Chapter 116: Return to the Imperial Capital
Buzz!
Half an hour later, Xiao Yuan stepped out of the room.
"Uh… Third Brother, you broke through again?"
Xiao Yan blinked in confusion, sensing the fluctuations around Xiao Yuan.
"Yeah, let's say I benefited a little from Elder Hai."
Xiao Yuan smiled and nodded.
Hai Bodong's pure ice-element Dou Qi had been incredibly nourishing for Xiao Yuan.
"That cultivation speed…"
Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly. Everyone said his own advancement was fast, but compared to his third brother, he had nothing to brag about.
"What about Elder Hai?"
Xiao Yan shifted the topic.
"He still needs some time. He should be able to return to the four-star Dou Huang level. After all, being sealed for so long, and having to rely on pills to break the seal, his foundation took a hit. That Breaking Barrier Pill is good, but for someone like him, sealed for years, it might not have been enough."
Xiao Yuan stroked his chin, estimating aloud.
"Xiao Yuan is right," Yao Lao's voice echoed in their minds, with a touch of approval. "Among sixth-tier pills, Breaking Barrier Pill isn't that hard to refine. It's known for its powerful seal-breaking effect and leaves a lingering resistance to the same type of seal in the future.
"But this 'resistance' comes at the cost of some internal Dou Qi foundation. Whether it's worth it or not depends on the individual. For Hai Bodong, regaining his former strength is more important. I doubt he ever wants to meet Queen Medusa again—so who cares about immunity to her seal?"
"No wonder there was still so much energy in Elder Hai's body. Looks like the pill's value lies mostly in its sealing counter-effect."
Xiao Yuan nodded in realization.
"But regaining even part of his strength is already a blessing. Being sealed for twenty years—any Dou Huang would be tormented."
Yao Lao chuckled.
Xiao Yuan nodded solemnly, then changed the subject. "Teacher, once I reach Dou Ling and enter Canaan Academy, I think I can start experimenting with merging my wood attribute into fire Dou Qi—to begin alchemy."
"Oh? Are you confident in controlling your internal Dou Qi circulation by then?"
Yao Lao asked thoughtfully.
"Well… for five attributes, I'd probably need to be a Dou Wang at minimum. But just two? Dou Ling should suffice."
Xiao Yuan paused, then said calmly.
"Good. I'm curious to see how far you'll go in alchemy with five Dou Qi attributes. You and your brother have exceptionally strong soul power. What I can teach you will always be just the basics. A true alchemist needs their own path—blind imitation leads nowhere."
Yao Lao smiled warmly.
"I'll be counting on you to tutor me then, Teacher."
Xiao Yuan smiled gratefully.
"Actually, before that, Xiao Yan could teach me some basics. It'd help reinforce his own knowledge too."
He casually slung an arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders, grinning.
"Eh? Me… teach you?"
Xiao Yan was flustered. Teaching his own older brother felt awkward.
"What? You don't want to?"
Xiao Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone hardening.
"Uh, it's not that! Just feels a bit strange…"
Xiao Yan scratched his head awkwardly.
"No, it's a great idea," Yao Lao chuckled. "Even if you're brothers, Xiao Yan started learning alchemy earlier. Technically, he's your senior. Don't worry about titles. These early lessons will also test Xiao Yan's understanding."
"Alright then, I'll do my best!"
Xiao Yan said earnestly.
"Hmm? Seems Elder Hai is about to succeed."
Yao Lao suddenly remarked.
At that moment, a wave of power escaped Hai Bodong's room, bypassing even Yao Lao's soul force barrier. The air turned sharply cold.
"Four-star Dou Huang peak. And his foundation's solid. Not bad at all."
Yao Lao's tone was light.
"He actually reached peak four-star Dou Huang? I really underestimated Elder Hai!"
Xiao Yuan clicked his tongue in amazement.
At the Dou Huang level, even a one-star difference was massive. Some spent years trying to break through. For Hai Bodong to leap straight to four-star peak meant he could reach five-star in half a year.
With Xiao Yan's promised Revival Purple Pill, he could gain another two stars—an epic power boost!
But before Hai Bodong emerged, the room suddenly rocked.
Xiao Yuan blinked, then realized—the flying beast must've panicked.
"Knew this would happen, and I still prepared. Guess it wasn't enough."
He infused Dou Qi into the floor, freezing his feet in place to steady himself, sighing.
Xiao Yan wasn't so lucky. Caught off guard, he was flung across the room before regaining balance—his face darkened.
