After leaving the Mittel Auction House, Xiao Yan returned straight to the Xiao Clan, then headed toward the mountain behind the estate.
When Xiao Yan reached the mountain, everything around him was quiet. Just like yesterday, he was the only person there.
Xiao Yan found a rock to sit on, then carefully placed the Clearheart Grass he had brought back from the auction house beside him.
Just then, his Storage Ring trembled slightly, and a faint, illusory figure emerged from within.
It was Yao Ling.
Yao Ling floated in midair, looked at Xiao Yan before her, and asked him a question.
"Xiao Yan, where did that Dou Technique you used outside the auction house come from?"
Xiao Yan had already guessed that Yao Ling would ask about this. After all, when he had used the Forbidden Character Art outside the auction house, she had been inside his Storage Ring and must have sensed it.
So he hid nothing and told her the truth.
"It was a Dou Technique I comprehended last night. It's called the Forbidden Character Art."
Yao Ling froze for a moment at his answer. "You comprehended it last night?"
Yao Ling pondered this to herself, then pressed further. "What tier is it?"
Xiao Yan thought for a moment, then answered honestly.
"It should be high Earth tier."
Hearing the words "high Earth tier," Yao Ling was deeply shocked. Even among the top factions of the Central Plains, a high Earth tier Dou Technique was considered extremely precious, yet Xiao Yan claimed he had comprehended it himself just last night?
Is Xiao Yan's talent really this terrifying?
Yao Ling thought to herself, then carefully recalled the invisible force she had sensed when Xiao Yan used the Forbidden Character Art.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this Dou Technique might be more than merely high Earth tier.
No, that force just now, that ability to seal off Dou Techniques, already carried a faint trace of a law. A Dou Technique of this caliber has probably surpassed the bounds of Earth tier. Even if it isn't low Heaven tier, it can't be far off.
At that thought, Yao Ling marveled inwardly once again.
This disciple of mine truly possesses peerless talent. An eleven-year-old boy actually comprehended a Dou Technique of this caliber. If word got out, no one would dare believe it.
Back when I was in the Central Plains, I saw plenty of geniuses, but this is the first time I've ever met someone like Xiao Yan. Compared with him, those so-called geniuses are worlds apart-as far apart as heaven and earth.
With proper guidance, Xiao Yan's future achievements may well surpass my own. When that time comes, having him refine a body for me will be as easy as turning his hand.
Still, Yao Ling did not dwell on the matter. The most important thing now was to teach Xiao Yan to refine a second-grade pill.
She gathered her thoughts, looked at Xiao Yan, and spoke.
"All right, enough about that. Today, I'll first teach you to refine a second-grade pill, Qi Condensation Powder."
With that, Yao Ling extended a hand and lightly tapped the empty air. A Medicine Cauldron immediately appeared out of nowhere before Xiao Yan.
Then, right in front of him, Yao Ling began refining the Qi Condensation Powder.
With a light flick of her finger, the medicinal ingredients on the ground flew into the Medicine Cauldron one after another. A flame then sprang into existence beneath it.
The entire process flowed like drifting clouds and running water, completed in one seamless sweep. Xiao Yan watched in admiration, and within mere minutes, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the Medicine Cauldron.
Yao Ling then lightly tapped the Medicine Cauldron, and a round, smooth pill flew out and landed in her hand.
"This is the second-grade pill, Qi Condensation Powder."
Seeing how effortlessly Yao Ling had refined a second-grade pill, Xiao Yan smiled.
"You really are amazing, Teacher. Refining a second-grade pill is like child's play in your hands."
Yao Ling shook her head slightly at his words. "Enough flattery. Your turn."
Xiao Yan walked over to the Medicine Cauldron and began trying to refine the Qi Condensation Powder, following the method Yao Ling had just demonstrated.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to begin, a system notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Today's choice: choose one of three. Please select the pill you wish to refine.] [Option one: Spirit Gathering Powder.] [Option two: Qi Refining Powder.] [Option three: Heavenly Spirit Pill.]
Xiao Yan froze for a moment when he saw the system notification.
Then he began analyzing the three options in his mind.
Spirit Gathering Powder and Qi Refining Powder were both second-grade pills. Though they would be useful to him now, their effects were limited.
The third option, the Heavenly Spirit Pill, was an entirely different matter.
According to the system's introduction, the Heavenly Spirit Pill was a third-tier pill that could strengthen the soul. More importantly, it could actually be refined using the same formula.
In other words, he could take this opportunity to refine Qi Condensation Powder and produce the Heavenly Spirit Pill as well.
At that thought, Xiao Yan grew quite excited.
The Heavenly Spirit Pill can strengthen the soul... If I could give this pill to Teacher, wouldn't her soul power recover faster?
After all, Teacher is only a soul body right now. The stronger her soul power, the more she can do. And although refining the Qi Condensation Powder looked effortless for her just now, I could sense that it actually consumed quite a lot of her soul power.
With this Heavenly Spirit Pill, Teacher could recover her soul power much faster. Teaching me alchemy would be easier for her, too.
More importantly, the faster Teacher recovers her strength, the more help she can give me in the future. No matter how I tally the accounts, this is no losing deal.
Xiao Yan decisively chose the third option.
[You have selected the Heavenly Spirit Pill.]
Upon seeing this notification, the corners of Xiao Yan's lips lifted slightly.
Then he gathered his thoughts and began seriously refining the Qi Condensation Powder. According to the system, as long as he could refine this Qi Condensation Powder, he could use the same formula to refine the Heavenly Spirit Pill.
The most important thing now was to successfully refine the Qi Condensation Powder first. Xiao Yan took a deep breath, placed his hand on the Medicine Cauldron, and began refining it step by step, following the insights in his mind.
With his previous experience refining the Qi Gathering Pill, Xiao Yan found refining Qi Condensation Powder quite smooth this time.
Although Qi Condensation Powder was a second-grade pill and considerably harder to refine than a first-grade Qi Gathering Pill, the entire process went remarkably smoothly with the aid of Xiao Yan's heaven-defying comprehension.
Before long, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted from the Medicine Cauldron.
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