Qi Gathering Powder

"Alas, Xiao Clan Leader, I know this matter puts you in a difficult position, but it was personally ordered by the Sect Master. Your Xiao family cannot resist it, so you should agree." Ge Ye glanced at Xiao Zhan, who was desperately suppressing his rage, and sighed.

These words were like pouring oil on a fire. Xiao Zhan could no longer contain the fury in his heart. A surge of green Dou Qi erupted from his body, slowly gathering in the air until it vaguely formed the shape of a lion's head.

The Xiao family's clan-defining cultivation art, Furious Lion Vajra, could only be cultivated by the Clan Leader. It was also the highest-ranked art of the Xiao family, reaching the Profound Middle-Rank.

Ge Ye's expression changed. He swiftly pulled Nalan Yanran behind him, then curled the fingers of both hands slightly into eagle claws. Green Dou Qi coiled around his fingers, radiating sharp, fine sword energy.

This was the Yunlan Sect's profound cultivation art, the Azure Wood Sword Art. Although it was only Profound Low-Rank, it was in no way inferior to a Profound Middle-Rank Dou Technique.

The two sides faced off from a distance, neither willing to yield. Violent pressure swept across the hall, crushing countless young people until their faces turned pale. They nearly vomited blood as they staggered backward.

Even the three most powerful Great Elders were shocked out of their previous composure. Seeing that the two sides were about to fight, the three hurriedly shouted, "Xiao Zhan, stop! Do not forget that you are the Xiao Family Clan Leader!"

The Three Great Elders' meaning was clear. As the Xiao Family Clan Leader, every action Xiao Zhan took represented the entire Xiao family. He had to think carefully before doing anything; acting on impulse was absolutely unacceptable. Otherwise, if he offended someone they could not afford to offend, the entire Xiao family would be buried alongside him.

For the Three Great Elders, who had grown accustomed to the exquisite taste of power, they would never allow anyone to strip them of that authority. No matter who that person was, they would rush forward and fight them to the death.

Hearing the Three Great Elders' voices, Xiao Zhan seemed to have been doused with a bucket of cold water and instantly regained his calm. The Dou Qi around him slowly withdrew as well.

"Huu!"

The Three Great Elders simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly cursing Xiao Zhan for being a madman who had nearly dragged them all into a place of no return.

Xiao Zhan sat back down in his chair. His expression was somewhat desolate, and his voice slightly hoarse as he said, "Niece Nalan truly has great courage. Nalan Su is truly fortunate to have a daughter like you. It is enough to make anyone envious."

"Uncle Xiao..." Nalan Yanran's delicate body trembled as she murmured.

"I dare not. Miss Nalan, you should address me as Xiao Clan Leader instead. I cannot possibly bear the title of Uncle Xiao. You are the future Sect Master of the Yunlan Sect, with boundless prospects ahead. One day, you will have a place throughout the entire Dou Qi Continent. My Yan Er has mediocre talent and is indeed unworthy of you." Xiao Zhan waved his hand and spoke coldly.

"Thank you for your understanding, Xiao Clan Leader." Ge Ye knew the matter was settled. Though the process had been somewhat winding, one concern had finally been put to rest, and his face immediately broke into a smile.

"Xiao Clan Leader, there is no need to take this so much to heart. Our Sect Master also knows that this request was indeed excessive, so he specifically instructed this old man to bring an item as compensation for this broken engagement. Please accept it with a smile." Ge Ye knew he could not press too hard, so he hurriedly brushed a hand over the ring on his finger. An exquisitely crafted box appeared in his hand.

A Storage Ring!

Other than those from the Yunlan Sect, everyone present stared at the ancient ring on Ge Ye's hand with burning eyes, wishing they could claim it for themselves.

Storage Rings were incomparably precious. They could not be bought even with money. The Xiao family was considered a prominent force in Wutan City, yet the entire clan did not possess a single one. They had only heard of such things before; no one else had ever seen one.

Now that they had seen one in person, and confirmed that it truly could store carried items as the rumors claimed, their greed immediately swelled.

Yet that greed lasted only an instant. The man wearing the Storage Ring was a Seven Star Great Dou Master. Even if they were all tied together, they would not be his match, much less able to snatch the Storage Ring from his hand.

Knowing that there was no hope of taking it, they had no choice but to restrain their thoughts and turn their eyes toward the exquisite box in Ge Ye's hand.

The box was carved entirely from emerald-green jade. It was not large, only about the size of a palm, but the material was first-rate. The box alone was worth a great deal.

A box made from such fine jade was merely a container, which showed that the item within was even more valuable.

Ge Ye did not keep everyone in suspense. Smiling slightly, he slowly opened the lid. A delicate fragrance immediately wafted forth, invigorating anyone who smelled it.

The Three Great Elders curiously leaned in. When they saw the item inside the box, their pupils shrank at once, and they cried out, "Qi Gathering Powder?"

That was right. Inside the box was a Qi Gathering Powder the size of a longan, radiating a strange fragrance.

It was common knowledge that after one's cultivation reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi, one would begin condensing a Dou Qi vortex. Once it was successfully condensed, one would break through to the Dou Zhe realm and become a genuine Dou Zhe.

However, this was not guaranteed to succeed. Condensing a Dou Qi vortex could fail, and once it did, one's cultivation would drop by a level, requiring them to train back up again.

The reason the Three Great Elders were so excited was that Qi Gathering Powder was no worthless item. It was a medicinal pill refined by a group of people on the continent known as alchemists. Their pills possessed the power to turn decay into magic, and everyone flocked to obtain the medicinal pills refined by alchemists.

Qi Gathering Powder was one such pill, and it had reached Fourth Grade. Its value was simply immeasurable. Even purchasing a single pill would severely strain the Xiao family's resources.

"That is correct. It is a Fourth Grade medicinal pill, Qi Gathering Powder. The Sect Master knows that the Xiao Clan Leader's beloved son has yet to condense a Dou Qi vortex and advance to the Dou Zhe realm, so he specifically instructed me to present this Qi Gathering Powder to the Xiao Clan Leader. So long as the Xiao Clan Leader agrees to dissolve the engagement, this Qi Gathering Powder will certainly be offered with both hands." Ge Ye took in everyone else's reactions, a trace of amusement flashing through his eyes as he spoke loudly to Xiao Zhan.

To be honest, the Yunlan Sect was fairly sincere. Though they had used their power to pressure others, they had not gone too far. At the very least, they knew to offer some compensation to the injured party.

A Fourth Grade Qi Gathering Powder was enough to equal more than half the Xiao family's fortune. Using this pill as the condition for dissolving the engagement was an acceptable settlement for both sides.

"This Qi Gathering Powder was not refined by some ordinary alchemist, but by this sect's elder, Pill King Gu He. I need not say any more about its value, do I?" Ge Ye continued to add fuel to the fire.

"Hiss!"

Upon hearing that this Qi Gathering Powder had actually been refined by Pill King Gu He, both Xiao Zhan, who was extremely dissatisfied with the Yunlan Sect, and the Three Great Elders, who had been drooling over the Qi Gathering Powder, drew in sharp breaths.

Anyone from the Gama Empire had heard Pill King Gu He's great name. Not only was he the Gama Empire's only Fifth Grade Alchemist, but he was also an elder of the Yunlan Sect and one of the Gama Empire's ten great Dou Wang experts. A pill refined by someone like him was worth several times more than an ordinary pill of the same grade.