Chapter 51:Relief
Nearing the heavy door, there were more than 10 guards with indifferent eyes standing firmly before the gate, barring it. At one corner of the gate in a chair, sat an aloof looking man. In his hands was a pen and a thick book.
At this moment many clansmen lined up in a row in front of the old man, each one of them had brought whatever Qi Method to him so they could sign it out. After doing so, they carefully left the pavilion under the cold stares of the 10 or more guards.
This was the procedure to leave the Qi Method Pavilion. Before entering the Qi Method Pavilion, Xiao Yan and everyone else was informed about the procedure, therefore it was not something unexpected.
The Qi Method Pavilion was a place where all of the clan’s Qi Methods were held; methods that were acquired painstakingly by the clan for over dozens of generations. These Qi Methods were the foundation of Xiao Clan, thus the clan had extremely protective measures on the methods.
The Clan had their Qi Method scrolls made out of a special type of bamboo. The bamboo could be defined as a mother-son. The mother part was the size of the palm while the son part would be able to grow as large as a dozen meters. Since the technique scrolls were made from this special material, as long as the clan chief held onto the mother part, there was no way that anyone could sneak away with a scroll. The moment one left the area with a son scroll, the mother scroll would notify everyone.
The Parent’s area of influence just happened to cover the entire Xiao Clan. Therefore, once a technique scroll leaves the Xiao Clan, it is detected. Of course, nothing is absolute in this world. An individual with powerful enough Dou Qi could forcefully destroy the connection between the scrolls. However, with power at that level, why would one bother to steal Huang level Qi Methods…?
It was finally Xiao Yan’s turn after waiting in line for a period of time. Walking to the front, he withdrew a Qi Method from his pocket and gave it to the old man.
Receiving the dark red scroll from Xiao Yan left the old man slightly surprised. His eyes quickly appraised the boy as he thought to himself “This, the [Burning Flame Refinement], was protected by a shield with the power of a 9th Duan Qi. This little brat, to think he could actually get through it…. It would seem he has some skills after all.”
After recording that Xiao Yan had that scroll, the old man returned it to him and indifferently cautioned, “I think you know the rules, right?” This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
“The scroll can’t leave the clan, otherwise there will be severe consequences! You must return the scroll after one year! There must be no damage to it.”
Casually nodding his head, Xiao Yan moved to the side. He leaned on the front door and waited for Xun Er’s scroll to be recorded.
Flashing Xiao Yan a light smile, Xun Er extended her snow white wrist and took out her scroll.
Seeing Xun Er standing in front of him, the emotionless face of the old man suddenly let a out a hint of a respectful smile. Using both hands to receive the scroll, he then quickly recorded the borrower of the scroll.
Standing off to the side, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes at the old man after seeing the change in his attitude. Xiao Yan fingers curled instinctively slightly. Since this old man was in charge of the Qi Method Pavilion, his position in the clan was comparable to that of one of the 3 elders.
Xiao Yan had heard that this old man’s nickname in the clan, Cold hearted Xiao Han. This old guy, even if it was to his own father, would still talk in a foreign manner. An old emotionless face, like the muscles of the recently dead, stiff with rigor mortis. .
This cold faced old man, who didn’t even respect the clan elder, was acting so respectful before Xun Er. This once again kindled Xiao Yan’s interest in Xun Er’s identity.
Rubbing his nose, he thought about how each time Xun Er was silent about her identity. Lifting his head, he saw Xun Er coming over with a smile on her face. With a shrug of his shoulders, he left with her through the front door.
Bursting out from the crowded entrance, Xiao Yan breathed fresh air. The atmosphere inside the Qi Method Pavilion was far too oppressive to breathe normally.
“What’s wrong, Yan Er?” Low laughter greeted Xiao Yan as a figure came into view. Looking through the Qi Method Pavilion’s door, the figure asked with a smile.
Tilting his head to smile at his father, Xiao Yan nodded back with a smile of his own. A red scroll came out from inside his sleeves, “I got it.”
Seeing the red scroll, Xiao Zhan gave a sharp intake of air, “It’s a good thing you were able to get it.” He said in a low voice.
Seeing his father’s expression, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but roar with pride filled laughter alongside him.
Extending his arm to clap Xiao Yan’s shoulder, Xiao Zhan smiled, “Now that you have a Qi Method, once you become a Dou Zhe, then you’ll be able to practice Dou Qi for real.”
