be called a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. You even have a solution for Branding Iron Poison. May I ask what medicinal ingredients this pill requires? The Nalan Family will definitely gather them all."

Gu He's expression turned solemn. He glanced at my father, then looked toward Nalan Dong and Nalan Jie. Shaking his head, he said, "This Branding Iron Poison... is truly difficult to deal with. Even my pill may not be able to cure it. Most likely, it can only suppress it."

"To eradicate Branding Iron Poison completely is difficult, difficult!"

My father froze, finding it hard to believe. Even the Pill King had said the word "difficult" twice? He was not an alchemist, nor was he the one poisoned, so for a moment, he could not imagine that such a terrifying poison existed in this world.

But Nalan Dong and Nalan Jie understood. Nalan Dong sighed, his expression difficult to read. Perhaps he was secretly pleased that the Pill King, renowned throughout Gamma, had finally encountered something that stumped him? Or perhaps he was lamenting that his old brother, with whom he had grown up and who had shaken the Gamma Empire with his name, might actually die from poison?

Nalan Jie, however, took it in stride. He laughed heartily and said, "I believe in Mr. Gu He. Then I will trouble Mr. Gu He to put effort into refining the pill for me! This favor, I will not forget."

Gu He departed with Liu Ling. Nalan Jie and Nalan Dong, mindful of their status, only escorted them to the courtyard gate. My father and I saw them all the way to the main gate of the Nalan Residence.

I watched the carriage carrying Gu He depart, and all hope had already vanished from my heart. Just as in my memories, Gu He simply had no way to treat Branding Iron Poison. Only an Exotic Flame could cure it!

I could not help looking northeast. Thousands of miles away lay the Tagor Desert, where the Exotic Flame known as the "Azure Lotus Core Flame" could be found! But...

I lowered my head and murmured, "It is not time yet. I must wait, wait until I have enough strength to control an Exotic Flame, wait until... Medusa Queen evolves!"