Chapter 136: An Anxious Lan Shi

As a senior alchemist of the Alchemist Association, Lan Shi knew no less than Sang Que did.

The moment this person suddenly appeared in the celestial realm, Lan Shi's first intuition told her that it was related to You Xiyue.

However, unable to reach You Xiyue, she suddenly remembered the recommendation letter You Xiyue had once asked her for.

"I remember that name was... Yan Qingye, right?"

Lan Shi quickly made her way to the celestial realm branch of the Alchemist Association.

When she placed the badge of a senior alchemist in front of the gatekeeper, the guard was frightened out of his wits.

"You... who are you?" The gatekeeper stammered as he looked at Lan Shi.

"Lan Shi, a seventh-grade alchemist."

"!!!!" The gatekeeper was so terrified he almost passed out. Their small celestial branch considered it a great honor just to have a few intermediate alchemists, and they had never once seen a senior alchemist descend upon them.

"Please, come in!" The gatekeeper stood rigidly at attention, stiff and at a complete loss for what to do.

"Is Yan Qingye here?" Lan Shi asked.

"Are you looking for Alchemist Yan? Yes, he is, yes, he is. I'll take you to his alchemy chamber."

"Please hurry." Lan Shi appeared extremely anxious.

The gatekeeper immediately understood and trotted ahead to lead the way.

It was safe to assume that anything that could make a senior alchemist this anxious must be a matter of grave importance.

All along the way, the gatekeeper could only be heard repeating, "This way, Lord Lan Shi."

This caused all the passing alchemists to freeze in their tracks.

"Did that gatekeeper just say Lord Lan Shi?"

"It sounds like it really is Lord Lan Shi!"

"Oh heavens! Why would Lord Lan Shi come to a place like this?"

The other alchemists, snapping back to their senses, swarmed along in pursuit.

Yan Qingye was currently sitting blankly in the courtyard of his alchemy chamber. It was only natural for his mind to race after being inexplicably chased away by his little master; he had never seen her act so resolute before.

Consequently, even when Lan Shi arrived right in front of him, he failed to snap out of it.

Lan Shi shoved the absent-minded Yan Qingye. "Hey, are you Yan Qingye?"

Focus finally returned to Yan Qingye's eyes as he looked up at Lan Shi. "Who are you?"

"I am Lan Shi."

"Lan Shi?" Confusion flickered across Yan Qingye's face for a moment, and before he could speak, he heard Yun Jianxin's shouting from afar.

"Lord Lan Shi!!!"

Yun Jianxin sprinted over to Lan Shi, her hands nervously clutching her robes.

"Lord Lan Shi, why have you come here?"

Lan Shi was in no mood to entertain these alchemists and yanked Yan Qingye to his feet. "Quickly tell me, where does that little girl who gave you the recommendation letter live?"

"A recommendation letter?" Yan Qingye frowned at Lan Shi. "Are you looking for my little master?"

"Yes, tell me quickly, where is she?"

***

However, Lan Shi was still a step too late.

At that moment, within the courtyard in the celestial realm, that mysterious person had already reached the outer courtyard.

Leisurely, he admired the scenery within the yard.

He sat down on a stone stool by the pavilion, picked up the teapot on the stone table, and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Quite a fine tea indeed. Doesn't the master intend to come out and greet her guest?"

You Xiyue strolled leisurely out of the inner courtyard, saying coldly, "One who comes uninvited can hardly be considered a guest, can they?"

The man chuckled softly, raised his head, and looked at You Xiyue. "Little girl, having snatched my possession, do you not plan to return it to me?"

"Your possession?" You Xiyue chuckled softly. "Since when did it become your possession?"

The man continued to smile. "Naturally, it has been mine from the very beginning."

You Xiyue tilted her head, wearing an innocent expression. "Is that so?"

She raised her right hand and flicked her sleeve. The Aurora was summoned once again, appearing directly on the stone table where the man had been drinking tea.

