When Did You Get Another Older Brother?

Evening came.

Xiao Yu and Xiao Yan came down the mountain and headed home.

All the way, Xiao Yan could barely contain his excitement. The joy and exhilaration on his face were plain for anyone to see.

Xiao Yu had to remind him several times before he finally reined himself in a little.

Lately, the two brothers had been having dinner together every evening.

When they reached Xiao Yu's home, they saw Xiao Zhan in the pavilion, amusing the baby. The two of them paused in surprise.

"Father."

They greeted him together.

Xiao Zhan looked over. A flash of worry crossed his face, then vanished beneath a smile as he beckoned them over to sit.

He gave Xiao Yu a long, earnest lecture, telling him to spend more time with the baby instead of running around all day.

Beside him, Xiao Yan had just opened his mouth in a grin when Xiao Zhan's scolding turned to him, blaming him for dragging Xiao Yu around ever since he'd come home.

The smile froze on Xiao Yan's face. He felt as if he'd been struck by a bolt from the blue.

After the family finished dinner, Li Qian took her sleeping son from her father-in-law and went back to her room.

The three men sat in the pavilion.

Xiao Zhan lifted his wine cup and took a small sip.

"Father, is something troubling you about the family?" Xiao Yu asked. He rarely saw Xiao Zhan drink, so he sensed something was wrong.

Xiao Zhan smiled and shook his head, but said nothing.

Xiao Yu's expression turned serious. "Father, my older brother and I have both completed our coming-of-age ceremonies. We're not children anymore. The family's affairs are our affairs, too."

"That's right, Father. Is the family facing some kind of trouble? Tell us. Maybe we can help solve it," Xiao Yan chimed in.

Looking at his two sons, a trace of comfort flashed in Xiao Zhan's eyes.

His sons had grown up. They knew to care about the family now.

But a hint of dejection passed through his eyes as well.

What good would telling them about the Jia Lie Clan's situation do?

The other side had brought in an alchemist.

Yan'er certainly had astonishing cultivation talent, but he excelled only at cultivation. He had nothing to do with alchemy.

The same was true of Yu'er.

Xiao Zhan hadn't planned to tell the boys. He had come here today simply because he was troubled and wanted to see his grandson to ease his mood.

But he couldn't withstand their questions.

"That's the situation," Xiao Zhan said, briefly explaining it. He finished his last cup of wine. "All right, don't dwell on it. I'm here to handle the family's affairs, so there's no need for you to worry. Get some rest."

With that, Xiao Zhan stood to leave.

Just then, he heard Xiao Yan say casually, "Father, I thought the sky was falling. It's such a small matter. Is it really worth getting so worked up over?"

Xiao Zhan froze, then said sternly, "You call this a small matter? Yan'er, do you know what an alchemist is? They're far rarer than Dou Zhe. Anyone who can become an alchemist is blessed with extraordinary talent."

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

Xiao Zhan's expression grew even more solemn, and his brow furrowed.

No, no! These two had some dangerous ideas!

He had to explain alchemists to them properly. If they went out and accidentally offended one, the Xiao Clan couldn't afford to bear an alchemist's wrath.

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

But just as he was gathering his words and wondering where to begin, he heard his younger son's next words.

"Third Brother is an alchemist, too."

"Third Brother? When did you get another older brother?" Xiao Zhan asked, not understanding.

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

In Xiao Zhan's view, Yan'er's cultivation talent was already extraordinary. Heaven was always fair.

What Xiao Zhan didn't know was that his Yan'er wasn't ordinary.

Xiao Yan was the protagonist!

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

Who could have expected his father to blurt out something like that? He couldn't keep a straight face.

"You?" Xiao Zhan stared in astonishment, then quickly waved a hand. "Yan'er, don't joke around. When did you become an alchemist? Why have I never heard you mention it?"

Xiao Yan grinned. "Because I've been learning lately. I only refined my first batch of pills today, so I haven't had the chance to tell you yet."

