Qingshan Town, Myriad Medicine Pavilion

"Congratulations, benefactor, on mastering this Dou Technique. Our ancestor's legacy finally has a successor!" The Chen Family Patriarch clasped his hands toward Xiao Han, though there was clearly a trace of regret in his eyes.

"Chief Chen!" Xiao Han handed the now useless Jade Slip to the Chen Family Head and asked, "What plans do you have for the Chen Family's future?"

"Does benefactor have any suggestions?"

"Lead the entire Chen Family and submit to the Xiao Clan of Wutan City," Xiao Han said calmly.

"The Xiao Clan of Wutan City?"

"That's right. If the weak wish to survive in this world, they must rely on the strong. Otherwise, sooner or later, they will be replaced by other forces. Yesterday, it may have only been the He Family. Tomorrow, it could be a Yang Family or the Liu Family. If you want to survive better, you must rely on the strong," Xiao Han said calmly.

"Uh..." The Chen Family Patriarch looked at Xiao Han in astonishment. He was clearly still a minor, merely a young man, yet he understood the ways of survival so deeply.

"Of course, if the Chen Family Head is unwilling, my Xiao Clan will not force you," Xiao Han said calmly. The reason Xiao Han extended this olive branch was entirely because he wanted to repay the Chen Family Head.

The Chen Family Head pondered for a moment before saying hesitantly, "Even if I wish to submit, I fear the Xiao Clan may not think much of us!"

"You need not worry about that." Xiao Han entered the room, wrote a letter, and handed it to the Chen Family Head. "Take this to the Xiao Clan and seek out Third Elder Xiao Family. Once he reads it, he will accept your submission."

"Third Elder Xiao Family?" The Chen Family Head stared at Xiao Han. After briefly reading the letter, he exclaimed in surprise, "You're actually Xiao Han?"

A few days ago, the Chen Family Head had heard that the Xiao Clan had produced a disciple who was eloquent and exceptionally gifted. He had never expected that such a talented disciple was standing before him.

"Mm." Xiao Han nodded, then said calmly, "Chief Chen, we'll speak again at the Xiao Clan!"

As the sky gradually darkened, Xiao Han rode his Yellow Dapple Horse into a small town closest to the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

The town was called Qingshan Town. Because it stood near the Monster Beast Mountain Range, low-level magical beasts often appeared outside the town, so it was also known as Monster Beast Town. Most of the people in this small town were mercenaries who lived by the blade.

Walking down the broad street paved with bluestone, he could see mercenaries throwing their arms around one another's shoulders, openly discussing their romantic exploits from the previous day. From time to time, he could also hear useful information about which areas held the most dangerous magical beasts.

So this is where Xiao Yi Xian lives? I arrived nearly a year early. I wonder if I'll be able to meet her?

According to the Storyline, Xiao Yan would not encounter Xiao Yi Xian, who possessed the Calamity Poison Body, until a year later.

Xiao Yi Xian often treated mercenaries and had earned a certain reputation among them. After asking a mercenary for directions, Xiao Han arrived at an herb shop called the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

The herb shop was extremely spacious, with costly Moonlight Stones hanging from its walls. Though the outside was gradually growing dark, the shop remained as bright as day.

Thanks to its advantageous location, the herb shop's business was excellent. When Xiao Han entered, none of the attendants had time to greet him.

The purpose of this trip was Xiao Yi Xian. A year later, Xiao Yi Xian would meet Xiao Yan, who had come here to train. They would part ways only after exploring the treasure within the cave. Xiao Yan would choose to head east, traveling to the Tagor Desert on the border of the Gamma Empire; Xiao Yi Xian would choose to head west, traveling to the Cloud Empire in the western part of the Gamma Empire.

Xiao Yi Xian was in this Myriad Medicine Pavilion, but Xiao Han was in no hurry. Instead, he began searching through the shop.

I originally thought I could ruin one of Xiao Yan's opportunities and gain Experience Points. Looks like there's no hope of that.

A year later, Xiao Yan would come to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion and buy the Blood Lotus Essence needed to refine the Blood Lotus Pill at an extremely cheap price.

With the timeline moved forward by a year, Xiao Han could not be sure whether the ingredient for refining the Blood Lotus Pill—the Blood Lotus Essence—was already here.

Just as Xiao Han was leaving in disappointment, his gaze locked onto an inconspicuous corner of the transparent display counter. His eyes widened. Pretending to be unconcerned, he walked over to the counter and examined the pale-yellow object inside once more.

"Ahem, could you take that item out for me to look at?" Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Xiao Han smiled at an approaching attendant.

The attendant Xiao Han had called over looked him over. He wore a long green robe and was very young, seeming as though he did not have much money. The attendant could not help frowning. Then he looked at the item Xiao Han was pointing at. Seeing that it was merely the lowest-grade Yellow Lotus Essence, impatience flashed through his eyes. He took it out, tossed it in front of Xiao Han, and said flatly, "Yellow Lotus Essence, a low-grade medicinal ingredient. One hundred gold coins!"

"Xiao Ai, are you sure this is Blood Lotus Essence?" Xiao Han lightly scratched it with his fingernail. Once the yellowed outer skin was broken, a hint of deep red was revealed beneath it. If brought close to the nose, it even carried a faint scent of blood.

"It really is Blood Lotus Essence. Xiao Ai, is this the Blood Lotus Essence Xiao Yan will pick up cheaply a year from now?" Xiao Han asked uncertainly.

"Master, Blood Lotus Essence is different from Yellow Lotus Essence. It is an exceedingly rare high-grade medicinal ingredient. This ingredient generally grows alongside Yellow Lotus Essence and is extremely scarce. Based on Xiao Ai's calculations, there is an 80% chance that this is the medicinal ingredient Xiao Yan will obtain a year from now."

"Oh. An eighty percent chance!"

Yellow Lotus Essence and Blood Lotus Essence looked almost exactly alike. Without extensive experience, it was difficult to distinguish between them.

If not for the system's reminder, and for knowing that Blood Lotus Essence might be here, Xiao Han likely would never have set foot in this place.

Blood Lotus Essence was the primary ingredient for refining the Blood Lotus Pill. To evolve the Fen Jue that Xiao Yan cultivated, he had to constantly devour Heavenly Flames. Heavenly Flames possessed devastating power, and their energy was incomparably violent. Even special metals such as Mithril could not withstand their continuous burning.

If Xiao Yan wanted to approach and devour Heavenly Flames, he needed something to protect his body and increase his chances of successfully devouring them. After being consumed, the Blood Lotus Pill could form a miraculous blood-red energy armor over the surface of the body, allowing one to withstand the terrifying heat of Heavenly Flames. Only then would one have a chance to approach them.

Of course, that was only the first step. Besides the Blood Lotus Pill, he would also need the Vein Protecting Pill to prevent damage to his meridians.

"Master, regardless of whether this is the Blood Lotus Essence Xiao Yan obtains a year from now, if you wish to obtain other Heavenly Flames in the future, you will also need to refine Blood Lotus Pills. Otherwise, your body simply cannot endure the high temperatures of Heavenly Flames, let alone touch them and use the divine ability of Extraction!"