Chapter 699: The Xiao Clan’s Mansion
Hai Bodong and Xiao Yan bid everyone goodbye and left the Alchemist Association after having completed the meeting. The former returned to the Primer clan while Xiao Yan followed the road and walked to the most bustling area in the middle of the city. At this moment, there was a new inscription board being hung above the main entrance of a large compound at this location. The flamboyant characters written on it caused quite a number of passersby on the streets to involuntarily pause and take a look.
“Xiao Mansion!”
Xiao Yan helplessly shook his head when he saw that there was a large group of people surrounding the compound outside when he arrived. He could only flash and rush in over the wall.
A couple of rushing wind sounds suddenly appeared when Xiao Yan’s figure had just crossed the compound’s wall. However, Xiao Yan did not dodge. He flicked his finger and a rushing wind easily received the attacks of the four black figures who had shot out from the shadows.
“There is no need to panic. It’s me.” Xiao Yan randomly defeated the four black figures and spoke with a smile.
The four black figures immediately knelt with one knee on the ground and spoke respectfully upon hearing the familiar voice, “Chief! Sorry for offending you!”
“Ke ke, not bad…” Xiao Yan flicked his sleeves gently and smiled and did not blame them in any way. He waved his hand toward the four of them and followed the small path in the compound as he slowly walked into its interior.
This mansion that Xiao Li had found far exceeded the Xiao clan home in Wu Tan city both in terms of size and style. Due to the members in the clan having been greatly diminished, such a large compound ended up appearing a little empty and quiet.
Xiao Yan walked along the small path for a moment before a spacious living room appeared in his sight. There was faint laughter being transmitted from within the hall.
Xiao Yan slowly walked toward the living room, gently pushed opened the door, and entered. Xiao Li and Xiao Ding, who were giving orders to the servants to clean the place turned around to take a look when they heard the sound of the door being opened. They smiled and went over when they saw whom it was Xiao Yan.
“How is it? This mansion is not bad right? One cannot just rely on money if one wanted to purchase this kind of large mansion in such a place.” Xiao Li looked at Xiao Yan who was observing the place. This golden belt was mostly held in the hands of some large merchants with quite a strong background. However, the strength that Xiao Yan currently possessed in the Jia Ma Empire was already enough to compare with a large being like the Misty Cloud Sect. These merchants naturally did not dare to find any objections to Xiao Li when he wanted to purchase this piece of land. They did not dare to even raise the price too high.
“Yes.” Xao Yan nodded his head. Although this large compound could not be compared with the grand manor of the Primer clan, he was still quite satisfied with it. He immediately laughed softly, “Not bad, this place shall be the headquarters of our Xiao clan in the future…”
Xiao Li also sighed in relief when he saw Xiao Yan nod his head.
“Third brother, how was the meeting today?” Xiao Ding, who was seated on a wheelchair, smiled and asked Xiao Yan a question.
“Everything progressed smoothly. We will be able to gather the people and fight to the death with the Misty Cloud Sect after two days.” Xiao Yan smiled as he replied.
“Two days from now?” Xiao Ding was startled when he heard this. He immediately frowned and said, “Why the rush? Don’t tell me that there is some secret that others cannot be aware of?”
“Yun Shan is planning to marry Yun Yun to Gu He and use this to firmly tie Gu He to his side. If we were to truly allow them to successfully marry, it is likely that things would be more troublesome in the future. Hence…” Xiao Yan slowly replied. The smile on Xiao Yan’s face was greatly reduced upon mentioning this.
“Yun Shan wants to marry Yun Yun to Gu He?” Xiao Li and Xiao Ding involuntarily cried out loud. Their expressions changed slightly when they heard Xiao Yan’s words.
“I know… yes… yes… it is really too reasonable. Why did I not think of it?”
Xiao Ding’s expression sank as his finger gently tapped on the armrest of the wheelchair. He spoke solemnly, “If that is the case, there will indeed be some trouble. Gu He is not an ordinary person. His ability to gather people within the Jia Ma Empire is likely something that even Fa Ma from the Alchemist Association would have difficulty achieving. Once he is controlled by the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan will have a lot more bargaining chips.”
“What do you want to do? What else can you do?” Xiao Li’s gaze turned toward Xiao Yan as he asked multiple questions.
“We must naturally not allow this wedding to be successfully completed.” Xiao Yan smiled faintly. His lowered eyes was somewhat sharp at this moment as he said, “I will think of ways to settle Gu He two days later. At the very least, we must force him until he is unable to intervene in the matters of the Misty Cloud Sect.”
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged looks with one another after hearing this. Since this fellow had a plan, there was no longer a need for them to say anything…
“The both of you should settle in the clan members during these two days. Leave the matter of the Misty Cloud Sect to me.” Xiao Yan patted both of their shoulders and laughed.
“I am indeed unable to be of much help on such matters. However, you must remember that you are currently the pillar of support for the Xiao clan. The Xiao clan will only have the hope of prospering as long as you are still alive…” Xiao Ding glanced at Xiao Yan and slowly spoke.
Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. There was a servant who suddenly walked in to report while the three of them were conversing. It was because Yao Ye had personally delivered the medicinal ingredients needed to refine the ‘Mixed Bone Molding Pill’.
“It is really unexpected that their speed is so quick. Looks like the imperial family views the Serene Sea Scaly Beast with great importance…” Xiao Yan muttered to himself and sent someone to invite Yao Ye in.
