After stepping out of the pharmacy guild, Xiao Yan directly returned to his hotel room, where he rested for several hours until he reached his peak condition. Only then did he leave the hotel and head toward the Lan family, beginning today's detox treatment. Though he was well aware that each time he removed a toxin from Lan Jie, the烙毒 within him grew more concentrated, he still had to continue doing so—driven by the powerful energy and the seven-phantom green spirit sap contained within the烙毒. While he wasn't overly concerned about how extreme the烙毒 might become, he remained confident, knowing that the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire protected him. Even if the烙毒 eventually erupted, he was certain he could withstand it. Over the past several days, with Lan Jie and Lan Su personally escorting him on each outing, the entire Lan family had grown familiar with Xiao Yan—the reserved young man. Now, whenever they saw him, no one hesitated to block his path, and as he passed by, they would respectfully bow. The sky had grown dark by now, yet within the Na Lan family, the halls were brightly lit, with family members moving about on the pathways, as if it were a bustling market. After smoothly navigating several narrow lanes, the spacious family hall came into view. Xiao Yan approached slowly, the sounds of laughter and chatter, along with some musical melodies, drifting from within. This quiet preference made Xiao Yan slightly frown. As he drew nearer, he glanced up and noticed that many family members were seated or standing, engaged in lively conversation, creating a truly festive and joyful atmosphere. Standing by the door, Xiao Yan scanned the hall and was somewhat surprised to find not only Liu Ling and the young princess present, but also the Yafu, who was now dressed in a red, fitted qipao with a snowy white fox fur shawl draped over her shoulders, adding grace and elegance to her silhouette—her curves captivating the subtle glances of several men in the hall. The beautiful woman appearing beside the pillar was Nan Lan Yanran, the cherished jewel of the Nan Lan family. Standing gracefully beside the pillar, her refined face bore a gentle, warm smile. The loose, moon-white robe—customarily worn by disciples of the Yunlan Sect—accentuated the graceful contours of her figure, revealing a poise that matched, if not surpassed, that of the elegant Lady Ya in stature. Yet their essences were entirely distinct. Observing Nan Lan Yanran now, Xiao Yan could no longer deny that over the past three years, she had truly evolved from a once-impetuous young girl into a mature woman of exceptional grace. A woman of such refinement, it was no surprise that she could command the admiration of countless men. Nevertheless, no matter how much Lan Yanran changed, what remained firmly etched in Xiao Yan's memory was always that headstrong young woman who had forcibly pressured him to withdraw his engagement and had deeply embarrassed his father back then. Thus, Xiao Yan had always found it difficult to show her any warmth or goodwill. "Mr. Yanxiao, I've heard that your performance in the internal assessment of the Herbalist Guild has been outstanding," Lan Yanran said, having observed Xiao Yan's consistently cold demeanor over the past few days. Undeterred by his current expression, she slowly approached and smiled warmly, "Congratulations!" Sniffing the fragrant breeze swirling around him, Xiao Yan subtly shifted his steps to the other side. He didn't find it surprising at all that Nalan Yanran had learned about the internal assessment results of the Medicinal Master's Guild—given the Nalan family's influence in Jia Ma Sacred City, obtaining such information wasn't particularly difficult. Moreover, Li Ling, eager to please her, would surely say anything to gain her favor. "Good fortune," Xiao Yan quietly murmured, then remained silent, never once glancing at Nalan Yanran. This reserved, distant demeanor of Xiao Yan's had left Nalan Yanran somewhat troubled. For years, this young man had been the first one to treat her so coldly. With a sigh, she shook her head, deciding to drop the conversation. As she prepared to step back, a light, delicate laugh—so soothing it made the man's legs feel weak—suddenly echoed from behind them. "Hehe, Lady Nalan, quite a few people are waiting for you