In the spacious room, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, gazing at the spot where his fingers pressed against Nalan Jie's back. At the very moment the azure flames were being drawn back, drawing upon his previous experience, he clearly sensed that something unusual was also mixed within the flames, being absorbed into his body. "The mutated scorch toxin truly is formidable. Even with the unique fire I currently command, I can't fully burn it away. Alas, it seems only my teacher's bone-spirit cold fire will be able to completely eliminate it." Gently withdrawing his fingers, Xiao Yan shook his head, murmuring a quiet sigh to himself. "This session of toxin removal will conclude here. With a few more treatments, I believe the toxin within your body will be completely cleared." He tucked his fingers back into his sleeve, looking at Nalan Jie, whose complexion had improved noticeably, and said. "Thank you, Rock Xiao. I can feel the scorch toxin within me gradually diminishing." Na Lan Jie wiped the sweat from his forehead. Each intense pain caused by expelling the toxins made him feel as though he were engaged in a battle against a peer of equal strength—extremely taxing. Turning to face Xiao Yan, who bore a hint of fatigue, he offered his gratitude. "It's just what we each needed," Xiao Yan said calmly, shaking his head slightly. After scanning his inner energy several times, his brows furrowed further. He noticed that the toxins, after this expulsion, seemed even more concentrated. "Ah... I wonder if this is a blessing or a curse. If only Master were here—with his experience, he wouldn't have to worry about all this. I'd be constantly fretting over things I could hardly manage..." He sighed softly, inwardly chuckling at his own predicament. "Heh, Rock-Jiao, thank you for your efforts these past few days. If you need any medicinal materials or other supplies, just let us know. We'll handle all these small matters for you. All you need to do is rest." "Looking at Nalan Jue's increasingly rosy complexion, Nalan Su's smile grew ever more radiant. Stepping forward, he addressed Xiao Yan with a warm smile. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan hesitated slightly, then reached into his nianji to pull out a sheet of paper and a pen. He quickly wrote down several rare herbs that were hard to find in the market, and handed the paper to Nalan Su. Since Nalan was such a generous host, why not take the opportunity to make a few cuts—after all, with the Nalan family's financial strength, these items wouldn't be a cause for concern. Nalan Su glanced at the paper, showing no sign of surprise or hesitation at the herbs' value. With a simple nod, he instructed a maid to fetch the items from the family's storage according to the list. The entire process unfolded with seamless confidence, clearly demonstrating his wealth and composure. "Heh, Rock-Jiao brother, let's head to the lounge for now. Your needed items will be ready shortly." Watching the attendant retire, Lan Jie, now dressed, smiled at Xiao Yan. "Hmm." Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan stepped forward to follow Lan Jie. Once outside, they passed through a quiet corridor and entered the grand waiting lounge. As soon as they settled in, the attendant quickly served them a cup of fragrant tea before bowing and retreating. "Xiao Jiang, I assume you've come to the Imperial Capital this time specifically to attend the Alchemist's Gathering?" Lan Jie smiled, lifting his cup and sipping slowly. "Yes." "Ah, what a gathering this will be—so many talents assembled, it promises to be quite exciting." Lan Su chuckled beside him. "I'm merely here to see what's happening, really not expecting to stand out much." Xiao Yan smiled. "You're quite modest. With your unique skill of wielding the Divine Fire, you simply can't help but shine this time." Nalan Jie shook his head and then smiled, "Before the grand assembly, there will always be some practice required. If Rock Jiao needs any materials, he should feel free to ask me—any materials available within the Nalan family will never be spared." "Trying to secure his loyalty early on..." Thinking quietly, Xiao Yan slightly shook his head. As one of the Nalan family's elite, Nalan Jie clearly understood the potential of a cultivator with unique fire energy. Though Xiao Yan was currently only at the second-rank level, he was still making every effort to strengthen his ties. If Xiao Yan simply took materials from the Nalan family as suggested, then later when the family wished to hire him as their chief medicinal