Dramatic Improvement in Aptitude! Hu Jia!

In the back mountain, atop a somewhat desolate peak.

The three had specifically come to this sunlit spot for Xiao Xun'er's breakthrough.

The fire element was more active here.

Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian stood to one side, looking at Xiao Xun'er encouragingly.

Xiao Xun'er opened the jade vial and poured out a fiery red pill.

A rich medicinal fragrance permeated the surroundings. Around the pill, faint red ripples of energy had even formed in rings.

It displayed the nobility of a Fifth-Grade Pill!

Xiao Xun'er glanced at Xiao Ze. At his smiling nod, she parted her delicate lips and swallowed the fiery red pill.

She then closed her eyes and began refining it with full concentration.

The potency of a Fifth-Grade Pill was extraordinary!

Even a pill intended to improve one's aptitude could raise her cultivation by another level!

Furthermore, advancement also tempered one's physique. With the two effects stacked together, perhaps the results would be even greater.

Xiao Xun'er only felt as though she had swallowed a ball of flame. The violent medicinal power was about to rampage through her body.

Yet before the medicinal power could erupt—

A far more terrifying force suddenly surged forth from within Xiao Xun'er!

It effortlessly subdued the medicinal power that carried a scorching aura.

A faint red glow shone through Xiao Xun'er's skin as she underwent the improvement brought by the Fifth-Grade Pill.

At the same time, Xiao Ze keenly sensed a change in the ambient energy.

It gradually began flowing toward Xiao Xun'er.

"Is she about to break through...?"

The red glow gradually faded, replaced by an incomparably noble golden radiance.

As golden light emanated from Xiao Xun'er's fair skin—

The energy of heaven and earth seemed to be drawn by something.

It began gathering frantically, forming a faintly visible vortex of energy around Xiao Xun'er's body.

"Xun'er should be able to break through, right?"

Xiao Yi Xian asked with some concern. Dou Qi cultivation had never been a simple matter.

Many people could even drop in rank if their attempt at a breakthrough failed.

"Don't worry. With Xun'er's aptitude, along with the remaining medicinal power of the Fifth-Grade Pill pushing her forward, breaking through to Dou Shi will be easy."

Xiao Ze had complete confidence in Xiao Xun'er. All they had to do now was wait patiently.

Sure enough, as time passed, Xiao Xun'er's aura grew increasingly deep and powerful.

The golden light radiating from her body also became increasingly dazzling.

Boom!

As a faint ring of golden air spread out from Xun'er's body, a system notification flashed before Xiao Ze's eyes.

Ding! Xiao Xun'er consumed the Fifth-Grade Pill: Body Sculpting Flame Pill. Her aptitude has improved slightly, and her strength has risen to Dou Shi. Congratulations, host, you have received Tenfold Return!

Congratulations, host! Your aptitude has improved dramatically!

Seeing the system notification, Xiao Ze was delighted.

Sure enough, this was how to maximize a pill's effects!

If he took it himself, no one else would benefit, and his own improvement would be minor.

But if Xiao Xun'er took it, not only would she improve her aptitude—

Xiao Ze would also receive enormous benefits!

Xiao Ze temporarily set aside the reward and did not hurry to claim it.

He had only broken through to a six-star Da Dou Shi two days ago, so he would accumulate rewards for a few more days.

Once he claimed all the rewards he had saved up, he should be able to break through directly to a seven-star Da Dou Shi.

That would place him among the higher ranks of the Da Dou Shi level.

"Brother Xiao Ze, Sister Xiao Yi Xian, I successfully broke through to Dou Shi!"

Xiao Xun'er opened her eyes, looked at Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian, and said happily.

She had finally reached Dou Shi. Hopefully, Brother Xiao Ze would not leave her too far behind again.

"Xun'er, congratulations!"

"Congratulations, little sister Xun'er."

Xiao Xun'er shared her insights from the breakthrough, as well as how it had felt to consume the Fifth-Grade Pill.

"To celebrate your breakthrough to Dou Shi, Xun'er, didn't we find a nest of Ice Spirit Rabbits a few days ago? Let's catch a few to eat."

