Breakthrough in Strength, Reward Feedback!

The medicinal ingredients slowly melted beneath the searing flames, turning into a mass of pale green liquid.

Next came the Spirit Condensing Flower.

The Barrier Breaking Fruit.

One auxiliary ingredient after another was added.

The flame's temperature kept changing, rising and falling.

The medicinal liquids slowly fused within the flames, gradually condensing into shape.

Xiao Chen's expression was calm, and the movements of his hands flowed as smoothly as clouds and water.

Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin stood to one side, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound.

They knew that the greatest taboo in pill refinement was being disturbed.

One slight mistake, and the pill would be ruined.

A series of footsteps sounded outside the Side Courtyard.

Xiao Yu passed through the corridor and arrived at the entrance of the Side Courtyard.

Just as she was about to enter, she heard a voice from within.

"Don't go in."

Xiao Yu froze for a moment and stopped.

She leaned in and glanced inside.

She saw Xiao Chen sitting cross-legged on the ground, with a ball of red flame floating before him.

Several masses of medicinal liquid were slowly fusing within the flames.

Xiao Chen was refining pills?

Xiao Yu was stunned.

Her face filled with shock, she immediately rubbed her eyes, thinking she had seen wrong.

Alchemists were an immensely respected profession throughout the Jia Ma Empire.

When had Xiao Chen become an alchemist?

She had not been away from the Xiao Clan for long. How had so many unimaginable things happened?

Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Yi Xian walked out from inside.

"Don't disturb him," Xiao Yi Xian said softly.

Xiao Yu looked at her. "You are...?"

"Xiao Yi Xian," she said. "Xiao Chen is helping me refine Qi Gathering Powder. He cannot be disturbed."

Xiao Yu's expression changed upon hearing that.

Qi Gathering Powder?

That was a fourth-grade pill.

Xiao Chen could refine a fourth-grade pill?

She stood at the courtyard gate and looked at Xiao Chen, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground inside.

The flames burned slowly before him, while the medicinal liquids continuously fused within them.

Xiao Chen's expression was extremely calm, and his hand movements were remarkably practiced.

Xiao Yu watched this scene, her heart filled with shock.

She had seen alchemists refine pills at Jia Nan Academy.

Even the academy's third-grade alchemists had not been as composed as Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen's techniques were far more practiced than those third-grade alchemists'.

What level of alchemist was he, exactly?

Xiao Yu gritted her teeth and remained silent, standing at the courtyard gate as she watched quietly.

Time passed bit by bit.

Xiao Chen tossed the final auxiliary ingredient into the flames.

Wrapped in the flames, the medicinal liquid slowly rotated and gradually condensed into shape.

He withdrew his hand.

The flames dispersed, and a pale green pill floated in midair.

The pill was round and smooth, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

Qi Gathering Powder.

A fourth-grade pill.

Xiao Chen took the pill in his hand and rose to his feet.

He turned and walked over to Xiao Yi Xian.

"Take it."

Xiao Yi Xian accepted the Qi Gathering Powder. Looking at the pale green pill in her hand, her eyes were filled with gratitude.

She placed the pill into her mouth.

The pill melted as soon as it entered her mouth, and a warm medicinal energy spread through her body.

Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly sat cross-legged and closed her eyes, beginning to refine the medicinal energy.

The medicinal energy flowed through her meridians and poured into her dantian.

The Dou Qi within her dantian began to surge wildly.

That medicinal energy was like an awl, relentlessly striking the bottleneck of the Dou Zhe realm.

With every strike, Xiao Yi Xian's body trembled slightly.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from her forehead and slid down her cheeks.

Her face turned slightly pale, and a faint teeth mark appeared on her bitten lip.

She gritted her teeth and did not give up.

The medicinal energy continued to strike at the bottleneck.

The fifth time.

The sixth time.

Finally, that bottleneck was broken through.

A powerful aura erupted from Xiao Yi Xian's body.

Dou Zhe.

She had broken through.

Xiao Yi Xian opened her eyes, which were filled with excitement.

