Xuan Ye City

"Teacher, look—number ten on the Black List, Emperor Yao Han Feng!" Xiao Li handed Old Wang the information on the Black List.

After looking it over, Old Wang said, "That fellow Old Ghost of the Earth Demon is still sitting firmly at the top. He was already a Dou Ancestor Expert back then, and he still is now. Mo Tianxing and Old Man Ying Shan are both veteran experts.

"Han Feng? I have heard of him. It is said that he is Venerable Yao's adopted son and disciple, and Venerable Yao taught him everything he knew. But why is he only a Rank 6 Alchemist?"

"Only?" Xiao Li froze. Teacher, aren't you also a Rank 6 Alchemist? Why are you looking down on your peers?

"Exactly! Venerable Yao is the number one Alchemist on the continent. Han Feng is probably much older than you, yet you are already Grade 5 while he is only Grade 6?

"Can he really be Venerable Yao's disciple? I don't believe it. And I find his cultivation suspicious too. How can Venerable Yao's disciple not even possess the strength of a Dou Emperor? Why is he only ranked tenth?"

Old Wang held Venerable Yao—Old Man Yao—in the highest regard. Yet what Han Feng had displayed made Old Wang doubt whether Han Feng was truly Old Man Yao's personal disciple.

"Is there some reason for that?" Xiao Li asked in confusion. Although he roughly knew what Han Feng was like, he did not know his teacher's opinion.

"Of course there is. The Medicinal Baths you have used since childhood were what I learned from Venerable Yao. Back then, I was severely injured by a Dou Emperor from Ice River Valley and barely managed to escape.

"I collapsed somewhere, and when I woke up, I learned that Venerable Yao had saved me. Not only did he heal my external wounds, but he also gave me guidance.

"You are now a sixteen-year-old Two Star Dou Spirit and a Grade 5 Alchemist. Aside from your own efforts, you had my support. But Venerable Yao was far stronger than I am.

"With his skill, Han Feng is merely a Rank 6 Alchemist, and his cultivation may only barely be at the Dou Emperor level. Isn't that strange?"

"Uh, that does make sense." Xiao Li had experienced the power of Medicinal Baths combined with pills. With Old Man Yao's abilities, the foundation he had laid for Han Feng should have been enough to make him a Dou Sheng!

Yet what happened? Mu Gu merely provoked him a little, and he rebelled. He even stabbed his benefactor in the back for the Flame Mantra, destroying the solid foundation Old Man Yao had built for him.

The Flame Mantra was indeed powerful, but it was rather hard on one's life. Xiao Li had no intention of taking that path. There were countless paths of cultivation; he did not necessarily need the Flame Mantra.

Besides, Hun Tiandi's world-ending calamity was close at hand. Xiao Yan could deal with that. Xiao Li only needed to protect the clan in the early stages, play the role of an old grandpa, and tease Yun'er now and then.

Risk his life? There was no way he would risk his life in this lifetime! If he croaked again, he might truly be gone for good.

As the master and disciple chatted, they arrived at Xuan Ye City. Xiao Li looked up at the enormous black city walls, his gaze sweeping over the three words "Xuan Ye City" in the center of the gates.

Before the words "Xuan Ye City" was an emblem of a black leaf.

"Li'er, let's go. I'll show you what an Alchemist's network is!" Old Wang said with a faint smile.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean, huh? Alchemists naturally have their own networks. Otherwise, why is there a rule across the continent that Alchemists must not be offended lightly? Isn't it because their networks are astonishing?

"Ye Xuan and I are old acquaintances. Since we learned there would be an Auction House here this time, naturally I have to see whether there are any good items."

Old Wang rapped Xiao Li on the head. This child could be quite clever sometimes, yet a little silly at others.

"I just didn't expect your network to reach all the way into the Black Horn Region, Teacher. You even know people here." Xiao Li rubbed his head as he spoke.

"Hmph! Don't look down on me just because I am only a Rank 6 Alchemist. If not for that damned Ice River Valley, I would at least be a Dou Ancestor Expert by now. I might even have become a Dou Zun."

Old Wang spoke angrily. The nightmare of his youth had ruined his future. If he had not been lucky, he would have died long ago.

"Then, Teacher, do you know any Dou Ancestor Experts? With a Dou Ancestor Expert around, our trip through the Black Horn Region would be much safer," Xiao Li said with a grin.

