Word Count: 2,991 Words
******
A strange light flickered through Zi Yan's beautiful eyes at Xiao Yan's words, her expression gradually softening.
"Hmph, you're cursing me." Zi Yan suddenly grew embarrassed, pretending to be angry as she turned her head away to secretly wipe at her eyes.
The Dragon Queen had been touched.
"Speaking of which, why haven't you broken through to Dou Venerate?" After regaining his composure, Xiao Yan realized that Zi Yan, despite everything, still hadn't achieved her breakthrough!
Her cultivation had initially surpassed his own. She had already been an 8-star Dou Ancestor. With the potent medicinal bath he had prepared and the tempering effects of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, she should have had more than enough energy to advance to a Rank 8 magical beast.
Zi Yan tilted her head at his question. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head. "I don't know either. I feel like I have enough energy, but I just can't break through. It's as if there's a layer of shackles holding me back."
Frowning, Xiao Yan took her jade-like hand as if checking her pulse, his Spiritual Strength sweeping through her bloodline. Thanks to the Core Soul Marrow, his Spiritual Strength had grown even stronger after his enlightenment, now approaching the late stage of the Soul State.
His powerful spiritual perception quickly identified the problem.
"It seems we really do need to take you back to Dragon Island. I can sense an extremely domineering power in your bloodline. This must be what Xiong Zhan mentioned called the royal bloodline, the power of the Ancestral Dragon." Xiao Yan's expression grew serious. His spiritual perception had indeed detected an incredibly powerful bloodline within Zi Yan, though it remained sealed.
This wasn't because someone had cursed her or anything like that. Rather, the power was simply too overwhelming and needed to be gradually awakened.
Without the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's secret techniques to properly activate it, a sudden eruption could harm Zi Yan. Her body had instinctively sealed away this formidable power as a protective measure.
'No wonder this girl's dragon breath is so fierce. She must have unconsciously tapped into the Ancestral Dragon's power during that life-or-death moment.' Xiao Yan recalled Zi Yan's world-destroying breath attack in the Profound Nether Valley.
Zi Yan nodded vigorously. After absorbing portions of the Three Thousand Burning Flame and Core Mother Jade, her bloodline had undergone some enhancement. She could sense Dragon Island's location with increasing clarity, and that special feeling within her blood grew more distinct by the day.
It was indeed time to return home.
Xiao Yan hadn't experienced such prolonged, satisfying cultivation in ages. Breaking through to Dou Venerate in one session—truly, combining Heavenly Flames with medicinal pills was the fastest path to advancement.
He was thoroughly satisfied with his current state. The Three Thousand Burning Flame's strengthening had elevated his physical body to an entirely new tier. However, the Flame Mantra hadn't evolved to High Tian Class as he had hoped.
He didn't let this bother him. To evolve the Flame Mantra further, his sights were naturally set on the 3rd-ranked Purifying Lotus Demon Flame!
He had already obtained three map fragments and, based on his analysis, the complete map consisted of four pieces. He needed just one more.
Xiao Yan smiled at the thought, but his gaze suddenly fell upon the nearby Sky Demon Puppet. He froze. The puppet's entire body had transformed into a dark gold color, radiating an aura of absolute indestructibility. Moreover, it appeared somewhat more streamlined than before.
"Hm? This fellow has evolved!" At his mental command, Xing Tian, now fully evolved into a Sky Demon Puppet, appeared before him.
Zi Yan curiously examined the headless puppet, rubbing it with her fingers. Xing Tian no longer possessed a metallic texture. Instead, it felt remarkably lifelike, with the sensation of robust, powerful musculature beneath the surface.
'Wait... Xing Tian seems to have evolved beyond just a Sky Demon Puppet...' Surprise flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes.
According to Old Ground Demon Ghost's refinement scroll, a Sky Demon Puppet's limit was 1-star Dou Venerate strength, and it should have been pure golden, not this dark gold color.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that Xing Tian's dark gold surface flickered with an extremely faint purple radiance. More precisely, it was dark purple-gold, though the purple gleam remained weak, appearing only as scattered specks.
'Could the Three Thousand Burning Flame's stellar power have allowed the Sky Demon Puppet to transcend its refinement limitations and evolve to a higher tier!' This was something Xiao Yan hadn't expected at all. Though skilled in alchemy, he had little understanding of puppetry.
