The brothers depart

"You really are amazing, Teacher, to create a miraculous cultivation aid like the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid."

"If I could cultivate with the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid every day, I could cultivate at least twice as fast as before."

Xiao Yan sat cross-legged in water diluted with Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. The abundant energy within it gave him his first taste of what it felt like to use cheats.

One word: awesome!

Yao Lao naturally relished Xiao Yan's praise, a proud look spreading across his face.

"Of course. If I lacked even this much ability, I wouldn't deserve to be called Venerable Yao by the world.

"Back in the day, I was the continent's number one alchemist."

At this point, a trace of nostalgia surfaced in Yao Lao's eyes.

Xiao Yan obligingly said, "Teacher, you're fucking badass."

The words were crude, but Yao Lao loved hearing them, his aged face beaming.

As time passed, the blue-green liquid in the wooden tub gradually faded until it became completely clear.

Meanwhile, the Dou Qi within Xiao Yan grew increasingly abundant. His body filled out, giving off a faint sheen and brimming with vitality.

"Whew..."

After rising from the tub, Xiao Yan gently exhaled a breath of stale air. His muscles and bones crackled like beans popping in a hot pan.

He looked even more radiant and spirited, his edge on full display.

Yao Lao clicked his tongue in wonder at the sight. "Little Yanzi, it seems the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid works quite well on you."

A sharp gleam flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes. Letting the water drip from his body, he stepped out of the tub.

"I have a feeling that if I take another Tiger Bone Body-Tempering Pill, I'll be able to attempt a breakthrough to the eighteenth stage of Dou Qi."

Surprise appeared on Yao Lao's face.

"It's only been a little over half a month since you broke through to the seventeenth stage of Dou Qi, hasn't it? To think you're ready for another breakthrough already."

Although Xiao Yan had benefited from pills and the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, Yao Lao understood perfectly well.

Whether it was the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid or the Tiger Bone Body-Tempering Pill, their primary effects were to expand the meridians, temper the body, and strengthen its foundations, not to bring about breakthroughs.

Xiao Yan waved a hand modestly.

"Luck. It's all just luck."

Yao Lao laughed and scolded him. "Brat, stop acting coy after getting such a bargain."

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and chuckled.

All right, he really was feeling rather smug while pretending otherwise.

As sunlight streamed through the window, the aura surrounding Xiao Yan, who sat on the bed like an old monk deep in meditation, suddenly surged.

The next instant, his eyes snapped open, and a low shout burst from his throat.

"Break!"

With that shout, a muffled rumble sounded within Xiao Yan's body, as though some shackle binding him had suddenly sprung open.

The eighteenth stage of Dou Qi!

"Little Yanzi, congratulations!"

Yao Lao's figure appeared in midair, smiling as he spoke.

Xiao Yan clenched his right fist, feeling his body's renewed strength, and nodded in satisfaction.

"With my current strength, if I use Eight Extremes Collapse and the Hundred-Forged Golden Sun Body, even a Seven- or Eight-Star Dou Zhe would probably suffer quite a bit."

Having studied under Yao Lao for over a year, Xiao Yan naturally had not cultivated Dou Qi alone.

Besides Eight Extremes Collapse, which had appeared in the original story, Yao Lao had also taught Xiao Yan a high-grade Profound Tier body-hardening Dou Technique called the Hundred-Forged Golden Sun Body.

If cultivated to its pinnacle, this Dou Technique would make the body like gold and jade, radiating sunlight's dazzling brilliance. With every movement, fists could split mountains and feet could shake the earth, while the body became as hard and indestructible as diamond.

If it did not require exceptional talent for body tempering and were not so difficult to perfect, its grade would certainly have surpassed High Xuan Tier.

To Xiao Yan, however, that was a mere trifle.

Because Dou Qi constantly nourished his flesh, Xiao Yan's foundations were extraordinarily robust, giving him a uniquely blessed talent for body tempering.

Although both were high-grade Profound Tier Dou Techniques, compared with Eight Extremes Collapse, Xiao Yan's cultivation of the Hundred-Forged Golden Sun Body progressed at lightning speed, as though aided by the gods.

In less than a year, he had actually reached minor mastery of the Hundred-Forged Golden Sun Body.

By contrast, he still needed more practice to achieve minor mastery of Eight Extremes Collapse.

Even Yao Lao could only marvel at how terrifying Xiao Yan's body-tempering talent was. It was every bit the equal of his soul talent.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just then, knocking suddenly sounded outside.

