Invincible Among Peers

However, just as the lives of the three were improving, Xiao Yan's situation was worsening.

After obtaining the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body, he needed more energy. The final stage of Dou Qi, already difficult to break through, gave even a genius like Xiao Yan a headache.

Holding a bag of medicinal herb seeds, Xiao Yan searched the back mountain for a suitable planting spot. He intended to test the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body's ability to ripen herbs.

If the results were good, then with the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body's characteristic of allowing breakthroughs through medicinal herbs, his cultivation speed during the Dou Qi stage could still be maintained.

After quite some time, Xiao Yan accidentally arrived at the hot spring where Xiao Yu would bathe.

It was a secluded place with a water source, so Xiao Yan decided to plant his herbs there.

After selecting a spot, Xiao Yan immediately began clearing and planting the ground.

The seeds he had were of three types: Bone-Washing Flower, Purple-Leaf Orchid Grass, and Spirit-Gathering Grass.

Once mature, all three herbs were quite valuable. Aside from the relatively cheap Bone-Washing Flower, both Purple-Leaf Orchid Grass and Spirit-Gathering Grass commanded very high prices.

The latter in particular was a primary ingredient for refining Qi Gathering Powder. At an auction, it could sell for over ten thousand gold coins.

Of course, that was the price after maturity. Compared to that, the seeds were exceedingly cheap.

After scattering the seeds and watering them with cooled spring water, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged and watched for a while. Seeing nothing unusual, he went down the mountain.

As time passed, Xiao Lin began focusing on quiet cultivation, leaving Xiao Yan's afternoons free to tend to the herbs he had planted.

After two or three afternoons, Xiao Yan was astonished to discover that his herbs had matured at an incredible rate, reaching at least twenty years of age.

By his calculation, he had only interacted with those herbs for two days.

Clearly, one day's work could ripen them by ten years!

Xiao Yan was stunned by the terrifying effect of the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body. Other than its difficulty in reaching Dou Saint, this Medicine Spirit Sacred Body was truly absurdly worthy of the word "Sacred"!

Pulling out a Bone-Washing Flower, Xiao Yan gave it a brief wash and began chewing it raw despite its bitter taste.

He did not know whether it was also an effect of the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body, but Xiao Yan could not taste any bitterness. Instead, it was somewhat sweet.

After eating one Bone-Washing Flower, Xiao Yan was still not satisfied and pulled out another Purple-Leaf Orchid Grass.

Both herbs were needed by Medicine Elder to refine Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid. Since Xiao Yan could not obtain Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid right now, he could only consume them in the most primitive manner.

After eating them, Xiao Yan immediately sat cross-legged and activated the Three-Origin Circulation Method, a cultivation technique more comprehensive and advanced than ordinary Dou Qi cultivation methods.

The instant he entered meditation, Xiao Yan felt a warm current within his body continuously flow through his limbs and bones, slowly transforming into Dou Qi.

Without question, that warm current was the medicinal power released by the Bone-Washing Flower and Purple-Leaf Orchid Grass Xiao Yan had consumed.

As the Three-Origin Circulation Method began operating at high speed, the warm current moved faster through his body while he absorbed and refined the energy of heaven and earth.

Not only that, while cultivating with medicinal herbs, Xiao Yan clearly felt that the growth of his Dou Qi and the strengthening of his bones both outpaced the growth of his soul.

After a long while, when the warm current finally vanished, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, his black pupils filled with excitement.

With medicinal herbs accelerating his cultivation, Xiao Yan knew his terrifying cultivation speed was about to return.

Moreover, after experiencing cultivation through medicinal herbs for the first time, Xiao Yan discovered another trait of the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body.

It was as though he carried a medicinal cauldron within himself, automatically refining medicinal power.

While increasing cultivation speed, the herbs' corresponding properties would also automatically begin strengthening his body.

Unfortunately, herbs capable of strengthening the soul were extremely rare, making even their seeds exceptionally difficult to obtain.

As a result, the growth of Xiao Yan's soul power would come last.

Still, the benefits of the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body were enormous.

Because it consumed more resources than someone at the same level, while his physical qualities were constantly strengthened by medicinal herbs, his Dou Qi would exceed that of others. Naturally, the combat power he could unleash would be stronger than that of those at the same level.

Simply put, the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body was practically invincible among those of the same realm!

More than half a year passed like this before Xiao Lin decided to hand the position of clan head to Xiao Zhan and retire behind the scenes to recuperate.

Before stepping down, he added a new clan rule to the Xiao Clan.

From the moment Xiao Zhan became clan head, the Xiao Clan would begin strictly selecting its talents.

At the coming-of-age ceremony, one had to reach Seven-Stage Dou Qi to qualify to enter the Dou Qi Pavilion and seek a Dou Qi cultivation technique. Otherwise, one would be assigned to one of the clan's various businesses.

Anyone who had not become a Dou Zhe before the age of twenty-five would no longer be acknowledged by the clan.

Xiao Yan, who happened to be present, only then learned that this clan rule, exceedingly strict for the Xiao Clan, had been established by Xiao Lin.

After all, reaching Seven-Stage Dou Qi by sixteen was even more demanding than Jia Nan Academy's requirement of reaching Eight-Stage Dou Qi by eighteen.

With Xiao Zhan and the three elders only reaching the level of Da Dou Shi after more than a decade, they would undoubtedly have failed to meet the assessment requirements.

However, judging by the subsequent results, the introduction of this clan rule stimulated the cultivation potential of the Xiao Clan's younger members.

With enough effort, quite a few people could reach Seven-Stage Dou Qi at sixteen. Occasionally, a young genius like Xiao Mei, who reached Eight-Stage Dou Qi, would even appear.

The three elders exchanged glances for a while. They were rather dissatisfied with the young Xiao Zhan becoming clan head and hoped Xiao Lin would remain in the position.

Xiao Lin did not agree. After being severely wounded by his enemy's father, he had deeply realized the importance of a clan's foundations.

After recuperating for so long, Xiao Lin now only wished to cultivate in peace. Even if his strength could not return to its peak in the future, he could still serve as a final source of strength.

Looking at the three elders' earnest expressions, Xiao Lin smiled. "If the three elders are interested in the position of clan head, you may also recommend yourselves."

At those words, the three immediately fell silent.

After a moment of silence, the Great Elder stepped forward and glared sternly at Xiao Zhan.

"I oppose Xiao Zhan becoming clan head because he has recently been preparing to use a large amount of resources to purchase a high-level cultivation technique for his wife. If he truly becomes clan head, the entire Xiao Clan may be ruined in Xiao Zhan's hands!"

Hearing this, Xiao Zhan frowned and explained to Xiao Lin, "Father, I..."

Xiao Lin waved his hand, seemingly unconcerned with the reason, and said calmly, "Since someone opposes you becoming clan head, then settle it with your fists."

Xiao Yan, standing nearby, raised a hand to rub his nose. He knew the reason.

Lin Shuiyao had spent the most time with him, and the effects of the Medicine Spirit Sacred Body had begun to show. She was now already a rare talent in the Xiao Clan.

Unfortunately, the cultivation technique she practiced was too poor, making it difficult for her to stand alongside true geniuses. That was why Xiao Zhan intended to replace her cultivation technique and further increase her cultivation speed.