12 centimeters wasn't much

"Hmm... Xun'er, this Purple-Gold Card really is a little... conspicuous..."

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yan spoke again.

This was a card that only a Dou Ling expert could apply for. If she simply took it out and used it, there would be problems.

Besides, although she knew Xun'er wasn't short of money, she didn't want to owe her too many favors.

"Hmm... I didn't think that through." Xun'er nodded, then produced an ordinary Black Card and pressed it into Xiao Yan's hand.

This was one of the continent's most common gold deposit cards. Its balance couldn't exceed five thousand gold coins, and anyone with money could get one.

Xiao Yan: "..."

Rich lady, hungry. Feed me.

"Xun'er, this..." Xiao Yan put away the Black Card and tried to return the Purple-Gold Card.

"Keep it, Sister Xiao Yan. There's no reason to take back a gift once it's given. You'll find a use for it someday." Xun'er waved a hand airily.

"Come on, Sister Xiao Yan. It's getting late. We should head back..."

"...All right, Xun'er. Tomorrow, I'll take you around Wutan City..."

Knowing Xun'er's personality, Xiao Yan didn't insist.

When Xun'er was little and her parents weren't around, Xiao Yan had taken good care of her. And after Xiao Yan became "trash," Xun'er had still "never left her side."

So the bond between them was anything but shallow.

To Xun'er, this might merely be pocket change. Refusing it would only seem "overly fussy" and hurt their relationship.

All right, I'll remember this favor and deal with it later.

After returning to her room, Xiao Yan cultivated for a while longer before washing up and going to bed.

Her talent had returned, and she had even become an Alchemist's disciple. Xiao Yan was in a wonderful mood that day, and a faint smile lingered on her face even in her dreams.

A ghostly figure... no, a somewhat ethereal, graceful figure quietly appeared beside Xiao Yan's bed.

"...Neither arrogant nor impatient. With a temperament like this, talent like yours, and a father like that backing you..."

"Even without me, your life would shine brilliantly."

Apothecary sighed, filled with emotion as she considered her young disciple-

Even if she had never appeared, Xiao Yan would have revealed her talent, then gone to Jia Nan Academy, traveled to the Central Plains, found the Pill Tower, and grown into a high-ranking Alchemist, one step at a time.

"How am I supposed to persuade a youngster like this to cultivate the Flame Mantra? Can the Flame Mantra really evolve? If it can't, wouldn't convincing her to learn it just waste her natural talent?"

Apothecary stood... floated beside the bed, her entire soul tangled in countless thoughts, unable to decide.

"...Forget it. When the time comes, I'll explain everything clearly and let her choose for herself!"

"Speaking of which, that little girl named Xun'er isn't ordinary either. Even the healing medicine she casually pulled out was fourth-tier. Tsk, tsk..."

The next day.

Morning sunlight streamed through the window and fell warmly upon the girl cultivating cross-legged on the bed...

"Phew..."

Her eyes snapped open, a white gleam flashing through them. Xiao Yan slowly stretched. "Mmm... that's the feeling. It's been three years. At last, I can feel myself growing stronger again."

Xiao Yan examined her left hand and murmured in admiration, "I wonder what grade that ointment Xun'er gave me was. It actually works this well."

Only one night had passed, yet the injury on her hand was already almost healed.

She climbed leisurely out of bed, loosened up her muscles and joints, then changed her clothes. Xun'er's clear, lilting voice was already coming from outside the door:

"Sister Xiao Yan, aren't you up yet?"

"Coming, coming. Just a moment."

Putting on the specially made bracelets and bracers that served as "weights," then slipping into her specially made weighted high heels with twelve-centimeter heels, Xiao Yan got up and headed out.

In her previous life, Xiao Yan would have been unable to resist quipping-twelve whole centimeters of heel! People really would stop at nothing just to look good!

If an enemy suddenly attacked, she wouldn't even be able to run dressed like this. How was she supposed to fight?