inside. You're just lingering here chatting with others." Hearing this familiar laugh, Xiao Yan finally turned around and looked at the graceful woman who was now holding a glass of red wine, lazily leaning against the door. Her previously cold expression softened slightly. "Hi, Mr. Yan Xiao—how nice to see you again!" With a warm smile, Ya Fei stepped forward, raising her transparent wine glass in greeting. Her long, elegant eyes sparkled with the cunning grace of a fox spirit. "Isn't it true that Mr. Yan Xiao and Miss Ya Fei have known each other for a while?" Upon hearing Ya Fei's greeting, Lan Yan gently lifted her eyebrows, smiling gently as she asked. "I've known Mr. Yan Xiao for several years—our relationship is quite good," Ya Fei replied with a bright smile, her gaze shifting smoothly to Xiao Yan, and adding warmly, "Don't you think so, Mr. Yan Xiao?" Shrugging, Xiao Yan took the wine cup from Ya Fei's hands and, beneath her slightly rosy cheeks, finished it off in one go, smiling, "How did you end up here?" Grabbing the cup back from Xiao Yan, Ya Fei blushed and scolded, "You're so uncivilized..." Xiao Yan smiled warmly at her flushed face, her captivating charm truly captivating. It was no wonder that, back in Wutan City, countless men had lined up to the point of crowding the auction hall just to catch a glimpse of her beauty. "Father must have had this same tendency, too," Xiao Yan mused to himself, as he gently stroked his chin. "An old bull grazing on young grass—surely not the most admirable behavior." Nalan Yanran stood aside, watching the two exchange affectionate glances and playful banter, a slight discomfort evident on her refined features. She had once thought Xiao Yan's reserve was simply a matter of temperament, but now, observing his warm and engaging demeanor during his conversation with the Lady Yafa—so completely different from his usual coldness toward her—she found herself reassured. Xiao Yan had been staring at her mouth the entire time, and Ya Fei couldn't help but know what he was thinking. At that moment, a blush rose to her cheeks, and she stomped her foot, scolding, "If you keep acting like this, I'll have no choice but to call you by your real name!" Seeing her flushed, annoyed expression, Xiao Yan smiled gently and appropriately shifted his gaze. "What brings you here?" "Lan Elder is gradually recovering—this is a major event for the Lan family. As our partner family, the Mitel family naturally has the honor of being invited." Ya Fei lifted her snow-white chin toward the hall, smiling. "Of course, besides our Mitel family, most of the guests are well-known powers from the Gamma Holy City." "Hmph," Xiao Yan shook his head, pursing his lips. "The lingering poison hasn't been fully eliminated yet, and already we're celebrating? Isn't that a bit premature?" "Giggling indeed—this is exactly what Lan Lan Elder believes in you. Yet I never expected you to actually expel the scorching toxin from Lan Lan Elder's body. After all, that poison has even troubled the Dan King, Guo He, and now, word of your achievement has spread throughout many powerful factions in the Imperial Capital." The Lady Ya stared intently at Xiao Yan, her expression filled with astonishment. When she first introduced him to the Lan family, she had only hoped to give it a try—never imagining that Xiao Yan would truly heal Lan Lan Elder. "I came here only because of the Seven-Phantom Qing-Ling Sip... Otherwise, I wouldn't have made the journey." Xiao Yan glanced steadily into the hall. "You've met Lan Yan, haven't you? Though I expected you to be more composed than you actually are." The Lady Ya smiled. "It was Rock Jiao who met Lan Yan—not Xiao Yan himself." Xiao Yan crossed his fingers, his gaze fixed on the delicate woman who had immediately become the center of attention upon entering the hall, her dark eyes radiating a quiet coldness. Sighing and shaking her head, Yafu didn't press further on the matter, instead smiling and saying, "Come on, let's go in. Our chieftain has been eager to meet you—after all, you're the young talent who even makes the Sea Elder hesitate." "Not really interested..." "Please, little one. I've helped you so much, you can't let me down now, can you?" Seeing Xiao Yan clearly intent on leaving, Yafu gently clasped her hands together, continuously shaking them. "Ah, you're