When Did You Acknowledge Another Brother?

Evening.

Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan descended the mountain, heading toward home.

Along the way, Xiao Yan could hardly conceal the excitement in his heart; the joy and agitation on his face were plain for anyone to see.

It was only after Xiao Yu urged him several times that he managed to restrain himself a little.

For some time now, the two brothers had been sharing their evening meals together.

Upon arriving at Xiao Yu's residence, the two were slightly taken aback to see Xiao Zhan in the pavilion, playfully teasing the child.

"Father."

The two called out in unison.

Xiao Zhan looked over, the worry on his face vanishing in a flash to be replaced by a smile as he beckoned them to come over and sit.

Facing Xiao Yu, he delivered a earnest lecture, admonishing him to spend more time with his child instead of running about aimlessly.

Beside them, Xiao Yan had just cracked a grin when Xiao Zhan's rebuke followed immediately, blaming him for taking Xiao Yu out to roam about ever since he returned.

The smile on Xiao Yan's face stiffened; he felt like an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.

After the family finished dinner, Li Qian took her sleeping son from her father-in-law's arms and returned to her room.

The father and his two sons sat in the pavilion.

At this moment, Xiao Zhan was sipping wine from his cup.

"Father, has the clan encountered some troubling matter?" Xiao Yu noticed the anomaly, as he rarely saw Xiao Zhan drink on ordinary days.

Xiao Zhan smiled and shook his head, but remained silent.

Xiao Yu spoke with a serious expression: "Father, my brother and I have already undergone the ceremony; we are no longer children. The affairs of the clan are our affairs as well."

"That's right, Father. Is the clan facing difficulties? Tell us, and let's see if we can resolve them," Xiao Yan chimed in.

Looking at his two sons, a flash of gratification crossed Xiao Zhan's eyes.

His two sons had grown up; they knew how to care about the family's affairs.

Yet, a trace of desolation flickered in the depths of his eyes.

What good would it do to tell them about the Jia Lie Clan?

The other side had hired an alchemist.

While Yan'er certainly possessed astonishing cultivation talent, he was merely outstanding in cultivation; he had nothing to do with alchemy.

The same went for Yu'er.

Originally, Xiao Zhan had not intended to tell the two children. Coming here today was purely because he felt stifled and wanted to see his grandson to ease his mood.

But he could not withstand their persistent questioning.

"That is the situation." Xiao Zhan summarized the matter briefly and finished his last cup of wine. "Alright, stop thinking about it. As long as I am here, the clan's affairs do not require your worry. Go get some rest early."

With that, Xiao Zhan rose, intending to leave.

Just then, he heard Xiao Yan say in a light, breezy tone: "Father, I thought the sky was falling. Is there any need to be this troubled over such a small matter?"

Xiao Zhan froze, then said sternly: "You call this a small matter? Yan'er, do you know what an alchemist is? This profession is far rarer than a Dou Practitioner. Everyone who can become an alchemist is blessed by the heavens."

"Father, alchemists really aren't as rare as you think," Xiao Yu shook his head.

Instantly, Xiao Zhan's expression became even more solemn, and his brows furrowed.

This won't do, this won't do! These two have rather dangerous ideas!

I must properly explain alchemists to them. If they go out and accidentally offend an alchemist, the Xiao Clan cannot withstand an alchemist's wrath.

A flurry of thoughts flashed through Xiao Zhan's mind.

However, just as he was organizing his words and contemplating where to begin, he heard his younger son's next sentence pop out.

"Third Brother is also an alchemist."

"Third Brother? Since when did you recognize another brother?" Xiao Zhan did not react in time.

Clearly, it had never occurred to him that Xiao Yan might have the aptitude to become an alchemist.

In Xiao Zhan's view, Yan'er's cultivation talent was already extraordinary, and the heavens were always fair.

But Xiao Zhan had no idea that his Yan'er was no ordinary person.

Xiao Yan was the protagonist!

"Father, have you had too much to drink? The Third Brother Xiao Yu mentioned is naturally me!" Xiao Yan had already struck a pose, prepared to receive his father's exclamation of shock.

Who could have expected his father to blurt out such a thing? He immediately lost his composure.

"You?" Hearing his words, Xiao Zhan's face showed astonishment, and he hurriedly waved his hand. "Yan'er, don't joke around. When did you become an alchemist? Why haven't I heard you mention it at all?"

