That night.
In a somewhat secluded inn in Xuan City, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on the bed with his eyes closed. As his thoughts turned, wisps of mixed energy emerged from the surrounding void and flowed into his body with his Xiao Yan.
During his conversation with Zhuang Zhong during the day, Xiao Yan learned about the Lin Clan's power and Xu Yao's background. Xiao Yan adopted a "I won't offend them unless they offend me" attitude towards the Lin Clan. He considered what happened during the day as Lin Ran's own fault, and if possible, Xiao Yan really didn't want to cause too much trouble.
As for Xu Yao, Xiao Yan never took her seriously from the beginning. In the end, she was just a spoiled girl. Even if her grandfather was Xu Songming, Xiao Yan would not be afraid of anyone else.
However, what Xiao Yan regretted most was that he didn't get much valuable information about the Fire Plume Flower.
Just as Zhuang Zhong said, what he knew was also what everyone in Xuan City knew. After leaving the Alchemist Guild, Xiao Yan also inquired around the city, but the information he finally obtained was almost the same as what Zhuang Zhong said.
Left with no other choice, Xiao Yan returned to the inn. With nowhere else to go, he figured he might as well focus on his cultivation.
With only one day left until the auction begins, Xiao Yan decided to take a good rest rather than waste unnecessary time, hoping to recover from the fatigue of the past two weeks of travel and prepare for the upcoming auction.
Both major families will send representatives to this auction. To be on the safe side, Xiao Yan has to be extra careful. Even with the Strength Elephant Art his aid, it doesn't mean he can truly contend with a Xiao Yan Dou Di expert. Moreover, Xuan City is the territory of both families. If something really happens, the other side can mobilize their experts much faster than he can defeat them. Therefore, Xiao Yan has to keep himself at his peak condition at all times.
While Xiao Yan was cultivating peacefully, in a magnificent villa in the city, several figures were sitting in a grand hall. Among them were three men and one woman. The person sitting at the head of the table was a middle-aged man, while the other three were seated at their respective tables. The atmosphere in the room was somewhat solemn.
" Lin Ran, before I left this place, I entrusted Yao Yao to you, asking you to protect her. You answered me righteously then, promising that you would never let her suffer any harm. But look at you now! My granddaughter has been slapped hard across the face. Is this the promise you made to me? Humph!"
Inside the main hall, an elderly man in a brocade robe with a weathered face and white hair and beard stared grimly at Lin Ran, who was sitting opposite him. His old eyes, filled with shadows, held a sharp look. As he spoke, he slammed the cane he was holding heavily onto the ground in front of him. Instantly, a powerful force spread out, and the ground in front of the old man shattered, with spiderweb-like cracks rapidly spreading outwards.
As the old man finished speaking, a pretty young girl, completely wrapped in a red dress, suddenly burst into tears, burying her face in the square table beside him.
This scene made the old man's expression even more gloomy, and the anger in his dark old eyes, fixed on Lin Ran, intensified.
Hearing the old man's angry rebuke, Lin Ran's face also turned ashen, and she gritted her teeth, her heart filled with resentment.
"Master, I truly apologize to my junior sister for what happened today. It's all that brat's fault; his strength is above mine, and I was no match for him..."
"Hmph, you're no match for him, but does that mean Lin Quan isn't a match for him either? In my opinion, you're just deliberately watching my Yao Yao suffer!"
"Master, things aren't as you think, it's..."
"Enough! You don't need to explain further. I'll handle this myself. Also, from now on, you don't need to call me master anymore!"
Before Lin Ran could finish speaking, the old man interrupted her with a loud snort, his Elder Zhang turning indifferent. He stood up from his chair, raised his cane, and headed out of the hall.
Upon seeing this, both Lin Ran and the middle-aged man who had been sitting at the head of the table changed their expressions simultaneously. They quickly exchanged a glance, and then, just as the old man was about to lead the girl in the red dress out of the hall, Lin Ran suddenly called out loudly:
"Master, it's not that I don't want to help, but that guy is also Third-Tier Alchemist, and it seems he's a member of the Alchemist Alliance!"