making me suffer here!" Though naturally graceful and poised, her transformation into such a sweet, youthful girl created a striking visual impact. Xiao Yan could only smile faintly, shake his head, and wave his hand in resignation, finally saying, "Alright, let's go see him." Upon seeing Xiao Yan agree, a bright joy spread across Yafu's delicate features, instantly melting the youthful charm. She turned around, moving gracefully ahead. As he watched her swift transformation, Xiao Yan sighed softly and shook his head, finally stepping in to follow. As they stepped through the gate, the bustling noise inside once again caused Xiao Yan to furrow his brows. Knowing that he preferred quiet, Lady Ya quickly extended her delicate hand to grasp his, swiftly weaving through the crowd. With Lady Ya's striking beauty, she naturally drew numerous glances. When these eyes fell upon the hand she held tightly with Xiao Yan—her hand, which was ordinary in appearance—everyone paused, then fixed their gaze with a sense of wonder on the seemingly unremarkable Xiao Yan. In the city of Jima, Lady Ya had already become a well-known figure. At her age, she had taken charge of the vast Mitel headquarters auction hall—an unprecedented achievement for the Mitel family. Her meticulous management of the hall had even silenced those who had previously dismissed her as merely a decorative figure. Yet though Yafei appeared warm and eager, easily approachable at first glance, those who knew her well knew that this graceful woman held a certain reserve toward men. It was easy to be ordinary friends with her, but any deeper development proved difficult. Thus, when they saw her now holding hands with a plain-looking man, their eyes naturally expressed surprise. Of course, given Yafei’s beauty and grace, there were several admirers in the hall, and their glances toward Xiao Yan were laced with envy and resentment. Despite the varied and intense gazes around her, Xiao Yan remained composed, his face unflinching, calmly resisting the steady streams of admiration. As they moved through the crowd, Yafei suddenly halted. Xiao Yan glanced past her, toward a quiet corner seat where an elderly man with white hair was chatting with others. His slightly stern, weathered face carried a quiet dignity, subtly radiating authority. "He is the head of our Mitel family, Mitel Tengshan." Yafei introduced softly, then, as if realizing something, quickly released Xiao Yan's hand, brushing back her hair with a delicate finger, stepping back. Xiao Yan noticed that her delicate eartips had turned quite red. "Oh." He nodded casually, following Yafei as she slowly ascended the steps, then stopped. Yafei hurried forward, bending down to whisper something gently into the old man's ear. After a while, the old man smiled and nodded, then looked up at Xiao Yan, rising to his feet with a warm smile and saying, "Young Rock Jack, I've heard of you before. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Mitel Tengshan, head of the Mitel family." "A mere unknown youth—how could he possibly be of interest to the esteemed Tengshan head?" Xiao Yan chuckled lightly. "Few people in the Garu Empire can earn the respect of the Sea Elder. Can you really be considered unknown?" Mitel Tengshan smiled. Xiao Yan smiled silently, his mind murmuring to himself: "It seems the relationship between Haibo Dong and the Mitel family is truly exceptional. Could it be that the old man himself is actually from the Mitel family?" "Ah, Young Rock-Jiao, please sit down." With a smile, Mitel Tengshan stepped back and, upon seeing Xiao Yan settle in, said, "Young Rock-Jiao, your performance in the Pharmaceutical Guild's assessment has been outstanding—congratulations!" "Ah, I suppose the Pharmaceutical Guild either deliberately leaked the information or simply has terribly poor confidentiality measures. Everyone seems to know about it now..." Listening to Mitel Tengshan's words, Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation and offered another round of polite, insincere thanks. "While you're in Jamma City, if you need any assistance, just go straight to Yafei. After all, you've known her for a while." Miter Tengshan smiled warmly, his words subtly suggesting a rather intimate connection between Xiao Yan and Ya Fei. