A Single Glance, a Lifetime of Mistakes

About an hour later, two beautiful figures arrived gracefully.

The woman at the head of the group was tall and slender, dressed in silver soft armor that accentuated her heroic bearing. Her beautiful face carried the competence and composure unique to soldiers. She was none other than the eldest princess, Yaoye, who held part of the Jia Ma Imperial Family military power and possessed the strength of Da Dou Shi.

Half a step behind her was a lively and charming young girl, dressed in a light purple palace gown, her big eyes filled with curiosity and excitement. It was Princess Yaoyue, whose strength was still at the Dou Zhe level, but who had a remarkable talent for Alchemy.

Upon seeing that the visitors were the two princesses, especially the younger princess Yaoyue with her undisguised curiosity, Jia Xingtian's old face stiffened slightly.

Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, a meaningful smile curving his lips as he looked at Jia Xingtian.

"Elder Jia, it's quite a commotion that two princesses from the Jia Ma Imperial Family personally delivered this medicinal herb."

Those eyes seemed to see through everything, making Jia Xingtian's heart skip a beat, and his old face felt a little hot.

He quickly coughed and tried to cover up his misunderstanding by explaining:

"Ahem... Alliance Leader, you misunderstand. The Imperial Treasury is a sacred place, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter. Only Yaoye has permission to enter to retrieve the medicine, and she is responsible for delivering it to this Forbidden Ground in the Back Mountain. As for that girl Yaoyue... uh..."

He looked at the little princess, speechless for a moment, seemingly surprised as well.

The two princesses standing to the side had already received instructions from Jia Xingtian, and at this moment they were also silently observing this noble young man who needed their full efforts to befriend him, and even try to establish a closer relationship with him.

However, seeing Jia Xingtian's troubled expression, Princess Yaoye understood that it was her turn to step forward. So, she gracefully stepped forward, took over the conversation, and spoke in a clear yet respectful voice:

"Alliance Leader Xiao, please forgive me. I originally intended to come directly after obtaining the medicinal herbs. As for Yue'er, she has some talent in alchemy and is currently an apprentice. She spends her days identifying herbs in the treasure vault. Hearing that a senior expert was refining Sixth-Grade Pill here today, she became fascinated and insisted that I come along to observe and learn. I couldn't refuse her, so I brought her here to take a look. I hope Alliance Leader will forgive me."

She was poised and gave a flawless explanation, clarifying the reasons while also highlighting the little princess's Yao Tian and her aspiration to become a high-level alchemist, subtly praising Xiao Yan as well.

Xiao Yan's gaze swept over Jia Xingtian's slightly embarrassed old face, Yaoye's frank and capable expression, and Yaoyue's curious eyes, and he understood.

That old fellow, he's quite the actor. If it weren't for his soul perception bringing back all the words Jia Xingtian had instructed the maid, he would have really thought that Yaoye's arrival was perfectly innocent and that Yaoyue's arrival was an accident.

However, he didn't say anything, but the smile on his lips became even more enigmatic.

His silent, smiling demeanor caused all three people and the beast present to feel an invisible pressure.

After an unknown amount of time, with cold sweat soaking their backs, Xiao Yan finally smiled amiably:

"It's alright. Now that the medicinal herbs have arrived, let's begin. If the two princesses are interested, they may watch from the side, but please remember not to make a sound or disturb us during the concoction process."

Upon receiving permission, Princess Yaoyue's eyes immediately lit up with surprise, and she nodded obediently.

Yaoye nodded slightly in acknowledgment, presented the Storage Ring containing the medicinal herbs to Xiao Yan, and then led her sister aside.

Xiao Yan said no more, his expression instantly becoming focused and solemn.

With a flick of his wrist, an ancient and heavy medicine cauldron appeared out of thin air and landed heavily on the open ground by the lake.

Its body is crimson red, and it is carved with lifelike images of roaring beasts. If you put your ear close, you can faintly hear some beast roars coming from the medicine cauldron - it is the Myriad Beast Cauldron that Han Feng voluntarily gave to Xiao Yan!

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Yan flicked his finger, and a ball of blue flame was sent into the cauldron!

The moment the flames appeared, the temperature of the entire Back Mountain rose sharply, and the air around the medicine cauldron seemed to be ignited, becoming distorted.

The pure and terrifying fire-attribute energy caused the massive body of the Deep Sea Flood Dragon, which was not far away, to tremble slightly again, its eyes filled with even deeper awe.

Yaoye and Yaoyue were witnessing the power of the Heavenly Flames for the first time, their beautiful eyes filled with curiosity and awe.

