Instant Entry into the Pill Dao, Joint Attack!

Rain mixed with ash fell over the Xiao Family training grounds as Xiao Yan flicked his fingers.

The last spark landed on the flag the Misty Cloud Sect had left behind in their hasty retreat.

Crimson flames devoured the banner.

He gave a slight nod toward Xiao Xun'er.

Ignoring the other Xiao Family disciples still frozen in shock, unable to snap out of it.

"Yan'er."

Xiao Zhan called softly, about to step forward.

But he saw his son's black robes surge as he turned into a streak of fire, vanishing toward the back mountain.

The scorch marks left on the bluestone ground looked like beast claws, and rain sizzled into steam as it hit them.

The spectator stands erupted in noise.

Xiao Ning trembled as he lifted the shattered teacup, Biluochun mixing with cold sweat dripping onto the broken patterns:

"Three moves. And that was a Three-star Dou Zhe!"

"Cousin Xiao Yan... he really is a Dou Shi!"

Several elders stroked their beards, forcing down the shock in their eyes.

"The Young Clan Leader must have awakened some special physique."

"We old men should dig through the ancestors' records."

"Maybe we'll find some clues."

The Great Elder led the way, and the other elders vanished from the grounds first.

The ancient script that appeared on Xiao Yan's body was surely a sign of an extremely powerful special physique!

His training speed was unheard of—Xiao Yan now was the hope of revitalizing the family!

No one brought up, no one thought about, Xiao Yan's former waste status anymore.

After all, when you have enough strength, even those around you become friends.

Thirty li out from Wutan City, the Misty Cloud Sect's carriage came to a halt as Elder Ge Ye suddenly crushed a communication jade slip.

Shards cut into his palm, but he didn't seem to notice:

"Sect Leader, that Xiao Family brat seems to have awakened some extremely powerful special physique."

"He's swept away all of Misty Cloud Sect's face, and might become a threat to our sect in the future!"

"I request the dispatch of the 'Cloud Shadow Guard'."

Once the Misty Cloud Sect's convoy had fully departed, the storm in Wutan City began to brew:

The battle between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran had drawn intense attention, with many family spies present.

The result spread through Wutan City's three major families in an instant.

In the eastern market of Wutan City, inside the Gale Family's mansion's secret chamber.

"That Xiao Family brat is definitely hiding something!"

Gale Bi slammed his fist onto the sandalwood table.

The table, reinforced with Second-order Magical Beast bone, cracked with fine lines.

"Jumping two major realms in three days—do you take him for a reincarnated god?"

"Even if he awakened a special physique, this is absolutely impossible!"

Two gray-robed figures stepped out from the shadows, the Two-star Silver Pattern Medicine Cauldron Emblems on their chests gleaming coldly.

The old man on the left stroked his goatee and sneered:

"Whatever his physique, as long as we refine pills and undercut prices by thirty percent."

"The Xiao Family's herb shop won't last a month."

Oba Pa toyed with a poisoned dagger, its blade scraping across the corner of the Jade Abacus on the table:

"I've already contacted seven Da Dou Shi from Black Rock City."

"Once the Xiao Family's finances collapse, they'll step in to 'restore order' in Wutan City."

Gale Bi's sinister gaze swept the room, his pupils glinting coldly:

"This Xiao Family Young Master will become a major thorn in our side."

"Maybe soon, Wutan City will only have one Xiao Family left."

"Get the plan moving. We can't let the Xiao Family linger."

"No matter how shocking the secret Xiao Yan hides, can he really jump to Da Dou Shi in half a month?"

With those words, Gale Bi waved his hand and vanished into the shadows.

At that moment, on the Xiao Family's back mountain:

In a natural stone cave, Xiao Yan shed his black robe, the fire patterns on his back flickering faintly in the steam.

Yao Chen's phantom had barely solidified when he saw the youth raise a hand and summon the Black Iron Pill Furnace prepared here earlier.

He spoke flatly: "Old man, time to teach the real stuff."

"What's the rush?" Yao Chen flicked out two jade slips with a finger: "Your cultivation has indeed reached the Doushi realm."

