A Rendezvous in the Imperial Capital

Inside the VIP room, the air seemed to have solidified into amber, sealing every sound and movement within it.

That three-colored flame burned quietly in the palm of Su Chen, yet despite emitting no startling heat, it acted like a bottomless black hole, swallowing all the light and consciousness within the room.

Liu Ling collapsed to the floor, his posture utterly wretched.

His well-tailored Grade Three Alchemist robes were now stained with dust, appearing wrinkled and ridiculous.

The face that was usually taut with arrogance had been drained of all color, turning as pale as a sheet of rice paper. His lips parted and closed silently, his legs trembled uncontrollably, and those feminine eyes that had once been filled with disdain and scrutiny now held only the emptiness and confusion of someone completely broken.

A fraud?

A charlatan?

These two words pierced his mind like red-hot iron cones, bringing waves of burning pain far more intense than any physical injury.

What had he just witnessed?

It was a miracle.

It was a living miracle that took the ironclad laws held sacred by the alchemy world, trampled them, kneaded them, and recreated them in a way that defied all logic!

He had exhausted his life's learning, yet even merging two flames with slightly conflicting attributes took him months of effort, with a success rate of less than thirty percent. Yet this person before him, in the midst of casual conversation—no, he hadn't even smiled—had perfectly fused three flames of diametrically opposed origins into a single entity!

This was no longer a gap in technique.

This was the crushing superiority of a higher level of existence.

Just as an ant could never comprehend how an eagle soars above the nine heavens.

Beside them, Ya Fei's jade hand, which had been gripping the Flame Pattern Ring, was already soaked in cold sweat. She looked at the devastated Liu Ling slumped on the floor, then at the black-robed figure who remained as calm as a statue, and her clever, multifaceted heart, after the initial shock, was instantly filled with an unprecedented, wild joy.

She knew she had won her gamble.

And she had won more thoroughly and more brilliantly than she had ever imagined!

Su Chen moved his palm slightly, and the three-colored flame, capable of overturning the entire understanding of the Jia Ma Empire's alchemy world, silently faded and vanished.

As if it had never appeared at all.

Yet the brand it left behind was already deeply etched into Liu Ling's soul.

This small movement acted like a signal, instantly shattering the solidified air in the room.

Liu Ling's body jolted violently, as if waking from a nightmare.

His hollow gaze regained its focus.

The fear was still there.

But a flame stronger than fear, known as "opportunity," ignited fiercely in the depths of his eyes.

What was the mission from the Guild President?

To investigate the truth, and if the man truly possessed talent, to treat him with courtesy and do everything to befriend him.

But this person before him—was he merely "truly talented"?

This was clearly a god of alchemy walking among mortals!

If he could invite such a figure back to the Imperial Capital, what an unparalleled achievement he, Liu Ling, would have made! What was the title of Gu He's direct disciple, or the number one rising star of the empire's alchemy world, compared to this contribution? They would all be eclipsed!

At this thought, a powerful, instinctual drive for survival erupted within Liu Ling.

He didn't even bother to brush the dust off his clothes, scrambling up from the floor using his hands and feet.

His pale face forced a smile that looked even worse than crying.

He bowed deeply, at a ninety-degree angle, toward Su Chen.

His posture was respectful to the extreme, even tinged with a hint of servile flattery.

"Yan... Master Yan! No! Master Yan!"

His voice cracked from excitement, sounding sharp and hoarse.

"This junior had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai! This junior was blind! Master, your skills are divine, your flame-fusion technique has reached the pinnacle of perfection. My words just now were those of a frog in a well, looking at the sky from the bottom! I beg you, Master... please be magnanimous and do not hold this junior's ignorance against me!"

He spoke incoherently, cold sweat from his temples streaming down his cheeks.

Su Chen did not speak.

Beneath the bamboo hat, there was only silence.

To Liu Ling, this silence was more terrifying than any angry roar. Gritting his teeth, as if having made a major decision, he carefully retrieved an exquisite long box made of sandalwood from his robes.

With trembling hands, he opened the box.

Inside, it was lined with a soft cushion woven from golden silk brocade.

Lying quietly on the cushion was a scroll.

The scroll was not made of paper, but polished from an unknown white jade; it was as thin as a cicada's wing, emitting a warm, lustrous glow throughout. The seal of the scroll was branded with a lifelike Pill Tower emblem, and a vast, majestic soul power clung to it, making the temperature of the room seem to rise.

"Master!"

Liu Ling held the wooden box high above his head with both hands, his posture humble to the point of being in the dust.

"This junior has come here under the decree of my master, the President of the Alchemist Guild, Lord Fa Ma!"

"My master says that the Empire is full of hidden talents. Having heard that a grandmaster of alchemy has appeared in Wutan City, he yearns to meet you and regrets that he cannot come in person. Thus, he has specifically tasked this junior with delivering this invitation as a token of his respect!"

His voice became incredibly solemn at this moment, carrying a sense of sacred ritual.

"The triennial Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Conference will officially commence in three months in the Imperial Capital, Saint Jia Ma City!"