She could clearly feel that the Dou Qi within her body was several times stronger than before.

Dou Qi and Dou Zhe were entirely different concepts.

"I broke through..."

Xiao Yi Xian's voice trembled slightly.

She stood up and looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Xiao Chen, thank you."

Xiao Chen waved his hand.

Qing Lin watched Xiao Yi Xian from the side, her eyes filled with envy.

Sister Xiao Yi Xian had broken through to Dou Zhe.

She had to cultivate diligently too. She could not hold everyone back.

Xiao Yu stood at the courtyard gate, watching this scene in complete disbelief.

Xiao Chen had truly refined a fourth-grade pill.

And after Xiao Yi Xian took it, she had directly broken through to Dou Zhe.

Xiao Chen was not only a Dou Emperor expert, but also an alchemist of at least the fourth grade.

How long had she been away from the Xiao Clan? How had Xiao Chen improved so quickly?

Xiao Yu looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes filled with shock.

The system's voice rang out in Xiao Chen's mind.

[Detected that the host has helped Xiao Yi Xian break through to the Dou Zhe realm.]

[Mission complete. The host has obtained one feedback opportunity.]

[Calculating feedback.]

[Congratulations, host. You have obtained: an Earth Tier mid-grade poison-attribute cultivation technique, the Mysterious Poison Art.]

Seeing this reward, the corners of Xiao Chen's lips lifted slightly.

An Earth Tier mid-grade cultivation technique.

Poison attribute.

Though he had no use for it himself, he could give this cultivation technique to Xiao Yi Xian.

After all, this was an Earth Tier mid-grade cultivation technique. There was no other like it in the Jia Ma Empire.

With the Mysterious Poison Art, her cultivation speed and strength could improve even faster.

As her strength increased, he could receive feedback as well.

Killing two birds with one stone.

Xiao Chen withdrew his thoughts and looked at Xiao Yi Xian.

"This cultivation technique is for you."

He took out the Mysterious Poison Art from his Storage Ring and handed it to her.

Xiao Yi Xian accepted the cultivation technique and glanced down at it.

Earth Tier mid-grade.

Her pupils contracted. She raised her head to look at Xiao Chen, her eyes full of shock.

"Th-this is an Earth Tier cultivation technique?"

Xiao Chen nodded.

Xiao Yi Xian's hands were trembling.

An Earth Tier cultivation technique could not be found anywhere in the entire Jia Ma Empire, could it?

Yet Xiao Chen had simply given it to her.

"Xiao Chen, this is too precious. I can't..."

"If I tell you to take it, then take it," Xiao Chen interrupted her.

Xiao Yi Xian opened her mouth, wanting to say something more.

But when she saw Xiao Chen's gaze, the words at her lips were swallowed back down.

She tightly gripped the Mysterious Poison Art, her eyes reddening slightly.

"Xiao Chen, thank you."

Xiao Chen waved his hand.

"Cultivate well."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded heavily.

Qing Lin watched from the side, her eyes filled with envy.

Young Master Xiao Chen was so good to Sister Xiao Yi Xian.

She wanted to become stronger too. She wanted Young Master Xiao Chen to see her in a new light as well.

Xiao Chen turned around, his gaze falling on Qing Lin.

"You must also diligently cultivate your Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils."

Qing Lin hurriedly nodded.

"I understand, Young Master Xiao Chen."

Xiao Chen said nothing more and turned to walk out of the Side Courtyard.

Xiao Yu stood at the courtyard gate. Seeing him approach, she unconsciously took a step back.

Xiao Chen glanced at her.

"Do you need something?"

Xiao Yu opened her mouth, but she did not know what to say.

She had originally come to confirm whether Xiao Chen had truly broken through to Dou Emperor.

But now, having personally witnessed Xiao Chen refine a fourth-grade pill and help someone break through to Dou Zhe,

her mind was in chaos, and she had forgotten everything she had planned to say.

Looking at Xiao Chen before her, her heart was filled with shock.