The next day, Xiao Yan was testing his flames in the quiet room when the Soul-Nurturing Lamp inside his ring suddenly trembled slightly.
Above the green lamp flame, a hazy figure slowly condensed, with scattered white hair and still a hint of initial waking daze in his eyes.
Bodhi looked up and smiled faintly.
At last, his soul has recovered enough.
Xiao Yan immediately put away his flames and sank his consciousness into the ring.
The old man inside the lamp lowered his head to look at himself, then gazed at his surroundings, gradually realizing that the gentle power protecting his remnant soul during this period came from the Daoist priest before him.
He solemnly cupped his hands.
"Junior Yao Chen pays his respects to Senior, and thanks him for his rescue and protection."
Bodhi waved his hand, telling him to dispense with formal courtesies, and spoke a few brief words.
Only then did Yao Chen realize that he was still inside his original ring, but had long since been moved into the Soul-Nurturing Lamp to recuperate.
Although his soul body had awakened, its edges still looked slightly faint and illusory. Bodhi told him to continue staying beside the lamp to recuperate, which would isolate the leaking soul aura and prevent him from consuming too much mental energy just after waking up. Yao Chen sat down as instructed, the wariness between his brows gradually dissipating.
Xiao Yan looked at that aged face, his mood somewhat subtle for a moment.
Yao Lao, who was originally supposed to lead him onto the path of cultivation, was only truly meeting him for the first time now that he had advanced to Da Dou Shi.
"Junior Xiao Yan greets Yao Lao."
Yao Chen sized him up, his gaze pausing on the trace of green flame that had not yet been completely put away.
"The Green Lotus Core Flame?"
Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, taking the opportunity to ask about the medicinal pills required to repair the damage to his seal.
After listening to the situation concerning Hai Bodong and pondering slightly, Yao Chen gave his answer.
"The Purple Spirit Recovery Pill, Tier Five, is just right for this kind of damage. However, the few main ingredients might not be easy to find."
"Do you have the medicinal formula?"
"I do."
Yao Chen pointed a finger, and a scroll of the medicinal formula floated into Xiao Yan's consciousness, complete with clear details on medicinal herb processing and heat control.
Xiao Yan looked at it for a moment, and the corners of his brows gradually lifted.
He could now recognize most of the medicinal herbs, but he also knew that with his own ability, he was still far from being able to refine these medicinal ingredients with disparate properties into a single pill.
Bodhi took the medicinal formula and looked it over.
"It will do. Prepare the medicinal herbs, and come again."
The matter was thus settled.
Xiao Yan walked out of the quiet room, found Hai Bodong, and copied out the items required by the medicinal formula one by one.
Hearing that he could recover his past cultivation, the white-haired old man's fingers, which had been resting casually on the table, instantly tightened.
"Really?"
"Teacher has already looked at it."
Hai Bodong asked no further questions and went straight to the auction house with him.
Ya Fei took the list, read through it twice, and her expression grew serious.
Some of the items could be transferred from nearby, but the remaining few required appealing to the Imperial Capital for reinforcement.
She sent out the list along with a supplementary letter written by Hai Bodong, and had people first check the medicinal herbs already in the treasury.
More than ten days later, a letter arrived from the Imperial Capital.
Along with the letter came a caravan specially escorting the medicinal herbs.
Ya Fei personally welcomed the people into the back courtyard and unfolded Teng Shan's reply letter. The phrasing in the letter was solemn; first inquiring about Elder Hai's health, then instructing the Wutan City branch to cooperate to the best of their ability, and accompanied by a private letter that needed to be delivered intact directly into Hai Bodong's hands.
Only after reading it did she fully understand what that old jade medallion signified.
The Supreme Elder of the Mittel Family was actually staying at the Xiao Clan!
What Xiao Yan brought back from this trip was far more than just a traveling companion.
Hai Bodong unwrapped the letter, read it for a moment, and put it away.
"Teng Shan still remembers this old man."
Ya Fei smiled faintly. "The Grand Elder was very concerned when he received news of you. If you are willing to return to the Imperial Capital, he will come to welcome you personally."
"We'll talk about that later. Let's see the medicinal herbs first."
One by one, the medicine boxes were opened on the table, and Xiao Yan checked them item by item against the medicinal formula.