"Tread..."
Just as Lin Ran finished speaking, the old man's foot, which was about to step out of the hall, paused slightly in mid-air before being pulled back. At the same time, the old man suddenly turned around, his gloomy old eyes flashing with sharp light, and his gaze instantly fell on Lin Ran.
"What did you say?!"
The old man spoke in a low voice, and as anger rose in his heart, a sense of solemnity also arose naturally.
"That lad doesn't look very old, but the Spiritual Strength he possesses is far beyond my reach. I've only ever felt such powerful Spiritual Strength from my master. That's why I'm certain that guy is definitely a Third-Tier Alchemist!"
"But what makes you think he's a member of the Alchemist Alliance?!"
The old man's tone was fierce. If he were just a self-taught alchemist, it wouldn't be so bad, but if the other party was from the Alchemist Alliance and was under the same roof, it would be much more troublesome if he wanted to attack him.
"Master, you should understand. At such a young age, and already Third-Tier Alchemist, I really can't think of any other organization besides the Alchemist Alliance that could cultivate someone like this."
"Hmph! Even if he's from my Alchemist Alliance, he can't bully my Xu Songming!"
Upon hearing Lin Ran's words, Xu Songming pondered for a moment, then let out a hateful snort. He slammed his cane heavily on the ground once more, his gloomy old eyes staring at the void before him, and the powerful aura within his body surged forth.
When Lin Ran saw all of this, she sneered inwardly.
" Lin Ran, you should know where that guy is, right?"
"Oh? Master, are you planning to go find that person now?"
Just as Xu Songming finished speaking, the middle-aged man in the main seat suddenly spoke up.
"Hmph, Lin Clan, you didn't seem to be present at the time of this incident, did you? Do you perhaps know where the person who injured my granddaughter is?"
Hearing the middle-aged man's words, Xu Songming showed no fear whatsoever. He was just a One-Star Dou Di. With his current status, he could easily have Dou Di experts working for him with a wave of his hand. So why should he be afraid of the person in front of him?
Upon hearing Xu Songming's words, the middle-aged man fell silent. His hand, resting on the armrest, swayed slightly, his fingers tapping rhythmically. A glint of light flashed deep in his eyes, but he remained completely silent.
"Master..."
" Ran'er, there's no need to say anything more. Let the master go. You are no longer his disciple, so why bother with other people's business?"
Just as Lin Ran was about to speak, the middle-aged man sitting in the main seat interrupted her with a single sentence. At the same time, a hint of sharpness gradually appeared in his gaze as he looked at Xu Songming.
" Lin Zehong! What did you say! Yao Yao is Lin Ran's junior sister, what do you mean by 'meddling'?!"
Xu Songming's Elder Zhang was cold and stern, and the powerful aura within him couldn't help but fluctuate. A trace of anger rose in his gloomy eyes.
His beloved granddaughter being bullied was something he couldn't tolerate, and this guy actually dared to speak up and stop it, which made him unable to control his emotions.
"Master, your memory is truly terrible. Didn't you just say that Lin Ran is no longer your disciple from now on? If that's the case, why should Lin Ran speak up for someone unrelated to you? Moreover, the consequence of doing so is that it's highly likely to bring a powerful figure from the Alchemist Alliance to my Lin Clan. I have no choice but to think about my family, unlike you, Master, who can simply leave with Xu Yao and pretend none of this ever happened. In that case, it will be my Lin Clan that will bear the pressure."
Lin Zehong smiled, showing no sign of unease despite the aura emanating from the latter.
In the end, he was just an Eight-Star Half-Emperor. In terms of strength, Lin Zehong completely crushed the latter. If it weren't for the fact that this old guy was a member of the Alchemist Alliance and was now Third-Tier Alchemist, Lin Zehong wouldn't have wasted so much time talking to him.