"Of course I do. There is a Dou Ancestor Expert in Jia Nan Academy whom I know, and there are some in the Central Region of Central Continent too! ...And she should be one as well..."

Old Wang's final words were very soft, as though he were speaking to himself. Xiao Li did not hear what he had said clearly.

"Teacher, what did you say?" Xiao Li had not caught Old Wang's words.

"Nothing! In any case, your teacher truly knows Dou Ancestor Experts. You will find out once you enter Jia Nan Academy. That old fellow broke through to the Dou Ancestor realm a few years ago. What incredible luck he had."

Old Wang waved his hand. After all, a Rank 6 Alchemist possessed an extensive network.

Xiao Li followed Old Wang onward. Bloodshed could be found everywhere in the Black Horn Region, with fights and deadly brawls breaking out all around them. There were even stranger sights. This place truly had "simple and honest folk customs."

Suddenly, Xiao Li caught a rich medicinal fragrance. Mixed within it were the scents of over a hundred herbs, rushing straight at him and making his nose feel somewhat uncomfortable. He turned and spotted a Medicine Workshop, with three large characters written across its plaque: "Xuan Medicine Shop."

With his hands behind his back, Old Wang walked inside, and Xiao Li followed closely after him.

The Medicine Workshop was extremely spacious. Neatly arranged crystal counters filled the interior from east to west, and all sorts of medicinal ingredients lay inside the transparent cases. Quite a few people stood before these counters, while noisy conversations echoed throughout the hall.

Xiao Li examined the medicinal ingredients one by one. There were ingredients for refining the Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pill, ingredients for refining the Three-Patterned Clear Spirit Pill, and even ingredients for Rank 6 pills. But the prices were truly high.

Still, Xiao Li was not poor. Did they really think he did not earn money from alchemy? The Xiao Clan was now working with the Mittel Family in the pill business, and Xiao Li directly received a share of the clan's profits. He did not lack money.

"Shop assistant, come here! Pack this, this, and that one too. Pack this entire row and that row as well!"

Xiao Li beckoned over a shop assistant and had him pack up the ingredients he had chosen.

"Sir, these medicinal ingredients aren't cheap. The total comes to five million gold coins." The shop assistant was a shrewd man. One look at Xiao Li's manner told him that a major order had arrived.

"There should be about five million gold coins on this purple-gold card. Keep whatever is extra as your tip!" Xiao Li took out a purple-gold card. In the Jia Ma Empire, such cards were generally only held by Dou Wang Experts. However, as a Peak Rank 4 Alchemist, it was perfectly normal for Xiao Li to possess one.

"Certainly, sir! Please rest in the VIP Room first. Your medicinal ingredients will be delivered shortly!" The shop assistant immediately beamed when he saw the purple-gold card.

Naturally, Xiao Li's actions drew the attention of several unwelcome people in the Medicine Workshop. Soon, a burly man nearly two meters tall approached Xiao Li.

"Kid, I'm a little short on gold coins. You... Urgh—"

Before the burly man could finish speaking, Xiao Li kicked him into a twisted heap. He curled up and collapsed on the floor.

"Why does every stray cat and dog dare to make a move against me? A Dou Master trying to rob a Dou Spirit—do you think you're funny?" Xiao Li's face was cold. He had already encountered this kind of thing several times in the Black Horn Region. Were the people here all this amusing?

Since he dared to display so much money so openly, couldn't they use their brains and consider why?

Although the little incident surprised some people, it did not cause much of a commotion. After all, running into an iron wall was common in the Black Horn Region.

The shop assistant led Xiao Li and Old Wang to a VIP Room to rest.

"Hey! Go call your shop master. Tell him Huang Liang is looking for him." Old Wang suddenly stopped the shop assistant and ordered him to fetch someone.

"Sir, our shop master is very busy and generally does not come out. This humble one may not be able to do it." The shop assistant broke out in a cold sweat. The master of Xuan Medicine Shop was an Elder of the Xuan Ye Sect, a Dou Wang Expert with a very bad temper.

"Just tell him that. Then tell him this old man is in a hurry and that he should get his ass over here immediately!" Old Wang snorted. A trace of Dou Emperor aura spread out, making the shop assistant break into a cold sweat as he immediately ran off to carry out the order.