Agreement

Batna was the largest market district in Jia Ma Holy City. With people constantly coming and going every day, all sorts of individuals gathered there. Thus, it was located on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

Liuli and Xiao Yan spent nearly an hour getting from the plaza to this area.

Thousands of shops scattered across more than a dozen streets formed the main body of the market district. People streamed through it without end. Even though the streets of Jia Ma Holy City were quite broad, the place still felt incredibly crowded.

Xiao Yan followed behind Liuli, his eyes fixed on her pink hair as he pondered silently.

He had spent so long making his way in the outside world and had seen too much of society's treachery and humanity's darkness. Therefore, he was instinctively wary of anyone he did not know. What was more, this Young Girl was inexplicably so familiar with him and deliberately or unconsciously showed him goodwill. Xiao Yan could not make heads or tails of it, and it only made him more vigilant.

Could she possibly be interested in me...?

Xiao Yan hurriedly shook his head. Though he had some confidence in his appearance, he knew perfectly well that he possessed no qualities capable of making an exceptionally beautiful woman fall for him at first sight.

Just as Xiao Yan was thinking, Liuli turned around with a beaming smile. Pointing at a building, she said to him, "Shall we look around together, or together?"

Seeing her like this, Xiao Yan sighed softly.

Forget it. No need to overthink it. At least for now, this girl really doesn't seem to mean me any harm.

"Since we're already here, let's take a look around together," Xiao Yan said helplessly.

Liuli nodded, then quietly stepped behind Xiao Yan and gave him a light push.

"What is it?" Xiao Yan asked.

"You're from the Jia Ma Empire. You can't expect me to lead the way, can you?" Liuli blinked innocently, her face not reddening in the slightest.

The meaning behind her words was obvious: she did not know the way, so he should lead!

Xiao Yan had no answer for her. Shaking his head slightly, he said, "Miss, this is my first time in Jia Ma Holy City too."

Although the Xiao Family had not yet moved away from the Imperial Capital when he was very young, he could barely even walk properly back then. How could he possibly remember the city's layout?

"Markets in the same empire should all be laid out more or less the same, right? Don't tell me Mr. Yan Xiao has never been to a city?" Liuli giggled.

"Fine, I'll lead." Xiao Yan shrugged and strode into the market district.

After wandering around and visiting over a dozen shops that sold Medicine Cauldrons, Xiao Yan finally set his sights on a Third-tier Medicine Cauldron with four fire ports.

The owner opened with a price of five Fourth-tier Magical Cores, stunning both Liuli and Xiao Yan. A single Fourth-tier Magical Core was a core ingredient for Fourth-grade or even Fifth-grade Pills. Its market value was usually over 200,000 Gold Coins, equivalent to a Profound Tier Low Grade cultivation technique.

A Third-tier Medicine Cauldron was worth at most 500,000 Gold Coins. The owner's goods might have been good, but the man himself was truly ruthless.

After nearly ten minutes of "pleasant" negotiation, the owner finally compromised and asked for two Fourth-tier Magical Cores. Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, took out several Magical Cores he had been saving for a rainy day, paid the price, and obtained the treasured cauldron.

Liuli watched the entire process. Though she felt that Xiao Yan had still overpaid, she did not stop him.

With the competition underway, every auction house in the Holy City had closed. This Third-tier Medicine Cauldron could be said to be the best-quality one available for purchase outside.

Although the third round required contestants to prepare their own ingredients and refine their own pills, Fa Ma would summon Xiao Yan tonight and entrust him with refining the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill. The ingredients and such would certainly be prepared as well. This expense would not affect Xiao Yan's competition.

He only hoped this Medicine Cauldron could withstand the terrifying energy of two kinds of Heavenly Flames and one beast flame!

After buying the Medicine Cauldron, Xiao Yan was dragged by Liuli to scour other places for treasures. Though he had a protagonist beside her, one could not stumble upon fortuitous opportunities every time one went shopping.

After the whole trip, they found nothing. Liuli's only purchase was candied hawthorn, and she generously gave Xiao Yan a skewer as well.

The sky had mostly darkened. The lingering glow of sunset had turned orange-red and been squeezed into one corner by the night, leaving only scattered stars beginning to adorn the night sky.

"Miss Gongsun, let's call it a day," Xiao Yan said to Liuli beside him after putting the last hawthorn into his mouth, crunching it up, and swallowing it.

