Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

"Someone just delivered this." Hai Bodong took out two simple and elegant cloud-white letters from his storage ring. Outside the letters, there was a white cloud with a long sword stuck in it.

"From the Yunlan Sect?" Looking at the unique pattern, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and asked in surprise.

“Yes, this one is yours,” Hai Bodong nodded, then handed an unopened letter to Xiao Yan. “This is an invitation from the Yunlan Sect to some leaders and powerful figures in the capital.”

"An invitation?" Xiao Yan asked with a strange expression after opening the letter and glancing at it.

"After all, tomorrow is your three-year agreement with Nalan Yanran. I guess they want to build momentum for Nalan Yanran, the future young sect leader. If she wins, Yunlan Sect can increase her prestige by claiming that she defeated Yaoyan's disciple," Hai Bodong shrugged and said casually.

"...Did Yun Yun get her head caught?" After hesitating for a long time, Xiao Yan uttered a sentence, "Yan Xiao is already a sixth-grade alchemist or above, where did they get the courage to use a disciple who might be a seventh-grade or even higher-level alchemist to create hype?"

"Besides, what makes them think Nalan Yanran is bound to win?"

Xiao Yan had another reason for constantly increasing Yan Xiao's popularity in the capital during this period: he didn't want too many irrelevant people at the three-year agreement ceremony. He already disliked the agreement, and he would have been out of his mind to think of resolving his engagement with Nalan Yanran in front of hundreds or thousands of people.

“Yun Yun hasn’t been at the Yunlan Sect recently. All the affairs have been handled by the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect,” Hai Bodong said, shrugging.

"Not in the Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan was somewhat taken aback.

“The Izumo Empire has been acting strangely lately,” Hai Bodong said casually. “There was actually an alchemist from the Izumo Empire in the final of the Alchemist Tournament, but I don’t know why he didn’t participate in the final. And a few days ago, a group of disciples from the Yunlan Sect died at the hands of poison masters who mysteriously appeared in the empire. I guess they went to capture those poison masters.”

"Is this something a sect leader should do?" Xiao Yan was speechless.

"Who knows," Hai Bodong shrugged. "But she should be back soon. After all, tomorrow is the appointment between her disciple and you. She values ​​Nalan Yanran quite a bit."

"Hmm..." Xiao Yan nodded, then suddenly, as if sensing something, he pushed open the window and looked in the direction of the Alchemist Guild.

Before Hai Bodong could ask for the reason, a suddenly appearing emerald green beam of light shot straight into the sky, providing the answer.

"The Pharaoh actually succeeded?" Hai Bodong was astonished as he looked at the familiar beam of light.

"If this still doesn't succeed, then I'll be letting myself down," Xiao Yan chuckled. "This is the first time since I created the Soul Rejuvenation Pill that I've had to refine it several times in a row. The last time, I even spent five days refining it."

"If I weren't lacking in strength, five days would have been enough time for me to try out an eighth-grade pill."

"Eighth grade?" Hai Bodong's eyes widened in shock. "You can refine eighth grade pills?"

"It's still early. Right now, I can only refine some mid-grade seventh-rank pills at most. The success rate for high-grade seventh-rank pills isn't even that high," Xiao Yan waved his hand and said very modestly.

Seeing the undisguised smugness on Xiao Yan's face, Hai Bodong thought for a moment and then decisively moved closer to Xiao Yan: "I heard there's a kind of pill that can assist a Dou Zong expert in cultivation?"

"You should become a Dou Zong first," Xiao Yan chuckled. "Once you become a Dou Zong, just write a letter to Canaan Academy, and I'll refine a few batches for you!"

"You said it!" Hai Bodong's eyes lit up instantly.

“I said it!” Xiao Yan laughed heartily.

The next day, as the fiery sun completely broke free of the horizon, some sharp-eyed people spotted the figure walking slowly towards the snow-white, massive mountain in the distance of the imperial city, with its back to the rising sun.

The figure wasn't particularly tall; in fact, he was rather thin. Yet, his steps toward Yunlan Mountain were so relaxed and carefree, as if he were simply going on a spring outing to that high mountain.

