Chapter 264: Xiao Yan's Experiences in Central Plains
In the vast mountain ranges at the eastern border between the Northwestern Continent and the Northern Region of Central Plains…
"Hahaha… This Seven Core Pill doesn't seem that hard to refine!" Xiao Yan laughed excitedly, holding a fiery red pill in his hand.
Smack!
With a flick of his wrist, Yao Lao sent a burst of force, slapping Xiao Yan's forehead. "Not hard? Then why did you fail twice and had to go out searching for more herbs before you could attempt a third time? What are you getting so smug about?"
"Hehe…" Xiao Yan scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. Back when he was just a Dou King, he had already successfully refined sixth tier pills, yet now that he was at the Dou Emperor level, he had failed twice before succeeding. It was indeed somewhat unacceptable.
"Swallow it," Yao Lao instructed. "Once you consume it, your perception of fire attributed energy will become incredibly sharp, and your soul sensitivity will also improve significantly. It will greatly benefit both your alchemy and cultivation."
"Yes!" Xiao Yan nodded, then sat cross legged to adjust his state. He wanted to be in his best condition before consuming the Seven Core Pill.
"My disciple, why are you traveling under the name Lu Bu?" Yao Lao stroked his chin, asking curiously. Earlier, when Xiao Yan had gone out searching for herbs, he had used Lu Bu's name.
"He used my name to cause trouble first!" Xiao Yan snorted.
"I think you were the one who started it first," Yao Lao said with a black line across his face. Back in Black Corner Region, they had been lured out by the Heavenly Rank Protector of the Hall of Souls. In a critical moment, Xiao Yan had declared himself the Master of the Holy Gate to mislead the enemy.
Ironically, despite the enemy's incorrect assumptions at every step, they had still managed to deduce the correct answer confirming that Xiao Yan was indeed himself. Had it not been for Lu Bu and the intervention of the Black Abyss Army, he and his disciple would have likely been captured by the Hall of Souls.
"Nonsense! Lu Bu started the mess first!" Xiao Yan argued indignantly.
"Teacher, did you forget? Back in the Jia Ma Empire, when Yun Leng was investigating those incidents, someone left behind the words: 'The killer is Xiao Huo Huo' at the crime scenes! If not for that, would Yun Leng have had an excuse to detain me at Yunlan Mountain?"
"All of those incidents must have been Lu Bu's doing! I have no proof, but I know it was him!"
"Oh… now that you mention it, I almost forgot about that," Yao Lao suddenly recalled the event.
"See? What I'm doing is completely justified!" Xiao Yan declared righteously.
"Cough… Fine, I get it. Now just take the pill," Yao Lao said, lightly coughing as he flicked his fingers. A silver figure emerged beside them, hovering silently like a statue Earth Demon Puppet!
After enduring multiple refinements under lightning tribulations, the puppet had begun to show traces of gold, and its combat strength had already reached the level of an eight star Dou Ancestor.
Lu Bu hadn't deceived him; this Earth Demon Puppet indeed had the potential to evolve. Xiao Yan suspected that once the gold completely covered its body, the puppet would transform into a Heavenly Demon Puppet, reaching a level comparable to a Dou Venerate.
"Yes!" Hearing Yao Lao's words, Xiao Yan steadied himself. He pinched the fiery red Seven Core Pill between his fingers and swallowed it.
Instantly, a strange sensation surged into his mind. Xiao Yan felt as though the entire world had expanded before him, and countless streams of fire attributed energy that usually remained hidden became vividly visible.
"Amazing… Everything feels so clear. Refining pills and cultivating in this state would be incredible…" Xiao Yan muttered in awe. He could see the flow of fire attributed energy as if it were within reach.
But something was off!
Xiao Yan's mind suddenly tensed. Why was there such a massive concentration of energy in one place?
He focused his senses, and in the next instant, his expression changed drastically. In his perception, there was an ocean like, boundless energy presence an overwhelming force.
"Teacher!" Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open, his face grave. "A powerful individual is approaching extremely powerful!"
Yao Lao's expression darkened. "Are they beyond our ability to resist?"
"This person surpasses every expert I've ever encountered!" Xiao Yan said with a serious tone. "Even Bai Lie, the Dou Venerate from Jia Nan Academy, pales in comparison!"
"Retreat! We leave now!" Yao Lao made a decisive call. Bai Lie was already at the Dou Venerate level. If this person was even stronger, that meant they were above a one star Dou Venerate. There was no way Xiao Yan and Yao Lao could contend against them!
Without hesitation, Yao Lao's figure flickered and disappeared into the Bone Spirit Ring. Xiao Yan immediately took action, leaping onto the Earth Demon Puppet's back. With a powerful stomp, the puppet erupted forward like a streak of lightning, vanishing toward the east.
Half an hour later, at the spot where Xiao Yan had been…
Spatial ripples gently spread as a figure stepped out.
"Hm? No one's here?" Mu Gu frowned, scanning his surroundings with a puzzled look. Did I sense incorrectly?
Raising his hand, he captured a wisp of surrounding energy within a silver glow. His eyes gleamed as he examined it closely.
"No, someone was refining pills here," Mu Gu confirmed internally. But… they managed to escape? Was it just a coincidence, or did they sense my arrival?
If it was the former, there was nothing to worry about. But if it was the latter…
If they could sense him, it meant their power was above his own. But if they were stronger than him, why did they run?
