Eat My Fist!

In the somewhat spacious dorm room, emerald-green flames danced within the medicinal cauldron, incinerating stalk after stalk of high-grade medicinal herbs into blobs of liquid in various colors.

Xiao Qing, seated cross-legged before the cauldron, narrowed his eyes and carefully controlled the heat of the Green Spirit Flame, using his soul force to slowly fuse the medicinal liquids within.

A pitted, uneven pill embryo appeared inside the cauldron.

The pill embryo spun and tumbled within the emerald-green flames. In less than a few breaths, the pitted embryo became plump and smooth.

In an instant, a terrifying energy fluctuation spread outward.

A rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the cauldron, filling the entire room.

Xiao Qing's expression remained unchanged. He knew this was the phenomenon that accompanied the formation of a Fifth Grade pill.

As the energy gradually dispersed, Xiao Qing reached out and summoned the pill from within the cauldron, pinching it between his fingertips.

As he examined the plump, smooth pill, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Qing's face.

"Though its quality isn't particularly good, I've finally succeeded in refining a Fifth Grade pill."

Although it was merely a Wind-Walking Pill, one of the easier Fifth Grade pills to refine, he had at least touched upon the threshold of a Fifth Grade alchemist.

Refining a Fifth Grade pill did not mean Xiao Qing was now a Fifth Grade alchemist.

To become a qualified Fifth Grade alchemist, one not only needed to guarantee the quality of the pills, but also maintain a satisfactory success rate.

Xiao Qing's successful refinement of this Wind-Walking Pill had, in truth, involved quite a bit of luck.

Feeling the depleted Dou Qi within his body, Xiao Qing felt somewhat regretful. If his cultivation improved a little further, his chances of successfully refining Fifth Grade pills could rise by several points.

He took out a jade bottle from his Storage Ring and carefully placed the Wind-Walking Pill inside before putting it back into the Storage Ring.

After swallowing several Qi Recovery Pills, Xiao Qing picked up the jade scroll set beside him and pressed it to his forehead to review its contents. Before long, he resumed refining pills.

As time slowly passed, Xiao Qing refined pills of varying grades one after another, placing them in jade bottles arranged at his side.

For a time, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the entire room.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just as Xiao Qing was completely immersed in pill refinement, a light knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

Bang!

Emerald-green flames swept through the medicinal cauldron, reducing stalk after stalk of precious medicinal herbs to ashes.

Xiao Qing grew irritated. With a wave of his hand, he put away the jade bottles around him and rose to walk toward the door.

He wanted to see which clueless fool had come to interrupt his pill refinement!

Creak!

Xiao Qing opened the door and saw two somewhat familiar young men standing outside.

"What do you want?"

Without bothering to consider why they looked familiar, Xiao Qing, angered by the interruption to his pill refinement, asked impatiently.

Seeing Xiao Qing's expression, the two young men exchanged glances, their hearts tightening. Oh no! They seemed to have interrupted his cultivation!

When the two young men before him still did not answer, Xiao Qing lost his patience. He clenched his fist and punched the one who appeared to be their leader to the ground.

"Ow!"

Before the leading youth could react, a huge fist appeared before his eyes and knocked him to the ground.

"Big Brother!"

Seeing this, the other youth could not help but shout.

Ignoring the touching brotherly scene before him, Xiao Qing raised his hand and threw another punch, knocking the shouting youth to the ground as well.

Before the two youths on the ground could come to their senses, Xiao Qing kicked them, raining punch after punch upon them.

Although Xiao Qing had not circulated his Dou Qi, the gap in cultivation still made the two youths, whose cultivation had only reached the Dou Zhe level, feel intense pain.

"Ow, ow! Stop hitting us! Stop!"

Feeling the pain coursing through their bodies, the two youths lying on the ground hurriedly cried out.

Who are you? You tell me to stop, and I'm supposed to stop?

Xiao Qing grew even angrier, and the force behind his punches and kicks increased unconsciously.

"Stop hitting us! It's me, Cousin Xiao Qing!"

"Don't you recognize us?"

Hearing this, Xiao Qing slowed his assault and scrutinized the two bruised and swollen figures on the ground.

"You're Xiao Ding and Xiao Li?"

"You don't look like them."

Xiao Qing muttered inwardly. Could these be some new students trying to get close to him by impersonating them?

Little did he know, after hearing those words, the two men could only laugh bitterly inside.

You beat us into this state. How could you possibly recognize us?

"It really is us, Cousin Xiao Qing!"

"Our father is Xiao Zhan! We have a third brother named Xiao Yan!"

Hearing this, Xiao Qing finally confirmed the identities of the two beneath his feet, yet he still did not stop punching and kicking.

What a joke. He was filled with anger right now. If he did not vent it at this opportunity, was he supposed to keep it bottled up?

"How dare you impersonate my clansmen? Eat my fist!"

After another round of punches and kicks, Xiao Qing gradually stopped once he had vented his anger.

"Are you really Xiao Ding and Xiao Li?"

Looking at the two men on the ground, now barely recognizable as human, Xiao Qing mercifully gave them a chance to admit their identities.

Upon hearing this, the two men on the ground nodded frantically, tears in their eyes. "It really is us, Cousin Xiao Qing!"

Seeing them like this, Xiao Qing pretended that he had finally believed them.

"Oh dear, why didn't you say so earlier? Isn't this just a case of family fighting family?"

As he spoke, Xiao Qing moved to help the two men up from the ground.

The two were so frightened that they thought they were about to receive another beating and instinctively retreated a few steps.

Seeing this, Xiao Qing awkwardly scratched his head.

"Ahem. What did you come to see me for?"

Seeing that Xiao Qing truly did not seem to intend to continue beating them, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li finally breathed a sigh of relief and helped each other to their feet.

Hearing Xiao Qing's question, Xiao Ding hurriedly took out a letter from his Storage Ring and handed it to him.

"Father asked me to deliver this to you, Cousin Xiao Qing."

Xiao Qing curiously reached out and accepted it.

In the past, Xiao Zhan's letters had always been delivered by students stationed at the Outer Academy. Why had he suddenly asked Xiao Ding to personally deliver one?

He opened the envelope before the two men and read it curiously. Before long, he understood what was going on.

"What deep love for his son."

Xiao Qing could not help but sigh inwardly.

Xiao Yan had now reached Seven-Stage Dou Qi. Seeing this, Xiao Zhan wanted to request a Qi Gathering Powder for him to use in the future when breaking through to the Dou Zhe level.

Naturally, Xiao Qing would not refuse. Although the pills he had sent to the Xiao Household over the past two years had long far exceeded the value of the Storage Ring Xiao Zhan had originally given him,

one matter was one matter. When Xiao Qing had broken through to the Dou Zhe level back then, if not for the Qi Gathering Powder Xiao Zhan had given him, he would likely have been delayed for quite some time.

Xiao Qing believed that when one received kindness from another, one should naturally fulfill one's obligations to them.

However, this would be the only time. If Xiao Zhan had anything else he wanted Xiao Qing to do in the future, Xiao Qing would not bother with it.

After all, he had already repaid Xiao Zhan's kindness. If Xiao Zhan could not recognize that, there was no need for Xiao Qing to concern himself with him further.

Taking his gaze from the letter, Xiao Qing nodded at Xiao Ding before him.

"I understand. In a couple of days, I'll have someone deliver the Qi Gathering Powder to you."

Xiao Ding breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

He had been afraid that because of him and his second brother, the Qi Gathering Powder their father had requested from Xiao Qing for their third brother would fall through.