Meanwhile.
Xiao Ning'er returned to the Winged Dragon Family.
The Winged Dragon Family stood on the eastern outskirts of Glory City. Its estate was grand and imposing, with an enormous winged dragon statue standing before the gates, proclaiming the family's former glory.
Inside the estate, pavilions and towers were arranged in graceful harmony. Exotic flowers and rare plants competed to bloom in the gardens, and a clear stream wound through the grounds, creating a delightful scene.
As Xiao Ning'er approached the family's council hall, she heard her father, Xiao Yunfeng, arguing with Elder Xiao Yi inside.
"Patriarch, Young Master Shen Fei of the Sacred Family sent someone to warn us. He wants Ning'er to stop getting too close to other men, or they won't let the matter rest," Elder Xiao Yi said.
Xiao Yunfeng said furiously, "He's threatening our Winged Dragon Family!"
He had never wanted his daughter to marry into the Sacred Family, but circumstances were stronger than he was.
He had opposed the marriage all along, but the other family elders had agreed to it.
Elder Xiao Yi frowned and said, "Patriarch, our Winged Dragon Family is nowhere near as powerful as it once was. We still have to rely on the Sacred Family. Marrying Ning'er into the Sacred Family would be a good thing for us."
"I refuse! I won't force Ning'er to marry that wastrel," Xiao Yunfeng declared firmly.
Hearing this, Xiao Ning'er felt deeply touched, yet she was also furious at Elder Xiao Yi's behavior.
She pushed open the door and entered the council hall. "Father, Uncle Xiao Yi, I'll decide my own affairs. I will not marry Shen Fei."
Xiao Yi's expression changed when he saw Xiao Ning'er. "Ning'er, don't act on impulse. This is for the family's sake."
Xiao Ning'er looked coldly at Xiao Yi. "Uncle Xiao Yi, you keep claiming this is for the family, but you're actually helping outsiders threaten your own kin. Just what are your intentions?" With that, she revealed her cultivation. Astonishingly, she had already reached Bronze 4-Star.
Elder Xiao Yi was rendered speechless by her words, and the cultivation she revealed left him stunned as well.
After all, before enrolling a month ago, she had not even reached bronze one-star.
Xiao Yunfeng looked at Xiao Ning'er, equally shocked. "Ning'er, this... what's going on? How did you reach Bronze 4-Star?"
"Father, Uncle Xiao Yi, I only managed to break through to Bronze 4-Star with a friend's help.
"I'm revealing my cultivation now because I want you to know that, in the future, I'll have my own way of leading our family out from under the Sacred Family's control and back to its peak. There is no way I'll marry Shen Fei," Xiao Ning'er told them solemnly.
"Good, good, good! Ning'er, you're truly blessed to have a friend like that. Don't worry. Having reached Bronze 4-Star at such a young age, you're certain to become a Black Gold Demon Spirit Master someday. You might even break through to become a Legendary Demon Spirit Master like Lord Ye Mo."
"I doubt the other elders would give up a future Legendary Demon Spirit Master," Xiao Yunfeng told Xiao Ning'er excitedly.
Xiao Yi had wanted Xiao Ning'er to marry into the Sacred Family because he was actually scheming to seize the position of patriarch. But now that he saw she had reached Bronze 4-Star, he no longer wanted to bring it up.
After all, one option meant becoming the chief elder of a future top-tier family, while the other meant becoming the patriarch of an influential family under someone else's control. He could still tell which offered greater power and standing.
In the library, after Du Ze, Wang Hu, and the others saw Xiao Tianhao and Nie Li sign up for the expedition to the Ancient Orchid City Ruins, they all voiced their support and reminded them to be careful.
Du Ze and the others understood their own situation. Some had only just reached bronze one-star, while others had yet to reach bronze rank at all. They would only be burdens if they went along.
That afternoon, they found a restaurant and gathered around a round table, creating a lively scene.
