Inner Court
The wooden door creaked as it was slowly pushed open, sunlight spilling through the gap, spreading rapidly and casting the elongated shadows of several figures.
"Xiao Bai, this will be the residence for the five of you from now on!" Elder Su glanced at Xiao Bai and the others behind him, smiling.
"Five people, huh?" Xiao Bai's soul force swept through the three-story building, noting the ample rooms.
"Uh, Elder Su, I noticed Mu Chuan's group next door only has four people. Could I stay there instead?" Tu Shan scratched his head, his dark face flushing slightly.
Xiao Bai and the others exchanged playful glances. Tu Shan had been hesitant earlier, and now it was clear—his intentions weren't pure. He was clearly smitten with that petite girl from the other group!
"As long as they don't mind, I have no issue with it," Elder Su said with a chuckle, shaking his head. Having been young once himself, he understood the reason all too well.
"Heh, boss, I won't bother you then. If you need me, just send someone to fetch me!" Tu Shan winked at Xiao Bai, gave a quick wave, and hurriedly dashed off.
Once outside, Tu Shan patted his chest in relief. That was close! Among the five, two were his boss's women, and another was a woman too. If he, a grown man, dared to stay there, wouldn't his boss skin him alive?
"For the four of you, I won't nag about the usual precautions like I do with other new students. The Inner Court can be summed up in four words: the strong reign supreme!" Elder Su's tone grew serious.
"Unlike the Outer Court, there are no classes here. As long as you have enough Fire Energy, you can enter the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower to cultivate. Training there is far more effective than any class. The only thing to remember is not to miss the weekly group session the academy organizes for the tower."
"Additionally, the Inner Court has a Battle Skill Hall and a Technique Pavilion. If you want battle skills or cultivation techniques, you can check them out. Of course, they're not free—you'll need Fire Energy to exchange for them."
"If you're short on Fire Energy, you can visit the Mission Hall or the Arena. The Mission Hall releases tasks of varying difficulty every month. If you don't want to bother with complicated tasks, the Arena is the fastest way to earn a lot of Fire Energy. But that requires sufficient strength, or you'll lose everything!"
"In short, the Inner Court offers more freedom than the Outer Court. How you choose to proceed is up to you. It's getting late, so settle in and rest. If you need anything, come find me."
With a wave of his hand, Elder Su turned to leave. At the doorway, he paused as if remembering something and turned back. "Oh, right, Xiao Bai!"
"Elder Su, what's up?" Xiao Bai gestured for Xun'er and the others to head inside, approaching the door with a puzzled look.
"Well…" Elder Su's aged face twisted awkwardly, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "I heard from the Grand Elder that you're a fifth-grade alchemist. Can you refine a Dou Spirit Pill?"
"Dou Spirit Pill?" Xiao Bai studied Elder Su, instantly understanding. His lips twitched in exasperation. This is the second time I've heard of this pill since arriving at Jia Nan Academy. Smiling, he said, "Elder Su, with your eight-star Dou Wang cultivation, haven't you ever used one?"
"No!" Elder Su shook his head, sighing. "At Jia Nan Academy, many elders are stuck at the Dou Wang realm. Dou Spirit Pills are always in high demand. Whenever one appears, those old fogeys snatch it up. My duties keep me from leaving the academy for long, so I can't attend auctions. I've been putting it off."
"I see," Xiao Bai mused. "Haven't you asked Elder Huo for help?"
"Don't mention that old fool!" Elder Su's forehead veins bulged, his voice rising in anger. "That old bastard swore he'd handle it, but he wasted all three sets of ingredients I painstakingly gathered!"
Xiao Bai nearly burst out laughing at Elder Su's furious outburst. Who would've thought the usually mild-mannered Elder Su could lose his temper like this? Besides Elder Zhao from the Outer Court, this made Elder Huo's second victim!
"I've never refined a Dou Spirit Pill," Xiao Bai said, shaking his head with a smile.
Elder Su's cloudy eyes flickered with disappointment. "Not even you can do it?"
He'd hoped Xiao Bai's powerful soul force would make him more reliable than that old fool Huo!
When the Grand Elder mentioned Xiao Bai was a fifth-grade alchemist, Elder Su had been thrilled. A single Dou Spirit Pill could bring him within reach of the Dou Huang realm. But now, even Xiao Bai couldn't do it?
