"Thank you. I was just about to buy some materials for alchemy!"
Now that he had money, of course he had to spend it. Yao Lao hadn't forgotten what he'd promised his disciple: he would help him recover to the Dou Zhe level within half a year.
Ya Fei was more than happy to oblige, and immediately instructed someone to prepare the medicinal ingredients.
After receiving the ingredients, Yao Lao couldn't wait to leave the Mittal Auction House. As soon as he returned to the Xiao Family, he began refining Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.
[ Ding! Detected a change in Xiao Yan's life trajectory. Simulation ended. Rewards: Flame Mantra (Gold), Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid formula (Blue), basic alchemy (Blue). ]
"Flame Mantra! Hahaha, I knew choosing the Flame Mantra was the right call!"
Looking at the system's reward panel, Xiao Chen's mouth curled into a huge grin. Wasn't choosing it over an Earth Tier Cultivation Method exactly for this moment?
As a transmigrator, he knew all too well how valuable the Flame Mantra was. It was Xiao Yan's greatest cheat on his rise to power. This was the Dou Qi Continent; if it were the Great Thousand World, there was no way this thing would come from a mere Gold reward.
Without hesitation, Xiao Chen chose to accept. The basics of alchemy and the method for refining Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid immediately surfaced in his mind.
The Flame Mantra began circulating on its own within Xiao Chen's body. The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, which had been motionless in his dantian, was stirred by the Flame Mantra and once more flowed through his meridians.
[ Ding! A Heavenly Flame available for refinement has been detected—Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. Refine it with one click? ]
"Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, let's see how far you can evolve the Flame Mantra!"
Xiao Chen silently thought, "Refine." In an instant, the Flame Mantra seemed to become a wild horse breaking free of its reins, circulating furiously.
A quarter of an hour later, the system's notification sounded again.
[ Ding! Refinement complete. The Flame Mantra has evolved to the high level of the Earth Tier! ]
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It really is worthy of being the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, ranked fourth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!"
Looking at the system notification, Xiao Chen couldn't help clicking his tongue. Back then, Xiao Yan had suffered through so much and refined three Heavenly Flames before pushing the Flame Mantra to the high level of the Earth Tier.
And he'd only refined one, painlessly at that. Sure enough, the netizens had been right: "Cheating feels great for a while; cheating forever feels great forever!"
After his excitement subsided, Xiao Chen summoned the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame again. The golden flames flickered gently in his palm, sometimes turning into a little rabbit, sometimes into an eagle soaring with outstretched wings.
"So this is how alchemists control fire. Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid is a good thing, and just what I need right now!"
Xiao Chen licked his lips, drew the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame back into his body, and turned to leave the room.
Having a cheat wasn't the scary part. The scary part was having one and still grinding hard. Xiao Chen decided not to waste this rare opportunity and to put in some serious work, so he planned to buy some ingredients and refine Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.
As for where to get the money, hadn't the simulator already shown him? He'd written that pill formula himself back then; he hadn't forgotten it.
Mittal Auction House, VIP room!
"Young Master Xiao Chen, you're not joking with Ya Fei, are you?"
Looking at the boy before her, who seemed to be around seven or eight years old, Ya Fei wore an astonished expression.
Xiao Chen picked up his teacup and took a small sip before replying unhurriedly, "The formula is right here. Whether I'm joking or not, Sister Ya Fei can just verify it, can't she?"
Xiao Chen naturally had no intention of disguising his identity and coming back. At his age, a disguise would be far too easy to see through, so he'd simply come openly.
Besides, he had the Xiao Family behind him. The Mittal Auction House wouldn't dare harbor any crooked intentions toward him. What's more, this was an improved Second-Rank formula; to anyone who didn't know the truth, Xiao Chen must have an alchemist backing him.
And the people one must never provoke on the Dou Qi Continent were alchemists. Ya Fei was a shrewd woman who wouldn't do anything foolish. That was one reason Xiao Chen dared to bring out the formula in the open.
Of course, Xiao Chen had plenty of confidence of his own, too. With the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, even if Ya Fei turned on him right there, he could suppress her in an instant.
"Good! Little Brother Xiao Chen, wait here a moment. I'll go invite Master Gu Ni right away!"
Ya Fei took a deep breath to settle her complicated emotions, then hurried out of the VIP room.
Before long, Gu Ni, dressed in a Second-Rank Alchemist's robe, followed Ya Fei into the VIP room.
The moment he entered, Gu Ni asked eagerly, "Where's the formula? Hurry and let me see it!"
"Little Brother Xiao Chen, please don't mind him. Master Gu Ni is obsessed with alchemy, so this is just how he is!"
Seeing this, Ya Fei quickly spoke up, afraid Xiao Chen might misunderstand. Gu Ni was indeed a Second-Rank Alchemist, but the person behind Xiao Chen was surely no ordinary figure either.
Anyone capable of improving a Second-Rank formula had to be an alchemist of at least the Second Rank. Though she didn't yet know if it was true, caution was still best. It was always better not to make enemies.
"No problem. The formula is right here. Go ahead and take a look, Master Gu Ni!"
Xiao Chen didn't mind. Alchemists were all like this: whenever they saw something good, their eyes lit up and they couldn't wait to get their hands on it. He understood.
It was like having a stunning beauty stand naked right in front of you. If you didn't get turned on, you ought to go see a doctor.
After Ya Fei's reminder, Gu Ni came back to his senses and quickly composed himself. He stepped forward, picked up the formula, and examined it. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! After these modifications, the formula not only cuts the cost in half, but the pills' effects can improve by at least thirty percent!"
Hearing this, Xiao Chen couldn't help taking another look at Gu Ni. He had to admit, the old man had some skill. He'd deduced the effects just by looking at the formula.
"Master Gu Ni is right. This is the Bone Growth Pill formula improved by my master, and its effects are at least thirty percent stronger!"
Xiao Chen shamelessly claimed that his master had improved the formula. The meaning was clear: I have someone backing me. Don't try to bluff me.
How could someone as shrewd as Ya Fei fail to understand Xiao Chen's implication? But she hadn't planned on trying anything underhanded in the first place.
Making an enemy of an unknown alchemist over a small gain wasn't the sort of thing Mittel Ya Fei would do.
With that in mind, Ya Fei walked over and sat beside Xiao Chen, then stretched lazily, revealing her voluptuous figure in all its glory. "Little Brother Xiao Chen, I'll offer five thousand gold coins for the formula. What do you think?"
Her breath, fragrant as orchids and musk, brushed against Xiao Chen's face, making his heartbeat quicken despite himself. What could he do? His body belonged to a child, but his soul was that of an adult. How could he resist this sort of temptation?
At that moment, Xiao Chen could only regret that his heart was willing but his body was weak. He silently swore to remember this grudge. You little enchantress, just you wait. I'll deal with you in a few years!
"That's a fair price, but there's one more thing I'll have to trouble you with, Sister."
Xiao Chen hadn't forgotten the real reason he'd come. After making a note of the grudge, he spoke again. "Sister Ya Fei, I need some ingredients!"
"As for the cost of the ingredients, just deduct it from the money for the formula!"
After speaking, Xiao Chen handed Ya Fei a list of the various ingredients.
Before you continue