Wild Imagination

The calm voice rang out in the silent room, every word striking clearly against Nalan Yanran's heart.

Nalan Yanran shuddered and instantly came back to her senses.

She forcefully suppressed the raging turmoil in her heart, drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to Xuan Jin in the highest salute a junior could offer a senior.

"Junior Nalan Yanran did not know Master Xuan was present. I was disrespectful on the mountain road earlier. Please forgive me, Master!"

Ge Ye came to his senses as well and hurriedly followed with a bow, his voice trembling beyond recognition.

"Junior Ge Ye failed in his discipline and offended Master. My crime deserves death! Please punish me, Master!"

Xuan Jin waved a hand.

"Let this matter end here. Consider it a favor to Ya Fei."

He spoke lightly, yet those words stirred entirely different waves in the hearts of the three people present.

Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran both sighed in relief, grateful that he had not pursued the matter.

As for Ya Fei, immense delight surged through her heart.

The young master was backing her up, elevating her status!

Before the Young Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, he had said he was doing it as a favor to her.

Once word of this spread, her standing within the Mite'er Family—and even throughout the Jia Ma Empire—would soar!

As she looked at Xuan Jin's profile, her respectful gaze gained several traces of heartfelt admiration.

"Thank you, Young Master."

Ya Fei spoke softly and stepped forward to refill Xuan Jin's tea, her movements natural and intimate.

Watching this, Nalan Yanran felt a complicated mix of emotions.

She recalled how, back in the Imperial Capital, Sister Ya Fei had been adept at dealing with all kinds of people. She moved among countless powerful and wealthy men, yet always kept herself above reproach, never allowing anyone to truly approach her.

And now, she was displaying such an attitude toward a young man.

Nalan Yanran steadied herself and spoke again, lowering her stance even further this time.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Master. Yanran came this time to represent the Misty Cloud Sect in inviting you to become a Guest Elder of our sect."

She looked at Xuan Jin, her tone sincere.

"The Misty Cloud Sect is willing to offer you the highest standard of hospitality. All cultivation resources within the sect, including cultivation methods, combat techniques, and medicinal ingredients, shall be at your disposal."

"If Master has any requests, so long as the Misty Cloud Sect can fulfill them, we will not refuse!"

Those were no light promises.

As the foremost sect in the Jia Ma Empire, the Misty Cloud Sect had already shown its utmost sincerity by making such an offer.

Ge Ye nodded repeatedly from the side. If they could invite such a young Sixth Grade Alchemist back to the sect, it would be an enormous merit!

Yet after hearing him out, Xuan Jin merely shook his head lightly.

He lifted his teacup, blew on the steam, and spoke a few words.

"The Jia Ma Empire is too small."

The Jia Ma Empire was too small.

Those six words were like a heavy hammer smashing brutally into Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye's hearts.

The foremost sect of the Jia Ma Empire, in which they took such pride, had received nothing more than the assessment: "too small."

What grandeur—and what arrogance!

Yet they could not refute him.

A Sixth Grade Alchemist so young possessed immeasurable potential. The tiny Jia Ma Empire truly could not contain him.

For the first time, defeat showed on Nalan Yanran's face.

All her pride, all her advantages, became worthless before this black-robed young man.

Xuan Jin seemed to have no interest in saying anything further to them.

"Ya Fei."

"Young Master, I am here," Ya Fei immediately answered.

"See them out."

Xuan Jin gave the order indifferently, then ignored them and continued savoring his tea.

"Yes, Young Master."

Ya Fei gave Xuan Jin a graceful bow, then turned toward Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye, her professional smile returning to her face.

"Sister Yanran, Elder Ge Ye, this way, please."

Nalan Yanran bit her lip, but in the end, she bowed once more toward Xuan Jin's back.

"Then... Yanran will not disturb Master any longer."

With that, she turned and walked out of the room.

Ge Ye hurriedly hauled up the unconscious disciple on the floor and followed after her in a disheveled rush.

Ya Fei gently closed the door.

Xuan Jin set down his teacup and walked to the window, watching Nalan Yanran's group flee in a panic below.

"The Misty Cloud Sect..."

"The Three-Year Pact might be worth watching."

"Only..."

Ya Fei gently pulled the door shut, cutting off the inside from the outside.

Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye stood frozen in place, while the unconscious disciple behind them lay like a sack of goods.

Ge Ye's legs were still trembling. All he wanted now was to leave Wutan City immediately.

Leaning against the wall, Ge Ye spoke weakly.

"Young Sect Leader, we... we should leave quickly."

Nalan Yanran did not move.

She merely stood quietly, the hem of her moon-white dress fluttering faintly in the draft passing through the corridor.

Her usually cool face was now filled with shock, defeat, and an unfamiliar emotion she herself had yet to recognize.

After a long while, Nalan Yanran finally let out a breath.

"Elder Ge Ye, take Senior Brother back to the inn first."

Her voice had regained some of its composure.

"What about you, Young Sect Leader?" Ge Ye grew anxious.

"I will wait here for Sister Ya Fei."

Nalan Yanran's decision allowed no objection. Supporting herself against the railing, she looked down at the endless stream of people below Tianxiang Tower.

Ge Ye wanted to persuade her further, but when he saw Nalan Yanran's profile, the words at his lips were swallowed back down.

He could only drag the unconscious disciple away, practically scrambling out of Tianxiang Tower.

Only Nalan Yanran remained in the corridor.

Leaning against the cold wooden railing, her thoughts were in complete chaos.

A Sixth Grade Alchemist.

An unfathomably powerful expert.

A graceful young man.

Those three identities had somehow, unbelievably, gathered in a single person.

And she had actually wanted to recruit him on behalf of the Misty Cloud Sect?

The Jia Ma Empire was too small.

That calm sentence now echoed repeatedly in her ears, shattering all the pride she had once possessed.

So, before a truly vast world, the identity of the Young Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect was so insignificant.

After an unknown amount of time, a familiar fragrant breeze drifted over from behind her.

Ya Fei had arrived.

"Sister Yanran, why are you still here?"

Ya Fei wore a perfectly appropriate smile, though the undertone beneath it had already changed from before.

Nalan Yanran turned around and actually gave Ya Fei a slight bow.

"Sister Ya Fei, I would like to ask you about... the young master."

She cleverly changed the form of address.

The smile on Ya Fei's face deepened slightly as she reached out to support Nalan Yanran.

"Come. Let us sit in my room."

The top floor of the Miter Auction House.

Steam curled gently from the fragrant tea.

Nalan Yanran sat upright with a humble posture, like a junior visiting for the first time to seek guidance.

"Sister Ya Fei, that young master... who exactly is he?"

Ya Fei lifted her teacup and gently skimmed away the foam with its lid, her movements elegant.

"Sister Yanran, do you think this little pond called the Jia Ma Empire can raise a true dragon?"

Ya Fei did not answer directly, instead responding with a question.