Chapter 324: Mutual Debts

The next day, Xiao Yan rose early, trained for two hours, then began Spirit Refining.

With time still remaining before the Sect Grand Meeting, most of the Yan Alliance members were diligently cultivating and honing their Dou Techniques.

But this poor man, Xiao Yan, had to pay for his own advancement to Jia Nan Academy—he had to refine Elixirs to pay off his debts!

Yet this time, Xiao Yan wasn't refining any highly difficult Elixir—just Five-Grade Elixirs, mainly the Demonic King Pill and the Break Demonic Realm Pill.

The reason was simple: these two Elixirs were what the Yan Alliance most urgently needed.

Jia Ma Empire was not a Sect Empire like Tian She Empire, where most strong cultivators belonged to the Tian She Mansion; within Jia Ma Empire, many were lone cultivators—just like the original Ten Strongest of Jia Ma, half of the seven Demonic Kings were lone cultivators, joining no Faction.

For example, the original Ten Strongest, Wind Walker and Yan Lion, whom Xiao Yan met in Tian She Empire's Shen Cheng, had only joined the Sect Grand Meeting to build their reputations.

But now, these two had joined the Yan Alliance and pledged service to the Xiao Clan, for they needed Elixirs—specifically, a Break Demonic Realm Pill.

When Xiao Yan was a Dou Shi, they were Demonic Kings; now that Xiao Yan was a Demonic Realm, they were still Demonic Kings—but fortunately, they had reached Nine Star Peak; with the Break Demonic Realm Pill, barring unforeseen mishaps, they should ascend to Demonic Realm.

The greatest attraction of the Xiao Clan—or rather, the Yan Alliance—was Xiao Yan's Elixirs; no one would say Xiao Yan's Elixirs were of poor quality, for Xiao Yan used Mystic Flame Cultivation Technique.

Though the Yan Alliance was a loose coalition that never forcibly interfered in others' internal affairs, when Xiao Yan founded it, he unleashed a major move: he issued a currency called Yan Yuan.

To purchase Xiao Yan's Elixirs, one could only use Yan Yuan, and only the Four Leaders had the authority to issue it; Yan Yuan could be used across all allied nations of the Yan Alliance, meaning one had to serve the Yan Alliance to earn Yan Yuan, which could then be used to buy Xiao Yan's top-tier Elixirs—and Yan Yuan could also be used as money.

Thus, Xiao Yan only needed to know how much Yan Yuan Yun Yun, Tian She Empire, and Yao Ye had given him to know exactly how many Elixirs he owed.

Moreover, Xiao Yan didn't refine Elixirs for free; they had to provide corresponding resources to the Xiao Clan or train Xiao Clan disciples to earn Yan Yuan from the Xiao Clan.

Seeing the table piled high with Medicinal Materials, Xiao Yan's head ached—but fortunately, the Medicinal Materials were provided by the Yan Alliance; he only had to handle the Spirit Refining.

Xiao Princess Yue picked up a stool and sat beside him, her eyes sparkling as she watched Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan also took the chance to teach the little princess Spirit Refining, so she could share some burden later.

Xiao Yan did not use the Black Demon; instead, he used the Ten Thousand Beasts Cauldron. With a whoosh, the Green Lotus Earth Core Fire appeared in his palm, gently tossed into the Alchemy Furnace.

Refining Five-Grade Elixirs posed zero difficulty for Xiao Yan—even the Break Demonic Realm Pill, nearing Six-Grade difficulty, was effortless; sometimes he could produce two or even three Elixirs per furnace, his technique exquisitely refined.

But the volume was simply too great—he had to refine continuously for three days before finally finishing!

"Wow! Master Xiao Yan, so cool!" came the little princess's sweet, high-pitched voice—clear and childish, carrying an indescribable charm.

Xiao Princess Yue had grown very beautiful now, like powdered jade carved by divine hands; her large, round eyes were bright and translucent, especially her nose—a divine stroke, impossible to fault; her cherry lips were pink and alluring. At this moment, the little princess had fully become Xiao Yan's biggest fan.

"Hey, Young Master Yan! The manager of Huangquan Zhenpin Pavilion has arrived—in the Hall!" Nalan Yanran called from afar.

The little princess watched Xiao Yan's retreating back, then slowly lowered her gaze; suddenly, she remembered an event from years ago, her cheeks flushing red, her eyes shy, murmuring: "Sister, don't waste it."

Naturally, Xiao Yan had no idea what strange thoughts Yue Er was having. What surprised him was that Huangquan Pavilion even had extremely obscure Spiritual Soul Medicinal Materials—he had gathered two full sets of ingredients for the Great Soul Black Purple Pill.

And he'd even gathered one full set for the Yin Yang Dragon Elixir!

The larger the Faction, the easier it was to collect Medicinal Materials and rare treasures—let alone in Zhong Zhou, such a treasure-rich land.