"Don't be so quick to despair, Elder Su!" Xiao Bai said after a moment's thought. "I only said I haven't refined it, not that I can't. You mentioned Dou Spirit Pills are in high demand here. Many elders likely have the ingredients but lack access to an alchemist. How about this: if you can find three elders who need Dou Spirit Pills refined, I'm confident I can succeed. What do you think?"
"You want ingredients to practice with?" Elder Su's eye twitched, his gaze skeptical. The last guy who "practiced" only screwed over him. This kid's ambition was bigger—three sets of ingredients!
"Practice?" Xiao Bai frowned, displeased. "The Dou Spirit Pill is a sixth-grade pill. Unless you're a peak sixth-grade alchemist, who can guarantee a 100% success rate? This is about managing sunk costs!"
"It's the same thing!" Elder Su rolled his eyes. These alchemists are such a pain, all cut from the same cloth! A bunch of swindlers! Elder Huo's "one step closer to success" and this kid's "sunk costs"—they just didn't care because it wasn't their ingredients!
After a moment's hesitation, Elder Su gritted his teeth. "Fine! I'll trust you this once. I'll go find two others!"
"Heh." Xiao Bai's smile showed no surprise. He nodded. "Don't worry, Elder Su. I won't let you down. But…"
Under Elder Su's puzzled gaze, Xiao Bai continued, "You know the alchemist's rules, right?"
"…" Elder Su choked, waving his hand irritably. "I know, I know. Three sets of ingredients, eight hundred Fire Energy, right? Don't worry, you'll get it if you succeed!"
"Eight hundred Fire Energy?" Xiao Bai blinked, confused. When did I set that rule?
"The Grand Elder said Lin Yan paid eight hundred Fire Energy to get you, a fifth-grade alchemist, to help him. So, eight hundred for a pill should be… fine, right?" Elder Su asked cautiously.
Eight hundred Fire Energy was no small sum, even for an elder. He hoped this kid wouldn't demand more.
Now it was Xiao Bai's turn to be stunned. The eight hundred Fire Energy from Lin Yan was based on what he'd gotten from Liu Qing. He hadn't expected it to set a precedent. Should've charged Lin Yan eight thousand!
"Alright," Xiao Bai shook his head, dismissing the unrealistic thought. Eight hundred was already a high price.
"Great, it's settled then! I'll go find people now. Should have results by tomorrow!" Elder Su turned and left in a hurry.
Watching Elder Su's retreating figure, Xiao Bai smiled. He understood the urgency—Elder Su's unstable Dou Qi fluctuations suggested he was on the verge of breaking through to nine-star Dou Wang. Once he succeeded, a Dou Spirit Pill could push him to Dou Huang. Anyone would be eager in his shoes.
This deal made Xiao Bai truly appreciate the status of a high-grade alchemist. He'd known it from the novel, but words paled compared to experiencing it firsthand.
Reflecting on his deal with Yao Lao, Xiao Bai realized it was a brilliant move. This profession is just too good!
Elder Su's situation also sparked new ideas for Xiao Bai's future plans. The Black-Corner Region was chaotic but a goldmine. It gathered resources from across the Dou Qi Continent, yet no purely commercial alchemy faction existed. The closest was Han Feng in Maple City.
If he established a faction here, driven solely by profit and not connections, and eliminated Han Feng to dominate the market, the resources he could amass would be astronomical.
Xiao Bai himself might not need them, but Xiao Yi Xian and the others did. It would greatly aid their growth.
However, he couldn't do it alone. He'd need many alchemists. High-grade pills he could handle himself, but if he had to refine low-grade ones too, it would hinder his cultivation—a poor trade-off.
Looks like I need to talk to Elder Huo. He has plenty of alchemists under him. That could be a viable plan.
After some thought, Xiao Bai decided collaborating with Jia Nan Academy's alchemy department was a promising approach. He could provide ingredients, they could supply alchemists, and it would train their students, boosting their experience—a win-win!
"Xiao Bai-gege, it's getting dark! What are you standing here for?" Xun'er approached, her beautiful eyes curious.
"Nothing, just thinking about some things." Xiao Bai smiled, shaking his head, snapping out of his thoughts. He tucked the ideas away. Plan ahead, or you'll fail. That was his habit. Though it was still early, with a clear goal, he'd act and eventually succeed. No rush.
"Thinking about what? You were so lost in thought!" Xun'er took his hand, smiling softly.
"Thinking about how to marry Xun'er and have her raise our kids," Xiao Bai teased, brushing her flower-like face.
Xun'er's heart raced, her cheeks blooming with a gentle blush, like peach blossoms in early spring, elegant and delicate. "Pfft! You jerk!" she spat playfully.
