Breakthrough to Nine-Star Dou Practitioner

After returning to the Xiao Family, Xiao Ying had already awakened and was waiting for Xiao Jin in the main hall to have dinner.

"Jin'er, you're back. Eat first. Grandpa has something to tell you after dinner." With that, grandfather and grandson began clearing the food before them. Once they were full and satisfied, they began talking.

"Jin'er, Grandpa doesn't dare ask too much about the changes you've undergone recently. I only have one thing to say: in all matters, your life comes first." Xiao Ying's face was grave. Looking at him, Xiao Jin felt deeply moved.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I'm the sole heir of our branch. I won't recklessly put myself in danger," Xiao Jin said solemnly.

Xiao Ying nodded. "Right, you need to be more careful when you go out lately. You beat Jia Lie'ao, and that old bastard Jia Lie Bi won't let you off easily. He probably won't deal with you personally, but as the head of the Jia Lie Family, he may send someone to teach you a lesson—or even cripple you." Xiao Ying looked worried.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. Teacher left me some means to protect myself. If Jia Lie Bi dares send anyone after me, I'll make sure they never return," Xiao Jin said calmly.

"Then I'm relieved." The furrow between Xiao Ying's brows eased.

"By the way, Grandpa, I'm already a First-grade Alchemist!" Xiao Jin said proudly.

"Really?" Xiao Ying was overjoyed. "Your talent for alchemy is truly astonishing. Now that our Xiao Family has an alchemist, we'll definitely become the foremost family in Wutan City." Xiao Ying spoke excitedly, his face filled with ambition.

Xiao Jin smiled as he watched the excited Xiao Ying. Unfortunately, he could not remain by his grandfather's side forever. Wutan City was still too small. To earn more gold coins, he had to go out and gain experience. Once his strength became unrivaled across the Dou Qi Continent, he would return here and stay with the old man before him.

"By the way, Grandpa, I've also reached a partnership with Miss Ya Fei of the Mite'er Auction House. She provides the medicinal ingredients, I handle the refining, and we split the proceeds from the pills fifty-fifty." Xiao Jin did not intend to hide this from Xiao Ying. After all, he would need to visit the Mite'er Auction House often to refine pills in the future, and he could not be bothered making excuses to deceive Xiao Ying.

"Isn't that share too low?" Xiao Ying asked unhappily.

"She agreed to give me ninety percent, on the condition that she asks Teacher to help refine a few pills. But I brushed her off by saying I didn't know whether Teacher would agree to help."

"Well done. That woman is clever," Xiao Ying said approvingly. This proved Xiao Jin was not someone who thought with his lower half. How alluring Ya Fei was—how could he not know? Sometimes, even an old man like him could not help letting his imagination run wild.

"She even gave me a Storage Ring as a meeting gift, and there are gold coins inside it." As he spoke, Xiao Jin took the Storage Ring from his robe and handed it to Xiao Ying. He believed Xiao Ying would not take it.

"That woman certainly knows how to handle people." Xiao Ying glanced at the Storage Ring. "Keep this Storage Ring. You're a First-grade Alchemist now, so it'll be convenient for carrying things." Xiao Ying returned the Storage Ring to Xiao Jin and told him to keep it safe.

"Grandpa has to go to the family tomorrow to discuss the Coming of Age Ceremony. Be careful when you go out tomorrow." With that, Xiao Ying left the main hall.

After returning to his room, Xiao Jin locked the door and sat cross-legged on his bed, calling out to the system.

"Linglong, leave 3,000 gold coins in the Storage Ring and recharge all the rest." Every time he recharged, Xiao Jin felt excited. It meant his strength would rise substantially again.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Breakthrough Points. Balance: Breakthrough Points."

Xiao Jin fell into deep thought, considering how to allocate them.

"Linglong, purchase the Second-grade Alchemy Inheritance first."

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Second-grade Alchemy Inheritance. Balance: Breakthrough Points." The moment the words fell, a vast flood of memories merged into Xiao Jin's mind, including refining techniques, changes in hand seals, and most importantly, pill formulas.

Along with those memories came a surge of pure Soul Power, which fused with Xiao Jin's own Soul Power and made him feel better than ever. When he spread out his soul perception, he could clearly see the fine dust in the air.