After trading the Medicinal Materials, Xiao Yan did not immediately refine the Great Soul Black Purple Pill or the Yin Yang Dragon Elixir; instead, he left the mansion.

At this moment, atop a peak outside the Tian She capital, a series of wind-splitting sounds echoed; from afar, flashes of swordlight glittered on the mountaintop, where a graceful figure wielded the Qingfeng Sword in rigorous practice.

"Hmm?" Sensing someone approaching, Yun Yun paused, recognized who it was, and sighed helplessly: "What brings Master Xiao Yan here?"

Yun Yun's voice was pleasant—clear, soft, and slightly alluring, yet overwhelmingly dignified and elegant; hearing it brought peace to the spirit.

Merely listening to such a voice, one could imagine a refined, noble woman—mature yet subtly seductive, alluring without vulgarity, openly graceful, unmistakably someone long accustomed to high position yet inwardly gentle.

At this moment, Xiao Yan slowly ascended the peak; today, Yun Yun wore a pale yellow gown, a small cloud embroidered on the chest, her entire presence exuding elegance and maturity.

Though Yun Yun was much older than Xiao Yan, she looked barely thirty, her grace and noble charm laid bare.

Had one not known Yun Yun, sensing her mature aura, one might assume she was a married woman—but within this mature allure lay the fresh innocence of an untouched maiden.

A bridal elegance, perfectly ripe, not overripe.

"Eight-Star Demonic Realm?"

Yun Yun sheathed her sword and nodded: "Yes, I broke through yesterday."

Hai Bodong must be ready to faint.

"What do you want?" Yun Yun's eyes held a hint of curiosity.

"Mm, I just acquired a decent sword. I'd like you to teach me a few sword techniques." Xiao Yan raised the sword in his hand; though inferior to Nalan Yanran's Yun Sha Black Sword, it was still excellent among Seven-Grade weapons.

Yun Yun blinked her beautiful eyes, but since Xiao Yan had asked, she nodded.

Yet after a few exchanges, she realized Xiao Yan had zero foundational skill—he seemed incapable of learning, his stances riddled with openings.

Soon, Xiao Yan waved his hand and shrugged: "Forget it, I clearly have no talent for sword arts—the sword just isn't for me."

With a sharp hiss, Xiao Yan tossed the sword to Yun Yun, who caught it, utterly bewildered.

"Don't waste this sword. If I keep it, it'll just gather dust. Take it—it's repayment for when you let me go with the Green Lotus Earth Core Fire back then."

Yun Yun froze. This performance and excuse were terrible!

Yun Yun smiled, her mature, noble charm stirring the heart: "Even without me, you could've escaped anyway."

Xiao Yan shook his head: "No—if not for you, I'd have paid a heavy price, possibly even damaged my foundation, affecting my later Refining of the Green Lotus Earth Core Fire—perhaps even causing failure."

He wasn't wrong; at the time, he had only Mao Wu, newly born, and the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame as his last cards. Had he forcibly detonated the unrefined Green Lotus Earth Core Fire with the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, he might not have died—but he'd have suffered catastrophic damage; if his foundation was harmed, it would be extremely troublesome, possibly crippling his future Cultivation.

Yun Yun gave Xiao Yan a look, stepped closer, and returned the sword to him: "You already repaid me by saving Yun Lan Sect. Without you, Yun Lan Sect would have dissolved long ago—it wouldn't exist as it does now."

"I can't accept such a precious gift."

"Besides, you refined the Emperor Heaven Pill for Yanran—I owe you too much."

Xiao Yan looked at the beauty before him, sighed inwardly, and shrugged: "Fine. Since you say so, grant me one small wish. I haven't eaten grilled fish in a long time—your disciple's burns it to charcoal."

Hearing Xiao Yan mention grilled fish, Yun Yun's cheeks flushed crimson; she became flustered. The events in the Cave those days remained unforgettable—especially when Xiao Yan's body was invaded by the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame; each memory of those scenes made Yun Yun feel warm and restless.

"You! Just forget it!" Yun Yun's cheeks burned as she feigned anger.

Xiao Yan burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! You still remember too—you forget first!"

Of course, in the end, Xiao Yan didn't get to eat the grilled fish—and ended up getting lightly punched by Yun Yun.

In the remaining days, Xiao Yan entered serious mode and began refining the Seven Rank Low Grade Yin Yang Dragon Elixir.

Though he didn't know who the Elder Qing had auctioned Han Feng's Yin Yang Dragon Elixir for, Xiao Yan planned to refine one for Qing Lin as a greeting gift.

He intended to attend the banquet hosted by the Tian She Mansion in a few days, see Qing Lin in person, and ask her what she thought now.

The difficulty of refining the Yin-Yang Dragon Pill is certainly high among Seven-Rank Low Grade Elixirs, for this is a Spirit Stone Formula created by the Spirit Alchemist, and even the refining technique is extremely unique.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan obtained all the inheritance of the Spirit Alchemist, and refining this Yin-Yang Dragon Pill came effortlessly to him, proceeding with great smoothness.

