Investment

"Tell me, why does the Jia Ma Empire need you?" The corners of Fa Ma's mouth lifted slightly.

Although Alchemists held an exalted status in the Jia Ma Empire, Fa Ma was actually aligned with the royal family.

"Several decades ago, the Misty Cloud Sect made a sound investment and gained a Sixth Grade Alchemist. Ever since then, the Jia Ma Royal Family could only yield before the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Besides the Misty Cloud Sect, that grave threat, there is also the Peak Dou Emperor Snake People Empress within their borders, and the Chuyun Empire, their hereditary enemy, beyond them."

"As far as I know, the Jia Ma Imperial Family should have a Peak Dou Emperor, but after wasting so many years, he still has not broken through to Dou Zong. None of his descendants are worth much either."

"And me? Fourteen years old, a Second Grade Alchemist. I will head to the Central Continent in the future, far away from the Jia Ma Empire. My family is insignificant and poses no threat whatsoever to the Jia Ma Imperial Family."

"Therefore, the Jia Ma Imperial Family needs me. They will never find another genius with a clean background and worthy of trust to help them through this difficult period."

Clap, clap, clap.

Amid enthusiastic applause, an Old Man dressed in coarse hemp robes entered the courtyard with Yao Yue.

"I am Jia Xing Tian, at the Eight Star Dou Huang Peak. After much consideration, I decided to apologize to the Vice Guild Master of the Alchemist Guild and bring our Little Princess Yao Yue here to take you as her master."

The Old Man forced out a kindly smile and handed over a Storage Ring. "I will have to trouble you, Master."

Xiao Yan accepted the Storage Ring and gave it a rough scan. Inside were quite a few Medicinal Herbs suitable for refining Third Grade and Fourth Grade Pills, as well as a sealed mass of blue liquid. It should have been the Sixth Grade Magical Beast's Beast Flame, Dry Blue Water Flame.

"Hehe, it's no trouble." Xiao Yan grinned from ear to ear. He took out paper and brush from the Storage Ring and swiftly wrote down the additional option Old Yao had once provided—a Di Tier fire-element cultivation method.

Then Xiao Yan wrote down the cultivation method for Eight Extremes Beast Flame Collapse, hinting that he needed eight clusters of Beast Flame, before writing down the Pill Recipe for Foundation Building Spirit Liquid as payment.

"This is a Di Tier cultivation method. There is nothing particularly remarkable about it, except that it is better suited to Alchemists. This is a High Profound Tier Dou Technique; once mastered, it can rival a Di Tier Dou Technique. And this is a Pill Recipe for a Second Grade Pill. Take it and practice first."

Though Xiao Yan spoke to Little Princess Yao Yue, he handed all the sheets of paper he had written to Jia Xing Tian.

Jia Xing Tian roughly read through the contents of the papers, and his pupils shrank slightly. He was shocked by the effects of the Foundation Building Spirit Liquid and immediately understood why the youth before him cultivated so quickly.

"Yao Yue, hurry up and pay respects to your master!"

"Greetings, Master." Yao Yue pursed her lips. She was somewhat unwilling, but she also knew this was not the time to throw a tantrum.

"From now on, you are my nominal disciple. If you become a Sixth Grade Alchemist in the future, you may remove the words 'nominal' and 'disciple.'"

After saying that, Xiao Yan smiled at Fa Ma and Jia Xing Tian. "If there is nothing else, I will rest first. For a One Star Dou Zhe like me, rushing from Wutan City to the Imperial Capital and completing two assessments in a row has been rather tiring."

"Then we shall not disturb Master's rest." Jia Xing Tian exchanged a glance with Fa Ma, grabbed Yao Yue, and vanished.

Fa Ma also smiled at Xiao Yan before leaving the courtyard.

However, Xiao Yan knew perfectly well that a group of Dou Ling-level spies were definitely watching this place.

Should anything unexpected happen—for example, if some unnamed sect with a Sixth Grade Alchemist wanted to eliminate Xiao Yan—Jia Xing Tian would immediately appear.

