Chapter 283 – Stubborn Bone, Clenching Teeth, Enduring Humiliation
Chapter 283: Stubborn Bone, Clenching Teeth, Enduring Humiliation
Eyeing the young alchemist who slowly walked out from the corner, everyone’s expression in the hall became blank. A ridicule immediately surfaced on the few tier three alchemists from before who could do nothing. Even a tier three alchemist could do nothing. What ability did a tier two alchemist like him have?
Nalan Su stared at the young man who had walked forward. He turned around and exchanged glances with Nalan Yanran. Each of them saw shock within the other person’s eyes. Clearly, the action of this young tier two alchemist had fallen out of their expectations. The reason for them not sending him out before was because they gave Ya Fei face. Honestly speaking, they did not have any expectation for this young alchemist.
Although one should not be judged by their appearance, but the other party was after all only a tier two alchemist. This kind of level was only at the initial stage of the alchemist skill. Could they rely on a beginner to expel the ‘Searing Poison’ that even Pill-King Gu He could do nothing about?
“This Little Brother, you…” Nalan Su stood up. Although he did not think that the young man in front of him had any hidden ability but out of habit, he still said cautiously, “Do you have the confidence to cure my father?”
Xiao Yan slowly walked to the center of the room. He glanced at Nalan Su and said indifferently, “May I ask, does Pill-King Gu He have the confidence to cure him?”
“Uh…” Hearing this, Nalan Su became sluggish for a moment. Immediately he shook his head with embarrassment. “If Pill-King Gu He was able to cure him, why would we need to spend such great effort to seek medical treatment from all over the place?”
“Since even Pill-King Gu He doesn’t have absolute confidence, then isn’t the words that Nalan clan head said to me a little…” Xiao Yan hoarse voice carried a little ridicule as he coldly said.
Nalan Su opened his mouth slightly. His original intention was to investigate the foundation of the young man in front of him. He did not expect that the other party would give such a sharp response. Immediately, he was somewhat caught off-guard and did not know how he ought to respond.
“Sir has misunderstood father. He is not to go against you. It is just that my grandfather’s condition is becoming increasingly worse. We do not have much extra time to waste. Therefore, it is only natural for us to be a little more careful. Please do not take it to heart.” During the exchange where Nalan Su became stunned, Nalan Yanran, who was seated beside him, gently pulled Nalan Su’s clothes with her hand before quickly smiling calmly and spoke to Xiao Yan.
“Do you think that the time you have wasted just now is only a little?” As his gaze stopped at the pretty lady’s body who caused Xiao Yan’s fists in his sleeves to tightened involuntarily, his voice was still as calm as an old well. Not only did he not loosen himself because of the other party’s beauty, but he also had an extra iciness that was not difficult to sense.
Hearing Xiao Yan’s words, the expression of the ten plus alchemists in the large hall could not help but become ugly. These words of Xiao Yan undoubtedly meant that they had just wasted the little time Grandfather Nalan had left to live. Immediately, a white haired old man’s face became flush red and he could not help but reprimand, “Where has this light-weight brat come from? You actually dare to act so presumptuous. What right do you, as a tier two alchemist, have to say such things to us?”
Once the old man’s reprimand left his mouth, the surrounding few alchemist also nodded their heads in indignation. Immediately, their gazes stared at the young man, who had his back facing them, with ill will.
Seeing the young man in front of her whose expression was as indifferent as a block of ice, Nalan Yanran’s eyebrows were slightly pressed together without being noticed. If he really had the ability, she did not mind that he was a little arrogant. However, if he was the kind of person who did not have any real ability yet liked to go around boasting, she would loathe him from the bottom of her heart.
“From your tone, it seems that you have some confidence of your ability…” Nalan Su recovered. He stared at Xiao Yan and said in a deep voice, “But you should also know that regardless of how talented you are, the current you is merely a tier two alchemist…”
Nalan Su did not complete saying everything when his voice suddenly stopped. At the same time, the temperature in the large hall was suddenly raised. The tier three alchemist who originally wore mocking faces had all opened their mouths slowly at this moment. They were filled with disbelief as they stared intently at the young man in the middle of the hall… where two clusters of green colored flame were rising from his palms.
Beside the leader’s seat, Nalan Yanran eyed the green colored flame that rose on the young man’s hand. Her hand slowly covered her red sleek mouth. Shock and unrestrained joy danced within the pair of autumn watery eyes.
“Everyone should recognize this right?” Ignoring the silent atmosphere around him, Xiao Yan lowered his head and eyed the two green colored flames that were dancing lively on his palm like little spirits as he faintly asked.
