Battle Through the Heavens: Obtaining the Extraction System at the Start

Feeling how powerful the lotus platform's effects were, Xiao Ling was quite satisfied, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Unable to wait any longer, he took out an Earth Fire Lotus Seed. Feeling the vast Fire Attribute energy within it, Xiao Ling did not hesitate in the slightest before opening his mouth and swallowing it whole.

The instant the Earth Fire Lotus Seed entered Xiao Ling's mouth, it transformed into an enormous surge of Fire Attribute energy that spread through his body. Sensing the change, Xiao Ling immediately circulated the Fen Jue with all his strength, refining the pure energy within him.

Feeling the Dou Qi in his body steadily increasing, Xiao Ling nodded. "This Earth Fire Lotus Seed is like a pure Fire Attribute pill. For Fire Attribute cultivators, it truly is one of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. With the Earth Fire Lotus Seed and the Dou Ling Pill, it will not take much time to break through to a high-level Dou Wang."

Clearing his mind of distractions, Xiao Ling closed his eyes and began focusing on refining the energy within his body.

The following morning.

Inside the room, Xiao Ling sat quietly cross-legged atop the Green Lotus Platform. Countless strands of natural energy surged toward his body, forming a milky-white wave of air around him.

Xiao Ling, who had been cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes. The Dou Qi within his body burst forth uncontrollably, but he quickly drew it back inside.

The instant he opened his eyes, Xiao Ling's body trembled. At that moment, he could clearly sense that the Dou Crystal, whose capacity had already reached its limit, had silently expanded once more. His slightly heavy body had become somewhat lighter than before, while the power contained within his muscles had also quietly surged...

Feeling the many changes in his body, Xiao Ling knew that he had officially become a Five-Star Dou King.

"As expected of something born alongside Heavenly Flames. Its effects are truly extraordinary—it directly raised my cultivation by one star. If other Fire Attribute cultivators knew I had this item, they would definitely be willing to pay a high price to trade for it."

Stretching lazily, Xiao Ling let out a breath of stale air, formed the hand seal to end his cultivation, and lightly leaped down from the lotus platform.

Standing beside it, Xiao Ling looked at the Green Lotus Platform, still flawless and spotless, and could not help but chuckle. He carefully stored it in his Ring, then turned to look at the dimly brightening sky in mild surprise. "It's already dawn?"

After putting away the Green Lotus Platform, Xiao Ling tidied his slightly disheveled clothes and walked out of the room.

After walking for a while, Xiao Ling arrived in the living room. The first thing he saw was the figures of two young girls.

Qing Lin sat cross-legged among several Snake Pets, holding the Heavenly Snake Tome Xiao Ling had given her and reading it attentively. From time to time, she reached out with her delicate hand to stroke the snakes' heads.

Zi Yan lounged half-reclined on the sofa, idly playing with a Porcelain Bottle. She poured out a pill and tossed it into her mouth like a piece of candy.

Perhaps hearing Xiao Ling's footsteps, the two girls stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes toward him.

Seeing Xiao Ling approach, Zi Yan, who had also reached the Dou Wang level, faintly sensed the change in his aura. Since he had just broken through to Five-Star Dou King, he had yet to fully conceal it.

Zi Yan looked at Xiao Ling curiously. "Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling, did you break through to Five-Star Dou King? No wonder I sensed the natural energy in this room acting strangely. It must have been caused by your breakthrough just now."

Xiao Ling looked at Zi Yan and smiled. "Yes. After taking the companion treasure of the Green Lotus Core Flame, my cultivation improved. I just broke through to Five-Star Dou King."

White light flashed in his hand as Xiao Ling took an Earth Fire Lotus Seed from his Ring and tossed it to Zi Yan. "This is called an Earth Fire Lotus Seed. It's very rare, so have a taste."

Zi Yan caught it in her palm and grinned. "Hehe, thank you, Xiao Ling."

Though Qing Lin could not distinguish the aura Xiao Ling had released, she could still feel that he had become much stronger than before. She walked briskly over to him.

"Congratulations, Young Master, on your advancement in cultivation." Qing Lin looked at Xiao Ling, her face full of delight.

Xiao Ling rubbed Qing Lin's little head and said fondly, "Your cultivation has improved quickly too, Qing Lin. It seems you've been cultivating diligently these past few days."

After chatting for a while, Xiao Ling smiled at the two girls. "Then let's stop dawdling and head for the Imperial Capital." With that, he pushed open the Map Shop's doors, beckoned to them, and took the lead outside.