"Your speed far surpasses any genius I've seen as a teacher, but you haven't cultivated a technique yet."

"I'll give you two choices." The cyan jade slip flared with firelight, while the red one lay lifeless: "Earth-tier Intermediate Crimson Sun Art, or..."

"Low-level Yellow Tier Flame Mantra."

Without any hesitation, Xiao Yan suddenly grabbed the red jade slip.

The moment he touched it, the Fire Cloud Art within him began to circulate on its own.

Crimson flames surged from his palm, instantly enveloping the Flame Mantra.

The dim red jade scroll blazed up violently, and Old Yao watched in astonishment.

The surface of Flame Mantra was being eroded and restructured by fire patterns.

"I want this one." Xiao Yan's palm pulsed with blood-red flames, the circulation path of Fire Cloud Art spontaneously merging with the Flame Mantra.

Yao Chen was about to stop him when he saw a crimson light explode from the youth's Dantian, the two techniques intertwining into a brand-new meridian network.

The cave walls crumbled in sheets, gravel melting into ash before it could hit the ground.

Yao Chen's phantom flickered unsteadily.

Back when he'd risked everything to seize the Flame Mantra, it was for its trait of devouring strange fires.

Now, this technique was actively catering to Xiao Yan's bloodline!

He truly was the perfect candidate to cultivate Fen Jue!

Once his aura steadied, Xiao Yan opened his eyes. His cultivation had shot straight to 3-star Doushi!

But he didn't rush to inspect the newborn technique within him.

Old Yao also tactfully refrained from asking about the anomaly just now—after all, he didn't understand Fen Jue himself.

"Alchemy." Xiao Yan stuffed the jade slip into his chest: "Now."

Yao Chen smiled faintly: He hasn't even memorized the basics of pharmacology, and he wants to refine pills?

This disciple of his was perfect in every way, but a bit too ambitious.

With a wave, twenty-three herbs spread across the stone platform. Among them, five similarly shaped poisonous plants hid lethal intent:

"Blood Coagulating Powder, the most basic First-grade Pill."

"Since you want to refine it, I'll demonstrate for you."

As his words fell, flames flew from his palm into the pill furnace, and several herbs shot into the cauldron at once.

In just a moment, Pill Fragrance filled the air!

Opening the furnace, three thumb-sized, blood-red pills came into view: "Flame control is the most fundamental and essential skill for an alchemist."

"And you must memorize pharmacology knowledge too—alchemy isn't that simple."

"I know you've got high ambitions, boy, but first settle down and practice a flame control technique properly, then..."

Before he could finish, he stopped short.

Xiao Yan's palm erupted with crimson flames, several herbs suspended in a ring.

In that brief moment, Old Yao realized that the First-grade Pill refining process—which he considered extremely difficult for a novice—

had already been fully comprehended by Xiao Yan, every step clear in his mind!

Yao Chen's pupils contracted:

Every herb bore flames of varying intensity.

No sorting, no purification—the flames could discern medicinal properties on their own!

Even more shocking were the flames inside the furnace.

Sometimes it coalesced into a Kirin Phantom, sometimes it transformed into a web of flames—this was a display of extremely high-level flame control!

The ordinarily tedious refining process was violently compressed by overbearing fire-attributed energy.

But if the precision wasn't sufficient, this could easily lead to a furnace explosion!

"Nonsense!"

Just as Yao Chen was about to scold, the medicinal herbs had already turned into liquid and fused together.

A Pill Fragrance filled the cave.

The moment the furnace lid was lifted, faint flame patterns surfaced on the three Blood Coagulating Powder pills:

Top-grade pills!

Old Yao stood frozen in place. Even when he roamed the Central Plains in his youth, he had never seen such a situation!

But before he could suppress the shock in his heart, urgent footsteps suddenly came from outside the cave.

Xiao Zhan's voice, wrapped in Dou Qi, rang out:

"Yan'er! The Gale Family and the Oba Family have joined forces to make trouble."

"They're spreading rumors that our Xiao Family slaughtered civilians for you to cultivate."

"They're demanding to inspect whether you've been practicing evil techniques!"