For the next while, Xiao Li devoted himself to studying alchemy, while Jia Nan Academy gathered medicinal ingredients for him.
Especially medicinal ingredients above Grade 5—so long as they appeared in medicine workshops in the Black Horn Region or were discovered by students in the Back Mountain, Jia Nan Academy's Elders would secure them.
The entire Black Horn Region was gripped by unease. After that incident, dozens more corpses had appeared on the Death Spirit Tree, and no one wanted to provoke Jia Nan Academy.
Rumor had it that Old Ghost of the Earth Demon from Demon Flame Valley had announced that he was setting out to travel, and Demon Flame Valley had sealed its gates. Some speculated that Jia Nan Academy's mysterious Headmaster had returned!
That was a Dou Zun Expert! He could sweep through the entire Black Horn Region. Now, the Black Horn Region's experts had all hidden away, waiting for things to blow over before emerging again.
For the next half year, Xiao Li immersed himself in pill refining, using Jia Nan Academy's support to refine batch after batch of pills.
He traded pills for resources that could aid his cultivation, such as the body-refining Battle Skill Xiao Li had recently obtained, Heavenly Burning Flame Demon Body.
Heavenly Burning Flame Demon Body was Earth Rank Intermediate. More importantly, it was a body-refining Battle Skill, and such Battle Skills were quite rare. This one had been created a century ago by an expert known as Yanmo Venerate.
It absorbed all manner of powerful flames and used them to temper the body, forging a physique no weaker than that of a Magical Beast.
This Battle Skill was exceptionally suitable for those possessing unusual flames. Back then, Yanmo Venerate had merely possessed one powerful Rank 8 Beast Flame and several Rank 7 Beast Flames, yet he had forged the Yanmo Body, making him nearly unmatched among those of the same rank.
In theory, this Battle Skill had no upper limit. If one possessed a Heavenly Flame, then its power would be comparable to an Earth Rank High Grade Battle Skill. After all, the power of Heavenly Flames was beyond doubt.
Yanmo Venerate had specifically mentioned that if someone possessed five Heavenly Flames and cultivated this Heavenly Burning Flame Demon Body, its might would likely rival a Heaven Rank Dou Technique. However, Yanmo Venerate believed such a thing to be impossible.
Seeing this, Xiao Li suddenly felt that the Battle Skill was no longer so appealing. So he was just passing it through his hands, was he? It would be left for Xiao Yan afterward?
Still, Xiao Li felt that the stronger Xiao Yan became, and the sooner he became a Dou God, the better. Then Xiao Li could simply lie back and take it easy.
At Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Li collected four Rank 7 Beast Flames, all of excellent quality. The Library Pavilion even had a Rank 8 Beast Flame, but Mang Tian Chi had refused to give it to Xiao Li.
If Xiao Li kept taking things, Jia Nan Academy would be stripped bare. Mang Tian Chi had kept that Rank 8 Beast Flame as a reward for the academy's outstanding Alchemists. Xiao Li already had Heavenly Flames, so taking that Beast Flame would truly be wasting something good.
Although Fire Elder had only just entered Grade 5, he had been the most attentive while observing Xiao Li refine pills this time, and he had gained the most as well. For the coming period, Fire Elder planned to devote himself fully to cultivation, first raising his strength to the Dou Emperor level before polishing his alchemy.
"It's time to go home and have a look." Xiao Li stretched lazily, preparing to bid farewell to the Headmaster and the Great Elder.
At the Great Elder's residence,
By coincidence, Headmaster Mang Tian Chi was playing chess with Great Elder Su Qian. However, Su Qian was being utterly crushed. Though Mang Tian Chi usually looked unserious and carefree, not only was he powerful, he was also excellent at chess.
"Oh? The kid's here. You're leaving, right?" Mang Tian Chi said with a chuckle.
"Yes. I've been at the academy for two years now. It's time to go home and have a look," Xiao Li replied with a nod.
"Then go. This old man will remain at Jia Nan Academy for the next two years. If you encounter any trouble, just come find me. There's nothing on this Northwest Continent that this old man needs to fear.