Xiao Yan's expression was solemn and focused. His soul power surged forth and entered the Myriad Beast Cauldron. With a casual wave of his hand, a portion of the medicinal herbs in his Storage Ring flew out and hovered beside him under the Xiao Yan soul power.

Although not deliberately targeted, the soul power, which had reached the level of Seventh-Tier Alchemist, inadvertently released a chilling pressure, causing both Jia Xingtian and the Deep Sea Flood Dragon to change their expressions.

Such terrifying soul power is something even the Pill King Gu He probably didn't possess; it's truly an unbelievable and terrifying talent!

Yaoye and Yaoyue felt that the young man in the magnificent purple robe before them was not someone their age, but an unfathomable senior expert. In the face of that vast soul power, they were like rootless duckweed, powerless to resist.

A strange light flickered in Yaoye's beautiful eyes. Although the message that Jia Xingtian sent to her and her sister wasn't particularly direct, its meaning was quite clear.

She spared no expense to win over Xiao Yan, even if the price was the Yaoyue of her and her sister Yao Yue.

This is actually quite normal. Even setting aside the Jia Ma Imperial Family, intermarriages are common among the three major families in the Imperial Capital.

If you enjoy the family's resources, you must contribute to the family and make sacrifices.

Unless the importance of this clan member is so great that the entire clan has to make concessions for him.

In the Dou Qi Continent, it is usually those with exceptional cultivation talent who will become the backbone of their families and thus gain sufficient influence.

Although in the original plans of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, Yaoye was already a foregone conclusion that she would become the future empress of the Jia Ma Imperial Family.

However, her talent for cultivation can only be considered better than that of ordinary people; it is clearly unrealistic for her to reach the level of Xiao Yan.

Moreover, Xiao Yan has never lacked outstanding women around him, and he doesn't need to use marriage alliances to win over a force like the Jia Ma Imperial Family that can be destroyed with a flick of the wrist.

Ya Fei, on the other hand, has the advantage of having made great contributions, and both parties are willing to be together. The Mittel Family's statement is also decisive and courageous enough, and her own talent is now outstanding enough.

The only advantage the Jia Ma Imperial Family has is the combination of royal princess sisters.

Unfortunately, the attribute bonus of being a princess meant little to Xiao Yan. Most of the girls around him held similar status to princesses within their respective clans, except that compared to their clans, the Jia Ma Empire probably couldn't even compare to Wutan City.

Of course, if they're lucky, they might even be able to get Yaoyue to become Xiao Yan's disciple, thus creating a master-disciple relationship.

Unfortunately, becoming an apprentice is impossible.

Princess Yaoyue has some talent in alchemy, but only a little, and it's not enough to catch Xiao Yan's eye.

Xiao Yan is currently focused on cultivation and has no time for such useless things; taking on disciples is a matter for the future.

Moreover, Xiao Yan has no shortage of women, nor will he lack children in the future. With so many women, he will have no shortage of children. He won't even be able to teach his own family members, so how could he have time to take on any disciples?

Therefore, no matter what Jia Xingtian planned, his schemes were doomed from the start.

Compared to the complicated thoughts of Jia Xingtian and Yaoye, Yaoyue herself didn't think that much.

Because when Yaoye brought her along, he didn't tell her the "truth" about this trip.

Therefore, Yaoyue genuinely believed that she had come to observe her senior's alchemy process.

She just didn't expect that this senior was only one year older than her.

However, they arrived at the same conclusion by different paths. Although she didn't know the true thoughts of Jia Xingtian and her sister, for a girl like her who had entered puberty and whose sexual awareness was beginning to stir, Xiao Yan, a peer with handsome looks, great strength, and superb Alchemy, was fatally attractive to her.

When you're young, it's best not to meet anyone too amazing; that's just how it is.

Watching the young man in the magnificent purple robe calmly and skillfully place each medicinal herb into the cauldron, refining them with unparalleled ease, the girl, who had just embarked on the path of alchemy, was completely captivated by his masterful demeanor.

As time went by, the intense heat spread, causing everyone to frequently wipe away sweat. Faint white smoke rose from the crimson cauldron, eventually lingering above it.

Before the medicine cauldron, Xiao Yan's expression was solemn, his gaze fixed on the nascent pill slowly rotating within the blue flames. His powerful soul force controlled the temperature inside the cauldron, keeping it stable at a constant level.

About half an hour later, a rich medicinal fragrance gradually emanated from the cauldron, and an energy wave emanated from it, finally striking the inner wall of the cauldron heavily, bringing with it a deep, resonant chime.

"When!"

Smelling the increasingly rich medicinal fragrance emanating from the cauldron, Xiao Yan suddenly opened his eyes after a while. With a thought, the lid of the cauldron automatically fell off, and the round, cyan pill flew out and landed in Xiao Yan's palm.

