Word Count: 3,191 Words
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"Should be?!" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed as he shot to his feet. 'Should be' meant she still hadn't returned!
"Don't panic." Xiao Ding rose and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder reassuringly. "Elder Hai has already gone to find her. And remember, the Yan Alliance isn't what it used to be. Ya Fei has the Little Lion King as her bodyguard. Ordinary Dou Ancestors couldn't possibly harm them."
The Little Lion King's talent far surpassed the Lion King's, primarily because he had obtained a Body Transformation Pill when he was still only a Rank 5 magical beast.
Xiao Yan slowly shook his head. "Sister Ya Fei's cultivation talent is poor. I should still go look for her."
Xiao Ding sighed helplessly. After providing the location and city name, he watched Xiao Yan tear open a Wormhole and vanish.
"Third Brother's as loyal as ever." Second Brother Xiao Li took a sip of wine, smiling as the spatial distortion faded.
This Third Brother of theirs had always been this way. If either of them were ever in trouble, Xiao Yan would undoubtedly risk everything to save them.
"Indeed. No wonder Elder Hai says this kid attracts so many beauties. That old man really knows how to read people." Xiao Ding chuckled, genuinely impressed by Hai Bodong's insight.
Such fierce loyalty easily sparked romantic flames, after all.
This time, however, Xiao Yan would not get his chance to play the hero swooping in at the last moment. He had barely reached the Jia Ma Empire's border when his Spiritual Strength detected Hai Bodong, Ya Fei, and their companions approaching from nearby.
"Little Brother Xiao Yan! You're back!" Ya Fei sat sidesaddle on the Little Lion King's back, her beautiful eyes widening with surprise and joy.
"I just returned," Xiao Yan replied, rubbing his nose a little sheepishly. "Big Brother told me you went to the Southern Region a month ago, so I thought I'd come find you."
A delicate blush bloomed across Ya Fei's porcelain cheeks when she realized he had come specifically for her.
Perched on the Little Lion King's back, her red hair cascaded in windswept disarray. Several years his senior, she appeared like a peach at peak ripeness. Every inch of her radiated a mature allure that made men's mouths go dry. The way her body shifted with each movement, the subtle sway that even her travel robes couldn't conceal...
Xiao Yan's throat constricted involuntarily before he forced his gaze away.
Hai Bodong watched this pitiful display with exasperation from the side. Then, a calculating gleam entered his eyes.
He refused to believe there existed a cat that wouldn't eat fish!
The situation was crystal clear to Hai Bodong. Xiao Yan was like a wild beast bound by iron chains. The problem was those chains proved remarkably strong; countless people had tried and failed to break them.
This was especially true now that he had already married Cai Lin and even had children.
"Ahem." Hai Bodong cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back, adopting the air of a transcendent expert to change the subject. "Xiao Yan, you underestimate this old man. Even ordinary 9-star Dou Ancestors don't frighten me anymore."
An intensely cold Dou Qi emanated from his body. It was so frigid that it seemed to freeze the surrounding space.
Ice Venerate Strength! It was the High Di Class ice-attribute Qi Method, the strongest cultivation technique of the Ice River Valley!
Only now did Hai Bodong realize the truth. His talent hadn't been poor, but the cultivation resources and Qi Methods in a remote place like the Jia Ma Empire were far too weak.
Having obtained the Ice River Valley's complete inheritance, coupled with the medicinal pills provided by the allied Ye Clan, his talent was finally able to shine.
In just over a year, with tier 7 pills assisting his cultivation and the High Di Class Ice Venerate Strength, his cultivation had reached an impressive 6-star Dou Ancestor. Moreover, his combat strength far exceeded that of his peers.
Originally believing Dou Ancestor was his limit, Hai Bodong had now set a new, small goal for himself: to become a Dou Venerate!
He had even chosen his title: Venerable Bing Hai!
Xiao Yan mercilessly rolled his eyes at the high-spirited Hai Bodong, then slowly released the pressure of a Dou Venerate from his body.
"Holy shit?! You brat actually became a Dou Venerate!" Hai Bodong's eyes bulged. Don't you know how to respect your elders?!
His beard practically stood on end with indignation. Forget it, he couldn't compare with this monster. Ice River Valley had fallen by this kid's hands, after all. What was there to compare? He'd better go show off in front of Jia Xing Tian instead.
