Chapter 499

Upon hearing this, Nalan Yanran's face instantly changed color; she leaned against the door, her eyes filled with surprise as she stared at Xiao Yan.

At this moment, Xiao Yan clearly looked like a decadent aristocrat, indulging in debauchery—he told her to come over, could it be that he wanted to!!

Nalan Yanran's cheeks flushed crimson; vivid, unspeakable images flashed through her mind, her beautiful eyes seeming to drip with moisture, her legs instinctively clenched tight as panic surged within her: no wonder she sometimes felt as if she were naked in his eyes—he'd always been thinking of this!!

"No, no, this can't happen—besides, we're no longer engaged, we can't—" Nalan Yanran lowered her head in shame, her heart pounding as if it might burst.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan nearly laughed himself into convulsions, helplessly saying: "What are you thinking?! I told you to come over and help your stupid master—how come you're just as stupid too?!"

Xiao Yan was practically dying of laughter—this wasn't a beautiful master-disciple pair at all, but a pair of idiots.

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Nalan Yanran suddenly snapped back to reality, puffed out her cheeks, and rushed over, snatching up the bedsheet shattered by combat energy to wrap Yun Yun's body and help her sit up.

Xiao Yan hurried off the bed, turning his head to look at Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran—both their cheeks were flushed red enough to squeeze out water; Nalan Yanran held Yun Yun close, and both gazed at Xiao Yan with a mix of tender anger and shyness.

Xiao Yan cleared his throat twice, rubbed his nose, and said: "This matter involves some misunderstanding and luck."

Yun Yun didn't even know how to face Xiao Yan now—she had not only touched him before, but also bitten him; now he'd seen everything—she was finished, no one would marry her.

"Don't tell anyone," Yun Yun's voice carried a plea; all she now wished was that Xiao Yan kept his mouth shut, or her purity would be ruined!

"Of course I won't tell anyone—it's our two… no, three people's secret."

Xiao Yan himself felt something strangely odd—three people's secret? This secret sounded like it had a whole story behind it!

"As for you, Nalan Yanran—forget it, you're such a clumsy bi nu that even simple tasks are beyond you; I'll handle the materials myself—you go help your master." Xiao Yan glanced at the flowers on the ground, thought for a moment, and decided to act himself—they were all too unreliable.

With a creak, Xiao Yan stepped out the door first, slowly closing it.

"Yanran, it's not what you think—I didn't do anything with him, this was caused by the rupture of Hua Po Po's flame sealing." Seeing Xiao Yan leave, Yun Yun hurriedly explained to Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Yanran looked at Yun Yun's still-flushed cheeks, hugged her tightly, and said: "Master, you like him too, don't you?"

Hearing Nalan Yanran's words, Yun Yun's heart trembled; she opened her mouth to speak but fell silent—no matter how many words she had, in the end, they could only become a soft sigh.

"Sigh, I shouldn't have given in to your persistent begging and agreed to let you break off the engagement—it's all my fault," Yun Yun gently stroked Nalan Yanran's hair, soothing her.

Nalan Yanran offered a faint smile and said: "It's not your fault, Master—even if I hadn't broken off the engagement, this betrothal would never have held—he already has someone in his heart."

Nalan Yanran noticed that when Xiao Yan had been pinned down by Yun Yun, his palm had been clutching a white jade soul token, upon which was carved an ancient character.

The next day, yesterday's events seemed as if they had never happened—Xiao Yan first needed to help Nalan Yanran raise her cultivation, otherwise, returning to the sect as young sect master without strength would be embarrassing.

Seeing Xiao Yan walk straight into her room without even knocking, Nalan Yanran, who had just been meditating, was speechless; she snapped: "Can't you even knock first?!"

"I didn't hide my qi circulation—you're so sensitive to soul force, you must've noticed long ago," Xiao Yan said with a grin, glancing around Nalan Yanran's room.

It differed somewhat from Yun Yun's—there was a girl's touch to it; the window decorations leaned toward pale green, and the room carried a faint, sweet fragrance.

Seeing Xiao Yan inspect her room, Nalan Yanran's heartbeat quickened slightly; she sniffed coldly: "Hmph, how very polite of you."