He'd been thoroughly sabotaged by Elder Hai.
The door burst open. Amid the trembling, Hai Bodong strolled out like nothing had happened.
Seeing Xiao Yuan's helpless expression and Xiao Yan's black face, he chuckled awkwardly.
"Apologies! Didn't expect the boost to be so intense. I got a bit too excited…"
In front of a six-tier alchemist and his successor, Hai Bodong knew better than to act proud. He scratched his head and grinned.
"Don't just apologize—look what you did to the beast! It's about to drop out of the sky!"
Xiao Yuan gestured helplessly.
"Cough, you're right. My bad. I'll handle it."
Hai Bodong whistled in a strange rhythm.
Moments later, the trembling subsided. The flying beast calmed.
"Wait—you know beast control?"
Xiao Yan asked in surprise. It wasn't common.
"Haha, I was bored during my years making maps. Picked up a few random skills. Beast-taming's one of them."
Hai Bodong laughed.
"Really? Teach me too!"
Xiao Yuan grinned.
"Not hard. I'll write down some tips for you both."
Hai Bodong nodded.
The rest of the journey was smooth. After seven days, they finally arrived—
At the capital of the Jia Ma Empire—Jia Ma Holy City!
Standing on the flying beast's back, the trio looked down at the vast city emerging through the clouds, each lost in thought.
Hai Bodong's eyes fell on a luxurious estate—the Mittel family headquarters.
Xiao Yan spotted the Alchemist Association's massive inverted cauldron building.
Xiao Yuan didn't look for the Nalan estate. Instead, he gazed north—where majestic mountains loomed like dragons. That was Misty Cloud Sect's territory.
Let's hope the Hall of Souls hasn't made its move against the Xiao Clan yet.
His eyes narrowed with a flicker of killing intent.
Once his strength was sufficient, he would personally destroy the Hall of Souls to protect his family.
After disembarking, Hai Bodong took a deep breath and complained, "This flying beast's too slow."
Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan smiled at each other.
For Hai Bodong, flight was nothing. But for them… it was exhausting.
Their flight techniques still weren't fast enough.
And Xiao Yan didn't want to overuse Yao Lao's strength—something Xiao Yuan often reminded him.
Back when they left the capital as kids, they were too young to appreciate it. Now, returning felt like a whole new experience.
"So, where to next?"
Hai Bodong asked.
"I want to visit the auction house—to see Sister Ya Fei."
Xiao Yuan smiled.
"Hmm… Third Brother, why don't you collect Elder Hai's herbs there? I'll head to the Alchemist Association. I've signed up for the competition anyway, and I can look for materials while I'm there. We'll save time if we split up."
Xiao Yan suggested.
"Good idea. More efficient."
Xiao Yuan nodded. "Elder Hai? Want to come with me? You can visit your clan too."
Hai Bodong hesitated—then nodded. "Alright."
With plans set, they split up.
Though he'd been gone for years, Hai Bodong still remembered every inch of the Mittel territory. Soon, he and Xiao Yuan arrived at the auction house headquarters.
Staring at the grand building and iconic crest, Xiao Yuan smiled.
"No wonder it's the headquarters. This scale makes the Wutan City branch look tiny."
"Of course. The Mittel Clan is ancient and deep-rooted. The Mo Clan, despite using Misty Cloud Sect's name to dominate Salt City, is just a nouveau riche by comparison."
With his strength restored, Hai Bodong couldn't help but speak with pride.
"Let's go. I'm curious to see how much it's changed."
Xiao Yuan chuckled and led the way inside.
Hai Bodong paused briefly at the entrance, his expression complicated. Then he followed.
Inside, soft light poured down. The noise of the outside world vanished. It was like stepping into a whole new realm.
The hall was magnificent. Guests bustled around. Merchandise dazzled the eyes.
Armored guards bearing the Mittel crest were stationed everywhere—clearly elite members of the clan.
"This is just the outer market. The goods aren't too rare. At the headquarters, auctions are divided into four tiers: Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven.
Heaven-grade auctions are extremely rare—maybe once every year or two. Earth-grade happens occasionally. Profound is common. Yellow is open all the time."
Hai Bodong explained like a tour guide.
"Of course, to enter higher-tier auctions, you need to pass a wealth evaluation. But you've got a Purple Gold Card—you can skip all that."
Xiao Yuan smiled. "Elder Hai, we're not strangers here…"
But before he could finish, his gaze shifted—
A commotion stirred in one corner of the hall.
And a graceful figure in crimson descended the stairs.
(END CHAPTER)
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