Xiao Ce sat on the boulder in silence for a while, then suddenly asked, "After I died, what happened to those two fellows, Dan Feng and Xuan Dan, and that old man with the unibrow?"
The girl sat beside Xiao Ce, swinging her legs as she recalled, "Dan Feng... he later became a Ninth Grade Golden Pill alchemist too. His cultivation reached nine-star Dou Sheng, and he was ranked among the five supreme powerhouses alongside the Burning Flame Ancestor, Xiao Xuan of the Xiao Clan, Gu Yuan of the Gu Clan, and Hun Tiandi of the Hun Clan.
"Later, he refined pills too frequently, exhausted himself too much, and died.
"As for Xuan Dan, he died trying to refine a ninth-grade Xuan Dan. That ninth-grade Xuan Dan took human form just like me, and is now the ancestor of the Pill Tower.
"As for the old man with the unibrow, he lacked talent. Even with pills, he never managed to break through to Dou Sheng, and died of old age three or four hundred years ago."
Xiao Ce opened his mouth, though he was not particularly surprised.
Of the three, one had fulfilled his lifelong ambition, becoming both a nine-star Dou Sheng and a Ninth Grade Golden Pill alchemist.
One had died refining pills, just as he had wished.
One had died of old age after enjoying life for over a thousand years.
None of the three had lived in vain.
After that, Xiao Ce asked Golden Pill a few more things, though he did not probe too deeply.
When the sky gradually darkened, he rose from the boulder and left.
To avoid attracting attention, Golden Pill had no choice but to turn into a golden pill, condense a thread of Dou Qi, and hang against Xiao Ce's chest like a necklace.
Leaving the mountain behind the clan grounds, Xiao Ce thought, With Golden Pill protecting me, I need to retrieve the inheritance my avatar left in the Magical Beast Mountain Range as soon as possible.
I'll head out after going back and letting Father, Fourth Brother, and Xun'er know.
My fire-control skills are already among the best on the continent, but I really don't know even a single pill recipe, and I know absolutely nothing about alchemy.
Only by learning as soon as possible can I bring out the full value of my fire-control skills.
Having made up his mind, Xiao Ce headed toward his father Xiao Zhan's study.
Halfway there, however, he heard two Xiao Clan members talking in low voices.
One said, "I never thought the clan leader was that sort of person. He even claimed that trash Xiao Ce had reached ninth stage Dou Qi and needed the Qi Gathering Powder to break through to Dou Zhe. Who would believe that?"
The other agreed, "Exactly, exactly. As far as I'm concerned, Xiao Zhan doesn't deserve to be clan leader at all. The First Elder should hold that position."
The first clan member objected, "No, no, no. The First Elder isn't any good either. Even if he were in charge of that Qi Gathering Powder, it would never end up in our hands. He'd definitely give it to his precious grandson, Xiao Ning."
The other said, "Who cares? At least Young Master Xiao Ning really is talented. I admit I'm no match for him. Xiao Ce? Hah."
Hearing this textbook example of mockery, Xiao Ce memorized their faces from a distance, then changed direction and hurried toward the Xiao Clan's main hall, heading the way they had come.
Soon, Xiao Ce reached the main hall. Before he even entered, he heard the First Elder declare with righteous indignation, "Xiao Zhan, everyone knows your third son is utter trash. How could he possibly have gone from fifth stage Dou Qi to ninth stage Dou Qi in a single year?
"If you ask me, you simply used that excuse to pocket the Qi Gathering Powder!"
Xiao Zhan laughed in anger. "The Nalan Family gave that Qi Gathering Powder to Ce'er as compensation. It belonged to him to begin with. How is that pocketing it?"
The First Elder simply pretended not to hear. "Xiao Zhan, you're so selfish that you don't deserve to lead the Xiao Clan!"
The First Elder turned toward the Second and Third Elders. "Second Elder, Third Elder, wouldn't you agree?"
"Agree with what?" Xiao Ce walked in from outside, his cold gaze sweeping over the three elders.
"First Elder, you think far too highly of yourself," Xiao Ce said without the slightest courtesy.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Every Xiao Clan member turned to look at Xiao Ce.
The First Elder's face darkened, and he slammed the table. "Xiao Ce, is that how you speak to your elders? You have no respect for any rule!"
Xiao Ce spared him no dignity. "An elder? If I show you respect, you're an elder.
"If I don't, what right do you have to strut around throwing your weight about?
"A mere Dou Shi who'll never break through to Da Dou Shi even by the day you die, yet you dare bark like a mad dog in front of my father.
"Don't tell me you think the Xiao Clan has survived thanks to a Dou Shi like you?
"The Xiao Clan's thirteen marketplaces across two streets, the thousand mouths it has to feed-that burden rests on my father's shoulders, not yours!"
