Interlude 2

"No. Since I helped you win this championship, the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill formula naturally belongs to me!" Xiao Yan shifted his chair farther away from Fa Ma, whose face was currently twisted in agony.

After the competition ended, he sat in the plaza for nearly another four hours before completely absorbing the Crimson Firmament Spirit Pill's medicinal power, breaking through to the Da Dou Shi realm in one stroke.

The residual medicinal power from the two Fifth-grade Pills he had taken earlier was also fully stimulated by this catalyst. Many invisible old injuries left behind from his past travels and training were, fortunately, almost completely healed this time.

It could be said that he was now more refreshed and vigorous than ever before.

By the time his breakthrough was complete, night had already fallen. Led by a maid who had been waiting nearby, he arrived at the Alchemist Guild headquarters and entered one of Fa Ma's Elegant Chambers.

To his surprise, Fa Ma, Jia Xingtian, and Hai Bodong were already seated around a table, drinking tea. It was as if they had been waiting for him all along.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they sat down to discuss matters. Fa Ma immediately tried to get Xiao Yan to return the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill formula. That was what had led to the scene just now.

"Ahem, little brother Yan Xiao, haven't you already memorized the formula? Refining it in the future won't be a problem. Look, you didn't refine a single one of those four portions of medicinal ingredients, and I didn't ask for any of them back, did I?" Fa Ma earnestly persuaded him.

The main issue was that the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill formula was extremely difficult to reproduce, and Xiao Yan's copy was unique, capable of being examined with soul perception seven times. Fa Ma only wanted it back so that other members of the guild who made outstanding contributions could study it in the future.

"Yan Xiao, old Fa must have his reasons for doing this, and he'll definitely compensate you. Just do him a favor!" Hai Bodong interjected.

Fa Ma was instantly dumbfounded. When had he ever said he would offer compensation?

Xiao Yan glanced at Hai Bodong, who was signaling him with his eyes, then gave a light cough and said with feigned regret, "Since President Fa Ma wishes so strongly to take it back, Yan Xiao naturally would not dare refuse. President Fa Ma is even concerned that this junior might suffer a loss and is willing to give me some compensation. This junior thanks you once again!"

"You two... Sigh, forget it. Just consider this old man unlucky." Fa Ma was rendered speechless, but he still took out a Scroll and a medicinal ingredient from his Storage Ring.

"Oh my, old Fa, you're really bleeding heavily this time!" Jia Xingtian's eyes lit up at the sight of the medicinal ingredient Fa Ma had taken out, and he chuckled.

"Hmph! Enjoy yourself while you can! Next time you ask me for medicinal ingredients, I won't give you so much as a hair!" Fa Ma snorted coldly.

"This is... a Purple Patterned Cold Flower!" Xiao Yan's eyes immediately lit up after examining it.

"This is the formula for the Spirit Fusion Pill." Fa Ma lightly pushed the Scroll, sending it sliding before Xiao Yan. He then said earnestly, "This Purple Patterned Cold Flower is one of the main ingredients needed to refine the Spirit Fusion Pill, so I'll give it to you as well. Little fellow, this old man has yet to successfully refine this pill. I hope you'll let me see you refine it someday."

"This junior will certainly not disappoint the expectations of you seniors!" Xiao Yan rose to his feet, clasped his hands, and bowed. Then he took a Scroll from his Storage Ring and handed it to Fa Ma.

"Also, this is the Guild Honorary Elder Token. With it, you'll receive complete assistance from Alchemist Guild branches throughout the entire empire." With a flick of Fa Ma's finger, a purple Token drifted toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan nodded and put the Token, the Spirit Fusion Pill formula, and the Purple Patterned Cold Flower into his Storage Ring.

"That concludes the distribution of rewards. Are you staying here to have some tea with us old men, or are you heading back?" Fa Ma put away the Three-patterned Green Spirit Pill formula, sat properly once more, and took a sip of tea.

"Although the Alchemist Competition is over, the Imperial Capital is still lively. That little girl Yao Ye has organized another Celebration Banquet. Don't skip this one!" Jia Xingtian said with a smile.

Xiao Yan frowned slightly, clearly reluctant. The Imperial Capital was filled with tangled forces, and banquets like this usually became social gatherings for the children of noble families. He truly could not handle such situations.

"Hehe, I knew you wouldn't like it." Jia Xingtian shook his head helplessly at Xiao Yan's expression, but then said cheerfully, "However, after this Celebration Banquet, there'll be a large-scale Auction. Are you interested?"

That caught Xiao Yan's attention, and he asked, "Is there anything special about this Auction?"

