Illusory Form Appearance-Changing Pill

"It's already gotten this serious? If Old Master Nalan dies, won't the Nalan Clan plummet overnight?" the middle-aged man said with a sigh.

"Isn't that so? The Nalan Clan has always been caught between the Misty Cloud Sect and the Jia Ma Imperial Family. Their days have been tough. In the past, with the Misty Cloud Sect looking after them, the Jia Ma Imperial Family naturally couldn't do much to the Nalan Clan. But because of Nalan Yanran, and with Nalan Jie—the Nalan Clan's pillar—about to die, the Misty Cloud Sect's attitude toward the Nalan Clan has also subtly changed," Skinny Monkey echoed.

"Heh, although the Misty Cloud Sect accepted Nalan Yanran as a disciple because of her exceptional cultivation talent, they also intended to win over the Nalan Clan. Now that Nalan Jie is nearly dead, of course their attitude is bound to change somewhat," the middle-aged man said with a faint smile.

"Who can they blame? Isn't it because Nalan Yanran was spoiled too much? She actually went and annulled the engagement on her own, causing all this trouble. If she were my daughter, I'd have beaten her to death long ago," Skinny Monkey said.

"Ha ha! As if you could have such a beautiful daughter as Nalan Yanran. Still, Nalan Yanran is having a terrible time herself. She's constantly mocked in the Misty Cloud Sect, and when she returns home, her own clan curses her as well. She's neither accepted here nor there—she brought this upon herself. But pitiful people must have something hateful about them. I also heard that in three years, she'll have another match with that kid from the Xiao Clan. If she loses, she'll become his slave and servant. If she loses again three years from now, she really won't be able to show her face anywhere. Come on, all the dishes are here. Let's eat!" The middle-aged man called Skinny Monkey over to eat, and the two stopped talking.

"I never expected forcing Nalan Yanran to sign that Annulment Agreement back then would have such a huge impact on the Nalan Clan," Xiao Yan mused inwardly.

But even without the Annulment Agreement, as long as Nalan Yanran lost the match, it would have caused the same effect, because the Jia Ma Empire was secretly adding fuel to the flames. The Jia Ma Imperial Family was extremely exclusionary. One could tell from the fact that there was only one sect in the entire Jia Ma Empire: the Misty Cloud Sect. Even so, they had stationed tens of thousands of armored cavalry at the foot of the Misty Cloud Sect's mountain, ostensibly to guard the capital, but actually to monitor and threaten it.

Then there was Medusa's Snake-People Tribe. They wanted a foothold in the Warcraft Mountains, yet they had been shut out and forced to live in the harsh environment of the Tagor Desert for a thousand years.

Finally, the Xiao Clan had originally established themselves in the Imperial Capital. But Xiao Yan's grandfather had been pursued and killed by enemies outside the city, causing the Xiao Clan to decline overnight. They had no choice but to leave the Imperial Capital and settle in the remote Wutan City. But who were those enemies? If it had been the Soul Hall, would there have been a single survivor left in the Xiao Clan? But if it was not, the Xiao Clan had only recently joined the Jia Ma Empire at the time. They barely knew anyone—where would they have found such enemies?

Of course, all of this was merely Xiao Yan's own speculation. Whether it was truly so remained unknown.

"Forget it. No point thinking about all this. I should eat first. After that, I'll find an inn and rest for the night. Tomorrow, I'll go to the Alchemist Association and test for First-Grade Alchemist certification," Xiao Yan said. Seeing that the dishes had all arrived, he began eating in large mouthfuls.

Ever since Xiao Yan began traveling and training, he had hardly eaten well. He either filled his stomach with wild fruits or roasted Magical Beast meat. He had grown sick of both.

After eating, Xiao Yan found a decent inn and checked in, intending to get some proper rest. But as soon as he lay down on the bed, he seemed to recall something. He immediately sat up and asked Medicine Elder, "Teacher, do you have any pills that can change one's appearance?"