Xiao Yan nodded obediently as he returned the red scroll back up his sleeves. He could not help but think softly, “Hmm, I don’t know what’s that special about that Qi Method. A Qi Method that can evolve…is that even possible?”
“It’s even stranger than a Tian level Qi Method…” Trying to recall the strange yet arrogant words of Yao Lao. Xiao Yan shook his head with a bitter laugh. He had just come across one of the finest Qi Methods in his life: Xun Er’s High Xuan level Qi Method: Flame Manipulation. To be honest, he had an internal struggle when he declined it. After all, Qi Methods of that caliber were not only expensive but extremely rare.
Massaging his forehead with an open palm, he was starting to regret declining Xun Er’s kindness but the deed had already been done, it was too late. Xiao Yan did not have the face to ask Xun Er again for it, so he had no choice but to pray that Yao Lao was not playing around with him. Otherwise, he would be the biggest loser out of everyone.
“Hmph, it’s only High Xuan, there’s nothing special about that. Even though she isn’t normal, her collection of Qi Methods can’t possibly compare to mine.” Right when Xiao Yan was praying that Yao Lao didn’t deceive, Yao Lao gave a slight humph and started speaking.
“At last you say something…” Hearing the voice within his own thoughts, Xiao Yan scratched his nose. His mouth twitched upwards into a pleasant smile as he spoke; his point of saying so much was so that he could force that old geezer to say something calming.
“Ai…you tiny brat, trying to deceive me…” An echo came out from within Xiao Yan’s mind. Yao Lao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and instead said, “Brat, keep on practicing Dou Qi. Qi Methods are not something for you to worry about: mine won’t be shabby. In the future, your achievements won’t be lower than that little girl. Her clan is only… Ahem.”
Even though Xiao Yan was disappointed that the last sentence was incomprehensible, he still nodded with a smile; he was given an answer to his question so he could concentrate on practicing Dou Qi so that he could become a Dou Zhe. This was the first step he had to take in order from him to become strong and…for him to find Nalan Yanran who has been on his mind for quite some time…
Chapter 52:Breakthrough
After the Qi Method selection, the entire clan seemed much emptier than usual. The young clansmen who were unable to achieve 7 Duan Qi had been assigned to various clan businesses outside of the clan home, where they would learn their respective tricks of the trade. The talented members of the clan, those who had successfully obtained a Qi Method, started to immerse themselves in rigorous training, in hopes of learning their Qi Method skill as fast as possible.
As the burning sun rose high in the sky, rays of heat baked the earth like an oven. Heat waves bled out of the ground causing ripples in the air, making the air distorted and blurry.
Within the dense forest atop the mountain bordering the Xiao Clan…
Sunlight trickled through the dense foliage, splattering the leaf-matted ground with tiny droplets of light –like a sky full of stars.
In the small forest two shadows weaved and crossed about, explosions rippled the air whenever their palms met. Violent winds gushed forth from each exchange, rushing through the fallen leaves and tossing them into the air.
Engaging in another fierce flurry of blows, Xiao Yan used both palms to parry Xun Er’s fair hands and a muffled ‘boom’ sound rang out with each counter. Though each attack looked light, in actuality whenever one landed it would instantly turn vicious and powerful.
The corners of Xiao Yan’s mouth twitched as he was hit by a strong force, strong enough to cause him to stumble back two steps. Xun Er, on the other hand, was starting to get bruises on her delicate palms because of all the times she got hit..
Seeing Xiao Yan stumble backwards, a slight smile formed on Xun Er’s lips as her fair hands slowly danced in the air, her fingers wrapped in a golden silky glow.
“Tsk tsk, so strong… ” Settling down, the slightly shocked Xiao Yan inwardly shook his head and directed his eyes at Xun Er, she had a slight smile on her face. She then licked her lips, emitting a strong battle lust.
He abruptly pushed himself off the ground with the soles of his feet and dashed forward, specks of mud scattered in his wake.
With a glance at the incoming Xiao Yan, the corners of Xun Er’s dainty mouth lifted up as the golden glow on her hands intensified. The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.
A small crater was left after Xiao Yan had started rushing forward. He suddenly stopped a meter away from Xun Er. So perfect was his stop, it seemed as if Xiao Yan had never moved at all.
Seeing the depth of control Xiao Yan possessed over his movements, Xun Er’s autumn water eyes couldn’t help but betray a sense of admiration.
