Chapter 144: Becoming More and More Like the Soul Sovereign

"Just a minor poison."

"Observing for a week is only to ensure Luo Du has no unknown properties—just caution. If the old master has no issues, he can get up and walk around."

"Remember to wait until your body cools down before drinking water; drinking now is like drinking boiling water—you only don't feel the heat because you still have Ice Spirit Cold Spring inside you." Xiao Yan spoke like an experienced divine physician.

Hearing this, Nalan Jie actually got out of bed and took two steps; that lightness made him nearly tear up—he hadn't felt this way in years.

"Father, how do you feel?" Nalan Su asked quickly.

"Good, very good. I feel more at ease than ever before." Nalan Jie, sensing his body's condition, smiled.

Nalan Jie looked at Xiao Yan, who stood quietly beside him, and said with satisfaction: "Xiao Yan, I'm just a rough old man, unfamiliar with too many principles or etiquette—I've told the world before: whoever lifts Luo Du from me shall receive a reward worthy of him."

Before Xiao Yan could refuse, Nalan Su clapped his shoulder and said: "Young cousin, don't refuse. The incident with Yanran already ruined our family's reputation—this time, let us honor our promise."

"You need medicinal materials for pill alchemy, don't you? Though the Nan Lan Clan isn't a pill alchemy lineage, we've hoarded some rare medicinal materials and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures—including some that enhance Spiritual Force. You Alchemists need this kind of thing, right?"

Hearing Nalan Su could offer Spiritual Force Enhancement, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered—such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were extremely rare and held immense value for Alchemists.

After all, cultivation methods for enhancing Spiritual Force had been lost on the Dou Qi Continent; the only way for Alchemists to raise their Spiritual Force was through Elixirs and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that enhance Spiritual Force are inherently hard to grow, and with every Alchemist vying for them, they became even harder to find on the market.

Generally, such Spiritual Force Enhancement Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were worthy of auctioning at the Miter Pai Mai Chang's Earth-Class auction hall.

Xiao Yan followed Nalan Su slowly out of the room. Nalan Su said: "Young cousin, why not stay at the estate these days? Your room's still kept."

Just as Xiao Yan was about to refuse, he saw Nalan Yanran sprinting toward them with agile body technique.

She must have heard Xiao Yan had arrived and rushed over in haste.

"Xiao Yan!"

"What is it?"

Nalan Yanran stopped before Xiao Yan, bit her lip, and said solemnly: "I know we've had many grievances, but if you have Infernal Flames, can you save my grandfather? Ask for anything you need—I'll do whatever I can."

"Already resolved."

"Even if it's… what?"

Seeing Nalan Yanran's bewildered expression, Nalan Su frowned irritably: "Yanran, don't be disrespectful! How dare you judge a gentleman by a petty mind? Just now, Young Cousin Xiao Yan removed the poison from Father—he was about to go to the herb room to retrieve materials and refine a tonic to regulate his health."

Nalan Yanran's eyes widened—Luo Du, which even Elder Gu He couldn't handle, had been lifted?! And she'd only been gone for less than an hour!

"Just a minor poison—nothing worth mentioning."

Walking slowly along the stone-paved path, Xiao Yan still smiled, gazing straight ahead as he followed Nalan Su toward the herb room. Hearing Xiao Yan would soon refine a tonic to regulate her grandfather's health, Nalan Yanran also curiously followed behind.

Following behind Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran glanced at the young man laughing with her father. Her face remained calm, but inside, she was deeply shaken.

After all, the marriage contract still hadn't been dissolved!

For three years, Nalan Yanran had continually reevaluated this contract—this was her first time observing Xiao Yan so closely.

"Young cousin, have you come to Jia Ma Sheng Cheng this time to participate in the Alchemist Convention, held once every eight years?" Nalan Su asked.

"I'll skip that convention—it lacks challenge." Xiao Yan had already heard about the Alchemist Convention from Hai Bodong.

Originally, Hai Bodong had urged Xiao Yan to join the competition—Gu He had once won the Champion title with his Fourth-Rank Alchemist skills, and was later invited by Yun Lan Sect's former Sect Master, Yun Shan, to become a guest Elder.

Thanks to Yun Lan Sect's vast resources, Gu He reached Sixth-Grade within less than ten years—and even had the power to challenge Mei Du Sha Queen's Infernal Flame.

But as Xiao Yan said, such a contest would be unfair to him—he was already Fourth-Rank Peak, nearing Fifth-Grade, his Soul Force at Mortal Realm Late Stage, and he possessed Three Infernal Flames.

For Xiao Yan to enter the Alchemist Convention would be like a college student bullying elementary school kids—too shameless.

"Your arrogance is just like three years ago," Nalan Yanran couldn't help but retort—this guy was truly confident!

He might as well have carved "confidence" on his face.

Xiao Yan turned his head toward Nalan Yanran and smiled: "But just like three years ago, I'm telling the truth."

Nalan Su cleared his throat twice and interrupted: "Here we are. Young cousin, if you need anything, take whatever you want from here—no permission needed."

Stepping into the herb room, Xiao Yan couldn't help but marvel at the depth of the Nan Lan Clan's resources.

This wasn't just a herb room—it was a full-scale medicinal warehouse. Countless shelves were packed with all kinds of precious medicinal materials; even the lowest-grade here were mid-tier—low-grade materials had no right to be here.

It rivaled the SnakeTribe's treasure vault.

"Mei Du Sha, you're really poor," Xiao Yan muttered under his breath.

Like gold, rare medicinal materials were a form of hard currency, used for value retention—some even increased in worth the longer they were stored.

Following Nalan Su deeper inside, in a hidden chamber, a plant in a jade flowerpot appeared before Xiao Yan.

"This is Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva!!" Xiao Yan instantly recognized the rare flower—it was a top-tier Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure.

"Young cousin, sharp eyes. This was a treasure Father stumbled upon by chance," Nalan Su smiled and explained.

Nalan Yanran, seeing the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva, swallowed hard—Elder Gu He had once wanted it too, since it directly enhanced Spiritual Force, but Nalan Jie had refused to sell it.

The entire room was filled with a faint, calming, exotic fragrance.

The plant was entirely green, resembling finely carved jade; atop it, a flower with seven colors slowly bloomed.

Xiao Yan carefully studied the Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva, thinking: "With this Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva, perhaps I can elevate my Soul Force once more!"

Xiao Yan's innate Soul talent was already extremely high; combined with the cultivation of Spiritual Heart Soul Gathering and the gift from the Eight-Winged Flame Demon Tiger's residual soul, his Soul Force had reached the level of a Fifth-Grade High-Rank Alchemist.

He had thought breaking through to Sixth-Grade Soul Force would take longer—but now Nalan Jie had Seven Illusion Green Spirit Saliva!

"My Soul Force is so much higher than my Dou Qi cultivation—I'm becoming more and more like a Soul Sovereign." Xiao Yan couldn't help but mock himself for the gap between his Dou Qi and Soul Force.

(End of Chapter)