Chapter 213: Xiao Yan: This Guy Must Be Envious
Jia Xingtian narrowed his eyes, studying the calm young man before him, his expression growing increasingly grave.
He couldn't gauge Xiao Bai's cultivation, but the power in that earlier rebuke was extraordinary! The soul was intangible, and aside from alchemists' use, he had never seen it wielded in combat.
This realization brought Jia Xingtian a mix of irritation and unease. What trouble had the Mu family stirred up?
Among the empire's major families, the Nalan family played both sides, balancing between the empire and the Yunlan Sect. The Mitel family, led by a Dou Huang, stayed neutral, focusing on commerce. Only the Mu family remained steadfastly loyal to the imperial family.
Jia Xingtian had heard of Mu Chen's overprotectiveness, which sparked complaints, but he had dismissed it as trivial.
Today, however, they'd met someone even more protective. Had he known it would come to this, he wouldn't have shown up. Now, he was caught in a bind.
Publicly, he had to protect Mu Chen, or rumors would spread that the royal family was ungrateful, alienating other families. But protecting him meant facing this calm, confident young man who seemed unfazed by Jia Xingtian's strength.
A fight could be deadly. Jia Xingtian wasn't afraid to fight, but what about the aftermath? If he fell, his heir, Ye'er, lacked the strength and experience to control the empire's factions. The royal family could collapse.
Observing Jia Xingtian's hesitation, Xiao Bai remained unhurried, curious to see his decision.
Killing the Mu family members wasn't his goal; it was trivial to him. He'd paused, thinking of the missing herbs for the Sanqi Soul Liquid. The royal family might have Phantom Grass, so he decided to test the waters.
"Sir, the Mu family was at fault, but their crimes don't warrant death. Please show mercy. On behalf of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, I am deeply grateful!" Jia Xingtian, after weighing his options, chose to de-escalate rather than confront.
"Deeply grateful? Is that all?" Xiao Bai's playful look carried a noncommittal smile.
"Oh?"
Jia Xingtian's eyes lit up. As an emperor, he caught the implication—this was a negotiation! As long as there was room to talk, there was hope. Relieved, he fixed his gaze on Xiao Bai and asked slowly, "What do you wish for?"
Xiao Bai smiled faintly, pulling a list from his storage ring. With a flick of his finger, he sent it to Jia Xingtian, saying, "Deliver the herbs on this list to the Mitel family within three days!"
The list included Phantom Grass and other herbs for refining the Thunder Yuan Pill, a chance to test the royal family's resources.
Jia Xingtian scanned the list, noting its modest value. A relieved smile crossed his face, and he nodded. "Don't worry, sir. I'll have it dispatched from the warehouse. Anything the royal family has will be delivered within three days!"
"Okay!" Xiao Bai nodded, then added, "Also."
Jia Xingtian's heart skipped a beat, his brow furrowing. He'd thought the request was complete, but another condition followed. His cloudy eyes grew wary, waiting silently.
"You owe me a favor!"
Jia Xingtian tensed, his aura flaring, his voice colder. "Is your request a bit excessive?"
A favor from a peak Dou Huang was no small thing, especially with his limited lifespan. If Xiao Bai made unreasonable demands, Jia Xingtian might choose to fight now.
"Excessive?" Xiao Bai's expression remained calm, unmoved by the aura. "Compared to the survival of your Jia Ma royal family, it's not excessive at all. On the contrary, it's quite cheap, isn't it?"
"And you can rest assured, you'll be more than willing to help with this favor!"
Jia Xingtian's expression shifted from grim to relieved. He even considered throttling Mu Chen for causing this mess. After a moment, he nodded firmly. "Okay! If it's as you say, I'll gladly help and won't hesitate. But if it's anything difficult, don't blame me for refusing!"
"It's a deal!" A faint smile played on Xiao Bai's lips as he nodded, satisfied. Power Bank Number Two was secured.
Power Bank Number One, of course, was the old man nearby who'd been watching the drama unfold.
With the matter settled, Xiao Bai took Zi Yan's hand and turned to leave.
As he turned, he flicked his fingers, sending a flash of lightning streaking across the hall.
"You!"
Jia Xingtian, furious, spun around, realizing the lightning wasn't aimed at Mu Chen but struck the chest of the young man in green beside him.
"Puff!" Mu Zhan was sent flying, crashing into a pillar. Blood spurted from his mouth as he slid down slowly.
"He can escape the death penalty, but not punishment. This is the price for his foul mouth!" Xiao Bai paused at the hall's door, his faint voice echoing clearly.
Some in the hall looked at Mu Chen's state with satisfaction. This domineering figure in the capital had finally met his match.
"You deserve it, Lululu! You kept complaining and calling me a bumpkin!" Zi Yan turned, stuck out her tongue, and skipped after Xiao Bai.
"How was it? Was the party fun?"
"Not at all. I'd rather go out and have fun with Xiao Lan and never attend this lousy party again!"
"Haha."
The Nalan family members exchanged glances, shaking their heads with wry smiles as the two figures, one large, one small, departed.
"Ya Fei, why aren't you leaving so late?"
Hearing Xiao Bai's voice, Ya Fei's dim peach-blossom eyes lit up, and she hurried after the vague figure outside.
"Old Bing, your Mitel family is quite resourceful. You actually used the beauty trap to win over such a person!"
Jia Xingtian looked in a certain direction, speaking with displeasure.
The hall was shocked. They hadn't expected such a lively evening, with even more powerful figures present.