"I truly didn't expect it. You managed to swindle a Sixth Grade Beast Flame so quickly." Old Yao's emotional voice sounded in Xiao Yan's heart.

"Stop sighing, Teacher. Hurry and see whether these Medicinal Herbs can be used with this Beast Flame to concoct something that enhances its power."

"You're only a One Star Dou Zhe, yet you have quite the appetite. Even a Sixth Grade Beast Flame isn't enough for you."

Although he complained aloud, Old Yao still dutifully directed Xiao Yan to select three water-element Medicinal Herbs, one wood-element Medicinal Herb, and a Second Grade Fire Element Magic Core.

Then, under Old Yao's direction, Xiao Yan refined them separately into Medicinal Liquid, medicinal powder, and a gelatinous mass, throwing them all into the blue liquid.

After absorbing those materials, the originally deep-blue liquid immediately turned into a murky, sticky mass of dark sludge.

Xiao Yan's throat bobbed. He did not quite dare to put it in his mouth.

"Heh, brat, stop hesitating. Swallow it in one gulp!"

"Don't be fooled by the fact that it looks like a pile of Magical Beast droppings. Once you eat it, you can break through at least three stars. It will also help temper your body and let you begin cultivating that Di Tier Dou Technique I mentioned before."

Xiao Yan wore a miserable expression. Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, he opened his mouth and swallowed the indescribable liquid in one gulp.

The liquid was warm as it passed down his throat, but once it entered his stomach, it was like a bomb, exploding instantly within Xiao Yan's abdomen.

Wave after wave of water-like energy surged from Xiao Yan's abdomen through his meridians and struck every part of his body. Wherever it passed, his Dou Qi boiled.

Xiao Yan did not dare slack off. He hurriedly circulated the Flame Mantra and attempted to devour the enhanced Sixth Grade Beast Flame.

Xiao Yan had thought this would be a grueling battle that would leave him utterly exhausted. Unexpectedly, the Beast Flame was remarkably gentle. With only slight guidance, it followed the cultivation technique route of the Flame Mantra, showing no intention of resisting at all.

Moreover, as the Beast Flame traveled along the cultivation technique route, it gave off a slightly scorching yet bearable heat, forming wave after wave that tempered Xiao Yan's body.

These ripples could temper his body, but they also placed an enormous burden on Xiao Yan.

Fortunately, the medicinal strength of the Body Tempering Pill still remained within Xiao Yan's body. Stimulated by the cultivation process, it was gradually digested. While supporting Xiao Yan's body, it also strengthened his physique.

A flash of realization arose in Xiao Yan's heart. He understood the principle behind Beast Flame body tempering, then immersed himself in the pleasure of growing stronger without end.

The Beast Flame circulated around and around according to the route of the Flame Mantra. Each time it passed the Dou Qi Vortex, it poured a large amount of energy into it and subtly changed the vortex's color.

Without realizing it, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi Vortex had turned a deep blue. Under the Beast Flame's energy, the Flame Mantra evolved to Yellow Tier Intermediate, while his body completely absorbed the remaining medicinal strength.

Thus, Xiao Yan struck while the iron was hot and poured all the Beast Flame's remaining energy into the Dou Qi Vortex.

Xiao Yan's aura rapidly rose—Two Star Dou Zhe, Three Star Dou Zhe, Four Star Dou Zhe, Five Star Dou Zhe...

Xiao Yan did not lose himself in the joy of his surging cultivation. Instead, he mobilized his Soul Power and compressed the Dou Qi Vortex with all his strength, preventing his Dou Qi from becoming too unstable.

After repeated struggle, the rapidly growing Dou Qi gradually solidified and finally stabilized at the Four Star Dou Zhe Peak.

Xiao Yan let out a long breath and threw himself onto the bed, smugly claiming credit in his heart to Old Yao:

"Teacher, the Flame Mantra has broken through to Yellow Tier Intermediate."