Upon hearing the servant's report, Yafu was also slightly taken aback, then turned to gaze at Xiao Yan's suddenly stern expression, shook her head with a sigh, and softly inquired, "Nalan Yanran?" "Yes," the servant replied respectfully. "What is it that she has come to discuss with me?" Yafu gently furrowed her brows, murmuring softly, and exhaled, looking at Xiao Yan, apologetically saying, "I'm sorry..." "Go ahead—this is your duty. I can't possibly blame you," Xiao Yan smiled, and as his expression softened, he waved his hand. "You may not feel like meeting her right now. Then, please wait here a while. Let me first clarify what she has come for, and then I'll see you both out." Yafu's gaze swept over Xiao Yan and the composed Hai Bo Dong, hesitantly adding. "That would be fine..." After a brief pause, Xiao Yan nodded slightly. At this moment, he truly didn't wish to meet the woman prematurely, and thus did not hesitate to accept Yafu's suggestion. Upon hearing Xiao Yan agree, Yafu exhaled in relief, leaned close to the maid, and instructed her to diligently attend to the two before swiftly stepping out of the room. "Doesn't she have some grievances with Nalan Yanran?" Sea Bo Dong, holding the now-frozen teacup, looked after the fading figure at the door, slightly astonished. "Yes." Xiao Yan nodded, slowly settling into the chair, his complexion not particularly bright. "Then perhaps this visit to Yunlan Sect was all connected to her?" Sea Bo Dong paused, his eyes widening as he observed Xiao Yan's somewhat strained expression. This time, Xiao Yan remained silent, calmly sipping his tea, a faint glint of cold determination shimmering in his slightly narrowed eyes. Seeing Xiang Yan's current demeanor, Hai Bo Dong, now aware of certain answers, no longer pressed further questions. He slowly shook his head, seemingly beginning to grasp the reason behind Xiang Yan's firm determination to join Yunlan Sect. Yet, he remained puzzled regarding the woman named Na Lan Yan Ran—what exactly had she done to Xiang Yan that even the remarkably composed one would willingly choose to part ways with such a powerful institution like Yunlan Sect? Clearly, a conflict between the Gamma Empire and Yunlan Sect was indeed a rather foolish move. "Oh, by the way," Hai Bo Dong suddenly remembered Xiang Yan's earlier mention of the item he was seeking, "what are you looking for—something that restores soul energy? Has your soul been injured?" The tip of Xiao Yan's brow lifted slightly, imperceptibly, as he slowly sipped his tea. After a moment of internal deliberation, he spoke calmly, "The aftereffects from that Buddha-angry Flame Lotus last time..." "Oh, that thing was indeed terrifying—some aftereffects were quite expected," said Haibo Dong, showing no doubt at all. After all, the power of the Buddha-angry Flame Lotus was truly formidable. He glanced at Xiao Yan, then slightly furrowed his brows, asking, "Severe, is it?" Striving to keep his heartbeat steady as it had been in the past, Xiao Yan glanced sideways at Haibo Dong and replied, "Not severe by any means, though certainly not a common injury. That's why I've been seeking rare items capable of restoring my spiritual energy, so I can recover swiftly." Hearing Xiao Yan's slightly indistinct reply, Hai Bo Dong furrowed his brow, turned his gaze toward the composed, expressionless face, and his lips subtly moved—but no words came out. He merely nodded slightly and then lowered his head, staring intently at the teacup, growing silent. Through the reflection on the cup's surface, Xiao Yan clearly observed Hai Bo Dong's subtle reactions: the hand tightly gripping the cup relaxed slightly, and he slowly sipped the tea, moistening his slightly dry throat, then exhaled deeply. "Has she really left?" Xiang Yan slowly set down the teacup as he casually asked. "Yes." As Yafei entered the room, she nodded respectfully to Haibo Dong, who was holding the teacup, then turned her gaze to Xiang Yan. With her slender fingers gently tapping the table, she paused before finally smiling and saying to him, in response to his puzzled look, "Xiang Yan, you truly need a rare celestial treasure capable of restoring soul energy, don't you?" "Yes, I do." Xiang Yan nodded, his heart slightly fluttering, his eyes fixed on Yafei as he softly replied, "Is there such a treasure at the auction hall? As long as you can present it, I'm willing to pay whatever price you find satisfactory." "Such a treasure capable of restoring soul energy is extremely rare. Even with our Mitel Auction Hall's extensive network and volume of transactions, we rarely manage to collect such items." Yafei shook her head, expressing her frustration. "So that's what you're saying?" Xiang Yan furrowed his brows, asking. "Our Mitte Auction House, indeed, does not possess any extraordinary item capable of restoring spiritual energy. However, as far as I know, one family from the Gamma Holy City has a rare plant known as the Seven-Phantom Azure Spirit Sap. The roots of this plant yield a highly mysterious liquid substance, which is precisely the finest remedy for restoring spiritual energy." Yafei smiled wistfully. "Oh? Really?