“Heavenly Flame?” As they deeply inhaled a mouthful of somewhat hot air, the ten plus tier three alchemist who had dealt with flames everyday instantly recognized the identity of the cluster of green colored flame. Their faces were slowly covered by shock. Numerous amazed and fanatic gazes stared intently at the rising and shrouding green colored flame.
“Little Brother… this… is this a ‘Heavenly Flame’?” The shock gradually withdrew from Nalan Su’s eyes. The unrestrained joy on his face was difficult to hide.
“Now, can all of you stop this pointless nonsense?” The calm faced young man lowered his head, fiddled with the green colored flame and said with an indifferent tone.
Although Xiao Yan’s current words were still as rude as before, none of those tier three alchemist dared to display their unhappiness and ridicule on their faces. An alchemist who was able to possess a ‘Heavenly Flame’ would have a future that was almost limitless in the alchemist world. Even Pill-King Gu He had never possessed a ‘Heavenly Flame’. It could be imagined just how rare and precious this thing actually was. If one wanted to possess a ‘Heavenly Flame’, one not only needed good luck but also a huge strength behind him as support. In other words, behind this young looking tier two alchemist, there must definitely be a teacher whose strength and power was extremely great…
“Sir, I will apologize for my father’s earlier slight. Please!” Standing up, Nalan Yanran bowed to Xiao Yan. Her etiquette was impeccable.
Xiao Yan did not reply her. He glanced at Nalan Su by the side who was smiling awkwardly before walking past Nalan Yanran and headed for the side room.
Seeing Xia Yan who was walking to the side room, Nalan Su faced the middle of the hall said something with a smile toward the ten plus alchemists. After which, he waved his hand and beckoned the housekeeper to serve them before quickly following behind Nalan Yanran.
Xiao Yan walked closer to the side room. A faint and gentle lamp light shone out. He slowly pushed open the door and the resulting room was extremely large. In the middle of the room, there was a big bed. An old man with a shriveled face was lying on it. Surrounding the bed were a few female servants who were busy with things here and there. When they heard the door opening, their gazes turned over. Immediately, however, they began to once again take care of the old man who had entered an unconscious state.
Xiao Yan slowly walked near the bed. His gaze swept across the bed and realized that a large gray-black colored patch was faintly contained on the old man’s face. The quiet face that was deep asleep actually had some aura of death.
“It is indeed very serious…” Glancing at the face of the old man who had his feet half in the grave, Xiao Yan said softly.
“That’s right, I’m afraid that the ‘Searing Poison’ is something that even a Dou Huang would not dare to easily touch. After being able to survive for so many years, my father is already at his limit.” Nalan Su, who had closely followed behind Xiao Yan sighed and shook his head. He immediately said carefully, “Little Brother, looking at the situation, is there any prospect of him being healed.”
Beside him, Nalan Yanran nodded slightly. A pair of bright eyes stared intently at the tall, indifferent face of the young man by her side.
“I do not have any other methods. Therefore, I can only follow the method that Pill-King Gu He had spoke about: Inserting the ‘Heavenly Flame’ into Old Sir’s body and slowly expeling the poison.” Xiao Yan shook his head and calmly said.
“In that case, won’t the danger level be very large?” Hearing this, Nalan Yanran was somewhat hesitant as she said softly.
“I don’t have even a fifty percent chance of succeeding.”
Xiao Yan lazily spoke. He glanced at Nalan Yanran by the side, whose pretty face had changed a little, and coldly laughed, “Looking at this state of Old Sir, I think that he won’t be able to last more than two days. Do you want to let him die in the torment of the poison or do you want to take the risk and see if he can be saved. You can decide on whatever option you want. As for jokes on whether I have the confidence, it is better not to say them.”
Xiao Yan’s cold laughter contained a hidden ridicule that caused Nalan Yanran to frown slightly. Her pretty face was somewhat ugly. With her status, there was really no one who dared to speak to her in this manner in all these years.
“Hurry up. I don’t have much excess time to waste.” Xiao Yan dusted his sleeves and said blandly while ignoring Nalan Yanran’s expression.
“Ah, since it is like this, then we will rely entirely on Little Brother. If you are really able to cure my father, you will forever be a good friend of our Nalan clan.” Nalan Su clenched his teeth and mused for a while before violently nodding his head as he said in a deep voice.
“Make way. Don’t disturb me.” Xiao Yan randomly waved his hand and sat by the side of the bed. His right hand was extended slightly and a green colored flame shrouded it. Instantly, it caused the temperature in the room to soar.
Seeing that Xiao Yan was preparing to act, Nalan Su pulled Nalan Yanran and hurriedly took a few steps back. At the same time, they waved away all the female servants in the room.
