As the young pharmacist slowly stepped forward from the corner, everyone in the hall was momentarily stunned. Several of the earlier three-rank pharmacists, who had been at a loss, now wore expressions of scorn—how could a second-rank pharmacist possibly achieve what even a three-rank one couldn't manage? Nalan Su stared at the young man as he turned to gaze at Nalan Yanran. Both saw a touch of astonishment in each other's eyes—clearly, the young second-rank pharmacist's demeanor had exceeded their expectations. They had only invited him out then, out of courtesy to Lady Ya, and frankly, they hadn't held much hope for him. Though one could never judge a book by its cover, this young man was still only a second-rank pharmacist—his level represented just the beginning of pharmaceutical mastery. Could they truly expect a novice to drive out the scorching toxin that even the Duke of Dan, Guo He, had been unable to overcome? "This young man, you... " Standing up, Lan Su, though he didn't particularly believe the young man possessed any hidden talents, found himself nevertheless being slightly cautious by habit. "Are you certain you can heal the elder?" Pausing gently at the center of the hall, Xiao Yan glanced at Lan Su with a composed demeanor and said, "Then, may I ask—does the Master of Herbs, Gu He, have absolute confidence in healing him?" "Hm..." Lan Su paused, then shook his head awkwardly. "If Master Gu He is capable of healing him, then why would we go to such lengths seeking medical help from so many different sources?" "Since even the Master of Herbs isn't absolutely certain, then does Lan Su's statement to me sound a bit... " Xiao Yan's voice, slightly hoarse, carried a subtle undercurrent of mockery as he spoke coldly. With his mouth slightly open, Lan Su had merely intended to gauge the younger man's strength, but he hadn't expected such sharpness from him. He now found himself at a loss, unsure of how to respond. "Mr. Lan has misunderstood our father. He is not targeting you specifically. Indeed, our father's condition is deteriorating rapidly, and we no longer have the luxury of time to waste. Thus, we must proceed with caution—please don't take it amiss." As Lan Su was taken aback, Lan Yanran, seated quietly beside him, gently pulled at his robe with her jade hands before smiling calmly at Xiao Yan. "Have you, by any chance, still lost time since then?" Her gaze lingered on the beautiful woman, whose presence caused Xiao Yan's sleeve to unconsciously tighten as if holding a clenched fist. His voice remained as steady as ever—unmoved by her grace, in fact, growing subtly colder. Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the十余炼药师 in the hall couldn't help but grow visibly displeased. Xiao Yan had clearly implied that they had been wasting the dwindling time of Lan Lan Elder. At that moment, an elderly man with white hair, his face flushed with indignation, could no longer contain himself and launched into a sharp reprimand: "What young upstart are you? How dare you be so arrogant! You're merely a second-rank alchemist—what right do you have to speak to us like this?" As soon as the elder's outburst reached the others, several of the surrounding alchemists nodded in agreement, their faces filled with righteous anger, and turned their sharp gazes toward the young man who had been facing away from them. Observing the young man before her, whose face remained as calm and composed as a block of ice, Lan Yan couldn't help but subtly furrow her brows. If he truly had the ability, she wouldn't mind his boldness at all. But if he lacked real competence and yet insisted on speaking in grandiose terms, then such a person would truly be deeply disliked by her. "From the way you're speaking, it seems you have some confidence in your own abilities..." Lan Su regained his composure, fixing his gaze on Xiao Yan and said in a steady tone, "But I'm sure you know—no matter how exceptional your talent, right now you are merely at the second-rank alchemy level." Inhaling a breath slightly hot, the dozen or so third-rank alchemists who spent their days surrounded by flames instantly recognized the nature of that jade-colored flame. Their faces gradually settled into astonishment, their eyes filled with admiration and eager anticipation, fixed intently upon the rising, swirling jade flame. "Young man... what on earth is this? Is this an unusual flame?" The initial shock slowly faded from his eyes, and Lan Su's face, already glowing with excitement, could hardly conceal his delight. "Now, will you all stop this pointless chatter?" The ordinary-looking youth lowered his gaze, gently manipulating the jade flame, his tone calm and composed. Although Xiao Yan's tone remained as direct and unyielding as before, the three-star alchemists could no longer conceal their disdain or mockery. In the alchemy world, alchemists possessing unique flames enjoyed virtually limitless prospects—even the renowned Dan King, Guo He, had never possessed one. It was thus clear just how rare and precious such a flame was. To obtain one required not only fortune but also a strong, well-supported backing. This meant that behind this seemingly young, second-star alchemist stood a master of exceptional strength