"You... fine, fine, I take back what I said earlier, but Lin Ran, you must tell me right now where the guy who hit Yao Yao is!"
Upon hearing Lin Zehong's words, Xu Songming's Elder Zhang face turned ashen. Seeing Xu Yao beside him crying softly with a wronged expression, his emotions darkened even more. He gritted his teeth and looked up at Lin Ran, saying in a deep voice.
"Master, why rush things? You only arrived in Xuan City today. Why not rest for the night and recover your strength before going to find that guy? Besides, it's already late, and there are still many powerful figures in the city. If we disturb them and cause trouble, it will be a real problem. How about tomorrow, I will personally lead you to that guy's residence, and we can deal with him then?"
Before Lin Ran could speak, Lin Zehong took over the conversation and continued.
Upon hearing the latter's words, Xu Songming couldn't help but frown slightly, but he knew that since the person in front of him had already said so, he would definitely not tell him the truth honestly. Despite his dissatisfaction, he could only nod helplessly.
Seeing this, Lin Zehong chuckled and said a few more polite words. Then he sent his servants to invite Xu Songming and his grandson to the guest room that had been prepared in advance, while Lin Zehong and his son remained standing in the main hall.
"Father, that old scoundrel..."
"Shut up! Master Xu is Third-Tier Alchemist; how dare you, a junior, insult him? You are truly ungrateful! He is, after all, your master, and yet you speak to him like that! As the young master of the Lin Clan, with such a character, how can I entrust the Lin Clan to you in the future!"
Seeing Xu Songming and his grandson leave, Lin Ran couldn't help but utter a curse, but was immediately followed by a barrage of harsh words from Lin Zehong, which made the latter's face turn ashen. He huddled back in his seat like a frightened cat, burying his head deep in his seat.
"Snort!"
Seeing Lin Ran shut up, Lin Zehong couldn't help but snort coldly, his eyes sweeping across the hall without making a sound, and he calmed down.
Meanwhile, somewhere outside the palace, Xu Songming, led by a servant of the Lin Clan, was heading towards his guest room when a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
" Lin Zehong, you're smart enough to know your place. You're just a nobody from the Lin Clan, yet you dare try to curry favor with me. If it weren't for the Fire Plume Flower at this auction, I wouldn't bother with this disciple anymore. Lin Ran... hmph, he's just got some talent, nothing more. Without guidance, you'll be stuck at the First-Tier Alchemist level forever!"
With a cold laugh to himself, Xu Songming finally regained his composure. He swung his cane forward rhythmically with each step. Led by the servants in front of him, after passing through several corridors, he saw that people had been waiting there for a long time. There were two rooms, clearly prepared for him and his grandson.
After crying for a while, Xu Yao had calmed down, but a hint of resentment still flickered in her bright eyes. The events of the day had dealt a significant blow to this little princess!
Xiao Yan's appearance ruthlessly shattered the beautiful dream in her heart, and all the reality was laid out before her. Only then did the girl realize that the world that seemed like a warm spring breeze in her eyes was actually so cold and biting. It can be said that Xiao Yan's appearance both struck her down and awakened her.
However, after being awakened, the girl's eyes did not show the gratitude that should have appeared. Instead, they showed a kind of resentment and coldness as if her dream had been shattered.
The next day.
The blinding sunlight shone on the earth as if trying to pierce one's soul. The world, which had been quiet all night, became noisy and bustling once again. All walks of life turned and began anew in the new day, like a new cycle, or a new beginning.
As this day arrived in Xuan City, powerful figures from all sides within the city moved about. Beneath the surface of the city, which appeared to be a sea of people, undercurrents were surging.
Inside the room, the moment Xiao Yan opened his eyes again, his expression became incredibly sharp. A brilliant flame flickered deep within his dark pupils. Xiao Yan slowly raised his head, his sharp gaze piercing through everything before him, locking onto the city outside. In the void above, several figures stood proudly, none other than Xu Songming and the others.
So they still came.