Chapter 35: Xiao Yan: Brother, I Have an Alchemist Master
The next day.
Xiao Yuan didn't train. Instead, he spent the entire day walking around Wutan City with Xiao Yu.
Although they had both grown up in Wutan City and had already visited every possible place, the main purpose of this outing wasn't sightseeing, but to simply enjoy relaxing together.
It was the person by your side that mattered most.
At dusk, after escorting Xiao Yu—now dressed in a newly bought red dress—back to her room, Xiao Yuan returned to his own quarters and began cultivating.
In the short term, aside from strengthening his relationships with Xiao Yu and Ya Fei, there was nothing major on his agenda.
Cultivation came first.
In four days, it would be time to enter the Dou Qi Pavilion to select a cultivation method.
But Xiao Yuan didn't plan to go.
The Xiao family's Dou Techniques and cultivation methods were too inferior. Even the best they had were only high-tier Yellow-rank.
Even Xiao Zhan's "Furious Lion Flame Technique" was only a mid-tier Xuan-rank technique.
Compared to his current cultivation method, the Mystic Ice Art, there was still a notable gap. And the Wind attribute cultivation method that had been bought by the Jia Lie family—Wind Swirl Art—was a high-tier Xuan-rank technique and even seemed to come with a matching Dou Technique.
Looks like he'd need to find a way to get that back.
He couldn't remain tucked away in Wutan City forever. What mattered most now was to integrate all the local forces and turn Wutan City into the Xiao family's true stronghold. With that as a foundation, and the help of the Mittel family, the Xiao family might actually rise in power.
Only when his father and the three elders advanced to the Dou Ling stage would the Xiao family become a true major power—one that no one in or around Wutan City would dare provoke.
A Da Dou Shi might be the highest-ranking figure in any small power, but in the broader Jia Ma Empire, it still wasn't anything to brag about.
As for how to consolidate the local powers—at the very least, the Jia Lie and Aoba families had to be eliminated.
Those two were family-based forces, and unless one belonged to the same bloodline or had overwhelming superiority in strength, they wouldn't willingly be merged into another family like the Xiao's.
Bloodline was what kept such families cohesive, and not even great profit could easily sever that bond.
Leaving such disloyal groups around was undoubtedly a foolish move.
Knowing himself, Xiao Yuan was definitely planning to eliminate the Jia Lie and Aoba families.
But to what extent—they needed to be wiped out entirely? He was still thinking it over.
The three major families of Wutan City had clashed frequently over the years, and casualties were inevitable.
People like Jia Lie Bi and Aoba Pa—those top-tier experts—would definitely have to die. As for the rest of their upper echelons, they also had to go.
Otherwise, those people could return later with vengeance and bring new trouble.
Especially since the Xiao family's true future enemies were sects like the Yunlan Sect and even the Soul Hall.
What if something unexpected happened one day, and those factions decided to use these enemies of the Xiao family to stir up chaos? That would be a disaster.
So maybe… just kill them all?
A brutal thought surfaced in Xiao Yuan's heart.
It might not be "noble," but from the Xiao family's perspective, eradicating hostile families completely was the safest move.
Well, he would consult his father and the three elders first.
He had never governed the family before, and making such a big decision alone could be inappropriate.
Right now, the most urgent task was still cultivation. Being a Three-Star Fighter was not enough!
Unlike Xiao Yan, he didn't have Yao Lao hiding in his ring. If a real fight broke out, the best he could do was hold his own against a Dou Shi. He was still a far cry from becoming a Da Dou Shi.
Power...
Clenching his fist, Xiao Yuan formed his hand seals and resumed cultivation.
Four days later—at noon.
Xiao Yuan's door was knocked on.
"Xiao Yan, come in."
Returning from his cultivation state, Xiao Yuan called out.
Just from the rhythm of the knock, he already knew it was Xiao Yan.
"Brother, I need some medicinal ingredients... but, uh, I'm short on money,"
Xiao Yan said awkwardly while rubbing his nose.
He had already borrowed money from Xun'er recently and hadn't repaid it yet, so he felt too embarrassed to ask again.
After thinking it over, he realized his only option was to seek help from his own brother.
"Medicinal ingredients, huh? See if any of these are what you need."
Xiao Yuan immediately understood that Xiao Yan was asking Yao Lao to refine Qi Gathering Powder. He smiled and tossed him a spatial ring.
Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned.
"Didn't we have Elder Huang Jing dealt with? I took his ring—there are quite a few herbs in there. See if they're enough."
Xiao Yuan explained with a smile.
"Hiss—Elder Huang Jing just gave it to you like that?"
Xiao Yan gasped in surprise.
"I told them I needed it for cultivation and promised to reach the Dou Shi level within a year, and they gave it to me."
Xiao Yuan nodded like it was perfectly natural.
As the family's top genius, it was only reasonable that he'd receive some special treatment, right?
Besides… with his relationship with Xiao Yu, the elder had little choice but to help him.
After all, Xiao Ning's talent wasn't as good as Xiao Yu's. Helping Xiao Yuan was a much better investment.
The elder could justify it too. Publicly, he was doing it for the Xiao family's future; privately, he was doing it for his granddaughter.
There was no real reason to refuse Xiao Yuan at all.
"..."
Xiao Yan was silent.
It worked like that?
"Oh right, what do you need these ingredients for?"
Xiao Yuan asked casually.
"Alchemy,"
Xiao Yan replied without thinking.
"I mean… I asked someone to help me with alchemy,"
Realizing he slipped up, Xiao Yan didn't try to hide it anymore and just came clean.
"Hmm? Who?"
Xiao Yuan's eyes immediately lit up.
"Uh, well... when you were busy training a while back, I met an old man. He's an alchemist, and he said I have potential, so he took me as a disciple."
Feeling a little awkward under Xiao Yuan's gaze, Xiao Yan scratched his nose and gave a brief explanation.
He had already rehearsed this.
He had even talked to Yao Lao about possibly taking Xiao Yuan as a disciple too.
But Yao Lao said that what he could teach Xiao Yuan would be very limited, since alchemy was his main strength.
Of course, guiding two kids in the Dou Qi stage would be easy for someone like Yao Lao.
Still, Xiao Yuan's cultivation speed was freakishly fast. Yao Lao had thought Xiao Yan's talent was monstrous, but then came Xiao Yuan—who was even more terrifying!
How did this little Xiao family manage to birth two such monsters?
At that point, there was nothing more to say. With that level of progress, Xiao Yuan didn't need any guidance at all.
"An alchemist? For real?"
Xiao Yuan furrowed his brow and asked, pretending to be skeptical.
"You know that Foundation Elixir from a while ago? That was refined by my teacher."
At this point, Xiao Yan didn't bother hiding it. He told Xiao Yuan everything he could—except Yao Lao's true identity.
"Oh? So this time, you're trying to get Qi Gathering Powder? If I'm not mistaken, that's a Tier-4 alchemist product, right? Your teacher must be something else. Well, I trust your judgment. I won't ask about your teacher's identity."
Xiao Yuan nodded, then changed the subject. He pulled out some magic cores and medicinal herbs from his ring.
"Here—two Tier-2 Water attribute magic cores. The other ingredients you need are already in that spatial ring I gave you. Take everything. Also, here's 50,000 gold coins. Use it as you need. After you become a Fighter, I'll have a task that'll require your and your teacher's help."
(END CHAPTER)
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