“Octane Blast!”
As his running figure suddenly came to a halt, his right foot pushed off the ground causing his body to spin: increasing the force of his attack. Filled with power his left leg arced through the air, bringing forth an ear piercing shriek of wind. Fiercely, he angled his blow at Xun Er.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s fierce incoming attack, Xun Er slightly nodded her exquisite chin in response. her dainty hands formed into a strange semicircular shield of light that slammed against Xiao Yan’s left leg without hesitation.
“Bang!”
A muffled boom resounded from the clash causing the leaves on the ground to be swept up into the sky, before scattering about.
Leg met fist in a momentary collision and a split second later, the two figures were pushed back.
The strength of the blow was enough to push Xiao Yan’s body four to five meters into the air. As his body fell downwards, he angled his right hand to face a nearby tree and emitted a suction force to negate the force of the fall. Jumping off a tree branch, he landed steadily onto the ground.
Lifting his head to look at Xun Er who was likewise pushed back a few steps, Xiao Yan smacked his lips and laughed, asking: “What was that Dou Technique you used?”
“High level Xuan Dou Technique: Swallow’s Return…… When mastered, it is able to return the force of an opponent’s attack. I am only at the beginner’s level, thus I can only return about 10% of the power.” Xun Er smiled while replying.
Having understood, a thought emerged from within Xiao Yan: “Borrowing a force to counter another……”
“This Dou Technique that Elder Brother Xiao Yan used is not bad either. If Xun Er was not a one star Dou Zhe with a power beyond yours, I would be unable to withstand the strong force from that attack.” Xun Er smiled, her eyes forming two crescent moons.
Xiao Yan shrugged without commenting, lazily twisting his neck. A high level fight caused muscle fatigue and mental exhaustion to build up.
Rubbing the sweat that was pouring like water off his face, Xiao Yan silently cursed the hot and humid weather before he stripped off his shirt.
Under the shirt, his young, somewhat tanned and fit physique was revealed. Even though it was not considered muscular, his small body hid an explosive power.
Enjoying the half naked Xiao Yan, Xun Er’s beautiful face flushed.
Xiao Yan grabbed his clothes and leaned tiredly against a limestone rock. Facing Xun Er, he let out a bitter laugh, “Sigh, it’s already been two months, yet I am still stuck at the 8 Duan Qi……”
Looking at the somewhat helpless Xiao Yan, Xun Er pursed her lips and giggled. Gracefully sitting down, she joined Xiao Yan and leaned against the limestone rock. She retrieved the sweat filled clothes from Xiao Yan before gently drying the sweat off his body. Consoling him, she said, “The 8th to the 9th Duan Qi is the beginning of Dou Qi bottleneck stage. Xiao Yan ge-ge should not be impatient. When the time is right, all that should be, will be……” At this point, Xun Er suddenly sensed a heated gaze and looking up, she found Xiao Yan staring at her. Flushing red, she pouted playfully: “Xiao Yan ge-ge……”
The young maiden’s gentle and playful tone was like a refreshing breeze in the humid jungle.
Because of the hot weather, Xun Er wore a short, light-green apron that exhibited a lovely patch of white skin below her long, alluring nape. In addition to that, the developing marshmellows of the young maiden were revealed by the tight contours of her clothing, causing a sense of beauty in the youthful body. Faced with such a beautiful scene, it was no wonder that Xiao Yan felt slightly absent-minded.
Awakened from his stupor by Xun Er, Xiao Yan’s face flushed slightly. Letting out an embarrassed laugh, he lay on the cooling limestone, slowly closing his eyes, allowing Xun Er’s pair of tiny hands to gently rub across his body.
The corners of her rosy lips slightly tipped upwards as Xun Er helped wipe Xiao Yan’s body. Without turning, she secretly swept a glance across his body, only to be startled to find that unknowingly, he had fallen asleep.
Helplessly shaking her head, Xun Er also understood that today’s high level fight had caused him to be exhausted. Wrinkling her nose, she put down the clothes as a soft golden glow started to gather at her fingertips……
Sneakily taking another glance at the unresponsive Xiao Yan, Xun Er laid a finger on Xiao Yan’s skin. Golden light followed the path along the finger and seeped into Xiao Yan’s body……
As golden light was transferred, beads of sweat started to roll down Xun Er’s forehead and she could be seen slightly gritting her teeth. Just as she prepared to continue the transfer, a surprised look flashed across her face.