Seeing her shy, captivating expression, Xiao Bai stepped closer, gently wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.
Xun'er lowered her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. His warm hands on her waist sent a comforting warmth through her, filling her with a sense of peace.
Under the soft moonlight, neither spoke. Their shadows overlapped on the ground, weaving a warm, intimate scene.
The Next Morning
In a third-floor room, Xiao Bai slowly emerged from cultivation, leaping off the bed.
Stretching his muscles and glancing at the clean, bright room, a warmth flickered in his eyes. The girls tidied this up for me yesterday. Xu Su, not wanting to disturb them, took the first floor. Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian were on the second, leaving the third for him.
Suddenly, a commotion came from below, like two people sparring.
Xiao Bai walked to the window and looked down. Two graceful figures darted and clashed, gold and gray Dou Qi surging from them. Their collisions sent gusts of wind rippling across the courtyard.
"Heh, those two girls!" Xiao Bai leaned on the windowsill, watching with a grin. At an exciting moment, he shouted, "Xun'er, go for it! That move was like a god descending, tearing the heavens, striking fear in all!"
"Xiao Yi Xian, you've got this! That move was incredible! Surging like a tidal wave, earth-shattering, unmatched in this world!"
His exaggerated praise earned him two pairs of exasperated eye-rolls. The girls stopped instantly, their faces flushed. To an outsider, it sounded like two Dou Di were battling! Who could keep sparring after that?
Knock, knock!
A sudden rap at the door interrupted.
Xiao Bai leaped lightly from the third-floor window, waving off Xiao Yi Xian, who was about to open the door. "I've got it."
"Elder Su, you work fast!" Opening the door to see three elders, Xiao Bai wasn't surprised. He smiled at Elder Su, who led the group.
"Haha, I'm not like you, bursting with talent. When there's a chance for a breakthrough, I've got to move quickly!" Elder Su laughed, treating Xiao Bai as an equal, not a mere student. Young as he was, his fifth-grade alchemist status was undeniable and deserved respect.
"Come, let me introduce you. This is Elder Liu, and this is Elder Duan!"
"Elders, please, come in and talk." Xiao Bai nodded warmly at the two before leading them to the main hall.
The three elders filed in and sat. Xiao Yi Xian gracefully served tea, then joined Xun'er to the side.
"Elder Liu, Elder Duan, I assume Elder Su has explained everything," Xiao Bai said, sipping his tea before setting the cup down. "This is my first time refining a Dou Spirit Pill, so I can't guarantee 100% success. Can you accept that?"
He glanced at the two elders. One was a seven-star Dou Wang, the other, judging by his aura, a nine-star Dou Wang!
The two exchanged a look before Elder Liu, the nine-star Dou Wang, spoke. "Xiao Bai, Old Su explained everything last night. We came here fully aware. We're not alchemists, but we old-timers know a bit about refining. Even a sixth-grade alchemist has a failure rate with sixth-grade pills. So, don't feel pressured."
This elder is so reasonable! Xiao Bai was slightly surprised, glancing at Elder Su.
As if sensing his gaze, Elder Su, mid-sip, looked up and winked smugly. He'd first consulted that infuriating Elder Huo to confirm Xiao Bai's skill, then used the Grand Elder's authority to recruit these two. Without the Grand Elder's word, how could he have convinced two elders overnight to trust a freshman, even a fifth-grade alchemist, over Elder Huo—despite being burned by him before?
"Since the elders trust me so much, I'll do my utmost to refine the pills for you!" Xiao Bai clapped his hands, grinning. A free chance to practice high-grade pills? I'd be a fool to pass this up! High-grade pill ingredients were rare, making such opportunities precious.
"Good! Here are the ingredients. We have duties to attend to, so we won't stay long. If you run into any trouble in the Inner Court, come find us!" The two elders were straightforward, leaving the ingredients and departing promptly.
"Xiao Bai, you better refine those pills! I don't want to gather ingredients again!" Elder Su stood, retrieving his ingredients from his storage ring and handing them to Xiao Bai.
"Rest assured, I'll do my best!" Xiao Bai took the ingredients, smiling.
"Good!" Elder Su nodded, not dwelling on the familiar promise. He left with a smile.
On his way back, Elder Su suddenly recalled Elder Huo's similar assurance. A chill ran through him. Elder Huo said Xiao Bai's skills surpass his. It should be fine… right? He reassured himself, shaking off the unease.
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