Yun Shan, Yun Yun

"You just won't stop! You forced me to do this! Nine Tribulations Heavenly Flame Hand!"

A terrifying aura surged from Xiao Li's body. His hands rapidly formed seals, and with a sweep of his right hand, an enormous purple flaming hand slammed toward the Three-Headed Green Eyed Lion.

Roar!

The Male Green Eyed Lion and Female Green Eyed Lion naturally sensed the terror of Xiao Li's attack. To protect their child, they charged forward without hesitation.

"See you later!"

Xiao Li swallowed two Qi Returning Pills to quickly restore his Dou Qi, then immediately fled. Although that attack could injure the Green Eyed Lions, it would not be fatal. Magical Beasts possessed incredibly powerful physical bodies.

Xiao Li intended to use that move to make a quick escape. There were two Fourth Tier Magical Beasts, one of them even at the Peak Fourth Tier. Only an idiot would fight them to the death.

With wind beneath his feet, Xiao Li immediately sped away into the distance.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Li made a wide circle through the Magical Beast Mountain Range. After all, some Magical Beasts had extremely keen senses of smell. Leaving behind more traces of his scent would confuse them.

Since Xiao Li was training in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, he had naturally set up a Cave Dwelling. Its surroundings were scattered with plenty of Powdered Medicine meant to drive away Magical Beasts.

"Fuh... I can finally rest for a while." Xiao Li dragged his exhausted body into the Cave Dwelling.

"Oh! Li'er is back? Why do you look so pathetic?" A teasing voice that ruined the peace rang out. It was Old Wang, who was currently grilling fish.

"Heh, I don't feel like talking. Hm? And this senior is?" Only then did Xiao Li notice an old man sitting beside Old Wang.

The old man wore an extremely plain white robe and had a head of snow-white hair. He possessed the airy, elegant bearing of a reclusive master beyond the mortal world. He looked slightly younger than Old Wang.

"Haha, Li'er, let your master introduce you. This is the Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan! Yun Shan is an old friend of mine. I happened to run into him today, so I dragged him over to keep this old man company."

Old Wang pointed at Yun Shan as he spoke with a smile.

"Xiao Li greets Sect Leader Yun." Xiao Li clasped his hands toward Yun Shan, showing his respect.

"Hm... Old Wang! This is your disciple? He's so young, yet his cultivation has reached such a level? Truly, the younger generation is to be feared."

Yun Shan sized Xiao Li up. Once he saw through Xiao Li's cultivation, he was quite astonished. This boy looked only one or two years older than his own disciple, yet his cultivation was several Great Realms higher.

"Hehe, I've poured my entire life's collection into Li'er. Just like that little girl of yours—haven't you invested everything in her as well?

You even brought her to train in the Magical Beast Mountain Range when she was only a Dou Zhe." Old Wang stroked his beard and smiled faintly.

Yun Shan had not expected Wang Ming to go to such lengths for this little fellow! The lifelong collection of a Rank 6 Alchemist—who knew how many precious treasures it contained?

"Little fellow, since you're Old Wang's disciple, don't be so distant. When we're in private, don't call me Sect Leader Yun. Just call me Old Yun."

Yun Shan spoke with a genial smile, his words carrying a feeling as refreshing as a spring breeze.

"Old Yun!" Xiao Li clasped his hands again. A youngster had to be thorough with his manners. After all, I was merely in the lowest of the three Great Realms—the Ant Realm.

Show respect where respect was due. No one ever blamed someone for being too polite. I wasn't like Xiao Yan, whose fate was as hard as refined steel. Keeping a low profile helped one live longer.

"Hm, sit, little fellow!" Yun Shan was quite pleased with Xiao Li. His cultivation was exceptional, and his manners were impeccable. What Elder would not like that?

Yun Shan looked toward Wang Ming. "Old Wang? Since this little fellow is your disciple, he must also be an Alchemist, right? Let me guess—he's a Second-Rank Alchemist now, am I right?"

Old Wang stroked his beard and shook his head.