Xiao Yan used one hand to support and lift Nalan Jie up. He randomly glanced at this person who was rumored to be an extremely good friend of his grandfather back then. Although after being eroded by poison for such a long time had caused the old man’s already shriveled face to become somewhat inhuman, one could still faintly see some unruliness that was similar to his name.
As Xiao Yan’s left hand gently patted on Nalan Jie’s shoulders, a hidden force convulsed the clothes of the latter’s body into powder, revealing a skinny body that was like a skeleton shelf.
Eyeing this skinny body, Xiao Yan involuntarily shook his head despite his character. The eyes of Nalan Yanran at the side became somewhat red and moist. A mist that was usually rarely seen lingered in her eyes, causing this lady, whose status was extremely elevated to appear a little pitiful.
Xiao Yan slowly extended his middle finger. A wisp of green colored flame was shrouding the tip of it. He stared at the green colored flame and calmly said, “I am about to begin. I have already said, inserting the ‘Heavenly Flame’ into Old Sir’s body is an extremely dangerous thing. Therefore, you should all prepare for the worst case scenario…”
Hearing this, Nalan Yanran’s and Nalan Su’s expressions changed slightly. However, they could only smile bitterly and nod.
Xiao Yan slowly extended his Spiritual Strength out of his body and wrapped the wisp of green colored flame within it. He did his best to suppress its extremely high temperature and slowly pressed it on Nalan Jie’s back.
When Xiao Yan’s finger pressed on it, the green colored flame let out a ‘puff’ sound as it entered Nalan Jie’s body. The body of the latter, who originally had no feeling of his surroundings, suddenly shivered at this moment.
Xiao Yan’s finger pressed on Nalan Jie’s back. His eyes narrowed as his Spiritual Strength controlled that wisp of green flame. It swiftly passed through some of the main Qi Paths and gradually approached those bones of the latter which were covered by the ‘Searing Poison’.
With the help of the extension of the Spiritual Strength, the condition within Nalan Jie’s body appeared in Xiao Yan’s mind. Xiao Yan sensed the bones that had nearly become jet-black and his eyebrows were gradually knit together. The poison had already spread deep into Nalan Jie’s body and had far exceeded his expectations…
“Looks like it is impossible to expel all the poison in one go. I think it is better to choose a simmering flame to remove the poison…” Xiao Yan muttered in his heart. After which, his Spiritual Strength wrapped around the green colored flame and slowly moved closer to the jet-black bones that were covered by the poison. When it was closing in, Xiao Yan’s Spiritual Strength also began to gradually relax. The green colored flames’ temperature quietly began to rise.
As the temperature of the green colored flames rose, a painful feeling gradually surfaced on the originally numb faced Nalan Jie. His shriveled hand was also tightly clenched and the veins on his arm stirred.
The green colored flame that was covered by the Spiritual Strength stopped rising once it reached a certain temperature. Xiao Yan slowly inhaled the somewhat heated air and hesitated for a moment. He then clenched his teeth and controlled the green colored flame until it covered one of the jet-black bones.
“Ah…” On the bed, Nalan Jie, who had both his eyes tightly closed, suddenly opened them. He let out a hoarse and intensely painful roar from his mouth. His ferocious and imposing presence, woke up as though it was the brief moment of clear consciousness before death.
“Grandfather…” Eyeing the old man who had suddenly opened his eyes and roared, Nalan Yanran and Nalan Su hurriedly shouted.
“I am helping you expel the poison. If you are able to withstand this intense pain, it should be possible to remove the ‘Searing Poison’. However, if you can’t then there is nothing that I can do.” Xiao Yan glanced at the perspiration-filled face of Nalan Jie and faintly said.
Hearing the voice behind him, Nalan Jie tilted his head around slightly. He eyed that young and indifferent face and his mind was black. Immediately he clenched his teeth and laughed: “Little Fellow, are you the one who saved me?”
“I didn’t say that I can definitely save you. If I am a little absent minded, you might end up dying in my hands.”
“Ha ha, this life of mine is originally retrieved from death. Little Fellow, you can do as you please. Even if you kill me, no one would dare blame you.” The corner of Nalan Jie’s mouth twitched, withstanding the intense pain in his body as he laughed in a heroic manner.
“Grandfather, what nonsense are you saying?” At the side, Nalan Yanran let out a slight sigh and scolded involuntarily as she eyed Nalan Jie who had awoken from his comatose state.
