.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ling had already led his companions into the guild hall.
In stark contrast to the bustle outside, the air here was filled with the fragrance of medicinal herbs and the scent of books, creating a tranquil and solemn atmosphere.
Tall bookshelves lined the side of the hall, filled with precious alchemy tomes and manuscripts. The walls were decorated with exquisite illustrations of medicinal herbs and alchemy tools, each detail revealing the profound heritage of the art of alchemy.
Xiao Ling and his companions slowly wandered between the shelves, their gazes lingering over the ancient books and illustrations, as if searching for something.
Xiao Yixian's fingers gently traced the spines of the books, Qinglin expressed keen interest in the alchemy tools, and Ziyan observed everything with curiosity, occasionally asking questions.
Xiao Ling, with a calm smile, scanned the tomes, noting that the shelves contained only basic knowledge on pharmacology.
At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps shattered the quiet of the hall. An elderly man in a luxurious robe, accompanied by several followers, walked quickly towards them.
His eyes were filled with anticipation and joy. It was none other than the president of the Alchemist Guild, Fa Ma.
The wrinkles on President Fa Ma's face were deepened by his enthusiastic smile. He walked quickly over and greeted Xiao Ling warmly, with a bit of kindness and surprise in his voice: "Master Xiao Ling, why didn't you notify us in advance when you came to the Alchemist Guild? We could have been prepared to welcome you. We are impolite to come here in such a hurry."
Xiao Ling waved his hand gently, with an imperceptible smile, and replied: "President, there is no need to be polite. I just returned to the imperial capital and wanted to stroll around and feel the bustle of this city. I didn't expect to end up here."
Upon hearing this, President Fa Ma started chatting with Xiao Ling: "Haha, Master Xiao Ling, during the time you were away, many young alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire also showed amazing talents..."
During their chat, President Fa Ma lost no time in extending an invitation: "Master Xiao Ling, it's inconvenient for you to be in this hall. Please follow me and we will go to the reception room to talk in detail."
Xiao Ling nodded and did not refuse the proposal. He came here not just for a stroll.
Xiao Ling immediately turned to Xiao Yixian, Qinglin, and Ziyan and said, "I'll discuss some matters with President Fa Ma first. You can explore the Imperial Capital freely, or return to the Xiao family to rest."
After Xiao Ling finished speaking, he handed the two storage rings containing the souls of Skyfire Venerable and Yaochen to Qinglin for safekeeping.
As Xiao Ling and his companions conversed, President Fa Ma observed silently, a look of surprise gradually appearing in his eyes.
Although the three girls accompanying Xiao Ling were relatively unknown in the outside world, they had gathered some intelligence from the upper echelons of the Jia Ma Empire.
As the president of the Alchemist Guild, Fa Ma's soul perception was naturally very keen. Furthermore, having reached the peak of the Dou Huang realm, while he couldn't easily determine the three's specific cultivation levels, he could still discern their general strength.
Zi Yan, with her purple hair and matching eyes, always exuded a mysterious yet playful air.
Her talent was already exceptional, and having already reached the peak of Dou Wang, her ascension to the Dou Huang realm was impressive, but also quite reasonable.
In contrast, the progress of Xiao Yixian and Qinglin left Guild President Fa Ma baffled.
Xiao Yixian and Qinglin had visited the Alchemist Guild before, both accompanying Xiao Ling, and Fa Ma had observed them briefly. At that time, their strengths were barely above the level of Dou Shi and Dou Shi.
Time flew by, and two years had flown by in a flash. In that short span, their realms had undergone a profound transformation.
Xiao Yixian's strength had leaped, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, astonishingly reaching the Dou Huang realm.
To most, such a rapid ascension would be unbelievable, a near-inconceivable miracle.
Fa Ma had never even heard of such a feat, let alone seen it. Even Xiao Ling's cultivation talent was far inferior to theirs.
Qinglin's improvement was equally remarkable. While she didn't ascend directly to the Dou Huang realm like Xiao Yixian, her achievements as a Dou Wang expert were equally remarkable.
Her youthful face revealed her ability to reach the Dou Wang realm at only fourteen or fifteen years old. Her cultivation talent rivaled that of Xiao Ling at the same age, and perhaps even surpassed him due to her shorter training time.
President Fa Ma pondered to himself that Xiao Ling was exceptionally gifted, surpassing even the average person in both alchemy and cultivation, while his companions were equally gifted. This was truly unbelievable.
However, when President Fa Ma concentrated his attention, attempting to probe Xiao Ling's cultivation through his soul perception, he was surprised to discover that he was completely unable to discern the young man before him.
This filled him with a wave of disbelief and doubt. With his peak Dou Huang cultivation, he should have been able to vaguely sense even the faintest signs of those at a higher level.