He had only refined it on a whim because Old Ground Demon Ghost had gathered all the materials, and his initial creation had been merely the weakest Man Puppet, revealing just how crude his technique was.
Yet sometimes unintentional actions bore the greatest fruit. After half a year of tempering by the Three Thousand Burning Flame and stellar power, Xing Tian had actually surpassed the Sky Demon Puppet level!
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan assumed a defensive stance. At his command, Xing Tian erupted with astonishing momentum. Its foot crashed down, shattering space itself as it charged forward like a dark golden phantom.
"Such speed! This physical strength definitely exceeds a 1-star Dou Venerate!" Shock coursed through Xiao Yan, and even Zi Yan watched with wide-eyed amazement.
Xiao Yan crossed his arms before his chest to block the incoming assault. An earth-shaking boom echoed as a terrifying force transmitted through Xing Tian's fist, making Xiao Yan's eyes bulge.
2-star Dou Venerate!!!
Boom!!
The overwhelming physical power sent shock rippling through his expression before he shot backward like a black shadow. Only by executing a mid-air flip and deploying his bone wings did he manage to stabilize himself.
Zi Yan stared at the puppet in astonishment. "Xiao Yan, your puppet's physical strength matches Xiong Zhan's when he unleashes his bloodline strength!"
Poor Xiong Zhan would weep. He had painstakingly broken through to Dou Venerate and evolved his bloodline, only to match a mere puppet!!
Of course, ordinary puppets didn't enjoy half a year of tempering from the Three Thousand Burning Flame. Even in ancient times when puppet masters were numerous, pushing a Sky Demon Puppet beyond its limits remained extraordinarily difficult.
'It wasn't just the Three Thousand Burning Flame. Xing Tian has been consistently absorbing Pill Lightning. This lightning, infused with natural energy, must have combined with the Heavenly Flame to help it break through its limitations.'
Xiao Yan was delighted by this unexpected windfall. Though he could probably reach 3-star Dou Venerate strength with the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change, sometimes it was better not to act personally. Plus, the puppet could serve as his guardian.
After examining the Sky Demon Puppet with great interest, Xiao Yan waved his hand to store it in his ring. He had no further use for the remaining Heavenly Flame energy in the Star Region; the vast reserves had been thoroughly divided between himself, Zi Yan, and Xing Tian.
He then allowed Zi Yan to leave first while he exited the Star Region alone.
…
During Xiao Yan's half-year cultivation, a major incident had occurred without his knowledge.
Paper cannot contain fire forever. Three months after he entered the Star Region, Ling Ying had arrived at the Yan Alliance to gather intelligence for his report to Xun Er.
Usually, intelligence gathering left Ling Ying in good spirits. This time, however, the news drained all color from his face.
'This... this can't be possible...' Ling Ying had discovered that Xiao Yan had secretly fathered a child with the Snake-People Tribe's Queen, Medusa, and they had even married!
The revelation sent him into a complete panic.
'No, I must verify this. If it's real, what will happen to the Young Miss?' He swallowed hard. Such a delicate situation required extreme caution; mishandling it could trigger a catastrophe!
Just as Ling Ying prepared to infiltrate the Jia Ma Imperial Palace for a thorough investigation, space suddenly warped. Two graceful figures, one crimson and one emerald, emerged from a wormhole.
Cai Lin and Qing Lin had arrived.
"Dou Venerate!" Ling Ying's heart lurched. When he had helped Xiao Yan and Medusa against the Misty Cloud Sect, his cultivation had actually exceeded hers.
Now, the gap between them was vast; she could probably crush him with a single hand.
Qing Lin's eyes locked onto him, her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils ready to activate at any moment.
Her cultivation had reached 8-star Dou Ancestor, surpassing Ling Ying's. Even though he wasn't from the snake race, he couldn't escape her soul illusion technique.
"Mister Ling Ying, I trust you've been well," Cai Lin greeted softly.
As a member of the Gu Clan who had encountered many Dou Venerates, Ling Ying maintained his composure and cupped his hands politely. "I am well. Queen Medusa's advancement to Dou Venerate is truly admirable. May I ask what brings Your Majesty here?"