The two missing ingredients were also sent over from another auction house a few days later.
After tossing and turning for nearly three weeks, the materials were finally gathered together.
During this period, Xiao Yan was not idle either.
He used the Green Lotus Core Flame to refine several batches of pills for nourishing meridians and replenishing Qi, and also passed on several insights on flame control to those younger generation members of the clan who were currently learning alchemy.
After Xiao Ding and Xiao Li switched to cultivating the new cultivation method, their Dou Qi was much more refined than before; by taking medicinal pills and regulating their breathing, their progress was gradually speeding up.
Seeing the pharmacy busy every day, Xiao Zhan smiled so broadly that even looking at the account books felt smooth to him.
In the quiet room, the medicinal herbs were laid out in sequence.
Xiao Yan put the medicine cauldron in place, but Bodhi first pointed to two of the ingredients, telling him to refine them himself.
The green flames rose, and the herbs slowly curled up, transforming into a pool of medicinal liquid.
Yao Chen watched from within the lamp, occasionally reminding him of one or two points regarding the heat. Xiao Yan adjusted accordingly, and the impurities in the second batch of medicinal herbs were indeed removed much more cleanly.
Once the two portions of medicinal liquid were put away, Xiao Yan placed the medicinal formula beside his hand again, carefully comparing it with the changes that had just occurred. A small difference that Yao Chen had reminded him of was also recorded by him on paper separately, so as not to be carried away by joy afterward and forget what he truly ought to learn.
Only then did the Grandmaster take over the flames.
The exact same cluster of green fire instantly split into several strands in his hands, each wrapping around a different medicinal herb.
Xiao Yan watched without blinking.
The strength of each flame was completely different; some were gentle, while others were blazing, yet they did not disturb one another. The medicinal properties were extracted bit by bit, and only then did they intersect and merge within the cauldron.
Yao Chen had originally wanted to explain the key points of the process, but as he watched on, he gradually stopped.
He had refined pills far superior to Tier Five, so his discernment was naturally not poor.
What truly astonished him was this Senior's method of harmonizing the medicinal properties. Some medicinal forces that in his view had to be handled separately were gently turned by a twist, and then melted together without the slightest conflict.
This could no longer be achieved simply by being familiar with the pill recipe.
Before long, the fragrance in the cauldron drifted outward.
A medicinal pill suffused with a purple tint slowly rose and fell into a jade bottle.
Bodhi handed the bottle to Xiao Yan with a calm tone.
"Take it. Think through what you just saw a bit later."
Xiao Yan quickly acknowledged the instruction.
Only by watching it firsthand did he realize just how much he was still lacking.
Hai Bodong had long been waiting in another quiet room, and when he took the jade bottle, his fingers paused for a rare moment.
He did not ask about its authenticity again, offered solemn thanks, and then swallowed the medicinal pill, crossing his legs to circulate his Qi.
Hours passed, and the cold air within the quiet room grew increasingly intense.
The barrier casually left behind by Bodhi completely gathered the aura inward; people outside only felt that the night wind had grown somewhat cooler, with no one knowing what was happening inside.
It was not until daybreak was about to break that Hai Bodong slowly opened his eyes.
Beyond two stars, the strength that once belonged to him finally returned once more.
A Five-Star Dou Emperor!
He stood up, ice-blue Dou Qi flashing across his palm and vanishing, while an unrestrained gratification that could no longer be suppressed appeared in his eyes.
The Ice Emperor of yesteryear was only truly back at this very moment.
Xiao Yan pushed open the door and entered, smiling when he saw the man's expression.
"It seems the medicine was not found in vain."
Hai Bodong looked at the youth and suddenly cupped his fists solemnly.
"This favor, this old man has noted down."
Xiao Yan waved his hand.
"In the future, if there are matters at home, we will still have to trouble Elder Hai."
"Since I agreed to your matter, I will naturally carry it out."
Hai Bodong paused, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard outside the window growing bright with dawn, and added faintly.
"Even a year from now, if Little Friend has need, you may also come find this old man."
Hearing this, the corners of Xiao Yan's mouth curled upward.
These words sounded much more intimate than that initial one-year pact.
Before you continue