"How come this little bi nu has so many complaints?"

"I'm not a little bi nu!"

Nalan Yanran insisted again and again, stomping her foot hard—but Xiao Yan's expression made it clear he considered her protest meaningless.

"Enough, enough, no more talking—I'll help you raise your cultivation and unblock your meridians."

Nalan Yanran shot him a sidelong glance and turned her head: "I don't need your help."

Xiao Yan ignored her completely, pulled out the Ten Thousand Beasts Cauldron, then produced a variety of medicinal materials, muttering to himself: "You've cultivated for a long time—your body has accumulated hidden injuries, and residual elixir power from incomplete refining can clog your meridians and impede qi circulation. With this Rebirth Pill, you should gain at least one star in cultivation."

Seeing Xiao Yan pull out the alchemy furnace and begin focusing on refining, Nalan Yanran stopped arguing and sat quietly on a nearby chair.

Nalan Yanran propped her chin on her hands, her beautiful eyes fixed thoughtfully on Xiao Yan's back—undeniably, when a man is fully absorbed in what he knows best, he's undeniably captivating.

Xiao Yan's pill alchemy technique was elegant; the sound of the strange fire burning the medicinal materials, the fragrance rising from the alchemy furnace, slowly raised the room's infernal heat, blending the faint floral scent with medicinal aroma.

No one knew what Nalan Yanran was thinking—her beautiful eyes flickered with strange glimmers, occasionally curling into a shy smile.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, being stared at like this, could only pretend he didn't notice.

With a hum, Xiao Yan extinguished the flame, pulled out a large wooden tub, then used Sea Heart Flame to transform into water-type combat energy, drawing vast amounts of clear water from the air and pouring it into the tub, then blending in the refined medicinal essence.

With a hum, a tub of precious liquid appeared—even though Nalan Yanran didn't understand pill alchemy, she knew this liquid was no ordinary thing.

"Still staring? Get in yourself—do you want me to throw you in?"

Nalan Yanran clutched her clothes and said: "I don't have to take them off, right?"

Xiao Yan smiled faintly: "Your choice—I don't mind."

Nalan Yanran's cheeks turned as red as peach blossoms; naturally, she wouldn't remove her dress. Slowly bending down, she unfastened her shoes, slipped them off, then gently peeled off her long stockings—the stockings were silky smooth, like silk ribbons sliding down her fair, flawless legs.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Yan rubbed his chin—removing silk stockings was quite an art.

After removing her shoes and stockings, Nalan Yanran noticed Xiao Yan still staring—she kicked sharply, her jade foot lightly tapping space, leaping into the tub like a carp entering water, sitting sideways inside, leaving only half her head visible, her back turned to Xiao Yan.

Even the icy water in the tub couldn't cool the heat in Nalan Yanran's heart—she was too shy to speak.

Though she and Xiao Yan were born on the same day, same month, same year, and their families were once close, she'd only been alone with him twice—once in the Heaven Eye Shan Mai, and now. Even the Heaven Eye Shan Mai had been during a joint expedition in a secret realm, outside—now they were alone together in a room!

She was a huang hua gu niang—she'd never experienced anything like this.

Watching Nalan Yanran's wet back, faintly revealing a glimpse of pure white—her unintentional moments often created greater allure; whether deliberate or accidental, no one could tell.

Nalan Yanran tied up her hair; water droplets slid down her jade-white neck—from Xiao Yan's angle, once the precious liquid soaked through her clothes, the pale green dress clung tightly to her body, revealing every curve of her back, her slender waist wrapped in fabric exuding a peculiar charm.

For a moment, the entire room was filled with springtime beauty—exquisitely alluring.

"Xiao Yan."

Hearing Nalan Yanran call his name, Xiao Yan's heart jolted; he quickly replied: "W-what is it?"

Nalan Yanran placed both hands on the tub's edge, leaned forward, and turned her head to look at Xiao Yan, whispering apologetically: "I'm sorry."

Xiao Yan naturally knew what she meant; he merely smiled lightly, then pulled petals from his space ring and scattered them into the tub.

Xiao Yan slowly walked behind Nalan Yanran, smiling calmly: "That was so long ago—I've already forgotten."

