Honored Guest

Chu Yang nodded, giving Xiao Zhan an affirmative answer.

At that moment, the shock in Xiao Zhan's heart was immense.

When he had first received the news, Xiao Zhan had almost refused to believe it.

Yet now, standing face-to-face with Chu Yang and seeing how young he was, Xiao Zhan still found it hard to accept.

In Xiao Zhan's understanding, someone capable of refining a Qi Gathering Pill had to be at least his age, perhaps even an old man!

Unless Chu Yang was merely the owner of the Qi Gathering Pill and not a true alchemist. In that case—the person who had refined the pill might be his teacher?

Xiao Zhan was filled with doubts.

But he understood that whether Chu Yang had refined the Qi Gathering Pill himself, whether it had been refined by Chu Yang's teacher, or whether Chu Yang was simply the pill's owner, the Xiao family could not afford to slight him.

If Chu Yang truly was an alchemist, then being able to produce medicinal pills that might not even exist in the Jia Ma Empire meant that his background was perhaps far beyond what a small family secluded in Wutan City could compare with.

Xiao Zhan knew very well that although Wutan City could rank among the top seventy major cities in the Jia Ma Empire, it was still at the very bottom of those seventy.

Before the great powers of the Jia Ma Empire, the Xiao family might be one of Wutan City's leading factions, but in the empire itself, they were completely insignificant—

That was why Xiao Zhan, who had always been known for his iron-blooded toughness, lowered his stance before a young man like Chu Yang.

And if Chu Yang truly told him that he was an alchemist, Xiao Zhan's attitude would only become even more humble.

At that moment, the Xiao family's Great Elder suddenly arrived.

Within the Xiao family, the Great Elder stood together with the Second and Third Elders. In many matters, they openly contended with Xiao Zhan, the family head.

Many times, relying on the fact that he was much older than Xiao Zhan, the Great Elder did not give Xiao Zhan any face at all.

Now, seeing Xiao Zhan—normally untouchable within the family—lowering himself before some unfamiliar youngster, the Great Elder felt that it was rather improper.

"Our family's honored guest is an alchemist of a rank even higher than Master Gu Ni of the Mier Auction House!"

When Xiao Zhan said that, the Great Elder was immediately dumbfounded.

Though shocked and unable to believe it, the Great Elder also knew that Xiao Zhan would never make such a pointless joke.

The Great Elder had seen the world and was an Old Fox with decades of life experience. Regardless of whether Chu Yang was truly an alchemist, he could instantly put on a flawless outward display.

Thus, he immediately began exchanging pleasantries with Chu Yang in a humble and respectful manner.

Chu Yang also understood that if he did not offer these two Old Foxes a little sweetness, there was no way he could win them over. The Great Elder was an Old Fox, while Xiao Zhan was no simpleton either.

"Gentlemen, I have no Qi Gathering Pills for the time being. Refining them requires a great deal of time and medicinal ingredients. However, I can help the Xiao family refine some Strength Advancement Pills. Those are relatively simple, so I can provide you with pills much sooner, and the cost will not be as terrifying as that of Qi Gathering Pills." Chu Yang began soothing the two Old Foxes, Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder.

With the Medicine Emperor's basic alchemy techniques, Chu Yang immediately understood the refining methods for some simple medicinal pills as clearly as if they were laid out in his palm.

After that, he could gradually produce the various medicinal pills described in Battle Through the Heavens.

Because Battle Through the Heavens had never featured a Medicine Emperor at the level of a Dou Di, the alchemical knowledge bestowed upon Chu Yang by the Medicine Emperor system was not limited to what existed in Battle Through the Heavens. It even contained knowledge of medicinal pills that had never been introduced there.

"Strength Advancement Pills?" Neither Xiao Zhan nor the Great Elder had ever heard of such pills.

It was like how they knew of Qi Gathering Powder, but did not know about its ancestor, the Qi Gathering Pill.

"Gentlemen," Chu Yang said. Though young, he now spoke as if he were seated on equal footing with Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder. "You may truly never have heard of the pills of my sect. Let me explain the Strength Advancement Pill. After taking one, a person at the first stage of Dou Qi can immediately advance to the second stage; a person at the second stage can immediately advance to the third stage..."

There was no need for Chu Yang to continue. Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder could already infer that someone at the third stage of Dou Qi could immediately advance to the fourth stage, while someone at the fourth stage could immediately advance to the fifth stage...

After their initial shock, both Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder were overjoyed. Although the Strength Advancement Pill could not compare to the Qi Gathering Pill, which allowed someone at the ninth stage of Dou Qi to leap straight into the rank of Dou Zhe, each stage of Dou Qi contained nine stars. Advancing from the first stage of Dou Qi to the ninth was no easy feat. For some people, merely advancing one stage could take several months of cultivation.

But now...

For a moment, amid their excitement, Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder's expressions turned into eager longing: when could such a thing begin?

Both of them dreamed of making the Xiao family the sole dominant power in Wutan City, and even of endlessly expanding and strengthening it afterward.

Although Chu Yang was young, he had lived two lives due to his transmigration. His eyes were sharp as fire, and with a single glance, he could almost completely see through Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder's thoughts.

"Prepare some medicinal ingredients and herbs for me. In the next few days, I'll begin refining Strength Advancement Pills for the Xiao family."

As Chu Yang spoke, he picked up the paper and brush on the table and wrote down the names of several herbs and medicinal ingredients.

Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder hurriedly snatched the list over to examine it.

Why would such a young alchemist be willing to help the Xiao family? For an instant, that question flashed through both Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder's minds.

But in the daze of wanting their family to grow stronger, they were willing to believe the mysterious nonsense that Chu Yang and Xiao Zhan were kindred spirits, that Chu Yang and the Xiao family were fated to get along.

Otherwise, they could not find an answer to their doubts.

Nor could they resist the temptation Chu Yang had thrown before them.

After looking over the list of medicinal ingredients Chu Yang had written, Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder were delighted to find that the Xiao family's medicinal storehouse had them all in stock. Even if some were missing, they could go to the Mier Auction House, or seek out those mercenary groups and herb-gathering teams that frequently entered the Monster Mountain Range to purchase them.

Seeing that Chu Yang had no intention of leaving the Xiao family for the moment, Xiao Zhan and the Great Elder immediately arranged a private courtyard room for him within the Xiao residence. They also assigned him two pretty, sensible maidservants to attend to him.