Chapter 50: The Transformation of Nalan Yanran

Since leaving the Yunlan Sect, it had been some time since Lin An last returned. This time, he resolved to devote himself to cultivation for a while; only after breaking through to the rank of Great Dou Master would he leave the Yunlan Sect once more.

At the same time, Lin An decided that, for his next journey out into the world, he would not bring Yao Chen or Yun Shan along. With them at his side, the pressure he felt was far too little. Besides, at present, he possessed formidable strength, yet he sorely lacked real combat experience.

Lin An had also received word that Xiao Yan of Wutan City had already left a month ago—a worrying sign indeed.

As the protagonist of the Battle Through the Heavens plane, Xiao Yan was certainly never short of opportunities or fortune. Even though Lin An could scarcely recall much of the original plot, he knew well enough that Xiao Yan’s early departure was far ahead of schedule, greatly diverging from the original story.

Even the Xiao Clan had received the assistance of a mysterious alchemist and had now become Wutan City’s foremost family.

“Without Yao Chen, can Xiao Yan still become an alchemist?” Lin An murmured in disbelief.

He wondered whether Xiao Yan was now seeking the Heavenly Flames. If that were the case, things would become even more complicated.

“Enough—I shouldn’t dwell on it for now. What I’m truly eager to see is, as the child of destiny in this world, how far Xiao Yan will have grown when he steps onto the grounds of the Yunlan Sect. A Great Dou Master, perhaps?”

Lin An shook his head. If the plot remained unchanged, it was possible. But now, he felt the rank of Great Dou Master might be no more than a starting point.

“Junior Brother, are you inside?” At that moment, Nalan Yanran’s voice sounded from outside his door.

Lin An emerged from his chambers. Upon seeing the smile on her face, he immediately understood that she must have come to terms with whatever had been troubling her.

“Senior Sister, do you need something?” Lin An asked.

“Must I have a reason to seek you out?” Nalan Yanran replied with faint annoyance.

“Ahem... Of course not. Whenever you need me, you’re always welcome to find me.” Lin An responded with a straight face.

“As if... anyone would need you!”

For reasons unknown to Lin An, Nalan Yanran’s cheeks flushed red as an apple, as though some thought had just occurred to her.

Lin An looked at her in surprise. In this seemingly old-fashioned world, young women’s imaginations ran quite wild.

If not for seeing her blush, even Lin An would never have let his mind wander in that direction.

“All right, enough joking around, Junior Brother!”

“In truth... I did come to ask you for something!” Nalan Yanran then adopted a serious tone.

Lin An wanted to protest that he hadn’t been joking at all; it was she who—

“What is it?” he asked, truly unable to guess what matter would require his assistance at this time.

“It’s a task from Master. She wants the two of us to go together,” Nalan Yanran explained.

“What is it?” Lin An pressed, growing more curious.

“Master wants us to journey into the Magic Beast Mountain Range and seek out the Companion Amethyst Source!”

“The Companion Amethyst Source? Isn’t that something only the sixth-rank Magic Beast, the Amethyst Winged Lion King, possesses? That’s a beast on par with a Dou Emperor. Having just the two of us go—doesn’t Master fear for our safety?”

Lin An was puzzled. According to his knowledge, the Companion Amethyst Source should have been sought by Yun Yun herself. Why was Nalan Yanran now accompanying him to search for it instead?

Still, this change had its advantages. With the story altered, if Yun Yun were to encounter Xiao Yan in the Magic Beast Mountain Range by chance while seeking the Companion Amethyst Source, it was not an outcome Lin An wished to witness.

Moreover, since he already intended to venture out alone for training, the Magic Beast Mountain Range was an excellent place to start. Bringing Nalan Yanran along posed little challenge for him.

“Master said you’re cunning and resourceful, sure to find a way out of any danger!” Nalan Yanran said, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

“....”

“Very well. After a few days’ rest, I’ll accompany you to the Magic Beast Mountain Range to seek the Companion Amethyst Source,” Lin An agreed.

“That’s for the best!”

“Oh, Junior Brother, I’ve been practicing my cooking lately. Would you be willing to taste some of my dishes?” After a moment’s hesitation, Nalan Yanran finally asked her question.

“You’ve been practicing cooking as well?”

But since you have the heart for it, how could I possibly refuse?” Lin An, though surprised, readily accepted.

Nalan Yanran smiled, naturally took Lin An’s arm, and led him away.

Lin An could not help but marvel at the change in Nalan Yanran. Not long ago, someone or something must have persuaded her, for the brief separation had brought about such transformation—far beyond Lin An’s expectations.

He also noticed, to his astonishment, that Nalan Yanran’s relationship with Xiao Xun’er had improved considerably—so much so that Nalan Yanran even invited her along.

Their close interactions were a public declaration to all of Yunlan Sect regarding the relationship between Nalan Yanran and Lin An.

One could only guess how many young disciples’ hearts were broken by the sight.

...

Ten days later, the two had made their preparations and set out for the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

Yun Yun herself came to see them off. “Originally, I intended for you to be the next Sect Leader of Yunlan Sect, but Master said your ambitions do not lie here. To you, Yunlan Sect is but a small place. So I have decided to appoint Yanran as the next Sect Leader. You have no objections, I presume?”

“Naturally, I have none,” Lin An replied with a smile.

Indeed, as Yun Shan had said, even if the entire Yunlan Sect were handed to him, he would refuse without a second thought.

Allowing Nalan Yanran to succeed as Sect Leader was, in fact, an excellent choice.

“Though your means are many and your strength far surpasses your peers, always remember: the experts of the Dou Qi Continent greatly outnumber your imagination. There are some matters best left alone....” Yun Yun continued with her customary words of caution.

Catching Nalan Yanran’s eye, Lin An could see she, too, wished to escape their master’s nagging. With a little ruse, he whisked her away, and together they fled into the distance.

Another ten days passed, and Lin An and Nalan Yanran had already entered the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

[Host: Lin An]

[Current Rank: Dou Shi, Nine-Star Peak]

[Techniques and Dou Skills: First Layer of Six Paths Reincarnation Technique, Wind Wolf Seal, Profound Mystic Blood Finger (Mysterious Tier Dou Skill), Sevenfold Soul-Extinguishing Finger (Earth Tier Martial Skill)]

[Weapon: God-Binding Lock]

[Soul Points: 98,546]

...

His previous efforts and careful planning had finally borne fruit. At least now, his Soul Points were nearing one hundred thousand—one-tenth of the way toward his goal of a million.

At the same time, Lin An could only smile wryly; the powerful figures he had subdued could only help him collect souls and earn Soul Points, but could not transmit their abilities or cultivation directly to him.

Even so, Lin An was deeply satisfied. If things had gone as he initially imagined, it would not be long before he could dominate the entire Dou Qi Continent.