Xiao Yi Xian of Thousand Medicine Hall

After his breakthrough in strength, Xiao Yan rejoiced for a short while before his expression quickly turned grave.

The effects of the deluxe Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid could only last until the Seven-Star Dou Practitioner stage. After that, its efficacy would become negligible.

Now, without external aids to speed up his cultivation such as the Bloodflame Pill, Companion Amethyst Source, Green Lotus Seat, and Earthfire Lotus Seed, relying solely on his cultivation method would undoubtedly slow his progress.

If the Bloodflame Pill were ranked, it could be considered a fourth-tier medicinal pill. The Companion Amethyst Source and Earthfire Lotus Seed were things that even Dou Emperors would covet, while the Green Lotus Seat could accelerate cultivation...

He had not enjoyed the benefits of the Green Lotus Seat for long, and the Flame Mantra would soon undergo a qualitative transformation after refining a Heavenly Flame, advancing to the Intermediate Profound Rank. By that calculation, his Advanced Profound Rank cultivation method would not hold much of an advantage.

He could not obtain the Companion Amethyst Source guarded by a sixth-tier magic beast or the Green Lotus Core Flame deep within the magma for now, but he could try further strengthening the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, replicating the Bloodflame Pill, and refining the third-tier Spirit Awakening Pill.

All three required not only medicinal ingredients and Magic Cores, but also the blood of fire-attributed magic beasts. That blood was used to refine the Bloodflame Pill.

As it happened, when the Xiao Family acquired the Jialie Family's businesses, they had also acquired Thousand Medicine Hall in Qingshan Town.

Thousand Medicine Hall had originally been one of the better apothecaries in Qingshan Town, but after the Jialie Family took control, it annexed the other medicine shops and became the town's only medicinal herb store.

Xiao Yan decided to head to the Magic Beast Mountain Range and cultivate at Thousand Medicine Hall's herb-gathering site there, preparing over the next year to enter the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy directly.

Unlike people such as Xiao Yu, who had to work hard merely to enroll in Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yan had no intention of studying in the Outer Academy. The Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower of the Inner Academy was the academy's true essence.

Setting aside the Fire-Energy Hunting Competition and the Inner Academy's fierce competitive system, Xiao Yan remembered that one needed to be at least a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner to participate in the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. Otherwise, one would be eliminated the moment one stepped onto the stage.

Therefore, he had to reach at least the Seven-Star Dou Practitioner stage before he would have a chance to enter the Inner Academy. If he wanted to avoid having his Fire Energy stolen and live well in the Inner Academy, he would need to become even stronger.

The Xiao Family had risen to its current status in Wutan City largely thanks to the medicines Xiao Yan refined. Naturally, no one would object to him taking over one of the family's medicine shops.

At dusk, dozens of fine horses galloped out of Wutan City. Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan led the group, while the rest included many Xiao Family elites who had once joined them in seeking treasure.

After riding through the night, the group arrived at Qingshan Town and headed straight for Thousand Medicine Hall. The shop was quite spacious, but its interior was empty, and the few people standing inside looked listless.

After identifying himself, Xiao Zhan looked around the shop and asked, "Why are there so few medicinal herbs here?"

The manager sighed. "Ever since we transported that large batch of medicinal herbs last time, there hasn't been any restocking for a long time."

That time? Xiao Yan had a suspicion.

When he had intercepted those medicines, he had killed a group of mercenaries. Not long afterward, he had also killed the alchemist Han Bo. The Jialie Family had then undergone a major upheaval and had no time to care about this largely useless medicinal herb business. The mercenaries of Qingshan Town would also have sensed a hint of danger and would not dare rashly gather herbs for Thousand Medicine Hall.

Xiao Yan smiled. "Then that works out perfectly. We brought plenty of people, so we'll enter the mountains and gather herbs now."

The manager nodded in agreement and summoned several physicians to accompany them. Most of the physicians were already past middle age, making one young girl among them particularly conspicuous.