The table was laden with all kinds of delicacies, a dazzling assortment of Demon Beast meat, and juice squeezed from fruit produced by some kind of plant Demon Beast. Delicious aromas filled the air.
Xiao Tianhao and Nie Li shared their excitement about the upcoming journey to the Ancient Orchid City Ruins.
As Lu Piao devoured his food, he exclaimed, "You'd better bring back plenty of treasures!" Du Ze earnestly reminded them, "Be careful the whole way." The others also expressed their concern.
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew even livelier.
Everyone chimed in, brimming with curiosity and anticipation about the Ancient Orchid City Ruins.
After the meal, everyone went their separate ways, while Xiao Tianhao and Nie Li began making their final preparations for the upcoming expedition to the Ancient Orchid City Ruins.
At the City Lord's Mansion, the people Ye Zong had sent out were still working hard to investigate Xiao Tianhao's origins.
Although progress was slow, they did not give up and continued searching every corner for clues.
Meanwhile, the Sacred Family flew into a rage upon learning that the Winged Dragon Family had outright rejected the marriage between Xiao Ning'er and Shen Fei.
A mere Winged Dragon Family dared to reject a marriage alliance with their top-tier family! They immediately began suppressing the Winged Dragon Family's businesses and shops.
Back at the Winged Dragon Family, Xiao Ning'er prepared to face the threats from the Sacred Family.
During these seemingly peaceful days, the fates of the various powers were gradually becoming intertwined, moving toward an unknown future...
At the Alchemist Association, President Gu Yan and Director Yang were busy with pill refinement and promotion.
As the pills continued to sell briskly, more and more people became interested in becoming alchemists, and the association began preparing a new alchemist training program.
Xiao Tianhao visited the Alchemist Association again.
When Xiao Lan saw him arrive, she hurriedly invited him into Director Yang's office.
"Little Brother Tianhao, Director Yang is in the pill-refining room right now. Wait here for a while." With that, she left.
Half an hour later.
Director Yang finally returned from the pill-refining room.
Her purple hair was tied up, with a lock falling across her forehead and a silver ornament adorning it. She had a lovely face, delicate features, and purple earrings.
She wore a light purple, cross-collared inner robe beneath a blue-and-purple outer robe, both adorned with intricate patterns. Her attire exuded classical elegance and a lively grace, while her full, high breasts showed off her stunning figure to the fullest.
"Little Brother Tianhao, what a rare visitor! How long has it been since you last came? You really never visit the temple unless you need a favor," Director Yang teased as soon as she entered.
"I've been busy lately! It's been so long, but Sister Yang is still as beautiful and enchanting as ever, like a fairy descended to earth." Thick-skinned as he was, Xiao Tianhao showed no embarrassment and immediately offered a compliment.
"After all this time, your tongue has certainly grown sweeter. Well, tell me what you need." His compliment made Director Yang cover her mouth and chuckle, her chest trembling slightly.
Xiao Tianhao was instantly mesmerized and stared blankly at Director Yang Xin.
Noticing his expression, Director Yang couldn't resist flicking his forehead.
"You little lecher, what are you looking at? Should I take my clothes off so you can look to your heart's content?"
"Ow!" Xiao Tianhao quickly covered his forehead and cried out in pain.
"It's all because Sister Yang is so beautiful that I lost myself for a moment." He rubbed his forehead, lowered his hand, and grinned at Director Yang.
In truth, he wasn't entirely to blame. Back in the Modern World, he had been a lonely single dog for all twenty-three years of his life.
Although he had grown close to Xiao Ning'er, she was only thirteen and had yet to fully develop. How could she compare with Yang Xin? This sexy older woman had enchanted him in an instant.
Yang Xin rolled her eyes at him. "All right, stop being glib. What exactly do you need?"
"In a couple of days, I'm going to explore the Ancient Orchid City Ruins. I'm running a little low on the pills from last time, so I came to get some more from you, Sister Yang." Turning to business, Xiao Tianhao grew serious.
"Make sure you stay safe along the way."
