Jealous rivalry

"Excuse me, do you sell Seventh-Grade Pills here?"

The girl carried a secret treasure, so Fan Tian could not sense her cultivation, but judging by her appearance, she was around fifteen.

His blind guess was that she was a Dou Emperor.

Surely she could not be a Dou Zong.

Even elite geniuses from the greatest clans, like Xun'er and Yao Ling, gained their power by awakening their bloodlines. Their early cultivation speed still fell within what ordinary people in the Central Plains could comprehend.

That was what made the Dou Di Bloodline so miraculous. Even if you were a useless good-for-nothing, the moment your son became a Dou Di, you might instantly become a Dou Sheng.

Advancement barriers, the density of Dou Qi, cultivation talent-all of it was bullshit.

"We have no Seventh-Grade Pills. Would you be interested in a peak sixth-grade Emperor's Extreme Pill?"

A calm voice rang out. The girl in the blue dress put down her book before slowly rising.

With a slender waist and long legs, she was tall yet curvaceous, her long hair spilling over her shoulders. Pale blue high heels adorned her feet, their rhythmic clicking plucking at Fan Tian's heartstrings. Her expression was icy, and despite her youth, her bust was scarcely less developed than those of mature women.

"I don't need an Emperor's Extreme Pill. I want Seventh-Grade Pills that can aid a Dou Zong's cultivation!"

Fan Tian watched the long-haired beauty approach and slowly released his aura.

To speak as equals with the continent's true prodigies, he had to demonstrate his strength.

Otherwise, rather than playing the pig to devour the tiger, he would earn only distaste and contempt. Especially when dealing with a peerless beauty backed by towering influence, he absolutely could not conceal his abilities if he wanted to win her over.

"Oh?"

"A five-star Dou Zong?"

Yao Ling studied the young man before her, a hint of curiosity entering her eyes.

Her soul had been different from others' since birth. Although she was only an Eight-Star Dou Emperor, her spiritual strength rivaled that of a Dou Zong.

"My name is Yao Ling. To become a five-star Dou Zong at such a young age is remarkable. May I ask which clan you come from, and your name?"

"I am Ye Tian, from the Northwest Continent. My family is merely an ordinary faction. You, on the other hand, Miss Yao Ling, have already become an Eight-Star Dou Emperor at your age. Such a favored daughter of heaven inspires admiration."

Yao Ling blushed faintly, though her expression remained icy. Her lively, large eyes continued to scrutinize Ye Tian.

The Northwest Continent?

The strongest cultivators there seemed to be only in the Dou Zun Realm.

The young man before her was only around eighteen, yet his strength and talent were no less than those of the ancient clans' leading prodigies. Her own elder brother, Yao Tian, the foremost member of the Yao Clan's younger generation, was the same age and had only barely become a Two-Star Dou Zong.

"You're too modest, Brother Ye. I have plenty of Seventh-Grade Pills. Which ones do you need?"

"Hm? Didn't you just say you had no Seventh-Grade Pills, Miss Yao Ling?"

Fan Tian stared at Yao Ling's face, inhaling the distinctive medicinal fragrance she exuded while struggling to control the flow of his drool.

Yao Ling gently raised her arm and brushed back her azure hair with her delicate, pale right hand. Lifting her chin slightly, she continued, "The highest-grade pills in the shop are only peak sixth-grade, because I can currently refine only Sixth-Grade Pills. I still have some way to go before I can refine Seventh-Grade Pills. However, if your need is urgent, Brother Ye, I can provide not only Seventh-Grade Pills, but even Eighth-Tier Pills."

"Eighth-Tier Pills? How generous of you, Miss Yao Ling!"

"There's no need to be surprised, Brother Ye. They're only a few pills. Consider it my way of making a friend today!"

Fan Tian's face twitched. Even he had only ever consumed a handful of eighth-tier pills. Was this the gulf between the Central Plains' first-rate clans and its greatest clans?

Fan Tian recalled a saying: never pit your family fortune against someone else's pocket money.

"Little Sister Ling'er, what sort of friend deserves an Eighth-Tier Pill just to make their acquaintance?"

Three young men of around twenty entered the shop one after another. Each had sword-like brows, star-bright eyes, and an imposing bearing. The one in front also had a distinctive mark between his brows.

"Ling Feng, my affairs are none of your business!"

