After Yao Yue left the cultivation chamber, Jia Xingtian stood alone where he was, the expression on his face still shifting.
A Seventh-Tier Alchemist!
The news left his heart unsettled for a long time. If the other party really was a Seventh-Tier Alchemist, the Imperial Family absolutely had to cultivate a good relationship with him.
The entire Jia Ma Empire did not have a single Seventh-Tier Alchemist. Although Pill King Gu He was sixth-tier, he was still a considerable distance from the seventh tier.
And what did a Seventh-Tier Alchemist mean? It meant that, as long as he wished, he could refine large quantities of high-tier pills at any time. With high-tier pills, the Imperial Family's experts could rapidly improve their strength, and the foundations of the entire empire could rise another level along with them.
Moreover, a Seventh-Tier Alchemist's network of connections was also extraordinarily formidable. There would certainly be many experts gathered around someone like that.
So no matter what, the Jia Ma Imperial Family had to establish a good relationship with this Seventh-Tier Alchemist.
At that thought, Jia Xingtian was no longer in the mood to continue cultivating. He released his cultivation posture and walked straight out of the cultivation chamber.
After leaving the cultivation chamber, he thought for a moment, then had someone summon his great-granddaughter, Yao Ye.
As the eldest imperial princess of the Jia Ma Empire, Yao Ye was far steadier in temperament than Yao Yue and better suited to handling something like this.
Before long, Yao Ye arrived before Jia Xingtian, looking valiant in her military attire. Seeing her great-grandfather's solemn expression, she felt somewhat curious.
"Great-grandfather, what did you want to see me about?"
Hearing this, Jia Xingtian gestured for her to sit down, then asked, "Yao Yue was here just now. She said a Seventh-Tier Alchemist has appeared in the Jia Ma Empire. You must have heard about this too, right?"
Yao Ye nodded. "I have. That girl Yao Yue went around broadcasting it the moment she left. I ran into her outside the hall just now, and she held me there talking for quite a while."
"She said President Fa Ma of the Alchemist Guild told her himself."
Jia Xingtian then nodded. "That's right. That old fellow Fa Ma wouldn't say something like that lightly. It should be true."
"And I also heard that the Seventh-Tier Alchemist is staying at the Lu Family residence."
At this point, Jia Xingtian glanced at Yao Ye. "Yao Ye, you usually handle intelligence affairs in the imperial capital. You should know about the situation at the Lu Family residence, shouldn't you?"
Yao Ye nodded at that. "I know a little."
"The Lu Family residence, or rather, the Xiao Clan residence, is a residential compound in the imperial capital. It was originally a house the Xiao Clan purchased in the capital many years ago, but after the Xiao Clan declined, that residence remained empty."
"Recently, though, people have moved in. They seem to be a young man and woman. The man is called Lu Changfeng, and the woman is called Xiao Xun'er. Both came from the Xiao Clan of Wutan City, so the residence was renamed for the Lu Family."
Jia Xingtian's brow furrowed when he heard the words "the Xiao Clan of Wutan City."
"The Xiao Clan of Wutan City? Is it really that Xiao Clan from back then?"
Yao Ye nodded. "That's right. That very Xiao Clan."
"They were once a clan that produced a Dou Wang expert, but they've declined completely over these past few decades. Their current clan leader, Xiao Zhan, seems to have a cultivation level of only around Five-Star Da Dou Shi."
At this, Jia Xingtian's expression grew somewhat shocked. He remained silent for quite a while before slowly speaking.
"Five-Star Da Dou Shi? How could a clan leader who's only a Five-Star Da Dou Shi nurture a Seventh-Tier Alchemist? That doesn't make sense."
The more he thought about it, the more inconceivable he found it. In a place like the Xiao Clan of Wutan City, a Five-Star Da Dou Shi was already their strongest fighting force. How could they possibly nurture a Seventh-Tier Alchemist?
An alchemist's growth required an enormous amount of resources and inherited knowledge. Never mind the Xiao Clan of Wutan City-even the entire Jia Ma Empire might not be able to nurture a Seventh-Tier Alchemist by pouring in the resources of the whole nation.
A small, declining clan had produced a Seventh-Tier Alchemist. This was simply too outrageous.
Seeing her great-grandfather's shocked reaction, Yao Ye clearly shared the same doubts. She looked at Jia Xingtian and asked, "Great-grandfather, is this matter about the Seventh-Tier Alchemist definitely true? Could President Fa Ma have made a mistake?"