As he was in a deep sleep beside the limestone, an unfathomable sucking force suddenly originated from within Xiao Yan’s body. Lines of Dou Qi gathered from the surroundings and started to quickly flow into his body……
“Oh…… Is it a breakthrough?”
A gasp of shock and awe could be heard as Xun Er’s small mouth formed into the shape of an O and she quietly watched Xiao Yan as he unknowingly absorbed Dou Qi.
Chapter 53:9 Duan Qi
In the small lush forest, threads of white Dou Qi flowed through the air, continuously absorbed by Xiao Yan’s body as he slumbered.
Looking at Xiao Yan, who had practically become an energy sink, Xun Er felt pleasantly surprised. Quietly putting some distance between him, she stood in silent vigil and guarded the area. If Xiao Yan were to be roused from his state of training mediation, he would lose a chance to advance another level.
The success of Xiao Yan’s advancement could be said to be almost certain.
As the Dou Qi was absorbed, the faint traces of fatigue on Xiao Yan’s face gradually faded away. Like a piece of warm jade, his delicate and pretty face glowed with a pale light.
For the next hour these events carried on continued within the small dense forest, until at last coming to the end.
Finally, when the lasts wisps of Dou Qi entered Xiao Yan, the small forest regained its original calm; the sun’s burning rays continued to shine down on the forest.
Even though Xiao Yan’s eyes were tightly shut, his chest rose and fell in a smooth and steady manner. Xun Er, seeing this, let out a sigh of relief, relaxed and laughed gently: “He has finally reached the 9th Duan Qi. Maybe in half a year, Xiao Yan ge-ge will be able to condense a Dou Qi Cyclone and become a true Dou Zhe.”
A light hearted smile on her lips, Xun Er leaped onto a nearby limestone and sat down in a crosslegged position. Elbows on her knees, palms supporting her chin while her fingers lay on her cheeks, she waited for Xiao Yan to wake up. This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
……
The sky had gradually turned to dusk when Xiao Yan finally arose from his deep slumber. Blinking his eyes in confusion, Xiao Yan stared blankly about before regaining his wits. Lifting his head, his sight came to rest upon a figure clothed in the golden rays of the setting sun. Bright and clear like liquid water, a pair of eyes met his. He smiled.
“Is Xiao Yan ge-ge finally awake?” Xun Er let out a lovable laugh as she posed the question to the recently-awakened Xiao Yan.
Smiling with a nod of his head, Xiao Yan got up. Twisting his numb neck about, he lazily stretched. “Pi Li Pa La” the satisfying sounds of bones cracking against each other could be heard from a body that had just raised a Duan Qi.
Dazed at the feeling of achieving a breakthrough, Xiao Yan curled his hand in to a fist before uncurling it again, his jaw slightly slackened and he tilted his head; his face filled with equal parts of doubt and uncertainty and he uttered: “What…… I seem to have reached the 9 Duan Qi?”
Staring at Xiao Yan’s look of bafflement with an interested look, Xun Er started to laugh.
Upon seeing Xun Er’s nod, Xiao Yan’s lips curled upwards into a smile. His heart was pleasantly surprised, though he still didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The last time he made a breakthrough, it was when he was sleeping. This time he made another breakthrough while asleep. This way of breaking through was a bit too comical.
Vigorously punching at the air a few times in rapid succession and feeling Dou Qi that was stronger than a few hours ago, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but laugh.
After getting all of his pleasant surprise out of his mind, Xiao Yan was finally aware of the murky sky color. Giving an apologetic smile to Xun Er, he knew that she had been waiting for him this whole time.
While putting his clothes back on, he began to crack jokes with Xun Er, “Not leaving? Today’s a good day so why don’t you let ge treat you to a nice meal in Wu Tang City.”
TL: Ge = Brother and Ge-ge = Brother
“Xixi, I want the most expensive meal then…” She responded with a light laugh of her own. Tiptoeing on the limestone for a while, she gingerly dropped down next to Xiao Yan, emitting a faint bell laugh that scatter across the gingerly green forest.
……
In order to thank Xun Er for waiting the whole afternoon, Xiao Yan took care to take Xun Er on a stroll around Wu Tang City before parting with her in the clan.
