Not Gu He

The room fell into an utterly deathly silence. Xiao Xun'er, Qingtian, and Chekenao all had the same four words pop into their minds almost at once: What a spendthrift!

Big brother, could you take it a little easier? Even if your teacher had several hundred million, he couldn't withstand you squandering it like this.

"Um... let's talk in the secret chamber." At last, Chekenao calmed his surging emotions. He walked to a wall, lifted the painting hanging there, and pressed a small switch.

Rumble!

With a loud sound, the painting on the wall trembled violently. Then the right half of the wall slid two meters to the side, revealing a passage.

At the end of the passage was a twenty-square-meter secret chamber. Other than calligraphy and paintings, there was nothing inside.

"Senior Nao, did you paint all of these?" Following Chekenao into the secret chamber, Xiao Ni asked tentatively.

He had originally seen his own portrait in the market and wanted to demand an explanation from Chekenao. Now, though, he was simply curious.

He already had ten billion Gold Coins. Though he had just handed out thirty million, it did not matter much. He was still the wealthiest man on the Battle Qi Continent, so there was no longer any need to make Chekenao pay for using his likeness.

Besides, he was about to take Qingtian away. Although Chekenao somewhat feared Qingtian, his heart had to be bleeding right now. If Xiao Ni kept pressing the matter of the portrait, it would be rather unreasonable.

"I painted most of them. I painted you as well, and someone already took it to sell in the market." Chekenao spoke frankly. Before Xiao Ni could react, his expression turned solemn as he pointed to a painting depicting mountains, rivers, and a setting sun. "A wisp of Miss Lan's remnant soul is sealed inside that painting. None of us can communicate with her."

For the past two days, he had been waiting for Xiao Ni to arrive. Now that he was here, it was time to discuss serious business. As for the thirty million Gold Coins, even for Miss Lan's sake, he absolutely could not accept them.

Wasn't it merely an alliance with the Xiao Household? So long as Xiao Ni was willing to do everything possible to revive Miss Lan, Chekenao would have no problem personally destroying the other two great households of Wutan City.

"Aunt Lan." Xiao Ni stared at the painting for a moment. His powerful soul allowed him to sense Lan Suyin within it, but that wisp of remnant soul possessed extremely weak consciousness, as though it could fall asleep at any moment. "Senior Nao, where exactly did Aunt Lan come from? What is the relationship between the Chek Lineage and Aunt Lan? What must I do to revive her?"

Upon hearing Xiao Ni's words, Xiao Xun'er fixed her gaze tightly on Chekenao as well.

She knew Xiao Ni desperately wanted to revive Aunt Lan. Therefore, no matter how dangerous the method might be, she would remain by his side. If possible, she was even willing to bear that danger for him.

"Miss Lan's ancestors had some connection with our Chek Lineage, which is why I have always wanted to revive her. As for her origins and background, I do not know much. However, before she met the Xiao Clan Leader, she spent many years in the Central Plains. Perhaps that was her homeland."

After answering the first two questions, Chekenao pondered for a moment before continuing, "As for the method to revive Miss Lan, three conditions must be met. First, one's strength must reach the Dou Wang realm, even if only temporarily. Second, one's soul strength must reach the Spirit Realm. Otherwise, it will be impossible to communicate with Miss Lan's remnant soul. The final condition is to refine a Sixth-Grade Pill, the Heavenly Soul-Recovery Pill. This is the most important step."

Hearing the three conditions Chekenao listed, Xiao Xun'er and Qingtian both grew much more solemn.

Sure enough, reviving someone was no easy matter. Xiao Ni might be able to fulfill the first condition, but the latter two were simply too absurd.

If one's soul strength reached the Spirit Realm, they could already attempt to refine an Eighth-Grade Pill. There were not many souls that powerful in the entire Battle Qi Continent.

As for refining a Sixth-Grade Pill, that was even less likely. There were only two Sixth-Grade Alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire. Even if they had the formula and ingredients, they would likely still find it difficult to refine it.

"I know the latter two conditions are rather harsh for you, but Miss Lan's remnant soul is growing weaker and weaker. At most, she will not last another half year. This is also the main reason I said the chance of success was less than twenty percent," Chekenao said quietly.

If the situation had not been so urgent, and if he had not happened to hear that Xiao Ni had temporarily become a Dou Wang, he would never have sought Xiao Ni out or involved himself with the Xiao Household.

"Senior Nao, do you have the formula for the Heavenly Soul-Recovery Pill?" Xiao Ni asked gravely.

He still had two Dou King Trial Cards, and the system had long since raised his soul strength to the Heavenly Realm. He could even attempt to refine Ninth-Grade Pills, so a Sixth-Grade Pill like the Heavenly Soul-Recovery Pill would be effortless for him.

"Only Gu He and Miss Lan know the formula," Chekenao said helplessly.

"Then I'll communicate with Aunt Lan first." As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Ni closed his eyes before the other three could react.

"Miss Xun'er, has Big Brother's soul strength already reached the Spirit Realm? Does that mean he can attempt to refine Eighth-Grade Pills?" Qingtian asked in astonishment.

His voice was very soft, for fear of disturbing Xiao Ni as he communicated with the wisp of remnant soul hidden within the portrait.

"It seems so." Xiao Xun'er was somewhat stunned as well.

Soul strength was divided into the Mortal Realm, Spirit Realm, Heavenly Realm, and Emperor Realm. At the Mortal Realm, one could at most refine Seventh-Grade Pills. Only upon reaching the Spirit Realm could one refine Eighth-Grade Pills.

When had Brother Xiao Ni's soul strength reached the Spirit Realm? With his talent, perhaps it would only take a few years for him to become the Jia Ma Empire's first Seventh-Grade Alchemist. As for becoming an Eighth-Grade Alchemist, even if his soul strength met the requirements, it would not be so easy. Brother Xiao Ni still had a long, long road ahead of him as an Alchemist.

"Good lad, you've hidden yourself deeply." Chekenao was utterly shocked, and his appreciation for Xiao Ni only grew.

He took back his previous words. Perhaps the chance of reviving Miss Lan could exceed twenty percent—perhaps even reach thirty percent.

"Aunt Lan, Aunt Lan!" Xiao Ni called out to Lan Suyin in his heart. Yet that wisp of remnant soul merely stirred vaguely in response, without giving any answer.

"Aunt Lan, I'm Xiao Ni. I came to see you." As Xiao Ni tried to awaken Lan Suyin's remnant soul, he raised his palm and injected a trace of gentle battle qi into the painting.

"...Not Gu He." Half a breath later, Lan Suyin's remnant soul finally whispered four words.

Those four words entered Xiao Ni's mind directly. No one else could hear them, but Xiao Ni's expression jolted.

What did Aunt Lan mean? Could her death have had nothing to do with Gu He? Could there have been another hidden truth behind what happened back then?

"Aunt Lan, quickly tell me the formula for the Heavenly Soul-Recovery Pill. I want to save you!" After his brief shock, Xiao Ni tried once again to communicate with Lan Suyin. Yet that wisp of remnant soul had already fallen asleep.