Hearing this, Yang Xin nodded and offered that reminder, then took pills out of her Space Ring.
"Here are a hundred bottles of Body Tempering Pills, a hundred bottles of Soul-Nourishing Pills, a hundred bottles of Origin-Restoring Pills, and a hundred bottles of Barrier-Breaking Pills. There are also a hundred bottles each of Soul-Consolidating Pills, Soul-Tempering Pills, Nine-Transformation Pills, and Divine Wind Pills. Will these be enough?"
Xiao Tianhao nodded and put the pills into his Space Ring. "That's enough, Sister Yang."
He then took several sheets of paper from his Space Ring and handed them to Yang Xin.
"What are these?" Yang Xin asked curiously as she accepted them.
"The pills I gave the Alchemist Association last time were missing healing varieties. These are the Pill Formulas for the high-grade first-tier Spring-Rejuvenation Pill and Mind-Concentrating Pill, and the high-grade second-tier Life-Extending Pill," Xiao Tianhao explained.
"Oh, right, Sister Yang. This Pill Formula is a gift for you."
As though he had suddenly remembered something, he slapped his forehead and took another Pill Formula from his Space Ring.
Yang Xin was puzzled by his behavior, but she still accepted the new Pill Formula.
Written on it was:
Jade Beauty Pill
Effects: After consumption, this pill cleanses impurities deep within the skin and repairs damage to one's appearance caused by age or impacts of soul force. It leaves the skin lustrous and smooth as congealed cream, lending the brows, eyes, and facial contours a more delicate clarity. Long-term use preserves one's appearance and slows aging. Its medicinal power is gentle, with no risk of backlash, and it also nourishes blood and vital energy, giving the complexion a rosy, luminous glow. A single pill remains effective for two years.
Ingredients:
1. Ten-year snow lotus stamen: Grown in bitterly cold, snowy regions. Use the fine, luminous white stamen at its very center. It contains pure, ethereal cold energy that cleanses the skin of impurities and preserves its vitality.
2. Moonheart grass: A spirit herb that grows only by absorbing moonlight on nights of the full moon. Its leaves are silvery white. It balances blood and vital energy, reduces wrinkles and scars, and stabilizes the foundation of one's appearance.
3. Human-faced peach blossom petal: An unusual flower that grows in places with yin veins. Its petals resemble human faces and are crimson in color. They brighten the skin, giving the complexion the vibrant beauty of peach blossoms.
4. Jade marrow paste: A paste ground from ten-year warm jade marrow. Gentle and nourishing to the skin, it seals the spiritual power of the other ingredients within the skin's surface, making the appearance-preserving effects last longer.
5. Spirit Bee nectar: Amber-colored nectar brewed by bronze-rank Demon Beasts, Spirit Bees, from a hundred varieties of spirit flowers. It serves as both a medicinal catalyst and a means of softening the medicine's power, preventing overly potent effects from damaging the skin.
After reading the Pill Formula, Yang Xin was beside herself with joy and carefully put it away.
She was nearly thirty, an age when she cared deeply about her appearance. How could she resist a pill like this?
After putting all the Pill Formulas away, she happily cupped Xiao Tianhao's face and gave him a kiss.
As she looked at this handsome little brother, she found him more charming by the moment.
Xiao Tianhao was stunned by the kiss. He had never been so intimate with a girl before, and his face instantly turned as red as a monkey's bottom. He was at a loss for what to do.
Amused by her adorable little brother, Yang Xin rubbed his cheek and said, "All right, I still have things to do, so I'll be going."
Xiao Tianhao came back to his senses. Seeing Yang Xin about to leave, he quickly called out, asking her to send him a portion of the refined healing pills tomorrow and giving her his address.
He walked out of the Alchemist Association.
He was still a little dazed. Today's shock had simply been too much.
Then he remembered that he still had other things to prepare today.
He quickly found a general store, bought some silver-rank battle armor and weapons along with a few daily necessities, and hurried back to his residence.
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