"Little Yanzi!"

"Second Brother?"

Hearing the familiar call from outside, Xiao Yan paused briefly and recognized its owner.

A moment later, Xiao Yan quickly tidied himself up, got off the bed, and opened the door.

Before him stood his eldest brother, Xiao Ding, dressed in white, and his second brother, Xiao Li, clad in a snug black martial outfit.

The three brothers bore some resemblance to one another, though Xiao Ding and Xiao Li looked more mature.

A smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face as he looked at them.

"Eldest Brother, Second Brother."

Xiao Li wore a somewhat languid expression. Upon seeing Xiao Yan, he laughed and said, "Judging by the way you look, don't tell me you were cultivating just now?"

Xiao Yan spread his hands and replied with a smile, "Cultivation makes me happy."

Xiao Li said, exasperated, "Little Yanzi, working so hard makes your eldest brother and me look lazy.

"Besides, at your age, you don't have a care in the world. You should be playing to your heart's content. Look at Xiao Ning and the others. They're a year or two older than you, yet they spend all day fooling around outside. You really ought to learn from them."

No sooner had Xiao Li finished than Xiao Ding gently scolded him.

"Second Brother, it's a good thing that Little Yanzi enjoys cultivating. Don't teach him your twisted reasoning. If Father finds out, watch out, or he'll come after you."

Compared with Xiao Li, Xiao Ding possessed an air of wisdom and refinement.

Even after hearing Xiao Ding's reprimand, Xiao Li remained utterly unconcerned.

"Eldest Brother, if you don't say anything, I don't say anything, and Little Yanzi doesn't say anything, how will Father find out?"

Xiao Ding narrowed his eyes in a smile and said nothing.

Yet Xiao Yan still caught a hint of cunning and mischief in his eldest brother's eyes.

He thought to himself, Looks like Second Brother is in for trouble.

To their father, Xiao Yan carried the hope of reviving the clan. If he learned that Second Brother had tried to lead Xiao Yan astray, Xiao Li would probably have no escaping his wrath.

After the three brothers chatted a while longer, Xiao Yan asked curiously, "By the way, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, did you suddenly come looking for me so early because you needed something?"

Surely they had not come just to chat with him?

Xiao Li laughed and lifted his chin slightly.

"Of course. Your eldest brother and I are planning to venture out into the world, so we came specifically to say goodbye before leaving."

"Huh? Why so suddenly?"

Xiao Yan was startled. Naturally, he knew that in the original story, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li would leave to gain experience and establish the Desert Iron Mercenary Group in the Tagor Desert.

But he had not expected them to prepare to leave so early.

After all, his second brother, Xiao Li, had only just turned seventeen, and his eldest brother was not even twenty.

Xiao Li chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.

"We've actually been planning this for a long time. It's just that I hadn't broken through to Dou Zhe before, so we never made up our minds.

"You know how it is. Without the strength of a Dou Zhe, even if I wanted to, Father would never let me venture out."

Xiao Ding also smiled and said, "Little Yanzi, Wutan City is too small. Your second brother and I both want to see the wider world.

"It's a shame you're too young. Otherwise, the three of us brothers could go together."

"So that's how it is!"

After hearing their explanations, Xiao Yan understood.

He could understand Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's choice.

Wutan City was indeed too small. Given Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's ambitions, they naturally wanted to venture out and carve out their own careers and futures.

Xiao Yan naturally supported his brothers' decision.

He said solemnly, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, go without worry. I'll watch over the Xiao Clan."

"Hahaha, Little Yanzi, it looks like you're a little man now. Not bad."

"With you here, we can rest easy about the clan!"

Hearing this, Xiao Ding laughed heartily and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder. He had actually wanted to ruffle his hair.

However, he suddenly remembered that Little Yanzi disliked having his hair ruffled, so he patted his shoulder instead.

Xiao Ding likewise nodded, his smile gentle.

"From now on, no matter how your second brother and I fare, wherever we are will always be a safe harbor for you."

The next day.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li left Wutan City as Xiao Yan watched them go.

Before their departure, Xiao Yan had asked Yao Lao for a Black Tier cultivation method for each of them.

One was mid-grade Black Tier, and the other was High Black Tier.

Though both were greatly surprised, neither asked where Xiao Yan had obtained the cultivation methods.

"Little Yanzi, take care!"

Mounted on horseback, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li waved to Xiao Yan from afar.

Watching their figures gradually recede into the distance, Xiao Yan murmured with well wishes in his eyes.

Take care!