Hearing Xiao Yan's reply, Nalan Yanran smiled brightly.

With a whoosh, Xiao Yan's right hand condensed two tiny black-and-white fish and said: "First, swallow the Rebirth Pill. When you received Yun Potian's inheritance in the Life and Death Gate, you absorbed some of the Yin-Yang Twin Flame's power—I'll use the Yin-Yang Twin Flame to refine the residual elixir power and the Rebirth Pill's energy together."

Hearing this, Nalan Yanran knew she couldn't be distracted; she immediately calmed herself, swallowed the Rebirth Pill, sat cross-legged, then suddenly remembered something and whirled around: "Wait—you just said you'd use strange fire?!"

With a hiss, the Yin-Yang Twin Flame leapt like two black-and-white koi, plunging into the tub as Nalan Yanran stared in stunned disbelief.

Then, the classic scene returned: two tiny fish of yin-yang dual flames spat out two clusters of black-and-white Strange Fires, which instantly enveloped Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Yanran's face instantly flushed pink, dusted with a faint blush. How could she not know the "side effects" of Strange Fire! She had already been caught off-guard in the Tian Shan Xue Chi, and back in the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Convention, Xiao Yan was the very first to experience the negative effects of Strange Fire!

That's why Xiao Yan always told Xiao Yixian to take off her clothes first—he himself was the first victim!

"Focus your mind," Xiao Yan said suddenly, his tone serious.

What's the rush? You think I haven't seen it before? Though the person involved didn't know it.

Nalan Yanran bit her red lips lightly, no longer caring that her clothes were rapidly dissolving in the water; she began refining the Fu Zong Pill. After all, her master had already been seen by him—her master had set the precedent, so she wasn't afraid anymore!

Watching the exquisitely beautiful curves beneath the water—the slender waist easily encircled by a hand, the well-defined collarbone—Xiao Yan nodded inwardly. Just as Sheng Yan had described: confirmed, exactly as stated.

The petals Xiao Yan didn't pluck randomly—the fragrance of the Hua Hai in the Hua Sect, when blended, produced special illusions; but when refined by an Alchemist, this fragrance became an excellent Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, gently and slowly enhancing Dou Qi and relaxing the emotions.

Surrounded by the warm water, Nalan Yanran's shoulders gradually relaxed. The Strange Fire was incredibly warm, like being tightly embraced by a pair of giant hands.

If Feng Qing'er were here, she'd curse. Why was her experience with Strange Fire so agonizing???

But this couldn't be blamed on Xiao Yan—Nalan Yanran didn't need body tempering; on the contrary, her Cultivation Method and sword Dou Techniques required her body to be supple, sensitive, her strikes sharp and ethereal, not forceful. Naturally, keeping her flesh soft was best.

Seeing Nalan Yanran enter cultivation, Xiao Yan shook his head and smiled. He and Nalan Yanran were indeed bound by a karmic tie—but this tie could never be avoided, for during his time in Wutan City, he had already secretly pledged his heart to someone.

Gazing at the white jade Ancient Jade Token in his hand, Xiao Yan clenched his fingers slightly. For the remaining time, he planned to stay in the Hua Sect to cultivate Dou Techniques—this was one of the Two Sects, where Heavenly Energy was exceptionally dense.

"Sigh, I'm the only man in the Hua Sect, and how miserable am I—even a house I don't have," Xiao Yan muttered as he slowly walked out of Nalan Yanran's room.

With a wave of his hand, his Soul Force enveloped the entire Shan Mai. Yun Yun was also cultivating; Xiao Yan used his Heavenly Realm Soul Force to set a Soul Sealing, one even a typical Dou Zun would struggle to break.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, bowed toward a stretch of Space, then flew toward a Cave.

In Space, two graceful silhouettes watched Xiao Yan's bow and departing figure.

"He noticed us. His Soul Force is extremely strong—likely already reached the Heavenly Realm. No wonder he's his disciple," Huaxianzi, the Supreme Elder of the Hua Sect, chuckled.

The Feng Zunzhe had also informed some people connected to the Yao Zunzhe.

