Strongest Experts Convention

"This..." Xiao Ting was so shocked that he could not speak. He had only recently broken through to the Dou Emperor realm. With the power of the Earth Rank Intermediate Cultivation Method and his hard cultivation over this period, he had reached the One Star Dou Emperor Peak. In a few more days, he would be able to break through to the Two Star Dou Emperor.

Yet his grandson had brought him an Imperial Origin Pill—and a Supreme Imperial Origin Pill at that!

Previously, his eldest grandson, Xiao Lin, had told him that Xiao Li had given him a Dou Spirit Pill, one he had refined himself. How long had it been? He could already refine Imperial Origin Pills?

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I didn't buy this on credit from my teacher. I refined it myself. Look."

Xiao Li raised his right hand slightly, and a transparent flame instantly appeared in his palm.

"A Heavenly Flame?"

Xiao Lin and Xiao Ting were both greatly startled. Neither had expected Xiao Li to obtain a Heavenly Flame.

"Exactly. My alchemy has already surpassed Teacher's, so there is no need to worry. Leave the clan's advancement to me." Xiao Li smiled.

"In that case, Grandpa will accept it. Oh, right, Li'er. After Grandpa broke through to the Dou Emperor realm, I went deep into the Magical Beast Mountain Range and found some good things—two rather decent medicinal ingredients. Take a look."

Xiao Ting suddenly remembered that after his breakthrough, he had wanted to test the strength of a Dou Emperor, so he had ventured into the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range. There, he happened to encounter two Rank 5 Magical Beasts fighting over a medicinal ingredient.

Xiao Ting took out a wooden box and opened it.

"Eight Mausoleums Magic Needle Fruit! A medicinal ingredient for refining Soul Fusion Pills. This is good stuff." Xiao Li had not expected his grandfather to obtain such an ingredient.

"There's more. I found a severely injured Sixth Tier Magical Beast. It seemed to be guarding something too, so I killed it directly. Its Rank 6 Magical Core is here, along with that medicinal ingredient."

Xiao Ting had gained quite a lot from this trip to the Magical Beast Mountain Range. He did not know whether it was simply good luck or something else, but ever since breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm, everything had been going his way.

Xiao Ting took out another azure Rank 6 Magical Core, along with a strange medicinal ingredient. The entire plant was blood-red and looked like ginseng in shape.

"Damn! This is a Thousand Year Blood Ginseng King! One of the main ingredients for refining the Grade 7 Intermediate Pill, the Zong Yuan Pill! Grandpa, isn't your luck just ridiculously good? I stayed in the Black Horn Region for so long and still didn't collect many materials of this caliber."

Xiao Li was speechless. What kind of luck was this? He had to trade pills in exchange for these medicinal ingredients, while his grandfather had practically picked them up for free—and even got a Rank 6 Magical Core thrown in.

"Oh? It's actually an ingredient for refining a Grade 7 pill? Hehe, this old man's luck truly is not bad." Xiao Ting stroked his beard and laughed.

"Not merely not bad. It's absurdly good." Xiao Li was nearly at a loss for words. He had thought his own luck was excellent, but someone's luck was even better than his.

"By the way, little brother, you came back at just the right time. The Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire will soon hold a Strongest Experts Convention. When the time comes, the experts of our Jia Ma Empire will gather to fight a life-and-death match against the experts of the Chu Yun Empire."

Xiao Lin suddenly spoke up. Some time ago, he had received word from the Jia Ma Royal Family. As one of the Four Great Clans of the Jia Ma Empire, the Xiao Clan was required to participate.

"Oh? A Strongest Experts Convention with the Chu Yun Empire? What exactly is it?" Xiao Li asked.

"This old man knows. I participated twenty years ago as well. Back then, I had only just entered the Dou Wang realm. The Strongest Experts Convention is an arena-style competition jointly held by the two empires, except lives are at stake in this competition.

Whichever side has more and stronger experts can allow its empire to annex the enemy's territory and increase its own benefits. It is a large-scale plundering contest between major powers. Sects, clans, and royal families all fight for their share of the benefits. But the Jia Ma Royal Family... hehe."

Xiao Ting smiled without saying anything further, because he had witnessed the Jia Ma Royal Family's tricks firsthand. Back then, Yun Shan killed a Dou Emperor Expert, but what did he gain from it?

