New Alchemist Qi Fei Reports for Duty

High temperature and extreme cold.

Two completely different sensations surrounded Qi Fei.

It made Qi Fei feel as if he were immersed in some kind of majestic power, to the point where even the pain in his body became insignificant.

Unfortunately, this strange sensation did not last long before it suddenly vanished, and subsequently, the burning sensation from the outside world began to fade away as well.

Qi Fei opened his eyes and looked at Yao Lao.

"Master, why is this?"

His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, and even Qi Fei himself was startled by the sound.

"Your body and Dou Qi have reached their limit; you cannot continue any further."

In Yao Lao's eyes, besides heartache, there was also irrepressible joy.

He had originally thought that for the first training session, having Qi Fei initially adapt to the burning of the Heavenly Flame would be the limit.

He had not expected Qi Fei to be able to complete the tempering of the meridians within his body.

Such willpower was truly satisfying.

"The results of this training have far exceeded my expectations. Rest well, and we will continue once your body has recovered."

After speaking, Yao Lao floated to the cave entrance and called for Xiao Yan, who was in charge of guarding the door, asking him to take Qi Fei back to rest.

Meanwhile, Qi Fei began to check his own gains.

The effects of the Red Lotus Body Tempering Art were very obvious.

The capacity of his Qi Sea, the speed at which he refined Heaven and Earth Origin Qi, the power of his unit Dou Qi... every aspect had seen a significant improvement.

In just this short while, his nearly exhausted Dou Qi had recovered quite a bit.

At the same time, the meridians within his body had turned white.

Both their toughness and their capacity for Dou Qi far exceeded what they had been in the past.

"And, my affinity for the fire attribute seems to have increased as well... wait, not just the fire attribute?"

Qi Fei carefully discerned the wandering energy in his surroundings.

It was not just the fire attribute; his perception of the water attribute—or strictly speaking, the Ice attribute—had also increased by a few points.

Was it related to that strange sensation from just a moment ago?

Qi Fei recalled the feeling of being inside the Bone Chilling Flame.

His mind hadn't been clear enough to distinguish it before, but thinking about it now, it seemed somewhat similar to the comprehension of laws and mysteries on the side of Coiling Dragon Qi Fei.

Could it be that Heavenly Flames were actually the manifestation of law fragments in the Dou Po World?

If that were the case, it was not hard to understand why the Burning Art evolved by absorbing Heavenly Flames.

Qi Fei decided to communicate with Coiling Dragon Qi Fei later; perhaps he could use this to gain an entry-level understanding of a mystery of the Water Element Law.

Of course, this training was not entirely without drawbacks.

Qi Fei's body was in a withered state, and almost every part of him was wailing, leaving him barely able to move.

This was also why Yao Lao wanted Qi Fei to recover his body first.

"Are you okay?"

Xiao Yan followed Yao Lao into the cave.

"I'm fine."

Qi Fei used his Dou Qi to write two characters in mid-air.

"..."

Xiao Yan didn't know what to say in response.

He couldn't even speak, and he called this "fine"?

"Is it okay if I move your body? I'll carry you back."

After a moment of silence, Xiao Yan asked.

"Actually, I can fly myself."

Qi Fei cracked a joke.

"Don't, if you fly yourself, the clan will go crazy."

Xiao Yan immediately crouched down in front of Qi Fei.

Qi Fei controlled his Dou Qi to make himself float briefly, then landed on Xiao Yan's back.

Immediately, Xiao Yan stood up and carried Qi Fei as they walked outside.

"Thank you."

Qi Fei continued to write.

"It's nothing, we're just helping each other out."

Xiao Yan said casually.

Yao Lao, inside the Ring, watched this scene with gratification.

Having experienced the betrayal of his own successor, the old man was exceptionally fixated on the character of his disciples.

After learning of Qi Fei's cultivation level, Xiao Yan had neither shown excessive envy nor resorted to flattery, continuing to treat Qi Fei like family just as he always had.

And Qi Fei, after gaining power, had not become arrogant or condescending toward others.

This caused Yao Lao to mentally award both of them quite a few points.

Of course, the two outside the Ring were unaware that they had inadvertently gained Yao Lao's favor.