Xiao Yan chuckled and said: "Because I have been learning recently, and I just succeeded in refining my first batch of pills today, so I haven't had the chance to tell you yet."

He flipped his palm, and a pill lay within it.

A faint medicinal fragrance wafted from it.

Xiao Zhan froze, rubbing his eyes with his mouth agape, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two brothers.

He felt as if he were in the midst of a dream.

Only after Xiao Yu's explanation did Xiao Zhan slowly begin to accept reality.

"Yu'er, you must tell me a few days in advance before your teacher comes to our home. The Xiao Clan must treat him with the etiquette reserved for our most honored guest!" Xiao Zhan's expression could not hide his excitement.

Though they had yet to meet, Xiao Zhan was already filled with goodwill toward his youngest son's teacher.

Not only had he helped Yu'er resolve his cultivation issues, but he had also taken Yan'er as a disciple to teach him alchemy; such a benevolent person could not be found anywhere else in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Yu smiled and nodded, then said with a serious expression, "Father, you must not reveal the fact that brother is an alchemist to anyone right now."

Xiao Zhan had been preparing to share this news with the clan, so upon hearing this, he asked in confusion, "Why?"

"That's right, Little Yu, why can't we say anything?" Xiao Yan looked at his younger brother; he had been wanting to show off this status.

Otherwise, what had he been working so hard for over the past half-month?

Xiao Yu explained, "We are currently in a market dispute with the Jialie Clan. They are in the light, and we are in the dark. The later we expose our hand, the greater our advantage."

He paused slightly, outlining his plan: "Tomorrow, I will have someone acquire some of the medicine the Jialie Clan is selling, and then we will formulate a targeted counterattack. Once Third Brother has refined enough medicine, we will strike back in one fell swoop, ensuring they have no chance to react or catch their breath."

A ruthless glint flashed in Xiao Yu's eyes as he swept his gaze over his brother and father, declaring sharply, "Either we don't act, or we ensure they can never recover!"

Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan both looked at Xiao Yu with surprise; neither had expected him to have thought through so much.

"Fine, I'll keep that in mind. By the way, this is the Hui Chun San the Jialie Clan is selling—100 gold coins for ten bottles." Xiao Zhan produced a jade bottle; as soon as he learned the Jialie Clan was selling medicine, he had ordered someone to buy some for study.

However, since there were no alchemists in the family, the clan's physicians could make neither head nor tail of the concoction.

Xiao Yan took it and opened it, revealing a pale green liquid that emitted a very faint medicinal scent.

He was stunned: "This stuff counts as medicine?"

Compared to the pills he refined, this liquid was like a watered-down soda filled with ice cubes.

Xiao Zhan asked nervously, "Yan'er, are you confident you can refine something better than this?"

"Rest assured, Father. Leave this matter to me and my brother," Xiao Yu volunteered.

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan's expression relaxed, and the anxiety in his heart inexplicably diminished.

At that moment, looking at Xiao Yu, he felt a fleeting shadow of the boy who had stood on the arena stage that day.

Confident! And reassuring!

After the three of them deliberated, it was decided that Xiao Yu would be responsible for purchasing raw materials, Xiao Yan would handle the refining, and Xiao Zhan would provide the funds.

Leaving behind a card, Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan walked side-by-side as they left the courtyard where Xiao Yu resided.

Sitting at the table, Xiao Yu rubbed his thumb over the card, beginning to converse with Yao Chen in his mind.

At first, Yao Chen did not want to hand over the prescription, planning to negotiate terms with Xiao Yu, but Xiao Yu knew his background far too well.

After a few short exchanges, Yao Chen was once again under his thumb.

With the prescription in hand, Xiao Yu walked back to his room to sleep, but the moment he stepped through the door, he saw his wife's resentful gaze sweeping toward him.

Instantly, the smile on Xiao Yu's face stiffened.

It had only been a little over a month since Li Qian had given birth, and thanks to the medicinal pills provided by Yao Chen, her body had already fully recovered.

Therefore, unsurprisingly, she was pregnant again.

"Xiao Yu, you are an adult now; if it really comes to it, just go find someone else."

Li Qian turned her back to him. Although Xiao Yu was very good to her, she had only just given birth a month ago and was already pregnant again; she felt as if she didn't even have a moment to catch her breath.

If she had to keep giving birth like this, how could she possibly handle it alone...

If she had known it would turn out like this, she wouldn't have taken the pills Xiao Yu brought her for anything!