There was naturally a round of greetings when the two met before Yao Ye handed over the medicinal ingredients that had been prepared to Xiao Yan.
The medicinal ingredients that Yao Ye had prepared were stored in a low grade storage ring. Xiao Yan scanned through it and involuntarily smacked his mouth within his heart. There was actually enough medicinal ingredients inside to refine ten ‘Mixed Bone Molding Pill’. The imperial family really did generously spend their money to fix this matter.
Yao Ye only stayed for a little after delivering the medicinal ingredients before taking her leave.
Xiao Yan sent Yao Ye off with his eyes. After which, he gave some instructions to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li before turning around to enter the inner yard. He found a quiet chamber before instructing people not to disturb him…
Xiao Yan exhaled a long breath after shutting the door to the chamber. He narrowed his eyes and tightened his fists under his sleeves.
“Hei, old dog Yun Shan… this act of yours is really quite vicious. Dammit. An anxious dog would even leap over a wall. An anxious rabbit would even bite someone… you are forcing me to ascend the Misty Cloud Mountain two days from now.”
The dark-black ring on Xiao Yan’s finger trembled and Yao Lao’s illusionary figure slowly drifted out. He glanced at Xiao Yan before saying, “The Misty Cloud Sect will have homeground advantage since the battleground will occur in the Misty Cloud Mountain. Moreover, they also have the advantage in terms of numbers. Hee hee, looks like Yun Shan is extremely afraid of you. Otherwise, he would not put in so much effort…”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly. There were many people in the Misty Cloud Sect and they even knew how to combine and form formations. Xiao Yan had personally experienced the strength of the formation formed back then, so he naturally understood the strength of such a thing.
“It is likely that Yun Shan is aware of the relationship between Yun Yun and you. This act of him might well be intending to anger and disturb your frame of mind…” Yao Lao voiced his thoughts. Being experienced and sharp, he was naturally able to see through the intentions of Yun Shan in a glance.
Xiao Yan was silent. Even he admitted that his state of mind was chaotic and furious when he heard that Yun Yun and Gu He were to be a wed. Clearly… he was unable to truly act as though they were strangers when it came to Yun Yun. The reason why he decided that the decisive battle would be held two days from now was partly because he was somewhat worried that Gu He would really stand by the Misty Cloud Sect’s side, but he could not deny that deep within his heart… he also possessed another thought.
Back then, Xiao Yan had met Yun Yun, who was using the name Yun Zhi at that time, in the Magical Beast Mountain Range when he was traveling as a young man. The spring-like scene in the cave, the favor of giving the armor as well as Yun Zhi taking the risk to rescue him a couple of times. All of these entanglements caused Xiao Yan to be unable to completely forget her regardless of how hard-hearted Xiao Yan was…
Yao Lao sighed softly as he looked at Xiao Yan’s changing expression. He flipped his hand and a wisp of dense-white flame strangely surfaced from the ring before suspending itself in front of him.
“You should put this on…” Yao Lao flicked his finger and the dense-white ring flew toward Xiao Yan before being accurately caught by the latter.
“This is? What is this? Don’t tell me…” Xiao Yan was uncertain as he looked at the dense-white ring in his hand. An icy-cold feeling that was mixed with an unusual heat surfaced in Xiao Yan’s heart.
“This is a ring that is constructed from my ‘Bone Chilling Flame’. There is quite a large amount of ‘Bone Chilling Flame’ stored in it. However, it can only be stored for five days before it will automatically scatter and disappear…” Yao Lao smiled as he continued, “Experts from the ‘Hall of Souls’ might appear in the big battle with the Misty Cloud Sect this time around. I will intervene and stop them at that time. However, I will not be able to lend my ‘Bone Chilling Flame’ to you then. Hence, this ring is in preparation…”
“The ‘Bone Chilling Flame’ in it is enough for you to only use the ‘Angry Buddha Lotus Flame’ once. Hence, try your best not to use it unless you have no other choice…”
Xiao Yan was startled when he heard this. He nodded slightly. Even Yao Lao was somewhat worried about that fierce battle two days from now…
“The great battle with the Misty Cloud Sect will occur two days from now. It is pointless to think too much about it. Hence, you should try your best to raise the fighting strength on your side.” Yao Lao smiled and comforted after seeing the somewhat depressed Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan nodded quietly and took out the Storage Ring that Yao Ye had sent over. He softly spoke, “In that case, I will first refine that ‘Mixed Bone Molding Pill’ first. If we are able to get the Serene Sea Scaly Beast to recover its strength, it would undoubtedly provide massive support to us.”
Yao Lao nodded slightly and smiled. “Coincidentally, I have not seen you refine medicinal pills for a long time. Today, I shall see just how much your medicinal refinement skills have improved… since you possess two kinds of ‘Heavenly Flame’, it should be extremely smooth for you to refine a medicinal pill.”
Xiao Yan smiled in a dumbfounded manner after hearing Yao Lao’s evaluation. He leaped onto the bed, waved his hand and took out the crimson beast medicinal cauldron he had obtained from Han Feng. After it flashed and appeared, Xiao Yan flicked his finger and a dark-green flame appeared before finally entering the medicinal cauldron…
Following the entrance of the jade-green flame, the temperature within the chamber gradually rose. The flame was imprinted on the walls, setting off the chamber like an oven…