They were currently discussing another issue.

"Tell me, how am I supposed to explain your situation to the clan?"

Xiao Yan asked, feeling a bit of a headache.

He couldn't exactly say that they had sparred, and that Qi Fei, a Dou Zhe, had been beaten into the ground by him, could he?

"Tell them the truth."

Qi Fei provided this answer.

There was nothing to hide about switching cultivation techniques; it would also serve as evidence for the story that they had been taken in as disciples by an alchemist.

Besides, as a dignified Dou Huang, the entire Novice Village of Wutan City combined wouldn't be enough for him to hammer.

If it weren't for the fact that a twelve-year-old Dou Huang was too shocking—and easily prone to attracting unwanted attention in these kinds of old-school cultivation stories—Qi Fei would have long since been showing off everywhere with his Dou Qi Wings.

"Fine, then."

Xiao Yan nodded.

Since the matter of taking on a master had already been mentioned, this wouldn't make much of a difference.

"Someone is coming, you two be careful."

Yao Lao's voice rang in their ears.

Qi Fei dispersed the Dou Qi he had been using to chat, and Xiao Yan stopped talking as well.

A few minutes later, a young girl appeared not far away.

She was none other than Xiao Xun'er, the source of Flame Emperor's nickname as a lolicon.

However, to be honest, Qi Fei had always felt that Flame Emperor was a bit wronged regarding that matter back then.

Xiao Xun'er's guardian, Ling Ying, was a Dou Huang who could easily detect a little guy like Xiao Yan, who wasn't even a Dou Zhe yet.

As a bodyguard, instead of catching the intruder Xiao Yan, Ling Ying had allowed him to clumsily warm the meridians of his young mistress.

There was clearly only one possibility: Ling Ying was following Xiao Xun'er's instructions.

In other words, this was just the two of them playing around.

Of course, considering Xiao Xun'er's age, Flame Emperor was actually only a little bit wronged, if at all.

Xiao Xun'er had noticed Qi Fei's unusual state from far away.

Although she wasn't as close to him as she was to Xiao Yan, she still considered Qi Fei a good friend, so she hurried over to the two of them.

"Brother Xiao Yan, what happened to Brother Qi Fei?"

Xiao Xun'er asked with concern.

"He is currently switching to a high-level cultivation technique, so he sustained some injuries, but don't worry, he will recover before long."

Xiao Yan explained according to what they had agreed upon earlier.

"I have some Healing Medicine here; Brother Qi Fei, please take it quickly."

Xiao Xun'er took out a jade bottle and handed it toward them.

"This technique is a bit special, Qi Fei can't take medicinal pills for the time being..."

Just as Xiao Yan was explaining, he saw a string of subtitles formed by Dou Qi drifting over from the side.

The subtitles explained the reason why he couldn't use medicinal pills right now and conveyed his gratitude to Xiao Xun'er.

"Hey!"

Xiao Yan was startled by the subtitles.

Wasn't it said that the matter of a powerhouse passing on their skills needed to be hidden, and that even the techniques couldn't be passed down?

"It's fine, Xun'er will keep it a secret for us."

Qi Fei wrote, manipulating his Dou Qi.

With his current injuries, he had no way to use the Profundity of Explosion to mask his aura for long.

And Ling Ying had already noticed his peculiar presence earlier.

As such, the exposure of his true cultivation was only a matter of time.

Therefore, it would be better to inform Xiao Xun'er in advance; it would be a perfect opportunity to earn some favor with the little girl, and it would ensure a front-row seat when the drama unfolds in the future.

"!?"

Xiao Xun'er looked at the two of them with a mix of confusion and shock.

Releasing Dou Qi externally was something only a Grand Dou Master could achieve; wasn't it said that Qi Fei had only just broken through to become a Dou Zhe?

"Sigh... alright, it's like this."

Xiao Yan gave Xiao Xun'er a rough explanation regarding the transmission of the cultivation technique and the fact that they had both taken on a master.

However, he omitted the specifics of Qi Fei's current strength, as well as the origins and current state of Yao Lao, only giving Xiao Xun'er a general idea.