President Fa Ma's mind raced with anxiety. "What's going on? Is there something wrong with my perception? Or has Xiao Ling's cultivation reached a level beyond my reach?"
A thought, even absurd to himself, flashed through his mind: Xiao Ling might have broken through from Dou Huang to Dou Zong in just two years.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. Dou Zong—how lofty a realm! How could he have reached it in such a short time?
Fa Ma calmed his thoughts and reassured himself, "Master Xiao Ling's soul power must be immense, far surpassing mine. That's why I can't sense him. Yes, that must be it."
By then, Xiao Ling had finished his briefing with Xiao Yixian and the others and turned to look at President Fa Ma. His gaze held a hint of indifference, as if he'd already seen through President Fa Ma's previous covert probing.
Xiao Ling had sensed Fa Ma's probing from the start, but he didn't show any resentment or alarm. Instead, he appeared quite composed.
Xiao Ling chuckled, breaking the brief silence. He calmly said, "Come on, President Fa Ma, let's continue our conversation in the reception room."
Fa Ma, snapping out of his thoughts, nodded, a smile of awkward admiration on his face. "Haha, Master Xiao Ling, please follow me." He extended his hand, inviting Xiao Ling towards the reception room.
The two of them walked through several corridors adorned with exquisite murals, ultimately arriving at a spacious and bright reception room.
The decor was exquisite, with every piece of furniture exuding a classic elegance. The paintings and sculptures on the walls were all by renowned artists, highlighting the Alchemist Guild's rich heritage.
Fa Ma invited Xiao Ling to take a seat at a conference table carved from fine sandalwood. Fresh fruit, delicate snacks, and two cups of fragrant tea had already been laid out, clearly carefully prepared for Xiao Ling's arrival.
The two sat down in the reception room. The quiet and exquisite surroundings added a solemnity to their conversation.
Xiao Ling was the first to break the silence, his voice calm and full of anticipation. "President Fa Ma, do you remember what I asked the Alchemist Guild to find for me?"
Fa Ma had initially intended to discuss some alchemy techniques with Xiao Ling, but upon hearing Xiao Ling's question, he paused for a moment, then quickly recovered, his mind quickly recalling what Xiao Ling was referring to. "Haha, of course I remember. Master Xiao Ling, wait a moment, I'll go get it."
Two years ago, before Xiao Ling left the Jia Ma Empire, he had commissioned the Alchemist Guild to find a special kind of porcelain fragment.
Although Fa Ma didn't fully understand Xiao Ling's intentions, since it was Xiao Ling's request, he immediately ordered his men to meticulously collect the seemingly ancient porcelain fragments.
Fa Ma then whispered a few instructions to the waiting maid.
Not long after, Mitchell, the vice president of the Alchemist Guild, walked into the reception room and bowed respectfully to Xiao Ling and Fa Ma, "Master Xiao Ling, President Fa Ma."
President Fa Ma smiled and said, "Mitchell, are the items that Master Xiao Ling entrusted us to collect before ready? Now is the time."
Vice President Mitchell nodded seriously after hearing this, "I will naturally do my best for Master Xiao Ling's commission."
As he spoke, he took out a storage ring from his arms and gently placed it on the conference table, "This storage ring contains porcelain pieces that meet the characteristics described by Master Xiao Ling. According to the investigation of the president and I, one of the porcelain pieces seems to record a Xuan-level fighting skill. Master Xiao Ling, please take a look and see if there is any treasure you need in it."
Xiao Ling expressed his approval of Vice President Mitchell's efficiency and thoughtfulness, and said with a smile, "Vice President Mitchell, thank you very much, I will definitely reward you later."
Then, he waved his finger lightly, and the storage ring fell lightly into his palm. Xiao Ling's soul power, like a gentle breeze, penetrated the ring, gently removing all the porcelain fragments and piling them on the ground.
The pile of porcelain fragments reached over a meter high, demonstrating not only the Alchemist Guild's commitment to Xiao Ling's commission but also their respect for him.
Witnessing this, Xiao Ling nodded slightly, his favorable impression of the Alchemist Guild quietly growing.
He first drew the fragment depicting a Xuan-level fighting technique and examined it carefully.
It depicted a low-level Xuan-level fighting technique called the Thunder Fist. A brief glance at it revealed its essence, and Xiao Ling set the fragment aside, not paying further attention.
Then, unleashing his soul perception, he began to meticulously examine the fragments.
Xiao Ling's soul power had reached the middle stage of the Spiritual Realm. Combined with his cultivation of the Great Evolution Art, he was now able to focus his attention on a myriad of tasks, making his investigations incredibly efficient.
