Fourth-grade pills? Xiao Zhan's excitement

"Yanran, what did you say? A seven-star Dou Shi?" Nalan Jie's expression went instantly blank upon hearing this, unable to believe what his ears had just told him.

Nalan Su felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning the moment he heard the news.

If only it had been the Xiao Family's fourth young master, Xiao Ze, who had been betrothed to Yanran back then; if that were the case, there would be no talk of breaking off the engagement today.

It was not just Nalan Su who thought this; even Nalan Jie felt exactly the same way.

Even Nalan Yanran herself shared the very same thought.

Xiao Ze's cultivation talent was truly astonishing!

Even Nalan Yanran, who had long been accustomed to being the favored daughter of heaven, could not help but feel genuine admiration.

Otherwise, given her proud and haughty nature, she would never have been so easily convinced by a youth of her own age.

Yun Yun remarked, "Very well. I had originally thought that if a youth with such talent could join our Misty Cloud Sect and be properly nurtured, perhaps we could cultivate a powerhouse for the sect."

"However, since he looks down upon our Misty Cloud Sect so much—and even disdains me, Yun Yun, as his teacher—then so be it."

Nalan Yanran had not yet finished what she was saying.

She added another sentence, "Teacher... Xiao Ze, he also seems to be an alchemist."

Yun Yun's expression turned to one of shock once more, as did those of Nalan Su and Nalan Jie standing beside her.

"What? An alchemist? To be a first-tier alchemist at such a young age?"

Nalan Yanran replied, "It seems... he is a third-tier alchemist."

"Third-tier!!!"

Within the Misty Cloud Sect, countless gasps of shock suddenly erupted.

A teenager who was not only a seven-star Dou Shi but also a third-tier alchemist.

In all her years in the Gama Empire, Yun Yun had never heard of such talent.

She suddenly wanted to meet this Xiao Ze that Yanran had mentioned in person, to see if he truly had reached the alchemy level of a third-tier alchemist while still in his teens, just as Yanran had claimed.

Back at the Xiao Family, Xiao Ze was naturally unaware of what had just transpired at the Misty Cloud Sect.

He spent the next few days cultivating within the family estate.

Then, on the evening of that day, Xiao Ze looked at his system panel, where a random task had been released.

[Current Task: Help your father, Xiao Zhan, increase his strength by one star. Unlock Main Quest: Revitalize the Xiao Clan.]
[Reward: Eight-star Dou Shi realm.]
[Accept task? Please choose.]

Never mind that completing the task would grant a one-star increase in strength, advancing him to an eight-star Dou Shi.

Even without any task rewards, Xiao Ze would still be willing to help his father, Xiao Zhan, improve his strength.

His father was currently a five-star Da Dou Shi; after so many years, he had seen little improvement or progress, having entered a bottleneck stage.

At such a time, if one had profound Dou techniques or cultivation methods, along with medicinal pills as an aid, one could break through this threshold.

However, over these many years, the Xiao Family, situated in the tiny, insignificant Wutan City, had no access to resources or medicinal support.

As the clan leader, Xiao Zhan naturally had no possibility of breaking through or advancing.

Thus, his strength had remained stagnant until now.

Speaking of this, Xiao Ze could not help but feel a deep sense of contempt in his heart for the Ancient Clan's leader, Gu Yuan.

If he had simply taken a few scraps from the Ancient Clan that no one was using and given them to the Xiao Family, Xiao Zhan would not have been stuck at the Da Dou Shi realm.

He would have at least been worthy of the trust placed in him by Xiao Xuan.

The more he thought about it, the more he—having bound himself to the Xiao Xuan panel—felt the need to revitalize the Xiao Clan and return it to the glory it held a thousand years ago.

He would strike the face of that old turtle, Gu Yuan, hard.

Xiao Ze accepted the system task and then obtained a prescription from Medicine Elder.

It was a prescription for something called the Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, which could help a Da Dou Shi directly increase their strength by one star.

However, this was a fourth-tier pill, and according to Xiao Ze's current alchemy level, he was not yet capable of refining it.

Yao Chen spoke up, "It does not matter, little one. This master can help you refine this fourth-tier pill, the Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill."

"However, your current realm is still that of a Dou Shi, and this Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill is meant to help a Da Dou Shi increase their strength. What do you need this pill for?"

"I want to help my father increase his strength; he has been stagnant at the five-star Da Dou Shi realm for a long time," Xiao Ze said.

Hearing Xiao Ze's reply, Medicine Elder was extremely satisfied.

A disciple who understood filial piety and gratitude was countless times better than his eldest disciple, Han Feng.

Moreover, Xiao Ze's talent was so immense, including his talent for alchemy.

So little time had passed, and he was already able to independently refine third-tier pills.

Yao Chen thought of this and grew even more appreciative of Xiao Ze.

It took three or four days for Xiao Ze to collect all the medicinal ingredients for the Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, and he made a special trip to the Mittel Auction House.

After obtaining the ingredients, he handed them over to Yao Chen to help with his cultivation.

During his lifetime, Yao Chen had been a grandmaster alchemist capable of refining tier-eight medicinal pills.

A mere tier-four pill was nothing to him, and he refined it into a success with ease.

Seeing the tier-four pill in his hand, Xiao Ze was extremely satisfied.

Mm, with this tier-four pill, I will certainly be able to help Father increase his strength and reach the realm of a six-star Great Dou Shi.

Thinking of this, Xiao Ze immediately went to the inner courtyard of the Xiao Family.

Upon seeing Xiao Zhan, Xiao Ze spoke up at once.

"Father, you must have been stuck at the five-star Great Dou Shi realm for a long time, haven't you?" Xiao Ze had only just begun.

Xiao Zhan sighed. "Sigh, indeed. Your father has been stuck at the five-star Great Dou Shi realm for a very long time now."

"Speaking of which, I also bear some responsibility for your brother Xiao Yan being humiliated by the Nalan family girl breaking off their engagement."

"If your father's strength were strong enough, that Nalan girl would never have dared to come to our door to break off the engagement in public. She simply looks down on our Xiao Family, and she has the Misty Cloud Sect backing her up."

Xiao Zhan sighed again.

However, seeing Xiao Ze before him, his mood eased significantly.

"But, Ze'er, you bring me great comfort. I heard from Xun'er a couple of days ago that your strength has actually advanced to the level of a seven-star Dou Shi?"

Xiao Zhan's face was full of shock.

Over this period, the speed at which Xiao Ze's strength had improved was truly astonishing.

It had even exceeded Xiao Zhan's comprehension.

Xiao Ze said, "Father, my current strength is indeed that of a seven-star Dou Shi."

Xiao Ze released a bit of his Dou Qi power, allowing Xiao Zhan to feel it for himself.

It was indeed the power of a seven-star Dou Shi!

Xiao Zhan became instantly excited.

"Hahaha, my son, Xiao Zhan's son, is truly extraordinary! To go from the first stage of Dou Qi to the strength of a seven-star Dou Shi in just over a month—even in the Gama Empire, or even the Misty Cloud Sect, no outstanding member of the younger generation could achieve such a rapid increase in strength."

In the midst of his excitement, Xiao Zhan suddenly noticed that Xiao Ze was handing him a pill box containing a purple pill.

"This is?"

Xiao Ze replied, "Father, this is a Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill. It is a tier-four medicinal pill that can help you directly increase your level by one star."

"What?!" Xiao Zhan was immediately stirred, and he froze in place.

A tier-four medicinal pill?