How many spoonfuls of sugar? That is the question

"I hear you're engaged to the young master of the Nalan Family, Xiao?"

Sure enough, he opened with this sort of question, Xiao Yan thought.

This looked like "small talk," but he was actually probing which side she intended to take.

After all, Nalan Yan was the Misty Cloud Sect's chief disciple, and behind him stood the entire sect.

Still, the Jia Ma Empire only had two "transcendent" powers. If she had to choose between them, Xiao Yan would certainly lean toward the Jia Ma Imperial Family-

A sect required her to "join," which was far more troublesome than "cooperating" with the Imperial Family;

Besides, the Misty Cloud Sect primarily cultivated wind-attribute dou qi, which did not suit her very well, and Xiao Yan had little fondness for the sect anyway.

Of course, with a Dou Emperor next door who apparently represented the Imperial Family, Xiao Yan knew she needed to "distance herself" from the Misty Cloud Sect.

"That's true, but the engagement has already been broken off-Young Master Nalan didn't think much of me." Xiao Yan made a joke.

"And you needn't worry either, Chairman. After all, I've heard that Yun Yun, the Misty Cloud Sect's current sect leader, has yet to take a disciple."

"Even if my dou qi isn't wind-attribute, if I wanted to go, I could simply visit Misty Cloud Mountain and seek admission, couldn't I?"

"Hehe, you're quite an interesting young friend." Fa Ma laughed.

"Just a few jokes. I've only just arrived, so if I've offended you, I hope you'll be understanding, Chairman." Xiao Yan smiled back.

With Apothecary's existence still a secret, how much "investment" she could secure depended entirely on Xiao Yan's "acting."

Although her earlier remarks might have sounded somewhat rash, or even rather unpleasant, she was only a young person of "fifteen and a half."

With talent like hers, acting a little "bold" actually seemed more reasonable.

-Youthful temperament, after all. She could not keep anything hidden in her heart.

And a young person who "couldn't hide her thoughts" served the Imperial Family's interests better than one who was "mature beyond her years."

Coupled with the stance she had already made clear, this would not offend Fa Ma or the Dou Emperor who refused to show himself. Instead, they would "lower their guard" and consider her even more worth recruiting.

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"Would you mind telling me who your teacher is?" Fa Ma paused, then continued asking.

Xiao Yan frowned and "deliberated" for a moment before saying, "Sorry, Chairman. I can't."

Fa Ma: "..."

Sometimes, this girl was so sincere it practically set his temper ablaze.

"Hehe, if you can't, then..." Just as Fa Ma was about to say something, he heard Xiao Yan continue:

"I'm only my teacher's registered disciple. Until I've achieved something, she won't allow me to use her name."

"Well..."

A genius who could pass the Second-Rank Alchemist examination at fifteen was not even acknowledged as a proper disciple, merely a registered one?

In other words, Xiao Yan's supposed master was even stronger than Pill King Gu He?

Fa Ma stroked his beard. There was no telling what he was thinking; perhaps he was transmitting his voice to the Dou Emperor next door.

Although his status as an alchemist gave him a transcendent position in the Jia Ma Empire, Fa Ma actually belonged to the Imperial Family's faction and stood on their side.

Or rather, he was "grass atop a wall," swaying toward whichever side was weaker and helping them, though he generally favored the Imperial Family over the sect.

In stepping forward to recruit Xiao Yan this time, he was really just an "intermediary." Jia Xingtian next door was the "client."

At least, Jia Xingtian considered himself the "client," having the "intermediary" fish for information to see whether Xiao Yan was worth investing in.

Xiao Yan also knew the old man was probably not sitting idle, but she said nothing more and sat quietly across from him.

Nobody would believe her alchemy was "self-taught," but revealing Apothecary's existence outright was even more out of the question.

And her "background" would also greatly influence how much importance Fa Ma and the others attached to her.

This was where she needed a "Schrödinger's Master."

She only needed to offer some vague information and a little guidance, and the other party would automatically invent a perfectly plausible figure.

Several minutes later, Fa Ma was still stroking his beard. Growing bored with the wait, Xiao Yan casually picked up the teacup beside her and took a small sip.

Then... she frowned.

She had only been an ordinary person before, with no interest in tea appreciation. She could not taste any of the finer flavors in the tea Fa Ma had prepared.

All she tasted was-bitterness.

"Hehe, that was an oversight on my part-"

Only then did Fa Ma seem to come back to himself. He extended a hand toward a nearby cabinet, and a porcelain bottle flew over, which he set before Xiao Yan.

"Sugar frost. Help yourself, young friend."

"Thank you, Chairman."

Xiao Yan nodded and stood on no ceremony, adding two spoonfuls of sugar straight away. Then she took a sip, found it still a little bitter, and added another two.

What? Why didn't she add three spoonfuls?

Hehe, because three spoonfuls of sugar... ahem!

"Young friend Xiao Yan, would you mind telling me what achievement your teacher requires?" Fa Ma hesitated for a moment before asking again.

"Seventh rank, I suppose-my teacher told me to seek her out once I reach seventh rank. The age at which I get there will determine how much importance she places on me." Xiao Yan made it up without missing a beat.

Taking another sip of tea, Xiao Yan "sighed." "Ah, seventh rank! I'm fifteen and only barely at second rank. When will I ever reach seventh rank?"

"..."

The corners of Fa Ma's mouth twitched despite himself. Damn it, I'm only at fifth rank myself! I've worked hard for most of my life and am still trying to break through to sixth rank. Is it really appropriate to show off in front of me like this?

However, ignoring Xiao Yan's "complaints," Fa Ma keenly extracted two important pieces of information from those few remarks-

[One], her "teacher" was at least seventh rank, and possibly even eighth-tier-his strength limited his imagination. He did not even dare contemplate a legendary Ninth Grade Alchemist.

[Two], based on [One], a seventh-rank alchemist, or one of an even higher rank, could not possibly set her sights on the Jia Ma Empire's paltry patch of land.

If Xiao Yan went to find her teacher, she would most likely leave the Jia Ma Empire. And according to the information they had uncovered, the other members of the Xiao Clan had only mediocre talent.

In other words, all they needed to do was invest boldly-

Decades ago, the Misty Cloud Sect had made one correct investment and gained a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. Ever since, the Jia Ma Imperial Family could only yield before the sect.

Aside from the Misty Cloud Sect, that thorn lodged deep in their hearts, they also faced the Snake-People Tribe Empress, a Peak Dou Emperor, within their borders, and the Chu Yun Empire, their hereditary enemy, outside them.

Xiao Yan's talent defied the heavens, and once she gained a certain degree of strength, she would leave the Jia Ma Empire. Her clan's influence was negligible and posed no threat whatsoever to the Jia Ma Imperial Family.

As long as they invested in Xiao Yan early and supported the Xiao Clan, they were guaranteed a profit with no risk of loss!

If they let Xiao Yan slip away, the Jia Ma Imperial Family would never find another trustworthy genius with a clean background to help them through this difficult period.

"What do you think of the Jia Ma Empire?" Fa Ma changed the subject, asking the question that concerned him... or rather, the Dou Emperor next door, most of all.