Through her soul fusion with Xiao Yan, Cai Lin had learned about his various connections. She knew Ling Ying served as Xun Er's subordinate, perpetually gathering intelligence on Xiao Yan while delivering messages between them.
Simply put, he was like a carrier pigeon.
Both she and Qing Lin knew how important Xun Er was to Xiao Yan, and they understood that the existence of Xiao Xiao would be a painful matter for her.
Even though powerful practitioners commonly had multiple wives on the Dou Qi Continent, Xun Er was the Gu Clan's pride. By all logic, she should have been the dominant party in this relationship!
"I hope you won't inform her about this matter." Cai Lin's beautiful eyes looked calmly at Ling Ying as she spoke coldly.
As Xiao Yan's legitimate wife and the Yan Alliance's leader, she naturally handled troublesome matters for her husband.
Ling Ying showed no surprise but shook his head firmly. "I'm afraid I cannot comply. I serve the Young Miss and follow only her commands."
Cai Lin's voice deepened. "The complexities of this situation exceed your imagination. Xiao Yan should explain this matter himself."
"He'll visit the Gu Clan soon. Let him speak of this personally."
Ling Ying fell silent at her words.
Indeed, he was merely an outsider in this affair. Though he hadn't provided Xiao Yan much assistance, all because of Xun Er, he had followed him since the boy left Wu Tan City at fifteen.
He had watched Xiao Yan mature and knew his character well. There must be extraordinary circumstances behind this development.
"I also believe Young Master Xiao Yan wouldn't wrong the Young Miss. This matter should indeed come from Young Master Xiao Yan himself. Alas." Ling Ying sighed, lamenting how fate toyed with people.
"Thank you."
With that, Ling Ying transformed into a black shadow and disappeared.
"Your Majesty... what should we do?" Qing Lin's beautiful eyes immediately brimmed with worried tears after his departure.
During her mercenary company days, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had told her about Xiao Yan and Xun Er, so she had long known of their deep bond.
She understood their profound feelings for each other and naturally didn't want their relationship to suffer. The thought of Xiao Yan's emotional turmoil frightened her.
Cai Lin shook her head helplessly. If it were fighting or killing, she could help, but with matters of the heart, he would have to handle it himself.
The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it.
…
Returning to Holy Pill City.
Xiao Yan's emergence from the Star Region created another citywide sensation. Ignoring the buzzing discussions, he went directly to the Pill Tower to report to Xuan Kong Zi.
"Dou Venerate... tsk tsk tsk. You brat, not only is your alchemy talent astonishing, but your cultivation talent is equally remarkable." In the chamber, Xuan Kong Zi's eyes widened at the sight of Xiao Yan, who had advanced from 6-star Dou Ancestor to 1-star Dou Venerate in just half a year.
Such cultivation speed defied reason! Where ordinary people struggled to gain a single star, he had broken through an entire major realm!
Outrageous!
"Just fortunate circumstances. The Star Region's abundant Heavenly Flame energy and some medicinal pills made the breakthrough possible," Xiao Yan replied modestly.
"Enough, enough. Let's not dwell on that. Here, what you requested." Xuan Kong Zi produced a scroll and a token from his storage ring, placing them before Xiao Yan. "I couldn't find anything with five-colored Pill Lightning, but this is the Desolate Beast Heaven Spirit Pill—a tier 8 recipe capable of summoning six or even seven-colored Pill Lightning."
"Its effect can potentially cause a magical beast's bloodline to revert to its ancestors, increasing its physical cultivation."
Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened as he picked up the scroll. After examining the introduction, surprise flickered across his features. This pill had already reached the level where it could transform into a Pill Beast.
Of course, summoning seven-colored or higher Pill Lightning didn't guarantee a Pill Beast transformation. Besides requiring abundant spiritual energy, the process also demanded luck. Sometimes, even perfect refinement wouldn't trigger the transformation.
"What about this token?" Xiao Yan secured the scroll. The pill would be perfect for Zi Yan. Then, he turned his attention to the token.
Come to think of it, his storage ring contained quite a collection: the Xiao Clan's Little Clan Leader token, the Hall of Souls' Soul Command Token, the Gu Clan's invitation jade, the Yan Alliance token, and now one more.
