Empty Fort Strategy

"Who cares who he is! He's alone! Let's rush him and hack him to death!"

Another Dou Shi said.

"Idiot! If he had no backing, why would he openly stand in our way?"

Ham directly cut off his brainless suggestion.

Recalling how countless powerful experts always gathered around alchemists, Ham naturally assumed that the slender figure in the distance was a powerful expert protecting the alchemist.

"This is bad. That alchemist brought a powerful protector. Retreat!"

Without a second thought, Ham chose to flee.

"Boss, this—"

The Dou Shi behind him exchanged glances. They could only sigh and hurriedly retreat as well.

Only after seeing the Da Dou Shi lead his men away did Xiao Yan finally let out a breath.

"Whew, they finally left. I thought he'd see through it."

Though all he had needed to do was stand still and remain silent, facing several enemies whose cultivation far surpassed his own had placed Xiao Yan under tremendous pressure.

"Ho, you actually scared them off just like that?"

A cloud of mist appeared beside Xiao Yan and gathered into Old Yao's form. Seeing Xiao Yan frighten off a group led by a Da Dou Shi merely by standing there without moving, he could not help but feel surprised.

"You're quite interesting, kid."

Old Yao looked at Xiao Yan, who had finally relaxed, and smiled.

"It was just a little trick. I just didn't expect it to work so well."

Xiao Yan shook his head with a bitter smile. Fortunately, the other party had only been a Da Dou Shi. If his cultivation had been higher—if he had been a Dou Ling or Dou Wang and could have seen through Xiao Yan's ruse—it would have been disastrous.

Old Yao said, "Though it cannot compare to true strength, I have to admit that this move of yours was quite clever."

"It's called the Empty Fort Strategy... Anyway, Teacher, just think of it as a bluffing tactic."

"Empty fort... It does suit what you did."

Old Yao nodded in satisfaction. Quick-witted and full of strategies—not bad. Cultivation was important, but one could not be too foolish either. Otherwise, one might be sold off without even knowing what had happened.

"After all, I'm still only a little Dou Zhe. The other side had a whole crowd of Dou Zhe alone. If we really clashed, I probably wouldn't even know how I died."

Xiao Yan shook his head. Even he knew that although this method seemed clever, it was far too risky.

As expected, not just anyone could use that old man's strategy...

After silently sighing to himself, Xiao Yan turned and looked toward where Miss Wan was refining pills.

"Teacher, how much longer will Miss Wan need before she finishes?"

"At her speed, she should be almost done."

"...How long is 'almost done'?... Ow!"

Before Xiao Yan had even finished speaking, Old Yao smacked him on the head.

"You brat, why do you have so many questions? Just wait patiently."

Old Yao shot Xiao Yan an irritated glance. "Do you think pill refinement is something that can be done quickly? Let me tell you, in the future, taking one or two days to refine pills will be nothing. It is common enough for a single batch of pills to take one or two months, or even one or two years. You'd better get used to it early."

"Ah..."

Xiao Yan sighed.

"Now that those people have been driven off, don't idle around. Keep training over the next few days."

Still, his dejection lasted only a moment. Xiao Yan quickly pulled himself together, nodded, and said, "I understand, Teacher."

"Mm."

Old Yao nodded. Setting aside his usual bickering with the brat, Xiao Yan was undoubtedly someone who could endure his torment. Though he inevitably complained a little, no matter what kind of training it was, Xiao Yan could always complete it perfectly in the end.

Over the next three days, Xiao Yan did exactly that.

He continued his usual routine of cultivating his techniques and Dou Qi. Whenever he was tired, he would sit down to cultivate and replenish his Dou Qi, while also observing Yao Wan refine pills.

Looking at the lovely figure before him, sitting motionless as though she were a statue, Xiao Yan asked idly, "Teacher, when do you think I'll be able to refine pills like Miss Wan?"

"...You've only just learned to walk, and you already want to run?"

Old Yao said, "That girl's Soul Power is exceptionally powerful and abundant. It is simply beyond your comparison."

"To be honest, barring any accidents, by the time you reach my realm, your Soul Power should be about equal to hers."

"Ah? Really?"

Xiao Yan froze. "But if I remember correctly, Miss Wan is only a Dou Wang right now, isn't she?"

"She is extraordinarily gifted. That is something we cannot learn."

Old Yao explained, "My guess is that this girl was born with Soul Power this powerful... born at the Heavenly Realm... With such talent, even in a vast clan like hers, she would likely be as rare as a phoenix feather or a qilin horn."

"When I first began observing you, I thought that little girl was troublesome enough. Who would have thought another one like her would show up..."

"Kid, you have a long road ahead of you..."

Old Yao suddenly said in a grave, earnest tone.

"A long road ahead? What long road?"

Xiao Yan's expression immediately turned strange. "You shameless old pervert, what are you thinking about all day long... Ow!"

"Cultivate!"

Old Yao immediately put on a stern face.

"Hmph... I'll cultivate, then..."

Three days later, accompanied by a surging flash of light, a streak of radiance shot out from the ancient bronze square cauldron. It then split apart in midair, becoming more than a dozen smaller streaks of light.

Yao Wan merely beckoned lightly, then took out a jade bottle. The dozen or so streaks of light obediently flew into it.

"The pill is complete."

She murmured it unconsciously, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"It's finished? That was a little faster than I expected."

Old Yao and Xiao Yan walked over together, though Old Yao could only float through the air now.

Yao Wan tossed the jade bottle to Xiao Yan, signaling for him to inspect it himself.

After catching it, Xiao Yan did as instructed. From the jade bottle, only half the size of a fist, he poured out an emerald-green pill about the size of a pinky fingernail.

The pill's fragrance alone made one feel refreshed and clear-headed. The fatigue that had unknowingly accumulated over the day also faded away.

Old Yao took the pill from Xiao Yan's palm and examined it for a moment before asking, "Girl, I've never seen this pill before. Could it be..."

"Of course. This is a Pill Recipe I formulated myself."

Yao Wan said it without showing much pride.