Back in his secluded cultivation chamber, Xiao Yan let out a bitter chuckle. 'That whole mess really was embarrassing…' Thankfully, he hadn't committed an irreversible mistake. If he had, he'd probably be despised for life. For some reason, a certain quote from Earth surfaced in his mind—something once said by a well-known romance guru named Haruno Yu: "Whatever you do, always remember to close the door."
He never thought much of it before, but now it felt like pure wisdom.
After pushing away the distracting thoughts, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged once more atop the Green Lotus Platform and began assessing his current condition. His strength had now fully stabilized at the level of a one-star Dou Zong, and his Flame Mantra had advanced to the peak of the Earth Rank Middle Grade—just one step away from High Grade.
However, due to the Flame Mantra's unique properties, its actual effectiveness already rivaled that of most Earth Rank High Grade Qi Methods. Moreover, he still had the Green Lotus Core Flame stored with Queen Medusa. If he could successfully refine that, the Flame Mantra's evolution to Earth Rank High Grade would be essentially guaranteed.
As for ascending to Heaven Rank… based on Xiao Yan's calculations, that wouldn't be possible unless he managed to acquire a Heavenly Flame ranked within the top five. Even if he refined the Green Lotus Core Flame, he'd still need at least two more Heavenly Flames to have a shot at evolving the Flame Mantra to the Heaven Rank.
'I remember… Jia Nan Academy had a Heavenly Flame too,' Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. In his past life, when he swept through Black-Corner Region and Jia Nan Academy, the academy had unleashed a Heavenly Flame to resist him. Though he eventually scattered it, he distinctly remembered its existence. He didn't know if it still existed in this lifetime, but if it did, it would solve his current dilemma.
Thanks to his relationship with Zi Yan, sneaking into Jia Nan Academy wouldn't be a problem. However, if he were to actually seize the Heavenly Flame himself, that would mean a complete break with the academy—and that would be a big problem for his long-term plans with Zi Yan.
'Looks like I'll need to plan this out carefully.' Xiao Yan murmured to himself. There was no way he'd give up on a Heavenly Flame, but he also didn't want to fall out with Jia Nan Academy. So, the solution was simple—find a scapegoat to steal it in his place. Luckily, he happened to have just the person in mind. If that person acted, no one would ever suspect him.
But that would have to wait. For now, Xiao Yan had other priorities. First, he needed to complete the cultivation of the Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement and condense the embryonic Soul Flame in his body. Only then could he officially break through to the Spirit Realm. Second, he needed to raise his alchemy skills and reach the rank of Eighth-Tier Alchemist as soon as possible.
Just as he was about to start his secluded cultivation and refine the Soul Flame, Hai Bodong suddenly came knocking. The moment he sensed the vast and overwhelming pressure emanating from Xiao Yan, his previously calm expression was instantly replaced by shock.
"You… your aura…"
"Ah, sorry. I recently broke through to Dou Zong, and I'm still not that good at suppressing my aura. I hope I didn't scare you, Elder Hai." Xiao Yan scratched his head sheepishly.
It was a classic case of humblebragging, and Hai Bodong couldn't help but smile wryly. A Dou Zong… A realm he had pursued his entire life, and this brat had just casually stepped into it. And he wasn't even fifteen yet. The blow to Hai Bodong's confidence was severe.
He remembered when they first met—Xiao Yan had only just reached the Dou Wang level. In barely a year, this kid had soared to Dou Zong. If not for the Mighty Huang Pill Xiao Yan had given him, Hai Bodong wouldn't have even advanced a single star in this time. The sheer difference made the veteran feel like slamming his head into a wall.
"Elder Hai, did you come here for something?" Xiao Yan smoothly withdrew his aura. Of course, with his level of control, the earlier aura leak was no accident—it was a gentle warning, a common way of asserting dominance over one's subordinates.
"I believe I mentioned before that I have a family in the Jia Ma Empire?" Hai Bodong took a deep breath, trying to calm the shock that still lingered in his heart.
"Mhm. That sounds vaguely familiar," Xiao Yan nodded, though in truth, he couldn't recall the man ever saying such a thing.
"My family… you've probably heard of it. It's one of the three great clans of the Jia Ma Empire—the Mittel Family," Hai Bodong said.
"Oh? So Elder Hai is connected to the Mittel Family. That explains a lot." Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. He remembered now—back in his previous life, when he had looted this old man, he had found a card with the Mittel clan insignia. So that's where it came from. But bringing this up now… could he be planning—
"Xiao Yan, I'll be frank. I want the entire Mittel Family to join the Xiao Sect." Hai Bodong finally bit the bullet and said it outright.
"Oh?" This time, Xiao Yan was genuinely surprised. He had thought the old man was just asking to return to the Jia Ma Empire. He hadn't expected Hai Bodong to go as far as offering to bring the entire Mittel Clan into Xiao Sect. That kind of resolve… Xiao Yan had to admit, it was impressive.
Having stayed in the Black-Corner Region for a while, Hai Bodong could clearly see that Xiao Yan's Xiao Sect wasn't exactly a master of commerce. And yet, it still raked in a hefty profit. If the Mittel Family could carve out a share of that, their rise would be only a matter of time.
But he also knew that the Mittel Family alone couldn't survive in the brutal Black-Corner Region. In the Jia Ma Empire, they were one of the top three families, but here? No one gave a damn. Only by clinging to Xiao Yan could they gain a foothold.
However, Xiao Yan wasn't someone who handed out favors for free. He only helped those who brought him significant returns. In his eyes, the Mittel Family wasn't qualified to negotiate terms. That's why Hai Bodong chose to make them submit entirely, offering the family's allegiance in exchange for Xiao Yan's support.
"Elder Hai, are you sure about this? Once the Mittel Family joins the Xiao Sect, they'll have to put sect interests above all else," Xiao Yan said calmly. He knew Hai Bodong's intention, and he didn't mind supporting the Mittel Family—so long as they were obedient.
"If anyone in my clan dares to object, I'll personally deal with them!" Hai Bodong replied firmly.
"Good. Then let it be as Elder Hai wishes." Xiao Yan smiled faintly. All he needed was Hai Bodong's attitude. Had there been even a hint of hesitation, this conversation would've ended then and there. But clearly, the old man still had some smarts.
(End of Chapter)
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