and power. Watching Xiao Yan walk toward the side pavilion, Lan Su spoke to the about a dozen third-rank alchemists gathered in the main hall, waved his hand to summon the house steward, and then hurried after Lan Yan. As they slowly approached the pavilion, soft, gentle light spilled out from within. Xiao Yan gently pushed open the door. The room was spacious, with a large bed placed at the center. An elderly man with dry, weathered features lay on the bed, surrounded by several attendants who were diligently attending to him. Upon hearing the sound of the door, they turned their gaze toward Xiao Yan, then resumed their careful care of the man who was unconscious. As Xiao Yan drew closer to the bed, he scanned the elder’s face. He noticed that the man’s cheeks bore broad patches of grayish-black hue, and even in his still, peaceful sleep, there was a clear presence of death. "Indeed, it's quite serious," Xiao Yan murmured, gazing at the man whose face seemed as though one foot had already stepped into the grave. "Yes, something like this—scorched poison—probably even a strong Duke-level cultivator would hesitate to encounter. The old man has already pushed himself to the very limit, simply surviving these many years." Behind him, Lan Su, who had been closely following, sighed and shook his head, then carefully asked, "Young sir, do you think there's any hope for treatment?" "Xiao Yan said lazily, glancing at Nalan Yanran, whose delicate face had slightly changed, and coldly added, 'Given the way the old man looks, I'd say he won't last more than two days. Whether he dies from the toxin's torment or we make a final effort to save him—it's up to you to decide. As for those jokes about having absolute confidence, better not mention them at all.' The sharp, direct tone of Xiao Yan's words, laced with firmness, caused Nalan Yanran's brows to furrow slightly and her complexion to grow a bit strained. After all, in her position, few had ever dared speak to her like this in recent years. 'Hurry up,' Xiao Yan said, brushing his sleeve gently, paying no attention to Nalan Yanran's expression, and spoke with quiet calm. 'Ah well, if that's the case, then it all depends on the young man. Should you succeed in healing the old man, you'll become our Nalan family's lifelong friend.' After a moment of deep thought, Nalan Su finally nodded firmly, his voice steady. "Get out of the way—don't disturb me." With a casual wave of his hand, Xiao Yan sat by the bedside, raised his right hand, and let emerald flames spiral upward, instantly raising the temperature of the room. Seeing Xiao Yan prepare to act, Nalan Su pulled Nalan Yanran back a few steps and waved his hand to drive all the attendants from the room. He lifted Nalan Jie, who was lying on the bed, with one hand, and glanced at him—though Nalan Jie, once said to be a close friend of Xiao Yan's grandfather, had been suffering from toxin accumulation for so long that his already dry face now looked almost unrecognizable, there was still a clear sense of his name's own spirited defiance evident in his demeanor. With his left hand, he lightly tapped Nalan Jie's shoulder, sending a subtle force that shook the fabric of his robe into powder, revealing a thin, bony frame beneath. Gazing at this thin, frail frame, even with Xiang Yin's usually composed nature, he could not help but shake his head. Lan Yanran, standing beside him, had tears glistening in her eyes—uncommonly rare mist now drifting in her gaze, making the delicate, high-born woman seem particularly vulnerable. Gently extending his middle finger, a streak of emerald flame curled around his fingertip. Xiang Yin stared steadily at the flame, his voice calm as he said, "I'm about to begin. I've already mentioned that introducing the unique fire into the Elder's body will be an extremely dangerous undertaking. Therefore, you must be prepared for the very worst." Upon hearing this, both Lan Yanran and Lan Su exchanged slight expressions of concern, and only managed to offer a wry nod. Gradually, his spiritual energy extended from his body, enveloping the emerald flame and striving to contain its intense heat, then gently pressing it onto the back of Lan Jie. With a soft hiss, the azure flame pierced into Nalan Jie's body. At that very moment, the previously unconscious Nalan Jie suddenly trembled violently. Xiao Yan gently pressed his fingertip against Nalan Jie's back, his eyes slightly narrowed as his soul energy guided the azure flame, swiftly flowing through key meridians, and gradually approaching the bones within Nalan Jie that were covered by the scorching toxins. With the expansion of his spiritual strength, the condition within Nalan Jie's body came into clear view in Xiao Yan's mind. Sensing the bones that had nearly turned black, Xiao Yan's brows gradually furrowed. Nalan Jie's poisoning was far deeper than he had anticipated. "Seems like we won't be able to expel the toxins all at once. We'll have to go with a slow, steady approach," Xiao Yan murmured to himself. Wrapping his spiritual strength with a jade-green flame, he gradually approached the blackened bones encased in toxins. As he drew nearer, his spiritual strength began to relax, and the temperature of the jade-green