Challenge Nalan Yanran

After seeing Gu He off, my father still had matters to attend to, so I returned to the courtyard alone.

"Azure Lotus Core Flame, Azure Lotus Core Flame..."

I lowered my head and muttered to myself. The Azure Lotus Core Flame was truly difficult to obtain. How was I supposed to snatch it from the tiger's den and wolf's lair? And after taking it, how was I supposed to refine such a powerful Exotic Flame?

I didn't know. I didn't understand. I knew nothing! That was why I was so frustrated—so frustrated that... I wanted to chop Xiao Yan down with one stroke of my sword and directly seek refuge with Hun Tiandi!

"Giggle, giggle, giggle..."

A burst of crisp, familiar laughter suddenly rang out ahead. I looked up and realized that I had already returned to the courtyard.

Inside, seven or eight children ran around the pavilion and corridors, chasing one another past the stone tables and flowers, laughing and shouting without end.

When they saw me enter, the children fell silent. Then a startled cry rang out—it was Sun Er. The little girl had lost her coldness from that morning and rushed over to me. "Brother, why did you only just get back?!"

The other little ones also crowded around me, chattering noisily as they demanded that I continue yesterday's story.

They said that human joys and sorrows were never shared. I thought that saying was right. Like now, I couldn't empathize with their happiness and anticipation. All I found was that they were noisy.

I swept my gaze over them and harshly scolded them, driving them away. Then I looked at Nalan Sun, whose eyes were red and on the verge of tears, and barked, "All you know how to do is play! Go back and cultivate already!"

As though it were the last straw that broke the camel's back, Nalan Sun burst into tears. She pointed at me with her little hand and cursed me twice before turning and running deeper into the courtyard.

I paid her no mind. Back in my room, I sat cross-legged and calmed my mind, preparing to cultivate. Suddenly, I remembered something and took out a Scroll from my Ring of Holding—the Seven Coloured Poison Scripture!

Poison Masters were an unorthodox profession on the Dou Qi Continent, never... rarely seen, which meant poison scriptures were rare as well. I casually flipped it open and saw methods for brewing all kinds of poisons recorded within—as well as methods for curing them!

Branding Iron Poison was poison too. Perhaps this poison scripture could offer the Alchemy Elder and Gu He some guidance? Maybe it would help them find a way to cure Old Man!

Excitement surged through me. I no longer had any mind to cultivate and charged out of my room. I ran into Nalan Sun in the corridor. Her eyes were still red, and the moment she saw me, she hurriedly turned her back to me. I had no time to bother with her and circulated my Dou Qi, sprinting all the way to the Alchemy Elder's residence.

The moment I entered the hall, I saw that aside from the Alchemy Elder, there were two other figures, one old and one young. The old one was a scruffy old man. The younger one wore a flowing moon-white dress, with a graceful figure and cold, beautiful features. It was actually Nalan Yanran?!

Only after I greeted the Alchemy Elder did I hear his introduction. That scruffy old man was actually Zeng Li, an elder of the Yun Lan Sect—and a Fifth-Rank Alchemist as well!

My heart tightened. No wonder Nalan Yanran had only returned now. She had gone to invite this Fifth-Rank Alchemist!

I looked at Nalan Yanran and said with a smile, "Yanran Jie."

Nalan Yanran nodded at me. Only then did I notice her faintly furrowed brows and worried expression... Was she concerned for her grandfather?

I gave her a deep look, then bowed to the two elders. "Alchemy Elder, Elder Zeng, when I was in the Monster Mountain Range, I happened to obtain a poison scripture. It may be of some help to Old Man's condition."

The moment Nalan Dong heard this, his eyes lit up. He stepped forward, snatched the Scroll from my hand, and carefully opened it. "It really is a poison scripture! And one this old man has never seen before. It might truly benefit that old fellow Nalan Jie's condition!"

I chuckled. "As long as it helps, as long as it helps. Xiao Ye doesn't understand medicine, so this is all I can do."

Immediately, Zeng Li also became interested and stepped forward to study the poison scripture alongside Nalan Dong.

Seeing that I had nothing to do, I looked around, my gaze falling on Nalan Yanran, who stood alone. I walked over and said gently, "Yanran Jie, there's nothing we can help with here. Why don't we go outside and avoid disturbing the two elders?"

Nalan Yanran gave me a reluctant smile and lightly nodded, following me out of the hall.

Walking beside such a beauty, I found myself a little excited, my heart thumping wildly. I tried hard to suppress my excitement and did not go far, merely finding a nearby pavilion to sit in. I also had a Maidservant bring tea and pastries.

Once we were seated, I took a sip of the fine tea to moisten my throat and asked, "Yanran Jie, have you been well recently?"

Nalan Yanran's expression turned cold again. She nodded, then shook her head. "I've been well enough. It's just... earlier, I went to see Grandfather. He was very unhappy and even drove me out."

I knew Nalan Jie was angry over Nalan Yanran breaking off the engagement, but how could that engagement possibly not be broken off? I gave a bitter smile and sighed inwardly. No one in Battle Through the Heavens suffers more than Yanran Jie!

I comforted her, "Yanran Jie, you don't need to take this matter too much to heart. The engagement has already been broken off. Is Old Man going to put it back together? After some time, he'll let it go."

Nalan Yanran nodded. When she looked at me, a trace of a smile appeared on her face, like an iceberg melting and clear snowmelt watering the grasslands. It left me feeling utterly refreshed.

Her crimson lips parted slightly. "You've also put much effort into Grandfather's matter. I hope that poison scripture can help his condition."

I came back to my senses, the corners of my mouth lifting into a smile. "Yanran Jie, since I've helped, shouldn't you reward me a little?"

