Lin Yuan glanced toward Xiao Yan, who stood upon the plaza bathed in glory, and smiled in satisfaction.
He was happy for Xiao Yan, but even happier for himself.
Xiao Yan had gone all out throughout the entire day, allowing Lin Yuan to obtain a tremendous amount of Flame Mantra circulation data.
He slightly turned his head, his gaze gently falling upon Qing Lin beside him.
At this moment, after continuously operating the Heavenly Illusion Spirit Bright Eyes · Heavenly Eye at full power for several hours, her aura had become somewhat unstable.
"Let's go, Qing'er. Things are over. We should leave now," Lin Yuan said softly.
"Young Master, aren't you still planning to meet Xiao Yan later?"
Lin Yuan shook his head and chuckled lightly.
"I'm not in a hurry about that. If he's anxious, he'll naturally come find me himself. You've exhausted yourself quite a bit today, so let's head back first."
Hearing this, Qing Lin nodded obediently.
Afterward, Lin Yuan's lips moved slightly as he transmitted several sound messages.
Immediately afterward, a clear voice silently crossed through the crowd and precisely entered the ears of several people.
Lin Yuan's voice sounded distinctly within their minds.
To Xiao Yan:
"It seems Brother Xiao won't be free for a while. Once you've handled your affairs, if you wish to meet, come find me at the Mitel Clan."
To Mitel Tengshan and Hai Bodong:
"If Xiao Yan comes to the Mitel Clan looking for me, do not stop him. Have Ya Fei bring him to me."
After hearing the clear voice within his ears, Xiao Yan glanced around and discovered that everyone nearby appeared completely normal, as though none of them had heard anything at all.
At this moment, Yao Lao's voice sounded within Xiao Yan's heart, carrying a hint of amusement.
"Xiao Yan, stop looking around. This is Tianshu's precise sound transmission. No one else can hear it."
"This brat's control over Dou Qi really is extraordinary."
"And for him to achieve this level, it seems he's also cultivated a sound-wave Dou Technique. Sound-wave Dou Techniques huh?"
"Tsk, little Yanzi, don't get complacent just because you won the championship this time. Work hard. This opponent named Tianshu is far from ordinary."
Toward the end, even Yao Lao's tone carried a trace of admiration.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression became considerably more serious. The slight relaxation and pride he had felt after becoming champion instantly disappeared.
Yao Lao's undisguised praise and high evaluation of Lin Yuan made Xiao Yan truly realize how troublesome this "opponent" was.
But when facing someone of the same generation, Xiao Yan absolutely did not want to lose.
Looking toward Lin Yuan's direction, Xiao Yan's determined voice echoed within his heart:
"Teacher, train me even more harshly from now on."
Seeing this, Yao Lao smiled in satisfaction inwardly.
This "disciplinary whip" named Tianshu truly was useful.
Although Xiao Yan appeared calm and composed after three years of tempering, the pride within his heart was no less than anyone else's. With Tianshu constantly pressuring him, there was no need to worry about Xiao Yan lacking motivation.
Meanwhile, after nodding toward the few people involved, Lin Yuan left the competition venue together with Qing Lin.
After returning to the Mitel Clan residence, Qing Lin could no longer conceal her exhaustion.
For several consecutive hours, she had continuously operated the Heavenly Eye while maintaining complete concentration to record Xiao Yan's cultivation pathways and transmit the information through her Illusion Eyes.
The prolonged process had consumed a tremendous amount of Dou Qi, Spiritual Strength, and mental energy.
After helping Qing Lin recover somewhat, Lin Yuan lit a calming incense burner. Only after she fell asleep did he quietly leave her room.
Toward Qing Lin, Lin Yuan felt both guilt and tenderness.
All this time, Qing Lin had followed him everywhere, assisting him in countless operations behind the scenes. Especially after the establishment of the Heavenly Vault Network, nearly all the complicated intelligence gathering and communication work had been handled personally by her.
Those obscure, unnoticed tasks she carried out in the shadows were precisely one of the core reasons Lin Yuan could repeatedly achieve his objectives flawlessly.
Yet Qing Lin had never once complained of exhaustion, nor had she ever refused any of Lin Yuan's requests. In fact, she rarely ever asked for anything herself.
Thinking of this, guilt flashed through Lin Yuan's eyes.
"I promised to let her enjoy the lively atmosphere for once, yet in the end I still made her work hard all day."
"Tomorrow… tomorrow I'll properly accompany her and take her out to relax."
