Gathering Qi Powder

"Alas! It was a pity I still hadn't reached the Dou Zhe level!" Xiao Yan sighed helplessly.

Xiao Yan had barely sighed when he received a flick to the forehead. Medicine Elder's somewhat speechless voice followed. "You leaped from Third Duan Dou Qi to Ninth Duan Dou Qi in a single year, and you're still not satisfied? Looking across the entire Dou Qi Continent, how many people could achieve that? Besides, with your current physical strength, even ordinary Dou Zhe would not be your match. What more do you want?"

"Didn't I just want to reach the Dou Zhe level sooner so I could cultivate a technique? Besides, I've already been at Ninth Duan Dou Qi for two months. Isn't it natural for me to be anxious?" Xiao Yan explained quietly.

"Mm, that's true. If you rely on steady cultivation alone, you probably won't reach the Dou Zhe level for another half year," Medicine Elder said blandly.

"Right? But has Teacher prepared a cultivation technique for your disciple? What grade is it?" Xiao Yan asked with a smile.

"A cultivation technique? What grade of technique do you want?" Medicine Elder said teasingly.

"Naturally, the higher the grade, the better. Heaven Tier would be best," Xiao Yan said casually.

"Heaven Tier? Do you think Heaven Tier cultivation techniques grow on trees? But I do have a technique that surpasses Heaven Tier. Are you interested?" Medicine Elder stared at Xiao Yan, smiling faintly.

"Of course I am. Hurry and let me see it." Knowing Medicine Elder was referring to the Flame Mantra, Xiao Yan hurriedly spoke. He had long wanted to see this mysterious Flame Mantra, but he had kept restraining himself for fear of arousing Medicine Elder's suspicions.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Reach the Dou Zhe level first," Medicine Elder deliberately left Xiao Yan hanging.

"Alas, then I'll have to wait another half year! Tomorrow is the family's annual test," Xiao Yan said anxiously.

"Hehe! What's so difficult about breaking through to Dou Zhe? There should be quite a few gold coins left from the three auctions, right? Go buy four fifty-year Ink-Leaf Lotuses, two ripe Snake Saliva Fruits, one Spirit-Gathering Grass around twenty years old, and a second-tier water-element Magic Core. I'll refine a Gathering Qi Powder for you and guarantee you'll break through to Dou Zhe immediately," Medicine Elder said with a light laugh.

"Ha! Ha! I'll go right away, right away!" Hearing that Medicine Elder was finally willing to refine Gathering Qi Powder for him, Xiao Yan leaped high into the air. Over the past two months, Xiao Yan had hinted at it several times, but Medicine Elder had pretended not to hear and always evaded the subject. Now that he was finally willing to help refine it, Xiao Yan was naturally overjoyed. As for the money needed for the Gathering Qi Powder, it was nothing at all! He could now publicly declare that Xiao Yan was a millionaire.

Xiao Yan quickly put on his clothes, took a single stride that carried him far ahead, and rushed down the mountain toward the Mitre Auction House.

When he had just reached the mountainside, Xiao Yan abruptly stopped and said to Medicine Elder, "Teacher, once I reach the Dou Zhe level, can I start learning alchemy?"

Facing Xiao Yan's question, Medicine Elder paused, then chuckled. "Why are you so impatient?"

"Of course I am. That means becoming an alchemist! Alchemists are such a sacred profession. How could I not be anxious?" Xiao Yan said, curling his lip.

"Then buy an extra medicinal cauldron and consider it an early preparation. As for pills to practice with... they are nothing more than a few simple pill formulas. I'll tell you directly now!" After saying that, Medicine Elder lightly tapped Xiao Yan between the brows and transmitted the pill formulas to him.

After receiving the pill formulas, Xiao Yan briefly examined them before quickly running down the mountain again.

The moment Xiao Yan entered the auction house, he was warmly received. How could they not be enthusiastic? Xiao Yan was now their greatest benefactor. The three auctions had not only enhanced the Mitel Auction House's reputation, but had also earned it a tremendous amount of gold.

Xiao Yan waited only a short while before Ya Fei hurried over. A faint sheen of sweat covered her body, making her seem even more alluring.

"Did the old gentleman come to the auction house today to sell something, or to buy medicinal herbs?" Ya Fei asked softly.

"Hehe, I came mainly to purchase some medicinal herbs," Medicine Elder said with a light laugh.

"Please tell me what you need, old gentleman. Ya Fei will have someone prepare them immediately," Ya Fei promptly replied.

"I need four fifty-year Ink-Leaf Lotuses, two ripe Snake Saliva Fruits, one Spirit-Gathering Grass around twenty years old, and a second-tier water-element Magic Core. I need them today," Medicine Elder said softly.

"All right. I'll take people to check the storeroom and see whether we have these medicinal herbs. If we do, I'll have them brought directly to you, old gentleman." Ya Fei chuckled and turned to leave. Before this old man, Ya Fei did not dare show the slightest negligence. She had witnessed just how immense his influence was.

After the second auction ended, news that the Wutan City Mitel Auction House was auctioning Foundation-Building Elixir spread to other cities. For a time, the situation churned, and major powers from other cities came one after another to ask whether there would be more Foundation-Building Elixir auctions.

Ya Fei was pestered by their questions until her ears nearly grew calluses, yet she did not dare offend any of them and could only greet them with a smile. She also wanted to know when the old man would appear again, but he came and went without a trace, making him impossible to find. Though she desperately wanted to inquire about him, she forcibly held herself back. Having witnessed how terrifying alchemists could be, she became even less willing to offend that mysterious old man.

More than a month later, when Xiao Yan once again arrived at the auction house with ten bottles of Foundation-Building Elixir, Ya Fei had nearly cried. If not for the old man's status, she would have gone up and hugged him directly.

The moment they heard that it could increase the speed of Dou Qi cultivation, the great families from other cities naturally could not remain still. Wutan City could barely be considered a second-rate city within the Jia Ma Empire. There were countless forces stronger than Wutan City's three great families, so the auction prices naturally rose even higher. Compared to wealth, they were more willing for their younger generation to pull far ahead of others, so they immediately began fiercely competing.

The ten bottles of Foundation-Building Elixir were auctioned at astronomical prices, with every bottle selling for more than one hundred and fifty thousand gold coins. Adding those auction proceeds to the gold Xiao Yan already possessed, Xiao Yan now had more than two million gold coins.

After the auction ended, everyone asked Ya Fei about the source of the Foundation-Building Elixir, but Ya Fei remained tight-lipped. If she offended that mysterious old man and he casually refined some pills for a major power, not only would the Mitel Auction House suffer, but even the Mitel Family would likely be affected.

Just as Ya Fei went out to prepare the medicinal herbs for Medicine Elder, Gu Ni followed her out as well. Ya Fei turned to look at Gu Ni behind her, whose expression was somewhat grave, and softly asked, "Master Gu Ni, what is it?"

"Do you know what pill the medicinal herbs that old gentleman just requested are used to refine?" Gu Ni asked in a deep voice.

"Oh? What pill are they used to refine?" Ya Fei asked doubtfully. When it came to alchemy, she knew absolutely nothing.

"They are materials for refining a fourth-grade pill, Gathering Qi Powder," Gu Ni answered softly.

"Then doesn't that mean..." Ya Fei's delicate face showed slight shock.

"He is at least a Fourth-Grade Alchemist, perhaps even higher. But why would such alchemists appear in a small place like Wutan City?" Gu Ni was somewhat puzzled.

"Thankfully, we didn't offend him! We should hurry and prepare the medicinal herbs for this old gentleman!" Ya Fei said with lingering fear.