After passing the military camp at the foot of the mountain and walking forward for a while, a set of blue stone steps appeared before Xiao Yan's eyes. This set of blue stone steps, which stretched all the way to the end of his vision, looked like a ladder to heaven at first glance.

Standing before the bluestone steps, Xiao Yan looked up and gazed at the bluestone steps that had existed for countless years. Faintly, he seemed to hear the faint sound of swords echoing from the end of the stone steps.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, flipped his hand, and a black ruler more than two meters long appeared in his hand.

After patting the Xuanzhong Ruler, whose actual weight he had long forgotten, Xiao Yan casually slung it over his shoulder. Then, he lightly lifted his foot and finally stepped onto the slightly damp bluestone steps.

Although he had long since stopped caring, he still went to the scene to fulfill his promise of staying three years later.

"That's... Xiao Yan?"

On Yunlan Mountain, someone suddenly looked down and saw the young man slowly walking up the blue stone steps.

“Yes, Xiao Yan,” Hai Bodong nodded, then glanced at Nalan Jie not far away, “How do you feel? Xiao Yan, who almost became your grandson-in-law.”

Nalan Jie's expression was somewhat unpleasant, but it was Hai Bodong who had spoken these words. Hai Bodong had been known as the Ice Emperor for decades. In front of Hai Bodong, Nalan Jie, the marshal of the Jia Ma Empire, was just a junior, not to mention that his strength was far inferior to Hai Bodong's.

"He's probably regretting it to death right now," Mu Chen, the head of the Mu family, laughed gleefully. "Master Yaoyan's disciple... tsk tsk tsk, just based on that status alone, no one in the entire Jia Ma Empire would dare to raise their voice to him, right?"

Nalan Jie slowly closed his eyes in response to Mu Chen's mockery, pretending not to have heard it.

Long before Mr. Yan Xiao revealed the relationship between Xiao Yan and him, and after the royal family announced that they had reached a cooperation agreement with the Xiao family and Xiao Yan, the Nalan family's position in the capital became somewhat awkward. If he were not still alive, the fact that Nalan Yanran was the young sect leader of the Yunlan Sect would have been enough to destroy the entire Nalan family.

'I still have to contact the Xiao family...' Nalan Jie sighed inwardly and shook his head.

"I heard he can refine fourth-grade pills?" Fa Ma chuckled as he watched Xiao Yan walk unhurriedly up the bluestone steps. "No wonder he's Master Yao's disciple."

“A fourth-grade alchemist who’s not even eighteen years old—I don’t think it’s all thanks to Master Yao,” Jia Xingtian said, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yan. “Speaking of which, his Dou Qi… seems a bit strange, doesn’t it?”

According to Jia Xingtian's perception, the circulation speed of the powerful Dou Qi in Xiao Yan's body was unusually slow, even giving him the illusion that the Dou Qi in Xiao Yan's body was not circulating at all.

“He must have some kind of item that shields his soul power,” Fa Ma nodded. “Such items aren’t considered very valuable to alchemists.”

“That’s true, but this makes it hard to predict the outcome of his match against Nalan Yanran,” Jia Xingtian said with a smile.

Even if everyone from the Yunlan Sect attacked this kid together, they might not necessarily lose.

Hai Bodong muttered to himself, while looking at Xiao Yan below with a strange expression. This was the first time he had been able to sense Xiao Yan's fighting spirit so clearly since he had known him, although the fighting spirit in Xiao Yan's body seemed a bit strange at the moment.

"So, they're already holding back before even meeting the main character?" Hai Bodong glanced subtly at Nalan Jie, who was resting with his eyes closed. "I thought they'd end the battle swiftly... but it seems they're saving face for the Nalan family and the Yunlan Sect?"

Amidst the casual conversations of these powerful figures, Xiao Yan reached the end of the stone steps and arrived at the misty plaza. He looked up and saw Nalan Yanran, dressed in a moon-white robe, sitting calmly on a stone step directly opposite him.

Then, as if she had just noticed Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran raised her head, her bright eyes quietly falling on him.

Although there were thousands of people in the square, apart from the sound of the wind, there was no other unusual noise. However, the slowly gathering aura was gradually pressing down on Xiao Yan, as if preparing to give him a warning first.