Within the Space Lock crafted by the Heavenly Flame Alchemist, a dark cloud appeared.

Pill Lightning is wondrous—no matter where you are, it strikes like heavenly punishment; even if you hide within a Space Lock, Pill Lightning clouds will still manifest.

Upon learning Xiao Yan intended to refine a Seven-Grade Pill, not only Princess Yue Er but everyone in the Yan Alliance, including the Sea-Dwelling Flood Dragon Beast, came to watch.

"He actually succeeded on the first try!" Jia Xingtian, seeing the thundercloud above, was utterly awestruck; from its intensity, it clearly carried the force of a Five Star Dou Zong strike.

That meant Xiao Yan's Seven-Rank Low Grade Yin-Yang Dragon Pill had reached an exceptionally high quality even among Seven-Rank Low Grade Elixirs—and he achieved it on the first attempt. It was clear how terrifying Xiao Yan's Alchemy skill had become.

"This guy is far more terrifying than I ever imagined," Hai Bodong sighed. His initial investment in him had truly been the wisest decision of his life.

Without any surprise, though the Five Star Dou Zong strike was terrifying, it was only one blow—and many methods existed to block a single strike. Yet Xiao Yan still used his old trick: forming a Heavenly Flame shield with the Five Wheel Fiery Method to block the lightning.

"Xiao Yan, isn't your current strength already equivalent to a Dou Zong?" Jia Xingtian asked in astonishment, seeing Xiao Yan suffer no damage from the Pill Lightning.

Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head. "Old Jia, this was only one strike. Without Dou Qi support, it's easy to exhaust. If a true Five Star Dou Zong attacked, I could only flee—I couldn't possibly win."

Of course, Xiao Yan didn't say he couldn't defeat low-rank Dou Zongs. With Five Star Dou Zongs, without the Heavenly Flame Alchemist's Soul Force, he truly couldn't win—but against One Star Dou Zongs lacking Earth-Class Cultivation Methods, it wasn't certain.

"Old Jia, you're the face of our Yan Alliance now. Tomorrow night's banquet still needs you."

Tomorrow night was the banquet hosted by the Tian She Mansion to formally announce Qing Lin as its Holy Maiden. The Yan Alliance had no invitation—after all, a second-rate Faction barely two or three years old had no right to be taken seriously by the Tian She Mansion.

Jia Xingtian's breakthrough to Dou Zong had not yet reached so far as the Tian She Empire; only the Three Empires knew of it.

But Xiao Yan knew the old manager of the Huangquan Treasures Pavilion and, through his connections, obtained three invitations.

Naturally, the strongest among them—Jia Xingtian—would go. For the second seat, Xiao Yan chose to bring Zi Yan.

After resting a day, Xiao Yan thought for a moment, then took out his Alchemist Long Robe and put it on.

After all, the Alchemist's aura outshone any ceremonial attire. Xiao Yan's goal this time was to approach Qing Lin, so Jia Xingtian led the party while Xiao Yan followed behind, concealing his presence.

At nightfall, a luxurious carriage stopped before the Yan Alliance mansion. The three boarded and slowly headed toward the giant snake statue.

To think the Tian She Mansion at the heart of the Tian She capital was like its outskirts—lined with houses—would be a grave mistake. The Tian She Mansion at the capital's center was a vast expanse of mountains and forests, utterly unlike the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Palace, for this was a place for snakes, not humans!

The entire Tian She Mansion was a forest, mountain range, and wetland; entering it was like stepping into a snake's nest, with venomous snakes everywhere—on the ground, in the trees—flicking their tongues.

Though these were merely ordinary snakes, within the Tian She Mansion, you could do anything—except kill snakes.

Even if a snake lunged to bite you, you could only let it bite you, then seek help from the Snake Race of the Tian She Mansion to cure the poison. If you killed even the most ordinary snake within the Tian She Mansion, it was tantamount to declaring war on the mansion.

To the Tian She Mansion, these snakes were its Dragon Clan Subordinates.

Though the banquet for the Tian She Mansion's Holy Maiden was still some time away, the mansion was already packed, with guests flooding in from all directions.

Even powerful factions not weaker than the Tian She Mansion—such as the Thunder Sect, the Spirit Bone Sect, and other ancient Sects and Empires—had sent their strongest.

At this moment, on a mountain range within the Tian She Mansion, a luxurious open-air hot spring lay. A woman with long green hair lay on the edge of the spring, gazing at the bright moon and murmuring: "Young Master Yan… why haven't you come to take Qing Lin yet?"

If one day I suddenly stop updating, don't worry—I may just have been quarantined. It's gotten serious lately; I don't know if I'll be banned. Updates will be slow. Everyone who understands, understands.

(End of Chapter)