Black Jade Pavilion, Qieke Lineage

"Brother Xiao Ni, I never expected you to have a hobby of collecting portraits of beautiful women." After Xiao Ni pulled her along for some distance, Xiao Xun'er finally teased him with a hint of jealousy.

"You little girl, learning to be jealous at such a young age?" Xiao Ni released Xiao Xun'er's hand and rubbed her head with a wry smile. Under her dissatisfied gaze, he explained, "The woman in this portrait is Aunt Lan. I want to take it back and give it to Xiao Yan."

Sigh, this little girl was terribly jealous. If she found out in the future that he was close to Medusa, Yun Yun, Xiao Yi Xian, Ya Fei, and the others, would the air be filled with vinegar?

"So she's Brother Xiao Yan's mother. Brother Xiao Ni really is such a warm and dependable person." Xiao Xun'er giggled, and the trace of disappointment in her eyes instantly vanished.

"Since your mouth is so sweet, I'll give you a little gift." With a thought from Xiao Ni, two jade bottles appeared out of thin air in his palm. They were the Foundation Elixir the system had just rewarded him with.

The Foundation Elixir refined by Yao Lao was only effective for those in the Dou Qi stage. Once someone reached the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi, its effects became negligible. However, the Foundation Elixir given by the system was incredibly potent. Even an Eight-Star Dou Practitioner could benefit somewhat from it. That was the difference.

His plan was to keep one bottle for himself, give two bottles to Xiao Xun'er, and auction off the remaining two.

"What is this?" Xiao Xun'er accepted the jade bottle, sniffed it, and asked tentatively.

"This is called Foundation Elixir. Anyone below the Eight-Star Dou Practitioner level can pour it into water and soak in it for two hours a day to greatly increase their cultivation speed. You should already be at the Ninth Duan of Dou Qi, right? If you use this to assist your cultivation, the Dou Qi Cyclone will naturally condense when the time comes. It's far more useful than that Qi Gathering Powder. You won't need to worry about it at all." Xiao Ni looked immensely pleased with himself, and Xiao Xun'er's eyes lit up as she listened.

He was not boasting. The system had automatically transmitted this information into his mind when it issued the reward. The formula was nearly identical to Yao Lao's, yet its effects were so absurdly powerful. If Yao Lao found out, half his soul would probably explode from anger.

"So amazing? How does Brother Xiao Ni have such miraculous medicinal liquid? Don't tell me you secretly became an alchemist behind my back?" Xiao Xun'er sized Xiao Ni up and down, looking thoroughly nosy.

"That's right. I'm already a Seventh-Grade Alchemist." Xiao Ni straightened his back, and the pride in his heart unconsciously showed all over his face.

Although he was telling the truth, he did not expect Xiao Xun'er to truly believe him. After all, Gu He, the greatest alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, was only a sixth-grade alchemist. Who would believe that he, once considered trash, was now a Seventh-Grade Alchemist?

"To be honest, Brother Xiao Ni, I'm actually already a Seven-Star Dou Master." Xiao Xun'er also straightened her back and declared proudly.

Sure enough, Xiao Xun'er did not believe the truth Xiao Ni had told her at all.

"I'm seventh-grade, and you're seven-star. We really are a perfect match." Xiao Ni gently pinched Xiao Xun'er's nose, his tone both teasing and doting.

The reason he was so eager to give Xiao Xun'er the Foundation Elixir was not only because he wanted her to grow faster, but also because he wanted her to feel that he was the best.

Based on his understanding of Xiao Yan, once Xiao Yan learned that Xiao Xun'er had reached the Ninth Duan of Dou Qi, he would definitely give her several of the Qi Gathering Powders he had received. Xiao Ni could not lose to Xiao Yan's trick of offering someone else's gift as his own.

Feeling embarrassed under Xiao Ni's gaze, Xiao Xun'er's eyes wandered for a moment before she asked tentatively, "Brother Xiao Ni, do you have any more of this? Could you give Brother Xiao Yan a bottle too? I think he's quite pitiful."

"Our Xun'er is so kind. Don't worry, I'll send him a bottle later." Xiao Ni smiled and promised her, silently feeling sorry for Yao Lao for another three seconds.

Yao Lao, it wasn't that he deliberately wanted to anger you. The system simply insisted on going against you, and he could hardly refuse Xun'er's request. You have to hang in there! Xiao Yan endured those three years, so you should slowly learn to accept the surprises he brings you too.

"By the way, Brother Xiao Ni, when you asked that old man where the portrait came from, were you trying to investigate Aunt Lan's background?" After walking for a while, Xiao Xun'er suddenly asked curiously.

"Aunt Lan treated me very well before, and I feel that her death was somewhat suspicious. I want to get to the bottom of it." Xiao Ni's expression turned solemn.

"Mm. If Brother Xiao Ni ever wants to go to Black Jade Pavilion, you can bring Xun'er along. Xun'er will go with you." Upon hearing Xiao Ni's words, Xiao Xun'er's expression also became much more serious.

