Ten-Thousandfold Returns for Taking Disciples: Starting from Battle Through the Heavens — Chapter 25

"Thank you, Master Qin Hao, for honoring our Nalan Clan with your presence. You truly bring glory to our humble home!"

Nalan Jie, the Nalan Clan's patriarch, spoke as well. Though his voice was loud and clear, it carried a sense of forced strength that belied his weakness. Clearly, he was barely holding himself together.

"You are too courteous, Marshal Nalan. Time is of the essence, so let us get straight to the point. Let me first examine your condition."

Qin Hao could not be bothered with small talk and went straight to the matter.

"Then I shall trouble Master Qin Hao."

Nalan Jie was briefly stunned by Qin Hao's words before quickly reacting and responding.

Meanwhile, Nalan Su dismissed everyone else. Before long, only the father and son, Nalan Jie and Nalan Su, remained in the hall.

Qin Hao stepped forward and seized Nalan Jie's arm. The Dou Qi within his body immediately flowed into Nalan Jie.

The instant his Dou Qi entered Nalan Jie's body, Qin Hao sensed a corrosive energy surging toward it like maggots clinging to bone, clearly intending to dissolve his energy.

For an ordinary person, even a Dou King's Dou Qi—perhaps even a Dou Emperor's—would likely be corroded by this energy.

However, Qin Hao's Dou Qi had been condensed through the Chaotic Heaven-Devouring Art. Its purity and density far surpassed anything ordinary. Mere Searing Poison could not harm it at all.

Qin Hao carefully controlled the energy as it made a circuit through Nalan Jie's body, quickly gaining a clear understanding of his present condition.

Nalan Jie's condition was utterly dreadful. Under the corrosion of the Searing Poison, his body was riddled with damage. The only reason he was still alive was because his Dou King cultivation was supporting him.

"Master Qin Hao, how is my father's condition?"

Seeing Qin Hao withdraw his hand, Nalan Su could not help asking.

Nalan Jie was the pillar of the Nalan Clan. He was the only Dou King in the entire clan. If he were to fall, the Nalan Clan's influence would undoubtedly suffer a devastating blow.

That was only because Nalan Yanran had joined the Misty Cloud Sect. Otherwise, without Nalan Jie, the Nalan Clan's fate would likely not be much better than that of the Xiao Clan in the past.

"As expected of the legendary Searing Poison. Its reputation is well deserved. However, it is not beyond my ability to treat."

With that, Qin Hao stopped speaking and looked at Nalan Jie and Nalan Su.

"Really? That is wonderful! As long as Master Qin Hao can cure my father, our Nalan Clan is willing to pay any price!"

Nalan Su said excitedly.

"Then I shall leave it to Master Qin Hao. As long as you can eliminate the hidden danger in this old man's body, our Nalan Clan certainly will not disappoint you.

"Our Nalan Clan possesses a stalk of Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva. It should be useful to an alchemist like Master Qin Hao. We are willing to offer it as the main payment for your assistance!"

Nalan Jie added.

Swallowing the Searing Poison! Breakthrough! Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva!

"Oh? Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva... I never expected the Nalan Clan to possess such a thing. In that case, I shall gladly accept."

Qin Hao did not stand on ceremony.

Having read the original novel, he had long known that the Nalan Clan possessed this item. It was also his primary reason for coming to the Nalan Clan this time.

The Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva was an exceedingly rare treasure, specially used to restore and strengthen the soul. Though its grade was not particularly high and could not compare to soul-related treasures such as the Soul Infant Fruit.

Still, in the eyes of alchemists, its value far exceeded that of other medicinal ingredients of the same grade.

"Master Qin Hao, what should we do next? Is there anything we need to prepare?"

Nalan Su asked again.

"Leave everything to me from here on. Just make sure no one disturbs us midway."

Qin Hao said.

"Rest assured, Master Qin Hao. No one will disturb you."

Nalan Su hurriedly replied. He then left the room to issue further instructions, and before long, the reception hall was placed under strict guard.

"No matter what happens next, I hope Marshal Nalan will not resist. Leave everything to me."

Qin Hao said, looking at Nalan Jie.

"Master Qin Hao, proceed as you see fit. This old bag of bones is in your hands."

Nalan Jie answered decisively.

Qin Hao did not waste any more words. He grabbed Nalan Jie's arm again, and with a thought, the Chaotic Heaven-Devouring Art began to circulate.

An even purer and more powerful stream of energy flowed into Nalan Jie's body.

That energy wrapped around all the Searing Poison in Nalan Jie's body wherever it passed. As the cultivation art circulated, the poison was directly transformed into an endless flow of dense, pure energy.

As that dense and pure energy poured in, Qin Hao felt the Dou Qi within his body rising at an astonishing speed.

He had already reached the peak of the five-star Dou King realm and was only a hair's breadth away from becoming a six-star Dou King.

At that moment, he felt his cultivation was on the verge of a breakthrough.

As for Nalan Jie, he naturally sensed the changes within his own body. Though his expression remained calm on the surface, his heart churned like a stormy sea.

He clearly sensed that, as Qin Hao's pure Dou Qi entered his body, the Searing Poison that had once clung to him like maggots on bone was dissolving at a terrifying speed wherever the Dou Qi passed.