Dragging his still somewhat excited legs back to his room, Xiao Yan dropped down heavily onto his bed and hugged his quilt. With a soft murmur to himself, he said, “At last, I am finally going to become a Dou Zhe once more…”
“Hey, this breakthrough you just managed… it was due to that little girl.” From the midst of the room, the laughter of an old man suddenly sounded.
Raising a single eyelid, Xiao Yan stared lazily at Yao Lao and furrowed his eyebrows, “What does Xun Er have to do with this?”
“Eh, she definitely had a part, otherwise you would had taken a week to breakthrough by yourself.” Yao Lao’s transparent body sat down on a chair, his casual tone ringing throughout the room.
Begrudgingly shrugging his shoulders, Xiao Yan threw his head back into his quilt. “Right now I’m already at 9 Duan, if I want to breakthrough to become a Dou Zhe, I’m afraid it’ll take me another half year or so…” After saying that, he momentarily paused and threw off his quilt. His previously focused face became gloomy, his voice now revealing a cold tone, “One year has already passed and yet I am still not a one star Dou Zhe. If things keep on going at this rate…I’m afraid I won’t be able to catch up to Nalan Yanran in three years.”
Upon hearing this, Yao Lao raised an eye to look at him but remained silent.
“Nalan Yanran is being trained to be the Faction of Misty Cloud’s next Faction leader. Her talent cannot be said to be low at all and the Faction of Misty Cloud is quite strong as well. They even have the formidable alchemist Pill King Gu He amongst their ranks…if he were to help Nalan Yanran, her speed would be terrifying. It would be no slower than my training speed.” Xiao Yan thought aloud to himself.
Yao Lao tilted his head at Xiao Yan and saw Xiao Yan’s bright crystal like eyes focus closely on himself. Yao Lao immediately started to laugh but still made no comment.
Looking at Yao Lao’s face, Xiao Yan could only roll his eyes. His words were pointless…
“Heh…”After staying silent for some time, Yao Lao slowly sighed. Standing up to walk towards Xiao Yan, his lips began to curl into a smile: “That Gu He fellow isn’t anything more than a 6th tier Alchemist. Is he even worthy to be called a Pill King? Other than refining pills, what else can he do?”
Hearing Yao Lao talk in this manner, Xiao Yan’s face suddenly adopted a smiling expression. At this moment, he knew that the mysterious teacher was finally about to show his hand…
“Tomorrow, you will go buy some materials. Qi Gathering Powder, you will be eating it like it’s candy… I don’t believe that this Nalan will have this sort of treatment!” With both hands behind his back, Yao Lao sneered proudly.
Chapter 54:Raising Money
Of course, saying that he would be able to eat Qi Gathering Pills like candy was a somewhat boastful claim. However, given the skills of Yao Lao, with enough materials, helping Xiao Yan refine tens of Qi Gathering Pills was not a problem.
However, even with all the boastful claims of Yao Lao, Xiao Yao had no time to feel any excitement. With each and every required material uttered by Yao Lao, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but feel his heart sink lower and lower.
“Tomorrow, prepare for me four 50 year old Inky Leaf Lotus flowers, two Ripened Snake Venom Fruits, one bundle of 20 year old Spirit Gathering Grass and a Rank 2 Water Attribute Magic Stone,” Came Yao Lao’s indifferent voice and when he saw Xiao Yan’s stiff and distant look, he couldn’t help but be startled. “What’s the matter?”
“50 year old Inky Leaf Lotus? Flowers that age are sold for 3000 gold coins and that’s just for a single blossom! Ripened Snake Venom Fruit? That’s considered one of the top lower grade alchemy ingredients, even the pharmacies don’t carry them, it would have to be through sheer luck if one were to ever obtain one and at the very least 8000 gold coins would be needed to buy just one. And the 20 year old Spirit Gather Grass? Dear god, I have only heard of this item appearing in auctions only once and the starting price was at 10,500 gold! Even the Rank 2 Water Attribute Magic Stone, the cheapest of all the materials, would require at least 2000 gold pieces.” Xiao Yan’s wiped his sweaty brow and painfully let out a groan, “These ingredients alone would cost me around 50,000. Where in the world would I get such a large sum of money?”
“Eh…” On hearing Xiao Yan whine, Yao Lao just rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders mockingly, “Obtaining those ingredients is your problem. It has nothing to do with me; I will only be in charge of refining the ingredients.”
