Xiao Yi Xian's Departure

He clenched his fists tightly, feeling the Dou Qi within him more abundant than ever before.

Guiding his consciousness inward, he quickly arrived at the Dou Qi Vortex.

By now, the vortex had completely transformed from its original gaseous state into a liquid one.

More than a dozen drops of crimson energy liquid swirled within it.

Every tiny drop of crimson liquid contained an incomparably abundant and majestic energy.

Lin Feng made a rough calculation. If he were still a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner, all the Dou Qi in his body would probably only condense into around three drops of energy liquid.

He opened his eyes excitedly, stretched out both hands, and suddenly clenched them.

In an instant, crimson Dou Qi slowly surfaced over his clothes, eventually forming a layer of defensive Dou Qi.

This was the signature ability exclusive to the Dou Shi realm—Dou Qi Gauze Robe!

"You successfully broke through? Come eat dinner first."

As Lin Feng played around with his Dou Qi Gauze Robe, a sweet voice drifted in from the entrance.

He watched Xiao Yi Xian slowly walk in from outside the cave.

Lin Feng looked through the cave entrance at the sky again and discovered that, at some point, the sun had vanished, replaced by an endless curtain of darkness.

Above the pitch-black night sky, a silver moon hung high. Its faint moonlight draped the earth in a veil of silver, making everything seem especially mysterious.

"Is it already night? That was fast."

He walked outside, gazed at the valley beneath the night sky, sighed, then followed Xiao Yi Xian to the small stove to enjoy dinner.

"In a few days, I'm planning to go to the Chu Yun Empire."

Watching Lin Feng eat heartily, Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head and fell silent for a long time. Then, a somewhat subdued voice escaped her pink lips.

"Didn't we agree that you'd leave with me?"

Lin Feng frowned at those words and set down his bowl.

Xiao Yi Xian suddenly raised her head and looked straight into Lin Feng's eyes. "I've already made up my mind."

Seeing the determination in Xiao Yi Xian's gaze, Lin Feng's heart sank.

After spending several months together, he understood her personality well. Once she set her mind on something, it was probably impossible to persuade her otherwise.

Over the past few months, he had occasionally taken Xiao Yi Xian into the Monster Mountain Range to kill magical beasts, so she had gained some real combat experience.

Combined with her special constitution, she could even handle an ordinary Peak Dou Shi.

Besides, he could not exactly tie Xiao Yi Xian up and force her to leave with him.

Uh... it seemed he could no longer beat Xiao Yi Xian anyway!

After thinking for a while, Lin Feng could only nod in agreement. "Fine. But I'll give you five years at most. Five years from now, no matter what happens, you must come back."

Seeing her boyfriend agree, Xiao Yi Xian finally let out a sigh of relief.

She also wanted to travel and explore the world with Lin Feng.

But she knew that going to the Chu Yun Empire was the best choice for her right now.

Staying by Lin Feng's side would only bring him trouble.

She secretly tucked away the Sleeping Potion hidden in her sleeve, swept a lock of hair beside her face behind her ear, and asked, "How will I find you then?"

"By then, I should be at Jia Nan Academy. Of course, if you haven't come to find me by that time, I'll return here and wait for you."

Lin Feng gazed at the night sky, pondered for a moment, then replied.

"Mm."

Just as dawn began to break, Xiao Yi Xian nestled against Lin Feng's chest atop a massive boulder in the valley and lightly drew a breath.

She placed the bamboo whistle in her hand between her rosy lips and gave it a gentle blow. Faint sound waves immediately rose into the clouds.

Hearing the sound, the Blue Eagle circling in the sky immediately descended. As its wings flapped, the plants around Lin Feng and Xiao Yi Xian were blown flat against the ground.

"Let's go."

Xiao Yi Xian stepped forward and gracefully pressed her soft body against her boyfriend's chest as she spoke softly.

Lin Feng nodded and wrapped an arm around her seemingly delicate willow-like waist.

With a kick off the ground, their bodies shot into the air and landed steadily on the Blue Eagle's back...

"I hope you can grow stronger quickly. Otherwise, my restrictions are just too great."

On a hilltop, Lin Feng touched his still-warm lips and watched the Blue Eagle's departing figure as he murmured.

What he needed most right now was a sufficiently powerful expert to back him up.

That way, as long as he leaked some information about the Heavenly Flames in his possession—

Xiao Yan, desperate to upgrade his Cultivation Method, would come running to apologize and compensate him.

As for Xiao Yan also knowing some information about the Heavenly Flames?

Heh. So what if he did? If Xiao Yan dared refuse to pay him hush money, then Lin Feng would make sure the entire Northwest Continent knew the news.

Of course, all of this depended on having at least a Dou Zong-level expert protecting him.

Otherwise, Xiao Yan would not reason with him either.

The moment he learned that Lin Feng possessed information about the Heavenly Flames, he would probably come knocking to force it out of him—and silence him while he was at it.

"Sigh..."

With a soft sigh, Lin Feng looked at the dim sky. Then he spread his wings and flew toward Black Rock City while the light was still faint.

"Nothing has changed at all."

Several days later, Lin Feng looked at Black Rock City, which he had not seen for nearly half a year, and sighed.

He then took out his Alchemist Apprentice badge, pinned it on, and strode into the city.

Following the city's bluestone streets, Lin Feng arrived at a secluded area.

After putting on a black hooded robe to conceal his true appearance, he headed straight for the Mittel Auction House.

The Mittel Auction House was the most widespread and largest auction house in the Jia Ma Empire. It also belonged to the wealthiest family in the Jia Ma Empire: the Mite'er Family.

With Dou Wang-level experts stationed there and its immense wealth, incidents of customers being robbed were extremely rare.

Therefore, buying and selling goods through the Mittel Auction House was considered a relatively safe option in the Jia Ma Empire.

Before long, Lin Feng arrived before an enormous and luxurious golden building.

Under the wary gazes of several fully armed guards at the entrance, Lin Feng, clad in a black hooded robe, walked straight inside without slowing down.

The moment he entered the auction house, the scorching heat seemed to be stripped from his body. The coolness gave him the strange sensation of experiencing two completely different worlds inside and out.

As soon as he entered the hall, a maid walked directly over to greet him.

She bowed to Lin Feng and asked in a gentle voice, "Honored guest, may I ask what you require?"

Lin Feng tugged at the brim of his hood, and a low voice came from beneath it. "I need a Third-grade Pill Recipe. Do you have one here?"

"Of course. Honored guest, please come with me to the VIP room so we can discuss it in detail."

The moment the maid heard that Lin Feng wanted to purchase a Pill Recipe—and a Third-grade one at that—she became somewhat excited. However, her excellent training quickly brought her back to her senses, and she hurriedly invited Lin Feng to the VIP room.

After all, Pill Recipes and medicinal cauldrons were not cheap. Even the lowest First-grade Pill Recipe cost no less than a hundred thousand.

"Fine."

Lin Feng answered, then followed the maid toward the VIP room.

After arriving at the VIP room, the maid beside him quickly served hot tea before quietly withdrawing.

Lin Feng sat in an expensive rosewood chair, silently sipping his tea.