"Qingshan, you are knowledgeable and skilled in medicine. I wonder if you could help my cousin take a look?"
Xiao Yu spoke softly, a hint of entreaty in her voice, as if afraid Yan Qingshan would refuse. When he turned his head, she quickly added, "Am I... making things difficult for you? If so, then forget about it!"
Yan Qingshan turned around and smiled at Xiao Yu, saying, "No worries, it's just a small matter. Besides, I also wanted to get to know this genius who once shook Jia Ma."
Naturally, the conversation between Yan Qingshan and Xiao Yu didn't escape the ears of the sharp-witted individuals in front. A peculiar glint flashed in Xiao Zhan's eyes. Ever since a problem arose with Xiao Yan's body, he had spent large sums of money repeatedly hiring people to treat him.
After multiple failed attempts, due to the immense financial resources expended, he even had considerable conflicts with the three Elders.
He had originally given up hope on Xiao Yan's physical condition, simply hoping things would take their natural course. After all, to treat Xiao Yan back then, even Old Man Nalan Jie from the imperial capital had used his connections to invite a Grade 4 Alchemist to this small Wu Tan City.
But even that Grade 4 Alchemist, after spending a long time, was fruitless. Only then did Xiao Zhan completely give up.
However, the conversation between Xiao Yu and Yan Qingshan now seemed to reveal some unusual information. Xiao Yu knew about the Grade 4 Alchemist diagnosing Xiao Yan, yet she still suggested letting this classmate examine Xiao Yan. Could it be…
Yan Qingshan was so young; Xiao Zhan actually didn't hold much hope. But thinking of Jia Nan Academy's vast reputation, a sliver of expectation couldn't help but rise in his heart.
"Yan'er, come over here."
The dejected young man, Xiao Yan, was about to leave this place that made him unable to hold his head high. Xiao Xun'er was comforting and advising him nearby. Just as he was about to leave, his father Xiao Zhan's call entered his ears.
Xiao Yan looked up in confusion, only to see a slightly familiar figure on the viewing platform where his father and the elders were seated. Xiao Yu was one of the few who hadn't changed her attitude towards him, both before and after he lost his talent.
Xiao Yan froze for a moment, his gaze shifting to Yan Qingshan beside Xiao Yu. At this moment, Yan Qingshan was also looking at him. Their eyes met, and Xiao Yan jolted awake, quickly walking towards the platform where Xiao Zhan was.
"Father! Elders!"
"Greetings, Patriarch! Greetings, Elders!"
Xiao Yan went before Xiao Zhan and paid his respects. Surprisingly, Xiao Xun'er also followed. Seeing Xiao Xun'er come over, the gazes of Xiao Zhan and the three Elders became a bit unnatural.
"Yan'er, your Cousin Xiao Yu just returned from Jia Nan Academy. You two haven't seen each other for almost two years, have you?"
Xiao Zhan smiled and pointed behind the First Elder, gesturing with his eyes for Xiao Yan to go over and greet Xiao Yu. Xiao Yan was puzzled, but he still followed his father's instruction and went before Xiao Yu.
"Cousin Xiao Yu!"
Xiao Yan slightly cupped his hands in greeting. Xiao Yu snorted in displeasure, quite unhappy with Xiao Yan's wandering gaze. But she didn't know that Xiao Yan was actually observing Yan Qingshan.
"Still as frivolous as ever, not changed at all. Don't even know where your eyes are looking!"
Xiao Yu snorted in dissatisfaction. Xiao Yan awkwardly retracted his gaze. Afterward, she introduced Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er to Yan Qingshan. "Qingshan, these are my cousin and younger cousin, Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er.
Qingshan is my classmate from Jia Nan Academy, an elite student. This time, he accompanied me back to the Jia Ma Empire..."
"Brother Qingshan, hello."
Listening to Xiao Yu's introduction, Xiao Yan cupped his fists in greeting, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes. If that incident hadn't happened back then, he would probably be an elite student of Jia Nan Academy by now!
A look of surprise and uncertainty flashed in Xiao Xun'er's eyes. Of extraordinary origin, she could sense a part of Yan Qingshan's strength.
This was a powerful individual, a top genius even in the Central Plains, where experts were as numerous as clouds. It was truly astonishing that such a person was Xiao Yu's contemporary.
"Xiao Yan, I've heard of you, and I know you. Or rather, this isn't our first meeting. But last time, you probably didn't have much impression of me, right?"
Yan Qingshan calmly spoke after scrutinizing Xiao Yan. Seeing all of them look puzzled, he smiled and explained, "It was about three years ago! I broke through to Dou Disciple and left Qingshan Town to travel the continent. I saw you when I passed through Wu Tan City..."
"It's him!"
A trace of surprise and recollection flashed in Xiao Xun'er's eyes. Xiao Yan didn't remember, but she had cast a glance at Yan Qingshan's carriage at that time, so she still had some impression. But looking at Yan Qingshan now, she was even more disbelieving.
The Yan Qingshan she had sensed back then was only a Dou Disciple. Although his cultivation was higher than Xiao Yan's at the time, it was truly incredible that he had grown to such a level in just three short years.
Even within her own family, cultivating a Dou Disciple into a Dou King in three years was not something easily achieved, and it came with considerable restrictions.
"So that's how it is, was it then..."
