The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

The old bookstore was located in a narrow alley, lined with stalls on both sides, and the air was filled with old papers and dust. Xiao Fan walked along the alley and soon found the old man that Zhou Yanzhi had mentioned.

The old man sat on a low stool, with an old tablecloth spread out in front of him, on which a dozen or so old books and some jade slips were scattered.

Xiao Fan squatted down and started looking through the items. Most of them were miscellaneous things with little value.

Just as he was about to put the other two books back, a person walked into the alley. The person was wearing a gray shirt and hurriedly walked out of the alley entrance, brushing past Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan then saw clearly that it was a thin, sallow-faced man with eyes that were habitually squinted into slits. He had seen this face before, on the third floor of the Fire Crystal Workshop in Crimson Flame City, through a screen.

Because of the distance, he could only see the person's profile at the time. But when he got closer, Xiao Fan could see clearly the distinct jawline and how the person's shoulders were tucked in when they walked.

It was none other than the one who had hurriedly left at the Crimson Flame City Treasure Appraisal Meeting.

Xiao Fan didn't say anything or turn his head. He slowly finished reading the last two books, paid the bill, and got up. He looked towards the alley entrance and saw that the person had already walked into a small alley outside the main alley, still looking hurried.

Xiao Fan quickly followed. It wasn't until they reached the other end of the street that he confirmed the other person had entered a small tavern with an old wine flag hanging above it. Then, he strode across the street to a tea stall, sat down, ordered a bowl of tea, and slowly savored it.

The man sat by the window, with a plate of peanuts and half a pot of wine in front of him.

He didn't drink a drop of alcohol, but popped a peanut into his mouth, glancing out the car window every now and then, as if checking to see if anyone was following him. About 15 minutes later, another person crossed the street and sat down at his table.

The newcomer was wearing a dark gray short-sleeved shirt and was thin, but his movements were quick. As soon as he sat down, he faced Xiao Fan.

The two sat by the window whispering to each other. Xiao Fan couldn't hear their conversation because they were separated by a street. He only noticed a long, dark scar on the back of the man's neck, as if it had been scratched by something.

The two chatted for a while longer before taking their leave. Xiao Fan sat in the teahouse, watching them depart, then put down his tea money and stood up to say something.

He didn't chase after the man in gray, but he remembered the man's figure and the direction he went.

After returning to the inn, he told Ye Ruolin about his thoughts.

Upon hearing this, Ye Ruolin thought for a moment and said, "It's not surprising that the person from the Crimson Flame City Treasure Appraisal Meeting came to the capital. But that guy with the old scar on his neck looks somewhat familiar. His surname is Xu, and he is a guest elder of the Purple Cloud Pavilion. He used to do business on the frontier, and later he was selected by the Purple Cloud Pavilion to be a liaison."

Xiao Fan placed the teacup on the table. "The Zixiao Pavilion's external liaison and the fugitive from Chiyan City, the two of them sitting together drinking—this combination is probably not a coincidence."

Ye Ruolin glanced at him. "You think the Purple Cloud Pavilion has been investigating the Burning Bone Abyss all along?"

Xiao Fan remained silent. "Chen Yuan and Elder Song have already made it clear that they will no longer forcibly seize the fire seed, but the Zixiao Pavilion is a large and powerful organization, and the upper and lower levels may not agree. If the people below secretly engage in underhanded activities, the higher-ups may not know, and they may not be able to suppress them."

He stood up and walked to the window. "Now that we've found out, I'll contact them and have them investigate. Release the news tomorrow or the day after."

Ye Ruolin raised an eyebrow. "Want to go fishing?"

"No, not at all. If they really came for what they have, they wouldn't hesitate to act as soon as they heard that I was going to reopen the ley lines. The first person to step forward will definitely give themselves away."

Ye Ruolin thought for a moment, then laughed. "Okay, I'll go deliver the message now. You just need to do your job."

The night wind blew in from outside, making the old notebook on the desk rustle.

Xiao Fan touched the book. Over the past few hundred years, the hasty handwriting left by those rogue cultivators emitted a faint red glow under the dim light.

The next day, Ye Ruolin told some people in the alchemy community about Xiao Fan's plan to visit the old kiln in the west of the city.

By evening, the news had spread throughout the capital through its specialized channels. Xiao Fan didn't need to inquire; he could tell from the people coming and going that the news had definitely reached the capital.

On the third day, just as he had expected, Xiao Fan left the inn and headed west of the city.

On the fourth day, he strolled along leisurely, carrying two sesame seed cakes in his hand, looking like he was browsing a flea market. Three blocks behind him, a figure followed at a leisurely pace, occasionally stopping to look at the roadside stalls.

Xiao Fan wasn't in a hurry to shake off this guy, nor did he bother to find out who he was. He simply wandered around the old city in the west, making several turns, and walked into the desolate road leading to the old kiln.

He stopped in front of the brick kiln, looked at the collapsed brick walls, walked around the kiln, and finally squatted down in front of an iron gate at the back, seemingly checking the lock. Then he stood up, clapped his hands, and returned the way he came.

Along the way, the person had disappeared without a trace, presumably having confirmed that he had indeed come to check, which was why he hurriedly returned to report. Xiao Fan leisurely returned to the city, bought a string of candied hawthorns, and then went back to the inn.

As he entered the courtyard, he slowed his pace and glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at a dried fruit shop across the street—the man from yesterday hadn't come yet, but today he was sitting upright with two baskets of walnuts in front of him and a scale next to him.

Xiao Fan entered the inn and glanced out the window. He saw the stall owner packing a basket of walnuts into it, glancing occasionally toward the inn's main entrance.

He looked away and drew the curtains. He had already cast his fishing rod toward the old kiln in the west of the city, and the fish came faster than he expected, almost in the blink of an eye.

However, he was in no hurry to close the net. What he wanted to do was give those who were watching him the illusion that "I have finished my investigation".

He sat down, opened the first draft of "Basic Chapter of Yin Yang Fire", and then looked out the window at the setting sun.

After several days of discussion with Zhou Yanzhi, the contents of the booklet were almost complete. He checked it word by word and only closed the booklet after confirming that there were no errors.

After it got completely dark, Xiao Fan didn't go through the main gate. Instead, he changed into a low-key dark shirt and climbed over the wall.