"Roar, roar!" The Little Lion King called out cheerfully to Xiao Yan, as if to say, 'Why are you ignoring me!'
As Xiao Cai's father, Xiao Yan could roughly understand beast language now. He patted the Little Lion King's head. "Haha, you've grown up!"
"Roar!"
After some idle chat, the group arrived at the Miteer Auction House headquarters. Xiao Yan looked up at the enormous, palace-like structure and couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.
It was incomparably larger than before! One could only imagine how rapidly the Miteer Auction House had developed under Ya Fei's management; its growth had even outpaced the Yan Alliance's expansion. The Miteer Auction House's emblem could now be seen in many cities well beyond the Yan Alliance's official territory.
The entire alliance had developed at an extraordinary pace, especially in the year since Xiao Yan won the Pill Gathering Championship. It had become a true behemoth!
Even the Ye Clan, one of the five great alchemist clans, had voluntarily abandoned its prestigious position to join them. That news alone had shocked the entire Central Plains!
The five great clans were essentially subordinates of the Pill Tower. Even though the Ye Clan ranked lowest among them and had declined to the point of lacking even an 8th-tier alchemist...
They remained a powerful alchemist clan nonetheless. Absorbing them sent a powerful message: the Yan Alliance now wielded influence comparable to the Pill Tower itself!
Although the Yan Alliance's overall strength was still considered above the Three Valleys but below the Two Sects, lacking any elite Half-Saint, anyone with eyes could see the truth. When counting the special influence of its alchemists, the Yan Alliance could absolutely rival the Two Sects!
"Jia Ma Sacred City has become the largest holy land for medicinal pills outside the Central Pill Region." Ya Fei smiled gently, noticing Xiao Yan's astonishment.
"That's truly remarkable." Xiao Yan was genuinely impressed. While he excelled at cultivation, he was clueless about management. Such matters had to be entrusted to talents like Ya Fei and Yao Ye.
"Little Clan Leader!" A familiar voice called from behind him. Xiao Yan turned to see a handsome young man greeting him with a beaming smile.
"Xiao Ning, what are you doing here?" Xiao Yan smiled slightly at the sight of his cousin.
"Reporting to the Little Clan Leader, I've come to deliver medicinal ingredients," Xiao Ning replied.
Although Xiao Ning's strength had only reached the peak of Dou Emperor, he was now the strongest in the Xiao Clan after Xiao Yan himself. After all, the Yan Alliance had only been developing for a few short years.
From the fluctuations of his Dou Qi, Xiao Yan estimated that a single Zong Breaking Pill would be enough for him to break through to the Dou Ancestor realm.
"Miss Ya Fei, these are this quarter's medicinal ingredients from the Black-Corner Region." Xiao Ning bowed respectfully to Ya Fei and handed her a brocade box filled with high-grade storage rings, each one packed with medicinal ingredients.
The Yan Alliance's Alchemy Hall naturally resided in Jia Ma Sacred City, so all medicinal ingredients the alliance obtained were sent there, establishing the city as the North-Western Region's largest ingredient hub. Xiao Ning was now primarily in charge of the affairs in Xiao City.
Xiao Yan spoke up once he noticed Xiao Ning's fortuitous timing. "Xiao Ning."
"Present, Little Clan Leader. What are your orders?" Xiao Ning immediately recognized Xiao Yan had instructions and responded with utmost respect.
With a light touch of his storage ring, the entirely dark-gold Xing Tian puppet materialized before them.
"This puppet possesses the strength of a 2-star Dou Venerate. Take some clan members to the Southern Region and find a sect called the Hui Nan Sect. Teach them a lesson."
On his way there, Xiao Yan had naturally learned what had happened to Ya Fei.
Even outside the Black-Corner Region, robbery and murder were common occurrences on the Dou Qi Continent. Ya Fei had been intercepted by that Hui Nan Sect.
The Little Lion King, having only just reached Rank 7, had stood no chance against the Hui Nan Sect Master's 9-star Dou Ancestor strength. Fortunately, Ya Fei possessed enough tricks up her sleeve to barely escape and hold out until Hai Bodong arrived.
"A 2-star Dou Venerate!" Both Xiao Ning and Hai Bodong exclaimed in shock. This puppet was that powerful!
Xiao Yan stepped forward and patted Xiao Ning's shoulder, lowering his voice. "You can be ruthless."