"I didn't expect Brother Qi Fei to have such a fortuitous encounter."

Xiao Xun'er covered her mouth, her eyes filled with a hint of being moved.

"Rest assured, Xun'er will definitely keep this secret."

She absolutely could not betray Qi Fei's trust.

"Many thanks, Xun'er."

This was Qi Fei's subtitle.

"It's fine to keep the technique transmission a secret, but as for taking on a master, Father and the others should already know about it."

This was Xiao Yan.

"By the way, Xun'er, is there something you needed from us?"

Xiao Yan asked again.

"Uh... the two brothers have been in the Back Mountain for so long, I was a bit worried."

Xiao Xun'er said awkwardly.

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

She couldn't admit that because Qi Fei and Xiao Yan had stayed in the Back Mountain for too long, and because she had heard from Master Ling that there were some issues with Qi Fei, she had worried that Qi Fei might do something to Xiao Yan and had rushed up the mountain in a panic.

The current Xiao Xun'er really couldn't bring herself to say that out loud.

"Haha, Xiao Fei's cultivation technique is a bit troublesome, so I had to help him guard."

Xiao Yan explained.

In reality, his "guarding" was more about acting as an alarm system.

"I see."

Seeing that Xiao Yan did not delve deeper into the previous topic, Xiao Xun'er breathed a sigh of relief.

Qi Fei, however, noticed some issues from Xiao Xun'er's strange reaction, but he couldn't be bothered to care.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan was still immersed in his longing for the future, completely oblivious to Xiao Xun'er's thoughts.

The three of them, each with their own thoughts, headed home just like that.

After returning home, Qi Fei's situation unsurprisingly alarmed Xiao Zhan and the various elders of the Xiao Clan.

Consequently, Xiao Yan had no choice but to explain the matter of changing cultivation techniques once more in front of them.

After hearing this, the eyes of those present were all shining with excitement.

Not long after Xiao Yan sent Qi Fei home, the medicinal materials he had requested were delivered.

Yao Lao casually refined a portion of Foundation Building Spirit Liquid for Xiao Yan, telling him to go back to his room and soak in it himself.

As for Yao Lao, he stayed by Qi Fei's side, watching him circulate his energy to heal his wounds.

With the help of the Red Lotus Body Tempering Art, Qi Fei's injuries improved rapidly, and by nightfall, he was barely able to move around.

In his spare time from cultivation, Qi Fei took a moment to visit the Shared Space, preparing to share today's insights with Coiling Dragon Qi Fei.

Then, he received an unexpected surprise.

"Are you saying that you've gained an entry-level understanding of another Law Mystery today?"

Dou Po Qi Fei asked, puzzled.

"That's right. According to Teacher, this mystery is called Scorching, representing the high temperature of flames."

Coiling Dragon Qi Fei said proudly.

"..."

Dou Po Qi Fei placed his hand on him with a numb expression.

In an instant, he acquired those insights.

Then, these insights aligned perfectly with the strange sensation he had felt when being burned by the Heavenly Flame.

The high temperature of the Heavenly Flame and the Scorching mystery of the Coiling Dragon World compared and verified each other, leading Dou Po Qi Fei to gain quite a few new insights.

Even regarding the extreme cold of the Bone Chilling Flame, he had made some new discoveries.

"Remember to call me next time you get burned; the opportunity for the Water Element Law to reach entry-level should be with you."

Coiling Dragon Qi Fei opened his eyes and spoke.

"Good."

Dou Po Qi Fei naturally would not refuse.

After exchanging pleasantries with the other Qi Feis for a while, he exited the Shared Space and continued his cultivation.

The next day.

The injuries on Qi Fei's body had mostly recovered, though sharp pains would still flare up in certain areas from time to time.

Early in the morning, Xiao Zhan sent over a medicine cauldron.

This was a Two-Mouthed Cauldron, featuring two fire vents; it was essentially the best medicine cauldron that could be obtained in Wutan City.

Thus, Yao Lao simply began teaching Qi Fei a lesson in alchemy.

At the same time, Xiao Yan, who had been cooped up in his room cultivating his Dou Qi Stage, was also dragged over.

