Under the arrangements of Grand Elder Yun Leng, the disciples of the sect quickly prepared an independent courtyard to serve as a temporary residence for the Purple Crystal Winged Lion Queen and her daughter. They also assigned more than ten servants to take care of their daily needs.
After settling the accommodation issues for the Purple Crystal Winged Lion Queen, Yun Yun finally called Nalan Yanran to her private chambers.
"Master, did you need something?"
Having just finished a combat training session and not even having had time to change her clothes, Nalan Yanran hurried to Yun Yun's chambers upon being summoned.
Seeing the slightly torn clothes on Nalan Yanran, Yun Yun couldn't help but say, "Yanran, you don't have to push yourself so hard. After all, the gap between your strength and Xiao Feng's is too vast."
Yun Yun had personally experienced Xiao Feng's power. Not only was Nalan Yanran no match for him, but even Yun Yun herself was far from being his equal.
Therefore, Yun Yun felt that Nalan Yanran didn't need to train so diligently. She could simply wait until the three-year agreement was over and become Xiao Feng's bed-warmer.
When the time came, Nalan Yanran could even help push from the side during Yun Yun's intimate moments with Xiao Feng.
"Master, I know my current strength has already far surpassed Xiao Feng's."
Nalan Yanran paused mid-sentence, then changed her tone: "But my training now isn't just for the three-year agreement. I'm working hard to prove myself worthy of being the Young Mistress of the Yunlan Sect!"
Clearly, Nalan Yanran had misunderstood Yun Yun's words. She thought Yun Yun meant that her strength far exceeded Xiao Feng's.
"..."
Seeing this, Yun Yun opened her mouth, speechless, and ultimately swallowed the words she was about to say.
Some things were hard to believe unless seen with one's own eyes. For example, Xiao Feng, at just sixteen years old, was already a Four-Star Dou Emperor.
Moreover, Yun Yun didn't want Nalan Yanran to know that she and Xiao Feng had already had intimate contact. She decided to drop the explanation.
"Yanran, it's been a long time since we bathed together, hasn't it? Look at you, you're as dirty as a little kitten. Come, let's go soak in the hot springs!"
With that, Yun Yun took Nalan Yanran by the hand and left her chambers, heading toward the hot springs at the back of the mountain.
Since Yun Yun wasn't ready to come clean with Nalan Yanran yet, she decided to gradually influence her instead.
Yun Yun planned to frequently bathe with Nalan Yanran to help her get used to being in a state of undress together. This way, when the time came for Nalan Yanran to serve Xiao Feng alongside her, she wouldn't be too shy.
Additionally, Yun Yun planned to use the excuse of Nalan Yanran showing filial piety to teach her some massage techniques to help relax her muscles. These skills would later be useful in serving Xiao Feng.
After all, Yun Yun had already probed Xiao Feng's intentions and knew he was determined to make Nalan Yanran his servant.
Since Yun Yun couldn't change Xiao Feng's mind, she could only prepare Nalan Yanran by teaching her a few skills to ensure she wouldn't be deemed unfit even as a maid.
While Yun Yun was busy training Nalan Yanran, Xiao Feng, dressed in a black robe, arrived at the Jia Ma Holy City.
After wandering around the city for a while, Xiao Feng finally stopped at the intersection of several streets.
"This should be the place."
Looking up at the majestic building enveloped in the lingering scent of medicinal pills, Xiao Feng smiled faintly.
Above the entrance of the building hung an ancient plaque with five bold characters written in a flowing script: Alchemist Association.
As the headquarters of the Alchemist Association in the Jia Ma Empire, this building held an extraordinary status. Even the emperor of the Jia Ma Empire would act more humbly and amiably when visiting here.
Alchemists, who were rarely seen in daily life, became a common sight here. Many alchemists wearing alchemist badges could be seen entering and exiting the building.
Xiao Feng touched the sixth-grade alchemist badge on his chest and swaggered into the Alchemist Association.
The interior of the Alchemist Association's hall was spacious and divided into three main areas: east, south, and west.
The eastern hall had several stone platforms, behind which sat alchemists. Various items were placed on the platforms, likely for trading purposes.
The southern hall was filled with medicinal cauldrons, some of which were burning fiercely. A group of alchemists gathered around, discussing and sharing their alchemy experiences.
The western hall, however, was much quieter. Guards stood at attention along the corridors, indicating that this was a more important area, accessible only to alchemists of a certain rank.
"Wait, am I seeing things? That person is wearing a sixth-grade alchemist badge!"
"What? A sixth-grade alchemist badge! Is it Pill King Gu He?"
"No, it can't be Gu He. That person looks too young, probably not even twenty years old…"
Soon, people noticed the sixth-grade alchemist badge on Xiao Feng's chest, and the crowd began to buzz with discussion.
Sixth-grade alchemists were extremely rare. In the entire Jia Ma Empire, there was only one sixth-grade alchemist: Pill King Gu He!
Fa Ma, who was discussing the upcoming Alchemist Grand Meeting with the branch leaders, quickly received news of the sixth-grade alchemist's arrival and personally went out to greet him.
"That badge…"
When Fa Ma saw the sixth-grade alchemist badge on Xiao Feng's chest, his pupils contracted sharply: "That's a badge issued by the Pill Tower!"
Although Fa Ma was only a fifth-grade alchemist, as the head of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Association, his knowledge and experience were vast.
In his youth, Fa Ma had traveled to the Central Plains and even had the fortune to meet Yao Lao, from whom he learned alchemy for three days.
Thus, Fa Ma immediately recognized the unique emblem of the Pill Tower on the badge.
The Pill Tower was recognized as the holy land for alchemists, and their alchemist examinations were the most rigorous in the Dou Qi Continent. Therefore, badges issued by the Pill Tower were universally recognized by all alchemists.
Xiao Feng himself was not an alchemist, nor had he ever been to the Pill Tower. This sixth-grade alchemist badge certainly didn't belong to him.
In fact, the true owner of this badge was Han Feng, who had already been enslaved by Xiao Feng.
Han Feng had lived with Yao Lao in the Central Plains and had taken his alchemist examination at the Pill Tower.
After betraying Yao Lao and colluding with the Soul Palace, Han Feng fled to the Black-Corner Region to avoid being discovered.
(End of Chapter)
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