He flipped his palm over. A pill lay in it.

A faint medicinal fragrance wafted from it.

Xiao Zhan stared blankly, rubbed his eyes, and stood with his mouth agape, his gaze shifting between his two sons.

He felt as if he were dreaming.

Only after Xiao Yu explained everything did Xiao Zhan slowly accept reality.

"Yu'er, you must tell me several days before your teacher comes to visit. The Xiao Clan must welcome him with the highest honors!" Xiao Zhan said, unable to hide his excitement.

Though they hadn't met yet, Xiao Zhan already felt warmly toward his younger son's teacher.

He had helped Yu'er solve his cultivation problems and taken Yan'er on as a disciple to teach him alchemy. There couldn't be another such benefactor in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Yu nodded with a smile, then said seriously, "Father, you absolutely mustn't reveal that my older brother is an alchemist."

Xiao Zhan had been about to share the news with the clan. At that, he asked in confusion, "Why?"

"Yeah, Xiao Yu. Why can't we tell them?" Xiao Yan looked at his younger brother. He wanted to show off this new identity.

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

Xiao Yu explained, "The Xiao Clan and the Jia Lie Clan are competing over the marketplace. They're in the open, and we're in the shadows. The later we reveal our hand, the greater our advantage."

He paused, then laid out his plan. "Tomorrow, I'll have someone get a sample of the medicine the Jia Lie Family is selling. Then we'll come up with a targeted counterattack. Once Third Brother has refined enough medicine, we'll strike all at once, without giving them a chance to react or catch their breath."

A ruthless glint flashed in Xiao Yu's eyes as he looked at his father and brother. "If we're going to do it, we'll make sure they never get back on their feet!"

Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Yu in surprise. Neither had expected him to have thought so far ahead.

"Fine, I'll remember that. Also, this is the Rejuvenation Powder the Jia Lie Family is selling—ten bottles for one hundred gold coins." Xiao Zhan took out a jade bottle. As soon as he'd learned that the Jia Lie Family was selling medicine, he'd sent someone to buy it for study.

But the family had no alchemist, and its physicians couldn't make head or tail of the medicine.

Xiao Yan took the bottle and opened it. Inside was a pale green liquid, carrying the faintest medicinal scent.

He stared. "You call this medicine?"

Compared to the pills he refined, this liquid was like watered-down cola with a pile of ice cubes thrown in.

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

"Don't worry, Father. My older brother and I will take care of it," Xiao Yu said.

At that, Xiao Zhan relaxed, and the worry in his heart eased for some reason.

As he looked at Xiao Yu, he could almost see the young man who had stood on the arena that day.

Confident—and reassuring.

After the three of them discussed the plan, Xiao Yu would handle buying the ingredients, Xiao Yan would refine the medicine, and Xiao Zhan would provide the funds.

After leaving a bank card behind, Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan departed Xiao Yu's courtyard side by side.

Seated at the table, Xiao Yu ran his thumb over the card and spoke with Yao Chen in his mind.

At first, Yao Chen hadn't wanted to hand over the formula and planned to bargain with Xiao Yu. But Xiao Yu knew all about his background.

After just a few exchanges, Yao Chen had been outmaneuvered again.

With the formula in hand, Xiao Yu returned to his room to sleep. The moment he stepped inside, he saw his wife shoot him a resentful look.

Xiao Yu's smile froze.

It had been only a little over a month since Li Qian had given birth. With the pills Yao Chen had provided to help her recover, she had already healed completely.

So, sure enough, she had gotten pregnant again.

"Xiao Yu, you're an adult now. If you really have to, find yourself another wife."

Li Qian had her back to him. Xiao Yu treated her very well, but she had only just given birth a month ago and was pregnant again. She felt like she didn't even have time to catch her breath.

If she kept having children like this, how could she possibly bear it all on her own...

If she'd known this would happen, she never would have taken the pills Xiao Yu brought her!