"Could he be a Third-Rank Alchemist? Or are you saying he isn't an Alchemist at all?" Wang Ming's response left Yun Shan bewildered.

Old Wang chuckled. "My disciple is already a Peak Rank 4 Alchemist. He can refine Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pills, and his success rate is around seventy percent."

Hiss—

Yun Shan drew in a sharp breath. Setting aside the fact that this youth possessed the strength of a Nine Star Dou Grandmaster in his teens, he actually had such talent in alchemy as well. A heaven-blessed genius—perhaps even Central Continent, where geniuses gathered, would struggle to produce such a youngster.

"Li'er, you're hungry, aren't you? Here! Fish grilled by your master." Old Wang handed the cooked fish in his hand to Xiao Li.

Xiao Li took the grilled fish and immediately began wolfing it down. Although someone at his level could go several days without eating, he still needed to satisfy his appetite.

After finishing the grilled fish, Xiao Li began regulating his breathing. His hands formed a cultivation seal as he crossed his legs and entered a cultivation state.

"That child is quite diligent. He has talent and works so hard—he will surely achieve great things in the future," Yun Shan said with emotion.

He was not inexperienced and had seen many geniuses, but there were very few as hardworking as Xiao Li. Hm... my own disciple is diligent too. Her talent may not compare to this boy's, but surpassing these old bones of mine in the future should be easy enough.

Tap, tap, tap—

Suddenly, footsteps sounded at the entrance of the Cave Dwelling, and a young girl walked inside.

The girl wore a simple green dress and held an oddly shaped longsword that glimmered with green light. Her silky black hair was arranged into a noble Phoenix Hair Ornament. Her beautiful, captivating face was calm and serene. Though she was still young, she carried a hint of grace and nobility.

"Teacher, Old Wang, I'm back!"

The girl was Yun Yun. She was fourteen years old this year and already a Five Star Dou Practitioner.

"Yun'er, you must be tired. Sit!" Yun Shan's face was full of kindness when he saw Yun Yun return. It had been years since he had found her. The little girl had been pitiful, an orphan, and Yun Shan could not bear to let her starve or freeze to death, so he took her in.

Later, Yun Yun displayed extraordinary talent, and Yun Shan decided to accept her as his disciple and train her to become the Young Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect.

"Hehe, not bad, little girl. You've advanced from a Four Star Dou Practitioner to a Five Star Dou Practitioner. In the future, you'll be far more impressive than your master!" Wang Ming looked at Yun Yun with considerable satisfaction.

"Old Wang overpraises me. Everything Yun Yun has comes from Teacher. By the way, who is this?"

The moment Yun Yun entered the Cave Dwelling, she noticed the young man cultivating against the wall. He appeared to be around her age, but the aura he gave off was comparable to that of the Elders within the sect.

"Him? He's my disciple, Xiao Li, the Young Master of the Imperial Capital Xiao Clan. He's currently cultivating under me and only returned today. You young people can interact more often."

Wang Ming spoke with a beaming smile, though his words seemed to carry another meaning.

Yun Shan naturally noticed the hidden implication in Wang Ming's words. As an old father, he immediately felt displeased when he looked at Xiao Li's face.

However, considering Xiao Li's talent and his talent in alchemy, it seemed acceptable if he married Yun'er. He had become a Peak Rank 4 Alchemist at fifteen. Wouldn't becoming a Rank 6 Alchemist in the future be a certainty?

Yun Shan was now a Seven Star Dou Emperor. Reaching the Dou Emperor Peak and then breaking into the Dou Zong Realm would undoubtedly be incomparably difficult. If he could obtain a Breaking Ancestor Pill, Yun Shan believed his chances would be much greater.

Moreover, if Yun'er had an Alchemist husband, she could go even farther in the future.

"Xiao Li?" Yun Yun murmured softly, then gazed at the young man who was cultivating.

He is rather handsome. Why do I sense an Elder's aura from him? Could he be a Da Dou Shi? Forget it, forget it. Time to cultivate.