After briefly planning tomorrow's arrangements, Lin Yuan returned to his own room.
Once back, he recalled the clones he had sent out before leaving earlier and organized the knowledge and research results they had accumulated.
"That move has finally been completed. Combined with my other trump cards, it's enough to handle the upcoming situation."
"Today I obtained part of the circulation pathways of 'Wind and Thunder Fury Flame + Complete Flame Mantra.' Together with the 'Sea Heart Flame + Flame Mantra Fragment' and the other 'Flame Mantra Fragment' in my possession, I can officially begin reverse-deducing the Flame Mantra."
"I'll assign a clone specifically to handle this matter from now on."
Thinking this, Lin Yuan once again separated several clones from himself, assigning each of them to their respective tasks.
Meanwhile, his true body sat cross-legged upon the bed, forming cultivation seals with his hands as his eyes slowly closed, entering a cultivation state.
His breathing gradually became steady and prolonged as he absorbed the natural energy of heaven and earth from the surrounding space.
The energy entered his body and underwent layer upon layer of refinement before transforming into strands of vigorous Dou Qi within him.
And Lin Yuan's cultivation steadily advanced toward the late stage of Five-Star Dou Emperor.
Meanwhile, on the other side, within Xiao Yan's residence in the Imperial Capital, Xiao Yan was fast asleep.
After the Grand Meeting ended, Xiao Yan had received the competition rewards from the Alchemist Association, including the formula for the "Spirit Fusion Pill" and the honorary elder token of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Association.
Afterward, he declined numerous invitations from various factions and returned directly to his residence.
Upon returning home, the exhausted Xiao Yan swallowed a medicinal pill given to him by Yao Lao before falling into deep sleep.
Suddenly, a vast Spiritual Strength surged out from the Bone Chilling Ring, condensing into an illusory human figure within the hall.
It was Yao Lao.
With a casual wave of his hand, majestic Spiritual Strength spread outward and formed two barriers.
One barrier isolated Xiao Yan's residence from the outside world, while the other separated Xiao Yan's room from the main hall.
"Come out," Yao Lao said indifferently.
As soon as his words fell, the air within the courtyard suddenly distorted strangely.
Immediately afterward, a shadow slowly appeared before instantly darting into the hall.
"Ling Ying greets Senior," Ling Ying cupped his fists respectfully.
Yao Lao slightly nodded, his eyes narrowing as he spoke in a deep voice:
"Speak directly. What happened? For you to request a meeting so urgently, something major must have occurred."
Ling Ying nodded.
Thinking back to the urgent transmission he had received during the day, his expression also became heavy.
"Since Senior and Young Master Xiao Yan are master and disciple, I will not conceal it."
"The Young Lady sent word that something major happened at the Xiao Clan yesterday. Although the exact details remain unclear for now, one Dou Ancestor and two Dou Emperor stationed there by our clan have all perished."
"What?! Something happened to the Xiao Clan?!"
Yao Lao's expression instantly changed drastically.
"Damn it."
After thinking for a moment, Yao Lao spoke solemnly.
"To kill one Dou Ancestor and two Dou Emperor, this is definitely not something a faction within the Jia Ma Empire could accomplish, especially when targeting a small clan like the Xiao Clan."
"Could it be the Hall of Souls?"
Ling Ying nodded solemnly.
"The Young Lady arrived at the same conclusion. To deploy such power solely to target the Xiao Clan, it's most likely them."
At this moment, Yao Lao realized that he had underestimated the Xiao Clan.
The secrets hidden within the Xiao Clan were far greater than he had imagined.
Although he had already guessed from Xiao Yan's little girlfriend's identity that the Xiao Clan was descended from the ancient Xiao Clan, he had never expected that a clan which had already declined to the level of a Dou Grandmaster family would still warrant such painstaking efforts from the Hall of Souls.
"But why? What does the Xiao Clan possess that's worth them making a move?"
Hearing this, Ling Ying let out a bitter smile but did not answer.
Whether matters concerning the Ancient Emperor Jade could be revealed was not something he had the authority to decide.
Seeing this, Yao Lao gave him a deep look and tactfully skipped the question, instead considering what to do next.
After a moment of thought, he asked.
"What arrangements has your Young Lady made? Can your side still mobilize any personnel within the Jia Ma Empire?"
"At present, there's basically no one left on our side in the Jia Ma Empire besides me. The Young Lady has already dispatched people from the Black-Corner Region, and they are currently rushing toward the Jia Ma Empire."
