Visitors

"Phew!"

Xiao Yan opened his mouth wide, spraying out a blazing purple flame half a zhang in size. He raised his right hand and drew the purple flame into his palm, where it burned quietly.

"This is the Purple Flame Pill I refined. With it, you can use the companion Purple Flame of the Sixth-Tier Magical Beast, the Amethyst Winged Lion King, to refine pills," Xiao Yan said as he showed it to Xiao Yun.

"How is it? Still don't believe in its power? Then I'll demonstrate it again."

Xiao Yan prepared to pour out another Purple Flame Pill and swallow it.

"Hey, hey, don't! Don't! I believe you! I believe you! This is Sixth-Tier Beast Flame—we can't waste it like this!"

With a pained expression, Xiao Yun snatched the jade bottle from Xiao Yan's hand.

"Hehe, although there are only a dozen or so Purple Flame Pills, they're enough for you to successfully refine the Green Spirit Pill. I see that you've already reached the peak of Third-Tier Alchemist. If you can successfully break through to Fourth-Tier Alchemist, I'll give you a Tier 4 Beast Flame. And this won't count toward the family's allocation for you. It'll be a personal gift from me."

Xiao Yan smiled as he tempted him.

"A Tier 4 Beast Flame?" Xiao Yun's eyes gleamed.

"Young Master Yan, rest assured. I'm refining this Green Spirit Pill precisely to break through to Fourth-Tier Alchemist. With Young Master Yan's help this time, I will definitely break through within a month," Xiao Yun said excitedly.

"That's good, then. This Tier 4 Beast Flame is readily available anyway. We can take it and use it right away."

As he spoke, Xiao Yan glanced at the Twin-Winged Flame Snake that had been following behind Qing Lin.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss."

The Twin-Winged Flame Snake suddenly felt a chill run through its entire body, as if some terrifying magical beast had fixed its gaze upon it. Frightened, it hurriedly moved closer to Xiao Yan. After all, in its perception, he was the strongest human present. Though this human was rather detestable, surely this foolish human would save it for its little master's sake if danger arose.

"Mm, that'll be all for today. If you encounter anything you don't understand about alchemy in the future, we can exchange ideas."

"Young Master Yan, I wouldn't dare. I wouldn't dare."

This was the first time Xiao Yun had sincerely addressed Xiao Yan as "Young Master Yan."

For someone whose world consisted almost entirely of alchemy, if he had previously called Xiao Yan "Young Master Yan" because Xiao Yan was Yao Lao's disciple and Xiao Zhan's son, then this time, he did so because he had been utterly convinced by Xiao Yan's superb pill-refining skills.

At this age, with this level of ability—he had no choice but to admire him!

"Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, let's go. We're heading back to prepare poison for Xiao Yi Xian," Xiao Yan said, draping his arms around their delicate shoulders.

"Alright, Brother Xiao Yan," the two replied sweetly.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss."

A certain foolish snake slowly followed after them, seeming to complain that no one had brought it along.

Xiao Yun rose to his feet and respectfully escorted Xiao Yan's group of three people and one beast all the way to the entrance of the Alchemy Hall. Only after they had gone far away did he return to the pill-refining room.

Watching Xiao Yun's hurried retreating figure, two First-Tier Alchemists who had just finished refining pills and were leaving together stood dumbfounded.

"Am I seeing things? That was Lord Xiao Yun, wasn't it? Lord Xiao Yun has always ignored worldly affairs and devoted himself wholeheartedly to alchemy. Why would he suddenly be so enthusiastic and respectful toward a young master of the clan?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's because of Xiao Yi Xian. That little girl really is quite lovable. Hehe, I like Xiao Yi Xian too."

"Lord Xiao Yun's aura seems to be surging. Could it be that he's about to make another breakthrough? Is Lord Xiao Yun preparing to challenge Fourth-Tier Alchemist this time?"

"Tch, Lord Xiao Yun isn't even here anymore. Who are you flattering? Let's go. We've been refining pills for two straight days and I'm bored to death. Let's go take a walk."

"No, I'm serious. Hey, hey, don't pull me! I can walk by myself."

That day, Xiao Yan was carrying out his daily cultivation in his room.

"Young Master Yan, the Clan Leader asks that you go to the main hall," an aged voice called from outside the door.

"Oh, that voice belongs to Grandpa Mo." Xiao Yan got up and opened the door, seeing an elderly man in green robes standing outside with a smile on his face.

Grandpa Mo, whose real name was Mo Cheng, had been Xiao Yan's grandfather Xiao Lin's steward and personal attendant while Xiao Lin was alive. After Xiao Lin passed away, Mo Cheng continued serving as Xiao Zhan's steward. Steward Mo had always been kind-hearted and had treated Xiao Yan and his two brothers very well since they were young. He also held great prestige within the residence. Thus, the Xiao Clan's younger generation called him Old Mo, while Xiao Yan preferred to call him Grandpa Mo.

As Steward Mo looked at the young master before him, he could not help but sigh. A five-year-old Dou Zhe—Young Master Yan's talent was likely far greater than that of Xiao Lin, the former Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan and the strongest expert Wutan City had ever known.

"Grandpa Mo, let's go," Xiao Yan called respectfully.

Damn, Grandpa Mo has really been hiding his strength well. So, aside from Lord Shan and Father, the strongest person in the Xiao Clan is actually Grandpa Mo. He's already a Peak Dou Ling—he must have one foot in the Dou Wang realm by now. Even the Great Elder is only an Eight-Star Dou Ling.

Xiao Yan thought as he looked at Steward Mo beside him, who was smiling cheerfully like an ordinary old man.

Xiao Yan entered the main hall and saw Xiao Zhan seated in the place of honor, with a middle-aged man in white robes seated below him to his right.

Before Xiao Zhan could introduce Xiao Yan, the middle-aged man in white who had been conversing with him stood and greeted him.

"This must be Xiao Zhan's eldest son, Xiao Ding. What a fine-looking young man! Hahaha!"

After laughing for quite some time, the middle-aged man in white suddenly realized that Xiao Yan had not responded to him, and his laughter gradually came to a stop.

"Hehe, Mr. Nalan, I'm afraid you've mistaken him for someone else. This is Xiao Zhan's third son, Xiao Yan. Yan'er merely looks somewhat sturdy. He's actually only five years old."

Xiao Zhan's embarrassed voice sounded at that moment.

Mr. Nalan turned his head and looked at Xiao Zhan with an expression that plainly said, Are you fucking kidding me?

You're telling me someone who is one meter sixty tall is five years old? You're telling me that face belongs to a five-year-old? You're telling me that cultivation belongs to a five-year-old?

Uh, wait, he was already a Dou Zhe at five?

The middle-aged man in white once again carefully sensed the aura Xiao Yan had disguised.

Gasp—he was already a Dou Zhe at five. His niece, Nalan Yanran, was five years old too, yet she had not even reached the third stage of Dou Power.

"Hehe, Yan'er is merely a little precocious."

Under the middle-aged man's gaze, full of absurdity and disbelief, Xiao Zhan finally conceded.

"Father." Xiao Yan walked to Xiao Zhan's side and cupped his hands.

"Mm, Yan'er, you're here." Xiao Zhan nodded, then began introducing the middle-aged man in white.

"This is Nalan Ruo of the Nalan Clan, one of the empire's three great families from the Imperial Capital. He is your fiancée Nalan Yanran's second uncle, so he is also your elder."

"Nalan Ruo? Nalan Yanran's uncle? Hehe, interesting!" Xiao Yan looked strangely at the middle-aged man in white before him.