Beside her, the silent Qingxianzi slowly closed her eyes. A single clear tear slowly slipped from the corner of her eye; in that instant, it felt as if she had returned to those days.

She didn't know if this was love. She only knew that even though she had reached High-Level Semi-Saint, her heart still ached—so painfully she could barely breathe.

Seeing this, Huaxianzi merely sighed inwardly. Even though they had cultivated to Semi-Saint and grown indifferent to life and death, for those uniquely important people, forgetting was utterly impossible.

"Let's go."

"Mm."

Xiao Yan naturally didn't know his master was a man who left traces of affection everywhere—not only did the Dan Tower have Xuan Yi, but the Hua Sect had Qingxianzi too.

Now Xiao Yan focused entirely on the white bones before him.

"So this is how it works—storing Soul Information within the bone marrow to preserve it for a thousand years." Xiao Yan's gaze locked onto three ribs of the Creation Saint Bones. With his Heavenly Realm Soul Force, he quickly discerned the secret.

Xiao Yan clasped his hands together in a bow, then summoned Feng Nu Long Yan, which transformed into a wind shears—*crack, crack, crack*—and snipped off the three ribs.

The ribs felt cool and smooth in his hand, like the finest jade. His eyes flickered over them instantly—covered in strange characters, glowing with faint radiance, appearing alive, slowly writhing.

"The Dou Saint Essence Blood can wait—first, master the Dou Technique." Xiao Yan did not immediately extract the essence; he stored the bones away. He couldn't refine the essence and cultivate the Dou Technique simultaneously.

Xiao Yan carefully studied the ribs in his hand—covered in tiny, strange characters. These characters were profoundly mysterious, giving off a sense of obscurity.

"These must be ancient script."

He memorized every strange character in his mind, yet could not decipher them.

"Looks like these characters aren't a Cultivation Method." Xiao Yan frowned in thought. After a long pause, his eyes narrowed slightly—he extended his Shura Soul Power, but the moment it touched the ribs, it was violently repelled. He froze, then smiled faintly.

"So this is it—there's a Seal here."

Realizing this, Xiao Yan clenched his palm and smiled. All Strange Fires fused—colorful flames rose gently from his palm, surrounding the three white-jade ribs. The infernal heat rapidly melted and ignited vast stretches of Space.

*Sssss! *

Xiao Yan didn't know how terrifying the flame of eleven fused Strange Fires was—he only knew that even a Dou Saint's Seal, even a Dou Saint's bones, were utterly fragile before this fused flame.

In mere moments, the bones began to melt. Seeing even eleven fused Strange Fires took moments to start melting them, Xiao Yan knew this object was extraordinary.

Ordinary things would vanish at the slightest touch!

In less than five minutes, the three ribs turned from milky white to a deep, dark gold. Upon closer inspection, golden light was subtly concealed within, emitting strange ripples that quietly spread.

In the silent Cave, a strange sound of flowing liquid emerged. Xiao Yan retracted the flames. A pool of peculiar dark-gold liquid floated in midair.

"So this is the body-tempering substance."

Xiao Yan now knew quite a bit: cultivating Heavenly Rank Dou Techniques required all sorts of conditions. For example, the Emperor Soul Scripture required Six-Grade Soul Sovereign Dou Di Bloodline; the Shura Soul Severing Art required a Heavenly Realm Soul and Dou Di Bloodline.

Xiao Yan softly murmured, hesitated, then took a deep breath of the slightly dry air. He extended his palm gently, then plunged a finger into the flame. After a pause, he finally inserted one finger into the dark-gold liquid.

*Sssss! * As his finger pierced the liquid, sudden changes erupted—the liquid violently writhed, then tightly coiled around Xiao Yan's finger, instantly engulfing his entire palm.

"Hn?" Xiao Yan frowned, thought for a moment, then did not resist.

The dark-gold liquid enveloped his entire right palm. An uncontrollable, searing pain surged from his palm—if his body hadn't been tempered, his hand would've been ruined.

Beneath the dark-gold liquid, his palm began to warp strangely, and faint sounds of bone compression echoed.

"Sss—no wonder this is a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique. The pain… if one's willpower or physical strength were even slightly weaker, they'd never be able to master it!"

(End of Chapter)