"I want all your high-grade herbs. Payment will be in pills," Xiao Heng said.
"May I ask if Master Yao can refine Emperor's Extreme Pills?" Miteer Tengshan asked cautiously.
"I can. Provide the materials, and I'll charge no fee. But from three sets of materials, you'll get only one pill," Xiao Heng replied.
"I understand the alchemist's rules," Miteer Tengshan said, heading off to gather the materials. He left Ya Fei to entertain Xiao Heng in the private booth.
"Little Brother Xiao Heng, your growth is truly astonishing. Even the clan leader couldn't gauge your strength!" Ya Fei said, pouring him tea with a smile.
"Just luck. Do you know where Old Hai is?" Xiao Heng asked.
"You know Old Hai?"
"Mm," Xiao Heng nodded.
"He came with Xiao Yan a few days ago but vanished afterward," Ya Fei said.
"Probably got tangled up with that old royal geezer," Xiao Heng said, chuckling as he sipped his tea.
"The royal family?" Ya Fei murmured. Miteer Tengshan returned, pushing open the door with a pale yellow storage ring in hand.
"Master Yao, here are three sets of materials for Emperor's Extreme Pills. It took some effort to collect them, but we lacked a suitable alchemist," Miteer Tengshan said, offering the ring.
"To avoid attention, I'll refine them in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Can you trust me with that, Clan Leader Miteer?" Xiao Heng asked, not immediately taking the ring.
"Uh… of course, I trust you," Miteer Tengshan said after a brief hesitation, prompted by Ya Fei's subtle glance.
"Good." Xiao Heng accepted the ring.
"When will you need the high-grade herbs, Master Yao?" Miteer Tengshan asked.
"In the next couple of days. I'm joining the alchemist competition for some fun, so please don't reveal my identity then," Xiao Heng said with a smile.
"You have my word!" Miteer Tengshan said, thumping his chest.
"Any specific requirements for the herbs, Master?"
"As long as they're high-grade, I'll craft pill recipes based on their properties," Xiao Heng said.
"Truly a master!" Miteer Tengshan marveled.
"I'm heading to the Magical Beast Mountain Range now. I should have the pills by tonight."
"There's a banquet at the Nalan family tonight, so Ya Fei and I may be absent. Feel free to rest at the Miteer residence after refining, Master Yao. I'll arrange someone to receive you," Miteer Tengshan said.
"I'll take you up on that," Xiao Heng replied.
"It's the Miteer family's honor," Miteer Tengshan said with a grin.
"I'm off, then." Xiao Heng left the auction house and headed out of the city. At his flight speed, he reached the Magical Beast Mountain Range in less than half an incense stick's time.
As he departed, a glint of intrigue flashed in Miteer Tengshan's eyes. "Ya Fei, you know Master Yao, don't you?"
"Clan Leader, Master Yao is close to Yan Xiao," Ya Fei replied.
"I see. No need to worry about him running off with the materials, then."
"Let's go to the Nalan family," Miteer Tengshan said.
"Yes, Clan Leader!"
An hour later, Xiao Heng arrived at a valley in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. The blue eagle there, now a second-tier magical beast, had grown larger.
"Little Lan, eat this," Xiao Heng said, tossing a blue pill to the eagle.
"This pill will give you the potential to reach fifth-tier. I'll visit often," he said as the eagle swallowed the pill, which contained the essence blood of a fifth-tier flying beast, elevating its growth ceiling.
"Scree!" The eagle circled the valley before vanishing into the twilight.
With Old Black guarding the valley's peak, Xiao Heng began refining the Emperor's Extreme Pills. Familiar with the materials and process, his luck held strong, successfully crafting all three sets.
Examining the three dragon-eye-sized purple pills, Xiao Heng nodded in approval. Two bore pill patterns, marking them as top-grade, while the first was slightly lesser but still above average.
The Blue Devouring Flame boosted both the quality and success rate of his refining, and his soul, trained with a mid-tier Di Class soul technique, had grown significantly. Though soul cultivation progressed slower than Dou Qi, Xiao Heng's soul was likely mid-Mortal Realm, nearing the late stage.
After refining, Xiao Heng meditated for half an incense stick before leaving. Emperor's Extreme Pills, peak sixth-grade, triggered celestial phenomena upon completion, but Old Black's iron fists deterred any onlookers. The Amethyst Winged Lion King, bold enough to approach, nearly met its end, keeping Yun Yun and Jia Xing Tian at bay.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan completed Nalan Jie's final treatment for the Brand Poison at the Nalan residence. Unable to skip the ensuing banquet, his overly familiar interactions with Ya Fei drew the ire of Mu Zhan, who arrived later. Their scuffle was halted by Miteer Tengshan and Nalan Jie, who conveniently secured alibis. The royal princess, Yao Yue, and Gu He's disciple, Liu Ling, enjoyed the spectacle.
After a brief calm, the banquet attendees were drawn to a commotion in the capital's northwest—Xiao Heng sensed it too.
Hai Bodong, now a two-star Dou Huang, faced Jia Xing Tian, a peak Dou Huang, and was thoroughly outmatched, with no means to bridge the gap.
Xiao Heng, en route back to Jia Ma Holy City, wasn't far from their battle. Gotta lend a hand.
His Dou Qi surged, accelerating his flight toward the conflict. By now, Jia Xing Tian had tested Hai Bodong's diminished strength, confirming his dominance.
As Hai Bodong and Jia Xing Tian clashed, they sensed a scorching aura approaching and pulled apart.
"Sealing Demon Slash!" A blue crescent flame blade roared toward Jia Xing Tian.
"What a powerful strike!" Jia Xing Tian's Dou Qi erupted, forming a massive earthen-yellow energy fist before him.
"Mountain-Breaking Fist!" The yellow fist collided with the crescent blade, locking briefly before exploding into a shower of yellow sand and blue flames.
"Old Hai, run into an enemy?" Xiao Heng asked, arriving beside Hai Bodong.
"Not quite. Just an old friend from the capital looking to spar," Hai Bodong said, a wry smile on his face.
"Young friend, impressive strength!" Jia Xing Tian said, noting the high-tier Dou Huang power in Xiao Heng's attack.
"Still a notch below you, Elder," Xiao Heng replied, resting his blood-red longsword on his shoulder.
"Ice old man, no introductions?" Jia Xing Tian asked Hai Bodong.
"Yao Xuan," Xiao Heng interjected.
"Young Master Yao, quite the talent! What brings you here?" Jia Xing Tian asked.
"Heard there's an alchemist competition. Thought I'd join the fun," Xiao Heng said with a grin.
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