Xiao Zhan Arrives

Although the Siphon Technique might be a chicken rib to Xiao Yan, who has Yao Lao, it is a treasure for Xiao Li to save time and acquire massive resources.

The only thing to watch out for is not to be overly eager for quick success; one must minimize the influence of the Blood Pill and discard its dross. Otherwise, if too many impurities are absorbed, let alone fighting across ranks, even breaking through will become a problem.

Nurturing the Blood Furnace with one's own body... Forget it, let's go pick up Little Fairy Doctor first.

Xiao Li decided to stay in this valley for the time being to cultivate with focus.

Feeling the convergence of heaven and earth energy, Xiao Li calmed his mind, turning the attracted energy into a trickling stream that flowed slowly along his meridians, nourishing the Dou Qi cyclone within his body.

Time flowed by, his cultivation rose bit by bit: condensing the Blood Furnace, killing magical beasts, absorbing Blood Pills...

...One year later.

Xiao Zhan looked toward Green Mountain Town in the distance, hesitating for a moment, wondering how he could pretend to encounter Xiao Li by chance without appearing too deliberate.

"This brat, he hasn't come home to visit in a year. Next year is your coming-of-age ceremony, and the Canaan Academy enrollment is coming up soon too. If Yan'er could see you now, he surely wouldn't feel so heartbroken..."

Thinking of his youngest son at home who had lost his talent, Xiao Zhan felt a pang of pain. How could the second genius of Wutan City fall from a Dou Zhe to the eighth stage of Dou Zhi Qi in just one year, and become unable to cultivate further?

Thinking of his second son, Xiao Zhan suppressed the thoughts in his head for the moment, and his mood improved slightly.

Walking along the small path in Green Mountain Town, Xiao Zhan stopped a passerby.

"Excuse me, have you heard of someone named Xiao Li?"

Xiao Zhan was very certain that with his son's talent, staying in Green Mountain Town for a year would make him a widely known monstrous genius.

The passerby who was stopped looked at Xiao Zhan strangely. "Xiao Li? Let me think. That youth? It seems he was driven into the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group a year ago. I was actually there at the time, and those Wolf Head people were really... Hey, hey, hey!"

Before the passerby could finish, Xiao Zhan's hands had already clamped onto the man's shoulders, his voice trembling.

"Y-you, what did you say!"

Feeling the strength in Xiao Zhan's hands, the passerby turned deathly pale from the pain. "S-senior, it was the people from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group who drove Xiao Li into the Magical Beast Mountain Range! Spare me, please spare me!"

Xiao Zhan released his grip without a word, and the passerby, losing support, felt his legs go weak and collapsed to the ground.

"Where is the Wolf Head Mercenary Group?"

"Senior, just head in that direction."

Kneeling on the ground and gasping for air, the passerby pointed in a direction, terrified, and hurriedly begged for mercy.

Xiao Zhan ignored him and walked toward the territory of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group with a gloomy face.

He, Xiao Zhan, only had three sons. His youngest son's Dou Qi cultivation had regressed within a year, reducing him to an ordinary person, or even... a piece of trash.

His second son had extraordinary talent, yet he was trapped in the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and what's more, he had been forced in there by others.

"Wolf Head Mercenary Group, you deserve to die!"

Xiao Zhan charged all the way to the main gate of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's station. The momentum he unleashed along the way drew side-eyes, and the pressure of a four-star Da Dou Shi made the weaker Dou Zhe almost unable to breathe.

"Who is that? His momentum is so astonishing!"

"He seems to be heading for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. With such a cold face, could he be seeking revenge?"

"Let's go, let's go see."

Xiao Zhan walked the whole way with a large crowd following behind him, but he had no time to care. Xiao Zhan only wanted to make this so-called Wolf Head Mercenary Group pay the price.

"Y-you, who are you!"

The two mercenaries guarding the gate looked on with fear. The pressure leaking from Xiao Zhan made it difficult for them even to stand.

Xiao Zhan pursed his lips tightly, and with both hands, he directly crushed their throats.

Seeing Xiao Zhan act so ruthlessly, the freelance mercenaries following behind were startled and quickly backed away to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Xiao Zhan stepped into the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's station, killing everyone he saw, his eyes blood-red, appearing like a demon.

The Wolf Head Mercenary Group's station was not large; one path led to the end. On the way was the mercenaries' training ground, where everyone from the Wolf Head was currently gathered.