"Oh, right. If you come across any promising talents, remember to send them to the academy. Hahahaha!"
Mang Tian Chi was in quite a good mood after returning this time. It had been a long while since he had felt so relaxed.
"No problem."
"Huh? Xiao Li, you're leaving? No! What am I supposed to do if you leave?" Zi Yan pounced over and hugged Xiao Li's leg, looking as though she were only a step away from bursting into tears.
"You're still young. Stay at the academy. When I return next time, if your cultivation is high enough, I'll take you out to have some fun." Xiao Li gently patted Zi Yan's head.
"Alright." Zi Yan immediately wilted, looking utterly listless.
Zi Yan was close to advancing now, likely within the next half year. Xiao Li felt it would be better to let Zi Yan remain at Jia Nan Academy. It was safer!
"Headmaster, can you tell what kind of Magical Beast Zi Yan is?" Su Qian suddenly asked.
"I can't tell. The little girl took Transformation Grass. Unless her cultivation reaches Tier 7, or she takes a Transformation Pill and returns to her true form, this old man truly cannot tell what kind of Magical Beast she is.
"Her bloodline should be of a very high grade. She was already Rank 4 when you brought her back, and now she looks ready to reach Rank 5. Yet she is still in the Infant State, which means she can at least grow into a Rank 8 Magical Beast."
Even Mang Tian Chi could not tell what kind of Magical Beast Zi Yan was. There were so many Magical Beasts on the Dou Qi Continent—who could identify one simply from her human form?
At this point, Zi Yan had yet to display her Spatial Talent. In truth, even if she had, quite a few Magical Beasts possessed Spatial Talent, given how vast the history of the Dou Qi Continent was.
Zi Yan might have been some mysterious Magical Beast with a bloodline that had returned to ancestry.
Other than Xiao Li, who knew that Zi Yan was an Ancient Void Dragon, no one at Jia Nan Academy could recognize her.
Before leaving, Xiao Li prepared many pills for Zi Yan, enough to last her for a while. After doing all this, Xiao Li took Xia Yilong back to the Jia Ma Empire.
Jia Ma Empire, Jia Ma Holy City, Xiao Clan
"It's been a long time since I came back. Home still feels the most comfortable. Let's go, A Long." Xiao Li led Xia Yilong into the Xiao Clan.
"Stop! Who are you? Why are you forcing your way into the Xiao Clan?" Unexpectedly, such a scene unfolded just as Xiao Li was about to enter.
He was Xiao Li! Young Master Xiao, the Xiao Clan's only Alchemist, one of the Xiao Clan's only two Dou Wang experts—yet he had been stopped outside the gates.
"Haah~ Who's trying to force their way into our Xiao Clan? Hmm? Li! Li! Young Master Li? You've returned from your studies?" A middle-aged man walked out while yawning, then was immediately stunned upon seeing Xiao Li.
This man was named Xiao Che, a disciple of the Xiao Clan. He had originally been a Dou Master, but because Xiao Li had emerged in the Xiao Clan, he had become a Da Dou Shi. He was the commander of the gate guards—put simply, the man in charge of guarding the Xiao Clan's gates.
Guarding the clan gates was no trivial matter! The gates were both the clan's facade and its pride, making this job highly challenging!
Of course, it was also a lucrative position with plenty of benefits. Everyone knew that the Xiao Clan was one of the Four Great Clans in the Imperial Capital, so there were plenty of people seeking to curry favor with it. The gate guards received quite a lot of perks.
Those who could serve as commander of the gate guards generally held some status within the clan, and the position changed hands every three years.
Thus, Xiao Che naturally recognized Xiao Li.
"Oh? Xiao Che. Long time no see. A Four-Star Dou Grandmaster—nice, you've made progress. Keep working hard. Alright, take us to see my elder brother."
Xiao Li stroked his chin and said with a smile. He was not the sort to flaunt his power before members of his own clan. They were all family, so what was the point of targeting them? Wouldn't that just mean Han Feng had gotten into his head?
"At once, Young Master Li. This way, please."
Xiao Che quickly led Xiao Li and Xia Yilong toward the main hall.
Before you continue