Qing Lin and Zi Yan both nodded. Holding hands, they followed Xiao Ling out of the Map Shop.

After closing and locking the front door, Xiao Ling woke Void Dragon from his sleeve. He brought the two girls onto its back and flew toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Standing atop Void Dragon's head, Xiao Ling looked down at Desert City as it gradually shrank from view and murmured thoughtfully, "I wonder when I'll come here again. Unless something special happens, perhaps I'll never return to this city."

After days of flight on Void Dragon, Xiao Ling and the others finally arrived at the town on the outermost edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

The town was called Qingshan Town. Because it was close to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, it was also known as Magical Beast Town. Naturally, the largest group in town was the Mercenaries who licked blood from their blades every day.

They gathered in groups, arms hooked around each other's shoulders, spitting as they talked freely on the streets about which women in town had the most flavor, where the strongest liquor could be found, and where the fiercest Magical Beasts lurked...

At that moment, Xiao Ling was strolling through the streets of Qingshan Town with Qing Lin and Zi Yan.

Xiao Ling's temperament was completely out of place here, and with the playful, adorable Qing Lin and Zi Yan behind him, he naturally drew many strange looks from passersby.

Yet whenever anyone tried to approach the three of them, Xiao Ling released an aura comparable to that of a Da Dou Shi, sparing them quite a bit of trouble.

Xiao Ling paid no attention to the gazes around him. Instead, he led the two girls slowly down the street in search of his destination.

There were many shops lining both sides of the street, and thanks to the town's location, business was quite lively.

Xiao Ling's gaze swept curiously over the brightly lit shops. When his eyes landed on a large medicinal herb store, however, he stopped.

Seeing the three words "Myriad Medicine House" carved on the sign above its entrance, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Ling's lips. Without hesitation, he led Qing Lin and Zi Yan into the shop.

The spacious store was illuminated by Moonlight Stones hanging from the walls, making it as bright as day. There were quite a few customers inside, and the clerks were all busy, so no one came to greet the three of them for the moment.

Since no one attended to him, Xiao Ling was happy to enjoy the peace and slowly swept his gaze across the transparent display counters.

Suddenly, Xiao Ling felt someone tugging on his sleeve. Turning his head, he saw Zi Yan staring at a pale yellow lump in the far corner of one display case.

Seeing that no one nearby was paying attention to them, Zi Yan pointed at it and pressed her little mouth close to Xiao Ling's ear. "Xiao Ling, that yellow thing should be a Fifth-grade Medicinal Herb, according to my senses. I think you used it when you were refining pills before."

Hearing this, Xiao Ling followed the direction of Zi Yan's finger. When he saw the pale yellow lump, he immediately understood.

That should be the piece of Blood Lotus Essence Yao Chen had discovered at Myriad Medicine House in the original story. He had not expected Zi Yan to notice its unusual nature the moment she entered the shop.

Blood Lotus Essence was an exceptionally rare high-grade medicinal herb. It generally grew alongside Yellow Lotus Essence, but its quantity was extremely scarce. Its appearance was almost identical to Yellow Lotus Essence, so anyone unfamiliar with it would find it difficult to tell the two apart.

Xiao Ling had used this medicinal herb when refining the Blood Lotus Pill, and he still had several pieces stored in his Ring.

Retracting his gaze, Xiao Ling called over a female clerk passing by and pointed at several medicinal herbs, including the piece of Blood Lotus Essence. "Wrap these herbs for me. I'll take all of them."

The female clerk looked Xiao Ling over. Seeing his noble bearing and the extraordinary materials of the clothes worn by the two girls behind him, she assumed they were the young masters and ladies of some wealthy family and put on a professional smile.

She took the medicinal herbs from the counter and smiled at Xiao Ling. "Sir, these herbs come to a total of one thousand Gold Coins."

Xiao Ling nodded and casually took out a bag of Gold Coins from his Ring, handing it to the female clerk. Her eyes flashed at the sight. A Ring was a rare item in Qingshan Town.

Thanks to the system's extractions, the thing Xiao Ling lacked least was Gold Coins. He had never experienced the pain of having no money to spend.

Once the herbs had been wrapped and delivered to him, white light flashed in Xiao Ling's hand as he casually stored them in his Ring.

"Let me ask you something. Does your Myriad Medicine House have a physician named Xiao Yi Xian?" Xiao Ling asked the female clerk casually.

