Gute trembled all over. Feeling the bone-piercing chill against his neck, he hesitated for only a moment before hurriedly taking a White Jade Box the size of a washbasin from his Storage Ring.
The jade box was translucent throughout, its surface covered in tiny ice crystals. A deep blue liquid could faintly be seen flowing inside, radiating a chill that made the soul shudder.
"H-here..." His voice shook as he handed over the jade box.
Yao Chen accepted it and swept it with his soul force. After confirming its contents, a cold smile curled his lips.
"You refused the courtesy wine, only to drink the punishment wine."
"At least you know what's good for you."
Withdrawing the bone spirit cold flame, Yao Chen teased Xiao Yan inwardly, Let's go.
Xiao Yan nodded. His gaze lingered on Gute for a moment beneath his black robe, then he turned and swiftly left.
Yet the instant they stepped out of the secret chamber, a venomous look suddenly appeared on Gute's wrinkled, unkempt face.
"Damn it..."
"Those bastards dared rob me..."
He cursed under his breath, a vicious gleam flashing in his shadowed eyes. Then he took a Communication Jade Slip from his robes and swiftly crushed it.
The setting sun was like blood, bathing Black Rock City in crimson.
Xiao Yan threaded through the streets and alleys, his black robe snapping in the cold wind.
"Teacher, we..."
"Don't worry about it."
Yao Chen's voice sounded in his mind, carrying a hint of coldness. Still, I saw that fellow's parting look clearly. He certainly won't let this rest.
A mere third-grade alchemist can't stir up much of a wave anyway.
Xiao Yan nodded and was about to quicken his pace when he suddenly paused.
He abruptly raised his head and looked toward the end of the street.
Three dark figures appeared there like phantoms, cold killing intent radiating from them.
"Dou Ling?"
Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly. All three figures were unmistakably Dou Ling experts!
"Brat, hand over the ice spirit cold spring and flamefall black iron, and we'll leave your corpse intact."
The leader's voice was hoarse. A black cloth concealed his face, leaving only a pair of icy eyes exposed.
Xiao Yan sneered. "Gute sent you?"
"Enough talk!" another man snarled, lunging straight at Xiao Yan like a wolf!
"You're courting death."
Yao Chen's voice rang out in his mind. The next instant, Xiao Yan's aura surged once more!
Xiao Yan's strongest move-
Heaven-Tier Dou Technique: Possession!
Vast soul force poured out like a tide. Ghastly white bone spirit cold flame rose from his palm, forming an enormous flaming palm print that slammed down toward the Dou Ling!
Boom!
The flaming palm print struck the Dou Ling head-on with a deafening blast.
Before the Dou Ling could even react, the bone spirit cold flame engulfed him, reducing him to a cloud of ash that dispersed into the night sky!
"What?!"
The other two Dou Ling blanched and turned to flee, only to see an elderly figure appear out of thin air. His spectral soul form was as solid as a real body, and suffocating pressure radiated from him.
"Since you've come, you might as well stay."
Yao Chen flicked his sleeve. Two streams of ghastly white flame shot out like venomous snakes and instantly coiled around the two Dou Ling.
"No-!"
"Gute, you've doomed us!"
Their agonized screams echoed through the air before falling silent moments later.
Three charred corpses lay on the ground without a trace of life. Then white flames flared over them, reducing everything to nothingness.
Xiao Yan withdrew the flames, his gaze beneath his black robe as cold as frost.
"Teacher, that Gute..."
"Since he's courting death, we'll grant his wish." Yao Chen's voice carried a sinister edge.
"Do you know why Xiao Zha looted the Mittel Auction House before he left back then?"
"Little Yanzi, tonight... I'll make you rich overnight."
At midnight, at Gute's residence.
His gaunt figure paced back and forth through the secret chamber, anxiety and anticipation flickering in his aged eyes.
"Three Dou Ling... that should be enough, right?"
He muttered to himself, toying with a Communication Jade Slip as he waited for good news.
Yet despite waiting a long time, he received no response.
"What's going on..."
His brows knitted tightly, and a faint unease rose in his heart.
Just then, an elderly voice rang out from empty space, carrying a hint of mockery and coldness:
"Grandmaster Gute, are you waiting for the thugs you sent out?"
Gute abruptly looked up. A spectral soul figure slowly materialized in the secret chamber, radiating suffocating pressure.
"Y-you..." His face turned ashen, and his fat body staggered backward.
"How are you here?!"
"Why shouldn't I be here?" Yao Chen sneered and flicked his sleeve. A ghastly white flame appeared out of thin air, cutting off every avenue of escape around Gute.
"You're not a Dou Ling...! W-what do you want?!" Gute's voice trembled.
"My younger brother is Gu He! A Sixth-grade Alchemist! All ten of the empire's strongest experts are close friends of his! If you dare touch me, he'll never let you off!"
"Gu He?"
Yao Chen scoffed, his aged face full of disdain.
"A sixth-grade alchemist isn't worth a fart in my eyes... Why don't you have him come here at once? I'm rather interested in that inexplicable bloodline of his I've heard rumors about."
He took a step forward, and his soul force surged into Gute's sea of consciousness like a tide, instantly shattering his awareness.
Gute's eyes rolled back, and his scrawny body crashed to the ground. He passed out on the spot.
"..."
"Little Yanzi, come in."
Xiao Yan stepped out of the shadows. His gaze swept across the secret chamber from beneath his black robe, and surprise spread over his face.
"Teacher, this..."
The walls around the secret chamber were lined with all manner of jade bottles, jade boxes, and brocade pouches. The stink of wealth mingled with medicinal fragrances, leaving him dazzled.
"Fire heart seven-leaf flower? Thunder shadow jade marrow! Blood crystal grass? Blue rock heart stone..."
"No wonder Gute has such a terrible reputation. He really has scraped together quite a few treasures."
Xiao Yan stared at the treasures, each a rarity seldom seen. Finding them all gathered here, his mouth slowly fell open. Wasn't this collection far too extensive?
Rare jade, precious medicinal ingredients, high-grade magic cores, ancient scrolls...
Yao Chen stroked his beard and chuckled, rather surprised himself.
"Since he's delivered them to our doorstep, it would be rude to refuse."
He flicked his sleeve, and vast soul force surged out like a tide, sweeping up every treasure in the secret chamber and drawing them into his Storage Ring.
"Let's go."
Xiao Yan hurriedly nodded, then darted out of the secret chamber like a phantom and vanished into the boundless night.
A moment later, Yao Chen's spectral soul form floated out. A wisp of ghastly white flame drifted from his fingertip and landed in a corner of Gute's mansion.
Boom!
Flames surged upward, engulfing the entire mansion in an instant.
The blaze soared into the sky, lighting up half of Black Rock City.
The following morning, Black Rock City was shaken.
Gute's Residence had been reduced to ashes overnight. Gute himself was missing, and every treasure in his home had vanished.
The mysterious perpetrator had disappeared at the same time, as though he had never appeared at all.
Frank and Otto stood at the entrance to the Alchemist Guild, gazing at the black smoke billowing into the sky in the distance. Neither spoke.
"That young friend Yao Yan really does have quite a background," Frank murmured.
Otto stroked his beard thoughtfully, a grave look appearing on his aged face. "Gute threw his weight around for so long, but he finally kicked an iron plate."
"It's just... I'm afraid Gu He won't let this rest."
Before you continue