"The path to sainthood!"
Queen Medusa's ample chest heaved violently, as if Xiao Ting had shoved a ball of wild fire into her heart that exploded and filled her entire being.
Right now she was still plotting how to transform into a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python and break through to Dou Ancestor, whereas Xiao Ting had casually spread out a broad, straight road right before her eyes—one that led directly to Dou Saint.
Her companion soul was a Quiet Purple Flame Serpent, yet her personal potential surpassed that of most Quiet Purple Flame Serpents. If Xiao Ting wanted to find one to nurture, he would be better off choosing her.
Queen Medusa did not consider herself someone who could be easily swayed by mere benefits.
But this was the path to sainthood.
"I must be on good terms with him—not just casual acquaintances, but close friends, close allies!"
Queen Medusa clenched her fists tightly.
…
At this moment, Yun Yun, Little Fairy Doctor, Qing Lin, and Xun Er were all in similarly tumultuous states of mind.
From the small, one could infer the great. If Xiao Ting knew of a path for a Quiet Purple Flame Serpent or a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python to become a Dou Saint and knew of a Half Step Dou God's legacy…
Then, if he wanted to find them all a broad avenue to the Dou Saint realm, would that really prove difficult?
…
"Looks like it's Xun Er who'll have to rely on Big Brother Xiao Ting, not Big Brother Xiao Ting who's mooching off me."
Xun Er cupped her face in her hands, her mindset starting to shift.
"So if Xun Er ends up with Big Brother Xiao Ting, it's clearly the Gu Clan that's getting a huge bargain—especially once Big Brother Xiao Ting becomes a Dou God…"
"How can I shamelessly take advantage like that? Of course I have to give first and then receive."
Xun Er felt it necessary to find a good opportunity to ask "that old man" for a bunch of resources for Xiao Ting.
…
[After breakfast, Xun Er and I head to the Miteer Auction House.]
[The Miteer Auction House really did have a mechanical box from a Dou Spirit's tomb-mansion.]
[This box…]
[Now I'm going to unlock it and verify whether the "blessing of the world" is genuine.]
When they saw the phrase "blessing of the world," Queen Medusa and Yun Yun both focused.
They had also received blessings from the world and were likewise eager to test them.
They could use Xiao Ting's experience to see how things played out first.
…
"So this is a Grandmaster Pill."
While the women read the journal, Xiao Ting had long since begun to act. He prepared some silver solution and used it to corrode the mechanisms.
He was using brute force to open the box. In the end, he obtained a porcelain bottle. Inside was a pill that exuded a rich medicinal fragrance.
…
[The blessing of the world has been confirmed to be real. I obtained one Grandmaster Pill.]
[If I'd gotten it yesterday, swallowing this pill would have allowed me to break through to Dou Master.]
[But today, I've already broken through by using my completion of the Thunder-Flame Body Tempering Arts.]
[From this incident, you can see that opportunities shift in an instant. If you don't seize them in time, accidents may happen.]
…
"Opportunities shift in an instant, huh." Queen Medusa nodded slightly, deeply approving this viewpoint.
Take the Green Lotus Core Flame—if she had discovered it later, someone else might already have taken it.
Take the remnant soul and damaged monster core of the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python—if she was too late in obtaining them, they would eventually dissipate.
"Whoosh!"
Queen Medusa sped up her flight.
…
Meanwhile, atop Misty Cloud Mountain, Yun Yun's eyes grew pensive—then became resolute.
When opportunity appears before you, if you shrink back in fear of danger and refuse to take it, what kind of cultivator are you?
…
"Uncle."
"Elders."
Xiao Ting was completely unaware of the ripple effects his journaling had caused. At this moment, he had just sought out Xiao Zhan.
The current clan leader of the Xiao Clan was in the main hall with several Elders, discussing arrangements for sending clan disciples to take part in the Jia Nan Academy admissions.
Given Xiao Ting's status, no one stopped him from entering. Xiao Zhan and the Elders all greeted him warmly.
"Ting Er, do you need something from your uncle?" Xiao Zhan's smile was gentle, his eyes full of affection. "I haven't had the chance to congratulate you on breaking through to Dou Practitioner. The day you go to the Qi Method Hall to receive a cultivation method is almost here. Be sure to choose carefully when the time comes."
He wasn't mentioning this purely out of concern. As if on cue, the First Elder immediately spoke up:
"Clan Leader, with Ting Er's talent, sending him to the Qi Method Hall to pick any common method is a waste of time. Why not let him choose freely from our clan's several mid-tier Black-rank fire-attribute methods?"