Although he had enjoyed strolling around with such a pretty girl, he still needed to make some adjustments tonight and suppress the Brand Poison within his body. It was time to head back.

"Come somewhere else with me," Liuli said, tilting her head at him with a mysterious smile.

"This..." Xiao Yan was somewhat speechless. He had already accompanied her for nearly two hours.

Liuli shook the candied hawthorn skewer in her hand, then pointed at the bamboo skewer in Xiao Yan's hand.

Xiao Yan sighed and nodded.

The two left Jia Ma Holy City, used their Dou Qi, and swiftly arrived atop a cliff. From there, they could clearly see the entirety of a corner of the Imperial Capital's western district.

"Well? The view here is nice, isn't it?" Liuli sat at the edge of the cliff, swinging her little feet as she spoke to Xiao Yan, who stood beside her.

Xiao Yan did not answer. He merely raised his head and gazed into the distance. His eyes remained fixed on the north of the Imperial Capital, where a majestic mountain range lay like a crouching giant dragon. Its main peak pierced straight into the clouds, its summit impossible to see.

"Is there something over there?" Liuli asked when she saw Xiao Yan staring so intently, though she understood what the youth was thinking.

"The Misty Cloud Sect," Xiao Yan said calmly.

"That strongest sect faction in the Jia Ma Empire?" Liuli asked in feigned surprise. "Judging by Mr. Yan Xiao's grave expression, do you have some grudge against them?"

"Heh, there have been a few minor conflicts." Xiao Yan nodded. After spending this time with the Young Girl, his guard toward her had lessened somewhat.

"No wonder. So that's why Yan Xiao always looks so cold whenever he sees Nalan Yanran. It must be because she is a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect, right?" Liuli nodded and lightly bit into a candied hawthorn. Beside her, a bundle of straw had been planted in the ground, covered in candied hawthorn skewers.

Xiao Yan smiled. A trace of gloom flashed through his eyes, accompanied by a hint of confusion.

"Can you tell me about it? I can ask my Aunt to step in! It would be easy for her to settle this matter for you." Liuli looked up at him, the corners of her lips curving upward.

Xiao Yan shook his head. His gaze gradually turned resolute as he firmly refused, "I appreciate Miss Gongsun's kindness, but I must settle this matter myself. Besides, there will be a result very soon."

"After the Alchemist Competition?"

"Yes. Once the Alchemist Competition ends and I rest up for a while, I'll climb the Misty Cloud Sect." Xiao Yan answered.

Although saying this to the Young Girl might expose Yan Xiao as his false identity, he no longer wished to keep hiding it. Once the Three Year Agreement began, everyone would know that the genius Alchemist Yan Xiao was Xiao Yan!

"Will you be going alone?" Liuli asked again.

Xiao Yan nodded.

Hai Bodong would be invited as a guest to watch. Though he would lend a hand at a critical moment, he would not accompany Xiao Yan on the climb up the mountain.

"With the nature of a major sect like that, they won't let Mr. Yan Xiao climb the mountain so easily," Liuli said, burning the finished candied hawthorn skewer in her hand to ash with flames that sprang forth, which the wind from the mountaintop scattered away.

"If they won't let me, I'll force my way through!" Xiao Yan said nonchalantly. Most Misty Cloud Sect disciples were Dou Shi or Da Dou Shi. If they blocked his path, he could simply spread his Purple Cloud Wings and easily go around them.

As for those elders Above Dou Wang, they were all being watched. There was no way they would lower themselves to stop him.

Liuli gave a soft laugh, tidied her pink hair blown by the wind, and smiled. "How about this? I'll go up the mountain with you."

Xiao Yan was startled. His gaze shifted from the distant mountain range as he lowered his head to look at Liuli beside him.

The Young Girl also raised her head slightly. Her fair face was filled with a smile, but her clear violet-blue eyes were full of seriousness.

"I've been cooped up in Jia Nan Academy for too long. I want to stretch my legs and go on an adventure," Liuli said softly, her tone carrying a faint trace of pleading.

To accompany the protagonist she had admired since childhood on a long-awaited adventure!

Xiao Yan stared blankly into her eyes for a moment, but he quickly recovered and answered the Young Girl's wish. "As long as you're not afraid of trouble, you're welcome anytime!"

Liuli's eyes flickered. Then she closed them and nodded.

Just then, an abrupt voice rang out. "After saying so many sweet words, shouldn't you two stop already?"

Xiao Yan suddenly turned around and saw a Black Robes slowly emerge from the shadows.