He took three steps forward, lifting his foot lightly and then lowering it. Looking at Nalan Yanran who had stood up, Xiao Yan slowly spoke.

"The Xiao family, Xiao Yan."

The calm words drifted slowly across the plaza, and the imposing aura that the Yunlan Sect disciples had gathered around the plaza was destroyed by these simple words. For a moment, some turmoil and disorder appeared in the ranks of the Yunlan Sect disciples.

"Nalan family, Nalan Yanran." Nalan Yanran took a few steps forward, her bright eyes fixed on Xiao Yan, her voice as calm as Xiao Yan's.

As Nalan Yanran's voice faded, the dozen or so white-robed elders above her slowly opened their eyes and turned their gazes toward the black-robed youth in the square.

Chapter 199 The Three-Year Agreement

"You are from the Xiao family?"

As if he hadn't heard Xiao Yan's earlier announcement, the white-robed elder in the center looked up at Xiao Yan and slowly spoke after a long while.

Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the white-robed elder. Since he spoke, the other elders around him, who were also dressed in white robes, had remained silent. If nothing unexpected happened, this elder should be the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect that Hai Bodong mentioned yesterday.

"I am Yun Ling, the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect," the old man continued before Xiao Yan could speak, "The Sect Master has not yet returned today, therefore, I will preside over your three-year agreement with the Young Sect Master. This competition is intended for friendly exchange, and will be conducted with mutual respect..."

"Life and death are left to fate."

Just as if to maintain his previous persona, Xiao Yan's light voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Yun Leng's subsequent words.

All eyes around the square were fixed on the black-robed youth. No one expected Xiao Yan to say such a thing. After all, in the eyes of those powerful figures, Xiao Yan, who was a disciple of Yao Yan, was not actually good at fighting, and his Dou Qi at the Dou Ling level was all boosted by taking drugs.

Hai Bodong glanced at Xiao Yan, who looked completely calm, and rolled his eyes inwardly. When Xiao Yan openly revealed his strength, he could tell that Xiao Yan was going to hold back. Now, his words about life and death being left to fate were probably just a temporary excuse. Once they really fought, it was probably Xiao Yan who would hold back at every turn.

Nalan Yanran slightly raised her eyes and gazed at the young man in black robes. In his dark eyes, there seemed to be a slight, undisguised fluctuation.

'Do you resent it?'

After silently reciting a sentence, Nalan Yanran remained silent for a moment before saying in a cold voice, "As you wish."

Upon hearing Nalan Yanran's reply, Yun Leng frowned slightly. Xiao Yan's sudden interruption greatly displeased this elder, who held a high position in the Yunlan Sect. Although Xiao Yan was now also a Dou Ling, in his opinion, Nalan Yanran, who had fought her way out of the Yunlan Sect's secret realm, was naturally stronger than this "sickly" alchemist.

"Since you have made this request, then so be it. Life and death are a matter of fate." Yun Leng waved his hand and said calmly.

After Yun Leng finished speaking, Xiao Yan barely managed to pull his attention away from the positions of the Yunlan Sect disciples around him. A light blue battle aura gradually appeared on the surface of his body. After clenching his fist, Xiao Yan stared at Nalan Yanran: "Today, let's settle the old grudges. The shame you brought to my Xiao family back then, today, please return it."

While outwardly speaking with such seriousness, Xiao Yan inwardly inquired with some excitement, "Teacher, are the formations of those people from the Yunlan Sect also part of an array? I think I can copy down all their formations!"

Including the "array" he saw at Yunlan Sect, this was the third time Xiao Yan had encountered an array. However, the previous two were strange arrays with only about half of the original map remaining, and the other was an array formed by blood and other substances that he saw in the Netherworld Swamp. Moreover, the array was completely destroyed before Xiao Yan could even make a copy of it.

"Tracing..." Elder Yao paused, "You plan to use this formation of the Yunlan Sect to slowly understand the strange formation on the incomplete map?"

"It's better than starting researching with nothing," Xiao Yan said, his excitement barely concealed. "With the Yunlan Sect's formation as a foundation, who knows, maybe we'll stumble upon something amazing later?"

"As long as you're happy..." The old doctor sighed helplessly.

"I will make my own decisions about my marriage."

