The Trials Begin

"Hey! What are you thinking about, Stinky Boy? You're practically drooling. Don't tell me you're thinking about some little girl?"

Old Wang's voice interrupted Xiao Li's fantasy.

"Cough, cough, Teacher, what are you talking about?" Xiao Li said awkwardly after coughing. He had indeed been distracted just now, but he really had not been thinking about any little girl.

But now that I'm lying flat, how can I do without girls? I can't stay a bachelor for the rest of my life. I'll have to look around properly when the time comes.

"Distracted again! It seems Li'er has truly grown up. Since you want a little girlfriend, I happen to think there's a suitable girl in the Jia Ma Empire.

"A few years ago, that old fellow Yun Shan took in a disciple. She should only be one or two years younger than you, and her talent is quite good. Shall I take you to propose marriage?"

Old Wang stroked his beard with an all-knowing smile.

"Cough, cough, let's talk about that later. Teacher, let's first see what's inside this Wooden Box of yours."

Xiao Li looked around and changed the subject. In truth, he really was tempted. Yun Shan's disciple was Yun Yun, wasn't she? Yun Yun was only one or two years younger than him. He thought she would do, but would she agree?

She can't possibly come to my door and call for a Three-Year Agreement, can she?

"The item in this Wooden Box is indeed a treasure, but it's useless to us right now."

Old Wang ran his hand over the rough Wooden Box before opening it.

Inside was a silver fruit the size of a fist. It was shaped like an infant, lifelike enough to seem almost real. A faint fragrance drifted out, making even Xiao Li's soul tremble.

"This is... a Soul Infant Fruit! A Silver Soul Infant Fruit!" Xiao Li exclaimed. This truly was a treasure.

"Hehe, it seems you've done your homework well. It is indeed a Soul Infant Fruit. Even I did not expect to find one in a place like this.

"If this thing were placed in Central Continent, it would likely have to be exchanged for a Grade 8 Pill. It repairs a person's origin soul qi and strengthens the soul. But it is of little use to us at present.

"Our souls are intact. The Soul Infant Fruit could probably be used in alchemy to refine pills that enhance the soul, but I do not have such Pill Recipes.

"So, we might as well keep it. With branches from the Soul Infant Demon Tree serving as the box, the Soul Infant Fruit's Spiritual Qi will not dissipate."

Wang Ming closed the Wooden Box and put away the Soul Infant Fruit.

"Ah, Teacher, whenever there is a heavenly treasure, there is always some exotic beast guarding it. This Soul Infant Fruit is a rare treasure that tempers the soul, and it is also immensely beneficial to certain Magical Beasts. It should have a guardian beast, right?"

Xiao Li suddenly asked.

Old Wang said irritably, "Of course there was a Magical Beast. A Tier 7 Phantom Fire Lizard Dragon Beast nearly beat me to death. Luckily, there were other Dou Zongs keeping that beast occupied.

"They did not have my insight and thought the Soul Infant Demon Tree itself was the treasure. I took advantage of the chaos to steal the Soul Infant Fruit. Hahahahaha! At least my efforts were not wasted!"

Xiao Li gave him a thumbs-up. As expected of his Teacher. He still had much to learn from his Master when it came to picking up bargains.

"By the way, Teacher, with my current cultivation, I should be able to undergo true Life and Death Grinding, right? I don't want to be some flower raised in a greenhouse, only to be defeated by someone stronger than me later."

Xiao Li spoke up. He truly wanted to temper himself. The opponents within the Xiao Clan no longer gave him any pressure. He had no rivals among Da Dou Shis, and even the Dou Spirit Elders could not defeat him.

The main reason was that Xiao Li was the Xiao Clan's precious treasure. Those Elders did not dare fight him seriously at all, afraid they might damage their clan's beloved little treasure.

Furthermore, Xiao Li's setup was already considered lavish within the Jia Ma Empire: an Earth Grade Low-level Cultivation Method and Matching Dou Techniques.