cultivator, he might find it harder to refuse—once he had tasted the benefits of their generosity. "I'll come back to you when I need something," Xiao Yan didn't outright refuse, yet his vague response carried no clear indication of agreement. As a seasoned man of experience, Lan Jie naturally picked up on Xiao Yan's vague intent. He smiled warmly, showing no sign of disappointment, and smoothly shifted the conversation away from that topic, instead casually inquiring about other details regarding Xiao Yan. "Ah, I'd like to know who your teacher is, Xiao Jun. I'm quite familiar with many renowned alchemists from the Jima Empire, but I've never heard of any student who, at your age, possesses such a rare ability as a hetero-fire." "My teacher doesn't like to appear publicly—he's always been living in seclusion. In fact, before he stepped out, he specifically instructed that his identity remain confidential." Xiao Yan shook his head. "Ah, then I won't press him too much." Hearing this, Lan Jie nodded with a smile, though internally he murmured, "A hidden master, then?" At Rock Xiao's age, it would naturally be impossible to tame the hetero-fire alone. I'm sure his teacher must have played a significant role. After all, anyone capable of taming hetero-fire is at least a Battle Emperor-level master, right? It seems the support behind this young man is no trivial matter. Such a person—once secured—would be truly beneficial. As Xiao Yan casually responded, time passed slowly. Meanwhile, the attendant who had gone to fetch the herbs returned, carrying a silver tray, her graceful movements flowing through the hall as she placed it respectfully upon the table beside Xiao Yan. Glancing at the herbs preserved in such perfect condition within the tray, Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Clearly, the Lan family has several skilled individuals who know how to properly care for medicinal materials. With careful attention, he placed the herbs into his naga seal. With no further hesitation, Xiao Yan rose and prepared to leave. "Ah, let's give Rock Xiao a little escort." Upon seeing Xiao Yan rise, Na Lan Jie also hurried to stand up and walked side by side with Na Lan Su toward the hall's entrance. As they stepped out onto the path, the members of the Na Lan family hurried to pay their respects, only to exchange glances after the trio had passed, then turn their curious and astonished eyes toward Xiao Yan, who stood in the center. In the entire Jia Ma Sacred City, there were seemingly no more than five individuals who had earned the honor of being personally escorted by both the family elders and the clan chief—yet this young man, who appeared only to be around twenty, had just received such an honor. Amidst a stream of wonder and surprise, the three finally reached the main gate. Xiao Yan inclined slightly to Na Lan Jie and Na Lan Su, just as he was about to leave, when his gaze suddenly froze upon the two figures slowly approaching from the Na Lan family. Two figures, a man and a woman. The woman wore a flowing, moon-white robe with wide sleeves that reached the ground, moving with graceful steps that conveyed a pleasing elegance. Her beautiful face, slightly smiling, drew the gaze of passing men. The man dressed in a traditional alchemist's robe, young in age, with a well-proportioned, upright frame—no more than in his twenties. His face was handsome, with sharp, almost chiseled contours, exuding a delicate, softness that easily touched the hearts of women. In appearance, he was as distinct from Xiao Yan, after he had assumed his disguise, as if they were two worlds separated by vast, distant polar regions. Of course, the most striking feature was the Pharmacist's badge on the young man's chest, with three silver ripples reflecting a brilliant, almost blinding light under the sunlight. Those pedestrians who had previously felt a touch of envy—because of the beautiful companion accompanying the young man—first grew momentarily stunned, then automatically transformed their initial disdain into a deep sense of reverence for the strong. Staring at the two who were walking steadily toward him, Xiao Yan slightly lowered his head, an indistinct sense of mild irritation stirring within him. After a while, he took a deep breath of the cool air, knowing that though he no longer harbored any emotional ties toward the woman before him, she had once nearly become his own. Now, seeing her laughing and chatting with another man, a subtle sense of unease remained. After spending a day with Xiao Yan, Lan Yan had come to understand his reserved