Fifth Grade Alchemist

The unrest in the Beast Mountain Range truly made it unsuitable for Xiao Yan to continue training there. Besides, Old Yao had already refined the Earth Spirit Pill, and there was nothing in the Beast Mountain Range worth lingering over.

Thus, Xiao Yan decided to leave the Beast Mountain Range, make an appearance in the Imperial Capital, then head to the Tagore Desert to find Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, Jade Snake Three Flower Pupils Qing Lin, and the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian sat shoulder to shoulder atop Xiao Lan as they flew toward the Imperial Capital of the Jia Ma Empire.

After breaking through to the fifth grade, Xiao Lan's flight speed rivaled that of a Black Flame Purple Cloud Sculpture, nearly matching a Dou Huang. Fortunately, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian were both powerful Dou Lings, so they were able to sit steadily on Xiao Lan's back.

"This feels just like a dream. I have the Calamity Poison Body, yet cultivating by eating poison is actually slower than eating pills." Xiao Yi Xian curled up slightly and moved a little closer to Xiao Yan.

"After Dou Wang, pills have limited effects. At most, they can raise one or two stars in each major realm. What matters most is personal cultivation—only then will the advantages of the Calamity Poison Body truly show."

"Hmph, no wonder you told me to wait until after Dou Wang before eating poison." Pouting, Xiao Yi Xian reached out and lightly pinched Xiao Yan.

"The Netherworld Poison Flame, ranked twentieth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, is very suitable for the Calamity Poison Body. You also happen to have the Fire Attribute. If you find the Netherworld Poison Flame, perhaps you can raise its ranking by a few places." Xiao Yan paid no attention to Xiao Yi Xian's little gesture.

Over the past year, Xiao Yan had grown quite a bit taller. He could now act like an older brother around Xiao Yi Xian, so he did not pay much mind to her occasional girlish behavior.

"The Heavenly Flame Ranking... who exactly ranked them? And how did he get everyone across the Dou Qi Continent to acknowledge his rankings?"

"Apparently, it was compiled by the last Dou Emperor, tens of thousands of years ago."

Xiao Yan did not know much about it either. Personally, he felt that Yin Yang Twin Flames, ranked twenty-first, and Profound Yellow Flame, ranked twenty-third, sounded much more impressive.

"Dou Emperor..."

Xiao Yi Xian fell silent for a moment before asking, "What level of expert is our master?"

"Our master... he's an alchemist. His cultivation isn't that high. He can't even unify the Northwest Continent and let me live as a spoiled young master. He still has to send me out to seek investment."

Xiao Yi Xian opened her mouth, then shook her head. "You're being improper again."

The Jia Ma Empire's territory was fairly vast. Even at Xiao Lan's speed, they had been flying for quite some time, so Xiao Yan simply enveloped himself and Xiao Yi Xian in Beast Flame to shield them from the rushing winds.

"We're almost there." Xiao Yan softly woke Xiao Yi Xian, who was leaning against him.

"Mmm..." Xiao Yi Xian blinked drowsily, then immediately came to her senses. Her face reddened slightly as she hurriedly adjusted her clothes and hair like a guilty thief.

The majestic walls of the Imperial Capital had already entered their view. Xiao Lan's aura as a fifth grade magical beast naturally alerted the two Dou Huangs of the Misty Cloud Sect and the Jia Ma Royal Family.

Before long, an old man in hemp robes and a woman dressed in plain-colored robes appeared together, blocking Xiao Lan's path.

"Xiao Yan?" Jia Xing Tian's eyes widened as he recognized the person atop the fifth grade magical beast.

"Since you are acquainted with the Jia Ma Royal Family, Yun Yun will not disturb you any further." Yun Yun nodded at Xiao Yan before vanishing in a flash.

"Old Jia, I assume the royal family has somewhere for Xiao Lan to stay?" Xiao Yan asked with a smile.

"Hehe, our royal family even has a sixth grade magical beast. Naturally, we have a place for... for Xiao Lan to stay, along with attendants specially assigned to brush its feathers and bathe it."

Jia Xing Tian forced out a smile, while a tempest raged within his heart—after not seeing Xiao Yan for over a year, he had already broken through from a Dou Zhe to a Dou Ling.

Wasn't advancing from Dou Zhe to Dou Ling in one year a little too fast?

Compared to that, the young Dou Ling woman beside him and the fifth grade magical beast mount were nothing at all.

Xiao Yan could roughly guess that Jia Xing Tian was questioning his entire life, so he comforted him, "Early-stage cultivation is nothing much. As long as you have enough pills, breakthroughs come easily—I'm already a Fifth Grade Alchemist now. I came to the Imperial Capital this time partly to take the assessment."

┌(.Д.)┐

Jia Xing Tian's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Breaking through three major realms in a year was one thing, but you had also advanced three alchemist grades?

Could it be that he had been in seclusion for too long, and a hundred years had actually passed?

Even Fa Ma, president of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Guild, was only a Fifth Grade Alchemist, while the vice president was merely a fourth grade alchemist!

Jia Xing Tian did not even know how he had flown back to the Imperial Capital. By the time he came back to his senses, Xiao Yan had already bought a Medicine Cauldron and left atop Xiao Lan, while Fa Ma, president of the Alchemist Guild, sat beside him in a daze.

"Fa Ma, I think I'm hallucinating."

"So am I."

The trip to the Imperial Capital had merely been a minor interlude. Xiao Yan planned to find the Green Lotus Core Flame first before considering anything else.

Xiao Lan flew for a long while again, but this time, Xiao Yan lay with his head on Xiao Yi Xian's lap and happily slept for a while.

After waking up, Xiao Yan went even further, pinching Xiao Yi Xian's flushed cheeks and earning several indignant little punches.

"Hehe, that didn't hurt." :(`):

"..."

Xiao Yi Xian kicked Xiao Yan off Xiao Lan. Xiao Yan immediately spread his Purple Crystal Wings and flew toward the city where the Ice Emperor was hidden.

Xiao Yi Xian did not follow him. Instead, she remained in the sky atop Xiao Lan. After all, there was not even a Dou Wang in this city; the appearance of a fifth grade magical beast would likely cause enormous panic.

Xiao Yan flew straight into the city called Mo City, put on his Fifth Grade Alchemist badge, casually grabbed someone to ask for directions, and then leisurely walked toward the city's map shop amid countless respectful, envious, admiring, and yearning gazes.

In everyone's eyes, the ability to fly was practically equivalent to being a Dou Wang. Not to mention that he was also a Fifth Grade Alchemist. In this city without even a Dou Wang, Xiao Yan was the person of highest status.

Even the person Xiao Yan had grabbed for directions wore a smug expression as he boasted to those around him that he had served an important figure—and had received a Second Grade Pill.

Though everyone envied his luck, they would not go so far as to rob him over a Second Grade Pill and offend this lucky fellow. They could only bitterly hate themselves for not being the ones chosen at the time...

Xiao Yan was in an excellent mood. A large portion of the World Energy here consisted of Fire Attribute and Earth Attribute energy, making his Dou Qi much more active. The Purple Crystal Heart also accelerated slightly, quickening the flow of blood through his body.

After strolling along leisurely for some time, the map shop named "Gu Tu" finally appeared in Xiao Yan's sight.

The shop truly lived up to its name. It even seemed to exude a faintly ancient aura, though who knew how a shop that had existed for only a few decades had managed to create it.

Sensing that there truly was a Dou Ling with a strange Ice Attribute aura inside the shop, Xiao Yan smiled. After confirming that his Fifth Grade Alchemist badge was displayed in the most conspicuous place, he stepped directly into the map shop.