Chapter 176: How Could I Possibly Accept This!

"Old Man Jia, what is it now that you've awakened me? I told you, my condition has greatly declined—I can't help with anything, not even a Dou Huang's strength anymore." No sooner had the Deep Sea Jiao Beast appeared than a thunderous, slightly irate voice echoed across the lake.

Like the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, the Deep Sea Jiao Beast understood human speech and possessed a certain level of wisdom.

Jia Xingtian, standing atop the lake, looked up and smiled at the Deep Sea Jiao Beast. "Old fellow, I'm not disturbing you. This is Master Xiao Yan, an Alchemist who possesses a Strange Flame—he might be able to help you."

"Hm? An Alchemist with a Strange Flame?" Having lived so long, the Deep Sea Jiao Beast knew full well what a Strange Flame meant—an Alchemist possessing one was undoubtedly immensely powerful.

"This kid? A Sixth-Rank Alchemist?" The Deep Sea Jiao Beast followed Jia Xingtian's pointing finger and saw Xiao Yan smiling at him. He was instantly puzzled.

After all, Xiao Yan was barely a child—Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir was a Six-Grade Pill; even with a Strange Flame, how could such a young boy possibly refine a Six-Grade Pill?

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "I'm Xiao Yan, eighteen years old—barely qualify as a Fifth-Rank Alchemist."

"Eighteen?! Fifth-Rank?!!!" Hearing this, even the ancient Deep Sea Jiao Beast's pupils widened in shock—he simply could not believe an eighteen-year-old boy was already a Fifth-Rank Alchemist!

This was too absurd!

Yao Ye asked, "Master Xiao Yan, we'd like you to examine whether there's another way to treat the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's old injuries besides the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir."

Chairman Fa Ma had already come to inspect it and recommended using the Six-Grade Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir. But in the entire Jia Ma Empire, only Gu He could refine Six-Grade Pills—and Gu He was an Elder of the Yun Lan Sect, so he would never refine pills for the Imperial Family to restore the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's strength.

That's why Yao Ye had come to ask Xiao Yan: whether there was any other method besides the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir.

Xiao Yan nodded, and his terrifying Mortal Realm Late Stage Spiritual Soul surged forth, instantly rippling the entire lake surface.

"Such terrifying Spiritual Soul!"

"This Spiritual Soul—I feel like it's even stronger than Chairman Fa Ma's!"

The powerful Spiritual Soul pierced through the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's entire body, continuously diagnosing it.

The immensely powerful Spiritual Soul slowly scanned, uncovering every hidden injury and latent flaw within the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's body.

But the more he probed, the tighter Xiao Yan's brows furrowed.

"How is it, Master Xiao Yan?" Yao Ye asked anxiously.

Xiao Yan shook his head. "There's no other way. The Deep Sea Jiao Beast has fought for years, leaving behind too many old injuries—some wounds have even affected its own Bloodline, causing problems with its Jiao Dragon Bloodline. To fully restore the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's power, only the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir can do it."

Yao Ye and Jia Xingtian both sighed inwardly. Ten years ago, when they sought out Fa Ma, they received the same answer—and even went so far as to expend vast manpower and resources to trade with a higher-level Alchemist Guild for the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir's Pill Formula.

"Forgive me for asking, Master Xiao Yan—how long would it take you to reach Sixth-Rank?" Yao Ye asked.

"Sixth-Rank? About two years," Xiao Yan said after a moment's thought, shrugging.

"Two years?... Ehh?! TWO YEARS?!" Yao Ye snapped his head up, staring at Xiao Yan, certain he'd misheard!

Jia Xingtian and the Deep Sea Jiao Beast also stared at Xiao Yan in shock, wondering if he'd misspoken.

Fa Ma had been at the peak of Fifth-Rank for many years; the Alchemist Convention's Champion wasn't just Xiao Yan and Gu He—but in all these years, only Gu He had ever reached Sixth-Rank Alchemist.

Two years—from barely entering Fifth-Rank to Sixth-Rank?!?!

Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, confirming he hadn't made a mistake.

In truth, Xiao Yan was being conservative. For Alchemists, increasing Fire Control Power and Spiritual Soul was what gave them headaches—Fa Ma had spent years, yet his Spiritual Soul had advanced like a snail's crawl.

But Xiao Yan was different—his Spiritual Soul and Fire Control Power had already reached Sixth-Rank. All he lacked was refining experience and time.

Xiao Yan now had a large supply of Fifth-Rank Medicinal Materials; reaching Fifth-Rank peak was no problem at all. But Sixth-Rank required gathering Six-Grade Medicinal Materials.

If the materials were sufficient, Xiao Yan even believed he could reach Sixth-Rank within an hour and refine the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir!

"Master Xiao Yan, if possible, please allow the Imperial Family to provide you with all the Medicinal Materials you need for refining," Yao Ye suddenly seized Xiao Yan's hands, her eyes pleading.

Feeling the slightly cold Jade Hand and that pleading gaze, Xiao Yan merely smiled and withdrew his hands.

"Forgive me, Princess Yao Ye, but in two months I'll be leaving Jia Ma Sheng Cheng to return to Jia Nan Academy and continue my studies. My purpose in coming to Jia Ma Sheng Cheng was only to fulfill some promises."

He could never join any Faction like Gu He. Xiao Yan was not a complete Alchemist—Alchemy was merely a supporting skill; he would continue cultivating and growing stronger.

Strange Flames—he could never have too many. The Fen Jue had not yet reached its limit.

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Princess Yao Ye's beautiful eyes dimmed instantly. She sighed helplessly at him. "I really wish I could lock you inside the Imperial Palace."

At this, Xiao Yan smiled wryly. "Though I cannot heal the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's injuries, I can stabilize them—prevent them from worsening for three years. In three years, perhaps Chairman Fa Ma will break through to Sixth-Rank."

The Deep Sea Jiao Beast exclaimed, "You can stabilize my injuries and stop them from worsening?!"

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, slowly extending his palm—huh—the instant a blood-red flame erupted from his palm.

The Deep Sea Jiao Beast, who normally despised flames, stared strangely at the blood-red flame in Xiao Yan's palm. "Huh? Why don't I dislike this flame at all? Instead, I feel... a strange sense of familiarity?"

"This is Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, one of the Strange Flames—it strengthens beast bodies and awakens Bloodlines. It's naturally more familiar to beasts."

Xiao Yan unfurled EagleWings and floated slowly above the Deep Sea Jiao Beast's head. "I'll let the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame enter your body to stabilize your Bloodline and eliminate stagnant blood—your injuries won't worsen for three years."

Xiao Yan had performed this Strange Flame internal healing many times before—he was thoroughly practiced, and the healing process proceeded without a single hitch.

"So comfortable, kid—you're incredibly skilled," the Deep Sea Jiao Beast sighed in relief; the pain within its body had truly lessened considerably.

Seeing Xiao Yan's ability, Yao Ye and Jia Xingtian exchanged glances and nodded to each other.

Yao Ye took a red Scroll from her storage ring and handed it to Xiao Yan. "Master Xiao Yan, this is the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir's Pill Formula—the Imperial Family paid a heavy price to obtain it from the Alchemist Guild. This ring also contains three sets of the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir's Medicinal Materials."

"If one day you can refine the Hunyuan Supple Bone Elixir, I hope you'll refine one and send it to us. At that time, Yao Ye will repay you handsomely."

Xiao Yan stared at the Pill Formula and Medicinal Materials before him, bewildered—he'd merely visited the Imperial Palace, yet now someone was giving him a Pill Formula and Medicinal Materials?

How could he possibly accept this?!

(End of Chapter)