Both Sides Were Satisfied

"I'm willing to offer an Earth Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique in exchange for your remaining two Green Fate Fruits. They have no attribute restrictions, so anyone can cultivate them."

Xiao Yan's delayed response made Xiao Xun Er a little anxious.

"Such universally applicable Earth Grade Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques probably don't exist anywhere in the entire Jia Ma Empire..."

"Yeah! With an Earth Grade Cultivation Method, the Xiao Family could definitely take another step forward."

"But I still want to keep the Green Fate Fruits. How about I trade you information about a Heavenly Flame instead?"

"A Heavenly Flame?" Xiao Xun Er was even more shocked. As an Alchemist, Xiao Yan actually wanted to sell information about a Heavenly Flame?

"Uh, it's like this. I refined the Green Lotus Core Flame, but its roots are still there. In a thousand years, they can nurture another Green Lotus Core Flame."

"If a Dou Zun or even a Dou Sheng Expert relocated it and nourished it with Dou Qi and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures of the Fire Attribute, then perhaps a few hundred years would be enough to cultivate a Green Lotus Core Flame compatible with them."

"This thing isn't of much use to me, since I don't have the time or energy to cultivate it."

"But for some truly ancient major powers, it is absolutely something that can be passed down through generations—just imagine it. Who could refuse an endless supply of Green Lotus Core Flames?"

After saying that, Xiao Yan looked meaningfully at Xiao Xun Er. "What do you think?"

"Um... in that case, using an Earth Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique to buy it would mean I'm taking advantage of you." Xiao Xun Er knew that her identity had been seen through. Thinking that she was not truly from the Xiao Family and had come to the Xiao Family for the Tou She Ancient God Jade, she lowered her head guiltily.

"It's alright. You can always raise the price," Xiao Yan said gently.

"Oh, huh?" Xiao Xun Er froze, and her mind nearly failed to catch up.

"Ahahaha! Just kidding. Consider it making a friend. I'll take a small loss and sell it to you." Xiao Yan took out the map he had obtained from Hai Bodong and pointed to the place where he had found the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"The roots of the Green Lotus Core Flame are here. There's a Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake in the underground magma. Just capture it and have it lead the way."

After saying that, Xiao Yan stuffed the map into Xiao Xun Er's hands and stared at her.

Xiao Xun Er quickly understood that Xiao Yan was waiting for her to "pay." Blushing, she said, "The Earth Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique... I, uh, didn't bring them with me."

"I see. That's understandable. It's fine; you can give them to me once you get them."

Xiao Yan stretched out his hand, intending to rub Xiao Xun Er's not-so-sharp little head, but halfway through, he drew it back and smoothed his hair instead. Then he strode away.

After Xiao Yan had gone far away, Xiao Xun Er stomped her foot in frustration—only then did she remember that she had originally wanted to buy Green Fate Fruits, yet somehow Xiao Yan had shifted her attention elsewhere.

"But... that's an endless supply of Green Lotus Core Flames! I bought something so precious with just an Earth Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique. I've made such a great contribution to the family, so using one Green Fate Fruit to add a strand of Wood Power to my Dou Qi should be no problem, right?"

After thinking it over, Xiao Xun Er happily put away the map and skipped off to retrieve the Earth Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique, as well as contact the elders of her family.

"Teacher, if Green Fate Fruits are so valuable, what price should I ask? How about asking them to help revive you directly?"

Xiao Yan had hurried off because he was afraid Xiao Xun Er would remember the Green Fate Fruits—he had yet to decide what he wanted in exchange.

"Help me revive..." Old Yao's tone was melancholy. For a "wild" cultivator like him, there was only one method of resurrection: a strong expert's corpse, Monster Beast Essence Blood, a Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill, and then refining them with three Heavenly Flames.

But Ancient Races possessed countless methods. Reviving a Dou Zun truly was not a difficult matter for them.

