"The Misty Cloud Sect doesn't determine seniority based on how long you've been a member, but by strength. As long as you're strong enough, disciples of the same generation must call you 'senior brother'," Nalan Yanran explained awkwardly, her face slightly red, embarrassed as her thoughts were guessed.
Xiao Se replied seriously, "It's not that I think the Misty Cloud Sect is bad, but everyone has their own choices. Compared to joining a sect or other forces, I prefer freedom. If you bind your heart to a sect or a power, wouldn't it be a waste of this life? Instead, it's better to explore this vast continent freely. That's what makes life exciting."
There was another important reason Xiao Se didn't mention: if he joined the Misty Cloud Sect, it would be inconvenient to court her teacher, Yun Yun.
"Freedom?" Nalan Yanran muttered softly. Her beautiful eyes lowered, showing a hint of longing and a touch of sadness. She couldn't help but ask herself, why should she marry a complete stranger just because of a marriage contract arranged by her family?
Quietly, Nalan Yanran's resolve to cancel the engagement grew even stronger.
As they reached a fork in the road, Xiao Se's attention was caught by the east hall of the Alchemist Guild headquarters. There, rows of square stone platforms were set up, with various jars and bottles displayed on them.
Beside each platform sat robed alchemists, likely the marketplace provided by the Alchemist Guild for alchemists to trade.
"Miss Nalan, I'm heading to the trading hall over there. I'll go ahead," Xiao Se said seriously, noticing that Nalan Yanran was lost in thought.
"Oh, Mr. Xiao Huo, please go ahead. The Nalan family lives in the Imperial City, so if you have time, you're welcome to visit us anytime," Nalan Yanran hurriedly responded, snapping out of her thoughts.
Xiao Se nodded slowly and turned towards the trading hall.
Watching Xiao Se's departing figure, Nalan Yanran whispered, "Freedom... I must fight for it too."
After a moment of contemplation, Nalan Yanran firmly nodded. She had decided. After the Alchemist Conference, no matter what, she would propose the cancellation of the engagement to her grandfather,
Nalan Jie. If her grandfather refused, she would seek the help of her teacher, Yun Yun. With her teacher, a Dou Huang expert, backing her, she doubted that the Xiao family in Wutan City would dare to refuse.
Meanwhile, Xiao Se had already reached the entrance of the trading hall.
He was unaware of Nalan Yanran's decision to cancel the engagement, and even if he knew, he wouldn't care. Whether she canceled it or not had little to do with him. Taking another look at the bustling crowd ahead, he stepped into the trading hall.
Currently, Xiao Se was wearing the robes of a second-tier alchemist, and his ordinary face was hidden under a silkworm mask, which didn't attract any attention.
As he wandered slowly through the trading hall, Xiao Se glanced around. So far, he hadn't found anything truly valuable. This time, with his X-ray vision and his soul power at the level of a fifth-tier alchemist, he wanted to try his luck again. Especially if he could find the secret technique that contained the first transformation of the 'Skyfire Three Mysterious Change,' it would be perfect if it had already entered the trading hall.
He walked and stopped for a while. There were indeed many rare items, but none were what he needed. With some impatience, Xiao Se was about to leave when a small, nearly deserted stone platform caught his attention. He frowned slightly and approached it.
Behind the stone platform sat an elderly man with a stern face. To Xiao Se's surprise, despite the strange objects and rare martial skills displayed on the platform — including the rare Ice Spirit Cold Fountain— almost no one came to trade. Even those who approached left after a quick glance.
Upon closer inspection, Xiao Se finally understood why no one was interested. The items were priced too high, with most of them requiring a fourth-tier pill for exchange, and the Ice Spirit Cold Spring even requiring a fifth-tier pill. It was outright extortion.
But the stern-faced old man didn't seem to care, sitting there calmly with a trace of laziness.
Seeing that Xiao Se didn't leave after a quick glance like the others, the old man slowly raised his drooping eyelids. Upon seeing Xiao Se's young face and the second-tier alchemist badge on his chest, the old man's stern face showed a slight change, and he said indifferently, "Young man, if you want something, just take it. The price is marked."
Xiao Se nodded slightly, scanning the stall with his X-ray vision. To his disappointment, while there were plenty of good items, none were suitable for him. Just as he was about to look away, a black jade piece on an open wooden box caught his attention. The jade piece seemed different from other ordinary ones, as if it had been crafted using a special method.
Glancing discreetly at the black jade, Xiao Se looked at the price before asking, "Old man, why is this wooden box empty?"
The old man glanced at the box and quickly lost interest. "This item was something I found during my travels. Despite the passage of time, it hasn't decayed, and not even the flames conjured by a fourth-tier alchemist can damage it. If you want it, it costs a fourth-tier pill."
Hearing that even the flames from a fourth-tier alchemist couldn't harm the box, Xiao Se became more convinced of his suspicions. He then took out a jade bottle from his storage ring and tossed it to the old man, saying, "I'll take it. This is a fourth-tier pill, the Beast Strength Pill, which temporarily enhances the user's strength."
The old man opened the bottle, checked the pill, and confirmed it was genuine. Surprised, he looked at Xiao Se and asked, "You're really going to trade?"
"Of course. I've already given you the pill," Xiao Se replied, taking the wooden box and walking off into the crowd without another glance, while the old man stood there, seemingly lost in thought.
After leaving the Alchemist Guild headquarters, a notification sounded in Xiao Se's mind.
[Ding. The one-month mark has been reached. System refreshed. Congratulations, host, for earning an exchange opportunity and a lottery spin.]
"System, first exchange that doll in my warehouse," Xiao Se commanded.
[Ding. Congratulations, host, for exchanging for Zhu Zhuqing from the 'Douluo Continent' world.]
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