While Xiao Yan was explaining his plan to Yao Lao, Nalan Yanran slowly reached out her hand, and a long sword slid into her grasp. Then, she sighed with a hint of regret and said...

"Even though three years have passed, I still don't think I made a mistake back then. I have the right to choose my own destiny. Perhaps I acted inappropriately back then, but if I could turn back time, I think I would still make the same choice."

Xiao Yan, who was working overtime to copy the Yunlan Sect's formation, had no mind for Nalan Yanran. Only after she finished speaking did he give a perfunctory reply: "Perhaps."

Seeing Xiao Yan's perfunctory attitude, Nalan Yanran frowned slightly, raised her longsword, and pointed the tip at Xiao Yan: "Is that your weapon on your back? Aren't you going to take it off?"

Nalan Yanran was unaware of Xiao Yan's current strength, but judging from his continued use of his weapon even as the battle was about to begin, she knew that he had already won.

Upon hearing this, even though Xiao Yan was still busy with other things, he still gave Nalan Yanran a strange look. The Xuan Heavy Ruler, which was linked to the strength of his soul power, was a limiter in every sense before it was used as a weapon. Without the limitation of the Xuan Heavy Ruler, Nalan Yanran's current level of Dou Qi...

Being able to hold out for ten seconds is a testament to Yunlan Sect's effective guidance, or perhaps to Nalan Yanran's exceptional talent.

"There will be a time when we need it," Xiao Yan said dismissively. "Can we begin? Or are you ready to admit defeat?"

Hearing this provocative remark, Nalan Yanran took a deep breath, her jade hand gripping the longsword tightly, a pale blue wind swirling and swirling on the blade. "Since you're unwilling to use a weapon... then you can make the first move."

After glancing around briefly, Xiao Yan composed himself and said, "I hope you won't regret it."

With a sudden step forward, the hard bluestone slab instantly cracked with numerous fissures, and a surge of turbulent blue battle qi erupted forth. Then, Xiao Yan's figure transformed into a black shadow and crashed fiercely into Nalan Yanran.

'This kid's fighting spirit... is it fire attribute? Is it really not earth attribute?' Looking at Xiao Yan, who was charging towards Nalan Yanran like a humanoid beast, a strange thought flashed through Yun Leng's mind, before he returned to calm.

No matter how fierce Xiao Yan appeared, this straightforward fighting style posed no challenge to Nalan Yanran, who possessed wind-attribute fighting spirit. After all, speed was Nalan Yanran's forte.

After Xiao Yan got within about ten meters of Nalan Yanran, she lightly touched the ground with her toes, and her body, like a leaf falling in a storm, swayed and flickered as she passed by Xiao Yan.

In the split second, Nalan Yanran's expression changed slightly. She swung her long sword downwards, and with a clang, she blocked Xiao Yan's right fist that was aimed straight at her abdomen.

"burst!"

The instant his fist and sword crossed, Xiao Yan withdrew his right fist, lightly touched the ground with his toes and retreated several meters. As a soft shout rang out in his mind, the long sword in Nalan Yanran's hand suddenly vibrated violently, and then the sword suddenly broke into several pieces.

Her fighting spirit surged instantly, and the broken pieces of the sword were deflected by Nalan Yanran's protective fighting spirit, falling to the ground one after another with a crisp clanging sound.

“…Revealing your fighting technique before your fist lands on me will be your biggest mistake.” Glancing at the several pieces of the sword lying on the ground, Nalan Yanran’s gaze returned to Xiao Yan, who was calmly looking at her.

"Perhaps."

Xiao Yan remained calm, as if he wasn't the one who had previously spoken out of youthful impetuosity about life and death being left to fate.

Looking at Xiao Yan, who still showed little expression, Nalan Yanran suddenly felt a surge of irritation: You were the one who made me say the three-year agreement, you were the one who was furious after I made the three-year agreement, and you were the one who remained calm and indifferent at the three-year agreement. Are you toying with me? Or do you think that your performance will make me think that I am the only one who cares about the three-year agreement?

After letting out a long breath and suppressing the frustration in her heart, Nalan Yanran raised her hand. The cyan battle qi formed a long sword under her control, as if she were wielding an arm or finger. The cyan long sword was formed entirely from the gale.