"Haha, old monster, I thought you were going to die tonight! I didn't expect the emperor, once so domineering, would hesitate!" A white-haired old man in a plain blue robe appeared, teasing Jia Xingtian with a smile.
"Oh? Are you so sure that young man could bring me down?" Jia Xingtian put his hands behind his back, smiling disdainfully, though his eyes grew serious.
The hall's occupants were shocked, quietly listening, wondering if this was true.
"Haha. Old man, stop pretending. If you weren't afraid, you wouldn't have been so agreeable!" Hai Bodong said with a joking smile, seeing through Jia Xingtian's serious gaze.
"I really don't want to take action, but not just because of him!" Jia Xingtian's glance at Hai Bodong carried clear meaning.
"Are you afraid we'd join forces?" Hai Bodong, catching his expression, understood. If it were just Xiao Bai, Jia Xingtian might have tested him, but with Hai Bodong watching, he had to be cautious.
Jia Xingtian smiled noncommittally, then sighed, "Mr. Bai, so young, yet with such advanced skills. I wonder what his teacher was like!"
"Hey, old man, don't probe here. I advise you not to offend him!" Hai Bodong said with amusement. "He may not care about this tiny Jia Ma Empire, but the people around him, if not for him, would have attacked it long ago!"
Having lived in the desert, Hai Bodong knew of the snake people. The one who broke through to Dou Zong two years ago hadn't moved since, likely due to Xiao Bai.
The hall was stunned by this revelation. Jia Xingtian's thoughts raced. Who could it be? Chuyun? Yanluo? What role did Hai Bodong play?
"For his sake?" After pondering, Jia Xingtian asked, "Could Mr. Bai have a connection to our Jia Ma Empire?"
Hai Bodong shook his head, recalling the peak Dou Huang who stopped the Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor and the terrifying woman soon to arrive in the desert. He shuddered, waving his hand. "Hehe. You'll know later, old man. For our years of friendship, I'll remind you: keep your promise and show mercy, or you'll face consequences you don't want!"
The hall fell silent, expressions flickering. If Hai Bodong wasn't joking, Mr. Bai was untouchable.
Nalan Jie and his son glanced sympathetically at the terrified Mu family, relieved they hadn't slighted Xiao Bai.
Hai Bodong's fragmented words hinted at a terrifying force behind Mr. Bai, one even a Dou Huang respected, not to mention his own mysterious power. The little girl beside him, so young yet so strong, couldn't have been trained by an ordinary force.
"By the way, Yanran, Mr. Bai said he's attending the Alchemist Conference tomorrow. You should go too. He's new here and may be unfamiliar. Be a good host!" Nalan Jie instructed Nalan Yanran.
"Yes! Yanran, Mr. Bai seems to have a good impression of you. Entertain him well tomorrow!" Nalan Su added solemnly.
"..." Nalan Yanran.
"..." The hall.
"Huh?" Jia Xingtian looked surprised, asking Hai Bodong, "Is Mr. Bai an alchemist?"
"He's not, but one of his younger brothers is. I'll go with him tomorrow to check it out!" Hai Bodong shook his head. He hadn't known Xiao Bai was an alchemist, only promising to help find one, likely the senior in the ring.
"Haha. Then I'll go see what distinguished company Mr. Bai keeps!" Jia Xingtian smiled, glancing at a spot in the hall. "Xiao Yue'er, it's late. Come back with me. Don't hang out all day!"
"Oh!" A mischievous little girl hesitantly approached him.
"Nalan girl, Liu Ling boy, give my regards to your teacher!" Jia Xingtian lifted the little princess, smiling at the two in the hall.
He glanced at the Mu family, noting their minor injuries and lack of mortal danger, and ignored them.
"Don't look at me like that. The Mitel family doesn't have your concerns, and I'm no longer involved. As for him, I can't control what he does. Talk to him yourself!" Hai Bodong rolled his eyes at Jia Xingtian's gaze.
"Haha. We're old now; let's not meddle in these headaches. I'll visit later for tea and chat. Wouldn't that be nice?" Jia Xingtian's expression softened, smiling.
"Haha." Hai Bodong sneered, knowing Jia Xingtian was still wary. He didn't argue. With Xiao Bai's connections, the Jia Ma Empire's changes wouldn't affect the Mitel family.
"Let's go!" Hai Bodong yawned, waved, and left.
Jia Xingtian sighed, feeling weary. The empire was rife with undercurrents. Previously, the Yunlan Sect was the main threat, but now the Mitel family was stirring.
The next morning, the sky was a brilliant blue, clear and vibrant.
The sun shone gently, warm but not scorching, with a refreshing breeze—a rare day of perfect weather.
Alchemists, usually rare, walked in groups along the street, converging in one direction.
Crowds lined the streets, their gazes filled with awe as they watched the alchemists pass.
Today was a grand event for the Jia Ma Empire: the Alchemist Conference, held every eight years.
"Damn! Brother Bai, it looks like the competition will be fierce this time! Aren't alchemists supposed to be rare? Where do all these alchemists come from?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes at the crowd dressed like him.
"Alchemists are rare, but that refers to high-level alchemists, not a 'noble second-grade' like you!" Xiao Bai smiled faintly, glancing at Xiao Yan's chest.
Xiao Yan was speechless, muttering to himself: This guy must be envious of my badge! Yeah! That must be it!!
Book Recommendations:
1: Douluo: My Possessing System
2: Douluo: Blue Silver Grass Ascendancy
Read 50+ Advanced Chapters At PA Treon.
patreon.com/FictionsTL
(End of Chapter)