Jia Xingtian of the Jia Ma Royal Family schemed endlessly, acting as though everyone wanted to plot against his Jia Ma Empire. He sent troops to garrison the foot of Misty Cloud Mountain. Yun Shan merely had a good temper; he knew internal strife was meaningless, so he turned a blind eye.

Instead, Jia Xingtian became even worse. That was why, after the Xiao Clan produced a Dou Emperor, Xiao Ting went into hiding. Given Jia Xingtian's nature, once he learned the Xiao Clan had a Dou Emperor, he would definitely stir up some trouble.

"Lin'er, this time, you and Li'er can take action. This old man will not go; I will remain as the clan's foundation. Li'er, remember this: if exposing your strength becomes unavoidable, then reveal your identity as an Alchemist.

"Hehe, a Rank 6 Alchemist is someone those old fellows would not be able to curry favor with fast enough. No matter what thoughts Old Ghost Jia Xingtian has then, he would not dare act on them. He does not have the nerve to offend a Rank 6 Alchemist.

"Hehe, why does Old Wang hold such an extraordinary status? Because he is the empire's only Rank 6 High Alchemist. No one dares offend him."

Xiao Ting reminded him, for he knew all too well what certain people were like.

"Understood. Grandpa, take the Imperial Origin Pill as soon as possible and raise your strength. I'll go see Teacher first, then gather some medicinal ingredients. Oh, right, I also have several Qing Yuan Pills here to assist your cultivation."

Xiao Li gave Xiao Ting several Qing Yuan Pills again, lending him a helping hand.

"Big Brother, these pills are for you too. Let me know in advance when you are participating in the convention, so I can make some preparations."

Xiao Li also gave Xiao Lin pills suitable for Dou Wang cultivation.

"Mm."

After giving them the pills, Xiao Li left. A pair of transparent Dou Qi Wings spread behind him, and he flew into the distance.

Alchemist Guild.

Xiao Li flew directly to the top floor to find Old Wang.

At that moment, Old Wang was lying leisurely in a recliner, enjoying the sunlight.

"Teacher."

"Mm?" Old Wang opened his sleepy eyes and saw that familiar figure. "Oh? Li'er is back."

"Teacher, I didn't disturb you, did I?" Xiao Li sat down on the ground beside Old Wang.

"Hehe, no. I merely refined a pill just now and got sleepy, so I wanted to take a short nap." Old Wang sat up and stretched his body.

"Mm? Your cultivation? I remember you were a One Star Dou King before, weren't you? How did you reach the Eight Star Dou King realm after only a year apart? What happened?

"Logically speaking, reaching the Five Star Dou King realm should have been about right for you, shouldn't it?"

Old Wang was puzzled as to why Xiao Li's cultivation had improved so much.

"This is what happened: I subdued the Child Flame of the Fallen Heart Flame. During the process of absorbing the Heavenly Flame, I refined the Medicinal Power accumulated in my body, allowing my cultivation to reach the Eight Star Dou King realm."

Xiao Li told Old Wang about what had happened when he absorbed the Heavenly Flame.

"So that's how it was. I never expected that Fallen Heart Flame to have reached the Dou Ancestor Level. Fortunately, Headmaster Mang Tian Chi stopped you. Now, you only need to focus on nurturing the Heavenly Flame in your hands. Before long, that Fallen Heart Flame will become a true Heavenly Flame."

Old Wang spoke with a warm smile. He was deeply gratified by his disciple's growth.

"Li'er, your alchemy must have improved greatly by now. You have probably already surpassed your teacher, haven't you?" Old Wang had already roughly guessed the truth.

Because Old Wang had just sensed that Xiao Li's Soul Force had surpassed his own.

"Mm. My current alchemy can barely be considered that of a Rank 6 Peak Alchemist. At Jia Nan Academy, I successfully refined two Breaking Ancestor Pills. I was quite lucky and triggered the Dan Soul Realm twice."

Xiao Li spoke with some pride.

Old Wang stroked his beard and smiled. His disciple had already surpassed him. Nothing was more meaningful than a disciple surpassing his teacher.

"Come, Li'er. Refine a pill for me and let your teacher observe." Old Wang grabbed Xiao Li's hand and smiled.

"No problem."