The stone table froze instantly along with the tea in the cup, and even the smiling man was almost frozen solid.

The man's expression turned ugly in an instant.

"You're courting death?!"

You Xiyue blinked innocently. "You are a very strange person. Wasn't it you who wanted this item? I presented it right before you, yet you still say I'm courting death?"

"Hmph, sharp-tongued."

The man raised his right hand and lunged to grab the Aurora.

As if the Aurora had eyes on the back of its head, it instantly shifted its position.

The man ended up brushing against the tip of the Aurora that had not yet fully vanished.

Blood immediately seeped from his finger.

The man hurriedly withdrew his hand, but it was already too late.

The ice on the stone table surged upward, following the blood and spreading relentlessly, freezing the man's finger bit by bit, then his entire right hand, all the way up to his right arm.

The man was ruthless; he swiftly summoned his weapon and severed his own arm.

Then he retreated a few steps away from the stone table.

"Little girl! You have truly angered me."

You Xiyue couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"Are you out of your mind? The little thing that scratched you is this object, the thing that froze your arm is also this object, and the one who cut off your arm was yourself—what are you going crazy at me for?"

"You!! You infuriate me!"

The man's heavy robes billowed into the air.

The sky of the celestial realm darkened.

A layer of frost began to blanket the ground.

Even the Alchemist Association branch was affected.

Looking at the frost accumulating thicker and thicker on the ground, Lan Shi cried out that it was bad.

***

"Oh no!"

"What is Oh no?" Yan Qingye suddenly felt a pang of panic in his heart.

Even his forehead began to burn with a slight heat.

"Your little master is about to be in trouble! Quickly tell me where she lives!"

"What?!" Upon hearing that You Xiyue was in danger, Yan Qingye bolted toward the celestial courtyard without a second thought.

No wonder she had chased away Senior Jun Yang; no wonder she had chased him away as well.

So it was because a powerful enemy was coming.

Yet, halfway through his run, he stopped.

Lan Shi, following closely behind, gave him an annoyed push. "Why did you stop running? Hurry up!"

Yan Qingye shook his head instead. "I'm not going anymore."

"What?! That's your little master, you're just going to abandon her?" Lan Shi's temper flared instantly as she grabbed Yan Qingye by the collar. "How could she ever take on a disciple like you?"

Yan Qingye laughed at himself bitterly. "Yeah, why did she take me in? I'm so useless; if I go, I'll only become a burden to her. I can't go."

Lan Shi's hand gripping Yan Qingye's collar slowly loosened.

Yan Qingye squatted down with his head in his hands, waiting quietly.
Lan Shi looked down at Yan Qingye, her emotions complex.

Finally, she let out a helpless sigh. "Since you're afraid of being a burden, then tell me the address. I'll go help her."

Yan Qingye's eyes turned slightly red, and with a trace of anticipation, he asked, "Are... are you strong?"

Lan Shi shook her head. "Not particularly."

Seeing Yan Qingye's gaze dim with disappointment, she added, "But getting her out safely shouldn't be a problem."

"Really?" Yan Qingye stood up and hurriedly blurted out the exact address.

Lan Shi's eyes hardened. To be honest, she was somewhat nervous as well.

The hand gripping the medicinal pellet even began to sweat.

Meanwhile, You Xiyue appeared far more relaxed.

The blood at the severed stump of the man's arm quickly coagulated, already showing signs of healing.

You Xiyue raised an eyebrow. "As expected of an elder of the Wuji Abyss."

"The little girl recognizes me?"

The man looked somewhat surprised.

"I've heard a thing or two." You Xiyue walked over to the stone table, sat down, raised a finger, and poked the Aurora, which had gone back to sleeping soundly. "Yao Luo, Third Elder of the Wuji Abyss."

Yao Luo did not look pleased that You Xiyue knew his name; instead, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at her. "Who are you?"