"Oh? What do you need that for?" Medicine Elder floated out of the Ring and asked with a smile.

"Isn't it because I'm afraid of being recognized? Who would have thought news of the annulment would spread so quickly? Everyone in the Imperial Capital knows about it," Xiao Yan said awkwardly.

If he were recognized, wouldn't that be embarrassing? Although the Misty Cloud Sect and the Nalan Clan would not attack the Xiao Clan because of their reputations, Xiao Yan felt that if they could kill him before the three-year match, they would be more than happy to do so.

"Now you know fear?" Medicine Elder teased.

"What do you mean, fear? I just don't want to cause trouble," Xiao Yan argued.

Although Xiao Yan was not in the Imperial Capital, stories about him were everywhere in the Imperial Capital. Many people there wanted to see this genius youth who had defeated Nalan Yanran.

"Do you want something for long-term use, or only for a short while?" Medicine Elder asked with a smile.

"Why would I want a pill that lasts long-term? We won't be staying in the Imperial Capital for very long!" Xiao Yan had no desire to take a pill with a lasting effect. He would need an antidote to return to normal afterward. If the antidote were lost, he might never be able to change back for the rest of his life.

"Then the only option is the Illusory Form Appearance-Changing Pill. Although this pill cannot alter your body shape, it can change your facial muscles and transform your appearance. The changes are random, however, and its effects only last three months. The Illusory Form Appearance-Changing Pill is merely a Tier 4 Pill. Its refining method is quite complicated, and it requires many medicinal ingredients, but they are all low-grade materials. We already have the necessary ingredients, so there's no need to go out and buy any," Medicine Elder said with a faint smile.

"That's perfect. Three months is more than enough time for us to finish everything we need to do in the Imperial Capital. But I still don't meet the requirements to refine a Tier 4 Pill, so I'll have to trouble you, Teacher!" Xiao Yan said with a grin.

"Back to doing hard labor for you again!" Medicine Elder shook his head helplessly.

"Thank you for your hard work, Teacher. But in a few days, I'll be bringing you something good. I hope you won't be too surprised when the time comes." A mysterious smile curled across Xiao Yan's lips.

"You brat, what benefit could you possibly bring me?" Medicine Elder clearly did not take Xiao Yan's words seriously.

Seeing that Medicine Elder did not believe him, Xiao Yan said nothing. After all, facts spoke louder than words.

Seeing that Medicine Elder had already begun refining the pill, Xiao Yan did not disturb him any further. He lay back down to rest. Three months of training had been quite exhausting, after all. He had spent his days exposed to the elements and had barely enjoyed a good night's sleep.

The next morning, the early sunlight streamed through the window, and warmth washed over him.

"Feels so good! It's been so long since I slept this comfortably!" Xiao Yan stretched and yawned.

Xiao Yan got out of bed and walked to the table. He picked up the Illusory Form Appearance-Changing Pill Medicine Elder had refined and placed it in his Storage Ring, then began washing up. Once he had finished, he put on the new clothes he had bought yesterday. Standing before the mirror, Xiao Yan looked at his reflection and took an Illusory Form Appearance-Changing Pill from his Storage Ring, holding it in his palm.

"What kind of change will this thing make to me? What if it turns me into some ugly freak? Forget it, whatever happens, happens!" Xiao Yan stopped hesitating and tossed the pill directly into his mouth.

As the pill entered his stomach, Xiao Yan immediately felt a stream of energy constantly surging toward his face. Under that strange energy, his facial muscles began to writhe. Before long, Xiao Yan's appearance had changed.

"How amazing!" Xiao Yan said in surprise as he stared at himself in the mirror.

Compared to before, Xiao Yan's appearance had undergone a complete transformation. Although his body had not changed in the slightest, just looking at his face now, even if his father Xiao Zhan came, he probably would not recognize him.