Nalan Yanran Felt Something Familiar

A somewhat familiar voice rang out, yet it was impossible to identify it immediately.

Xiao Yan looked toward the source of the voice, surprised.

"Nalan Yanran? Why is she here?"

Frank had been interrupted and was somewhat displeased, but when he saw the Misty Cloud Sect attire worn by Nalan Yanran and the elder beside her, he temporarily suppressed his anger.

"I am the president of the Alchemist Guild here, Frank. What business do you two have with me? Please make it quick."

Nalan Yanran and Yun Jing saw the Tier 4 Alchemist robes Frank wore and exchanged a glance before nodding.

Yun Jing stepped forward and said with a smile, "President Frank, greetings. I am Yun Jing, an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. This is our Young Sect Master, Nalan Yanran."

Upon hearing their identities, Frank's anger gradually faded, and he put on a smile. "So you are Nalan Yanran, the genius renowned throughout the Jia Ma Empire."

"Empty praise." Nalan Yanran did not wish to dwell on it.

Because every time someone praised her, she remembered the day Xiao Yan had defeated her with ease.

The higher others raised her, the more formidable Xiao Yan seemed.

Before she defeated Xiao Yan head-on, she did not want to hear such compliments.

"President Frank, Elder Yun Jing and I have come over only for a small matter. We will not take much of your time," Nalan Yanran said. "Please just lead us to Alchemist Gute's residence."

Frank frowned. He glanced at Xiao Yan standing nearby, then said to Nalan Yanran, "I do not have the time for that at the moment. I can arrange for someone else to take you there."

Yun Jing was somewhat surprised.

Frank was only a Tier 4 Alchemist. While he did not need to grovel before the Misty Cloud Sect, he should not have been so dismissive either, should he?

"Is President Frank busy with something?" Yun Jing asked.

Frank glanced at Xiao Yan. Seeing that Xiao Yan had no objection, he introduced him, "This senior Yan Xiao wishes to undergo an alchemist rank assessment here and refine a Tier 6 Medicinal Pill, the Dou Ling Pill."

"Watching a high-rank alchemist refine pills will benefit my alchemy, so please do not waste Senior Yan Xiao's time or mine." Frank grew increasingly impatient.

After saying this, he ignored Nalan Yanran and the other man. Afraid of delaying Xiao Yan and earning his displeasure, he led Xiao Yan away to find a place to refine the Dou Ling Pill.

"Senior Yan Xiao, please come with me," Frank said ingratiatingly.

Xiao Yan nodded without saying a word, not even sparing Nalan Yanran a glance.

It was merely a chance encounter.

It would be better to settle all their grievances at the Three-Year Agreement. Now was not the time.

Xiao Yan followed Frank away.

Nalan Yanran and Yun Jing exchanged looks before speaking in turn.

Nalan Yanran said, "Elder Yun Jing, an unfamiliar alchemist who might be Sixth-Rank... this..."

Yun Jing said, "As far as I know, every Sixth-Rank Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire and even the surrounding empires is well known. I have never heard of this Yan Xiao. Perhaps Frank has been deceived. We should investigate further."

"Then let us go take a look. If he truly is an unfamiliar Sixth-Rank Alchemist, the Misty Cloud Sect must make a move!" Yun Jing said gravely.

The testing hall.

Frank specially cleared out ample space for Xiao Yan and prepared a Medicine Cauldron, then obediently stood to one side like a novice apprentice.

Xiao Yan glanced at the Medicine Cauldron Frank had prepared. Its quality was decent, but it was still not quite sufficient.

He used Heavenly Flames to refine pills. An ordinary Medicine Cauldron could not withstand the terrifying heat of Heavenly Flames.

"Teacher." Xiao Yan sent the message through his soul, saying nothing more.

Yao Lao replied, "Can't you just take it yourself? Must you notify your teacher every single time?"

Xiao Yan chuckled softly, then took a Medicine Cauldron from his Storage Ring.

The cauldron was entirely black, with few decorations. Ancient and steady in appearance, it seemed extraordinarily remarkable with nothing more than a simple flame totem.

If one sensed it carefully, one would discover that the flame totem was not a useless decoration. It was a special totem that could naturally absorb the surrounding fire-attributed energy.

If an alchemist used this cauldron to refine pills, the quality of the pills would improve by at least half a rank.

This cauldron was Yao Lao's personal Medicine Cauldron from when he was alive, the Black Demon Cauldron, ranked eighth on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking.

After obtaining the Heavenly Flames, ordinary Medicine Cauldrons could no longer endure their terrifying heat, so Yao Lao had taken out this cauldron for him to use.

His confidence in refining a Tier 7 Medicinal Pill also came from this cauldron's aid.

"This cauldron truly is extraordinary," Frank praised.

Xiao Yan merely smiled without replying and began taking out the necessary medicinal ingredients from his Storage Ring.

One Blood Python Branch... one Sixth-Rank Magical Core... and several other medicinal ingredients.

The higher the rank of a medicinal pill, the more numerous and varied the ingredients it usually required.

The ingredients for a single Dou Ling Pill filled every empty space on both sides of Xiao Yan.

Looking at these precious medicinal ingredients, some of which he recognized and some he did not, Frank became even more convinced that Xiao Yan was a Sixth-Rank Alchemist.

"Old Frank, I heard a Sixth-Rank Alchemist came to our guild to refine a Dou Ling Pill?! Why didn't you call me? Do you know how long I'll regret it if I miss this?!" An old man suddenly rushed in and complained to Frank.

Frank frowned. He glanced at Xiao Yan, then snapped at Otto, "So reckless! If you disturb the master while he is refining, can you bear the responsibility?!"

Otto also realized this and hurriedly turned to Xiao Yan. Even with his old bones, he bowed deeply. "My sincerest apologies. I was simply too eager. I wish to observe your pill refinement process. Please forgive me."

Xiao Yan casually waved a hand and did not pursue the matter.

He returned his attention to the Medicine Cauldron and prepared to begin refining.

But just then, two more figures entered.

They were Nalan Yanran and Yun Jing.

The moment Nalan Yanran entered, she said to Frank and Otto, "We would also like to observe the refinement of a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. Forgive the intrusion."

Frank could not directly drive out the Young Sect Master and elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, so he could only look to Xiao Yan for his opinion.

Xiao Yan had come precisely to display his abilities before others, so naturally he did not mind being observed. He even said generously, "It is merely pill refinement. There is nothing to hide. If you wish, you may even call all the alchemists of your Alchemist Guild to observe. That would be fine as well."

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Frank and Otto both wore expressions of gratitude and admiration.

Being willing to openly display one's entire pill refinement process—what an exceptionally good person.

"Then please wait a moment, Master. We will call some alchemists over to observe your alchemy together," Frank and Otto said in unison.

Frank and Otto left to gather people.

Xiao Yan counted the ingredients and confirmed that nothing was missing.

Not far away, the instant Nalan Yanran heard Xiao Yan speak, she furrowed her brow tightly.

This Sixth-Rank Alchemy Master's voice was unexpectedly so young.

Moreover, why did it inexplicably resemble that voice in her memories?