Xiao Yu

He was planning to enjoy the sweetness first and worry about tomorrow when it came!

Once he made the rice into cooked rice and got the girl pregnant, perhaps the Xiao clan would eventually tacitly accept their relationship...

He had been dreaming beautifully! But—

The surrounded woman began trying to break out again, only for the leader of the bandits to force her back once more.

At that moment, Chu Yang arrived.

With one kick, Chu Yang sent a one-star Dou Fighter bandit flying. He then exchanged blows with another two-star Dou Fighter bandit, and his superior strength immediately showed. He knocked the man into the grass with a single punch.

At the same time, another one-star Dou Fighter bandit was so frightened that he hurriedly ran away, shouting as he went, "This guy's tough!"

Then Chu Yang faced the five-star Dou Fighter bandit leader.

The man naturally could not see through Chu Yang's strength. But since Chu Yang had suddenly ruined his plans, he hated him to the core and attacked without another word.

The surrounded woman took the chance to leap out of the encirclement, but a two-star Dou Fighter bandit still blocked her path.

"Ah! You—"

Suddenly, the five-star Dou Fighter bandit leader let out a cry of alarm.

He could only stare helplessly at the hand Chu Yang had grabbed.

Chu Yang, meanwhile, broke into a grin. He could feel it—he had begun absorbing Dou Qi again.

This time, he was absorbing the Dou Qi of someone weaker than himself. Although he still did not understand the principle behind how Great Dou Absorption worked—

As long as the other party's Dou Qi flowed into his body, he was thrilled.

"You... you're evil..."

But this wonderful feeling lasted only a short while before the bandit leader suddenly used some unknown desperate technique to break free from Chu Yang. Then he began fleeing wildly in panic.

As he ran, he shrieked in terror, "He's a ghost! He's a ghost—"

The men under him also fled in all directions without a second thought.

"You're the ghost!" Chu Yang had no intention of letting the man insult him like that.

"Hahaha—"

At that moment, the Xiao clan woman who had been surrounded suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

She was laughing at the miserable sight of those bandits fleeing, as well as Chu Yang's expression.

Seeing her laugh so happily, as though she had already forgotten the life-or-death danger from moments ago, Chu Yang could not help praising her inwardly. Her personality was unexpectedly so bold and forthright. Unlike the outstanding women among the younger generation of the Xiao clan, such as Xun'er and Xiao Mei, who exactly was she...

However, the woman soon stopped laughing.

Then she cupped her fists toward Chu Yang. "Thank you for saving me. This little woman is Xiao Yu. If Young Master has any business in Wutan City later..."

She suddenly fell silent. She had wanted to say that if he had any trouble in Wutan City, the Xiao clan would certainly look after him. But then she remembered that he had already said he was a friend of the Xiao clan, so...

Xiao Yu did not know how to continue, while Chu Yang was marveling inwardly. So she was Xiao Yu! With those long, beautiful legs, I should have realized it long ago!

Did Chu Yang know Xiao Yu? Of course! Before transmigrating, he had read some things about Xiao Yu.

"Mm, that's right. I'm heading back to Wutan City too. Let's go together!" Chu Yang said, as though helping Xiao Yu finish her sentence.

Then, to spare Xiao Yu any embarrassment, Chu Yang added, "I'm staying at your residence now. This time, I came to the Monster Mountain Range to gather medicinal herbs."

"Ah?" Xiao Yu gasped softly.

What a coincidence!

"You came to the Monster Mountain Range to gather herbs?" Xiao Yu repeated Chu Yang's words.

"Yes. I'm an alchemist."

"Ah?"

Seeing Xiao Yu suddenly open her mouth in shock, Chu Yang did not feel that he was showing off.

He had always been an alchemist. Besides, even if he did not say so now, Xiao Yu would learn it as soon as she returned home.

"What? Do I not look like one?" Chu Yang asked calmly, teasing Xiao Yu.

How could Xiao Yu dare say that he did not? It was just that she could not believe it. She had never seen, or even heard of, such a young alchemist.

Xiao Yu had already left Wutan City. In fact, she had gone to Jia Nan Academy, which had some fame across the Dou Qi Continent. She had returned home this time because of some business, and the journey had been peaceful thanks to the escort team Jia Nan Academy assigned to protect its students.

Xiao Yu had never expected that after returning to her hometown, a moment of playfulness would lead her to part ways with Jia Nan Academy's escorts. Before meeting up with the people the Xiao clan had sent to receive her, that small oversight had nearly caused her to fall into the hands of villains and regret it for the rest of her life.

Fortunately, Chu Yang had ultimately saved her.

This young man, Chu Yang, was highly skilled and possessed an extremely strange Dou Technique—or perhaps it was a cultivation method. Look at how he had sent those villains fleeing in panic.

And now, he turned out to be a respected alchemist?!

All at once, Xiao Yu felt the first stirrings of love—

She did not dare think about it. If such a young and outstanding talent were her boyfriend, how wonderful would that be?

After that, the usually bold and straightforward Xiao Yu suddenly became somewhat shy and awkward in front of Chu Yang.

Chu Yang frowned inwardly. He did not appreciate this version of Xiao Yu.

He liked the bold and fiery Xiao Yu who had chased Xiao Yan through the entire clan with nowhere to hide!

Chu Yang had not realized that this was the change in a girl who had begun to genuinely like him. At the very least, before the man she liked, she wanted to appear more refined and bashful.

The atmosphere became a little awkward, but fortunately, the two of them soon returned to the Xiao clan.

After arriving at the Xiao clan, Xiao Yu learned from her family that Chu Yang truly was a respected alchemist.

He had not lied to her!

And he had saved her too...

For a time, Xiao Yu seemed to develop the resolve that she would marry no one but Chu Yang.

That was right. After leaving the Xiao clan and Wutan City for Jia Nan Academy, she had met many more young talents.

Once, she had used this very sentiment to advise Xun'er to stay away from that bastard Xiao Yan. Yet Xun'er had somehow replied that, in her eyes, Xiao Yan still had many distinctive qualities.

Xiao Yu had naturally scoffed at that then. But now, despite having broadened her horizons outside, she had never imagined that one day her heart would bloom so easily for a man!

That man was—Chu Yang.

Chu Yang had no idea about the romantic thoughts in Xiao Yu's heart, much less that she had fallen in love with him at first sight.

As soon as he returned to the Xiao clan and met Xiao Zhan and several other Xiao clan elders, he shut himself in his courtyard to refine pills.

He seemed extremely anxious, eager to immediately refine the Advancement Pill that would allow him to advance.