"Sir, are you looking for Xiao Yi Xian?" The clerk's eyes shifted slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she said softly, "Xiao Yi Xian is indeed at our Myriad Medicine House. She is our specially appointed physician."

Though she did not know why this noble young man wanted to see Xiao Yi Xian, it was something anyone could learn just by asking. Why hide it from such a generous customer?

"Are you here to see a doctor?" she asked carefully.

People in Qingshan Town usually came looking for Xiao Yi Xian to seek treatment. Even those who wanted to pursue her used seeing a doctor as an excuse.

However, no one dared openly pursue Xiao Yi Xian anymore. For one thing, Xiao Yi Xian had always been cold toward men. Seeking treatment was fine, but taking things any further was impossible.

More importantly, Mu Li, the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, had long made his interest in Xiao Yi Xian known. Several Mercenaries who had tried to get close to her had their legs brutally broken by him. No one wanted to offend a spoiled young master over a woman.

"Not exactly. I simply want to meet her." Xiao Ling shook his head.

Xiao Ling himself was a Sixth-grade Alchemist. Whatever illness he had, he could deal with it himself.

The female clerk examined Xiao Ling again, assuming he was another rich young master who had heard of Xiao Yi Xian's beauty and intended to court her. "Sir, Xiao Yi Xian is feeling unwell today and cannot meet with visitors."

If I bring him to see Xiao Yi Xian and Mu Li, the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, finds out, won't I be in serious trouble? Wouldn't that be asking for suffering?

Frowning, Xiao Ling took out a Porcelain Bottle from his Ring. Inside was a Second-grade Pill, which he pressed into the female clerk's hand. "Take me to see Xiao Yi Xian, and this pill will be yours."

The female clerk opened the stopper and sniffed the medicinal fragrance wafting from inside. She hurriedly tucked the Porcelain Bottle into her pocket, afraid someone would notice it.

There was not even a First-Grade Alchemist in Qingshan Town, much less a Second-grade Pill. To a female clerk who had not even broken through to Dou Zhe, the value of this pill might have been greater than her life.

After putting away the pill, the female clerk no longer dared treat Xiao Ling as an ordinary wealthy young master. Someone who could casually give away a Second-grade Pill definitely had a background beyond anything Qingshan Town's people could compare to.

"Sir, please wait a moment." After speaking, the female clerk entered a passageway and headed toward Xiao Yi Xian's room in the rear courtyard of Myriad Medicine House.

With a reward as motivation, her efficiency was naturally swift.

A short while later, the female clerk came out with a beautiful young woman dressed in green robes and the attire of a Maid.

She was the maid Myriad Medicine House had specially assigned to Xiao Yi Xian. Though Xiao Yi Xian was only a physician, she held some status in the tiny Qingshan Town, where there were not even any alchemists.

This Maid had been assigned to care for Xiao Yi Xian's daily needs and serve as her capable assistant. Her name was Li Fei.

In the original story, it was precisely this person who had leaked Xiao Yi Xian's information to Mu Li of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

"Sir... are you here to see Xiao Yi Xian? I am her Maid." The female clerk had specifically told Li Fei that the identities of these three were far from ordinary and that they were likely distinguished guests from outside Qingshan Town. Having seen their luxurious attire with her own eyes, Li Fei became even more convinced of it, and her attitude unconsciously grew more respectful.

"Yes. Take me to see her." Knowing that this woman was no good person, Xiao Ling had no intention of talking with her further, and his tone was exceptionally cold.

Hearing Xiao Ling's indifferent tone, Li Fei was not angered. Instead, she became even more respectful and said softly, "Please follow me."

With that, Li Fei led Xiao Ling and the others past the front of the shop and down a winding Bluestone Slab corridor before finally stopping outside a courtyard.

Xiao Ling's gaze fell upon a graceful figure in the courtyard, and he was instantly deeply drawn in.

Within the courtyard, a young woman sat beneath a pine tree in the center, holding a medical tome in her hands and studying its contents carefully.

The woman wore a pale white dress. Though her beauty was not enough to topple kingdoms, she could still be considered a rare beauty. Her faintly smiling face carried a fresh, ethereal air, and that unusual temperament greatly enhanced her charm. A green sash wrapped around her slender waist, which could be grasped in one hand, accentuating her exceptional softness and grace.

Even many years later, this beautiful scene remained firmly imprinted in Xiao Ling's mind, lingering there for a long, long time.