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face instantly lit up with surprise, and he quickly asked, "Which family?" Yafei's delicate features bore a faint, somewhat hesitant smile, her voice hesitant and uncertain. Observing her expression, Xiao Yan was momentarily puzzled, then suddenly recalled something, his expression gradually darkening. "You're not referring to the Na Lan family, are you?" he asked. "Yes, it is indeed them," Yafei nodded with a sense of resignation. "That kind of treasure—no one would dare part with it, not even considering my disdain for them. Do you really think the Nalan family would sell me their Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling Xian?" Xiao Yan rubbed his forehead, speaking softly. "Wouldn't they have to force me to take it by force? Though, if it truly came down to that..." "Who asked you to go and fight them off? The Nalan family is one of the three foremost families, on par with our Mitel family. Moreover, several of their members hold key positions within the imperial military. In terms of security and defense, they certainly wouldn't be less formidable than our Mitel family. Even with Hai Bo Dong's support, successfully navigating through their layered defenses to secure the Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling Xian wouldn't be an easy task." Yafei glanced at Xiao Yan with a scolding expression. "And if, by any chance, things go wrong—should they fight to the last, risking the very essence of the Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling Xian—wouldn't all your efforts then have been in vain?" "Not rushing, yet still unable to conduct normal transactions—how am I supposed to obtain that Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling-Xian? What should I do?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows. "A few years ago, the elder of the Nalan family fought a five-stage beast, the fiercely toxic Iron-Toxin Mantis, and although he ultimately defeated it, he himself was struck by a particularly terrifying toxin—the Loke Toxin—infused into his body by the beast. As someone skilled in alchemy, you must know how formidable this toxin is. Records show that numerous six-stage beasts have been poisoned and killed by this toxin, even surpassing their own stage. If it weren't for their rarity, many powerful figures across the continent would surely be struck with awe and fear merely at the sight of it." Yafei smiled, yet suddenly shifted to speak of something entirely unrelated to the Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling-Xian. "That thing is indeed very toxic. Yet it seems to have little connection with the Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling-Xian, doesn't it?" "Heard of Lao Tie's name, Xiao Yan's face also slightly changed, then shook his head. 'Will you please let me finish what I have to say?' The graceful Ya Fei glanced at Xiao Yan with a look of mild impatience, continuing, 'For years, relying on his strong qi, Grandfather Na Lan has managed to suppress the toxin. However, as he grows older, the toxin's rebound has become increasingly intense. Just半个月 ago, the concealed Lao Tie toxin finally erupted completely. Under this surge, Grandfather Na Lan, who had reached the level of Duke of Battle, collapsed entirely. Now, the entire Na Lan family is in chaos, scrambling to find herbalists and healers to intervene.' 'Looking for herbalists? With Na Lan Yanran's connections, couldn't she simply summon Dan King Guo He directly? With his expertise in herbal medicine, what toxin could he not neutralize?' Xiao Yan said calmly. "Very well, yet even Gonghe couldn't eliminate the scorch toxin. This toxin is as its name suggests—deeply embedded within your bones and even your marrow. No medicine, no matter how potent, can fully remove it." Shaking her head, Yafu offered a wry smile. "Even Gonghe couldn't manage it?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan was instantly astonished. "Yes," Yafu nodded, pausing thoughtfully. "Though Gonghe hasn't succeeded in clearing the toxin, he has proposed a viable method: control the flame, stabilize Lan Lao's body, and use high temperatures to expel the scorch toxin. Unfortunately, there's one crucial condition—this flame must be an unusual one, specifically, a unique fire." "Therefore, the Lan family has now invested heavily, hiring numerous alchemists who possess such unique flames. Yet, despite their efforts, they've achieved nothing. Even with offers so substantial that they surpass what even our Mitel family would consider impressive—by the way, one of those substantial offers includes the Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling Xian plant." "Yafei spread her hands. "Whoever can heal Master Nalan will be granted that rare Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling Xian. Recently, many alchemists have tried, but none have succeeded." "Nalan Yanran previously came to me seeking our Midel Auction Hall's assistance in promoting the search for an alchemist possessing unique fire energy." "Perhaps you could give it a try—after all, your initial matter wasn't closely tied to Master Nalan, and in fact, you even once angrily drove Nalan Yanran out of the house several times, though that wasn't permanent." Yafei looked steadily at Xiao Yan, saying.