"Countless capable people and unusual individuals have gathered in the Imperial Capital lately, along with a great many rare treasures. The Mite'er Family has not held an Auction for some time precisely because they wanted to use the momentum of the Alchemist Competition to hold them all together during this final stretch. And tonight's is the largest of them all." Hai Bodong thought for a moment, then added, "Oh, Ya Fei will be hosting it."

Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. Why did he need to emphasize that?

"Ahem, so I think you should go. Ya Fei looked over the auction list earlier, and there are a few items that may be useful to you." Hai Bodong coughed lightly and turned serious.

"Since you've put it that way, I'll make a trip there!" Xiao Yan nodded in agreement.

"Here, this is an Invitation Card for the VIP seats. Take it." Hai Bodong tossed him a black card.

"You aren't going?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"There are more petty villains in the Imperial Capital than just Wa Ke and Yan Li. Tonight, hehe!" Hai Bodong exchanged a meaningful smile with Fa Ma and Jia Xingtian.

"All right. Looks like the Imperial Capital is in for quite a stir tonight." Xiao Yan spread his hands and smiled as well.

The combined action of three Dou Emperors was enough power to overturn even a small kingdom in an instant!

"Go back. Oh, and there's something I want at this Auction as well. Keep an eye out for it. Someone will inform you when the time comes. Help me bid for it." Hai Bodong gave Xiao Yan another meaningful look.

Xiao Yan understood. Hai Bodong had found an ingredient needed to refine the Revival Purple Spirit Pill.

Hai Bodong stood up. Behind him, Dou Qi wings condensed from frost spread open, and even the air inside the room began to carry a trace of chill.

"Old fellows, it's time to go stretch our limbs!" He smiled faintly, and his body abruptly vanished, leaving behind only a blue afterimage.

"Hehe, we should be going too!" Jia Xingtian and Fa Ma exchanged smiles, and in the next moment, they too vanished.

Feeling the gust of wind stirred up by the three of them, Xiao Yan sighed softly, offering silent sympathy for the targets about to be dealt with.

In a space that resembled the Void, a massive Stone Platform stood tall. A white-robed man sat cross-legged atop it, his eyes closed in meditation.

Strands of wandering Dou Qi gathered toward him from every direction, mixed with a chilling silver energy that sent ripples through the entire space.

"Jie jie, I took a stroll outside just now. Tsk, tsk, tsk. There were actually several thousand Alchemists gathered in that Imperial Capital. I nearly couldn't resist making a move!" Just then, a mass of black mist slowly rose behind him and gradually gathered into a humanoid shape. An eerie laugh came from within the mist.

The white-robed man opened his eyes slightly, and the gathered Dou Qi instantly dispersed and vanished.

"You'd best not wander around outside too often in that form. Jia Xingtian is no easy opponent either. If he senses you, it could cause trouble." The white-robed man spoke softly, his tone neither sorrowful nor joyful.

"Even five Jia Xingtian wouldn't be my match. If I wanted him dead, he'd die in minutes." A cold laugh came from the Dark Mist.

"The Royal Family has operated quite well under Jia Xingtian's control these past years. If he suddenly dies, the nearby empires will certainly start a war. I don't want my Misty Cloud Sect to have to step forward and make sacrifices then." The white-robed man shook his head.

"A few insignificant lands are nothing to our Soul Hall. Just follow our plan. When the time comes, swallowing up the surrounding empires and becoming one of the overlords of the Northwest Region would not be impossible." The Dark Mist spoke arrogantly, but then seemed to recall something and asked the white-robed man, "Yun Shan, does your Jia Ma Empire have a female expert at the Dou Emperor level or above?"

Yun Shan's eyes flickered slightly as he asked in puzzlement, "Are you referring to Yun Er? She should be a Three-star Dou Emperor by now."

"Not her." The Dark Mist stirred, then described the woman's features.

"I haven't heard of anyone like that. However, her clothing should be in the style of Jia Nan Academy." Yun Shan shook his head, though he offered his own speculation.

"That woman gives me a sense of threat. Yet her realm is only at Peak Dou Huang, half-step Dou Zong at most." There was a trace of doubt in the Dark Mist's voice.

"She should be an elder from Jia Nan Academy who has come here. Don't worry. Jia Nan Academy has always remained neutral. They cannot possibly meddle in the internal affairs of other factions. She'll likely return soon enough." Yun Shan chuckled.

"Let's hope so! My plan has reached its final step this time, and nothing can go wrong. Fortunately, among the factions cooperating with our Soul Hall, there are also people within the Jia Ma Empire." A sigh came from the Dark Mist.

"Oh?" Yun Shan raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Have you found where that thing is?"

"Although we can't determine whose hands it is in, we have confirmed where that family from back then is now." The Dark Mist bobbed twice in delight, and whatever lay within seemed to be in an excellent mood.

"Could it be..."

"That's right. Wutan City, the Xiao Family!"