Battle Through the Heavens

The helpless expression on Fa Ma’s face grew even richer under the focus of Xiao Yan’s gaze. However, he did not open his mouth. The alliance that Xiao Yan had mentioned might be extremely alluring, but the reputation that this association possessed in the Jia Ma Empire was only inferior to that of the Misty Cloud Sect. Moreover, even the Misty Cloud Sect was afraid of them from a certain point of view due to them having many alchemists. After all they were extremely clear of the ability to gather experts that alchemists possessed.

Being the head of the Alchemist Association, Fa Ma’s reputation within the Jia Ma Empire was something that even Pill-King Gu He could not match. After so many years of networking, he had a relationship with quite a number of experts. Hence, unless there was a benefit that would cause him to submit, it was likely difficult for him to nod his head in agreement if one wanted him to join the alliance that Xiao Yan has established.

The atmosphere within the hall immediately became much more tense as Xiao Yan stared at Fa Ma while the latter remained silent. Everyone was expressionless. However, a thought had swiftly lingered in their hearts. From the looks of this old fellow Fa Ma, it seemed that he was unwilling to get the Alchemist Association to merge into the alliance. However, given Xiao Yan’s character, he was likely not going to let this faction with an extraordinary ability to gather experts remain independent. It seemed that trouble was unavoidable today.

Jia Xing Tian and Yao Ye had remained silent from the start. Their eyes were cold as they observed the development of the situation. There was the intent of rejecting the offer hidden in Fa Ma’s words, so Jie Xing Tian did not say anything. The appearance of an alliance with great strength within their empire might allow their status to rise quite greatly in the northwestern region, but they were worried that should the faction be too strong, things that secretly intruded into the authority of the imperial family would happen. Hence, they might not have opposed Xiao Yan when he wanted to establish a faction, but they didn’t intend to support forming it. Everything would depend on Xiao Yan’s ability.

“Chairman Fa Ma. Once the alchemist association joins the alliance, the alliance would support all the expenditures of the alchemists in the association. It would have a great benefit to them when they raise their alchemist tier. There is also no need to be overly worried that most of the alchemists within the association are free individuals. As long as chairman Fa Ma agrees, Xiao Yan believes that your agreement would let most of them be at ease in joining the alliance.” Xiao Yan finally opened his mouth and broke the tense atmosphere a moment later.

Fa Ma’s eyes flickered. However, he once again shook his head with a bitter smile a moment later. He sighed, “I cannot make a decision like that. I need to return and discuss with some Elders before making my decision.”

“Chairman Fa Ma, may I know how many tier five alchemists the Alchemist Association currently possesses?” Xiao Yan smiled faintly before suddenly asking.

Fa Ma was startled when he heard this. He immediately replied somewhat uncertainly, “There are not more than five. However, the old me has already been at the peak of the fifth tier for many years. Recently, I have a feeling that I might be able to reach the sixth tier soon!”

Xiao Yan merely smiled when he saw the slight fluttering in Fa Ma’s gaze when the latter spoke. He softly said, “Does chairman Fa Ma really possess the confidence to reach the sixth tier?”

The raising of an alchemist’s tier was unusually difficult. This was because the most important thing for such an increase in tier was that one’s Spiritual Strength must become even stronger. However, increasing Spiritual Strength was extremely tough. Normally speaking, it would only become stronger when someone increased their Dou Qi class. Fa Ma was currently quite old. His strength had also reached the Dou Huang class. However, it was quite difficult to raise his Spiritual Strength once again. After all, not everyone was like Xiao Yan who was not only born with a powerful Spiritual Strength but also possessed the ‘Flame Mantra’ and ‘Heavenly Flames’, which were strange objects that amplified the training of Spiritual Strength.

The smile on Fa Ma’s face was quietly withdrawn upon hearing Xiao Yan’s words. He frowned intently but refused to speak. He was naturally most aware of the situation of his own body.

“As long as chairman Fa Ma is willing to join the alliance, Xiao Yan will promise here that I will let the Alchemist Association own ten tier five alchemists within ten years. Moreover, you will also step into the sixth tier during this period.” Xiao Yan smiled upon seeing Fa Ma’s manner. He slowly threw what was a powerful bomb toward the latter.

Numerous sounds from the inhalation of cold air had expectedly sounded when Xiao Yan’s words rang out. Even Hai Bodong was also looking at the smiling Xiao Yan with a stunned face.

Hai Bodong and the others knew of the difficulty for an alchemist to increase his or her tier. Hence, all of their faces were looking at Xiao Yan with stunned looks when they heard Xiao Yan said that the Alchemist Association would possess ten tier five alchemists and a tier six alchemist within ten years. A ridiculous feeling quietly appeared in their hearts.

Fa Ma was even more aware of the difficulty in increasing one’s tier as compared to the slight experience of Hai Bodong and the others. Hence, his face was also stunned as he looked at Xiao Yan. It was a long while later before he slowly recovered. His expression was strange as he spoke, “Little friend Xiao Yan, although these words of yours greatly move my heart, aren’t they a little too unrealistic?”

“Xiao Yan began coming into contact with pill refinement at the age of thirteen. Only seven years have past since then but I have already reached the sixth tier. With this, I believe that no one would think I am spouting nonsense, right?” Xiao Yan softly replied.

The eyes of everyone in the hall shrank slightly. A shocked look surfaced on Fa Ma’s face. He had always thought that Xiao Yan had come into contact with medicinal pills since he was young, However, now he heard him say… in seven years time, he had turned from a young man completely ignorant about medicinal refinement to the sixth tier alchemist grandmaster he currently was. If what he said was true, this kind of speed was indeed too frightening.

