Leveled Up

"Over three hundred years old, a wild ginseng root." Qiao An had a sharp eye; one glance was enough for him to judge it. "The eldest girl has put some thought into this. It truly is a fine thing."

With this item, he would not need to worry about the cold poison within his body for quite some time to come.

"There's another piece of good news!" Qiao Yaoyao spoke again.

"Oh?" Qiao An's interest was slightly piqued. "For the eldest girl to offer congratulations, it shouldn't be any small matter."

"Tie Shan!" Qiao Yaoyao gestured to Tie Shan.

Tie Shan stepped before Qiao An, raised one hand, and held two fingers together. The sound of blood and qi surging came from within his body, and then a streak of pure crimson blood qi actually emerged over those two fingers.

Qiao An could not help sitting upright. With a grasp of his empty hand, he condensed that streak of blood-red qi in his palm. After sensing it carefully for a moment, he looked at Qiao Yaoyao. "This thread of Tie Shan's blood qi does not seem to have been tempered by our Qiao Household's Furnace and Cauldron Tempering Method. Where did it come from?"

"Grandfather, didn't I come tell you some days ago that our Qiao Household had recruited two new Attendants?"

"Shen Qian?" Qiao An blurted out, then shook his head. "No, I've seen the Shen Lineage's Body Tempering Art before. It doesn't have such capability. Could it be that lad who came out of that little pond?"

"That's right. His name is Yang Yi. This is the blood qi tempered by his Body Tempering Art. Tie Shan said this Body Tempering Technique is even stronger than our Qiao Household's, and the blood qi it tempers is purer and more condensed."

"How long have you cultivated it?" Qiao An looked at Tie Shan.

Tie Shan replied respectfully, "I only circulated the technique once with Attendant Yang just now." He had deliberately not absorbed the tempered blood qi into his body, instead preserving it to bring before the old master for inspection. Now, it had also dispersed.

"The result of one circulation..." Even someone as knowledgeable as Qiao An could not help being shocked. "This Body Tempering Art is not merely stronger than our Qiao Household's Furnace and Cauldron Tempering Method. There is no body-tempering art in the world stronger than it."

"So we've picked up a treasure?" Qiao Yaoyao's eyes shone. The old master had personally confirmed it, so there could be no mistake.

"More than a treasure! If this old man had obtained this art in his youth, I might not have failed to break through that Heavenly-Human Boundary!" Qiao An sighed endlessly. But now it was impossible. At his age, what hope could he still have?

"Has he offered this art to the Qiao Household?" Qiao An asked.

"Precisely!"

"His master and lineage..."

"I asked him. He said that after his master left behind this Body Tempering Art years ago, he vanished without a trace, so he could make the decision himself!"

"Mm!" Qiao An nodded.

With such a divine art, even if today's matter caused troubles in the future, the Qiao Household could never possibly let it go. With this art, after one generation, the Qiao Household's strength would surely multiply.

"What did he ask for?"

"The right to enter and leave the Martial Hall freely, and also to enter the Yin-Yang Pool."

"He is not greedy... In this matter, our Qiao Household has taken advantage."

Qiao Yaoyao smiled. "Then I'll compensate him later."

"Handle it as you see fit." Qiao An was still incomparably reassured by Qiao Yaoyao. Otherwise, he would not have handed this vast family estate over to her five years ago. "Right, what is this Body Tempering Art called?"

"I forgot to ask..." Qiao Yaoyao stuck out her tongue playfully. She had been too busy feeling happy earlier and truly had not thought of it.

"Body Tempering Technique!"

The following afternoon, within Bamboo Garden, Yang Yi looked at Qiao Wuwang, whom he had not seen in half a month, and spoke slowly.

"I know it's the Body Tempering Technique. What is it called?"

"It's called the Body Tempering Technique!"

Qiao Wuwang opened his mouth, then gave a short laugh. "Your master truly was carefree and unrestrained!" Such a divine art did not even have a resounding name that shook all lands. How careless was that?

"The Body Tempering Technique you gave to our Qiao Household is far stronger than our inherited art, so from today onward, I will switch to cultivating it as well. If I encounter anything I do not understand in the future, I will have to ask you for much guidance, brother." He spoke with a grin.

Having obtained such a good thing, the first person in the Qiao Household able to enjoy it naturally would be Qiao Wuwang. It so happened that he had not yet reached the True Blood Realm; after switching arts, the benefits would surely be considerable.

"Gladly." Yang Yi nodded. Of course he was willing to help with such a small matter.

"Also, this is for you." Qiao Wuwang took out a badge.

Yang Yi was puzzled. This badge looked like his Attendant badge, but its color was somewhat different.

"You gave our Qiao Household such a divine art. How could our Qiao Household offer nothing in return? This is the badge of a Grade-A Attendant. From today onward, you are a Grade-A Attendant of our Qiao Household."

There were only a few Grade-A Attendants in the entire Qiao Household. All possessed True Blood Realm strength and had rendered many merits to the Qiao Household.

Yang Yi had not expected such a pleasant surprise. Come to think of it, he had only been a Grade-B Attendant for half a month, yet he had already leveled up.

"Right, Elder Sister said you should make preparations. In three days, someone will come to lead you into the Yin-Yang Pool!" His main reason for coming today was to notify Yang Yi of this matter.

"Three days... I understand."

Qiao Wuwang stayed for a while longer before taking his leave.

Yang Yi called out, "Go invite Uncle's family over!"

A maid immediately answered from outside.

A short while later, Uncle's entire family arrived together.

Yang Yi had everyone sit before speaking. "How did the search go?"

Uncle Yang puffed on his dry tobacco, his expression uneasy. "Xiaoyi, are we really going to take one of their shops? Wouldn't that be improper?"

After returning yesterday, Yang Yi had told Uncle's family that they could look for a shop in the outer fort. Whichever one they fancied would belong to the Yang Household.

This unexpected delight had thrilled Uncle's family.

Although they had no worries over food or lodging since entering the inner Qiao Family Fort, being idle all day had truly stifled them. This inner fort was an important place, so they did not dare wander about freely and could only remain within the few acres around Bamboo Garden.

Their lives had become prosperous, yet empty, far less fulfilling than before.

The family had immediately left the Inner Fort and gone strolling through the outer fort.

Yet after yesterday's excitement, they had suddenly become timid again today.

"That's right, Xiaoyi. We're already eating and living off them for free, and now we're taking one of their shops for free too. Won't that be bad for you?" Aunt Yang also spoke up.

Farmers did not understand many grand principles, but they knew that one should not accept rewards without merit.

The outer fort was bustling and prosperous; any shop at all could earn a great deal of money. They would be happy to take a shop, but they did not know what Yang Yi would have to bear on his end.

"Don't worry. I exchanged it through a deal with the Qiao Household. Just pick the shop you like, and don't overthink it. This is what we deserve to take." Yang Yi explained.

Uncle and Aunt Yang exchanged a look, but neither spoke.

Yang Yi looked at Yang Ya. "Little Sister, did you find one you like?"

Yang Ya smiled but said nothing. Among Uncle's family, Yang Ya had the closest relationship with Yang Yi, closer even than her elder brother Yang Yong. Whenever she had free time in the past, Yang Ya would come chat with Yang Yi. Every patch and stitch on Yang Yi's clothes had been done by the little girl, so even though Yang Yi had now leapt from fish to dragon, in Yang Ya's eyes, he was still her second brother.

"Then there is one!" Yang Yi had a clear idea now. "We'll take the shop Little Sister likes. As for what you will operate there in the future, decide for yourselves. Take the capital from the family; there is no need for any misgivings."