“Dammit. The cost for everything is going to be way too high. If I’m really going to eat Gathering Qi Powder like candy, I’m afraid that even the Xiao Clan’s wealth would be unable to cover the costs.” Scolding himself, Xiao Yan fingered the green card he had hidden under the pillow with some regret. Helplessly, he said, “I only have 10,000 gold left from selling the Foundation Elixir, nowhere near enough to buy the ingredients you need.”
Yao Lao laughed while leisurely sitting down onto a chair; showing that the matter of obtaining the ingredients was of no concern to him.
Kneading his head, Xiao Yan grimaced in pain as he continued his line of thought, “First, I`ll just use this money to buy ingredients for the Foundation Elixir. Then I’ll just sell that at the Auction House; otherwise, I’ll never get enough money.”
Yao Lao gave a smug nod. For him, refining something as low-grade as the Foundation Elixir was nothing strenuous. Letting out a short breath, Xiao Yan flopped back onto his bed and bitterly laughed, “Being poor is extremely annoying…”
……
The next morning, Xiao Yan secretly slipped away from the clan to Wu Tan City’s pharmacies and bought all of the materials needed for the Foundation Elixir. Afterwards, Xiao Yan searched for a tavern in an isolated area and entered.
Because he would be selling the elixirs for other people to use, he could let Yao Lao mix the ingredients together without a single care. So, just like last time, Xiao Yan bought the cheapest and lowest quality materials.
Because he desperately needed money, Xiao Yan bought enough materials to make 7 Foundation Elixirs, which which had completely drained the green card of money.
While waiting for Yao Lao to refine the ingredients, Xiao Yan began to flick the green card around his hands. Absentmindedly shaking his head, Xiao Yan came to realize that he had once again returned to his original poverty stricken state.
This time, Yao Lao had spent an entire hour to create all of the Foundation Elixirs. Arranging each of the seven white jade bottles neatly onto the table, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but smile widely. Carefully wrapping each bottle up in cloth, he secured them tightly to his back.
Gently patting the elixirs on his back, Xiao Yan swung a huge black cloak over himself to hide both him and the elixirs from view before laughing to himself as he exited the tavern.
……
At the Primer Auction House inside the treasure inspection hall.
Primer Auction’s top auctioneer, Ya Fei, was staring at 7 small jade bottles full of Foundation Elixir in front of her in shock. Her eyes had lost her usual sparkle and she leaned forward at a precarious angle.
“Cough…”Sitting not too far away from Ya Fei with his black pouch, Xiao Yan coughed, bringing her back to attention.
Her pale white hands tenderly groped the jade bottles while she sniffed it to try and authenticate the elixirs. After a while, she handed the bottles to Gu Ni, the alchemist expert of the auction.
Taking the Foundation Elixir from her, Gu Ni began to inspect the bottle closely and then remarked, “All of these are truly Foundation Elixirs…”
Upong hearing Gu Ni’s confirmation, Ya Fei’s eyebrows leapt up in surprise. She observed the black cloaked figured before her and her face carried a smile. Bringing out the most appeal she could muster, she said, “I didn’t think half a year later, uncle would bring us such a large business.”
“When will the elixir be sold?” The cloaked figure asked with the voice of Yao Lao.
“Does uncle need money right away? If you are not that busy, then I suggest waiting for 1 or 2 days. 7 bottles of Foundation Elixir rarely come onto the market at the same time. If you would let the Auction House publicize this then your profits will surely be a lot higher…” Ya Fei smiled sweetly while suggesting her idea.
Hearing this, the cloaked figure went silent momentarily and just for a moment, a light groan in confirmation was heard. N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n.
Hearing his response, Ya Fei’s smiling face slipped for a second. Her white hands reached for her teacup and she brought it to her lips. She could now ascertain that this black cloaked figure was a rank 2 alchemist, if not a rank 3 alchemist!
Taking a sip from the teacup, the cloaked figure spoke once more with an elderly voice, “Perhaps your auction house could assist in helping me procure some alchemy ingredients as well?”
The bright eyes of Ya Fei twinkled as she sat down on top of a chair. Smiling even brighter, she said, “What ingredients does uncle want?”
“Four 50 year old Ink Leaf Lotuses, two Ripened Snake Venom Fruit, one bundle of 20 year old Spirit Gathering Grass and a single Water Attribute Rank 2 Magic Core…”
By the side of Ya Fei, Gu Ni’s face changed drastically upon hearing the ingredients listed. His eyes had a hint of confusion as he watched the black cloaked figure.
