Lab Rat

"What are you doing here, Cousin Xiao Han?"

Xiao Ning watched Xiao Han with a guarded expression.

After leaving his Independent Courtyard, Xiao Han had come straight to Xiao Ning's Courtyard with the pill he had refined.

The moment Xiao Han stepped into the courtyard, he saw Xiao Ning diligently practicing with a treasured sword in hand.

"Heh heh..." Xiao Han smiled faintly. "Relax. I didn't come here with any hostile intentions."

"What exactly are you here for?" Xiao Ning remained fully on guard as he watched Xiao Han.

Xiao Han's extraordinary performance in the Xiao Clan Hall had deeply shocked Xiao Ning. If not for their battle on the platform afterward, Xiao Ning would never have known that Xiao Han had already condensed a Dou Qi Vortex and become a Dou Zhe. He had even reached the level of a five-star Dou Zhe.

This was an enormous blow to Xiao Ning. Perhaps deep down, Xiao Han had unknowingly become someone Xiao Ning needed to look up to.

Xiao Han was clearly younger than him, yet Xiao Ning had to look up to him. Xiao Ning was deeply unwilling to accept it.

"You said that in a year, you'd cripple Xiao Yan. I assume you weren't just talking, were you?" Xiao Han asked.

After leaving, Xiao Han had already gathered the details.

Xiao Ning also liked Xiao Xun'er. Because of her, he had clashed with Xiao Yan today. In the end, Xiao Ning had even declared that at the coming-of-age ceremony a year later, he would challenge Xiao Yan and cripple him personally. Xiao Yan had readily accepted the agreement, waiting for Xiao Ning to cripple him.

In other words, apart from the brief incident of Xiao Han fighting Xiao Xun'er, the Storyline was still progressing along its original path.

"Heh heh..." Hearing Xiao Han bring this up, Xiao Ning laughed disdainfully. "He's only at the Fourth Stage of Dou Qi now, while I'm already at the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi. In a year, I'll definitely be able to cripple him."

"Naive." Xiao Han said flatly, "In a month and a half, Xiao Yan will reach the Fifth Stage of Dou Qi. Eleven months from now, he'll be at the Seventh Stage of Dou Qi. At the coming-of-age ceremony soon after, his cultivation will surge to the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi. He'll also have mastered a Xuan Level Fighting Skill. You're no match for him at all. Even if you take Qi Increasing Powder, you still won't be able to contend with him."

"Five stages in a single year? How is that possible?" Xiao Ning stared at Xiao Han gravely.

If it had been anyone else, Xiao Ning would certainly have laughed at them for being either insane or stupid. Who could know what would happen a year from now?

But Xiao Han had accurately predicted Nalan Yanran's intentions, as well as every word she had spoken that day, without a single mistake. Xiao Ning did not dare disbelieve him.

Even taking Qi Increasing Powder would not let him defeat Xiao Yan.

He had already said the words. Xiao Ning was someone who cared about his pride. Quite a few people among the younger generation already knew about his agreement with Xiao Yan. If he failed to challenge him when the time came, wouldn't that be a slap in his own face? Where would he put his dignity then?

Seeing that Xiao Han did not speak, Xiao Ning asked solemnly, "Then you came here to...?"

"I came to help you." Xiao Han smiled. That faint smile never left his face, making it impossible for anyone to glimpse the slightest fluctuation in his thoughts.

"Help me?" Xiao Ning grew even more confused. "How are you going to help me?"

"A Foundation Establishment Pill!" Xiao Han took out the pill he had just refined.

"A Second-Grade Pill, the Foundation Establishment Pill?" A flash of delight passed through Xiao Ning's eyes, followed by even greater suspicion as he looked at Xiao Han.

"That's right."

"You're giving it to me?" Xiao Ning's gaze became even more incredulous.

"Correct."

"Why?" Xiao Ning asked curiously.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I like Xiao Xun'er too, and I don't like Xiao Yan either. Since you've already agreed to fight him, help me teach him a proper lesson!" Xiao Han casually came up with a fairly reasonable excuse.

"Fine." Xiao Ning accepted the Foundation Establishment Pill from Xiao Han, saying happily, "In that case, I agree to your request. When the time comes, I'll definitely teach him a good lesson!" Instinct told Xiao Ning that things were probably not so simple. A Second-Grade Pill was extremely valuable, yet Xiao Han was giving it away just like that. Still, with his wits, he could not think of any other reason.

Of course, he did not know that Xiao Han merely wanted to use him to test the medicine.

Xiao Han knew that the energy within medicinal ingredients was extremely violent. The slightest mistake could lead to a furnace explosion and failed refinement; in severe cases, the pill could backlash, causing one to perish. He had to test it.

"Then let's begin!" Xiao Han urged.

"Now?"

"Yes. It wasn't easy for me to obtain this pill. I only have this one, and I couldn't bear to use it myself. Let me watch you use it! That isn't too much to ask, is it?" Xiao Han said earnestly.

"Fine." Unable to think of any excuse to brush Xiao Han off, Xiao Ning said, "I'll swallow the pill right now."

"If you want to die, then swallow it. With the Toughness of your meridians as they are now, you can't withstand this pill's tyrannical impact." Xiao Han said flatly, "Go have someone bring a bath barrel and fill it with water!"

The meridians of Body Refining Realm cultivators were extremely fragile. They could only be gradually nourished through the constant circulation of Dou Qi. They simply could not endure the impact of a pill's medicinal strength. However, Old Man Yao had invented Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. In this regard, Xiao Han truly admired Old Man Yao.

Following Xiao Han's instructions, Xiao Ning had servants bring a bath barrel and fill it with water. Once everything was ready, Xiao Han instructed Xiao Ning to place the pill into the barrel and dissolve it in the water. Then he said, "Get in!"

"Uh, do I need to take off my clothes?" Xiao Ning asked awkwardly.

"Of course. Will the absorption be effective if you keep your clothes on?" Xiao Han retorted irritably.

"Uh, that doesn't seem right. How about you step outside first?" Xiao Ning looked at Xiao Han uncomfortably.

"Uh..." Xiao Han rolled his eyes at Xiao Ning and snapped, "I have everything you have. Stop talking nonsense and get in. If you keep rambling, I'll take back both the barrel and the liquid."

"Don't... don't! I'll take them off, all right?"

Xiao Ning seemed afraid that Xiao Han would actually do it. In a few quick movements, he stripped off his clothes and jumped into the bath barrel with a splash.

"Ah..." Xiao Ning howled.

"What is it?" Xiao Han's heart tightened, and Dou Qi had already gathered in his hand. Xiao Ning might be a lab rat, but Xiao Han had no intention of letting him die. He was ready at any moment to smash the bath barrel and stop the nourishment of his meridians.

"It feels amazing!" Xiao Ning exclaimed happily. "It feels like all the pores across my body have opened up. My whole body feels warm, like I'm basking in the sun."

"Whew..." Xiao Han exhaled a breath of stale air and relaxed.

Xiao Ning's sudden outcry had startled him. Xiao Han shot him an annoyed glare.

At the same time, the system's voice suddenly rang out.

"Ding dong!"

"Congratulations. You have disrupted the Storyline of Battle Through the Heavens and helped Xiao Ning improve his cultivation. Reward: 2000 Experience Points. 400 Coupon Points."