Your Cheat Isn't Enough Yet

As they left the stone forest, the view before them suddenly opened up, with trees and flowers filling their sight. Xiao Yan was extremely excited. Wearing the gauntlets he had just obtained, he wildly smashed things here and there among the trees. Ever since entering the forest, the sound of wood splintering had not stopped.

"Can you settle down for a second?!"

Xiao Yi Xian rubbed her ears as she dodged the flying wood chips.

Hearing that, Xiao Yan stopped for a while. Before long, though, who knew what he thought of again—he stared blankly at his fists.

Just as Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yi Xian breathed a slight sigh of relief and lowered the hands covering their ears, Xiao Yan started again.

Xiao Yan unleashed the Whirlwind Eight Extremes Collapse he had used against the Fire Cloud Leopard, while simultaneously activating Beast Flame. Pink flames ignited around his fist and merged with the Heaven and Earth Origin Qi. He spun his body, planted himself in a bow stance, and threw a punch.

A towering tree chosen by Xiao Yan as his target suffered terrible misfortune. In an instant, a massive hole roughly one zhang in diameter appeared in its trunk. It was impossible to tell whether it had been punched through or burned through, but it completely pierced the tree. Flames lingering around the hole still burned fiercely.

"Haha, as expected of me! What should I call this move?"

The moment Xiao Yan had been about to punch, Huo Yuhao had reacted and stepped in front of Xiao Yi Xian. Once Xiao Yan released the move and sparks scattered everywhere, those flying toward Huo Yuhao silently went out in midair.

Watching the smug Xiao Yan, Huo Yuhao walked over as well. Looking at the result of Xiao Yan's attack, he nodded slightly.

"The power of this move really is quite impressive."

Yao Chen's figure appeared. Looking at the huge hole, he poured cold water on Xiao Yan without mercy. "You still have a long way to go. At most, this punch can show off at the Dou Master level."

Xiao Yi Xian asked in surprise, "That still isn't enough? Xiao Yan is only a Six-Star Dou Zhe."

"I'm about to break through to Seven-Star!" Xiao Yan cut in.

Yao Chen snorted and flicked out a burst of force, knocking Xiao Yan on the forehead. "The Spirit Artifacts Yuhao makes are already fairly mature. A third-grade Spirit Artifact is sufficient even for use at the Da Dou Shi level. Xiao Yan is holding a Spirit Artifact, using flames comparable to a sixth-rank Beast Flame, and combining them with a Dou Skill whose power approaches Earth Grade. Isn't it only natural for him to achieve this effect? What is there to be proud of?" As he spoke, Yao Chen knocked Xiao Yan on the head again.

"Arrogance and complacency will hinder your growth. Also, don't test Dou Skills so suddenly. It's best to find somewhere safe."

"Got it." Xiao Yan covered his forehead, looking somewhat dejected.

Seeing that Xiao Yan had taken his words to heart, Yao Chen smiled again and praised him. "Still, with your current strength, Xiao Yan, there are fewer than one in ten thousand among your peers who can match you. Even in the Yao Clan, those who possess Dou Master-level strength at thirteen are few and far between."

Yet Xiao Yan was not particularly happy because of Yao Chen's words. He raised his head and glanced at Huo Yuhao.

"Isn't there one right here?"

At that moment, Huo Yuhao, who had been examining the tree hole, suddenly said, "I think this Dou Skill could be called: Scorching Heat in the Gale—Eight Extremes Shatter the Heavens!"

After saying that, Huo Yuhao looked expectantly at them.

Two people and one soul: "..."

Xiao Yi Xian held her forehead. "Brother Yuhao, you'd better not name things next time."

Yao Chen coughed dryly. "Let's just call it Whirlwind Fire Fist. Simple and direct."

Xiao Yan nodded. "Fine."

After searching for some time, perhaps because medicinal ingredients capable of repairing soul injuries were too rare, or perhaps because the Magic Beast Mountain Range was still somewhat barren when it came to precious herbs, they never found any ingredients with suitable medicinal properties.

