Seeking Experience

Ever since Liu Xi reached an agreement with Mentor Zhang Yan, his life of study at Jia Nan Academy had become much more uneventful.

Although he was enrolled in Zhang Yan's Class, Liu Xi had barely attended a single day of class.

By the time Liu Xi arrived at Jia Nan Academy, he had already broken through to the Nine-star Dou Shi level. Not wanting to draw too much attention at the time, he had falsely reported himself as a One-star Dou Shi.

As Zhang Yan interacted with Liu Xi more often, he gradually became certain that Liu Xi was definitely more than a One-star Dou Shi. As for exactly how many stars he had reached, Zhang Yan was unsure.

At first, Zhang Yan had wanted to properly teach Liu Xi and restore his dignity as a mentor in front of him. But after confirming that Liu Xi did not even need guidance in Dou Qi cultivation, Zhang Yan could only cover his eyes, look up at the sky, and sigh. "Alas, my dignity as a mentor is gone forever!"

Thus, when Liu Xi proposed skipping class, Zhang Yan could only agree. He honestly helped Liu Xi receive pill-refining commissions in the Outer Court, and that alone allowed Zhang Yan to gain considerable prestige among the other mentors and students.

Everyone who wanted Liu Xi to refine pills came to Zhang Yan. They pulled strings and sent gifts, leaving Zhang Yan with both fame and fortune.

As for Liu Xi, during the day, he was either refining pills or consulting Elder Huo about higher-level Alchemy Arts. Elder Huo held nothing back either, telling Liu Xi everything he understood about Third-grade and Fourth-grade Alchemists.

This was indeed greatly beneficial to Liu Xi's Alchemy Art. Not only did he understand how a Third-grade Alchemist advanced to become a Fourth-grade Alchemist, but he also patched up gaps in his foundations once more. He learned quite a few interesting First and Second-grade Pill Recipes and broadened his horizons considerably.

At night, he always cultivated instead of sleeping. Liu Xi was diligent in his cultivation because he understood that no matter how skilled or respected he was as an alchemist, if someone truly bore him ill will, only his own cultivation could give him a sense of security.

Just like the debauched Liu Xi in the original work, although he had been highly respected by the Jia Lie Family because of his Alchemy Art, no one had truly thought highly of him. In the end, Xiao Yan even killed him, leaving not so much as a corpse behind. Naturally, Liu Xi now had to take that as a warning.

However, Liu Xi had also noticed his greatest current problem: his path had been far too smooth.

He had possessed outstanding talent since childhood. Later, he had become Xuan Hao's disciple through his talent as an Alchemist, and the cultivation method he practiced was the Mysterious Tier Intermediate Cultivation Method he had received from his teacher.

After that, throughout his cultivation, he had constantly consumed pills that aided cultivation, sending his strength soaring to the Nine-star Dou Shi level. Yet Liu Xi could also feel that his Dou Qi was somewhat unstable.

His only battles in the past had been won by crushing his opponents with his realm. If he fought someone at the same level, Liu Xi could not guarantee his own combat power. That was no good. He was practically a villain template, the kind easily killed by a protagonist fighting above his level.

His Dou Qi was not condensed enough, his use of Dou Techniques was awkward, and he lacked actual combat experience. Thinking of all this gave Liu Xi quite a headache.

Back in Lin City, his teacher had indulged him greatly and imposed no requirements on his training in Dou Techniques. Training depended entirely on his own initiative. With someone above him protecting him, and without the kind of disposition that constantly provoked trouble everywhere, he simply lacked combat experience.

It was the same now. The students in the Outer Court were still too immature. Fighting them was like an adult bullying children. As for the mentors, when Mentor Zhang Yan sparred with him, he basically held back as well.

Once he broke through to the Dou Grandmaster Realm, Liu Xi planned to request a period of leave from the academy and head to the Black Corner Region to see the world.

Within the Black Corner Region, the relationships between the various great powers were tangled and complicated. Beneath them were mixed countless small and medium-sized factions, along with many fugitives from outside. Liu Xi naturally did not dare act recklessly and wander into places that were too dangerous.

Liu Xi planned to travel through several border cities near Jia Nan Academy, tempering his Dou Qi and Dou Techniques while gaining practical combat experience—especially the kind of life-or-death fighting filled with killing intent.

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed. During that time, Liu Xi had consciously begun continuously tempering his Liquid Qi Cyclone and improving the quality of his Dou Qi.

The first thing to break through was actually Liu Xi's Alchemy Art. He successfully advanced to become a Fourth-grade Alchemist. Once the timing was right, Liu Xi directly refined a One-pattern Green Spirit Pill for himself.

After making full preparations, Liu Xi swallowed the One-pattern Green Spirit Pill and smoothly broke through to the Dou Grandmaster Realm. The qi vortex in his core completely transformed into a solid crystal. With a thought, Dou Qi surged from his body and formed a bright yellow suit of Dou Qi Armor.

Liu Xi drew his treasured sword and experimentally slashed at the armor. The two produced a metallic clang, yet not a single mark was left on the Dou Qi Armor. Liu Xi nodded with a satisfied smile. "This Dou Qi Armor formed by releasing Dou Qi has truly impressive defensive power. I am looking forward to this training journey even more now."

After stabilizing his realm, Liu Xi applied to Zhang Yan for leave to gain experience. At first, Zhang Yan and several Outer Court elders refused. But when Liu Xi displayed his Dou Grandmaster Realm cultivation, he thoroughly stunned them, and the leave was naturally approved.

Having obtained his leave, Liu Xi put on a plain, dark-colored long robe. With a Storage Ring filled with pills and gold coin on his hand, a treasured sword in tow, and an expectant smile on his handsome face, he set off.