Chapter Eighty-Five: Preparing to Leave Dou Po, Part Five

Yes. After all, I am a seventh-grade alchemist myself; my injuries should heal a little faster, shouldn’t they?

Lin An said with a smile.

“Of course there’s no problem!”

Yun Yun replied, though even with medicinal help, the state he was in was not something pills alone could explain.

“Do you have something on your mind?” Yun Yun did not press further, but asked in return.

“Where is Ancestor Yun Shan now?” Lin An asked.

“He should be in seclusion at the moment. Do you need him for something?”

“Yes, it is indeed something very important!” Lin An nodded.

Yao Chen had also come to Lin An’s side by then; Lin An had informed him in advance.

“I already sent word to Yun Shan just now. He should be here very soon,” Yao Chen said.

“What exactly has the young master called for me to discuss?”

Yun Shan’s voice came from afar.

They had never entered the Hall of the Underworld, and naturally had no idea what it looked like after its upgrade, so Lin An was not surprised.

“Next, I need you two to help me establish City God Temples in the major towns of the Jia Ma Empire. At the same time, we must determine who will serve as the City Gods...”

Although they still did not know exactly what a City God was, the two of them nodded without hesitation in agreement. Once they understood what the City God Temple was, both were deeply shaken.

So this was how one could gather soul points.

“Rest assured, Young Master. You can focus on your engagement in peace; leave everything to Yao Chen and me,” Yun Shan said.

“And a City God Temple should also be established at the Misty Cloud Sect. Yun Shan, you will serve as the City God there,” Lin An added.

Yun Shan hastily nodded in agreement.

The City God Temple also had other functions. According to Lin An’s explanation, these were tied to incense offerings, which could be transformed into energy that raised one’s cultivation, allowing breakthroughs to come even faster in the future.

Soon, the location of the City God Temple was decided. It would be built where Yun Shan had once secluded himself.

After spending ten soul points, before long the City God Temple had appeared before everyone’s eyes.

Yun Shan and Yao Chen were already used to such things. No matter how miraculous the event, they would no longer find it strange.

As for the people who had already been chosen, Lin An handed the list to Yao Chen. The remaining matters were left entirely to the two of them.

That very night, Yun Shan and Yao Chen left the Misty Cloud Sect.

It would not be long before City God Temples were established in all the major towns of the Jia Ma Empire.

“Lin An, why aren’t you handling this matter yourself this time? I remember you used to do everything personally,”

Nalan Yanran said shyly, leaning into Lin An’s embrace.

“Of course it’s because I want to spend more time with you,” Lin An replied with a smile.

The engagement would take place three days later. Before leaving the Dou Po world, Lin An decided not to do anything else in the Jia Ma Empire and instead devote all his time to being with Nalan Yanran.

“Do you have something you need to go and do?” Nalan Yanran asked as if she had guessed it already.

“Yes. Ten days from now, I may need to leave the Jia Ma Empire for half a year to take care of some matters,” Lin An said with apology.

They had not even been engaged yet, and he was already going to leave for half a year, unable even to bring Nalan Yanran along. Lin An still felt somewhat guilty.

“It’s fine. The Jia Ma Empire no longer means much to you. With your talent, a place like this could never hold you back. And I, Nalan Yanran, am not the kind of woman who relies on a man. I want to use this time to improve myself properly. Even if I can’t catch up to you, I still want to come a little closer to you. At the very least, that way I won’t place all the pressure on your shoulders.”

Nalan Yanran was as gentle as water, and her words melted Lin An’s heart.

He had thought that after learning he would be leaving for half a year, Nalan Yanran would complain. He could have understood that completely. He had never imagined that in the end, she would think this way.

That night, the two of them finally became truly one. Two days later, they returned hand in hand to the Nalan family.

This engagement banquet was held on a grand scale. Every influential and powerful family in the entire Jia Ma Empire gathered at the Nalan estate, offering congratulations to Lin An and Nalan Yanran, and also to Nalan Jie and Nalan Su.

Looking at the crowd assembled within the Nalan family, Lin An felt no great stir in his heart. These people had all come for the reputation of his seventh-grade alchemist title. If there ever came a day when he fell from grace, they would likely climb over him without hesitation.

After drinking a few simple cups, Lin An took Nalan Yanran and left the Nalan family. He had no desire to entertain these people; that was better left to Nalan Su and Nalan Jie.

Nalan Yanran also cherished every moment spent with Lin An. Yet there is no feast that does not end, and before long, ten days had passed in the blink of an eye.

Late at night, Lin An gently kissed the forehead of the still-sleeping Nalan Yanran, then left without looking back.

After he left, Nalan Yanran opened her eyes.

Lin An was about to depart; how could she possibly sleep? She had only pretended to do so in order to let him leave in peace.

“When you come back next time, I will definitely let you see a different Nalan Yanran,” she whispered softly.

...

After leaving the room, Lin An summoned the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King at once. He then mounted it and left the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire, appearing in a desolate forest.

“Master, since you are leaving the Jia Ma Empire, why did you have me bring you to a place like this? Shouldn’t you be going back?” Little Purple asked in confusion.

“You’ll understand soon enough. I am indeed leaving the Jia Ma Empire, but the place I’m going is something you would never guess,” Lin An said.

Through his inquiries, he had learned that as his mount, the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King could stay by his side and follow him to the next plane. He had also given her a pleasant, easy-to-remember name: Little Purple.

When Little Purple learned that Lin An intended to take her with him, she was overjoyed.

After all, she was the only one the master had chosen to keep at his side.

“Go into the Hall of the Underworld first,” Lin An said.

Little Purple nodded. Though somewhat puzzled, she obeyed and returned to the Hall of the Underworld.

With the Flame Emperor now in charge of the Misty Cloud Sect, and with the strength of a Dou Zun enhanced by the Hall of the Underworld, even a Dou Sheng might not be his match. Moreover, Lin An would only be away for half a year, so there should not be any serious problems.

More importantly, if danger truly arose, they could all enter the independent spatial City God Temple built by the Hall of the Underworld and wait until he appeared again.

So even if anyone truly intended to trouble Lin An or those around him, they should not be in mortal danger.

Silently uttering a word in his heart, Lin An’s figure was instantly swallowed by a dark radiance and vanished from where he stood.