Xuan Kong Zi stroked his beard with a smile. "This is a Pill Tower Giant's pill token. It grants access to various Pill Tower benefits. Exchanging pills for ingredients and recipes, for instance. Most importantly, this token allows entry to the Small Pill Tower for cultivation."
A look of surprise appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes, and he quickly asked, "What is the Small Pill Tower?"
Yan Tianzun? No, he was Actor Tianzun now!
[TL/N: The author is making a pun on Xiao Yan's title. 炎天尊 (Yán Tiānzūn) and 演天尊 (Yǎn Tiānzūn).炎 (Yán) means Flame, while 演 (Yǎn) means to act/perform.]
Xuan Kong Zi found nothing odd about the question and explained, "Common folk know only of the Pill Tower, unaware that within it lies the Small Pill Tower."
Xiao Yan displayed appropriate astonishment, clearly 'hearing' of this for the 'first time.'
"Mm. Few qualify to enter. Even you, Xiao Yan, haven't technically met the requirements." Xuan Kong Zi smiled. "Entry requires the ability to refine tier 8 pills that summon seven-colored Pill Lightning. Additionally, one's soul must reach the late stage of the Soul State."
"Seven colors?!" Genuine surprise colored Xiao Yan's voice this time. He hadn't expected such stringent entry requirements!
Refining tier 8 pills with seven-colored Pill Lightning… If he hadn't refined the Three Thousand Burning Flame, broken through to Dou Venerate, and enhanced his soul somewhat, even he would find it challenging.
"Hehe, of course, those like Qiu Ling who enter as apprentices or pill attendants to tend medicinal gardens don't face such strict requirements. Three-colored Pill Lightning for tier 8 pills suffices," Xuan Kong Zi explained, noting Xiao Yan's surprised expression with amusement.
"Three colors... just for an attendant position!" That level of skill would normally win the Pill Gathering championship!
"The standards are indeed strict. The Small Pill Tower houses the Pill Tower's true core. Their existence is precisely why the Hall of Souls hasn't acted too brazenly against us. Those old monsters possess seniority beyond imagination. Some of them, even I would have to bow and salute upon meeting," Xuan Kong Zi said with a faint smile.
"Though you've only refined tier 8 pills with six-colored Pill Lightning, we believe seven colors won't prove difficult for you. Combined with your salvation of Holy Pill City, we're making an exception with this Pill Token."
"This old man believes you'll eventually join the legendary Tier 9 ranks. Tier 9 and above recipes exist only within the Small Pill Tower. I doubt even Venerable Yao possessed many tier 9 recipes," he added with a smile.
Tier 9 and above!
These words sent tremors through Xiao Yan's heart. The incomplete Di Tier Pill recipe must reside within the Small Pill Tower!
"As you know, Xuan Yi has chosen retirement, leaving a Giant position vacant. While your strength doesn't yet qualify you as Association Head, we've discussed and decided to officially appoint you as a Pill Tower Giant. Your alchemy has already earned the elders' respect."
Xiao Yan's brow furrowed as his mind raced through the implications.
To Xuan Kong Zi's amazement, he actually declined!
"Senior Xuan Kong Zi, my current strength remains insufficient for a Giant's position. Even my alchemy hasn't reached Small Pill Tower standards. I wish to cultivate further." Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, politely declining the token.
He considered two reasons for his refusal. First, he genuinely couldn't spare time to enter the Small Pill Tower. He needed to take Zi Yan back to Dragon Island, and after some cultivation, he would have to go to the Tian Gang Hall.
Second, and more importantly, his current identity was a Tianzun of the Hall of Souls, an alchemist second only to Hun Huzi, and he had entered the Pill Tower with a mission.
Acting too hastily would only invite suspicion. Some matters couldn't be rushed.
"Hehe, you boy... do you realize how many alchemists dream of Small Pill Tower cultivation? The Pill Tower's founder created it—a peak 9-star Dou Saint! The Small Pill Tower overflows with medicinal ingredients and vast natural energy," Xuan Kong Zi said, looking at him with mild disbelief.
Xiao Yan still shook his head, offered a few polite words, and departed from the Pill Tower without accepting the pill token.
Time was running short. In roughly half a year, he would need to attend the Tian Gang Hall for the Hun Clan's coming-of-age ceremony.