“Hehe, Ya Fei will definitely help uncle find those materials. The moment I hear a single mention of any of the items, I will inform uncle immediately. But, where does uncle live I wonder? How will we keep in touch?” As Ya Fei asked, she glanced at Gu Ni and saw shock etched on his face. Seeing that her heart gave a violent leap but she didn’t show her surprise on her face.
“There is no need to try to contact me. If any of the ingredients appear, deduct the costs from the Foundation Elixir. I will visit again.” Under the black cloak, a wizened voice rang out. “I also have other matters to attend to that cannot be postponed. I will be back in two days.” With that said, the cloaked man stood up and walked out of the Auction House.
Watching him disappear as he turned around the corner, Ya Fei’s eyes narrowed. “Was there something wrong with the ingredients he asked for, Gu Ni shu-shu?”
Gu Ni shook his head and exhaled before laughing bitterly, “If I remember correctly, these are the ingredients to refine and make the Qi Gathering Powder.”
Ya Fei’s face changed immediately after hearing that, “Doesn’t one have to be a Rank 4 alchemist before attempting to create the Qi Gathering Powder?”
Nodding his head, Gu Ni continued, “That would appear to be the case. However, within the Jia Ma Empire, there are no more than 20 Rank 4 alchemists. How is it that we’ve never heard of this mysterious cloaked person before?”
Ya Fei gently shook her head, her eyes were brimming with curiosity as she spoke, “A Rank 4 alchemist…if I ever get the chance, I’ll definitely have him owe a favor to me!”
Chapter 55:Accident
Looking at the Primer Auction House’s ability to circulate information, one cannot help but admit that it was extremely effective. It had barely been a day since Xiao Yan had handed over his Foundation Elixirs to the Auction house, and yet almost every influential clan in Wu Tan city had already heard the news causing a great disturbance.
The only thing different between this auction and the last was the star of the show. The previous auction showcased the High Level Xuan Dou Technique, a piece which would fetch a sky-high price any day; because of that only the major powers had the qualifications to bid, those of lesser ranks could only watch in longing.
But to many people, the Foundation Elixir was a more realistic goal. To help their children become a Dou Zhe as quickly as possible, many elders of various clans were willing to spend quite a bit on advantageous items like the Foundation Elixirs.
Word of the Foundation Elixirs had spread enough to send the city of Wu Tan abuzz with excitement, even Xiao Yan, deeply secluded within his clan, caught wind of the news. Seeing the commotion over a mere seven bottles of impure Foundation Elixir had caused, though shocked, Xiao Yan was grateful for the being able to confirm the unique charm that the pills had on this continent.
On the second day, the Xiao Clan also received an invitation from the Primer Auction House. Most likely because Xiao Zhan had previously bought a Foundation Elixir. Several elders of the clan were interested in the appearance of the Foundation Elixirs, especially those who still had children whom had yet to achieve the level of Dou Zhes.
Xiao Yan had originally planned to sneak out in the afternoon, but before his plan came to fruition, he was stopped by a messenger from Xiao Zhan. Xiao Yan had no choice but to follow behind the messenger and walk towards the entrance of the clan.
At the entrance, Xiao Yan found not only Xiao Zhan, but also several elders that were gathered there, all bustling with excitement.
Raising his head to find the leisurely approaching Xiao Yan, a grinning Xiao Zhan urged Xiao Yan to come forward with a gesture of his hand.
Xiao Yan let out a sigh, seeing his father beckon him. As he walked forward, his glance fell upon the two figures next to Xiao Zhan and his eyebrows furrowed at the sight.
“Dilly-dallying, just like a woman……” Xiao Yu taunted the frowning Xiao Yan. She had been made to wait all day for the ‘princess,’ for this she was slightly angered.
“Are you really in such a rush to your funeral?” Xiao Yan rebutted in a matter-of-fact manner; Xiao Yu to ground her teeth in anger, almost chipping a tooth.
“Pffffttt.” Within the crowd, a young maiden’s mocking laughter rang out like a silver bell.
Tilting his head, Xiao Yan looked to see Xun Er standing in the middle of the crowd. Shrugging his shoulders at her, he smiled back, “Are you going to the Auction House too?”
“Staying within the clan grounds is really boring. I might as well go look around any time I can…” Xun Er squeezed her way through the crowd to stand at Xiao Yan’s side; her beautiful laughter echoing behind her as she walked.