His gaze slowly moved across the porcelain pieces, like the brightest star in the night sky, finally settling on an inconspicuous, broken piece of black jade in the corner.
This piece of jade was Xiao Ling's true goal.
Xiao Ling casually grasped the jade shard in his hand. Its surface wasn't smooth, but rather covered in tiny particles, giving it a rough feel.
There were even tiny cracks on the jade shard, with sand clinging to the gaps, giving it a somewhat worn appearance.
However, as Xiao Ling gazed at the tattered jade shard in his hand, the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously, and he muttered to himself, "The first transformation of the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Fire is finally within my grasp."
Seeing Xiao Ling's satisfied expression, Fa Ma and Vice President Mitchell understood that Xiao Ling had found what he needed.
Fa Ma smiled and said, "Haha, Master Xiao Ling, is this what you were looking for? Congratulations, Master Xiao Ling, on your discovery."
Xiao Ling smiled faintly, placing the jade shard containing the first of the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Fire in his arms. He smiled at Fa Ma, saying, "Indeed, I have found what I needed. This smooth journey was made possible thanks to the help of the Alchemist Guild."
Fa Ma waved his hand modestly, saying, "Not at all. Master Xiao Ling, you are an Honorary Elder of the Guild. Finding something is a piece of cake. We, the Alchemist Guild, are honored to be of service to you."
Vice President Mitchell echoed, "Yes, Master Xiao Ling, your request is something we will do our best to fulfill."
Xiao Ling smiled faintly. He was perceptive and understood the two guild presidents' attempts to win him over, but he showed no displeasure.
Then, with a gentle wave of his hand, Xiao Ling withdrew a simple medicinal prescription from his ring and handed it to President Fa Ma.
"This is a token of my appreciation. Consider it your reward for this commission. President Fa Ma, please do not refuse."
The recipe described a fifth-grade Soul-Enhancing Pill.
Its refinement required the essence of the Soul Flower stamens, the spiritual energy of the Purple Soul Leaf, the dream power of the Dream Crystal Essence, and the pure medicinal power of the Void Roots. Each of these four main ingredients was a rare fifth-grade herb.
Long-term use of this pill could gradually enhance one's soul potential, but because the required ingredients were relatively scarce and the effects were subtle, requiring long-term use for significant effects. Therefore, for Xiao Ling, it wasn't particularly valuable. The boost in soul power from the pill wasn't as easily achieved by practicing soul cultivation techniques.
When Xiao Ling handed the recipe for the fifth-grade Soul-Enhancing Pill to President Fa Ma, Fa Ma hesitated. He hadn't initially intended to accept any of Xiao Ling's offers of revenge, but the recipe was too tempting to pass up.
Fa Ma accepted the prescription, his eyes gleaming with a glint. He knew the formula was invaluable. Though the resources required were immense, it held a chance of helping him reach the rank of Sixth-Rank Alchemist. Even if the odds were slim, he intended to devote all his resources to collecting herbs and refining more of these elixirs.
With a flash of white light, he stored the prescription in his storage ring. Fa Ma took a deep breath, smiled, and said to Xiao Ling, "Haha, thank you very much, Master Xiao Ling. This prescription has been of immense help to me, so I'm shamelessly accepting it."
Xiao Ling smiled softly, his tone revealing a calm and generous tone. "You're welcome, President Fa Ma. It's only right. That piece of porcelain is just as valuable to me. We're both taking what we need."
Xiao Ling gave the recipe to Fa Ma not only because the porcelain fragment containing the first of the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Fire was of immense value to him, but also because after leaving the Jia Ma Empire, the Xiao family had received considerable help and support from the Alchemist Guild in Jia Ma Holy City.
As the guild's president, Fa Ma had always been extremely friendly to Xiao Ling and had been instrumental in the Xiao family's development in the imperial capital. This recipe was Xiao Ling's way of repaying this favor.
After a friendly exchange, the atmosphere in the reception room became even more harmonious and harmonious.
In this atmosphere, Xiao Ling, Fa Ma, and Mitchell began discussing his experiences in alchemy.
Most of the time, it was Fa Ma and Mitchell who humbly sought advice, his questions covering every aspect of alchemy, from the selection of herbs to the techniques, leaving no detail unexplored.
Xiao Ling, overjoyed at receiving his desired item, unreservedly shared his knowledge and experience with Fa Ma and Vice President Mitchell.
His answers were not only thorough but also accessible, making even complex alchemy principles easy to understand.
Many of the two men's confusions about alchemy seemed to dissipate, a sudden clarity of understanding.
During their in-depth discussion, Fa Ma could not help but realize that Xiao Ling, already impressive two years ago, had now reached a new level of mastery in alchemy.
His unique insights, mastery and innovation of alchemy techniques all demonstrate his extraordinary talent and profound understanding.
