A Minor Interlude

The group walked toward the outskirts of the market, Xiao Yan's face dark the entire way.

"Damn it, I want to see who the blind fool is that dares to touch Xun Er." Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, his pace quickening with every step.

They arrived at the location before long.

There was a small plaza on the outskirts of the market surrounded by a crowd, and a woman's scream could be heard from the center.

"Let go of me!"

Upon hearing the voice, Xiao Yan froze for a moment.

That's not right.

This isn't Xun Er's voice.

He quickened his pace and squeezed into the crowd, with Ye Xiu following behind.

Standing in the middle of the crowd was a girl of fourteen or fifteen, quite pretty, wearing a light cyan dress.

It was Xiao Mei!

Xiao Yan frowned.

Standing beside her was a man in his thirties, wearing the grey-white robes of an Alchemist, with a single silver ripple embroidered on the cuff.

He was a first-tier Alchemist.

The man was reaching out to grab Xiao Mei's wrist, his face wearing the kind of smile that made people want to punch him.

"Little beauty, what's your name? It's your good fortune that this master has taken a liking to you."

Xiao Mei struggled to pull back, her eyes red, but when she saw Xiao Yan push his way in, her gaze clearly faltered.

Xiao Yan looked at her, his heart feeling somewhat complicated.

He remembered clearly how Xiao Mei had treated him during the three years he had been a waste. She would take a detour when she saw him, and even if they bumped into each other, she would act as if she didn't see him, never once taking the initiative to speak to him.

But then again, regardless of everything, she was still a member of his Xiao Clan.

Furthermore, he had helped her out back at the Dou Technique Pavilion, and the grudge between them had diminished somewhat because of it.

In the end, Xiao Yan stepped forward, grabbed the man's hand, and flung it away fiercely.

The man stumbled back two steps, steadied himself, and looked Xiao Yan up and down.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Xiao Yan, and this is my cousin. Who are you?"

Upon hearing this, the man immediately chuckled.

"Someone from the Xiao Clan? Perfect. This master is named Zhou Tong, an Alchemist from Heiyan City, and I was just about to head to your Xiao Clan to discuss some business."

He straightened his robes and continued, "Your cousin is quite pretty, and this master has taken a liking to her. How about this: if your Xiao Clan gifts her to me as a concubine, I will handle all of your clan's medicinal pills from now on."

Xiao Yan was stunned for a moment, then laughed in anger.

"Are you out of your damn mind?"

Zhou Tong's face darkened: "Kid, do you know who you're talking to? I am an Alchemist!"

"Is being an Alchemist something to brag about?" Xiao Yan took a step forward, "Get lost, don't make me say it twice."

Zhou Tong's face turned from green to white, and he pointed at Xiao Yan: "Fine, just you wait! I'll go to the Xiao Clan and have your clan leader settle this!"

With that, he turned and walked away.

Xiao Yan shouted from behind: "Settle your mother, get lost! The Xiao Clan doesn't welcome you!"

Xiao Mei stood to the side, looking up at Xiao Yan, her mouth opening as if she wanted to say something.

Xiao Yan waved his hand: "It's fine. Just stay away from people like that in the future. Go on back."

Xiao Mei nodded, glanced at Xiao Yan, and turned to leave.

Ye Xiu stood to the side, watching the whole scene like a play. He had thought Liu Xi had come back to life, but it turned out to be nothing more than a minor interlude.

With the show over, Ye Xiu said, "Alright, Xiao Yan. You go about your business, I'm heading back."

Xiao Yan quickly said respectfully: "Take care, senior."

Ye Xiu nodded and turned to walk back.

Returning to the courtyard, he closed the door and began to continue his cultivation.

There was still some time before the Jianan Academy enrollment, so he had to take this opportunity to raise his cultivation level further.

In the days that followed, Ye Xiu's life was essentially a fixed routine.

He would wake up in the morning to meditate, circulating his Dou Qi for a few cycles. He would eat something simple at noon, then continue cultivating in the afternoon. In the evening, he would sometimes refine a few batches of pills, and other times continue meditating.

Five days passed just like that.

That evening, Ye Xiu sat cross-legged on the ground, his Dou Qi rippling outward in circles.

Red-gold Dou Qi swirled around his body, illuminating him as if he were a burning flame.

Suddenly!

BOOM!

A surge of energy, significantly more powerful than before, erupted from his body.

Two-star Dou Ling!

Ye Xiu opened his eyes, looked down at his hands, and clenched his fists.

"Not bad, a few days faster than expected."

He stood up and stretched, his entire body popping and cracking with the movement.

Although he had only broken through by one star, he felt as though his entire state of being had changed. His Dou Qi was more refined and flowed with greater ease.

Ye Xiu stretched his back, looked up at the sky, and saw the moon hanging directly overhead.

It was midnight.

He returned to his room, lay down on the bed, and quickly fell asleep.

Two more days passed.

That afternoon, Ye Xiu was lying on a rattan chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun.

Before long, there was a knock at the door.

Ye Xiu swept his soul perception outward and saw a woman standing outside, dressed in a red gown, with no trace of Dou Qi fluctuations on her.

It was Ya Fei.

Ye Xiu frowned.

Why had this woman come again?

"Come in."

The door was pushed open, and Ya Fei walked inside.

As soon as she entered, her face was filled with a charming smile.

"Senior Ye Xiu, Ya Fei has come to disturb you."

Ye Xiu remained lying on the rattan chair, watching her walk up to him.

"What did I say before?"

The smile on Ya Fei's face stiffened for a moment.

Of course, she remembered.

The last time she left, Ye Xiu had said that if she dared to come uninvited again, she shouldn't blame him for being impolite.

But having spent so many years in the auction house, her greatest skill was her thick skin.

"Senior, Ya Fei truly had no other choice, which is why I came to beg for your help." She leaned closer to Ye Xiu, her voice so soft it could almost drip water. "You are a magnanimous person; please don't hold it against me, alright?"

Ye Xiu looked at her without saying a word.

Ya Fei bit her lip and continued, "Senior, Ya Fei's talent for cultivation is very poor. For so many years, I have been stuck at the Dou Zhi Qi stage and cannot advance. You refined Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid before; I wonder if you have any left? Ya Fei would like to buy a few portions to improve my cultivation."

Ye Xiu raised an eyebrow.

Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid?

That stuff was for those below the Dou Zhe level, helping to stabilize their foundation and accelerate their cultivation speed.

Ya Fei did indeed need this.

Ye Xiu looked at her and said coldly, "I never go back on my word. Since you came uninvited, there will be a punishment."

Ya Fei's expression shifted.

But she quickly steadied her mind, gritted her teeth, and whispered, "How does Senior wish to punish Ya Fei? I will accept it."

Ye Xiu didn't speak; he raised his hand and patted his own thigh.

"Come here."

Ya Fei was stunned for a moment. She looked at Ye Xiu, then at the leg he had patted, and the tips of her ears turned bright red.

However, this time she did not hesitate. Ya Fei took a deep breath, stepped forward, and stood still in front of Ye Xiu.

She looked down at the young man lying on the rattan chair, her heart pounding violently.

Ye Xiu didn't rush her; he simply waited.

Ya Fei gritted her teeth, slowly bent down, and sat down sideways.

She sat right on Ye Xiu's lap.

Ye Xiu's hand rested naturally on her waist.

Ya Fei went completely rigid, her face burning intensely. She could feel the body heat of the young man behind her, as well as the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.