flame rose subtly. As the temperature of the jade-green flame increased, the previously numb Nalan Jie began to feel pain across his face, and his dry hands tightened firmly, veins pulsing visibly along his arms. The jade-colored flame, enveloped by the force of the soul, paused at each temperature increment. Xiao Yan slowly inhaled a breath of air slightly heated, hesitated briefly, bit down on his teeth, and then guided the jade-colored flame to cover a section of blackened bone. "Ah!" On the bed, Lan Jie, whose eyes had been closed, suddenly snapped them open, emitting a hoarse, agonized cry. A fierce aura surged forth, as if reviving in a final burst of strength. "Grandfather!" Lan Yan and Lan Su hurriedly called out upon seeing the elderly man suddenly awaken and roar. "I'm purging the toxins from you. If you can endure this intense pain, the toxins should be fully expelled. However, if you cannot, then I shall be at a loss." Gazing at Lan Jie, who was drenched in sweat, Xiao Yan spoke calmly. Hearing the voice from behind, Nalan Jie slightly turned his head, gazing at the young, composed face, and was momentarily stunned. Then, gritting his teeth, he chuckled dryly, "Young lad, is it you who saved me?" "I never said I'd definitely save you—maybe in the midst of my own daze, you'll end up dying at my hands." "Haha! My life was already a lucky find. Now, you, a mere youngster, go ahead and do what you like—should you end up killing me, no one will blame you." With a strained smile, enduring the sharp pain within, Nalan Jie spoke with bold resolve. "Grandfather, what are you babbling about?" Nearby, upon seeing Nalan Jie gradually awaken from his unconscious state, Nalan Yanran exhaled a sigh of relief and gently scolded. "You dead-eyed girl! How dare you come back? These past three years—if it hadn't been for your initial impetuous decision to dissolve your engagement with the Xiao family, I'd have been so furious that my cultivation would have stalled, and the searing poison would have driven me to this very state?" "Staring angrily at Nalan Yanran, Nalan Jie's roar had barely finished when he suddenly drew in his lips, gasping out a dry wail. Turning his head to gaze at the unfamiliar young man now frowning behind him, he sighed with a touch of weariness, "Little fellow, what's happened suddenly?" "Oh, I didn't expect it at all—such a young person could possess a hetero-fire, something even the ancient He River Master has long coveted..." The quiet atmosphere lasted for a long time. Lan Su pulled back slightly with Lan Yanran, gazing at the young, slender figure by the bedside, and then turned slightly to whisper to her. "Indeed, it's remarkable. He seems about my age, yet he holds the legendary hetero-fire. I've heard from Elder He River just how formidable this fire is. When they went to the Tagoor Great Desert in search of it, despite their large and well-organized team, they returned empty-handed. This clearly demonstrates just how formidable and powerful the hetero-fire truly is." Narang Yanran gave a slight nod, a rare spark of admiration flickering in her beautiful eyes. She had always been a standout among her peers at Yunlan Sect, and over the years of cultivation, she had never encountered a peer who could surpass her—until this young man, Yan Xiao. It was the first time she had felt genuine admiration for a peer of her own age. Perhaps this was the mutual recognition that exists between truly outstanding individuals. "Really? You think he's impressive?" Narang Su glanced at her daughter's expression with a teasing tone. "What a fuss you're making! You're being outdated!" Narang Yanran shot her father a withering look and shook her head with a touch of resignation. "Hm, it seems only about fifteen days have passed since your promise with Xiao's family, doesn't it?" Narang Su smiled, but then the warmth on his face faded, and he sighed. "...” Narang Yanran remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, speaking softly, "Thirteen days remain." "Over the past three years, you've matured greatly. Now, shouldn't you understand how much disgrace and trouble your impetuousness brought to the Xiao family—and to Xiao Yan himself?" Lan Su gazed at his daughter's smooth, beautiful profile beside him. Lan Yan remained silent, gently brushing aside a strand of dark hair from her forehead. After a while, she spoke softly, "I know my actions caused them many difficulties. Yet I also know—I was right. The three-year agreement is drawing near. I'm waiting for him to come." "It's said that Xiao Yan left Wutan City a year ago. However, from what I've heard, even before his departure, the once-considered-waste youth had regained his former cultivation potential. Alas... I wonder what state he's reached now after a year." Nalan Su shook his head with a wry smile, gazing silently at Nalan Yanran beside him, who remained motionless. After a long pause, he spoke in a low, steady tone: "You've truly mistaken him this time... I had once said, don't underestimate this once-feeble Xiao family heir. Before he turned thirteen, his cultivation pace had left countless people in awe." "From this day forward, Lan Yanran, you and my Xiao family shall have no connection whatsoever!"