"I'm afraid it won't be easy. Asking them for help would be no better than asking the Pill Tower." Thinking of the Ancient Races' pride, Old Yao answered helplessly.

"Then what about asking them to put us in contact with the Pill Tower?" Xiao Yan continued.

"...There's no need. With your rate of growth, you'll enter the Pill Tower's field of vision in just a few years. Rather than doing this for my sake, you might as well trade the Green Fate Fruits for things you need, such as high-grade Monster Beast Essence Blood or high-grade Beast Flames."

Old Yao was very gratified that Xiao Yan knew how to repay kindness, but he still refused Xiao Yan's goodwill. He was thinking of Xiao Yan as well.

The next day, Xiao Xun Er came to deliver the Earth Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique. She also told Xiao Yan that one of her elders would come to collect the Heavenly Flame and was very interested in the Green Fate Fruits, hoping Xiao Yan would save them.

Besides that, Xiao Xun Er specifically warned Xiao Yan not to do something like feeding Green Fate Fruits to birds again. If he wanted a powerful pet, her family could trade a Seventh Grade Magical Beast cub or egg...

Xiao Yan had no comment on this sort of customer who kept stressing the value of the goods to the seller. He tossed the cultivation method and Dou Technique to Qing Lin for her to give to his father, then carefully comforted the slightly jealous Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Ding's wedding had come to an end, but Wutan City's liveliness had not stopped—the Jia Nan Academy recruitment team was about to arrive in Wutan City.

Jia Nan Academy recruited across the entire Dou Qi Continent, and its Inner Courtyard gathered the heirs of major Central Continent families and factions.

Jia Nan Academy's foundations were incomparably deep. The Outer Courtyard's dean was a Peak Dou Emperor, the Inner Courtyard's Great Elder was a Dou Zong, the two guardians of the Library Pavilion were Peak Dou Zongs, and there was also a legendary dean from the Lei Clan, one of the Ancient Races, whose strength had reached Peak Dou Zun.

Of course, Jia Nan Academy's recruitment threshold was not low: before turning eighteen, one had to reach Eight-segment Dou Qi.

To enter the Inner Courtyard, one also had to place among the top fifty in the annual tournament.

Xiao Yan believed that fifteen was younger than eighteen, and a Six-star Dou Ling was greater than Eight-segment Dou Qi, so he planned to participate in the recruitment and apply to Jia Nan Academy.

"Still, are the instructors coming to recruit students stronger than me?"

Xiao Yan rubbed his chin and sought out Xiao Yu, the Xiao Family's outstanding student who had been admitted to Jia Nan Academy, to ask about the situation.

"Yo, Cousin Xiao Yu. Are you teaching Cousin Xiao Ning a lesson?" As soon as Xiao Yan entered, he saw Xiao Yu whipping Xiao Ning.

"Ah! Greetings, Young Clan Leader!" Xiao Yu's face flushed red as she hastily threw away the long whip in her hand, trying to conceal what she had been doing.

"Greetings, Young Clan Leader!" Xiao Ning greeted him too, baring his teeth in pain.

"Not bad. You've reached Eight-segment Dou Qi." Xiao Yan took out a Qi Gathering Powder and gave it to Xiao Ning. "Break through to Dou Zhe soon!"

"Yes! I will heed the Young Clan Leader's teachings, cultivate diligently, and break through to Dou Zhe as soon as possible!" Xiao Ning's eyes shone as he looked at Xiao Yan with boundless admiration, making Xiao Yan feel a little unable to handle it.

"What was that just now? Why was Cousin Xiao Yu whipping you?" Xiao Yan hurriedly changed the subject.

"It was like this, Young Clan Leader. She was urging me to practice Dou Techniques so that I can pass Jia Nan Academy's assessment," Xiao Ning answered.

"Speaking of Jia Nan Academy, I'm planning to take the assessment too. Cousin Xiao Yu, tell me about it?"

"You're going to Jia Nan Academy?" Xiao Yu's face was full of disbelief.