Feeling the lingering warmth of the pill in his hand, Xiao Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although the "Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill" wasn't considered a top-grade Sixth-Grade Pill, it was still a genuine Sixth-Grade Pill, and he still needed to treat it seriously.

Moreover, if it weren't for cultivating the Five Wheel Separation Fire Method, which made Xiao Yan's Fire Energy far superior to most Seventh-Tier Alchemist, the newly formed Heavenly Flames after the fusion of the four different Heavenly Flames alone could have caused considerable trouble for Xiao Yan's alchemy.

After all, it was a powerful flame comparable to the Red Lotus Karma Flame, which ranked eighth on the list of Heavenly Flames. An ordinary alchemist probably wouldn't even have the ability to control the temperature of the Heavenly Flames and stabilize the refining of medicinal materials.

As dusk settled, Xiao Yan stretched, then put away the medicine cauldron and stood up.

"This is the Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill. However, this medicine requires a special method to catalyze its effects, and the process will be a bit painful. You'll have to bear with it."

Holding the Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill, which emitted a warm, blue light and a rich medicinal fragrance, Xiao Yan calmly looked at the enormous and apprehensive Deep Sea Flood Dragon in the lake.

"What do a little pain matter as long as my internal injuries can be healed? Please, sir, do as you please."

A flicker of excitement and anticipation, mixed with a hint of loyalty, flashed in the enormous eyes of the Deep Sea Flood Dragon.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, and a wisp of blue flame rose from his palm, enveloping the Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill. With a flick of his finger, the flame carrying the pill flew to the top of the Deep Sea Flood Dragon's head.

Then he changed his hand seals, and the blue flames suddenly expanded. Under that scorching heat, a rich cyan light suddenly poured out from the Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill, like a water curtain, enveloping the huge body of the Deep Sea Flood Dragon below.

As the strange light enveloped it, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon's body suddenly began to writhe, clearly in great pain, and its deep roars echoed continuously, stirring up waves on the lake's surface.

The three members of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, seeing the Deep Sea Flood Dragon's actions, were both anxious and worried.

The deep roar of the beast gradually subsided after a full ten minutes.

The three members of the Jia Ma Imperial Family were pleasantly surprised to find that the wounds all over the Deep Sea Flood Dragon's body were beginning to heal, clearly indicating that the Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill was working quite well.

About half an hour later, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon had fully recovered from its injuries, and even its previously weak aura had become much stronger.

As they sensed the growing strength of the aura emanating from the Deep Sea Flood Dragon, the joy on the faces of the three members of the Jia Ma Imperial Family deepened. The Deep Sea Flood Dragon had fought for the Jia Ma Imperial Family in its early years and suffered many injuries. Now, with Xiao Yan's help, it had finally recovered to its peak condition, which was undoubtedly a joyous occasion for the Jia Ma Imperial Family!

After completing all this, Xiao Yan withdrew the soul power he had spread out and smiled at Jia Xingtian beside him:

"Its injuries have fully healed. It only needs a period of rest to return to its peak condition. If resources are sufficient, its strength may even improve."

"Thank you very much, Alliance Leader. From now on, the Alliance Leader's affairs are the affairs of my Jia Ma Imperial Family. We will do our utmost to the Jia Ma Imperial Family without hesitation!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Xingtian also expressed his gratitude.

The debt of gratitude owed to the alliance leader can never be repaid!

Xiao Yan smiled and waved his hand, saying calmly, "Now that the alliance is established, we're all on the same side. As long as we do our jobs well, I naturally won't treat our own people unfairly."

"Rest assured, Alliance Leader, the Jia Ma Imperial Family will always be the Alliance's most steadfast supporter!"

Jia Xingtian's face was full of loyalty as he made his declaration.

Although he didn't dare to completely trust Xiao Yan's words since they had just started dealing with each other, Xiao Yan had been quite good to the Jia Ma Imperial Family so far. He hadn't pursued his rudeness, had helped the Jia Ma Imperial Family treat the Deep Sea Flood Dragon, and had even allowed Yaoyue, who was new to alchemy, to observe and learn.

It's important to understand that being able to observe a high-level alchemist concocting medicine is extremely beneficial for an apprentice like Yaoyue.

Putting everything else aside, at least until Yaoyue reaches the Seventh-Grade, this experience can serve as her most fundamental guiding principle to learn and comprehend.

To her, Xiao Yan's methods were textbook-level.

As Xiao Yan and Jia Xingtian were talking, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon's tightly closed giant eyes suddenly opened, and a sharp aura surged out from its body, enveloping the entire Back Mountain and startling countless birds and beasts.