A fierce expression curved the corner of Xiao Ning's mouth as he nodded heavily.
Since someone had chosen to seek riches through danger and treated the Yan Alliance as if it were nothing, they couldn't blame others for being cruel and merciless.
Xiao Ning took Xing Tian and flew toward Misty Cloud Mountain, already planning how to fulfill the Little Clan Leader's expectations cleanly and efficiently.
As for the news that the Yan Alliance had retaliated and annihilated the Hui Nan Sect overnight half a month later, such a minor matter naturally did not concern Xiao Yan.
"This old man will take his leave first. You two chat." Hai Bodong winked at Xiao Yan before stepping into the void and vanishing, leaving only Ya Fei and Xiao Yan behind.
"Let's go to the room," Xiao Yan suggested.
Ya Fei's heart skipped a beat. What is he planning to do there?!
Of course, she was overthinking things. Once back in the room, Xiao Yan immediately started refining medicine and creating a medicinal ointment. Ya Fei watched this and realized he must have noticed her injuries.
Xiao Yan gently took her delicate hand and pushed up her sleeve, revealing bruises that marred her otherwise jade-white skin.
Despite her casual description of the event, it was clear that she had faced genuine peril. A cold light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes at the sight of the bruises. If not for the pressing matter of the Hall of Souls, he would have personally dealt with the Hui Nan Sect and extracted their souls for alchemy.
He dabbed some ointment on his finger and gently applied it to the bruised areas. "You could have left this kind of thing to others."
Tender emotion filled Ya Fei's beautiful eyes as she watched the young man so carefully tending to her wounds. She had long since realized her feelings for him had transformed from those for a little brother into something far deeper.
"By the time I learned of the auction, it was about to begin. There wasn't time to notify anyone else," she explained softly.
"Besides... I heard from Second Brother that you're in great need of a Heavenly Flame..."
Xiao Yan gave her a helpless look but didn't argue. While applying the ointment, he simultaneously used his Life Flame to heal the injuries.
After treating the wounds on her arm, he looked up at her. A slight blush colored her pretty face as she understood his unspoken request. She turned and sat with her back to him, sweeping all her loose hair forward over her shoulder with her right hand.
Ya Fei wore a light purple dress today. It was no ordinary garment but a high-grade Rank 7 defensive treasure that had been custom-made for her.
But her own strength was still too weak, only a 3-star Dou Spirit. Though she had avoided open wounds, bruises still marked her body.
Xiao Yan gently undid the fastenings on the back of her dress. The dress immediately loosened, revealing her beautiful, alluring collarbones and jade-like shoulders. Her smooth, flawless back was hard to look away from.
Ya Fei possessed a voluptuous figure that even the dress could not fully conceal; from the sides, hints of the pale curves of her chest were visible.
The sight captivated him completely for a moment.
He remembered Wu Tan City, where Xun Er had accompanied him for eleven years before their separation at Jia Nan Academy.
While Ya Fei hadn't been there from the beginning, as she had arrived from the capital when he was eleven or twelve, the older woman had already possessed a mature allure. To Xiao Yan's reincarnated perspective, she had embodied the sophisticated older sister archetype. Calling her his childhood goddess wouldn't be an exaggeration.
"Has Elder Sister gotten old?"
Ya Fei's voice brought him back to reality. He gently applied cool ointment to her bruises and calmly said, "How could that be? Sister Ya Fei has always been young and beautiful."
Ya Fei hugged her knees and rested her face on them as she gazed back at him. Her beautiful eyes held a touch of melancholy. "Your Elder Sister is already over thirty."
Xiao Yan was twenty-six during the Pill Gathering. A year had passed since he refined the Three Thousand Burning Flame, so he was now twenty-seven. This meant Ya Fei had indeed long since passed thirty.
Her cultivation was low, and on the Dou Qi Continent, a higher cultivation level meant a longer life and restored bodily functions. Upon reaching Dou Venerate and above, one's lifespan increased dramatically.
"Sister Ya Fei's skin is smoother than a newborn's. In my eyes, you'll always be that eighteen-year-old beauty." Xiao Yan smiled.
Ya Fei shot him an alluring glare. "Such smooth talk. Is this how you tricked Xun Er?"
Xiao Yan froze momentarily. "I swear, absolutely not. Every word is truth, otherwise—"
Ya Fei suddenly turned and pressed a delicate finger against his lips. Their eyes met. They were so close they could feel each other's breath.