Soul Power had flowed into me last time too. Perhaps my Soul Power was already too strong, so I didn't feel much difference and overlooked the improvement in Soul Power.

"Linglong, raise my cultivation to Nine-Star Dou Practitioner," Xiao Jin said slowly.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have broken through to Nine-Star Dou Practitioner. Balance: 6300 Breakthrough Points."

The moment the words fell, pure Heaven and Earth Energy surged continuously into Xiao Jin's body. Six-star Dou Practitioner, Seven-Star, Eight-Star, Nine-Star Dou Practitioner... Only after he broke through to Nine-Star Dou Practitioner did the Heaven and Earth Energy stop pouring into him.

Feeling the abundant Dou Qi within him, Xiao Jin nearly let out a long howl. Fortunately, he restrained himself at the last moment. Otherwise, the servants would surely have warmly greeted his relatives and friends in their hearts.

"Linglong, how many Breakthrough Points are needed to break through to Dou Master?" Xiao Jin asked curiously.

"Breaking through to Dou Master requires Breakthrough Points. A One-Star Dou Master requires Breakthrough Points, and so on."

"Breakthrough Points? That's not much." Qi Gathering Pills alone would be enough for him to break through several minor levels.

"Linglong, open the System Panel," Xiao Jin said calmly.

Host: Xiao Jin
Cultivation: Nine-Star Dou Practitioner, Second-grade Alchemist
Breakthrough Points: 6300
Cultivation Technique: Blazing Flames Burning Heaven (High-grade Heaven Rank)
Dou Technique: Tablet Splitting Hand (Mid-grade Yellow Rank)
Items: Mid-grade Magic Core
Weapon: Fire Glazed Sword

Xiao Jin was quite satisfied as he looked at the System Panel. His efforts over the past two days had not been in vain.

Xiao Jin stretched lazily, feeling especially refreshed. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. Now that he had the Second-grade Alchemy Inheritance, why not refine some pills suitable for helping Dou Zhes increase their strength? He checked the pill formulas within the Second-grade Alchemy Inheritance and found a pill called the Qi Condensing Pill, which was highly beneficial for a Dou Zhe's cultivation.

No sooner said than done, Xiao Jin decided to go to the Mite'er Auction House the next day to purchase the medicinal ingredients needed to refine Qi Condensing Pills. He looked forward to accumulating Breakthrough Points faster after refining them, allowing him to break through his realm.

The next morning, Xiao Jin got up early. He first went to the family and returned the gold coins he had borrowed from the younger members last time. Filled with excitement and anticipation, he once again set out for the Mite'er Auction House.

He knew that new opportunities and challenges might lie ahead, but with the system and his own efforts, he would surely travel farther and farther along this path of fantasy, making the Xiao Family a top-tier family in Wutan City and even the wider world beyond.

When he arrived at the Mite'er Auction House, Ya Fei approached with graceful steps as soon as he entered, smiling sweetly. "Alchemist Xiao, have you come today with some new ideas for cooperation?"

Xiao Jin nodded with a smile. "Sister Ya Fei, I want to purchase the medicinal ingredients needed to refine Qi Condensing Pills." Ya Fei's beautiful eyes lit up. "Qi Condensing Pills are greatly beneficial for improving a Dou Zhe's strength, but they are Second-grade pills. Are you sure you can refine them?"

"I want to try," Xiao Jin said firmly. "All right, I'll have someone prepare the ingredients immediately." Ya Fei also wanted to see whether the youth before her could refine Second-grade Qi Condensing Pills. If he succeeded, he would become the youngest Second-grade Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire.

Before long, the ingredients were ready. Just as Xiao Jin was about to begin refining, members of the Jia Lie Family arrived at the auction house as well. One of them recognized Xiao Jin and sneered. "Patriarch Jia Lie has been looking for you, yet you delivered yourself right to us."

Xiao Jin remained calm. "I'd like to see what tricks Jia Lie Bi can use." With that, he headed straight for the alchemy room. The Jia Lie Family man hurried to inform the people Jia Lie Bi had sent. A storm surrounding Xiao Jin's refinement of the Qi Condensing Pill was about to erupt at the Mite'er Auction House.