Chapter 149: Three Months
"Glub... glub~"
Zi Yan was fully immersed in the medicinal liquid, with bubbles continuously rising to the surface. Her large eyes were wide open, showing a hint of joy. She swam around in the bath, swallowing the medicinal liquid, which was extremely unique and seemed not to interfere with her breathing. The vitality contained within it continuously flowed into her body, nourishing her long-dried body, and causing a faint purple glow to emanate from her.
Seeing this, Yao Yan was not surprised. He had previously checked Zi Yan's body, and it had always been in a state of 'hunger and thirst.' The heavenly treasures she had been consuming in the past could only meet her basic growth needs and could not fully unleash the power hidden within her bloodline. The life essence in the medicinal liquid was meant to remedy this.
Yao Yan didn't know how Zi Yan was born, but it was clear that her early years must have been extremely harsh. If not for meeting Su Qian, she might have died in someone's hands one day.
The people of the Black Corner Region didn't care what Zi Yan's true form was, nor would they show any mercy. They would only pursue their own interests. A magical beast cub with spatial talents was priceless, and the entire Black Corner Region would fight for it, even going as far as marking her with a 'slave seal.'
"Whoosh~"
Zi Yan's head popped out of the medicinal liquid, and she curiously watched the purple glow radiating from her body. She felt very warm, as though she had returned to the time before her birth, soaking in the egg liquid. The sensation was incredibly mysterious, as though her entire body was being nourished. The hunger and thirst she had previously felt were rapidly fading away.
Yao Yan used his soul power to scan Zi Yan and found that the power within her was gradually awakening. The dormant power in her bloodline was being continuously activated by the medicinal liquid. He turned to Zi Yan and said, "Focus and sit cross-legged. Try absorbing the essence from the medicinal liquid; it should help you lay your foundation and elevate your strength to the next level."
Zi Yan obediently nodded and sat cross-legged, her small body fully immersed in the medicinal liquid. She began absorbing the essence from it. As the princess of the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Clan, her talent was extraordinary. She didn't need guidance—her natural instincts from her bloodline allowed her to quickly begin absorbing all the energy around her.
As she entered the state, the purple glow surrounding her grew increasingly intense, even drawing the surrounding energy of heaven and earth. A strong wind began to swirl.
"Whoosh!"
Sensing the disturbance, Su Qian hurried over. He was surprised to see Zi Yan immersed in the medicinal liquid. He felt her increasing aura and vitality. After a moment, he turned to Yao Yan and asked, "What's going on with Zi Yan?"
"Her true form is extremely special, and her bloodline power is exceptionally strong. If she were in her family, the elders would have laid her foundation and activated her bloodline power. Unfortunately, we don't have the conditions here. I can only use what I have to help her establish her foundation and make up for what she lacked in the past. This way, she won't have to scavenge for food like she used to."
Yao Yan explained to Su Qian while observing Zi Yan's transformation.
After saying that, he paused for a moment before continuing, "Grand Elder, please use your spatial power to shield Zi Yan's surroundings to prevent her aura from leaking."
Yao Yan said this with great seriousness, suddenly recalling the situation with the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Clan and their deadly rival, the Heavenly Phoenix. If people from either of these two clans sensed Zi Yan's aura, it would not be a good thing for her. It wouldn't just be about him—everyone in the Black Corner Region would be affected.
Both the Heavenly Phoenix and the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Clan were overlords among magical beasts, and their actions were extremely domineering. They followed a single rule: the survival of the fittest.
Su Qian, seeing the seriousness on Yao Yan's face, furrowed his brows slightly. He raised his hand and used his spatial power to cover the entire courtyard, shielding Zi Yan and cutting off her connection to the outside world. He then looked at Yao Yan and asked in a deep voice, "You seem worried about something."
"It's just a precaution," Yao Yan replied without elaborating further. There was no point in discussing it with Su Qian, as his strength couldn't change much. After all, these matters involved Dou Sheng-level experts, and even Su Qian couldn't do anything about it. There were only a few people who could intervene, and saying too much would only cause trouble. It was better to remain ignorant.
