Yao Lao: Xiao Yan, why don't you...

The next day was the coming-of-age ceremony. Nearly every faction in Wutan City was in attendance; with the Xiao Clan, the overlords of Wutan City, holding a ceremony for their most gifted second young master, who would dare not show their face?

Xiao Zhan's smile never faded throughout the day. Xiao Li also had the fortune of seeing Ya Fei, a woman quite famous in the original story. Although she had not yet reached the level of a national beauty who could topple cities, she was already beginning to show her brilliance, and countless young men in Wutan City had long been infatuated with her.

Once the ceremony concluded, Xiao Li was cornered at his room door by Little Fairy Doctor. "Is something the matter, Xian'er?"

Little Fairy Doctor bit her lip, seemingly harboring some unspeakable difficulty. "I, you..."

Xiao Li frowned, thinking she had run into some trouble.

"What is it?"

Little Fairy Doctor furrowed her brows and bit her lips. "I want a kiss."

"Huh?" Xiao Li was stunned. "Why are you so obsessed with a kiss?"

Little Fairy Doctor curled up in Xiao Li's arms. "Because, because you are leaving again soon, and this time you'll be gone for so long."

Xiao Li fell silent. There was no helping it; he carried too much on his shoulders—the safety of his family in the coming years, as well as Little Fairy Doctor's Woeful Poison Body. If he kept hiding at home, he would eventually lose everything.

Wait for Xiao Yan to save the day? Then why would he have been transmigrated here? To experience familial love only to have it all snatched away?

"Second Brother, are you in there!"

Just as Xiao Li was teasing Little Fairy Doctor, a familiar voice drifted from outside the door. Xiao Li's expression stiffened. That sounded like Xiao Yan—how had he returned?

"How did you know I was here?"

Pushing open the door, it was indeed Xiao Yan standing outside.

Seeing her hiding behind Xiao Li, Xiao Yan gave an ambiguous smile. "In the entire Xiao Clan, who doesn't know that you, Second Brother, run to Little Fairy Doctor's room every single day? I heard about it the moment I got back."

Xiao Li's eye twitched. Why were these idle brats watching him all day long?

"Ahem, is there a reason you're back?" Xiao Li coughed lightly to ease the awkwardness.

"Nothing much, just came back to see your coming-of-age ceremony. I've seen it now, so I'm preparing to head back out for training," Xiao Yan replied with a grin.

Xiao Li felt a warmth in his heart. Xiao Yan must have traveled a long way to make it back, and he was already planning to leave again.

"Here, take this." Xiao Li tossed him a Storage Ring.

Xiao Yan caught it, and as his spiritual sense subconsciously probed inside, his eyes widened.

"Good grief, Second Brother, did you kill a merchant? There's so much here—our entire Xiao Clan doesn't even have a third of this!" Xiao Yan exclaimed in shock.

Xiao Li didn't offer much explanation. "I heard from Father that you're an alchemist now, so I collected some for you. This isn't all for you, though; half of what you refine belongs to me."

Xiao Yan nodded excitedly. This batch of medicinal herbs would allow him to fully hone his alchemy experience. Giving away half was nothing; it was his Second Brother's to begin with.

Medicine Venerable, lurking within the ring on Xiao Yan's finger, was shocked—not by the herbs, but by Xiao Li's strength. The Blood-Shatter Heaven-Striking Thunder could evade the detection of the Two Elders Qian and Bai, but it could not hide from him. An alchemist's soul power was inherently far stronger than that of other experts at the same level.

A three-star Dou Ling at his peak! And he possesses an extreme blood-evil power, yet his mind remains completely unaffected. Strange, truly strange. Medicine Venerable sighed. Even having seen countless geniuses, he had to admit that Xiao Li was a monster.

Xiao Li was also sizing up Xiao Yan. He could only say that he was worthy of being the protagonist. After having his Dou Qi drained by Medicine Venerable for a year, he had still broken through to become a Dou Master. If not for that year, he might have been a high-level Dou Master by now.

"Eight Extremities Collapse!"

Just as Xiao Li was lost in thought, Xiao Yan suddenly struck, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Second Brother, we haven't sparred in a long time. Come on!"

Xiao Li's lips curled. "Good lad."

Xiao Li reached out his right hand and caught Xiao Yan's palms, the powerful energy fluctuations dissipating in his grip.

His Mystic Thunder Body could withstand a Dou Ling expert without injury; Xiao Yan was still a bit too green.

Xiao Yan's eyes were filled with shock. How was this possible? Even a Great Dou Master wouldn't dare take this move head-on with their bare body.

A body-tempering technique. Your Second Brother has practiced such a technique, Medicine Venerable reminded him secretly.

Xiao Yan nodded calmly, though his expression was a bit dejected. In this exchange, he felt the same powerlessness he had two years ago, perhaps even more so.

Xiao Li shook his head slightly and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder. "You wasted a year, but to have this level of strength already makes you the number one talent of the younger generation in the Gama Empire."

Xiao Yan nodded, his fighting spirit reigniting. "I never said I was giving up. Second Brother, don't you slack off, or I'll catch up to you!"

Xiao Li gave him a helpless look and slapped the back of his head. "Trying to surpass your brother? Keep dreaming."

Xiao Yan winced in pain, but he could only cover his head, daring to be angry but not to speak. In the end, he could only let out a cold snort.

Xiao Li chuckled. Finally, he said his goodbyes to Little Fairy Doctor. She swore she would enter Canaan Academy within two years, and Xiao Li promised that he would personally come to recruit her in two years' time.

Before leaving, he handed a poison-type cultivation technique to Little Fairy Doctor. He had left the other techniques and miscellaneous items for Xiao Zhan, but this Poison Scripture was specifically for her.

Little Fairy Doctor had awakened her poison body at age three; restraint was no longer useful. Since she could still control the Woeful Poison Body for now, it was better to let her cultivate it so she would have some means of self-preservation.

There was still time. Xiao Li was confident he could find another solution before she lost control. If not, wasn't there still Xiao Yan to fall back on? At worst, he would just seal that guy's eyes when the time came and unseal them once she was cured.

Watching Xiao Li's departing back, Xiao Yan shivered involuntarily. Rubbing his nose, he felt a bit confused. "Strange, who's thinking of me? It couldn't be that girl I met during the alchemist examination, could it?"

Medicine Venerable sighed, only popping out once Xiao Yan had left Little Fairy Doctor's courtyard. "You brat, stop being so narcissistic. Now you've seen the gap between you and your Second Brother."

Xiao Yan wasn't the type to be easily discouraged. During the year he lost his Dou Qi, he had forged a very strong mental fortitude.

"Hmph, one day, I will surpass my Second Brother!"

A vein popped on Medicine Venerable's forehead. Soul power symbolizing his rage flared, and he slapped the back of Xiao Yan's head hard.

"Stop putting on an act. You, of all people."

Feeling the increasingly distant fluctuations of Xiao Li's power, Yao Lao paused, his expression turning serious; if he kept comparing Xiao Yan to Xiao Li, he truly feared that Xiao Yan's Dao heart would shatter and inner demons would take root.

"Xiao Yan, why don't you..."

Before Yao Lao could finish his sentence, Xiao Yan interrupted him, a rare occurrence.

"Teacher, if I don't even have the courage to catch up, how can I talk about helping you restore your physical body? That is a far more difficult task than surpassing my Second Brother as he is now."

A warmth welled up in Yao Lao's heart; he had not chosen this disciple in vain.

"Good, good lad. Then this teacher shall give you a hand. Let the devilish training begin!"