Xiao Zhan and the others were surprised to see the girl. Upon hearing that her medical skills were exceptional and no worse than those of veteran physicians, and that everyone in Qingshan Town called her Xiao Yi Xian—a name that had gradually become her own—they looked at her in a new light. They assumed that, like the genius of their own family, she was someone with extraordinary talent in medicine.

Xiao Yi Xian was somewhat surprised by the praise and attention from these strangers. Her fixed impression of great families changed somewhat.

Xiao Yan knew of Xiao Yi Xian's abilities and was only somewhat curious about her appearance.

She appeared to be around the same age as Xiao Xun'er and wore a pale white dress. Xiao Xun'er possessed the elegant grace of a lotus, while this girl was fresh and ethereal, with a charm all her own. A green sash cinched her willow-like waist, so slender that it seemed it could not bear a single grasp.

Xiao Yan knew quite a few girls, but when it came to a slim waist, Xiao Yi Xian was unmatched.

After leaving several people behind at Thousand Medicine Hall to watch the horses, the group headed toward the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

Walking along the dirt road, Xiao Yan was extremely excited. The last time he had come to the Magic Beast Mountain Range, he had possessed only the strength of a one-star Dou Zhe and knew no offensive Dou Techniques at all. He could only remain under the protection of his father and the others.

Now, he had mastered two Advanced Profound Rank Dou Techniques and also possessed a weapon fitted with a fifth-tier Magic Core.

Not long after entering the Magic Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Yan, who was walking at the front with the Xiao Family elites, soon encountered a small-scale magic beast attack.

The attackers were five first-tier Blue Flame Serpents. Along with another kind of magic beast called the Red Ice Serpent, they were the most common creatures in the outskirts of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. One possessed fire poison, while the other carried ice poison.

Xiao Yan's soul power was exceptional, allowing him to notice the abnormality early. After warning everyone to be careful, he circulated the Dou Qi within his body. Golden light blazed in his palm as a sphere of flame condensed into shape. He unleashed the Advanced Profound Rank Dou Technique First Sun Scorching Sky, sending it toward the Blue Flame Serpents attacking from the trees.

The Blue Flame Serpents had long intended to attack. Though the situation had suddenly changed, as first-tier magic beasts, they lacked the intelligence and strength to alter their actions. Their bloody maws opened, and they spewed out streams of blue flame.

The physicians, who knew the power of that attack, were all shocked to see Xiao Yan refuse to dodge and instead choose a head-on clash.

Yet when the blue flames struck the golden sphere, they melted away like snowflakes and vanished in an instant.

At that moment, the golden sphere smashed forward with unstoppable force and lodged itself at the mouths of the Blue Flame Serpents.

With a sizzling sound, the stench of scorched flesh filled the air, and a headless snake dropped from above.

After being warned by Xiao Yan, the Xiao Family members dodged the Blue Flame Serpents' attacks and immediately counterattacked with their fastest Dou Techniques. They also killed the Blue Flame Serpents, then began searching the corpses for Magic Cores.

The physicians stared dumbfoundedly at Xiao Yan as he withdrew his technique. Even experienced mercenaries were sometimes struck by Blue Flame Serpents and needed the physicians to remove the fire poison. Yet this young man had used fire against fire and killed the Blue Flame Serpents with overwhelming superiority.

Xiao Tie, who had entered the Magic Beast Mountain Range with Xiao Yan before, saw their expressions and laughed. "Young Master Xiao Yan is the genius of our Xiao Family. He began cultivating at four and became a Dou Zhe at ten. Now, in just half a year..."

"It seems he has broken through to the seven-star level," Xiao Tie said thoughtfully, revealing Xiao Yan's current strength. Before the physicians could even react, he himself drew in a sharp breath.

Half a year, six stars! Even with an Advanced Profound Rank cultivation method, that still seemed shockingly fast.

The physicians were filled with astonishment. A Seven-Star Dou Practitioner would absolutely be considered a top-notch expert among the mercenaries of Qingshan Town, but those people were all in their thirties. Young Master Xiao Yan was not even eleven yet. His future was truly limitless.

Xiao Yi Xian fixed her dark eyes on Xiao Yan and thought, Young Master Xiao Yan's cultivation talent is truly terrifying...