The Stubborn Xiao Yan

What would be drawn this time?!

Last time, Xiao Han used the Extraction divine ability and fought Old Man Yao with the Dou Huang Experience Card. Afterwards, he extracted the Heavenly Flame, Bone Spirit Cold Flame.

Now that he was using the Extraction divine ability again, Xiao Han was curious about what exactly he would obtain.

Fen Jue?

It did not matter whether Xiao Han got it or not.

With the Fusion divine ability, he had perfectly resolved the conflict between Heavenly Flames. As for improving his cultivation, he could obtain Experience Points by disrupting the Storylines of countless worlds. His cultivation would advance faster than through conventional training.

Flame Splitting Wave Ruler, Eight Extremes Collapse, Fire Blowing Palm...

Xiao Han wondered what benefits he could obtain from Old Man Yao this time.

But one thing was certain: Old Man Yao was a treasure from head to toe. No matter what he extracted, it would be of great use to Xiao Han.

Ding-dong!

Congratulations. You used the Extraction divine ability on Old Man Yao and obtained a Fighting Skill: Eight Extremes Collapse!

Eight Extremes Collapse: Mysterious Tier Advanced Fighting Skill. A close-combat Fighting Skill renowned for its overwhelming offensive power. When cultivated to Major Success, each attack contained eight layers of hidden force. With all eight layers stacked together, its power rivaled an Earth Tier Low-grade Fighting Skill.

"Holy crap, I actually got Eight Extremes Collapse." Xiao Han was overjoyed. Though it was not the Earth Tier Low-grade Flame Splitting Wave Ruler, Eight Extremes Collapse could rival an Earth Tier Low-grade Fighting Skill once its eight layers of hidden force were stacked.

Excited, Xiao Han immediately commanded, "Fusion."

Ding-dong!

Congratulations. You used the Merge Divine Ability and learned the Mysterious Tier Advanced Fighting Skill—Eight Extremes Collapse!

Meanwhile, Old Man Yao staggered back several steps. His eyes were unfocused as he muttered, "I feel like I forgot something. What exactly did I forget? Strange, why can't I remember?"

Old Man Yao looked at Xiao Han warily. Mere physical contact had caused him to lose something. This scene felt far too familiar.

"Y-you're that brat Xiao Han?" Old Man Yao stared at Xiao Han in terror. Last time, his Heavenly Flame had been inexplicably taken by Xiao Han.

Even now, Old Man Yao could not figure out how Xiao Han had done it.

"If you want to know, shake my hand again, and I'll tell you the answer!" Xiao Han's hoarse, cold laugh came from behind the mask.

Shake hands again!

Even though Old Man Yao had dominated the Battle Qi Continent for decades in his previous life, braving wind and rain, he had never feared anything. But this time, he was truly afraid of Xiao Han.

As Xiao Han approached him, Old Man Yao's heart trembled, and he could not help backing away several steps.

Old Man Yao had not forgotten that Xiao Han possessed some mysterious secret technique that could temporarily grant him the combat strength of a Peak Dou Huang. Of course, he did not know that Xiao Han had used a Dou Huang Experience Card. Xiao Han did not have another such card now.

But Old Man Yao did not know that.

Old Man Yao clearly remembered that even with a Heavenly Flame, he had not been Xiao Han's match. Now that he had lost it, he was even less of a match for Xiao Han.

Run!

Xiao Han was far too strange. Acting on instinct, Old Man Yao pushed off with the tip of his foot, leaping over eaves and scaling walls. Before long, he had fled without a trace.

"Uh..."

Xiao Han secretly wiped away a cold sweat. He let out a long breath and murmured, "That was close!"

"Master, that was too risky." System Xiao Ai scolded him worriedly. "If Old Man Yao had noticed even the slightest flaw, or decided to fight with his back against the wall and attack you without regard for the consequences, you would have been no match for him."

