Dou Ling Pill

Outer Academy, Griffin Beast landing plaza.

Xiao Qing ignored the Outer Academy students crowding around him and turned to instruct Zi Yan at his side:

"I'm going to the Alchemy Department to bid farewell to my teacher. Stay nearby and don't run around."

Zi Yan hurriedly nodded, patting her chest as she promised:

"Don't worry, I'll wait right here. I definitely won't run around!"

After receiving Zi Yan's promise, Xiao Qing squeezed through the crowd and headed straight for the Alchemy Department.

In a room on the highest floor of the Alchemy Department, Fire Elder sat before a desk, flipping through an ancient book in his hands. At times, he frowned; at others, he sank into thought.

Just then, a faint knock interrupted his thoughts.

Knock, knock, knock!

Fire Elder furrowed his brow slightly.

Hadn't he told those people from the Alchemy Department not to disturb him unless there was something important?

Soul power flowed from between his brows and extended beyond the door.

When he saw the familiar figure standing outside, Fire Elder's frown eased, and a smile touched his lips.

"Come in!"

As soon as he spoke, the door creaked softly open, and Xiao Qing stepped inside.

Fire Elder looked with gratification at Xiao Qing as he slowly approached.

"Teacher."

Xiao Qing respectfully bowed.

"Good, good, good! Worthy of being my disciple! You reached the Three-Star Dou Wang realm at only nine years old!"

Sensing Xiao Qing's cultivation, Fire Elder was overjoyed and praised him repeatedly.

"My disciple, what grade of pills can you refine now?"

Fire Elder asked with a curious expression.

With Xiao Qing's talent in alchemy, he could probably refine fifth-grade pills by now, couldn't he?

There was even a slight chance that he could refine sixth-grade pills!

"This disciple has refined a sixth-grade Dou Ling Pill in the Inner Academy."

Xiao Qing did not hide it and answered honestly.

Previously, when he and Zi Yan had gone into the mountains to search for medicinal ingredients, they had luckily gathered several sets of ingredients for refining the Dou Ling Pill.

So he had tried refining them. Who would have thought that he would succeed on his first attempt, causing the high-level magical beasts in the forest to riot?

If the two of them had not run so quickly, they might have already ended up in the bellies of magical beasts.

"Dou Ling Pill!"

Fire Elder was stunned.

The difficulty of refining a Dou Ling Pill was several times greater than that of ordinary sixth-grade pills.

Generally speaking, any Sixth-Grade Alchemist capable of refining a Dou Ling Pill had spent many years immersed in the sixth-grade realm.

Yet since Xiao Qing could refine one, it meant that his alchemy had already reached the sixth-grade realm!

At that thought, Fire Elder's face filled with pride.

He might only be a Peak Fifth-Rank Alchemist, but his disciple was a Sixth-Grade Alchemist.

In the future, Xiao Qing might even reach the Seventh Grade or Eighth Grade!

After Fire Elder came back to his senses, Xiao Qing bowed and said:

"Teacher, this disciple has come to bid farewell."

"Oh?" Fire Elder asked curiously. "Are you planning to travel and gain experience?"

Xiao Qing nodded. "That's right. This disciple has been away from home for many years and plans to return to my clan, while also traveling outside for experience."

Fire Elder stroked his beard and pondered for a moment.

"That is fine. With your current cultivation, the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower of the Inner Academy can no longer offer you much help."

"Traveling outside may bring you unexpected gains."

"But you must remain cautious while outside. Never let your guard down when facing enemies."

Fire Elder solemnly instructed Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing nodded repeatedly, showing not the slightest impatience at Fire Elder's advice.

When Xiao Qing returned to the Griffin Beast landing plaza, he saw Zi Yan sitting bored atop the Griffin Beast's back, her legs dangling in the air as she continuously swung them.

The crowd that had gathered earlier had long since dispersed, leaving Zi Yan alone in the empty plaza.

When she saw Xiao Qing approaching from afar, Zi Yan's face lit up with delight. She immediately leaped down from the Griffin Beast's back and jogged over.

"Xiao Qing, you finally came! I was bored to death."

Zi Yan stuck out her tongue and complained.

Xiao Qing rubbed Zi Yan's little head and took several bottles of medicinal pellets from his Storage Ring.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here, I prepared these for you."

Seeing the pills in Xiao Qing's hand, Zi Yan's previously gloomy expression instantly turned into a beaming smile.

Zi Yan poured several pellets into her mouth, chewing as she said, "Xiao Qing, I forgive you."

"Alright, let's go."

Xiao Qing shook his head with an amused smile and took the lead toward the Griffin Beast.

Seeing Xiao Qing leave, Zi Yan hurriedly followed behind him.

As the Griffin Beast parked in the plaza slowly flapped its wings, a gust of wind scattered in all directions.

The Griffin Beast's massive body gradually rose into the air. Once it reached a certain height, it sped toward Canaan City.

Watching the scenery race past around him, Xiao Qing remained calm. He slowly closed his eyes and entered cultivation.

Seeing Xiao Qing begin cultivating, Zi Yan did not disturb him. She ate medicinal pellets by herself and admired the scenery around her.

The days spent flying through the sky were extremely dull. After only a few days, the usually lively Zi Yan became listless, her eyes vacant.

While Xiao Qing found it rather amusing, he did not forget to comfort her.

After all, Zi Yan had followed him out here. He could not simply watch her remain like this.

"Zi Yan, the Jia Ma Empire isn't far from here."

"Hang in there. We'll arrive in a few more days!"

"Zi Yan, these are medicinal pellets I refined for you."

In the blink of an eye, two months passed.

Ghost Suppression Pass.

As the Griffin Beast's enormous body slowly descended, Zi Yan's small figure impatiently jumped down from its back.

Her eyes swept across the surroundings as she curiously asked over her shoulder:

"Xiao Qing, is this the Jia Ma Empire?"

Xiao Qing had just leaped down from the Griffin Beast's back when he heard Zi Yan's question and could not help surveying the surroundings.

When he saw the towering city wall not far away, engraved with the three words "Ghost Suppression Pass," he nodded.

"That's right. This is the border of the Jia Ma Empire."

"However, I don't know much about the surrounding area either. Let's enter the city and learn more first."

Zi Yan's little face brimmed with excitement as she waved her arms around.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry and go!"

Seeing Zi Yan's impatient appearance, Xiao Qing nodded with a smile.

"Let's go."

Not long after the two left, the Griffin Beast that had remained there slowly flapped its wings and flew back toward Jia Nan Academy.

After buying a detailed map of the Jia Ma Empire within Ghost Suppression Pass, Xiao Qing and Zi Yan spread their wings and departed beneath the shocked gazes of the surrounding crowd.

All that remained were exclamations rising one after another: "A Dou Wang expert, truly terrifying!"

Across the azure sky, a purple streak and a green streak whistled past.

"Xiao Qing, are we heading directly to Wutan City next?"

Zi Yan turned her head and asked curiously.

Xiao Qing glanced at the map in his hand, pondered briefly, then shook his head.

"No rush. Let's travel outside for a while first and see whether we can encounter any opportunities."