Wouldn't she just be serving herself up to the enemy on a platter?!

But now, Xiao Yan could only say that her horizons had been too narrow.

In her previous life, these really would have been a burden. But this was the Dou Qi Continent, and that changed everything.

Although she only had Three-Stage Dou Qi at present, her daily cultivation and physical training had already given her a physique far beyond what she'd had in her previous life.

And as their cultivation advanced, Dou Qi cultivators' physical coordination also exceeded anything ordinary people could imagine.

Never mind twelve centimeters. Once she broke through to Dou Zhe, even eighteen centimeters wouldn't affect her fighting ability. Instead, they could become weapons that dealt critical hits.

After all, a solid metal heel smashed into someone's head was no joke. Its power rivaled, or even surpassed, the legendary divine weapon known as a "brick."

Of course, that would only work if her opponent wasn't too strong.

Ahem... getting sidetracked.

Opening the door, Xiao Yan saw Xun'er waiting outside.

Today, Xun'er had changed into a pale green outfit, its delicate color lending her an extra air of purity.

A ribbon cinched her waist, outlining a slender figure that could be encircled with a single hand.

If her clothes were lotus leaves, then Xun'er was the elegant, lovely lotus nestled among them in the thin mist of an immortal mountain, breathtakingly beautiful.

After greeting each other, the two linked arms and headed toward the Marketplace.

The Xiao Clan was, after all, one of Wutan City's three leading clans and accounted for a substantial share of its population. Along the way, they encountered quite a few clan members, who all cast glances their way.

In this world where Dou Qi existed, nourishment from the energy of heaven and earth meant there were no truly ugly women. Even ordinary people rated a six or seven.

Well, out of ten.

Even so, both girls' looks and bearing were remarkably eye-catching.

Especially when one was the Third Miss of the Xiao Clan, who had become quite "famous" over the past three years, and the other was the brightest pearl among the Xiao Clan's younger generation.

Within the clan, Xun'er usually seemed gentle and amiable, but beneath that faint smile lay a polite sense of distance.

Only when she was with Third Miss Xiao Yan did Xiao Xun'er's aura seem to soften.

Still, the two had always gotten along well, and Xiao Yan was a woman herself, so there hadn't been any strange developments.

Moreover, upon seeing the two girls, the other clan members seemed rather... desperate to steer clear.

They sneaked a glance, then disappeared.

In truth, Xiao Yan had plenty of suitors too. In the past, she had spared some thought for other people's feelings and formally turned them down.

But after her halo of genius faded, those who had once treated her courteously began trying to get handsy with her, openly or secretly, as though their interest in her were some tremendous honor.

In response, Xiao Yan chose to teach them how to behave with her high heels.

Those who spoke disrespectfully were also mostly below Seventh Stage Dou Qi but above Three-Stage Dou Qi. They felt that Xiao Yan had once been far beyond their reach, but now they could trample all over her.

Without exception, she had beaten every last one of them miserably.

As the Xiao Clan's Third Miss and Xiao Zhan's most beloved youngest daughter, even after becoming a cripple, Xiao Yan still had bodyguards and the like following her in secret. She wasn't really going to suffer any losses.

Likewise, with Clan Leader Xiao Zhan backing her, all these incidents had been quietly dropped.

And so, both Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yan were now "to be admired from afar, not handled with irreverence."

-No one came over asking for a beating.

Especially since, according to the grapevine, Xiao Xun'er apparently also avenged Xiao Yan behind the scenes...

Naturally, Xun'er herself had quietly spread these "rumors." And, wouldn't you know it, they proved quite an effective deterrent.

Leaving the Xiao Clan's compound, the two girls headed toward some stalls selling trinkets.

Novel Home offers readers free access to complete, entertaining webnovels online. If you enjoy this site, please share it with more fellow readers!

If you think "Battle Through the Heavens: Flame Emperor, but Xiao Yan" is a wonderful novel, please copy the following link and share it with your friends. Thank you for your support!