Yao Ling frowned at the young men who had appeared.

"Ling'er, you're innocent by nature, and you've only just come out to gain experience. You don't know how dangerous the outside world is. This fellow has been staring at you all this time. Don't let his looks fool you. Brother Yao Tian specifically asked me to take good care of you."

"You...!"

By bringing up Yao Tian, Ling Feng left the already ineloquent Yao Ling at a loss for words.

"What, does my coming to Miss Yao Ling's shop to buy pills somehow offend you?"

Seeing how familiar they were with Yao Ling, Fan Tian guessed that they, too, belonged to an ancient clan.

"Brat, does our young clan leader need a reason to dislike you?"

Another young man spoke up.

"Now get out of this shop. Otherwise, not even the king of heaven himself can save you. You have my word."

The young man named Ling Feng waved the feather fan in his hand as he spoke calmly.

"Ling Feng, don't go too far," Yao Ling said irritably beside him. Ling Feng was the Spirit Clan's young clan leader and one of her suitors.

Although the Spirit Clan's dwindling bloodline had reduced its strength over the years, leaving it at the bottom of the Eight Clans, it was still beyond what other factions could contend with.

Whatever background the young man before her had, Ling Feng was someone he could not afford to offend.

It was rare for someone to catch her eye, and Yao Ling did not want to bring a heaven-swallowing calamity down upon this young man because of herself.

Fan Tian, however, waved a hand.

"Miss Yao Ling, as long as you aren't asking me to leave today, I'd like to see who has the ability to make me go."

"Well, well, quite the stubborn mouth. You think a little talent makes you something special? Go on, tell us the name of the faction behind you. I'll have our Spirit Clan elders pay them a visit!"

The other young man behind Ling Feng spoke disdainfully.

Ling Feng and his companions knew more or less all the other Emperor Clans' leading prodigies. Clearly, this young man was not part of their circle.

He probably came from some faction in the Central Plains with a modest foundation.

But so what? He was merely an ant trying to shake a tree.

Fan Tian fell silent.

His mind raced.

Unless he was mistaken, these men belonged to the Spirit Clan. This Ling Feng was very likely its young clan leader. His strength as a Three-Star Dou Zong was certainly not weak.

Although the Spirit Clan had been wiped out by the Hun Clan and seemed unable to withstand a single blow, it was still not something a faction like Sound Valley could afford to provoke.

With thousands of years of accumulated strength, it might not have many high-level Dou Shengs, but it probably had dozens of low-star Dou Shengs and Half-Saints.

Fan Tian unconsciously licked his lips.

Rather than letting the Spirit Clan's Dou Di Bloodline go to the Nihility Devouring Flame for nothing, why not give it to him?

Being devoured was being devoured, no matter who did it. If Fan Tian devoured it, he might at least remember their kindness.

"Miss Yao Ling, I shall take my leave. I'll visit you another day!"

Fan Tian cupped his fist in his palm.

Yao Ling gave Fan Tian a slight nod.

It was indeed unwise to get entangled with Ling Feng and his companions now. If he really became embroiled in a jealous rivalry over her after just one meeting, bringing trouble upon himself and the faction behind him, he would not deserve her esteem.

A clever person ought to act cleverly.

"The three of you, including this Young Clan Leader Ling Feng, aren't worth a fart in my eyes!"

With one foot already outside the shop, Fan Tian suddenly turned back and tossed that remark at Ling Feng and his two companions.

Then he swiftly departed without looking back.

"Bastard!"

"You've got some nerve!"

The two men behind Ling Feng instantly flew into a rage.

"Ling Feng, this is the Pill Tower. Surely your Spirit Clan can't disregard the Pill Tower's existence!"

Watching Fan Tian leave, Yao Ling returned to her reclining chair, picked up her ancient book, and spoke softly.

A trace of savagery flashed through Ling Feng's eyes. He secretly signaled the two men beside him, who immediately understood and hurried after Fan Tian.

"You worry too much, Little Sister Ling'er. As the esteemed young clan leader of the Spirit Clan, why would I lower myself to quarrel with such nobodies?"

Yao Ling snorted coldly, then closed her beautiful eyes and ignored Ling Feng.

Since this young man calling himself Ye Tian had intended to withdraw, why had he continued provoking the three of them? How disappointing!