Xiao Yixian's Feelings (Please Follow, Favorite, and Vote)

In the little valley, Xiao Yi Xian and Lin Qi were digging up medicinal herbs with jade trowels, bright smiles on their faces.

Both girls liked stockpiling medicinal herbs. One wanted to become a physician, while the other wanted to advance. Their love for medicinal herbs had practically been carved into their bones.

The Lion, in human form, sat cross-legged atop a massive boulder, cultivating. Little Lion was dozing beside him.

Ling Qingzhu and Li Qingchan had already shown signs of a breakthrough earlier, influenced by the Jade Infant Fruit.

Thanks to its geography, the little valley was a natural gathering place for spiritual energy, making it ideal for secluded cultivation and breakthroughs. With the Lion King's arrival, the two girls did not return to the Pocket World. Instead, they built several thatched cottages in the valley and moved in.

After subduing the Amethyst Winged Lion King, the two girls entered secluded cultivation, preparing to break through to Dou Zong.

Lin Qing found a level patch of ground in the valley.

Bang!

With a soft sound, he took out a medication cauldron carved with dragons and phoenixes. A five-clawed dragon and a phoenix were engraved across its surface. Since the bones and blood essence of both races had been used in its construction, the dragon and phoenix upon the cauldron gave off faint auras. To Lin Qing, those auras felt intimately familiar, a kinship rooted in his bloodline. This came from Yanhuang's gift and the auspicious fortune of dragons and phoenixes appearing together.

Yet to everyone else, that aura was a bloodline suppression. The sudden pressure startled the cultivating Lion into stopping.

"What kind of Magical Beast is that? Its mere aura is this terrifying! The young master's origins really are mysterious!"

The Lion muttered quietly, then rose to his feet and began vigilantly watching the surroundings.

"Those are dragons and phoenixes, Magical Beasts that exist only in legend!"

Seeing that Lin Qing was preparing to refine medicine, Lin Qi walked over with Xiao Yi Xian and earnestly explained it to the Lion.

She had looked much the same when she first saw the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron. She had simply grown numb after seeing it so often.

Lin Qing took out more than ten boxes of medicinal herbs, opened the Jade Boxes, and arranged them beside him one by one. This time, he was refining Fifth-Grade Soul-Nourishing Saliva. Since the medicinal herbs required were rather obscure, he had only managed to gather enough for one batch after searching for so many years. If he missed this chance, he had no idea when the next one would come. He had no choice but to focus with utmost concentration. Fortunately, before every refining session, he would simulate it within the Ancestral Stone, greatly increasing his chance of succeeding in one attempt. Otherwise, he would never have dared to refine medicine with only one set of ingredients.

The Ancestral Stone really is a wonderful thing! Not only can it improve Dou Techniques and Cultivation Techniques, it can also improve Medicinal Pill Formulas and refining methods.

Puff!

While sighing inwardly, Lin Qing flicked his fingertip, tossing a wisp of deep yellow flame into the medication cauldron. Once the heat was about right, he steadied his mind and swiftly threw the medicinal herbs into the cauldron one after another.

As soon as these medicinal herbs entered the cauldron, they were slowly refined by the Xuanhuang Flame, eventually turning into droplets of differently colored liquid. Then, wrapped in spiritual power and Heavenly Flames, the liquids slowly merged together. As time passed, the multicolored liquid within the fire gradually became a single color and released a faint fragrance.

This refinement continued for a full two and a half days without ending. Though the Soul-Nourishing Saliva did not seem difficult to refine, it was exceptionally time-consuming. Lin Qing did not grow impatient, maintaining a gentle flame as he slowly purified the jade-like mass of liquid within the medication cauldron...

"Sister Xiao Yixian, you should rest first! Brother is refining a Fifth-Grade Medicinal Pill. It will probably take several more days!"

Lin Qi said to Xiao Yi Xian beside her. They had been watching for two and a half days already. Even Little Lion was staring intently with her round eyes wide open.

Of course, Xiao Yi Xian was the one watching most attentively. After finding herself a seat, she had not moved at all.

As for the Lion King, he was quietly standing guard nearby.

"No, I want to keep watching the young master."

Xiao Yi Xian gently shook her head, her tone earnest. Yet her gaze never shifted, remaining fixed on Lin Qing's figure.

Suddenly, Lin Qing, who had been silent for nearly three days, swiftly took out a Jade Bottle. Then he abruptly intensified the flames, wrapping the entire mass of medicinal liquid within them. As the flames rapidly twisted and turned several times, a fierce energy fluctuation surged from within. In an instant, it spread outward like ripples. Most of that energy was blocked by the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron, but some still spilled out from it.

At the same time, a rich medicinal fragrance accompanied by faint mist drifted out from the cauldron.

"It's about to succeed!" Lin Qi said softly, just as her words fell.

Lin Qing waved his hand, extinguishing the flames and opening the lid. A mass of medicinal liquid radiating an emerald luster flew out, and he stored it in the Jade Bottle he had prepared beforehand.

This refining session had taken Lin Qing a full three days. The entire process had not been easy, and his face had turned somewhat pale.

"This time, I only needed to fuse the medicinal liquid. There was no need to condense it into a pill, so it was somewhat easier than expected. If I had needed to condense a pill, it would probably have taken five to seven days. My cultivation still hasn't caught up. I don't have enough Dou Qi stored!"

After deeply exhaling a breath of stale air, he twisted his somewhat stiff neck, took a Medicinal Pill that restored Dou Qi from his Storage Ring, and swallowed it. Lin Qing sighed.

"Brother succeeded in refining a Fifth-Grade Medicinal Pill on his first try. His refining skills have improved again!"

Lin Qi let out a breath of relief, her voice filled with delight.

Lin Qing's figure holding the Jade Bottle was reflected in Xiao Yi Xian's beautiful eyes. Looking at the young man whose face was somewhat pale yet filled with joy, a trace of heartache surfaced in Xiao Yi's eyes.

So being an Alchemist is this exhausting?

"Lion King, thank you for standing guard!"

After finishing the refinement, putting away the medication cauldron, and recovering his Dou Qi, Lin Qing clasped his hands toward the Lion King. He had seen the Lion King's actions just now, and he was very satisfied. The Lion King could now be considered half one of his own.

"You are too polite, young master!" the Lion replied, returning the gesture.

Naturally, Lin Qing would not place such trust in someone who had only just pledged allegiance to him. The reason he had been so unconcerned while refining medicine was, first, because Lin Qi was there, and second, because he had added something extra to the Medicinal Pill he gave the Lion King.

He only believed that time revealed a horse's strength and a person's heart. He could be kind, but he could never be naive.

After exchanging pleasantries with the Lion King and his daughter for a while, Lin Qing returned to the Pocket World with Xiao Yi Xian and peacefully enjoyed her care.

Mm! It was truly comfortable!

"Xian'er, we still need to wait another six years. I've made things hard on you!"

Leaning back in the bathtub and letting the hot water soak his entire body, Lin Qing closed his eyes and felt the soft little hands gently kneading his shoulders.

Xiao Yi Xian's movements stiffened, then quickly returned to normal. However, her expression dimmed slightly. She then asked tentatively:

"Young master, are you waiting for Miss Xun'er?"

"No, that's not it. I was thinking of you, Xian'er. We'll consummate our marriage in six years. Right now, both of us are still too young."

How could Lin Qing fail to understand from Xian'er's tone how he should answer? Of course, that had been his original intention as well. Though he was no gentleman, he still had his own moral bottom line.