“You damn girl. You actually have the face to come back? During these three years, had you not gone to the Xiao clan to end the marriage agreement back then, would I have become too angry to train, which resulted in the ‘Searing Poison’ reducing me to such a state?” Nalan Jie angrily stared at Nalan Yanran. Before his furious roar fell, the corner of his mouth, which was twitching, emitted another dry howl. He turned his head around, eyed the suddenly frowning unfamiliar young stranger and laughed bitterly: “Little Fellow, why all of a sudden..”
“Be quiet.” Xiao Yan’s icy voice which contained some imperceptible anger caused the three people in the room to become somewhat stunned. Immediately, they helplessly quieted down.
Eyeing that cold expressionless young man which was like a cluster of ice, Nalan Yanran secretly let out her tongue. She once again turned around and eyed Nalan Jie’s bitter expression. Her heart had some laughter. In all these years, this fellow was the only one who dared to speak in such a manner to the irritable and grumpy old man.
As these few people became quiet, the atmosphere in the room secretly became quiet.
“Ah, how unexpected. Such a young person is actually able to possess a ‘Heavenly Flame’, something that even Grandmaster Gu He covets…” After the quiet atmosphere continued for a long while, Nalan Su pulled Nalan Yanran and stepped a little back. He eyed the tall back of the young man by the bedside and could not help but tilt his head and whisper to Nalan Yanran.
“Ah, he is indeed very amazing. Looking at his age, it should be around the same as mine, yet he actually possess the legendary ‘Heavenly Flame’… I have heard how terrifying this thing is from Elder Gu He. The last time that they went to the Tager Desert to search for the ‘Heavenly Flame’, they unfortunately still returned empty handed despite such a huge line-up. From this, it can be seen just how ferocious this thing actually is.” Nalan Yanran nodded slightly. An admiration flashed across her pretty eyes. She was originally the top amongst those of the same age. After training at the Misty Cloud Sect for so many years, she had never seen a person of the same age who could surpass her. Yet this young man named Yan Xiao was the first person at the same age as her to cause her to feel an admiring emotion. Perhaps this was a kind of approval between outstanding people.
“Why? Do you feel that he is very good?” Nalan Su glanced at his daughter’s expression and teasingly said.
“What nonsense are you saying? He doesn’t know how to respect someone at your age.” Nalan Yanran threw him a disdain look and shook her head somewhat helplessly.
“Yes, talking about this, it seems that there is not even a month’s time left to the Three Year Agreement between you and that little fellow from the Xiao clan.” Nalan Su smiled before withdrawing it suddenly and sighed.
“…” Nalan Yanran was quiet. A moment later, she nodded slightly and softly said: “There are thirteen days more.”
“It has been three years. You have also become more mature compared to before. Now, you should be able to know just what kind of great humiliation and trouble your emotional and impulsive action had brought to the Xiao clan and Xiao Yan, no?” Nalan Su eyed one side of his daughter’s smooth and beautiful face and said.
Nalan Yanran was quiet. Her delicate hand pulled aside the black hair on her forehead. A long while later, she said softly: “I know that my action back then had brought them a lot of trouble. However, I also know that I am not wrong… The Three Year Agreement is about to arrive. I will be waiting for him.”
“I heard that ever since a year ago, Xiao Yan had left Wu Tan City. However, according to what I know, before he left, the young man who was once a useless youth had already recovered the training talent he had in the past. Ah… a year later, I wonder just to what extent he has grown to.” Nalan Su smiled bitterly and shook his head. He watched the quiet Nalan Yanran by his side. A long while later, he finally said in a soft and deep voice: “This time around, it seems that you have really seen wrongly… back then I said: Don’t look down on this Xiao clan young master who had become a useless person. Before he was thirteen, his training speed had caused a countless number of people to be shocked…”
Nalan Yanran’s delicate hand drifted onto her black hair on her forehead and remained quiet. A moment later, she calmly said: “I will comply with the Three Year Agreement. If I win, all the things that happened in the past would be written off. If I lose, I, Nalan Yanran, had also said that I will be his slave and let him handle me as he wants to.”
Nalan Yanran gently bit her red sleek lips. She slowly lifted her pretty face. Her gaze was somewhat blurry. Three years ago, the young man’s cold chatter at the Xiao clan’s hall once again surfaced in her mind.
“The river flows thirty years east and thirty years west, don’t you dare bully me because I’m poor now!”
“This contract, isn’t a contract to release the marriage but rather, I am divorcing you from the Xiao Clan!”
“From now on, you, Nalan Yanran, have no relations with the Xiao Clan!”
Three years ago, the young man who carried the name of being a useless person still had a stubborn bone under the pressure of the Misty Cloud Sect, this big being. He clenched his teeth, endured the humiliation and waited in solitude, breaking free of the cocoon and transforming into a butterfly…