“However, his teacher was that old senior. Given his ability, it is also within reason that he is able to teach such an outstanding disciple… perhaps Xiao Yan might really be able to manage to do what he said.” The shock in Fa Ma’s eyes slowly disappeared. He suddenly recalled that old man who had given pointers to him when they met by chance back then. That person was also Xiao Yan’s teacher, Yao Lao. His heart mused a little before he quietly spoke to himself.

A fiery heat involuntarily surfaced in Fa Ma’s eyes when he thought of this. The greatest wish of his life was to allow himself to travel even further on the alchemist’s path. However, due to his ability and age, it was already extremely difficult for him to advance. If what Xiao Yan had said was true, that Xiao Yan could allow him to break through to a tier six alchemist, it was not impossible for the Alchemist Association to merge into the alliance.

The thought lingered in Fa Ma’s heart. A long while later, he inhaled a long breath of air and his gaze looked at Xiao Yan while he spoke in a deep voice, “If little friend Xiao Yan is really able to allow our Alchemist Association to possess ten tier five alchemists, the old me will agree to merge the Alchemist Association into your alliance!”

Xiao Yan smiled slightly and nodded when he heard this. He had been following beside Yao Lao for many years. He had also been taught by the superb alchemist experience of the latter. With this, Xiao Yan had the confidence that he would be able to groom some alchemists with outstanding medicinal refining skills within ten years. Although there was some difficulty for Fa Ma to break through to the sixth tier, he was not totally without means to do so.

“Ke ke, congratulations little friend Xiao Yan. By including the Alchemist Association into the alliance, it is likely that the potential of the alliance will be difficult to measure.” Jia Xing Tian smiled as he spoke. However, he quietly sighed in his heart. He was not unaware of the status that the Alchemist Association possessed within the Jia Ma Empire. In the past, the imperial family had tried its best to think of ways to rope them in. However, these haughty fellows ultimately refused to listen. It was really unexpected that Xiao Yan had managed to get such a big bargain now.

Xiao Yan also smiled slightly. His gaze glanced at the slight envy that had seeped out of the eyes of Mu Chen and the others. With a faint smile, he said, “As long as the three large clans do their best for the alliance in the future, I, Xiao Yan, will also promise all of you that your clan will possess three or more elite Dou Huangs after ten years. I think that this would be much easier compared to grooming ten tier five alchemists.”

Mu Chen, Nalan Jie, and the rest were startled when they heard this. Their faces were filled with a wild joy as they hurriedly got up, cupped their hands together, and thanked Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan grinned and waved his hand. He said, “Since everyone has joined the alliance, we are naturally all part of one family. The alliance strength will be stronger if we have more experts. This is something that I ought to do.”

Jia Xing Tian and Yao Ye were also shaken by the promise that Xiao Yan had given. Grooming elite Dou Huangs within ten years. They would definitely scoff if these words escaped another person’s mouth. However, in the face of this young man who defeated an elite Dou Zong at the mere age of twenty, the doubt in their hearts had been suppressed to the lowest level. With the latter’s never-ending trump cards, it seemed that he might really have such abilities.

The hearts of the two people were faintly envious when they thought of this. Their imperial family had groomed people for many years but they only possessed a small number of expert Dou Wangs. Other than the ‘Serene Sea Scaly Beast’, the entire imperial family only had Jia Xing Tian as an elite Dou Huang. This was also the area in which Jia Xing Tian was most worried about. Should he end up unluckily dying in the future, would the imperial family that had lost his protection not have their deterrent strength greatly decrease?

Jia Xing Tian and Yao Ye exchanged glances while they sighed quietly within their hearts. Their brows frowned slightly as they softly sighed. After musing for a moment, Jia Xing Tian appeared to have made a great decision as he stood up, faced Xiao Yan and spoke with his hands cupped together, “Ke ke, little friend Xiao Yan. May I know if you will be able to allow our imperial family to possess a couple of elite Dou Huangs in ten years if we were to join this alliance?”

Everyone in the hall was shocked by these sudden words that came from Jia Xing Tian. Was the imperial family also thinking of joining this alliance?

Yao Ye was similarly stunned by Jia Xing Tian’s words, but she immediately came to a quiet understanding. She knew that the main reason for the imperial family being able to stand in the Jia Ma Empire was largely because of the deterrent of this great-grandfather of hers. However, the imperial family was unable to groom an elite Dou Huang with enough strength to replace him no matter how much effort they put in. Hence, everyone was worried that the position of the imperial family would end up receiving a blow once Jia Xing Tian were to die.

A true expert always rode above any empire in the Dou Qi continent. An elite Dou Huang was able to fight with an ordinary army consisting of tens of thousands of individuals. His or her powerful destructive strength decided their position. Moreover, in this somewhat weaker empire like the Jia Ma Empire, an elite Dou Huang was enough to influence victory or defeat in a battle.

Xiao Yan felt somewhat surprised as he studied Jia Xing Tian. The other party’s actions were beyond his expectations. He did not think that his promise to the three large clan would actually also move this old man. The surprise lasted for a moment before he revealed a smile on his face and nodded. He said, “Xiao Yan will naturally welcome this thought that Jia Lao has. As long as the imperial family is able to take out people who truly possess talent, Xiao Yan will do my best to do so. The alliance and the imperial family will share the same woes and blessings in the future!”

Jia Xing Tian laughed out loud when he heard this. His heart, however, sighed in relief. Perhaps committing to this alliance would further solidify the position of their imperial family.

“Ke ke, since this is an alliance, have you given it a name?”

Xiao Ding smiled slightly. He exchanged glances with Xiao Yan before softly replying, “There are only two words in the name of the alliance. We call it…”

“Yan Alliance!”