Yao Lao did not expect Xiao Yan to start learning alchemy right away, but having him listen in while he took breaks from his cultivation could be considered laying a foundation in advance.

Qi Fei's first attempt at alchemy went extremely smoothly.

Relying on his powerful Soul Perception, he precisely mimicked every standard demonstrated by Yao Lao.

At the same time, the effects of his Life Attribute far exceeded the Wood Attribute Dou Qi of ordinary alchemists.

Consequently, the Healing Medicine Qi Fei refined was even slightly more potent than the one Yao Lao had demonstrated.

Yao Lao was slightly surprised, but once he remembered Qi Fei's Heaven Realm soul, he instantly felt it was normal.

He then proceeded to demonstrate the refining of First Grade Qi Increasing Powder, Fire Condensing Pill, and Second Grade Foundation Building Spirit Liquid, Qi Nourishing Powder, Pulse Protecting Pill, and other medicinal pills for Qi Fei.

Qi Fei succeeded on his first attempt for every single one.

Because the alchemy process for both of them was so simple and fluid, the watching Xiao Yan could not help but develop the thought that being an alchemist was nothing more than this.

Yao Lao noticed, but he couldn't be bothered to correct him.

He would find out for himself when he started learning alchemy later.

"We can't collect higher-grade medicinal herbs here in the short term, so just refine whatever you want to build up your feel for it, and earn some money on the side to make it easier to purchase herbs in the future."

Yao Lao said with a look of deep emotion.

His newly accepted disciple was too formidable; on his first day of learning alchemy, he was already a Second Grade Alchemist.

And this was only due to the limitations of the external environment.

He feared that it wouldn't be long before he exhausted his entire inheritance and became a Ninth Grade Alchemist.

What should he do when that time comes?

Yao Lao could not help but feel a sense of happy distress.

"Yes, Master."

Qi Fei took out the formed pills from the medicine cauldron and continued to toss in medicinal herbs.

This time, he attempted to incorporate his insights into the Laws of Elements into the flames.

In the next instant, the flames in the medicine cauldron surged, even taking on the appearance of a Heavenly Flame.

Yao Lao could not help but be somewhat astonished.

The effects of this Red Lotus Body Tempering Art seemed to be even better than he had imagined.

After one mistake, Qi Fei mastered the temperature of this flame, and the speed at which he refined the Essence of the medicinal herbs increased.

After refining pills a few more times like this, Qi Fei, who had a one hundred percent success rate, felt a lack of challenge.

So, he simply tossed all the medicinal herbs from the prescription into the cauldron at once, refining the Essence of all the herbs simultaneously.

This further increased the speed of Qi Fei's alchemy.

Before long, the entire Storage Ring of medicinal herbs provided by the Xiao Clan had been completely exhausted by him.

"Little Yan-zi, label the bottles, then send them to Uncle to oversee the sales."

Qi Fei finished his alchemy and tossed the empty Storage Ring to Xiao Yan.

"After they are exchanged for money, I'll give you ten percent as a fee for your hard work."

"Ten percent? Forget it then."

Xiao Yan struggled to resist the temptation.

Just looking at the medicine bottles filling the entire room, one could tell what an astonishing amount of wealth this was.

He could not accept it.

"If I tell you to take it, then take it. Do you really think I'll be short on money in the future?"

After gauging his own level, Qi Fei no longer cared about the small change earned from First and Second Grade pills.

"No, no, no, this isn't about whether you're short on money or not."

Xiao Yan steeled his resolve.

"Fine, then don't refuse this."

Qi Fei picked out a few bottles of Foundation Building Spirit Liquid and tossed them to Xiao Yan.

"Even if you don't want them now, you'll have to ask Teacher to help refine them later anyway."

If you really calculated it, the fee for Yao Lao to take action was much more expensive than his own as a newcomer.

"...Many thanks."

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Yan accepted Qi Fei's kindness.

Just as Qi Fei had said, his future cultivation could not do without Foundation Building Spirit Liquid.

Rather than taking up the time Yao Lao spent teaching Qi Fei later on, it was better to accept this kindness now.

"Just a small favor."

Qi Fei said casually.