"Mm, you're right. But sometimes in life, you have to gamble. This time, I won!" Xiao Han was immensely pleased with himself. "And I even got Eight Extremes Collapse!"

With this Mysterious Tier Advanced Fighting Skill, Eight Extremes Collapse, Xiao Han was confident that he too could thrive on the Battle Qi Continent just like Xiao Yan.

Just as the system had said, Xiao Han had taken a risk.

However, Xiao Han had not been taking a blind risk.

Old Man Yao had no idea of Xiao Han's true strength. Given the lesson from before, after losing his Heavenly Flame, Xiao Han had gambled that Old Man Yao would be even less willing to attack him.

Fortunately, Xiao Han had really won that gamble.

"That Old Man Yao is too alert. Otherwise, I could have used the Extraction divine ability twice, maybe even three times, and gained a few more benefits." Thinking of the Fighting Skills Old Man Yao possessed, Xiao Han felt as though ants were crawling through his heart, making it itch.

"Master, after this incident, it will likely be even harder for you to gain benefits from him again," System Xiao Ai analyzed.

"Mm." Xiao Han nodded in agreement.

Seeing that no one was around, Xiao Han took off his black robe and stored it together with the Cat Face Mask in the System Package. Only then did he leave the deep alley.

Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan's courtyard residence

Xiao Yan sneaked into his room and stuffed a large pile of medicinal ingredients into a cabinet inside.

After escaping from Xiao Han, Xiao Yan had gone to the medicinal market and bought enough ingredients for four months. Xiao Han was so outstanding that he felt like a mountain was pressing down on him. He planned to cultivate diligently over the next four months.

"Yan'er, are you in there?"

Just as Xiao Yan finished hiding the medicinal ingredients, his father Xiao Zhan's voice sounded outside the door.

Opening the door, Xiao Yan smiled sheepishly. "Father, do you need something?"

"Can't I come see you if I don't need anything? Do you know you've been avoiding me for two months?" Xiao Zhan's large hand affectionately rubbed Xiao Yan's head. Then, he took out a Brocade Box.

"Father..." Xiao Yan had visited Auction Room No. 1 today, so he knew exactly what was inside the Brocade Box.

"There's a Foundation Establishment Pill inside. It has reached divine grade and can quickly increase the cultivation speed of Dou Qi. I bought it at auction today." Xiao Zhan grinned.

"It must have cost a lot, right?" Xiao Yan accepted the Brocade Box, his heart filled with warmth.

"It cost sixty thousand gold coins. But as long as it helps you, that's all that matters." Xiao Zhan rubbed Xiao Yan's head again and said, "Yan'er, focusing on cultivation is a good thing, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. That matter was perfectly resolved by Xiao Han. It did not affect the Xiao Clan, the Nalan Family, or the Misty Cloud Sect in any way. That is actually a good thing."

"Father, I can't swallow this humiliation. Nalan Yanran came to break off the engagement despite knowing there was an engagement contract. To me, that was an insult. And throughout the entire matter, I was played like a fool. I can't let it go." Anger surged in Xiao Yan's eyes.

"Yan'er..." As Xiao Yan's father, Xiao Zhan understood his son's personality very well. But since this concerned Xiao Yan, he still advised, "Father isn't saying that you're inferior to Nalan Yanran, but the strength of the Misty Cloud Sect..."

The Xiao Clan simply could not afford to offend the Misty Cloud Sect.

Before Xiao Zhan could finish, Xiao Yan cut him off stubbornly, his gaze unwavering. "Father, some things cannot be avoided. A man must bear his responsibilities. At next year's Coming-of-Age Ceremony, I will make everyone see me in a new light. Three years from now, I will personally go to the Misty Cloud Sect."

"Ah..."

Xiao Zhan did not want to dampen Xiao Yan's enthusiasm. He sighed softly and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder. Looking at it from another angle, perhaps Xiao Yan's determination and diligence were not a bad thing. He smiled. "All right. Then I'll wait for the day you transform once again!"