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to Ya Fei, who was elegantly sipping her red wine. It seemed she had picked up the subtle undertones in Miter Tengshan's tone as well—the delicate glow of her face, reflected in the wine, grew even more charming and rosy. With a sigh of resignation, Xiao Yan could only nod and smile in agreement. Since the reminder from Hai Bopo Dong, Miter Tengshan had made every effort to strengthen his ties with Xiao Yan. The once stern demeanor had given way to a consistently gentle and warm smile, so much so that those familiar with him were surprised and began quietly speculating about Xiao Yan's true status. As the head of his family, Miter Tengshan was naturally a lively and engaging conversationalist, and with Ya Fei occasionally adding her own thoughtful remarks, the atmosphere at the table appeared exceptionally harmonious. … In another corner of the hall, Nalan Jie was chatting with guests coming and going. Suddenly, his gaze drifted toward the direction where Xiao Yan and his companions were seated. Observing their lively and cordial conversation, he slightly furrowed his brows, smiled, and politely sent the guests at his table away. Then he stepped back a few paces and positioned himself beside Nalan Su and Nalan Yanran. "Yanran, do you know Rock Jiao well? Has he been particularly close to Mitel Tengshan?" Nalan Jie asked softly. Nalan Yanran's eyes sparkled as she glanced at the corner where Xiao Yan was seated. She took a small sip of her red wine, shook her head, and replied, "I believe it's not that Rock Jiao is close to Mitel Tengshan, but rather to Lady Yafu. Didn't you remember that Rock Jiao was actually introduced to us by Lady Yafu back then?" "Hmm…" Nalan Jie frowned slightly, murmuring under his breath, "How could that old man from Tengshan have resorted to the 'beauty strategy'?" Truly shameful... Ah, with Yanxiao's potential, his future prospects are boundless. If the Mitel family were to take him away, that would truly be a source of sorrow. Hm, they employ a beauty strategy—what about us? We have a beauty of our own, after all. Nalan Su quipped. "Father, what nonsense are you talking about!" Nalan Yan angrily glared at him. "Hmph, this girl? Well, let's just say it's no surprise. Over the past few days, Yanxiao has given her hardly a single favorable look. To send her off would only speed up her departure. Nalan Jie scoffed, her lips curling. "You old, self-centered fool! If you say another word, don't be surprised if I'm not gentle with you!" With these words, Nalan Yan, who had been composed and smiling all along, grew visibly indignant, her brows furrowed and her hands raised, as though she intended to pluck out his long beard. “Hm…” By the side, Nalan Su cleared his throat a few times, gently reminding the two young men to pay attention to their surroundings. Once they had settled into quiet, he suddenly added, “Though, over the years, the young lady Ya Fei has grown increasingly fresh and vibrant—her social grace even leaves us older generations in awe. As for Yanran, she simply falls short in this regard.” “The Ya family rose to prominence through commerce, so naturally they excel in social interactions. How could I possibly compete with her on that front? Moreover, even if I were willing, my teacher hasn’t agreed yet.” Her gaze swept toward that corner, watching Xiao Yan and Ya Fei chatting warmly. Nalan Yan found herself somewhat helpless. She was confident that her appearance and grace would not fall short of Ya Fei's, yet Rock Xiao had never offered her a favorable expression. Though, by her own status, she didn't need to go out of her way to please him. Still, Nalan Yan, who held a high sense of pride, was unwilling to see him engaging in pleasant conversation with another woman while treating her with indifference. This, perhaps, was the natural comparison women often felt. "Also, Yanran, pay close attention to Liu Ling—he seems to have developed some hostility toward Yan Xiao, all because of you. This young man has solid talent, but his heart is rather narrow. If he chooses to go head-to-head with Yan Xiao without relying on his backing, I don't think he'll fare well." Lan Jie glanced at the small group gathered in the hall, with Liu Ling and the young princess at the center. "Hmm, I'll make an effort." Lan Yanran furrowed her brows slightly, nodded in agreement. She