Supreme Alchemy

As the mask cracked, revealing the girl's eyes, her true voice was also revealed.

Xiao Nian's headbutt clearly damaged the voice-changing device under her mask.

So...

If someone from the Nightless Sky Family were here, they would be able to identify the girl in front of them based solely on the tone and voice of her voice just now.

The Nightless Sky Fire Apricot.

Unfortunately, neither Xiao Nian nor Joe Solence had much contact with Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, and their voice recognition alchemy device's database did not include Nightless Sky Fire Apricot's voiceprint characteristics.

However, the timbre of this voice still conveyed a lot of information.

"You're younger than I expected. I thought you might be some old woman pretending to be young, given your alchemical Alchemy, but judging from your voice, you're completely immature," Xiao Nian said, staring at Nightless Sky Fire Apricot. "Although I don't know who sent you... making a child do this is truly an evil adult."

After all...

In the City That Never Sleeps, one's apparent age can be faked through Alchemy Surgery. Although it is very expensive and limits the effectiveness of Alchemical Prosthetic implants, there are always Noble who will spend a lot of money to do it.

If one masters the Alchemy of the Life Spectrum, even an old woman in her fifties or sixties can look like little girl.

However, while Alchemy can make a person's skin smooth, face youthful, and hair thick and shiny, it cannot conceal changes in one's voice.

Therefore... after the voice of Huo Nightless Sky Fire Apricot lost its clear and powerful tone, Neng Xiao Nian immediately made a judgment.

"You... you shouldn't be over 20 years old, right?"

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot looked at Xiao Nian and burst out laughing.

"Really, I'm already a mother of two!"

Although the two were exchanging pleasantries in a relaxed manner, their hands continued moving without stopping for a moment.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The Metal Grappling Claw was pulled back and then knocked away; the Alchemy Blade slashed down but was deflected...

In the ensuing close-quarters combat, both sides were now covered in wounds, their blood mingling with the alchemical liquid within the Alchemy Component, reflecting a dazzling array of colors under the shimmering crystal chandelier.

"Bang!"

Xiao Nian landed another heavy punch on Nightless Sky Fire Apricot's cheek, cracking her mask and producing a cheerful "Nightless Sky Fire Apricot -ha" sound effect.

"You're much more capable than I imagined, Count Arase Nian —no wonder you were able to thwart an attack by an entire Great Wilderness Tribe Great Wilderness save Joe Solence back then!"

The lower half of the mask shattered, revealing the already bluish corners of Nightless Sky Fire Apricot's mouth.

Xiao Nian shook his right fist, revealing blood dripping from his knuckles, and sighed again, "There really aren't many young people in the City That Never Sleeps who can reach your level... You must be an extremely talented young person from Royal Nobles — Qiu Xinliu? Greedo Mercury? Nightless Sky Huo Ming? Sheng Lanzhi?"

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot reached out and grabbed Xiao Nian's injured hand. "All Error, Qiu Xinliu is busy lately, Greedo is not that powerful, Nightless Sky Huo Ming will be over twenty years old by tomorrow morning, and Sheng Lanzhi is over 1.9 meters tall -- why don't you guess the Solence Family?"

"The Solence Family won't bother with me... mainly because there aren't any who meet the requirements," Xiao Nian's Alchemy Blade flicked out from between his fingers, piercing through the palm of Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, but the other party also snapped her wrist with a crack while bracing against the blade. "It's alright, I'll know your identity when I catch you."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot laughed again, "You still want to catch me? You'd better think about how not to be caught by me first, Miss Count!"

As she spoke, she pulled a silver whistle out from under her tongue and blew a sharp whistle.

"Call out--!"

The whistle echoed throughout the vast, enclosed space, and from beneath the cracks in the floor, it once again emanated...

A tidal wave of wild beasts!

However, these wild beasts are still not specimens, not Dead Thing, but...

Gray, round, and lively Raccoon!

About seventy or eighty Raccoon ran out from under the floor and immediately formed a small encirclement, surrounding Nightless Sky Fire Apricot and Xiao Nian.

Then...

The Raccoon, in perfect unison, pulled out various alchemical firearms and loaded Tranquilizer Dart and tranquilizer needles into the differently shaped guns.

"Open the safety, get ready—release!"

As the words of the Nightless Sky Fire Apricot were spoken, the Raccoon pulled the trigger!

Gunfire erupted continuously, and hundreds of bullets and syringes flew towards Xiao Nian!

"Buzz--!"

Xiao Nian had no choice but to minimize the energy consumption of his Alchemy Component and focus all his energy on the Alchemy Shield, using the energy released by the Alchemy Shield to block the first volley of fire.

Bullets and needles were deflected by the shield's energy projectiles and clattered to the ground.

"Comrade Good Night was Xi Ba right, there really are terrifying Raccoon," Xiao Nian muttered, looking at the well-trained Raccoon. "Is this your trump card? It's almost like a joke..."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot laughed – Xiao Nian in front of her was now in a weakened state due to the outburst just now, and his movements had become much slower.

"Yeah, that's my trump card... Seriously, isn't it working?"

Xiao Nian let out a breath and looked around at the Raccoon guns that had been reloaded and raised.

"Indeed, indeed... but compared to my 'trump card,' it's probably a little weaker."

The Xiao Nian spoke in a low voice, and then...

She lightly tapped the floor with her toes, stepping into the alchemical waste mixed with blood in the depression beneath her feet.

"Sorry, Joe—please don't report me next, okay?"

As he spoke, a bright, orange-red flame emerged from the spot at Xiao Nian's toes, above the pool of alchemical waste...

Although it was just a tiny flame, it was enough to make Huo Xing, an Alchemy Master of the Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, change her expression instantly.

"This is unbelievable... Supreme Alchemy! Retreat! Retreat! Everyone retreat!"

"This is the Solence Family's Supreme Alchemy Universal Creation Energy —Joe Solence, you've passed on the Supreme Alchemy?!"

Upon hearing the shouts of the Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, the Raccoon immediately burrowed back under the floorboards.

Then came Joe Solence's confused and annoyed voice from the other end.

"Bullshit! You Assassin, I don't even know Supreme Alchemy myself, how dare you teach me!"

"Smack!"

Joe Solence's words were interrupted by a sharp, cracking sound.

Then...

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

A series of rapid explosions filled the air, followed by bursts of tiny sparks.

Soon, the entire enclosed space was engulfed in a vast sea of fire!