"At that time, all the renowned alchemists of the Empire, the powerhouses of the major sects, and even members of the Imperial family will gather together! This is a grand event rarely seen in the Jia Ma Empire in a century!"

"My master, Fa Ma, along with all the elders of the Guild, sincerely invites you, Master, to attend the Imperial Capital as the... specially invited chief guest of this conference, to observe and provide guidance!"

BOOM!

Specially invited chief guest!

These six words exploded in Ya Fei's ears like a thunderclap.

Her charming peach-blossom eyes widened instantly, filled with an expression of utter disbelief.

What kind of grand event was the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Conference?

Ordinary fourth-grade alchemists didn't even have the qualifications to obtain an admission ticket!

Yet Su Chen, this mysterious person who hadn't even gone to certify his alchemist grade, had directly received a "chief guest" invitation personally signed by Guild President Fa Ma!

This represented far more than mere importance.

This was a courtesy of the highest order, one that treated him as an equal!

Ya Fei's heart began to beat violently and uncontrollably.

She looked at the jade invitation, which emitted a faint, precious glow, and then looked out the window at the caravan that was already fully prepared and about to set off for the yellow sands of the desert.

One path led to an unknown, perilous land filled with hidden dangers and a slim chance of survival.

The other path was a broad, smooth road paved with flowers and glory, leading directly to the pinnacle of the Empire's power!

The crossroads of fate had appeared before Su Chen without any warning.

How would he choose?

In the entire room, everyone's gaze was fixed upon that black-robed figure.

Su Chen finally moved.

He slowly reached out his hand.

His movements were not fast, yet they carried an unquestionable stability.

Under the gaze of Liu Ling, who was filled with ecstasy and anticipation, and under the gaze of Ya Fei, who was a mix of nervousness and expectation.

His slender fingers gently picked up the heavy jade invitation.

No words.

No questions.

Not even the slightest hesitation.

He just calmly accepted this invitation that was enough to change the trajectory of his future fate.

Liu Ling was trembling with excitement; he knew his mission was complete.

And it was completed in the most perfect way, far exceeding his expectations!

Su Chen casually tucked the jade invitation into his robes.

The action was as casual as if he were putting away a piece of worthless waste paper.

Then, he said nothing.

He turned and strode away.

He headed straight for the door of the VIP room.

Everyone was stunned.

The ecstasy on Liu Ling's face froze; he opened his mouth and hurriedly shouted, "Ma... Master! Your carriage is already prepared, this junior will escort you..."

His words came to an abrupt halt.

Because Su Chen's footsteps did not pause in the slightest.

He pushed open the door, walked down the long corridor, and under the awe-struck gazes of the Mittel guards, walked up to the Black Ironwood Carriage that was about to head into the desert.

He did not look back.

He simply lifted his foot and resolutely stepped onto the merchant caravan's carriage.

That back, solitary and determined.

It was as if he were not stepping onto a smooth path leading to the heart of the Empire, but rather onto a journey that belonged to him alone.

Liu Ling stood there blankly, his face full of disbelief.

He did not understand.

He completely failed to understand.

When there was the most luxurious, comfortable, and safe Amethyst Carriage prepared by the Alchemist Guild, why would this master choose that merchant carriage, which looked plain and even somewhat crude?

Only Ya Fei, after a brief moment of astonishment, instantly understood Su Chen's intentions.

Her red lips curled into a complex smile, one laced with bitterness, pride, and endless admiration.

"He has never changed."

"Whether it is heading toward the vast yellow deserts or the Imperial Capital, to him, it is merely a journey."

"The path he chooses to walk will always be his own."

Su Chen's figure vanished behind the carriage curtains.

The heavy curtains cut off all gazes from the outside world.

"Move out!"

The caravan's Dou Shi captain snapped out of his shock and let out a roar, his voice suppressed with excitement.

Giddyap!

The horsewhip cracked sharply in the air.

Rumble...

The heavy wheels began to turn slowly, leaving deep ruts in the hard bluestone ground as they stretched toward the distance.

The steel-like torrent of the caravan finally set into motion.

Their destination was no longer that remote stretch of yellow sand.

Instead, it was the power center located at the heart of the empire, where winds and clouds gathered—Saint Jia Ma City!

Ya Fei and Liu Ling stood side by side on the steps of the auction house, watching the massive caravan stir up clouds of dust in the faint morning light as it rolled away.

The appearance of one man had changed the final destination of this caravan.

And what kind of terrifying storm would the addition of this man bring to the Imperial Capital, which was about to host a grand event?

No one knew the answer.

Inside the carriage, the light was dim.

Su Chen sat quietly.

He took the jade invitation from his robes and placed it upon his knees.

At the same time, he retrieved the jet-black Flame Pattern Ring, engraved with fiery motifs, and slid it onto his finger.

His gaze drifted slowly between the two items.

The ring represented the accumulations of his past, the foundation upon which he built his life.

The invitation led toward a future filled with unknowns and challenges.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the carriage window to look at the brilliant morning sun rising steadily above the horizon.

The story of Wutan City had come to an end.

A broader, grander, and more dangerous stage was slowly unfolding before him.

(Volume One: Wutan Winds and Clouds · End)