Yao Chen's expression was filled with surprise and astonishment. He had not expected Xiao Ze to refine a first-grade medicinal pill so easily.
He had not even failed once!
And in the next few refinement attempts, he succeeded on the first try every time, without exception.
Yao Chen said in amazement, "Kid, I never expected that besides your astonishing cultivation talent, your talent for alchemy would be just as terrifying."
Yao Chen rarely admired anyone when it came to alchemy, but Xiao Ze was certainly one of the very few.
His talent for alchemy was far stronger than Yao Chen had imagined.
Xiao Ze had completed the task and was now a first-grade Alchemist.
He had also become a four-star Dou Shi.
That evening, Xiao Ze left the Xiao Family's Back Mountain and returned to the inner courtyard.
Over the next few days, Xiao Ze busied himself with cultivation and refined pills in his spare time. His days were fairly leisurely.
Until three days later, Nalan Yanran of the Misty Cloud Sect came to visit once again.
Ever since she had lost to Xiao Ze last time.
After returning to the Misty Cloud Sect, Nalan Yanran had not relaxed or neglected her cultivation in the slightest. She had now reached the strength of a four-star Dou Zhe.
Although she knew that with her strength as a four-star Dou Zhe, if she fought Xiao Ze, who was a one-star Dou Shi—
She would absolutely gain no advantage.
And without any surprise, she would still lose to Xiao Ze.
But compared to last time, she had improved in the end. So if she fought Xiao Ze this time, she should not lose as miserably as before, right?
As long as she held on a little longer, her bitter cultivation and efforts during this time—
Would not have been in vain!
After Nalan Yanran arrived at the Xiao Family, she naturally drew the attention of many Xiao Family members.
After all, Nalan Yanran had publicly come to break off her engagement with Xiao Yan that day.
This matter was not only known throughout the small Wutan City; quite a few people in the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Capital had heard of it as well.
For example, the old master of the Nalan Family, Nalan Jie, had already learned of it.
He was also extremely furious. He had not expected Yanran to be so impulsive.
He had agreed to the marriage arrangement with Xiao Yan's grandfather, yet Yanran had simply gone back on it?
When he descended to the underworld in the future, how would he explain himself to Old Master Xiao?
Xiao Ze looked at the System Panel, where several lines of text were displayed.
[Current Task: Nalan Yanran has challenged you for the second time. Accept the challenge and reveal your strength as a four-star Dou Shi.] [Reward: Advancement to a second-grade Alchemist.] [Accept the task? Please choose.]
Xiao Ze immediately accepted the task. He looked at Nalan Yanran before him.
Then he replied, "Alright, I accept."
Nalan Yanran drew the longsword in her hand and circulated the Dou Qi within her body.
Nalan Yanran said, "Xiao Ze, when I sparred with you last time, I never expected to lose so miserably at your hands. And I truly never expected that although we were peers, you already possessed the strength of a Dou Shi."
"After I returned, I cultivated bitterly for quite some time. Compared to when I last fought you, my cultivation has improved and advanced."
"Perhaps I am still not your opponent, but compared to last time, I have become stronger."
The Dou Qi around Nalan Yanran began to circulate rapidly.
However, before Nalan Yanran could make her move, she felt it.
The power of the Dou Qi within Xiao Ze was so strong that it left her shocked and stunned!
"This is... the strength of a four-star Dou Shi?" Nalan Yanran's expression was full of shock.
She thought she had sensed it incorrectly.
How long had it been? No matter how talented Xiao Ze was, it should have been impossible for him to rise to the strength of a four-star Dou Shi in such a short time.
Until, in an instant, as Xiao Ze made his move, a powerful surge of Dou Qi erupted against Nalan Yanran's body.
She was blasted several meters away.
Nalan Yanran's expression was one of utter shock and disbelief. "I never thought Xiao Ze truly possessed the strength of a four-star Dou Shi?"
"How is this possible?!" Nalan Yanran cried out in amazement. In less than half an exchange, she had been instantly defeated by Xiao Ze.
During this time, she had returned to the Misty Cloud Sect and gone into secluded cultivation. She had painstakingly raised her realm by a single star of Dou Zhe, reaching four-star strength.
Yet she had never expected that Xiao Ze, in the Xiao Family of the small Wutan City, without the Misty Cloud Sect's top cultivation resources, could actually rise to the strength of a four-star Dou Shi?
Nalan Yanran could not help but marvel inwardly.
Just how had Xiao Ze done it?
Xiao Ze looked at the defeated Nalan Yanran and said calmly, "It is over, Miss Nalan. You lost again."
Xiao Ze was already eager to claim the task reward.
He had just defeated Nalan Yanran and revealed his strength as a four-star Dou Shi.
Sure enough, moments later, the system's task reward appeared on his panel.
[Current Task: Reveal the strength of a four-star Dou Shi and accept Nalan Yanran's second challenge.] [Reward: Advancement to a second-grade Alchemist.] [Task completed. Reward successfully issued.]
After Xiao Ze claimed the system's task reward, he noticed his Alchemist rank on the personal attributes page of the System Panel.
It had already risen from first-grade to second-grade.
As his Alchemist rank increased.
He noticed that a new task had appeared on the panel.
[Current Task: Display the abilities of a second-grade Alchemist, amaze Teacher Yao Chen, and gain his recognition.] [Reward: 20 Points, which can be used to exchange for top-tier rewards in the shop.]
Xiao Ze saw that a shop had appeared on the System Panel and was now unlocked.
Looking at the dazzling array of top-tier rewards in the shop, he was greatly tempted.
Green Lotus Core Flame, 10,000 Points.
Ten thousand Points were enough to exchange for the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Xiao Ze had now obtained the Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations, but he still needed Heavenly Flames to unleash the true power of this Dou Technique.
If he used Beast Flame, its effects and power would clearly be greatly reduced.
The Green Lotus Core Flame's rank was not particularly high, but it was not too bad either.
Of course, the system shop also contained other Heavenly Flames, all of which could be exchanged for with Points.
Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, 1,000,000 Points.
Good grief, was that not far too expensive?
But considering the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's ranking on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, one million Points did not seem like much after all.
Xiao Ze closed the System Panel. It seemed that whether he sought out and refined Heavenly Flames himself or exchanged system Points for them, obtaining Heavenly Flames would not be easy.
The effort required would be anything but insignificant.
Nalan Yanran had once again been defeated by Xiao Ze. Though unwilling to accept it, she truly had not expected Xiao Ze's strength to increase once more.
And he had reached the strength of a four-star Dou Shi.
To be honest, Xiao Ze's cultivation talent made Nalan Yanran feel something almost like admiration and affection toward a young man for the first time.
She had never felt this before.
Nalan Yanran suddenly had an idea.
She wanted to invite Xiao Ze to join the Misty Cloud Sect.
With a genius like Xiao Ze joining, and the sect nurturing him carefully in the future, his potential would surely be immeasurable.
The Misty Cloud Sect would benefit from it as well!
"Xiao Ze," Nalan Yanran said.
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