Jia Xingtian shook his head. "Fa Ma's judgment in alchemy shouldn't be wrong."
"Since he personally said that the other party is a Seventh-Tier Alchemist, it's almost certainly true. This concerns the Imperial Family's future. Better to believe it than dismiss it."
Hearing this, Yao Ye was also utterly shocked. A young man who had come from the Xiao Clan of Wutan City was actually a Seventh-Tier Alchemist?
This was unheard of in the history of the Jia Ma Empire. Moreover, the appearance of a Seventh-Tier Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire was both an opportunity and a challenge for the empire.
If they befriended him, the empire's strength would soar. If they offended him, it would be a calamity that drowned them all.
As the Imperial Family's protector, Jia Xingtian was clearly considering this question too. After pondering for a while, he raised his head to look at Yao Ye.
"Yao Ye, since he's right here in the imperial capital, we can't miss this opportunity. Listen to me. If you have the chance, you must invite him to visit our Imperial Family. If we can draw him over to the Imperial Family's side, the Jia Ma Empire's future will be secure."
"Even if we can't win him over, we must at least establish a good relationship with him. We cannot let him develop any ill feeling toward the Imperial Family."
Yao Ye listened attentively and nodded. "You're right, Great-grandfather. Someone like this is indeed worth the Imperial Family's full efforts to befriend."
Jia Xingtian thought for a moment, then finally grew somewhat impatient. He felt that something like this should be done sooner rather than later.
"There's no time to lose. Why don't you go invite him now? Take my visiting card right away and go to the Xiao Clan residence yourself. Invite that Seventh-Tier Alchemist to visit the palace in the Imperial Family's name."
Seeing her great-grandfather's impatience, Yao Ye paused in surprise. "Go right now? Wouldn't that be too rushed? We should at least prepare some gifts."
Jia Xingtian waved a hand. "There's no rush about the gifts. Showing where we stand is what matters most."
"Go there yourself and let him feel the Imperial Family's sincerity. That will be enough."
Hearing these instructions, Yao Ye thought for a moment and found them reasonable, so she nodded and rose.
"All right. I'll make some preparations now, then take the visiting card to the Xiao Clan residence."
Jia Xingtian nodded, then added another instruction. "Remember, you must be respectful. You cannot show the slightest discourtesy."
"Even before the Imperial Family, a Seventh-Tier Alchemist is an honored guest. You represent the Imperial Family's dignity now. Don't mess this up."
Hearing this, Yao Ye nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Great-grandfather. I know how to conduct myself. I'll be going, then."
With that, Yao Ye turned and left the cultivation chamber, striding quickly outside.
Watching Yao Ye's retreating figure, Jia Xingtian paced back and forth alone in the cultivation chamber, the excitement in his heart still not having subsided.
He could not help thinking that if that Seventh-Tier Alchemist really had come from the Xiao Clan of Wutan City, then this once-declining clan would probably rise again.
What did a Seventh-Tier Alchemist mean? It meant that the Xiao Clan's standing in the Jia Ma Empire would change completely from now on.
Previously, the Xiao Clan had little presence within the empire, but with a Seventh-Tier Alchemist presiding over it in the future, even the Imperial Family would have to show it some courtesy.
Thus, the more Jia Xingtian thought about it, the more he felt they had to act quickly. If other factions learned of this news and all came rushing to win him over, the Imperial Family's advantage would no longer be obvious.
So they had to establish contact with this Seventh-Tier Alchemist before anyone else.
At that thought, Jia Xingtian grew restless again. He walked to the window and looked at the sky outside, calculating when Yao Ye would reach the Xiao Clan residence.
Meanwhile, Yao Ye had already changed into formal attire. Holding the visiting card Jia Xingtian had written personally, she left the imperial palace with several attendants.
She rode swiftly toward the Xiao Clan residence, speculating all along the way.
Just what sort of person was that young man named Lu Changfeng?
A Seventh-Tier Alchemist from the Xiao Clan of Wutan City-that identity was simply too intriguing. The more Yao Ye thought about it, the more she felt she had to perform well on this visit. No matter what, she had to invite him to visit the Imperial Family.
If she could establish a good personal relationship with a Seventh-Tier Alchemist, that would be an enormous blessing for the Imperial Family.
Before long, the gates of what had once been the Xiao Clan residence, now belonging to the Lu Family, appeared in her sight.