For that reason, Yao Chen revised the prescription once more. He decided to use the method of separate pills and combined pills—first refining a pill capable of repairing soul injuries, then using that pill as the foundation to refine the Spirit-Restoring Pill to repair the Spiritual Sea.

As for how to refine this soul-repairing pill, other medicinal properties with related effects could be fused together.

Thus, during this period, the group began sweeping through the core region of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. If Yao Chen had not cultivated the Spirit Condensation Formula and barely been able to display Dou Zong-level strength, they likely would have died under the claws of high-level Magic Beasts long ago.

After placing a Soul-Entwining Fruit into his storage ring, Huo Yuhao asked, "Teacher, have we collected about enough?"

"Yes. But to be safe, we should gather some more."

Xiao Yan nodded as well, agreeing with collecting more medicinal ingredients. Yet he mocked Yao Chen aloud, "Yo, weren't you supposed to be the number one alchemist on the continent? Why are you so useless?"

Duang!

Xiao Yan fell flat on his face. Beside him, Yao Chen rubbed his fist and revealed a kindly smile.

"Whether it is the original prescription for this Spirit-Restoring Pill or the modified one, neither has ever been refined before. They exist only in theory. Does Little Yan know how to refine it? Can you instruct your teacher?"

"Haha!" Xiao Yan climbed to his feet with an awkward laugh, preparing to change the subject.

"By the way, Xiao Yan, what star are you at now?" Xiao Yi Xian suddenly asked.

At that, Xiao Yan swept away his embarrassment and replied excitedly, "I'm a Seven-Star Dou Zhe now! I'm sure I'll catch up to you soon, Huo Yuhao!" As he spoke, Xiao Yan looked at Huo Yuhao with a challenging gaze.

"Then what star are you at now, Brother Yuhao?"

"The same as him."

"Haha, just as I—wait, that's not right!" Xiao Yan had wanted to burst into laughter the moment he heard "the same as him," but he quickly realized the problem.

"Yuhao, didn't you break through to Dou Master long ago? Don't tell me...?"

"Yes. Seven-Star Dou Master."

"Damn!"

At that moment, Yao Chen said with a smile, "Don't be discouraged, Little Yan. Why don't you ask what star Xiao Yi Xian is at?"

"Huh? No way..."

Xiao Yi Xian revealed a bright smile. "I just broke through yesterday. I'm a One-Star Dou Master now. Brother Yuhao, I'm about to catch up to you!"

"Mm, keep it up." Huo Yuhao smiled gently.

It was a bolt from the blue. Xiao Yan returned to lying facedown on the ground, as though he had lost his dreams.

During the journey that followed, Xiao Yan became much quieter. Aside from mealtimes, he rarely spoke along the way. Every night, he even followed Huo Yuhao's example and cultivated instead of sleeping.

However, before anyone could comfort him, Xiao Yan quickly adjusted himself.

"It's 'don't bully the poor youth' again, isn't it?" Huo Yuhao said with a smile. "Was that your catchphrase in your previous life?"

"One of you has cheats, and the other takes pills. I won't compare myself to you for now. Once my cheat kicks in and I fuse ten or eight Heavenly Flames, I'll definitely surpass you."

"Keep it up. Just don't turn it into 'don't bully the poor middle-aged man.'"

"Tch." Xiao Yan curled his lips and changed the subject.

"Oh, right, Yuhao. Let me tell you, when I used to read novels, I saw those artifact-refining methods in xianxia stories..."

Xiao Yan recalled some novels he had read back in university and began giving Huo Yuhao suggestions.

"...You don't have to use metal, right? Also, your Soul Tools clearly have all sorts of functions, so why are you so focused on weapons when refining artifacts? Aside from those little wings, have you made anything else?"

"You're right."

Xiao Yan's words plunged Huo Yuhao into deep thought. They also successfully turned "Silent Xiao Yan" into "Silent Huo Yuhao."