Xiao Ze's suggestion immediately made Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian's eyes light up, and they swallowed unconsciously.

"I'll catch the Ice Spirit Rabbits!"

"I'll gather firewood!"

The two swiftly divided the work and vanished from the spot.

Xiao Ze, meanwhile, took out a complete set of cooking utensils from his storage ring.

The three of them practically stayed in the back mountain every day, so naturally, they had to learn to fend for themselves.

Ice Spirit Rabbits were Tier 2 Magical Beasts, equivalent to Dou Shi-level cultivators. Their ice attribute made them exceedingly troublesome.

Ordinary magical beasts did not include them in their diets either, because magical beasts were accustomed to swallowing their prey whole.

Ice Spirit Rabbit meat contained a large amount of ice-attribute Dou Qi. Swallowing it raw made it difficult to digest, and could even easily cause diarrhea.

Those magical beasts kept their distance from Ice Spirit Rabbits.

Even magical beasts capable of defeating them disdainfully removed Ice Spirit Rabbits from their diets!

However, once an Ice Spirit Rabbit was properly prepared and the effects of its ice-attribute Dou Qi were removed, it became a rare and exquisite delicacy!

After tasting one once, neither of the girls had been able to forget its flavor.

They had even deliberately marked the nest of Ice Spirit Rabbits they found a few days ago.

Whenever they craved some, they could catch a few more.

Before long, Xiao Xun'er returned with three Ice Spirit Rabbits, their necks snapped, dangling from her hand. Her expression was relaxed.

Xiao Yi Xian also returned with a full haul, taking out some special dry firewood from her storage ring.

Not long afterward, an enticing aroma drifted from the mountaintop.

Unlike the medicinal fragrance from before, this scent stirred the primal appetite of all living beings, making anyone who smelled it unable to resist swallowing!

After each of them finished an Ice Spirit Rabbit, the three returned to their cultivation.

Cultivation was like rowing upstream; if one did not advance, one fell behind.

Tedious cultivation was always unavoidable.

The only thing they could do was find a little enjoyment along the way.

The delicious Ice Spirit Rabbits they had just enjoyed were the pleasure Xiao Ze and the other two had chosen.

The next day, Xiao Ze made a rare return to the academy to attend cultivation class.

He received an enthusiastic welcome from many of his classmates.

In his classmates' eyes, Xiao Ze was a prized treasure. Sparring with him even once would certainly bring tremendous benefits!

After the academy evaluation, Xiao Ze had vanished from sight and deliberately kept a low profile.

After all, people craved novelty. As long as someone stayed away long enough, their enthusiasm would eventually fade.

Thus, aside from the enthusiastic welcome from his classmates when he returned today, there were no other disturbances.

"Xiao Ze, please guide me."

A pretty girl with waist-length black hair and a somewhat shy expression spoke to Xiao Ze.

"Hello. You should be the last person in our class who still needs to spar with me, right?"

"Don't we still have Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian?"

The girl could not help asking.

"They spar with me every day, so don't worry about them."

Xiao Ze smiled and waved his hand, signaling for the girl to begin.

"How nice..."

A deep envy flashed through the girl's eyes. She then attacked Xiao Ze with a serious expression.

In truth, cultivation class had already ended. Xiao Ze only wanted to finish sparring with the last classmate directly.

The other students were scattered around the area, learning from Xiao Ze.

Just then, a red figure flashed past the doorway.

Xiao Ze glanced over and secretly chuckled, but did not pay it any mind.

The red figure walked straight to Xiao Xun'er's side.

What she said left everyone around them stunned.

It was truly the sort of statement that would not stop until it shocked people to death!

"Xiao Xun'er, I like you. Do you want to date me?"

Xiao Xun'er stared at the figure that had suddenly appeared, her mouth opening slightly.

Her heart was filled only with astonishment!

Because the person before her was a very beautiful girl!

The girl wore red, with a brightly colored flower clenched between her teeth.

The words that slipped through her teeth were a confession so startling that even Xiao Xun'er was left dumbfounded.

Dear readers, please support the story by following along! Recommendations now depend entirely on follow-up reads, so please take a moment to scroll to the final page of the book. I beg you!

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My deepest thanks!