She was a few months younger than Xiao Yan. They had always believed that Lan Suyin's death had merely been an accident, and even Xiao Zhan thought so. Now that Xiao Ni said this, Xiao Xun'er could not help feeling sorry for Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan.

"Xun'er knows what Black Jade Pavilion is?"

"Brother Xiao Ni, have you heard of the Qieke Lineage?" Rather than answering immediately, Xiao Xun'er asked Xiao Ni a question.

"The Qieke Lineage? It sounds somewhat familiar." Xiao Ni stroked his chin and thought for quite some time before suddenly realizing. "I remember now! It's the Qieke Lineage that was completely wiped out decades ago after setting its sights on Gu He's formula, prompting Gu He to hire four Dou Wang experts!"

"That's right. Black Jade Pavilion was opened by the Qieke Lineage. There are quite a few painters there, and its main business is selling paintings. It also sells some low-grade medicinal ingredients and Dou Techniques, and occasionally even magic cores." Xiao Xun'er introduced it with a smile.

"Where is this Black Jade Pavilion?" Xiao Ni pressed on.

"It isn't too far away, roughly seventy or eighty li north of Wutan City. However, there is a barrier there, so ordinary people cannot find the entrance to Black Jade Pavilion."

"I understand. When some time has passed, come with me on a trip there."

"Alright." Xiao Xun'er agreed readily with a smile.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Within the forest, Xiao Yan's body darted about with agility. Thin strands of Dou Qi wound around his feet and arms. Shallow marks appeared on the ground wherever he passed, while some small branches were snapped by the forceful wind and scattered across the ground.

Bang!

Accompanied by a tremendous impact, Xiao Yan's fist smashed fiercely into a small tree as thick as his wrist. A burst of air exploded with a boom, and the tree split directly into four pieces.

"This Eight Extremes Collapse truly deserves to be called a High Earth Tier Dou Technique. I'm only at the Third Duan of Dou Qi, yet I can already unleash such power. If my strength reaches the Dou Zhe level, just how terrifying will this Eight Extremes Collapse become?" Xiao Yan could not help clicking his tongue, his eyes filled with excitement.

He had cultivated in this forest for more than three hours. Although it was already dark and he had spent the entire day practicing Eight Extremes Collapse, he was still very satisfied with today's gains.

Although Yao Lao had said that the two Dou Techniques Xiao Ni gave him had been improved, so they would not consume much Dou Qi or cause any side effects, the Flame-Splitting Wave-Shattering Ruler was still a Heaven-tier Dou Technique. With his current thin Dou Qi, he could not cultivate it yet, so he would not consider it for the time being.

As for the Black Heavy Ruler Xiao Ni had given him, it was simply too heavy. Let alone carrying it while cultivating, even lifting it was difficult. He could only place it in the Black Ring for now.

"Xiao Yan, your talent truly is quite good. Are you sure you won't consider taking me as your master?" Yao Lao floated out of the Black Ring and circled Xiao Yan once.

"Old Yao, are you sure you're much stronger than Pill King Gu He?" Xiao Yan asked tentatively.

"Stop calling me Old Yao. I'm Yao Lao, not Yao Head." Yao Lao rolled his eyes irritably.

"If you can prove that you're stronger than Gu He, I'll change how I address you." Xiao Yan crossed his arms over his chest, having long since decided on a certain plan.

"You just want to coax something good out of me. Why beat around the bush?" Yao Lao rolled his eyes again.

This kid was truly a match for that Xiao Ni. So young, yet already so full of tricks. When they grew up, wouldn't they play people to death?

"How about this? Refine two fourth-grade pills, and I'll believe you're stronger than Gu He." Xiao Yan raised his brows.

"If I prove that I'm stronger than Gu He, would you be willing to take me as your master?" Yao Lao asked smugly.

He had been badly struck by Xiao Ni today and had wanted to recover some face through alchemy. Now that Xiao Yan had come asking him for help, he could kill two birds with one stone—prove himself while making Xiao Yan willingly take him as his master.

Alchemists were highly paid professionals. As long as he told Xiao Yan about all the benefits of becoming an alchemist, then refined two perfect fourth-grade pills, he refused to believe Xiao Yan would not become his disciple.

"I'll consider it." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. In truth, he merely wanted to make use of Yao Lao.

The value of what Xiao Ni had given him today was truly impossible to estimate. Since he wanted to take Xiao Ni as his master, he had to offer something decent in return.

"Then it's settled. I'll go back and think about what pills to refine first. Once the clan's internal test is over, I'll find an opportunity to refine them for you. Oh, and I don't have the ingredients to refine fourth-grade pills. When the time comes, I'll give you two sets of Mysterious Tier Dou Techniques. Take them to an auction and sell them, and that should be enough to gather the money for the materials." After quickly explaining everything, Yao Lao returned to the ring.