“What’s there for you anyways, except for, well… really at best only a few Foundation Elixirs? Nothing that would be of any use to you will be there.” Xiao Yan asked with a pleasant smile on his face.
“Hmph, YOU still dare to talkback? If it weren’t for those Foundation Elixirs, you’d be no where near my level?” retorted Xiao Ning bitterly, his feet still slightly unsteady since he had had only recently fully recovered. He had just healed from the fight he had with Xiao Yan 2 months ago, but now, as he looked at the two people being ridiculed standing so close to each other, his cheeks reddened with jealousy. It was as if he forgotten the lesson Xiao Yan taught him, after all that pain.
“You still itching for a fight?” Lifting his head to look at him, Xiao Yan’s expression was dangerously unclear, no one could tell if he was smiling or not.
“You…”Xiao Ning’s wrath grew along with the clenching of his fists, but slowly, his fists relaxed and returned to their original state. With a sneer, he followed with: “Don’t be so proud of yourself, although you managed to injure me that time, I still have to thank you for the experience. If it weren’t for this period of healing, I would not have even been able to get close to the 9 Duan Dou Qi. Within 7 days at most, I’ll be able to breakthrough to 9 Duan! After that, we’ll see who’ll be wanting to fight again and who will be the winner!”
Hearing Xiao Ning, some of the surrounding older clansmen couldn’t help but look astonished at his claim. Even the first elder nearby couldn’t hide the pleasant look of pride from his face. Really, this grandson of his never ceased to amaze him.
Xiao Zhan’s eyebrows wrinkled with some annoyance as he looked at the first elder. When he was about to wave his hand to signal for everyone to prepare to leave, he stopped as he saw Xiao Yan’s smiling expression towards Xiao Ning and was momentarily stunned with the words he was about to say died in his mouth.
Facing Xiao Ning, whose face still had that arrogant sneer, Xiao Yan yawned after a moment of silence. Then he shrugged his head and spoke with a neutral tone, “Well…this is quite embarrassing. Just a few days ago, I accidentally…entered the 9 Duan Qi. I’m afraid that it seems like you’re still a step behind.”
“Eh…”
Right after hearing Xiao Yan, all of the surrounding clansmen went silent. Looks of shock and astonishment appeared on everyone’s faces as they watched the impassive face of Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan had said he broke through…by accident?
Not knowing if they should either laugh or cry, everyone all had a similar thought. This kid had deliberately hit Xiao Ning where it hurt most, poor, poor Xiao Ning…
Xiao Ning’s arrogant smirk went rigid as he heard Xiao Yan. His mouth began to twitch slowly, and his throat was trembling. With an unwavering stare at Xiao Yan that lasted for some time, Xiao Ning finally backed down with a dejected look. He had thought that he could gain some face with his expected breakthrough but who would have thought that he was met with an even more shocking statement.
Jade-like hands supported a rather downtrodden Xiao Ning as Xiao Yu glared furiously at Xiao Yan, as if trying to burn holes into him. Surprisingly, she did not say anything to mock him, only thinking to herself: “How exactly does this little bastard train? It was only two months…… how could he have achieved 9th Duan?”
Even though there was bad blood between them, Xiao Yu was still mind-blown at Xiao Yan’s rapid progress.
“Haha ……” A peal of laughter thundered from Xiao Zhan, his previous annoyance fading away as he saw the surprised faces of his clansmen. Casting a glance towards the First Elder, he smiled and said: “Let’s get going, the auction is about to start, any more delays and we’ll miss our chance.” The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.
Watching the elders walk out the main door, Xiao Zhan could not help but turn around and happily ruffle his son’s hair. He praised Xiao Yan in a happy tone: “Not bad, you have done your father proud yet again. That old fogey, the first elder, kept going on and on about how much talent his grandson until I almost felt like killing myself in irritation; he obviously wants the clan to invest in a bottle of Foundation Elixir for his grandson. Beating around the bush like that, what a super annoying old cheap-skate.”
With his hair ruffled into a mess, Xiao Yan forced a smile. He innocently spread his hands while taking a step out of the main door as he grudgingly replied: “Originally, I didn’t want to reveal it but he just had to force my hand……”
At a distance from the door, hearing Xiao Yan’s words, Xiao Ning’s mouth twitched as his heart became heavy with gloominess and depression.
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