"Strength gaps can only be bridged by other means. Take another hit! Octo-Burst!" Xiao Heng declared.
His palm erupted in blazing blue flames, the fire dancing wildly. With a fierce leap, he aimed his flaming palm at Instructor Ruo Lin's abdomen.
Instead of soft skin, he met a yielding wall—likely a Da Dou Shi's Dou Qi Armor. The shimmering blue armor absorbed most of his attack's force.
Ruo Lin staggered back a dozen steps, her face paling as she channeled Dou Zhi Qi to dispel Octo-Burst's hidden force. A Nine-Star Dou Shi wielding the Devouring Blue Flame made Xiao Heng's Octo-Burst far more potent than Xiao Yan's Dou Zhe-level version, pressuring even a Da Dou Shi like Ruo Lin. She's feeling it, Xiao Heng thought.
Seizing the moment, Xiao Heng began charging his next technique. "Your leaves are approved!" Ruo Lin said, seeing his preparation for a stronger move. His strength had already impressed her.
"Thank you, Instructor Ruo Lin!" Xiao Heng bowed, with Xiao Yan mirroring him from below.
___
After spending two more days with Xiao Xun Er, Xiao Heng and Xiao Yan headed to the Magical Beast Mountain Range. "Heng-gege, how long are you staying this time?" Xiao Yan asked.
"I'm heading to the Chu Yun Empire after this. I'm just picking someone up here and introducing you," Xiao Heng replied.
"Who?" Xiao Yan asked.
"Your second sister-in-law," Xiao Heng said with a grin.
"Heng-gege, you're building a harem? Aren't you scared Xun Er will find out?" Xiao Yan teased.
"Xun Er will understand," Xiao Heng said confidently.
___
Five days later, the brothers reached the Magical Beast Mountain Range. After entering and walking a distance, Xiao Heng paused.
"Wait here. I'll fetch her," Xiao Heng said.
"Got it," Xiao Yan panted, lugging his heavy black ruler.
Xiao Heng summoned his Dou Zhi Qi, sprouting two-meter Purple Cloud Wings. With a flap, he vanished into the forest.
"Dou Qi Wings?" Xiao Yan gaped.
"No, a flight Dou Technique," Yao Lao's voice echoed in Xiao Yan's mind, explaining briefly.
In a lush valley, a white-robed woman was refining a pill—Blood-Coagulating Powder—on an open clearing. So focused, she didn't notice Xiao Heng's approach.
Boom! Black smoke billowed from the cyan cauldron, signaling a failed refinement.
"Failed again!" The woman, Xiao Yi Xian, sighed, propping her chin. Xiao Heng had left her the cauldron and simple pill recipes for basic healing medicines.
"Guess who?" Xiao Heng covered her eyes, his voice playful.
"Who dares sneak up on this lady!" Xiao Yi Xian's Dou Zhi Qi surged, gray-purple energy gathering at her elbow. With a swift strike, she sent the man behind her flying.
"Xiao Yi Xian, it's me!" Xiao Heng shouted mid-air. Her attack was too fast. After absorbing the Jia Lie clan's energy droplets, he was a Five-Star Da Dou Shi, his Devouring Blue Flame at One-Star Da Dou Shi level. Yet, he couldn't react, summoning Dou Qi Armor mid-flight to cushion his crash into a boulder.
"Xiao Heng, it's you! I thought it was an attacker," Xiao Yi Xian said, purple Dou Qi Wings sprouting as she glided above him.
"Cough!" Xiao Heng sputtered. "Xiao Yi Xian, why so heavy-handed?"
"Heavy? Seems fine to me. Look, you're unscathed," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you waiting so long," Xiao Heng said earnestly, climbing from the rubble.
"Hmph, you'd better know it. Try it again, and see what happens!" Xiao Yi Xian landed.
"You're already a Dou Wang?" Xiao Heng asked, astonished.
"Yup!" Xiao Yi Xian nodded. "Three months after you left, I stumbled into a ravine while gathering herbs. It had five fifth-tier poisonous plants. They pushed me to Three-Star Dou Wang."
"My Xiao Yi Xian's luck is amazing!" Xiao Heng gave a thumbs-up.
"Don't upset me again, or I'll thrash you," she said, tapping his head with a Dou Qi-wrapped fist.
"No way. Here's a Dou Technique I got for you. Check it out," Xiao Heng said, handing her a purple scroll.
"High Xuan Class Dou Technique: Poison-Devouring Palm. Not bad. So you haven't forgotten me?" Xiao Yi Xian's lips curled into a smile.
"Forget you? I think of you every day!" Xiao Heng pulled her into a hug.
"When do we head to Chu Yun Empire?" Xiao Yi Xian asked. Can't let him catch up too fast, or I won't get to tease him.
"Now. I'll introduce you to my little brother. He's here too," Xiao Heng said.
"The one who can refine poison pills?" Xiao Yi Xian asked.
"Not yet. He's only a Dou Zhe. He needs three Heavenly Flames first," Xiao Heng explained.
"Then we'll gather herbs. No rush. My Blue-Purple Devouring Flame controls my Calamity Poison Body well," Xiao Yi Xian said confidently.
"Right. Keep bonding with the Blue-Purple Devouring Flame, merging it with your soul. That way, the flame bears the Calamity Poison Body's burden," Xiao Heng advised.
"Can that work?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, puzzled.
"Some alchemists' souls survive via Heavenly Flames after their bodies perish," Xiao Heng said, thinking of Yao Lao's Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
"Got it. I'll work on it. Let's meet your brother," Xiao Yi Xian said.
"Let's go!" Xiao Heng and Xiao Yi Xian rode Xiao Lan, the blue eagle, out of the valley.
Soon, they spotted a weary youth with a black ruler under a tree.
"That's your brother? He looks drained," Xiao Yi Xian said, eyeing the boy.
"His Heavenly Flame absorption method is only Low Huang Class, and that ruler suppresses his Dou Zhi Qi. No wonder he's beat," Xiao Heng explained.
"Makes sense. Let's head down." They dismounted from Xiao Lan.
"Little Yan, meet Xiao Yi Xian!" Xiao Heng gestured to the white-robed woman.
"Hey, sister-in-law!" Xiao Yan said, rubbing his nose.
"You're Little Yan? I've heard about you from Xiao Heng," Xiao Yi Xian said.
"Yeah?" Xiao Yan scratched his head, grinning.
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