At the same time, situated at the jun where the borders of the Jia Ma Empire and the two neighb empires met, an a academy with a far-reag reputation quietly stood.

  With its immense prestige and unparalleled strength, evehree great empires had to treat it with utmost resped dare not show the slightest disrespect ligeoward it.

  On a remote mountain peak of the a academy, a young dy in a light green dress stood gracefully by the cliffside. The gentle wind blowing against her caused her waist-length, silky bck hair to flutter gently, and as the hem of her skirt swayed, it faintly revealed the perfect tours of her figure.

  It had been over a year since Xiao Ya Jia Nan Academy. The freshmen of the past had now bee senior students, and even those senior students of the Xuan Css whom Xiao Yan had defeated had already ehe Inner Academy to cultivate.

  Xun Er quietly gazed in the dire of the Jia Ma Empire. Every time she looked that way, a warm current flowed through her heart, for in that dire was the person she cared about.

  After a long silehe young dy suddenly spoke. Her ethereal and pleasant voice gave people a strange feeling of having their souls sed.

  "Old Ling."

  A bck-robed figure mysteriously appeared behind Xun Er, kneeling on one knee and respectfully saying, "Miss, what are your orders?"

  The bck-robed figure was her than Ling Ying, who had once been discovered and driven away by Xiao Yan after his Spiritual Strength reached the Late Mortal Stage.

  "I would like Old Ling to make a trip to the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire. It's been over a year since Xiao Yan ge-ge left. Calg the time, he should have arrived at the imperial capital to fulfill his agreement," Xun Er said in a clear and cold voice.

  Ling Ying was silent for a moment before he said, "Miss, with Young Master Xiao Yan's spiritual perception abilities, I'm afraid he will detect me within several hundred meters, even a thousaers."

  He felt helpless! Xiao Yan's Spiritual Perception was to, even surpassing that of an average Dou Emperor.

  He himself possessed dark-attribute Dou Qi. This made him especially adept at cealing his presence. Yet, he had been discovered by a young Dou Grandmaster, aeen-year-old boy.

  Frustrating, truly frustrating!

  "Then don't get within a thousaers," Xun Er said indifferently.

  Ling Ying was silent for a moment before saying, "Miss, in my opinion, Young Master Xiao Ya like being monitored."

  It was actually very simple. Xiao Yan had discovered Ling Ying's presence before and directly drove him away. This proved he was extremely sensitive and disliked being followed or iigated.

  "So this time, I hope Old Ling won't be discovered again. Xiao Yan ge-ge doesn't like me sending people to protect him," Xun Er said. She naturally uood Xiao Yan's personality well after spending many years with him.

  Although Xiao Yan usually joked around and got along well with people in the without putting on the airs of a Little Leader, he valued his dignity very much. Secretly sending someoo protect him was something he would definitely dislike.

  "Miss, five me for being blunt, but with Young Master Xiao Yan's talent and strength, I fear that iire Jia Ma Empire, those who pose a fatal threat to him are few and far between," Ling Ying said.

  Xun Er's lips curled into a small pout upon hearing this, her expression tinged with a hint of displeasure and grievance as she said. "Xiao Yan ge-ge has a peach blossom fate that easily draws in bees and butterflies."

  TL/N: "Peach blossom fate" refers to a person's natural charm and ability to attraantitas.

  "Uh... I uand," Ling Ying replied with a wry smile. If wot back to the that Xun Er was troubled by such matters, the entire would probably be thrown into chaos.

  If Hai Bodong and the others had heard Xun Er's words, they would surely have said, "Hah, she sure sees right through him!"

  …

  At this moment, in the Nan Mansion's main hall, Nan Su, the head of the Nan , sprang to his feet upon hearing the serva that Xiao Yan had arrived!

  In the spacious hall, besides Nan Su, there were over a dozen alchemists dressed in robes of the same color. Without exception, they all wore 3rd-tier alchemist badges on their chests.

  However, most of these 3rd-tier alchemists were middle-aged, and two of them even had graying hair.

  inally, Nan Yanran was also here with her father to receive the alchemists who had e from various pces. However, after some discussion, she was sent to the Miteer to seek help from the Miteer Au House, which had branches in various cities across the empire, to help find an alchemist possessing a Heavenly Fme. She had just happeo leave.

  "Master, Master, Young Master Xiao Yan is here," a servant came running in to report.

  "Invite him in immediately," Nan Su instructed. He then turo the bewildered alchemists sitting opposite him and said, "Dear guests, I apologize for the invenience, but we have successfully found an alchemist. heless, we will still provide pensation to all of you."

  All the alchemists looked at one another but were in no hurry to leave. They all wao see who could possibly have the ability to treat the Searing Poison that even Gu He was helpless against.

  Before long, Xiao Yan, who had been pulled along in a rush, was brought into the inner hall by the old steward. His previously hair had beessy like a bird's .

  Upon seeing Xiao Yan appear, even though they hadn't met i years, Nan Su reized him at a gnce. He rushed rabbed Xiao Yan's hands, and asked urgently, "Virtous nephew, I heard from Yanran that you possess a Heavenly Fme, is that true?"

  The Nan had known about Xiao Yan being an alchemist for over two years, as his public alchemy dispy ba Wu Tan City had bee known throughout the city.

  Xiao Yan looked at Nan Su, who was much more robust than himself, and nodded, "Mm."

  Upon seeing Xiao Yan nod, everyone in the Nan became excited, exg, "The old master finally has hope!" Nan Su's eyes brimmed with tears, and he said with some apology, "I know that Yanran did some things in the past that wronged your Xiao . I apologize on her behalf. Iure, as long as it's within our Nan 's power, we will not refuse any requests."

  Xiao Yan was immediately bewildered upon hearing this and said awkwardly, "It's a small matter to me. But may I ask, what exactly has happened?"

  Nan Su was momentarily stunned by Xiao Yan's words and asked, "Didn't you e because you received the message we sent?"

  Xiao Yan shook his head and said, "I just happeo arrive in Jia Ma Sacred City and came to visit Unan on behalf of my father to extend reetings."

  He even lifted the fruit basket in his hand to indicate that he was truly here for a visit and was unaware of what had transpired.

  "e with me, and I'll expin as we walk."

  After Nan Su's expnation, Xiao Yan finally uood the situation. It turned out that several years ago, Nan Jie had been poisoned with the Searing Poison and had been relying on his Dou King's Dou Qi to barely suppress it. Retly, the Searing Poison suddenly fred up and nearly cimed his life.

  Even Pill King Gu He was uo treat it and could only provide some pills to prolong his life. He mentiohat to pletely eradicate the Searing Poison, it would require a Heavenly Fme to enter Nan Jie's body and burn the poison away.

  Not long after, when Nan Yanraurned and learned about this matter, she recalled the fme that Xiao Yan used when fighting Mo g in Yan City, which resembled a Heavenly Fme, and thus sent people to find him.

  But they could not find him after searg everywhere. They hadn't expected that Xiao Yan was actually in Rock Desert City and assumed he was deliberately avoiding them.

  So when the old steward saw Xiao Yan arriving at the Nan Mansion, he was so excited, thinking that he had finally fiven them and had e to save Nan Jie.

  Xiao Ya out a wry ugh after hearing this. Although Nan Yanran's an of the e had been very rude, it didn't affect the Xiao at all, and he had eveen her in the end.

  As he sloroached the rge bed, his gaze fell on the figure lying on it. The once imposing Nan Jie in his memory was now thin like a bamboo stick, skin ging to bones. His face was faintly tinged with rge patches of grayish-bck, actually carrying a hint of deathly aura.

  "It's very serious indeed."