"Teacher, look at the tenth on the Black Ranking, Pill King Han Feng!" Xiao Li handed the Black Ranking information to Old Man Wang.
After Old Man Wang read it, he said, "Earth Demon Old Ghost is still at the top of the ranking. He was a Dou Ancestor back then, and he still is. Mo Tianxing and Old Man Ying Shan are all veteran powerhouses.
This Han Feng? I, your teacher, have heard of him. It is said that he is the adopted son and Personal Disciple of the Venerable Yao. The Venerable Yao taught him everything. But why is he only a Sixth-Rank Alchemist?"
"Only?" Xiao Li was stunned. Teacher, aren't you also a Sixth-Rank Alchemist? Why are you looking down on your peers?
"Isn't that right? The Venerable Yao is the number one Alchemist on the continent. This Han Feng is probably much older than you, yet you are already a fifth-rank, and he's only a sixth-rank?
Is he really a Disciple of the Venerable Yao? I don't believe it. And I also feel his cultivation is not right. Does a Disciple of the Venerable Yao not even have Dou King strength? Only ranked tenth?"
Old Man Wang highly admired the Venerable Yao, or Old Ya, but what Han Feng showed made Old Man Wang doubt if Han Feng was Old Ya's Personal Disciple.
"Is there some special meaning to this?" Xiao Li was puzzled. Although he generally knew what kind of person Han Feng was, he didn't know his teacher's opinion.
"Of course there is. The medicinal baths you've used since you were young were taught to me by the Venerable Yao. Back then, I was severely injured by a Dou King from Ice River Valley and barely escaped.
I collapsed somewhere unknown and only realized after waking up that the Venerable Yao had saved me. The Venerable Yao not only healed my external injuries but also gave me some pointers.
You are now a sixteen-year-old two-star Dou Spirit, a fifth-rank Alchemist. Besides your own efforts, you also have my support. The Venerable Yao is much stronger than I am.
With his level, for this Han Feng to be merely a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, and his cultivation perhaps barely at Dou King, isn't that strange?"
"Uh, that's true." Xiao Li had experienced the power of medicinal baths combined with Elixirs. With Old Ya's level, the Foundation he laid for Han Feng could probably have allowed him to become a Dou Saint!
But what happened? Old Man Mu Gu provoked him slightly, and he rebelled, even backstabbing his benefactor for Fen Jue. The solid Foundation Old Ya laid was also destroyed by him.
Fen Jue is indeed powerful, but it's a bit life-draining. Xiao Li doesn't plan to take that path. There are so many paths to cultivation, and it's not necessary to use Fen Jue.
Besides, Soul Heavenly Emperor's world-ending catastrophe is imminent. Let Xiao Yan handle it. He just needs to protect the Family in the early stages, act like a venerable Elder, and tease Yun'er.
Risk his life? It's impossible to risk his life in this lifetime! If he dies again, he might truly be gone.
As the teacher and Disciple chatted, they arrived at Xuan Ye City. Xiao Li looked up at the huge, dark city wall, his gaze sweeping over the three large characters "Xuan Ye City" in the center of the city gate.
In front of Xuan Ye City, there was also a dark leaf symbol.
"Li'er, let's go. Let me show you what an Alchemist's network is like!" Old Man Wang said with a faint smile.
"Huh?"
"What do you mean, 'huh'! An Alchemist naturally needs an Alchemist's network. Otherwise, why is there a rule on the continent that Alchemists should not be easily offended? Isn't it because an Alchemist's network is astonishing?
This Ye Xuan and I are old acquaintances. Since I heard there's an auction this time, I naturally want to see if there are any good items."
Old Man Wang tapped Xiao Li's head. This child was sometimes very smart, and sometimes a bit silly.
"I just didn't expect that Teacher's network would extend to the Black-Corner Region, and that Teacher would know people here," Xiao Li said, rubbing his head.
"Hmph! Don't think I'm just a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. If it weren't for that damned Ice River Valley, I would at least be a Dou Ancestor, and perhaps even a Dou Venerate."
Old Man Wang said angrily. The nightmare of his youth ruined his future. If he hadn't been lucky, he would have been gone long ago.
"Then, Teacher, do you know any Dou Ancestor powerhouses? With a Dou Ancestor, our trip to the Black-Corner Region would be much safer," Xiao Li said with a grin.