This method was clearly beyond anything he had imagined.

Pill King Gu He had once told him that the only way to remove the Searing Poison was to use the power of a Heavenly Flame to refine it away, and that the process would be filled with pain and danger.

Nalan Jie had already prepared himself to endure the agony, yet to his surprise, he did not feel the slightest pain.

He could not even understand what method Qin Hao was using. For a time, Qin Hao became even more mysterious in his eyes.

On this point alone, the difference between Qin Hao and Gu He was immediately obvious.

What replaced Nalan Jie's thoughts next was boundless ecstasy. The Searing Poison had tormented him for far too long. If his will had not been strong enough, he would have long since been unable to endure that bone-scraping agony.

Qin Hao had no idea what Nalan Jie was thinking. At that moment, he was fully focused on circulating the Chaotic Heaven-Devouring Art to devour the Searing Poison within him.

In the blink of an eye, an hour passed.

Buzz!

The instant the final trace of Searing Poison in Nalan Jie's body was devoured, Qin Hao's body trembled slightly. His cultivation, which had reached its limit, broke through as naturally as water flowing into a channel, smoothly reaching the six-star Dou King realm.

For Qin Hao, this was an unexpected bonus.

"Phew!"

After finishing everything, Qin Hao slowly released Nalan Jie's arm and exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Master Qin Hao, my father, he..."

Nalan Su hurriedly spoke again.

"I have fulfilled my task. The Searing Poison in Marshal Nalan's body has been completely removed. He only needs to recuperate slowly and replenish what his body has lost."

Qin Hao said directly.

"Really?"

Nalan Su's face filled with delight upon hearing Qin Hao's words, and he immediately turned his gaze toward Nalan Jie.

"Wonderful! Truly wonderful!"

"This cursed Searing Poison has finally disappeared completely! It has been a long time since I felt this relaxed! Thank you for helping me, Master Qin Hao. I am deeply grateful!"

Though Nalan Jie was still somewhat weak, his face was full of excitement and joy. Meeting Nalan Su's questioning gaze, he immediately replied.

"Wonderful, this is wonderful! Thank you, Master Qin Hao!"

After receiving Nalan Jie's confirmation, Nalan Su was naturally beside himself with excitement.

"You are both too kind."

Qin Hao said calmly.

Nalan Jie then wasted no time and immediately sent Nalan Su to fetch Qin Hao's payment.

In addition to the Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva they had promised, the Nalan Clan also offered quite a few other treasures.

Qin Hao was naturally very satisfied with the payment provided by the Nalan Clan. Though it could not compare to the Jia Ma Imperial Family's offerings, the Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva alone was enough to satisfy him.

Qin Hao declined the Nalan Clan's invitation to a banquet. Escorted by the members of the Nalan Clan, he soon left their residence and returned to his temporary lodging in the Imperial Capital.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

During those three days, Qin Hao spent nearly all his time receiving representatives from the major powers of the Imperial Capital. More than ninety-nine percent of the major forces in the city came to visit him.

Although Qin Hao found the entire process dull and tedious, the gains were quite good. The gifts they brought during their visits alone amounted to no small sum.

Moreover, Qin Hao also completed several transactions with some of them.

For example, with the Mitre Family.

The Mitre Family was one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great clans and was also reputed to be the wealthiest force in the empire. They operated the Mitre Auction House and merchant guilds, with business spread throughout the Jia Ma Empire and even extending into several neighboring empires.

Among the storage rings Qin Hao had obtained in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, he had acquired quite a number of gold cards. After sorting through them, the total amount of gold coins exceeded ten million.

Qin Hao used those gold coins to purchase many precious medicinal ingredients, magic cores, and other treasures.

Leaving the Imperial Capital! Stone Desert City! Desert Iron Mercenary Group!

Qin Hao also reached a cooperation agreement with the Mitre Family. He would provide them with pills, while the Mitre Family would auction those pills and exchange them for medicinal ingredients and all kinds of resources.

To Qin Hao, the Mitre Family was clearly an excellent partner. Both sides benefited from the arrangement.

After three days, Canaan Academy's recruitment team had completed its recruitment in the Imperial Capital. Naturally, it was time to head to the next city.

Based on the geography of the Jia Ma Empire, Canaan Academy's recruitment team had selected ten cities within the empire as locations for recruitment assessments. The Imperial Capital was merely the first stop.

Among those ten cities was a name Qin Hao found extremely familiar. It was none other than Wutan City.

Qin Hao also intended to leave at this point. After all, he had never forgotten why he had come to the Jia Ma Empire.

His primary purpose in coming here was to take disciples, since the core of his cheat was taking disciples.

Before leaving, Qin Hao had Yao Ye and Yao Yue pass a message to Jia Xing Tian: when he next arrived in the Imperial Capital, he would refine pills for the Jia Ma Imperial Family once at the minimum fee.

The so-called minimum fee meant that they only needed to prepare three portions of medicinal ingredients.

After learning of Qin Hao's promise, Jia Xing Tian was naturally overjoyed. Qin Hao had said that he could refine any pill below the seventh tier.

Qin Hao also met with Instructor Ruolin and the others. He would not continue traveling with them, because he intended to search for disciples mentioned in the original novel who might meet the system's requirements for taking disciples.