"That's right, that's right." The Second Elder quickly chimed in. "I also think he needs matching battle skills. This old man is good with fire-attribute skills. I might as well personally instruct him."
The Third Elder cursed inwardly: Shameless old coots—fawning over a junior so openly. Then he said,
"And weapons and pills—we should increase his allocation properly."
Xiao Zhan was extremely satisfied. This was exactly what he'd wanted—to have everyone work together to support Xiao Ting's cultivation.
As for Xiao Yan, having already taken a mysterious alchemist as his teacher, resources shouldn't be a problem. He could just privately ask Xiao Yan what help he needed.
"Thank you, Uncle and Elders, but there's no need to go to the trouble."
Xiao Ting smiled as he declined. He really had no need for the Xiao Clan's resources; better to use them on others.
To avoid sounding overly polite, he directly took out a porcelain bottle and said:
"Uncle, I have a Grandmaster Pill here I'd like to hand over to the clan. Just give me the market price in gold coins."
"Grandmaster Pill!?" Xiao Zhan and the Elders' expressions changed.
With this pill, one nine-star Dou Practitioner of the clan could definitely break through to Dou Master.
For the Xiao Clan, a Dou Master might not be someone who could shake the entire clan by themselves, but they were absolutely a pillar.
Whether serving in the patrol squads or pioneering new marketplaces, a Dou Master could play a huge role.
"Ting Er, where did you get this?" Xiao Zhan didn't rush to accept the pill. He cared more about Xiao Ting's safety and observed him carefully.
"I suppose you could say it was good luck." Xiao Ting recounted how he obtained the pill.
He left out the journal's role, simply saying he'd gone for a walk with Xun Er that day, wanted to buy her something expensive, and ended up at the Miteer Auction House, where…
"This really is good fortune." Xiao Zhan burst into hearty laughter.
"A box that cost only a few thousand gold coins ended up containing a Grandmaster Pill worth tens of thousands—and practically priceless on the open market. Its value is equal to several months of profit from the Xiao Clan's marketplaces."
The Xiao Clan had quite a few mouths to feed. Their daily food, shelter, basic cultivation resources—all of it required money.
Tens of thousands of gold coins might not be an enormous sum for the entire Xiao Clan, but allocating such an amount still needed careful consideration.
Purchasing a Grandmaster Pill at market price, however, was unquestionably worth it.
"But Ting Er, are you sure you want to sell this to the clan?"
After the initial joy, Xiao Zhan began to think for Xiao Ting's sake.
"With your talent, you could attempt to break through to Dou Master in just a few years. This pill would help a lot. At that time, even if the clan was willing to spend the money to buy one for you, we might not win the bidding."
"Why don't you keep it and use it yourself in a few years? The clan will provide the cultivation resources you need. There's no need to rely on pills in exchange for gold."
Hearing this, a warmth rose in Xiao Ting's heart.
In his memory, the Xiao Clan had always been very united—not like in certain novels where the clan is small yet teeming with petty schemers and power struggles, where the Elders are forever vying with the Clan Leader.
Even if Xiao Yan's talent had once fallen, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were still alive, and their talents were among the best of the younger generation.
Plus, Xiao Zhan himself was a Dou Grandmaster; no one in the clan was stupid enough to court death by stirring up major internal strife.
As for the younger generation, some competition borne from youthful hot blood was only natural.
"Uncle, I won't be needing this pill, and I don't need the clan's battle skills and methods either."
Xiao Ting moved a thought, Battle Qi rushing out of his body and forming a thin robe of energy over his clothes.
Bang!
Xiao Zhan and the Elders all unconsciously crushed the teacups in their hands, their faces full of shock.
"Dou Master!?"
Xiao Zhan flashed to Xiao Ting's side and pressed a hand to his shoulder, injecting Battle Qi to examine him.
Once he confirmed it, he roared with laughter.
"Good, good, good!"
"A Dou Master at fifteen—the heavens truly favor our Xiao Clan!"
The Elders were equally ecstatic, murmuring:
"The ancestors bless us."
The ancestors bless us?
A strange look flickered through Xiao Ting's eyes.
This is the most miserably the Xiao Clan's ancestors have ever been slandered…
…
Meanwhile, in the small courtyard where Xun Er lived within the Xiao estate—
A black-robed woman suddenly appeared, dropping to one knee before Xun Er, who was reading.
"Young Miss, information has been collected on the Snake-People's Medusa, Misty Cloud Sect's Yun Yun, and the girl called Little Fairy Doctor."
Xun Er kept her eyes on the book in front of her and said coolly:
"Speak."
…