During the communication with Xiao Ling, Fa Ma couldn't help but whisper to himself: "Master Xiao Ling is indeed worthy of his reputation. His talent in alchemy is amazing. I believe that after more than ten years of precipitation, he will surely become the first seventh-grade alchemist in the history of the Jia Ma Empire."
When the discussion was getting better, Fa Ma took the opportunity to make an invitation: "Master Xiao Ling, I wonder if you can attend the Alchemist Conference in a month as a judge? As far as I know, Xiao Yan, the third young master of the Xiao family, will also attend this conference. I believe your participation will add a lot of color to this Alchemist Conference."
Xiao Ling did not directly refuse Fa Ma's invitation when he heard it, but replied calmly: "If then, "When I'm free, I'll naturally attend and offer some guidance to the younger generation of alchemists."
Glancing out the window at the gradually darkening sky, Xiao Ling felt it was time to leave. He stood up and said with a smile, "It's getting late. I just returned to the Jiama Imperial Capital and haven't been back to my clan yet. It's time to go back."
President Fa Ma and Vice President Mitchell nodded in understanding. Fa Ma smiled and said, "Haha, then we won't waste Master Xiao Ling's precious time. I'll see you off..."
The two presidents personally accompanied Xiao Ling out of the Alchemist Guild's gates, watching him disappear into the distance before returning to the guild with a sense of satisfaction and joy.
After this exchange with Xiao Ling, President Fa Ma and Vice President Mitchell both clearly sensed a significant shift in Xiao Ling's attitude toward the Alchemist Guild, becoming noticeably friendlier than two years ago.
...
After leaving the Alchemist Guild, Xiao Ling set out on his journey back to his clan.
Since news of Xiao Ling's return to the Jia Ma Empire had already spread throughout the Holy City, the Xiao family naturally received the news as well, and
they had already dispatched guards to greet him at the gate of the family mansion. Seeing Xiao Ling's figure at the door, the guards all showed respect and greeted him
in unison, "Young Master Xiao Ling." Xiao Ling nodded slightly and then walked through the Xiao family's gate.
Upon learning of Xiao Ling's return, the family elders also came to greet him.
As soon as they learned of Xiao Ling's return to the imperial capital, the Xiao family had already begun preparations, setting up a banquet in the family home, awaiting Xiao Ling's return.
Leading the way was Xiao Zhan, the Xiao family's patriarch, followed closely by Xiao Yan, whom Xiao Ling had not seen in over a year.
Xiao Yan now holds immense prestige within the Xiao Clan, and past events are no longer discussed. When Xiao Zhan steps down as Clan Leader, Xiao Yan will naturally become the next.
Xiao Ling released a subtle burst of soul power to sense Xiao Yan's current level of cultivation: a six-star Grand Master. Judging by his momentum, he's expected to soon reach the rank of High Grand Master.
Under the dedicated training of Elder Huo, a sixth-rank alchemist, Xiao Yan's cultivation has not only improved significantly, but his alchemy skills have also improved, surpassing his peers in the original novel.
...
The atmosphere in the Xiao Clan's meeting hall was solemn and warm.
Xiao Ling listened to Xiao Zhan's account of the family's recent developments, sipping his tea.
After listening to the report, Xiao Ling put down his teacup, his tone tinged with surprise, "The family's growth over the years has truly exceeded my expectations."
Xiao Zhan laughed heartily, saying, "This is all thanks to your immense contributions to the family, Xiao Ling. Without you, our rapid development wouldn't have been possible."
The Great Elder beside him stroked his beard, a broad smile on his face, "Indeed, the greatest credit for the Xiao family's rapid growth belongs to Xiao Ling."
"If it weren't for your relationship with the Mitel family and the Alchemist Guild, our friendly exchanges with other families wouldn't have been so smooth. Other families in the Imperial Capital wouldn't have dared to offend the Xiao family so easily, and this was the key to the Xiao family's rapid growth."
Xiao Ling shook his head slightly, responding modestly, "I've only done my part. The family's prosperity is the result of everyone's joint efforts."
Xiao Ling always maintained a hands-on approach to the Xiao family. The Xiao family was large, with varying talents. While Xiao Ling wanted to help, he also understood that he couldn't cater to every aspect.
He simply took special care of Xiao Yan, giving him some precious techniques and fighting skills, hoping that he would work hard on his own to bring honor to the family. For
a family to maintain long-term stability, the strength of one person alone is far from enough; only when family members unite and work together can they achieve steady progress.
After discussing some family matters with the Xiao family members and having dinner together, Xiao Ling bid them farewell and returned to his own courtyard. Xiao Ling was already impatient for the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Fire...
(End of this chapter)