Nalan Yanran was startled, then nodded. With a turn of her jade-like hand, a half-body armor appeared in her palm. "This armor is made from the scales of a fourth-tier magical beast, the Tin Fish. Its defensive power is not weak. Your strength is still low, so it will make you much safer."

I was stunned for a long while, looking at the half-body armor without knowing what to say.

With a bitter smile, I accepted the armor and put it into my Ring of Holding. "Yanran Jie, this isn't what I wanted. I've recently encountered a problem in cultivation. I've been stuck at the seventh stage of Dou Qi and cannot break through, so I wanted to ask you for some guidance."

Nalan Yanran nodded without refusing. She immediately began asking about my situation in detail. Fortunately, I had cultivated often recently and had built some foundation. As we exchanged questions and answers, our conversation went rather pleasantly.

Moreover, Nalan Yanran truly lived up to her reputation as a genius. After guiding me for a while, I gained much from it. I clasped my hands and bowed. "Listening to Yanran Jie's words has surpassed three years of my cultivation."

At that, Nalan Yanran could not help laughing. She simply shook her head without speaking.

At that moment, a Maidservant came to invite us to lunch. It was hosted by Nalan Chong, the Alchemy Elder's son and a clansman of my father's generation.

Yanran Jie and I went over. The meal was ordinary enough. Both Yanran Jie and I had high status—I was an elder's son, while Yanran Jie was the clan leader's daughter—so Nalan Chong did not dare neglect us and remained very cordial throughout.

However, neither Nalan Dong nor Zeng Li was present at the table. When I asked, Nalan Chong shook his head. "Father and Elder Zeng have become engrossed in studying that poison scripture and went to the alchemy room. How could they be willing to waste time eating? I've already sent food over to them."

After lunch, Yanran Jie and I went to the alchemy room to check on Nalan Dong and Zeng Li. Who would have thought that the two elders were like mad scientists, arguing until their faces were red and their necks thick as they continuously reasoned through medicinal formulas? They could not be bothered with us at all.

Yanran Jie and I took a look, then left helplessly. The moment we stepped out of the alchemy room, I suddenly felt as though a weight had lifted from my heart. Blue skies, white clouds, pavilions, and towers were far better than the oppressive atmosphere inside the alchemy room.

I looked at Nalan Yanran. Her moon-white dress fluttered in the breeze, her dark hair drifting with the wind, while her face remained cold and serene. For no reason, my heart trembled. After a dry cough, I suggested, "Yanran Jie, how about we have a spar?"

Nalan Yanran's delicate brows furrowed slightly. There was not a trace of disdain in her eyes as she looked at me; she merely said seriously, "You are not my opponent."

A wave of indignation and anger rose in my heart. Though Nalan Yanran was telling the truth, a seventh-stage Dou Qi practitioner like me had no chance of defeating a Three-Star Fighter!

But I was still furious. Looking at Nalan Yanran's calm and composed expression, I couldn't stop myself from wanting to knock her down, and then, and then...

"Cough!"

I coughed dryly and tried to suppress my indignation and other thoughts. "Yanran Jie, compared to your true strength, I'm naturally no match for you. So... you can suppress your strength to the seventh stage of Dou Qi and spar with me."

I shamelessly voiced this shameless suggestion. Fortunately, Nalan Yanran had a calm temperament and did not argue. She merely nodded lightly in agreement.

Joy filled my heart, and I was brimming with excitement. I was inferior to Nalan Yanran in cultivation, but in actual combat... Had Nalan Yanran ever fought anyone before?

As for me, I had ventured deep into the Monster Mountain Range and boldly slain more than a dozen first-tier magical beasts... Who knew when I had killed more than a dozen first-tier magical beasts? When I told Sun Er yesterday, I had only killed a few... But that was unimportant. What mattered was that I had truly seen blood.

After finding a larger open space and calling over several guards to clear the area, Nalan Yanran and I stood ten paces apart, facing one another from afar. The battle was about to begin!

"Yanran Jie, here I come!"

I gave a low shout and quickly approached Nalan Yanran in short steps, my footing steady and ready to react at any moment.

But I had clearly worried too much. Nalan Yanran merely stood quietly where she was. I rushed before her and threw a straight punch! Suddenly, Nalan Yanran's body swayed, and with strange footwork, she darted around behind me, evading my attack while driving her right elbow hard into my back.

I staggered. Once I regained my footing, I spun around and shouted angrily, "Yanran Jie, you cheated! How can you use a Dou Technique?!"

Dou Techniques could only be used by Fighters. Since we had agreed to suppress our strength to the Dou Qi stage, how could she use a Dou Technique? Could it be that even the lofty Nalan Yanran would break her word? My anger grew even greater!

Nalan Yanran's expression remained calm. She shook her head without explaining at all and merely said softly, "Continue."

Before her words had even faded, Nalan Yanran moved again and attacked me!

Her pale fists came at me like raindrops, covered in an extremely thin layer of Dou Qi starlight. I hurriedly circulated my Dou Qi to defend myself. Only then did I realize in shock that the Dou Qi within my body was unfamiliar in motion and difficult to control as easily as my limbs. I was suppressed for a time and took several punches.

I also discovered that Nalan Yanran did not press her advantage. She often stopped her attacks to let me adjust my state! This discovery only made me more furious. With a low shout, I disregarded everything and launched a frantic assault.

But Nalan Yanran's footwork was nimble, dancing like a butterfly. I could not even touch the hem of her clothes. Instead, she seized an opening and swept me to the ground with one kick!

I lay on the ground, utterly furious. Nalan Yanran had already suppressed her strength, yet I still couldn't defeat her?

I raised my head angrily. Suddenly, a breeze rose from the tips of the green duckweed, gently lifting Nalan Yanran's skirt. I subconsciously muttered, "Blue and white?"