"Don't make careless vows," she whispered, her breath sweet as orchids.
With her clothing half-removed, she presented an extremely seductive picture in her current state. Xiao Yan's breathing quickened. Any ordinary man would find it impossible to resist such vixen-like temptation.
But was Xiao Yan an ordinary man? Ya Fei watched the clarity gradually return to his eyes and knew just how important a place Xun Er held in his heart.
She slowly withdrew her finger, then leaned forward to brush her lips against his. The kiss lasted barely a heartbeat. She pulled back with a bittersweet smile. "Consider this my reward for helping you find a Heavenly Flame."
She placed a storage ring on the table and held her dress closed as she stood. "This Heavenly Flame apparently ranks very low. It seems to be the only one purchasable with resources."
"Quickly improve your strength and go find Xun Er in the Gu Realm."
Without awaiting his response, she walked to her room and closed the door. Leaning against it, her eyes lowered in disappointment.
Then a voice resonated in her mind: "Sister Ya Fei, wait for me."
A single tear of joy slid from the corner of her eye. She nodded and whispered softly, "Always."
…
Back in the cultivation chamber of the Xiao Clan estate, Xiao Yan gazed at the storage ring in his palm. He could sense the Heavenly Flame within.
'If I become the strongest on the Dou Qi Continent, will I truly be able to do anything, to solve all my problems...?'
Xiao Yan stared at the storage ring. He was terrified of losing Xun Er.
He couldn't help but recall his mother's words from his childhood:
"Yan'er... as long as you're strong enough, you can solve any problem. On the Dou Qi Continent, the strong are revered."
Though he could no longer clearly remember his mother's face, those words—'On the Dou Qi Continent, the strong are revered'—had remained etched in his heart.
He examined the ring again. The Heavenly Flame inside had a remarkably weak temperature. Even fully matured, it felt weaker than the Ten Thousand Beast Flame. The Heavenly Flame Ranking itself offered only the briefest description of it. Clearly, the Mysterious Yellow Flame ranked last for a reason.
In terms of raw power, it was probably equivalent only to the Life Transforming Flame.
However, refining any Heavenly Flame carried risks. Even as a Dou Venerate who had already refined multiple Heavenly Flames, a moment of carelessness could prove fatal.
His experience had taught him that Heavenly Flames were special for more than just their power. If it were merely a matter of strength and temperature, the Dou Qi flames he could create with his Tian Class Qi Method would be no weaker than the Mysterious Yellow Flame.
This world must have created the Mysterious Yellow Flame for a reason; there had to be something that qualified it as a Heavenly Flame.
Therefore, Xiao Yan remained cautious, maintaining his reverence for any Heavenly Flame.
Determination flashed in his eyes. He crushed the storage ring with a sharp crack, destroying the seal containing the Mysterious Yellow Flame along with it.
A yellow flame slowly rose from his palm. The flame gently ascended, no larger than a fist. To Xiao Yan, its temperature did not even match the blood fire from the Heaven Phoenix Blood Pool.
He was absolutely certain this Mysterious Yellow Flame could not evolve the Flame Mantra. Even the original, low-level Flame Mantra would probably advance only from the Low Huang Class to the Low Xuan Class. It might not even reach Xuan Class at all.
Xiao Yan guessed that the Dou Ancestor who had obtained it hadn't feared refining it, but had simply disdained it.
For a Dou Ancestor, it seemed rather tasteless. It was far more practical to leverage the Heavenly Flame's reputation by selling it to an alchemist in exchange for pills.
Even with his cultivation and insight, Xiao Yan could not discern the Mysterious Yellow Flame's true purpose. He knew that only by actually refining it would he understand its nature.
His expression grew solemn as he gazed at the flame. He sat down cross-legged and murmured, "Isn't there an old saying? The ones at the very bottom are always monsters."
"Let me see what makes you, the last on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, so special."
The Mysterious Yellow Flame trembled slightly, as if it had understood his words, and its wariness diminished.
Xiao Yan closed his eyes and slowly circulated the Flame Mantra. He opened his mouth slightly and created a suction force that drew the Mysterious Yellow Flame into his body for refinement.
Once inside, the Mysterious Yellow Flame was remarkably docile. It followed the Flame Mantra's circulation route obediently before merging into his Acceptance Soul. The entire process took less than fifteen minutes.