The Medicine Warehouse, Zi Yan (Part 1)

The next morning, Xiao Yang slowly opened his eyes, then suddenly leaped out of bed. As he stretched his body, a series of crackling pops erupted from within his bones.

"Phew!" Xiao Yang slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. "I'm finally an Eight-Star Da Dou Shi!"

Focusing inward, Xiao Yang discovered that the Dou Crystal inside his body had grown to the size of an egg, nearly twice as large as before.

Nodding in satisfaction, Xiao Yang pushed open the door and walked outside.

Now, it was time to cultivate the Yuan Magnetic Xuan Gang Overlord Body.

However, cultivating the Yuan Magnetic Xuan Gang Overlord Body required the aid of Houtu Xuan Yuan Pills.

Xiao Yang had two complete sets of medicinal ingredients in his possession, left behind by that Eighth-Grade Alchemist years ago.

If he could find one more Vajra Bodhi, he would have enough ingredients for three sets.

Thus, Xiao Yang planned to try his luck at Jia Nan Academy's Medicine Repository. He remembered that this thing existed in the original novel—and that Zi Yan had even taken a bite out of it.

And speaking of Zi Yan, Xiao Yang happened to have a Transformation Pill on hand.

It had likewise been left behind by the Eighth-Grade Alchemist who had created the Life Devouring Pill.

For Xiao Yang's sake, that man had truly poured his heart and soul into it, handing over his entire life's fortune to Xiao Yang.

Still, it was understandable that this inheritance was so abundant.

After all, the Eighth-Grade Alchemist had originally prepared it all for himself.

It was just that no matter how carefully he calculated, he could never have anticipated running into a transmigrator like Xiao Yang—one with a cheat like a Zanpakuto that specifically targeted souls!

Then, he had even charged headfirst into Xiao Yang's home turf.

This was such a generous delivery of experience that even Xiao Yang did not know what to say.

Outside the door lay a tree-lined avenue, with the residences of the other New Students from this year situated on either side.

However, compared to Xiao Yang's luxurious standalone villa, their accommodations were far more modest. Their treatment was simply incomparable to his.

At the end of the road, however, two groups of people had already gathered there.

When they saw Xiao Yang approaching, the leaders of the two groups tacitly moved to either side and blocked his path.

A chill flashed through Xiao Yang's eyes. "Why have you Seniors blocked my way?"

One of them, a burly man carrying a long spear on his back, spoke up. "Little brother, you must be the renowned Xiao Yang from this year's batch, right? I am Liu Sheng, from Lie Shan. I have come to invite Junior Xiao Yang to join Lie Shan."

The Senior beside him, dressed in green, also spoke. "I am Chu He, from Wolf Fang. I have likewise come to invite Junior to join Wolf Fang."

Xiao Yang gave the two of them a cold glance. "If you want to invite someone, then at least act like you're inviting them. You may go back and tell Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing that I, Xiao Yang, am currently nine years and seven months old, with the cultivation of a Da Dou Shi. At the same time, I am a Fourth-Grade Alchemist. So what sort of gift they should prepare, and what kind of attitude they should take—they can think it over carefully themselves."

The reason Xiao Yang had only revealed himself as a Fourth-Grade Alchemist was because he did not want to cause too much of a sensation and frighten these ignorant bumpkins.

"F-Fourth-Grade Alchemist?" The two men opposite him were instantly dumbfounded.

"What? You don't believe me?" As his words fell, Xiao Yang spread open his palm. Golden-black flames surged endlessly within it.

Seeing the two-colored flames dancing and rolling in Xiao Yang's palm like sprites, Liu Sheng and Chu He were both utterly stunned.

Liu Sheng especially so. He was a distant cousin of Liu Qing's and came from the Central Continent. He was someone who had seen the world.

Even though the Liu Family was a Dou Zong clan, they still had to show a Fourth-Grade Alchemist some respect.

But if one added a condition before that—an nine-year-old Fourth-Grade Alchemist—then even the entire Liu Family would have to worship the little master before them like an ancestor.

Because for a freak who could become a Fourth-Grade Alchemist at nine years old, reaching the seventh grade in the future was practically guaranteed.

And what did a Seventh-Grade Alchemist represent? It meant that with a single word, he could reduce the entire Liu Family to ashes!

Do not doubt it. In the Central Continent, a Seventh-Grade Alchemist absolutely possessed that kind of influence.

After all, Dou Zongs were not uncommon in the Central Continent. One could say they were everywhere, but Seventh-Grade Alchemists were exceedingly rare.

Wasn't the Han Family of Tianbei City, where Senior Sister Han Yue came from—also a Dou Zong clan in the Central Continent—still utterly respectful toward an old man who was merely a Fifth-Grade Alchemist? That old man's nose was practically pointed at the sky.

Liu Sheng was so frightened that he scrambled back to report the news.

Seeing this, Chu He hurriedly led his people away as well. Whether Xiao Yang was telling the truth or not, it would be better to leave the headache for his boss, Lin Xiuya.

Once both groups had retreated, Xiao Yang swaggered toward the Inner Courtyard's Medicine Repository.

As an important location for storing the Inner Courtyard's precious medicinal ingredients, the Medicine Repository was heavily guarded. Not only was there an elder at the Dou Wang level stationed there, but more than ten instructors patrolled the area around the clock.

Ordinary students were forbidden from entering this place, but Xiao Yang was clearly the exception.

As someone Grand Elder Su Qian had specifically instructed them to look after, the instructor on duty quickly brought Xiao Yang before Elder Hao, the director of the Medicine Repository.

Xiao Yang's identity was easy to verify. After all, everyone else in the Inner Courtyard was an adult, while he was the only one still young enough to celebrate Children's Day.

Upon seeing Xiao Yang, Elder Hao could not help but suck in a breath. "L-little fellow, you're already an Eight-Star Da Dou Shi?"

Xiao Yang spread his hands. "Don't get too excited, Elder Hao. It's thanks to the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill."

"A peak fourth-grade pill, the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill? You... where did you get it?"

"Where else could I have gotten it? I refined it myself."

Xiao Yang wasn't bragging. Though the pill he had taken had been produced by the system.

For Xiao Yang, who had devoured the soul of an eighth-grade master alchemist, a mere fourth-grade pill was child's play.

If he had an endless supply of medicinal ingredients, Xiao Yang could refine these pills and eat them like candy.

"Y-You're a Fourth-Grade Alchemist?" Elder Hao's eyes widened like brass bells.

Xiao Yang nodded. "What's there to doubt? Alchemists possess exceptional Soul Power. Under normal circumstances, an alchemist's grade is one level higher than their own Dou Qi cultivation. Those with poorer talent are merely on par with their cultivation.

I'm already an Eight-Star Da Dou Shi. Becoming a Fourth-Grade Alchemist is practically effortless, isn't it?"

Elder Hao let out a long breath, then suddenly lowered his head somewhat fawningly and bent at the waist as he spoke to Xiao Yang. "Well, Xiao Yang, how much longer do you think it'll take before you advance to a fifth-grade alchemist?"

A curve lifted at the corner of Xiao Yang's lips. "Elder Hao, I suppose what you really want to ask is when I'll be able to refine a Dou Ling Pill?"

With his thoughts exposed in a single sentence, Elder Hao nodded with an awkward laugh.