Yao Yan had no ill will toward Jia Nan Academy or Su Qian, so he wouldn't take unnecessary actions.
For now, it was enough to maintain the status quo with Jia Nan Academy and Su Qian.
In fact, Yao Yan would even take care of some troublesome matters, helping Jia Nan Academy become the undisputed overlord while drawing attention away from the Eight Gates of Hei Yin City, so that the biggest secret of Jia Nan Academy could be protected. He didn't want anyone accidentally discovering the world deep in the magma.
As this thought crossed his mind, a name suddenly flashed through his mind: Heavenly Fire Sovereign!
Su Qian could see that Yao Yan didn't want to say more, so he fell silent. Although he hadn't interacted much with Yao Yan, he felt that the young man had a lot hidden inside him.
After a brief pause, Su Qian slowly spoke, "You should never carry everything on your own. Life will be too hard that way."
Yao Yan looked at Su Qian in surprise. He hadn't expected Su Qian to say something like that. But the kindness in his words was clear, and Yao Yan couldn't help but smile in response. "Grand Elder, have you ever thought about completely changing the situation in the Black Corner Region? Don't you think it's too chaotic here?"
"Jia Nan Academy will not participate in external conflicts. This is an agreement made between the headmaster of Jia Nan Academy and various forces. It is also the reason Jia Nan Academy has been able to exist for so long," Su Qian calmly explained the rules of Jia Nan Academy.
Jia Nan Academy did not involve itself in any factional disputes; it was an iron rule. Unless someone broke it and forced Jia Nan Academy's hand.
"If you kill everyone who knows about Jia Nan Academy's involvement, wouldn't that solve the problem?" Yao Yan said softly.
This sentence left Su Qian stunned. He stared at Yao Yan in shock. Even though the young man wore a mask, his eyes were calm, as though saying something completely ordinary. It was clear that this young man was also a tough character. But that was normal—if he weren't, he wouldn't have done those things within his family.
Revenge for parents… it's easy to say, but how many people in the world can actually do it?
Su Qian's expression grew serious, and he asked, "What do you want to do?"
"To reshuffle the Black Corner Region... After entering the Black Corner Region, I realized how chaotic this place is. All the forces are gathering here, and killing, looting, and plundering are so common that even an auction has become a farce. Do you really think Jia Nan Academy can stay out of this forever?"
Yao Yan turned to Su Qian, asking in return.
"...Jia Nan Academy will not actively intervene in any faction's disputes," Su Qian said calmly, without any change in his expression.
Yao Yan nodded silently, understanding Su Qian's message. However, it was enough for him. After all, this was his plan all along. To get Jia Nan Academy involved, he would need to start with Han Feng. He didn't believe that Han Feng, this greedy man, could resist his desire for the Fallen Heart Flame.
Having just consumed the Sea Heart Flame, Han Feng's cultivation should be at a similar level to Yao Yan's. A Xuan-tier technique was no longer enough for a Dou Huang expert.
Moreover, Han Feng had been cultivating the incomplete Burning Decision, and his natural talent had been wasted. If he wanted to quickly increase his strength, he would need external help.
How could he resist the temptation of the Fallen Heart Flame, a heavenly flame that could increase cultivation speed?
The two fell silent for a moment.
Su Qian suddenly spoke, "Your thoughts are not with Jia Nan Academy."
"I've come to fulfill a childhood wish, and that's enough… If necessary, I will establish a force in the Black Corner Region. Therefore, I need some help. In the Black Corner Region, no force is more suitable than Jia Nan Academy." Yao Yan spoke candidly, and for someone like Su Qian, honesty was more trustworthy.
"That's your true goal!" Su Qian's tone suddenly grew tense. After a moment, he asked with some confusion, "With your status as a seventh-grade alchemist, forming a force should be easy, right?"
"The people of the Black Corner Region can cooperate, but they can't be trusted. If I were to really form a force, they wouldn't do," Yao Yan said softly.