had known Liu Ling for several years, and thus was well aware of his temperament—he's particularly possessive. "By the way, why haven't the Mu family members arrived yet? I remember having invited them." Lan Jie scanned the hall, frowning. The Mu family is one of the three great imperial families of Jima, and most of its members are war enthusiasts with strong influence within the imperial military. "I heard today that Mu Zhan has returned from the northwest frontier," Lan Yanran suddenly mentioned. "Mu Zhan?" That fellow who strikes with sudden resolve, who kills with decisive action, and who has humbled the noble youths of the Imperial Capital to such an extent that he now seems to be the undisputed leader of the Crown Prince's faction—was that really the one?" Upon hearing this, Nalan Jie was momentarily taken aback and said, "Yes, that very man who has been causing so much trouble for many people—the rough, sturdy one." "Ah... I recall—he seems to have a particular interest in Lady Yafu of the Mitel family, doesn't he? When he left the holy city of Gamma, he even declared loudly that anyone daring to touch Lady Yafu would be slaughtered right then and there." Remembering the uproar that had erupted in the capital at the time, Nalan肃 could only sigh and chuckle. "Yes, I wonder how that rough man has matured during his two years of training along the empire's frontier. I suspect he no longer behaves quite as impetuous as he did two years ago." Nalan smiled pleasantly. "Hmm... I feel as though something significant might be about to unfold tonight." Nalan Jie stroked his white-bearded chin, his gaze fixed on the group of Lady Nalan Yan ran a gentle smile across her beautiful eyes, light-hearted and said, "It seems... that's exactly how it is." "I hope it doesn't escalate too much. Rock Xiao isn't the same noble lad who used to be crippled by the Wood War back then. Though we've only known him for a short time, I'm sure this young one, once he really gets going, will be quite formidable." Nalan Jie mused, "Moreover, the teacher who has trained such a disciple must surely be no ordinary person. Facing a senior alchemist of perhaps equal stature to Guo He, the Wood family wouldn't dare to be overly assertive." "Agreed," Nalan Yan nodded in deep resonance, having spent years at Yunlan Sect, where she was especially well-versed in the power and influence of alchemists of Guo He's caliber. "He'll make sure to keep an eye on this," Nalan said with a composed smile, then raised her cup to a guest who had approached, took a sip together, and began chatting warmly. ... "Li Ling brother, that's the one who defeated you, isn't it? He looks quite ordinary, doesn't he?" "Within a circle in the hall, a young man dressed in elegant attire glanced at Xiao Yan's place, sneered slightly, and said, 'Well, it seems he's outclassed. No choice.' Li Lin held her wine cup and smiled, 'Heh, perhaps that fellow has some method we're unaware of—some trick to gain an advantage. Li Lin is a disciple of the ancient Master Guo He, after all. How could he possibly lose to someone so unknown?' Another young man chuckled and added enthusiastically. Li Lin smiled quietly, saying nothing to defend Xiao Yan. 'Still, that fellow seems quite fortunate—able to get so close to Lady Yafei of the Mitel family,' remarked a man who had previously been courting Lady Yafei, his face now filled with a touch of envy as he watched the two converse warmly. The young princess took a delicate sip of red wine, her slender fingers lightly tapping the glass surface, producing a crisp sound. She lazily glanced at Xiao Yan, smiled gently, and said, "Something interesting might happen tonight..." "What do you mean?" Li Ling was momentarily startled. "Watch and see," the princess whispered mysteriously, then finished off the wine in one go. The young man, in his twenties or early thirties, did not glance at the guard by the entrance. He simply tossed out a scroll and then strode purposefully into the Lan family's hall. There was no warning at all. A vibrant blue qi surged suddenly from within Xiao Yan's body, shattering his wine cup with a loud "pop." He forced his body to twist, rotating his palm slightly before firmly clenching it into a fist, then driving it with a sharp, piercing wind toward the young man who had just materialized behind him.