"Of course I do. There's a Dou Ancestor I know in Canaan Academy, and also in the Central Region of Zhongzhou!...And she must be one too, by now..."
Old Man Wang's last words were very soft, as if he was talking to himself. Xiao Li didn't hear clearly what Old Man Wang said.
"Teacher, what did you say?" Xiao Li didn't hear what Old Man Wang said clearly.
"Nothing! Anyway, I, your teacher, really do know Dou Ancestor powerhouses. You'll know when you enter Canaan Academy. That old fellow broke through to Dou Ancestor a few years ago. He's truly very lucky."
Old Man Wang waved his hand, after all, a Sixth-Rank Alchemist's network was extensive.
Xiao Li followed Old Man Wang like this. There were bloodshed incidents everywhere in the Black-Corner Region, fights and bloody battles were ubiquitous, and there were even more bizarre scenes. This place was truly "simple and honest" in its customs.
Suddenly, Xiao Li smelled a rich medicinal fragrance. This fragrance, mixed with hundreds of medicinal scents, assailed him, making his nose a bit uncomfortable. He then turned his head and saw a medicinal shop with three large characters "Xuan Medicine Shop" written on its signboard.
Old Man Wang walked in with his hands behind his back, Xiao Li followed closely.
Inside the medicinal shop, the area was vast, with neatly arranged crystal counters stretching in all directions. Inside the transparent counters were various medicinal ingredients. At this moment, many people were stopping in front of these counters, and noisy conversations constantly echoed within.
Xiao Li scanned these medicinal ingredients one by one. There were ingredients for refining the Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill, ingredients for refining the Three-Pattern Spirit Cleansing Pill, and even ingredients for sixth-tier Elixirs. It's just that the prices were really high.
However, Xiao Li was not poor. Did they really think he didn't make money from Alchemy? Now, the Xiao Family cooperates with the Mittel Family in the Elixir business, and Xiao Li directly takes a percentage from the Family. He is not short of money.
"Clerk, come here! Pack this! This! And that one, this row, and that row, all for me!"
Xiao Li waved for a shop clerk to come over and pack the medicinal ingredients he had chosen.
"Your Excellency, these medicinal ingredients are not cheap, oh. They total five million gold coins." The medicinal shop clerk was also a shrewd person and knew from Xiao Li's demeanor that a big order had arrived.
"This purple-gold card has about five million gold coins. The extra is for you as a tip!" Xiao Li took out a purple-gold card. In the Jia Ma Empire, purple-gold cards were generally only held by Dou King powerhouses, and as a fourth-rank Peak Alchemist, it was normal for Xiao Li to hold one.
"Alright, Your Excellency, please rest in the VIP room for a moment. Your medicinal ingredients will be delivered to you right away!" The clerk's eyes lit up when he saw the purple-gold card.
Xiao Li's actions naturally drew the attention of some uninvited guests in the medicinal shop. Soon, a burly man nearly two meters tall came before Xiao Li.
"Kid, I, your grandpa, am short on gold coins, you... Ugh—"
Before the burly man could finish speaking, Xiao Li kicked him into a twisted mess, and he curled up, collapsing to the ground.
"Why does any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare to lay a hand on me? A Dou Master trying to rob a Dou Spirit of money, do you think you're humorous?" Xiao Li's expression was cold. He had encountered such things several times in the Black-Corner Region. Are the people here all so humorous?
Since he dared to openly take out so much money, didn't they bother to think why?
The small interlude, though surprising, did not cause much commotion, as hitting a brick wall was also common in the Black-Corner Region.
The medicinal shop clerk led Xiao Li and Old Man Wang to a VIP room to rest.
"Hey! Clerk, call your shop master over. Just say Huang Liang is looking for him." Old Man Wang suddenly called out to the clerk and instructed him to fetch someone.
"Your Excellency, our shop master is very busy and usually doesn't come out. I might not be able to do it." The clerk was a bit embarrassed. The master of Xuan Medicine Shop was an Elder of Xuan Ye Sect, a Dou King powerhouse, and had a very bad temper.
"Just tell him that, and then tell him I'm in a hurry and to get over here quickly!" Old Man Wang snorted coldly, and a trace of Dou King aura emanated, making the clerk sweat profusely. He immediately ran off to do his task.