"So, you've set your sights on the students of Jia Nan Academy?!" Su Qian's gaze flickered, his voice stern.
"It depends on their willingness. Whether they want to create a force with me, a superpower that could reach Central State in the future. I'm young, so I need companions who are also young, and their talents must not be lacking. I can't think of a better place than Jia Nan Academy." Yao Yan calmly said, looking into Su Qian's cold eyes.
This was also one of the reasons he came to Jia Nan Academy. Though not the most important reason, it certainly sounded believable.
Su Qian thought of criticizing Yao Yan's arrogance but realized that with such talent, this young man had every right to be arrogant. Even if Su Qian couldn't find the words to speak, an 18-year-old Five-Star Dou Wang and a seventh-grade alchemist were enough to silence anyone, especially when both talents were concentrated in the same person.
Even Su Qian had to consider the feasibility of what Yao Yan was saying.
Su Qian closed his eyes and thought for a moment before slowly speaking, "Jia Nan Academy will not interfere with the choices of its graduates. If you want to recruit them, I won't stop you. But for the students still studying, I hope you won't contact them. This is the bottom line of Jia Nan Academy and my warning to you."
If Yao Yan truly reached that level, Su Qian didn't mind offering some assistance. After all, an 18-year-old seventh-grade alchemist was too frightening. If those talented graduates of Jia Nan Academy were willing to follow him, they might really create a miracle in the future.
"Naturally." Yao Yan smiled softly in response.
"You've already planned everything, haven't you?" Su Qian chuckled, realizing that Yao Yan had been testing Jia Nan Academy's limits step by step. From meeting Hu Qian, to speaking with him, to the later events with Zi Yan, Su Qian's vigilance had been gradually broken down, and now a foundation for cooperation had been established.
During this time, Yao Yan hadn't presented anything valuable, except for his "honesty," which was exactly what Su Qian appreciated.
For exceptional young people, he was willing to offer some help within his capacity.
"Buzz~"
While they were talking, the essence of the medicinal liquid in the bath basin had already been fully absorbed by Zi Yan. At this moment, her entire body was enveloped in a tangible purple energy, forming an egg-shaped object. She was continuously inhaling and exhaling the surrounding energy, and there was even a slight reaction from spatial energy.
The spatial energy, which could only be controlled by a Dou Zong, was now flowing into Zi Yan's body as if her body was naturally attuned to it.
"?!"
This scene shocked Su Qian. He couldn't help but stop the conversation with Yao Yan, staring intently at Zi Yan's transformation. After confirming that she could absorb spatial energy, he murmured, "What kind of magical beast is Zi Yan? How is she so compatible with spatial energy?!"
Even Dou Sheng-level experts might not be able to do this.
"Grand Elder, I'll trouble you to cut off the connection between this spatial energy and the outside world. It's best if no trace of it leaks out, or else it could bring unwanted trouble," Yao Yan reminded.
Though the Black Corner Region was far from Central State, the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Clan had always lived amidst spatial turbulence and was highly sensitive to spatial power. Zi Yan, being a royal bloodline of the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Clan, would definitely create unusual spatial disturbances.
However, Yao Yan couldn't assess this for sure. He could only guess, as he hadn't reached that level yet.
Perhaps because Yao Yan was speaking so seriously, Su Qian gave his all, even merging his body into space. He then cut off the surrounding space from the outside world, including the connection to the spatial turbulence. After completing everything, he had beads of sweat on his forehead and muttered softly, "Fortunately, the spatial fluctuation caused by Zi Yan isn't too strong, or I wouldn't have been able to cover it up."
"Grand Elder, thank you for your hard work."
Yao Yan chuckled, then turned to look at Zi Yan, who was entering her breakthrough state. By the time she woke up from this, her strength should have reached the Fifth-Star level. At this stage, Zi Yan could barely be considered a "young girl," and her body would likely grow significantly taller.
"How long will Zi Yan need?" Su Qian asked, still quite concerned about her.
"Three months," Yao Yan estimated.
This time was enough for him to finish some things.
(END CHAPTER)
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