Mu She sat slumped in a grand chair, looking at the dozens of mercenaries below, dreaming of the wonderful days of dominating Green Mountain Town.

"Leader, Leader, it's bad! Someone has broken in!" A lackey ran to Mu She in a panic, his terrified appearance causing Mu She to look up.

"What are you panicking about? In this Green Mountain Town, who dares to go against our Wolf Head? Is it the Blood Battle Mercenary Group?"

Mu She stood up, his eyes icy.

"It is I. Speak, what have you done to my son, Xiao Li!"

Xiao Zhan strode into the training ground, the wind-attribute Dou Qi swirling around him almost kicking up dust across the entire area.

Mu She's originally icy face turned to shock. "A Da Dou Shi expert!"

Gan Mu, who was standing next to Mu She, looked up abruptly. "Xiao Li!"

Gan Mu recalled that monstrous youth from a year ago, then looked at the middle-aged man standing at the entrance of the training ground. Cold sweat poured out uncontrollably; the thing he had worried about most this past year had finally happened.

That monster had a faction behind him, and one far stronger than their Wolf Head!

Gan Mu's voice was caught by Xiao Zhan. Looking at this sinister-eyed middle-aged man, Xiao Zhan's gaze was cold. "You know?"

"Speak, where is Xiao Li now!"

Xiao Zhan was furious, his hair standing on end, and a faint green lion's head appeared on his face.

A Profound-tier intermediate cultivation method, Mad Lion Rage Aura!

"I, I don't know."

Gan Mu stammered, struggling to even get a complete sentence out.

Mu She thought of the youth Gan Mu had mentioned to him earlier and wished he could slap him to death; he had handled things so sloppily that the boy's family had come looking for them.

Biting the bullet, Mu She forced himself to speak, "Sen, Senior, we have no idea who this Xiao Li is."

Seeing their expressions, Xiao Zhan knew exactly what was going on—it was nothing but a guilty conscience.

"Since you don't know, then all of you can go to hell!"

Xiao Zhan clenched his fists, the intense wind pressure blowing back the hair on Mu She's forehead and revealing a pair of terrified black eyes.

"Lion Mountain Split!"

The Profound-tier low-level battle skill erupted with full force; a mad lion emerged from the mountain, carrying such an overwhelming aura that Mu She couldn't even muster the thought of resisting.

"BOOM!"

As the dust and smoke cleared and the blood mist drifted away, Gan Mu looked at the massive crater beside him with a pounding heart. Mu She had vanished, leaving nothing behind but scattered chunks of flesh.

Trembling as he wiped the blood from his face, Gan Mu collapsed to his knees with a thud.

"Senior, spare me! Senior, spare me! Xiao Li entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range on his own; we didn't force him!"

Xiao Zhan looked at Gan Mu, who had confessed without being pressed, his eyes dark and his voice devoid of any emotion.

"All of you, go to hell."

He swung both hands, a cyan battle qi armor manifesting as wind blades filled the air, shredding the nearby Wolf Head Mercenary Group mercenaries until they were covered in wounds.

In a valley within the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Li smiled helplessly.

"Little Fairy Doctor, this fish seems to have..."

"Hmm?"

A dangerous glint flickered in the little girl's eyes, giving the impression that if Xiao Li said the wrong thing, she would go on a killing spree.

"Nothing, nothing! It's just that today's grilled fish is exceptionally delicious, wuwuwu QAQ." Xiao Li felt like crying without tears.

If he had known better, he wouldn't have given the Complete Guide to Heavenly Treasures to the Little Fairy Doctor, nor would he have suggested that if one couldn't be an alchemist, they could use food and medicinal herbs to make medicinal meals. Now, every grilled fish tasted bitter.

Glancing at the Little Fairy Doctor's somewhat tattered dress, Xiao Li pursed his lips.

"Let's leave the mountain once we're done eating."

The Little Fairy Doctor froze, then a smile bloomed on her face. "Yay! We can finally leave the mountain!"

Watching the young girl's bright smile, Xiao Li chuckled; she was truly adorable.

Both Xiao Li and the Little Fairy Doctor were at an age where they were growing rapidly, shooting up five or six centimeters in a year. Not to mention the wear and tear from scrambling through the mountains for a year, the tightness of his clothes as he grew was becoming unbearable for Xiao Li.

"Yeah, I'll buy you new clothes, and while we're at it, I'll settle some scores!"