Xiao Ce spoke with complete conviction, sparing him no consideration whatsoever.
A deathly silence filled the hall, broken only by the creaking of the armrests under the First Elder's clenched hands.
He turned to Xiao Zhan, so furious that he laughed. "Xiao Zhan, what a fine son you've raised!"
Xiao Zhan's expression had already turned cold.
He could endure anything else. For the sake of harmony throughout the clan, he did not mind swallowing a little humiliation. But there was one exception: his sons could not be involved.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said evenly, "First Elder, I don't think Ce'er said anything wrong."
The First Elder took several deep breaths, then changed the subject and demanded, "Xiao Ce, your father said that Qi Gathering Powder was used for your breakthrough to Dou Zhe. Then you should be a Dou Zhe now. Do you dare show us?!"
He was certain that Xiao Ce could never have advanced from fifth stage Dou Qi to Dou Zhe within a year.
As long as he could prove Xiao Zhan had fabricated an excuse for his own benefit and pocketed the Qi Gathering Powder, he would hold the moral high ground, and everything would go his way.
Xiao Ce answered in the simplest way possible: he released his aura, unmistakably revealing the presence of an eight-star Dou Zhe.
At the head seat, Xiao Zhan abruptly rose to his feet, his face filled with shock. "A high-star Dou Zhe!"
The First Elder's eyes widened in disbelief, and he muttered, "How is this possible? How could this possibly be?"
Xiao Ce snorted coldly. "First Elder, because my talent was poor, I told Father long ago to distribute all my resources among my younger clan brothers and sisters. So why did their resources decrease instead of increase? In the end, my father even earned a reputation for favoring me and Fourth Brother with all the resources.
"Whose pockets did those resources actually end up in?
"You know better than anyone, First Elder!"
"From now on, First Elder, you will remain confined to your courtyard and reflect on your mistakes," Xiao Ce ordered coldly.
The First Elder roared, "Brat, you don't have that authority!"
Xiao Zhan immediately spoke. "I do!"
"Carry out everything Ce'er said! Until the precise circumstances have been investigated, First Elder, you will remain confined to your courtyard."
The First Elder stood up, pointing a trembling finger at Xiao Zhan. Unable to get a single word out, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
Xiao Ce could not be bothered to give him another glance. "Someone, drag the First Elder away and keep a close watch on him!"
The Xiao Clan's servants immediately stepped forward and dragged the First Elder away, not daring to disobey Xiao Ce's orders.
Everyone could see that Xiao Ce had far more nerve than Xiao Zhan. Moreover, he was now a high-star Dou Zhe, clearly nothing like his former self. Who knew what opportunity he had obtained?
In short, the winds were about to change in the Xiao Clan!
Night fell completely.
In the study, Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Ce with gratification written all over his face.
"Ce'er, I never imagined you were already an eight-star Dou Zhe. With talent like that, you're more than qualified even to enter Jia Nan Academy."
Xiao Ce smiled. "I still need to work hard. Being an eight-star Dou Zhe isn't enough to help shoulder your burdens, Father."
Xiao Zhan shook his head with a smile. "Haha, you don't need to worry about clan affairs yet, Ce'er. Right now, all you need to do is focus on improving yourself. Your father can handle things here."
Xiao Ce murmured his assent, then took the opportunity to say, "Father, I plan to leave home tomorrow and spend a few months training outside."
Xiao Zhan paused, finding it rather sudden, but remembering that Xiao Ce was already nineteen, he nodded. "That's good. It is time you gained some experience outside. Now that you're a high-star Dou Zhe, you're strong enough to protect yourself."
After that, father and son talked heart-to-heart for a while longer before Xiao Ce left the study.
He then went to see Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er, telling them he would be leaving tomorrow to train outside.
Both understood Xiao Ce's choice, though Xiao Xun'er was somewhat unhappy. After all, Xiao Ce had only just finished his secluded cultivation, yet he was immediately leaving to train outside without having spent much time with her.
Xiao Ce could only promise Xiao Xun'er that he would return in a few months and make sure to spend plenty of time with her then.
Only then did some of Xiao Xun'er's gloom dissipate.
Afterward, Xiao Ce returned to his courtyard, packed his belongings, and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day.
With his bundle on his back, Xiao Ce left the Xiao Clan under the gazes of Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Xun'er.
Once he was out of their sight, he immediately ducked into a deserted alley and had the Ninth Grade Golden Pill come out.
With the Ninth Grade Golden Pill there, why bother traveling the hard way? Opening a spatial passage was far more comfortable, and he could reach his destination in less than two hours.
He was already growing impatient to obtain the inheritances his avatar had left behind. He certainly did not want to waste time on the road.
Before you continue