"As for me, my duty remains protecting Young Master Xiao Yan," Ling Ying replied.
Then he added.
"Additionally, the Young Lady instructed that the matter concerning the Xiao Clan should not be told to Young Master Xiao Yan before the completion of the Three-Year Agreement."
Yao Lao pondered briefly before nodding in agreement.
Neither he nor Xiao Yan's little girlfriend would allow Xiao Yan to abandon the Three-Year Agreement.
Moreover, the Xiao Clan's current situation was still unclear. Under such circumstances, there was no need to burden Xiao Yan further or distract him before he headed to the Misty Cloud Sect for the appointment.
Thinking about the Xiao Clan, Yao Lao's mind rapidly began calculating and analyzing.
A moment later, he rubbed his forehead and realized that the matter truly was difficult to handle at the moment.
The main issue was the severe lack of intelligence.
Too much remained hidden beneath the fog.
What exactly was the Xiao Clan's condition?
What was the Hall of Souls' objective?
How much power had they invested into the Jia Ma Empire?
Had they already achieved their goal?
Were they planning to target Xiao Yan as well?
Had his own existence been exposed?
All of these were unknowns.
Yet at present, there was no available manpower capable of investigating these matters.
Originally, the Gu Clan would have been the best option to act.
However, the Gu Clan's personnel stationed within the Jia Ma Empire had already been wiped out, while the reinforcements from the Black-Corner Region clearly would not arrive in time.
Judging from Ling Ying's current state, he had obviously received strict orders to focus solely on protecting Xiao Yan.
As for Yao Lao himself, since he still could not determine how much strength the Hall of Souls had deployed within the Jia Ma Empire, it was inconvenient for him to act personally.
After all, he himself was also a prime target of the Hall of Souls.
If he exposed himself recklessly, it might draw even greater attention and ultimately harm both himself and Xiao Yan.
Seeing Yao Lao deep in thought, Ling Ying pondered briefly before speaking.
"Senior, the Young Lady also said that if you truly require assistance here, you may seek a transaction with Tianshu. According to her, the Tianshu you encountered should be trustworthy."
Hearing this, delight immediately surfaced within Yao Lao's heart.
"Is that true?"
Ling Ying nodded confidently.
"The Young Lady's words are naturally true. Furthermore, she also granted me authorization. If necessary, I may negotiate with Tianshu in her name."
Upon hearing this, Yao Lao finally relaxed somewhat.
No one understood Gu Xun'er's feelings toward Xiao Yan more clearly than Yao Lao.
For her to grant such authority likely meant she already knew Tianshu's true identity.
And if Tianshu truly was trustworthy, then the current situation would indeed become much easier to handle.
Thinking this, Yao Lao nodded lightly.
"Very well. Tomorrow, Xiao Yan and I will meet with Tianshu. At that time, I'll try asking him to help investigate the matter concerning the Xiao Clan."
The next day, within the Mitel Clan residence.
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged upon the bed within his room as the faint energy mist surrounding his body gradually dissipated.
His tightly shut eyes slowly opened as well.
His chest rose and fell slightly. Forming another seal with his hands, Lin Yuan ended his overnight cultivation session before exhaling a long breath of turbid air, allowing his body to finally relax.
After sensing his own condition, Lin Yuan slightly frowned.
Even with the assistance of the Green Essence Pill and Heavenly Flames, the improvement brought by a single night of cultivation remained extremely limited.
Even for someone like himself, whose talent could already be considered exceptional, progress was still this slow.
What about everyone else, then?
Lin Yuan could not help but think this.
"So this turtle-like speed is the true effect of orthodox cultivation…"
Lin Yuan sighed inwardly.
"As expected, in this world, unless one possesses a special bloodline or physique, cheating and consuming pills are the true kingly path."
Suppressing his wandering thoughts, Lin Yuan stood up and recalled his clones, integrating the research results they had accumulated overnight.
After digesting the knowledge within his mind, Lin Yuan frowned slightly.
"As expected, directly reverse-deducing the Flame Mantra won't be that easy either. Looks like I'll have to test and complete it little by little."
Shaking his head, Lin Yuan glanced toward Qing Lin's room before taking out the specially-made "medicine cauldron," along with a pile of ingredients from his storage ring.
Looking at the cauldron and ingredients before him, Lin Yuan revealed a confident smile and muttered to himself.
"Today I should properly reward Qing'er. I'll make some of her favorite dishes first."
