"Xiao Ni, I never expected you to have a hobby of collecting portraits of beautiful women." After Xiao Ni had pulled her along for a while, 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. Then, under her displeased gaze, he explained, "The woman in this portrait is Aunt Lan. I wanted to take it back and give it to Xiao Yan."
This little girl's jealousy is really something. If she finds out someday that I'm close to Medusa, Yun Yun, Xiao Yi Xian, Ya Fei, and the others, will the air be filled with the smell of vinegar?
"So she was Xiao Yan's mother. Xiao Ni, you're such a warm and dependable person." Xiao Xun'er giggled, and the slight disappointment in her eyes vanished in an instant.
"Since your mouth is so sweet, I'll give you a little gift." With a thought, two jade bottles appeared out of thin air in Xiao Ni's palm. They were the Foundation Elixir the system had just rewarded him with.
The Foundation Elixir refined by Yao Lao was only effective for people in the Dou Qi stage, and once one reached the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi, its effects became negligible. However, the Foundation Elixir given by the system was immensely potent. Even an Eight-Star Dou Practitioner could benefit from it to some extent. That was the difference.
He planned 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, gave it a sniff, 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 each 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, your 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 a thing." Xiao Ni looked immensely pleased with himself, and Xiao Xun'er's eyes gleamed as she listened.
He was not boasting. The information had automatically been transmitted into his mind when the system issued the reward. The formula was almost identical to Yao Lao's, but its effects were simply this heaven-defying. If Yao Lao found out, half his soul would probably explode from anger.
"So powerful? How does Xiao Ni have such miraculous medicinal elixirs? Don't tell me you secretly became an Alchemist behind my back?" Xiao Xun'er looked Xiao Ni up and down, her face full of curiosity.
"That's right. I am now a Seventh-Grade Alchemist." Xiao Ni straightened his back, and the pride in his heart naturally showed on his face.
Though he was telling the truth, he did not expect Xiao Xun'er to truly believe him. After all, Gu He, the number one Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, was only a sixth-grade alchemist. Who would believe that he, once considered useless, had become a Seventh-Grade Alchemist?
"To be honest, Xiao Ni, I am 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.
"One seventh-grade, one seven-star. We're quite the perfect match." Xiao Ni lightly pinched Xiao Xun'er's nose, his tone both teasing and affectionate.
The reason he was so eager to give Xiao Xun'er the Foundation Elixir was not only to help her grow faster, but also because he wanted her to feel that he was the best.
Based on what he knew of Xiao Yan, once Xiao Yan learned that Xiao Xun'er had reached the Ninth Duan of Dou Qi, he would definitely give her a few of the Qi Gathering Powders he had received. Xiao Ni could not lose to Xiao Yan's borrowed-glory tactic.
Xiao Xun'er felt a little embarrassed under Xiao Ni's gaze. Her eyes shifted for a moment before she asked tentatively, "Xiao Ni, do you have any more of this? Could you give Xiao Yan a bottle too? I think he's rather 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's not that I want to anger you on purpose. The system insists on going against you, and I can't exactly refuse Xun'er's request. You have to hold on! Xiao Yan managed to endure those three years, so you should slowly learn to accept the surprises he brings you too.
"By the way, Xiao Ni, when you asked where that old man's 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.
"I see. If Xiao Ni ever wants to visit Black Jade Pavilion, you can call me. I'll go with you." Hearing his words, Xiao Xun'er's expression also became much more serious.
She was a few months younger than Xiao Yan. They had always believed Lan Suyin's death had been an accident, and even Xiao Zhan had thought so. Now that Xiao Ni had put it this way, Xiao Xun'er could not help feeling sorry for Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan.
"Xun'er, do you know what Black Jade Pavilion is?"
"Xiao Ni, have you heard of the Qieke Lineage?" Xiao Xun'er did not answer immediately, instead asking him a question.
"The Qieke Lineage? It sounds vaguely familiar." Xiao Ni stroked his chin and thought for quite some time before suddenly realizing. "I remember now. It was the Qieke Lineage that was wiped out decades ago after they set their sights on Gu He's prescription, and Gu He hired four Dou Wang experts to destroy them completely!"
"That's right. Black Jade Pavilion was opened by the Qieke Lineage. There are quite a few painters there. Their main business is selling paintings, followed by low-grade medicinal elixirs and Dou Techniques. They occasionally sell Monster Cores as well." Xiao Xun'er introduced it with a smile.
"Where is this Black Jade Pavilion?" Xiao Ni pressed on.
"It isn't too far away, around seventy or eighty li north of Wutan City. But there is a barrier there, so ordinary people cannot find the entrance to Black Jade Pavilion."
"I understand. When the time comes, accompany me there."
"Alright." Xiao Xun'er agreed readily with a smile.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Within the forest, Xiao Yan darted about with agile movements. Thin wisps of Dou Qi coiled around his feet and arms. Shallow marks appeared on the ground wherever he passed, while a gust of force snapped small branches and scattered them across the ground.
Bang!
With tremendous force, Xiao Yan's fist slammed into a small tree as thick as a wrist. A blast of air erupted, and the tree shattered directly into 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 clicked his tongue in amazement, his eyes filled with excitement.
He had cultivated in this forest for over three hours. Though it was already dark and he had spent all this time 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, 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 now.
As for the Black Heavy Ruler Xiao Ni had given him, it was simply too heavy. Forget cultivating with it on his back; even lifting it was difficult. He could only place it in the Black Ring for the time being.
"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.
"Don't keep calling me Old Yao. I'm Yao Lao, not Yao Lao Tou." Yao Lao rolled his eyes irritably.
"If you can prove that you're stronger than Gu He, I'll change the way I address you." Xiao Yan crossed his arms over his chest, having already made up his mind.
"You just want to get something good out of me, don't you? Why beat around the bush?" Yao Lao rolled his eyes again.
This kid really is a match for that Xiao Ni. So young, yet already full of schemes. When he grows up, won't he toy people to death?
"How about this? Refine two fourth-grade pills, and I'll believe you're stronger than Gu He." Xiao Yan raised a brow.
"If I prove that I am stronger than Gu He, will you be willing to take me as your master?" Yao Lao asked smugly.
Xiao Ni had dealt him quite a blow today, and he had already wanted to win back some ground through alchemy. Now that Xiao Yan had come asking for his help, he could kill two birds with one stone: prove himself while also making Xiao Yan willingly take him as his master.
Alchemy was a highly lucrative profession. As long as he explained the benefits of being an Alchemist to Xiao Yan, then refined two perfect fourth-grade pills, there was no way Xiao Yan would refuse to become his disciple.
"I can consider it." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. In truth, he merely wanted to make use of Yao Lao.
The things Xiao Ni had given him today were simply too valuable to estimate. Since he was going to take Xiao Ni as his master, he had to bring out something worthwhile in return.
"Then it's settled. I'll go back and think about what pills to refine first. Once the clan's internal assessment is over, I'll find an opportunity to refine them for you. Oh, and I don't have the ingredients needed 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; that should be enough to gather the money for the ingredients." Yao Lao quickly explained everything before returning to the ring.
Before you continue