Departure, Myriad Beast Mountain Range!

Danyuan City, Zhao Clan.

After Zhao Li learned that Ye Yunsheng had left, he casually tidied up the valley, then left as well. He traveled all the way back to the Zhao Clan, and nothing unexpected happened.

As Zhao Li passed by the Training Ground and looked at the spirited young boys and girls before him, the impulse in his heart grew even stronger.

"If everyone in the world were like this, everyone like a dragon, how wonderful would that be?"

Zhao Li imagined such a scene, his eyes filled with longing.

"Maybe this is why Yunsheng is so determined to do these things."

Suppressing the thoughts in his heart, Zhao Li stopped dwelling on it and headed home.

"Father, I'm back."

Zhao Li pushed open the door and immediately saw that lazy figure lying beneath the big tree.

"Huh? Oh, Li'er, you're here. Is your cultivation over?"

Zhao Lingxiao seemed as if he had been sleeping so deeply that he had only just been woken, and he asked casually.

"Master said I've been progressing quickly and need to prepare for the next stage of cultivation. I don't know how many days I'll be gone this time, so I asked Master to let me come back and visit you two. And look at you—you've started living a retired life at such a young age."

Zhao Li spoke with deep sincerity, though only he himself knew how much of it was truly heartfelt.

"It's fine. Cultivate properly with your master. He's not just the number one alchemist in our Great Gan, he's also a Dou Zong-level powerhouse. If I had a master like that to guide me, who knows how happy I'd be?"

Zhao Lingxiao stood up. He had long since grown used to the odd words Zhao Li occasionally blurted out, and perhaps fearing that Zhao Li would be unwilling to stay away from home for too long, he said this to him.

Zhao Li patted his forehead, rather speechless.

"Father, don't overthink it. I just got a few days off and came back to visit."

Unwilling to say more on such matters, Zhao Li took out the remaining Meridian Opening Pills from before and handed them to Zhao Lingxiao, saying proudly, "Father, these Meridian Opening Pills can speed up cultivation at the Dou Zhe level to a certain extent, and even have a slight effect of improving Cultivation Talent. Take these first and let the younger members of the clan use them."

"Li'er, Senior Lin gave these to you, didn't he? Keep them for yourself. Don't delay your own cultivation."

Zhao Lingxiao refused outright, and along the way gave Zhao Li another round of lecturing.

The proud look on Zhao Li's face froze, black lines practically covering his forehead. "Your son refined these himself. Tier 2 Pills!"

After saying that, he put on an expression that clearly said, Your son is amazing, right? Hurry up and praise me.

"Li'er, there's a limit to bragging. How long have you been studying under Senior Lin? Being able to refine Tier 1 Pills would already be quite good. In cultivation, we have to stay grounded. Pretending to be bigger than you are is absolutely unacceptable."

Zhao Lingxiao still did not buy it and continued speaking. He naturally knew his son's talent was astonishing, and perhaps he really might already be a Second-Grade Alchemist, but he did not want him to be so arrogant.

Zhao Li did not say any more. He had only invited humiliation on himself. Originally, it had just been a bit of mischief, wanting to see his father's shocked expression. He took out a list and said seriously, "Father, let's talk business. Have the clan collect some Medicinal Ingredients. I'll refine a batch of pills for the clan. Consider it a small token of my feelings."

"The clan has an alchemist retainer. You just cultivate properly. There's no need to trouble yourself with this," Zhao Lingxiao refused without even thinking.

"Father, if an alchemist wants to improve, refining pills is indispensable. Helping the clan refine pills is part of my own cultivation too. Talk to Uncle and ask for more Medicinal Ingredients."

Zhao Li did not give up and continued persuading him. This time, not only did he plan to refine a batch of pills, he also intended to skim off some Medicinal Ingredients to fill up his own "little treasury."

Zhao Lingxiao thought about it and realized it was indeed true, so he agreed. After saying a few more words to Zhao Li, he left.

That evening, Han Xiangyu was naturally delighted to see Zhao Li and prepared a whole table full of sumptuous dishes.

Zhao Lingxiao also told Zhao Li that the Medicinal Ingredients he wanted would be delivered soon, but the yield could be at most thirty percent lower than the medicine hall's.

When Zhao Li heard this, he was simply overjoyed. At this rate, he did not even need to hide any for himself; he could refine pills properly and still have plenty left over.

For the next few days, Zhao Li once again, again, and yet again became a pill-refining tool.

"As expected, what has happened before will happen again, and what has been done before will be done again. Being a tool is like wearing women's clothing—there's only zero times or countless times."

After Zhao Li finished refining pills, he lay on the ground and sighed.

After putting everything away, Zhao Li counted it. Besides the amount he had to hand over to the clan and the pills he needed to prepare for this trip, there were still thirty percent of the Medicinal Ingredients remaining.

"Not bad. The Pill Formation rate has risen quite a bit again. Sure enough, as my control over myself improves, refining these low-level pills is gradually becoming something I can do as I please."

Zhao Li went back and handed the Storage Ring to his father, saying, "Father, these are the pills. Please take a look. It's about time for me to go back as well. Master said it should be around this period that we begin the next stage of cultivation."

Zhao Lingxiao took the Storage Ring and set it aside without even looking.

"What's there to check? Your uncle only wanted you to take it seriously and not treat pill refining like a game. Did you really think he wanted that little bit of stuff? Just cultivate with Senior Lin at ease. Don't worry about us, and listen to Senior Lin more."

Afterward, his parents gave Zhao Li countless reminders and instructions.

Early the next morning, Zhao Li left home and headed toward Danxia Peak.

Walking once again along the old blue-green road, Zhao Li felt deeply moved. He had been gone for over a month, and he had practically undergone earth-shaking changes. It was not just the tremendous improvement in his strength; there was also someone now held in his heart...

After returning to the sect, Zhao Li went to report to his master right away.

"You're back?" Lin Lan sensed that Zhao Li seemed to have undergone an enormous change and was secretly astonished. In the end, he could only sigh that his disciple was blessed with deep fortune.

"Mm. Teacher, when are we setting off? I'm already prepared."

Zhao Li answered, somewhat impatient in his heart. He only hoped he could grow stronger faster—the faster, the better.

"Very well. I'm almost done preparing on my end too. Mm, let's set off in three days. Go prepare these things." Lin Lan pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement and took out a list for Zhao Li to prepare.

Zhao Li took it and looked it over. Almost all of it consisted of common items for surviving in the wilderness, so he happily went off to prepare them.

Three days later, Zhao Li was waiting in the main hall early. Before long, Lin Lan came walking through the air and, with a wave of his hand, took out a long robe. "Put this robe on. Every morning and evening, use your spiritual power to trace the patterns on it until this stage of training is complete."

Zhao Li took the robe and felt that its material was unusual. He swept over it with his Soul Power, only to find that his Soul Power instantly became much more scattered, even harder to control than before.

Zhao Li understood at once. This was his "Heavy Xuan Ruler," only it targeted Soul Power.

Zhao Li put on the robe. It had little effect on his movements, but his Soul Power was greatly weakened after passing through it.

"Teacher, after putting on this robe, my perception has weakened a lot. If I have to fight, it'll have a huge impact."

"You little brat, just wear it properly. Treasures that can temper Soul Power are extremely rare. Let's go."

Lin Lan smiled and said no more, only letting Zhao Li experience it for himself.

Zhao Li followed him, setting out once again toward the Myriad Beast Mountain Range.