Not long afterward, an extremely enticing aroma drifted out from Lin Yuan's courtyard.
When Qing Lin woke up and stepped out of her room, her eyes immediately lit up.
Within the courtyard, numerous dishes had already been placed atop a long green table condensed entirely from Dou Qi, each radiating delicious fragrances.
At that moment, a strand of Dou Qi shot from Lin Yuan's fingertip, splitting into four and instantly transforming into four green plates.
With another wave of his hand, four dishes flew out from the "medicine cauldron," landing neatly upon the plates in elegant arrangements.
Seeing this, Qing Lin's eyes curved into crescents.
In her opinion, watching Lin Yuan cook was far more interesting than yesterday's alchemist competition.
After placing the final four dishes onto the table, Lin Yuan looked toward Qing Lin and smiled.
"Qing'er, go get ready and come eat. Afterward, we'll take a trip to the Alchemist Association."
Hearing this, Qing Lin revealed a radiant smile and answered crisply:
"Yes, Young Master!"
Meanwhile, while Lin Yuan and Qing Lin were eating, Xiao Yan also arrived at the Mitel Clan.
Under Ya Fei's guidance, Xiao Yan passed through layer after layer of guards and smoothly arrived at the courtyard where Lin Yuan resided.
Before he could even knock, the courtyard gates opened automatically, while Lin Yuan's voice sounded from within.
"So it's Brother Xiao and Miss Ya Fei. No need for formalities. Come in."
"Brother Tianshu, pardon the disturbance."
"Mr. Tianshu, pardon the disturbance."
The two then stepped into the courtyard and saw Lin Yuan and Qing Lin currently enjoying their meal.
Ya Fei glanced at Lin Yuan, the clan's honored guest, and respectfully bowed before saying her farewell.
"Mr. Tianshu, since Xiao Yan has arrived, Ya Fei will not disturb your discussion any longer."
"This woman truly knows her place and has excellent judgment. I can conveniently return Xiao Yan a favor through her."
Lin Yuan thought inwardly.
Thus, he took out a piece of paper, wrote the words "Ya Fei can be greatly entrusted with responsibility," and handed it to her with a smile.
"Miss Ya Fei, since you and Brother Xiao are friends, consider this my gift to you. Give it to Clan Leader Tengshan. He'll understand."
After accepting the note, Ya Fei bowed respectfully once more before leaving Lin Yuan's courtyard.
Watching her depart, Xiao Yan glanced at the lavish table of delicacies before looking toward Lin Yuan with amusement.
"Brother Tianshu, I truly didn't expect you to enjoy life this much."
Lin Yuan swallowed the piece of Magical Beast meat in his mouth and smiled calmly.
"If life consisted of nothing but cultivation, it would be unbearably dull. Brother Xiao should try it sometime."
"Senior Yao may come out as well. This place is quiet. No one else will disturb us."
As he spoke, Lin Yuan waved his hand.
Green Dou Qi gathered together, instantly condensing into a chair and a set of green tableware.
"So your Dou Qi control was trained this way?"
Yao Lao's voice sounded out as his figure also appeared beside Xiao Yan.
"You could say that's part of the reason," Lin Yuan replied with a smile.
Yao Lao nodded, then glanced over the table of dishes before revealing some interest.
He patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and said calmly.
"Xiao Yan, since the host is treating us, stop being polite."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan chuckled and sat down before picking up a piece of delicious Magical Beast meat and placing it into his mouth.
The moment the food entered his stomach, Xiao Yan's eyes froze slightly.
Not only was the meat exceptionally delicious, but he could also sense a strand of energy contained within it.
The energy wasn't large, but it was extremely pure and gentle, being absorbed by his body without the slightest obstruction.
Meanwhile, Yao Lao stroked his beard and said.
"As expected. You've integrated certain aspects of alchemy into cooking itself."
"Tianshu, impressive thinking. Impressive skill."
"It seems Senior Yao does not oppose this kind of behavior that 'disgraces the dignity of alchemists,'" Lin Yuan said with a soft smile before continuing.
"In that case, perhaps Senior could evaluate something for me and see whether this idea of mine is feasible. Would you be interested in cooperating?"
As he spoke, Lin Yuan's expression became slightly more serious.
He took out a handbook from his storage ring and respectfully handed it over with both hands.
Seeing Lin Yuan become unusually formal, Yao Lao also became somewhat interested.
He accepted the handbook and looked toward the words written upon its cover.
"Medicinal Cuisine Studies Draft · Initial Volume."
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