The first thing the Deep Sea Flood Dragon did after opening its eyes was to drag its massive body towards Xiao Yan in the water, its head bowed low, almost touching the surface. Its voice was filled with heartfelt gratitude and awe.

"Many thanks to the Alliance Leader for saving us! The Deep Sea Flood Dragon is willing to go through fire and water for the Alliance Leader without hesitation!"

It was well aware of its physical condition; if it continued to delay and no more elixirs were available, its ultimate fate would be to die in this lake.

Therefore, to it, Xiao Yan's kindness was like a second life!

Xiao Yan looked at the Deep Sea Flood Dragon that had completely submitted before him and nodded in satisfaction.

He raised his hand in a gesture of support, and an invisible fluctuation of his soul lifted him up in an irresistible manner:

"Get up. Your recovery is a good thing for the Jia Ma Imperial Family and the alliance. As long as you do what you're supposed to do, you may have a chance to rise from the ashes in the future."

"I am willing to die for the Alliance Leader!"

Hearing the implication in Xiao Yan's words, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon was extremely excited, its voice trembling, and its gaze toward Xiao Yan was filled with unwavering loyalty.

The three members of the Jia Ma Imperial Family could completely understand the Deep Sea Flood Dragon's words of loyalty. After all, to them, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon was already a member of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, and there was no subordinate relationship between them. Moreover, given their relationship, they were not worried that the Deep Sea Flood Dragon would become estranged from them because of its loyalty to Xiao Yan.

Since everyone is going to serve Yan Alliance anyway, all we need to do is remain loyal.

As Jia Ma Imperial Family, they knew very well that loyalty without absolute loyalty was tantamount to absolute disloyalty.

Xiao Yan clearly could not tolerate disloyal people in the alliance, so as long as they didn't want to die, they had no choice but to be loyal!

"Yes, the Mittel Family is having a banquet tonight, remember to come. As for the remaining medicinal herbs in my Storage Ring, I'll have to accept them."

According to the rules, when requesting an alchemist's help, one must prepare three portions of medicinal materials; any excess will belong to the alchemist. This Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill might be of great use to Xiao Yan in the future, so he naturally wouldn't be polite.

For some reason, the Storage Ring that Yaoye sent contained six portions of the ingredients for the Hunyuan Bone-Shaping Pill, as well as many other precious medicinal herbs that Xiao Yan could use.

"That's how it should be! That's how it should be!"

Jia Xingtian nodded repeatedly; he was afraid Xiao Yan wouldn't accept it, and he would only feel at ease if he did.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled with satisfaction, waved his hand to put the remaining medicinal herbs into his Storage Ring, and with the problem of the Deep Sea Flood Dragon solved, the purpose of this trip had been achieved.

He glanced at the sky and said, "Now that this matter is settled, I'll take my leave. No need to see me off."

"Take care, Alliance Leader!"

Jia Xingtian, the Deep Sea Flood Dragon, and the two princesses beside him all spoke respectfully at the same time.

Xiao Yan nodded, said no more, and his blue fire wings unfurled behind him. His figure transformed into a streak of light and instantly disappeared into the distant horizon.

Watching Xiao Yan's departing figure, the three humans and one beast each had different feelings.

What do you think?

Jia Xingtian asked, somewhat out of the blue.

"Disaster."

Yaoye lowered his eyelids slightly and said in a deep voice.

With her keen eye, it wasn't hard for her to see that Xiao Yan had absolutely no interest in her or her sister.

"There's no harm in giving it a try. Dou Emperor at fourteen years old, what will he achieve in the future..." Jia Xingtian didn't dare to say how far Xiao Yan could go. It was already beyond his comprehension, and he couldn't make an accurate judgment. "I'm just afraid there won't be enough time. In the future, I'm afraid you won't even be qualified to be maids."

"What maid?"

Yaoyue was still staring blankly in the direction where Xiao Yan had disappeared when she heard the two mention Xiao Yan. She then came to her senses and asked, somewhat puzzled.

Upon hearing this, Jia Xingtian fell silent, while Yao Yaoye, who had long noticed that Yaoyue's love at first sight would lead to a lifetime of regret, simply smiled and ruffled her sister's hair, unable to bear shattering the beautiful fantasy in the girl's heart, and softly said:

"It's nothing. I have to attend a banquet arranged by the Alliance Leader later. I'd better change into a formal dress."

Upon hearing this, Yaoyue's eyes brightened, and she nodded, saying with great interest:

"Great! Sister, are you coming too?"

Yaoye smiled gently, her feelings complicated:

"Yes, we have to go to all of them."