A bitter smile appeared on Xiao Yan's lips. He still didn't have much impression of Yan Qingshan, but he generally believed what Yan Qingshan said, because he had a faint memory of such an event happening back then.
"Yu'er told me that there's a problem with your body. Would you mind if I examine it?"
After Yan Qingshan exchanged pleasantries with Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er for a while, he changed the subject. When Xiao Yan heard Yan Qingshan refer to Xiao Yu as 'Yu'er,' he instinctively felt a slight displeasure, but he didn't react at all, only nodding silently.
A strand of green silk shot out from Yan Qingshan's fingertip, accurately wrapping around Xiao Yan's wrist pulse. This Dou Qi technique made Xiao Zhan and the three Elders, who were secretly observing, gasp in cold air, their faces filled with shock as they looked at each other.
"Circulate your Dou Qi through your cultivation circuit!"
As soon as Yan Qingshan gave the command, Xiao Yan quickly closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, forming strange hand seals in front of him. His chest rose and fell slightly, and with each inhale and exhale, a perfect cycle was formed. A faint white airflow, guided through his nose and mouth, entered his body, nurturing his bones and flesh.
As Xiao Yan cultivated with closed eyes, the ancient black ring on his finger mysteriously glowed faintly, then quickly subsided. No one noticed the subtle movement except Yan Qingshan, who had been constantly observing.
Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open, a faint white light flashing in his dark eyes—it was the Dou Qi that had just been absorbed but not yet fully refined. Suddenly, Xiao Yan's fists clenched tightly, and that wisp of Dou Qi quickly vanished and became dormant.
Anger flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes, but he did not curse in public. He looked up at Yan Qingshan, his eyes filled with a glimmer of hope mixed with a lack of confidence.
Over the years, his father had also found many esteemed individuals to examine him, including a Grade 4 Alchemist, but they all failed. After so many years, failure had become a habit; even if Yan Qingshan found nothing, he wouldn't be surprised.
"Very interesting, this symptom!"
Yan Qingshan suddenly smiled. With a flip of his right hand, his storage ring flashed, and a small jade bottle appeared in his palm. The moment the jade bottle appeared, a peculiar fragrance wafted over, drawing all eyes on the platform.
The jade bottle opened, and a small drop of emerald-like spiritual dew was drawn out by Yan Qingshan.
Soul Cultivating Saliva, a Grade 5 Medicinal Pill. Its grade wasn't high, but its refining difficulty was extremely high, and it was also exceedingly precious. Its effect could be deduced from its name: it could nourish the soul, and it was especially effective for soul bodies.
Refining Soul Cultivating Saliva wasn't complicated. The only flaw was that the required medicinal ingredients were too rare. However, Yan Qingshan was no longer ordinary. Having plundered the treasures of many factions and with Jia Nan Academy as his backing, gathering them naturally wouldn't be a problem.
This portion of Soul Cultivating Saliva was personally refined by him, and its purpose was naturally for Xiao Yan's "cheat" - Yao Lao. Previously, he hadn't thought about Yao Lao, partly because his strength was insufficient, and even if he obtained the storage ring, he wouldn't gain much benefit.
The other reason was that, at the time, he felt that not much of Yao Lao's things would be useful to him, apart from some pill formulas and alchemy-related items.
The Flame Mantra cultivation technique was indeed powerful, but it was almost useless to Yan Qingshan because he wasn't primarily a fire-attributed physique. Although he possessed some fire attributes and could cultivate fire-attributed Dou Skills, cultivating primarily with fire-attributed Dou Qi would only yield half the results for twice the effort, simply dragging down his progress.
A drop of Soul Cultivating Saliva glowing with emerald light, guided by Yan Qingshan, flew enveloped in Dou Qi towards Xiao Yan.
"Swallow it, then circulate your Dou Qi through your cultivation circuit once more."
No sooner had Yan Qingshan finished speaking than Xiao Yan impatiently put the Soul Cultivating Saliva, enveloped in Dou Qi, into his mouth. Although he didn't know its specific name or effects, the ethereal medicinal aroma instinctively told his body that this was definitely a rare and good item.
Xiao Yan once again sat cross-legged. With each inhale and exhale, a perfect cycle was formed. A faint white airflow, guided through his nose and mouth, entered his body, nurturing his bones and flesh. A green light rose from his body; this was the Soul Cultivating Saliva taking effect.
Yan Qingshan's gaze had been on Xiao Yan the entire time. To be precise, his peripheral vision was focused on that ancient black storage ring.
Just as the emerald green aura enveloped Xiao Yan's entire body, his aura suddenly began to inexplicably dim. The feeling of his Dou Qi being devoured reappeared, and the diffused emerald light quickly vanished.
"This... what's happening? Why again...?"
Xiao Yan clenched his fists. He had clearly felt that he could cultivate Dou Qi again just now, but the next second, he was back to square one.
Xiao Yan opened his eyes and looked at Yan Qingshan's right hand. He had a feeling that if he had swallowed the entire thing, he wouldn't have encountered a problem at the last moment.
"Don't even think about this stuff. It's only because your body has issues that I dared to use it on you. If you really swallowed an entire bottle, you'd explode."
Yan Qingshan seemed to have guessed Xiao Yan's thoughts and calmly put the jade bottle back into his storage ring. In his recent probing, he had discovered a subtle detail: perhaps Yao Lao was not completely asleep.