Coupled with the Beast Flame, Purple Tiger Flame, he was quite intimidating in battle. Unfortunately, Xiao Li lacked experience. Although Old Wang occasionally brought him into the Magical Beast Mountain Range to fight Magical Beasts and see some blood, Xiao Li still felt that he was lacking.

Although Xiao Li had his great Lying Flat Cause, lying flat did not mean truly lying down and giving up. He needed enough strength to ensure he could lie flat comfortably. Whoever refused to let him lie flat would have their head twisted off.

Old Wang looked Xiao Li up and down, then nodded. "It is time for you to see the world. We'll set out in a month. I'll prepare your training plan.

"Remember, unless your life is truly in danger during this trial, I will not intervene. Li'er, remember that a qualified Alchemist must not only possess outstanding Alchemy, but also formidable methods!

"That senior was exactly like that. He possessed extraordinarily powerful Alchemy as well as extraordinarily powerful strength!"

Xiao Li asked, "Teacher, who is this senior you admire so much?"

A trace of reminiscence flashed through Wang Ming's eyes. He recalled that cold white flame and the kindly old man with white hair and a white beard.

"That old gentleman's surname was Yao. In my hometown of Central Continent, he was known as Venerable Yao!"

Half a year later, within the Magical Beast Mountain Range,

Rumble—

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Xiao Li, his clothes tattered and his appearance no different from a beggar's, fled madly toward a certain place. Behind him were three Magical Beasts of varying sizes.

A closer look revealed that the three Magical Beasts looked quite similar, clearly belonging to the same species.

These three Magical Beasts were called Green Eyed Lions. They were Rank 2 Magical Beasts at birth and grew into Fourth Tier Magical Beasts when they reached adulthood.

The ones chasing Xiao Li were two Fourth Tier Green Eyed Lions and one Third Tier Green Eyed Lion. Clearly, Xiao Li had offended an entire den of lions.

"I only picked some of your herbs and played with your little cubs for a while. Do you really have to chase me like this?"

Roar—

The largest Green Eyed Lion immediately flew into a rage. Although he could not yet speak, he probably understood what Xiao Li had said. This Green Eyed Lion had already reached Peak Fourth Tier, equivalent to the peak Dou Ling level among humans.

His next step would be becoming a Rank 5 Magical Beast at the Dou King Level. Some Rank 5 Magical Beasts could already speak human language. Even those that could not possessed intelligence equal to that of humans.

This Green Eyed Lion was so enraged because if he had returned any later, his son would nearly have been slaughtered. Not only had Xiao Li picked the Ice Spirit Flame Grass they guarded, he had nearly killed their son. How could he possibly endure that?

Xiao Li's cultivation was currently at the peak of the Nine Star Da Dou Shi realm. Before entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range, he had broken through to the Seven Star Da Dou Shi realm, then consumed a Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pill he had refined himself to advance to Eight Star.

After digesting it for two months, he consumed another Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pill and reached Nine Star Da Dou Shi. Xiao Li could now begin preparing to break through to the Dou Ling realm.

Xiao Li then wandered through the Magical Beast Mountain Range and spotted a stalk of Ice Spirit Flame Grass. This was one of the main ingredients for refining the Blood Lotus Pill. It would be very important when he swallowed Heavenly Flames in the future.

Heavenly Flames were an Alchemist's greatest treasure. As far as Xiao Li knew, this Northwest Continent had one wild Green Lotus Core Flame, one domesticated Fallen Heart Flame, one Bone Spirit Cold Fire with an owner, and the Sea Heart Flame was probably still on its way.

What Xiao Li wanted most was the Fallen Heart Flame at Jia Nan Academy. That thing was known as a Cultivation Cheat Device, making it perfect for someone like him who wanted to lie flat.

Thus, Xiao Li had been preparing to absorb Heavenly Flames. He already had the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, which he had bought through the Mittel Auction House. His family happened to have Spirit Absorption as well. Now, all he lacked was the pill needed to swallow Heavenly Flames.

And so, upon spotting the Ice Spirit Flame Grass, Xiao Li eagerly moved to take it, offending the entire Green Eyed Lion family.