nature and was not particularly bothered. She pointed to the man beside her and smiled, saying, "Mr. Yan Xiao, this is my friend, Liu Ling, who is also a pharmacist." "Hello, Mr. Yan Xiao," the handsome man extended his hand, smiling warmly at Xiao Yan. His smile was gentle and seemed genuinely sincere. "Hello," Xiao Yan replied calmly, extending his hand and shaking it firmly. His gaze remained fixed on Liu Ling. Since leaving Wutan City, this young man was the first one to truly capture Xiao Yan's attention—such talent at just this age to achieve the rank of Third-Class Pharmacist was impressive, and his abilities certainly did not fall short of Xiao Yan's own. "Hey, Liu Ling, you didn't stay with your teacher practicing alchemy techniques—how did you end up coming over here?" Nalan Jie gazed at this exceptionally outstanding young man, feeling a quiet sigh. Liu Ling was, in Nalan Jie's estimation, one of the finest youths he had encountered in recent years—his talent and strength matched perfectly with Yanran's. He knew that his highly proud granddaughter, perhaps, harbored a slight fondness for this exceptional young man among his peers, though that feeling had not yet blossomed into anything substantial. Indeed, Liu Ling was one of the few young men in all these years who had managed to win even a modicum of her affection. Yet, despite Liu Ling's undeniable excellence, Nalan Jie remained bound by his promise made years ago to an old friend. Whenever he recalled the young man from the Xiao family who had been rejected in the marriage proposal, a sense of regret and helplessness filled him. Thus, he found himself particularly resistant to the growing closeness between Liu Ling and Nalan Yanran, as if he still hoped to salvage the once-fragile engagement that had now begun to crumble. "The grand assembly is about to begin, gathering countless elite practitioners from the Imperial Pharmacology realm. With one mountain rising above another, my teacher has asked me to descend first and gain firsthand experience. Additionally, he has entrusted me to extend his greetings to the Elder." Li Lin bowed slightly, smiling as he replied. "Mr. Yan Xiao, I didn't expect someone of your age to have successfully expelled the scorching toxin that has plagued the Elder—what a remarkable achievement! My teacher himself visited at the time, yet found no solution. Indeed, I suspect Mr. Yan Xiao must possess the legendary Fire of Destiny." Li Lin turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan, smiling gently. His eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "Your teacher?" "Master Guo He," Li Lin replied warmly, his smile carrying a subtle pride, though well concealed. "Dan Wang Gu He...?" Xiao Yan murmured softly to himself, gently nodding his head. Yet, the calm expression on his face remained unshaken, even as the name of the renowned figure from the Damai Empire was mentioned. Li Ling was momentarily taken aback. It had always been his greatest pride to be a direct disciple of Dan Wang Gu He, but to Xiao Yan, it seemed like nothing extraordinary. A faint furrow formed on Li Ling's brow, which quickly smoothed out as he smiled warmly at Xiao Yan, asking, "May I know your esteemed teacher's name?" "Standing by, Lan Yanran gently covered her mouth and smiled softly. "There's no choice—this all happened because of pressure..." Xiang Yan stared at Lan Yanran's beautiful face, and suddenly found himself chuckling with a touch of self-consciousness. Lan Yanran was slightly taken aback; for some reason, the intensity of his gaze made her heart tremble subtly. She lightly shook her head, about to speak, when Xiang Yan suddenly bowed slightly to the group and said with a calm smile, "I'm sorry, but I have some matters to attend to. I'll have to leave now and not stay for further conversation. Goodbye." With that, Xiang Yan walked straight ahead into the street, gradually fading into the crowd under the watchful eyes of Lan Yanran and the others. "Yanran, does he truly possess the unique flame?" Li Ling couldn't help but ask again, gazing after the figure that had disappeared. "Yes, Mr. Yanjiao is quite strong, especially in flame control—his skills may not fall short of yours. In the field of alchemy, however, he is the only peer of my acquaintance over the years who might possibly surpass you." Nalan Yanran nodded, her beautiful eyes fixed at the end of the street, her spirit slightly hazy. She couldn't quite explain it, but this young man, usually so composed, always gave her a peculiar sense—something she had never sensed in Liu Ling.