Mu Gu paced back and forth, lost in thought. After a moment, he decided to pursue the lead. The entire situation was far too strange. That white clothed figure who had previously destroyed his branch hall was a complete anomaly someone who had defeated stronger opponents despite being weaker himself.
He couldn't afford to be careless!
Scanning his surroundings one last time, Mu Gu hesitated before launching himself northeast.
…
A few days later, on the western outskirts of the Northern Region of Central Plains, in a bustling city…
Covered in dust from travel, Xiao Yan cleaned himself up at an inn, changed into fresh clothes, and walked outside. He needed to buy some herbs to continue practicing his alchemy.
"Teacher, who do you think that Dou Venerate expert was?" Xiao Yan frowned. He had been keeping a low profile recently, avoiding trouble. There was no reason for a Dou Venerate to come after him, right?
"I don't know…" Yao Lao murmured. "But you and I have only one true enemy."
"The Hall of Souls!"
Xiao Yan's heart clenched. That behemoth of an organization loomed over him like a mountain. Right now, he wasn't even capable of handling their Protectors, let alone their Elders legendary figures who stood at the peak of the cultivation world.
A heavy pressure bore down on Xiao Yan, making it difficult to breathe.
"Stop overthinking it. What you need to do now is improve your alchemy skills and cultivation," Yao Lao said firmly. His steady voice lightened some of the burden weighing on Xiao Yan's heart.
"Yes!" Xiao Yan took a deep breath, regaining his composure as he stepped toward a local auction house. He needed to buy some medicinal ingredients.
Unlike the chaotic and bloodthirsty atmosphere of Black Corner Region's auctions where killings and standoffs happened regularly this auction house had a more relaxed and business oriented environment.
Xiao Yan smiled. This is how a proper business should be run. There's no reason to fight to the death over transactions.
"Haha… The auction hasn't started yet. It's a bit boring."
"Well then, let's talk about something interesting."
"Hehe… Brothers, have you heard about the major event that happened in Tianbei City recently?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, picked up the teacup beside him, and took a small sip. The energy in Central Plains was indeed much denser than in the Northwestern Continent it truly deserved to be called a land of fortune. The competition here was likely even fiercer than in the Northwestern Continent.
"Haha, how could we not have heard?"
"That guy was truly terrifying! He actually killed two powerful Dou Ancestors with just a single palm strike absolutely monstrous!"
"Exactly! And those two brothers didn't even put the Hall of Souls in their eyes. They openly declared they dared to destroy the Hall of Souls. That's truly insane!"
Xiao Yan's eyebrow twitched slightly. He straightened his posture and listened more attentively. Who was this person so powerful that they didn't even fear the Hall of Souls?
"Do you guys really think that Xiao Yan has the potential to become a Dou Emperor?"
"Of course! Haven't you heard what his brother said? His elder brother, Xiao Yan, is the greatest talent since Tou She Ancient Emperor himself. Even the Hall of Souls' leader, Hun Miesheng, has to show him respect!"
"Hiss… But the Hall of Souls' leader is a legendary Dou Saint! Does that mean this Xiao Yan is also a Dou Saint?"
Pfft!
Xiao Yan's face turned red, his body trembled, and he spat out a mouthful of tea.
Who?! Xiao Yan?! Dou Emperor potential?!
At that moment, everyone in the hall turned their heads toward Xiao Yan's table. Such rudeness was simply too much!
"Cough cough… Sorry…" Xiao Yan waved his hand repeatedly, apologizing.
"Hehehe… Is this young brother hearing about the great name of the Dou Emperor potential, Xiao Yan, for the first time?" A slightly chubby old man chuckled, teasing him.
"Uh…" Xiao Yan felt suffocated, as if something was stuck in his throat. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded. "Y Yes… Please enlighten me, elder brother. Who exactly… is this Xiao Yan?"
"Haha, young man, you're really ignorant, huh?" The old man flicked open his folding fan with a flourish, grinning proudly. "This Xiao Yan is no ordinary person. He is the greatest genius since Tou She Ancient Emperor, incomparably strong, and even the Hall of Souls doesn't dare to offend him!"
"His brother, barely in his early twenties, is already a Dou Ancestor with limitless potential. Just recently, in Tianbei City, his brother clashed with Elder Shen Yun of Wind and Thunder North Pavilion. With just one move, he smacked that four star Dou Ancestor to death! Later, another five star Dou Ancestor came to avenge him, but he was also slapped to death! He's terrifyingly strong!"
"Now imagine what kind of legendary figure Xiao Yan himself must be!"
Xiao Yan's lips twitched, and the veins on his forehead bulged. Even without thinking, he knew this had to be Lu Bu's doing! That bastard!
"Oh, by the way, young brother, we've been chatting for so long, but we don't even know your name. What's your surname?" The chubby old man fanned himself leisurely, smiling warmly.
"I am Xiao Yan…" Xiao Yan blurted out instinctively.
"What? You're Xiao Yan?!"
"The Xiao Yan?! The one with Dou Emperor potential?!"
"The greatest talent since Tou She Ancient Emperor, unmatched throughout history?!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, the entire hall erupted. Countless people jumped from their seats, exclaiming in shock, staring at him as if they had just seen something divine.
"…" Xiao Yan's face darkened. He really wanted to punch Lu Bu right now.
"Do I look like him?" Realizing his slip, Xiao Yan's eyes shifted slightly before puffing up his chest and responding smugly.
The crowd hesitated for a moment. This guy dared to claim he was Xiao Yan?
"Hahaha! So this young brother just happens to have the same name as the legendary Xiao Yan!" The chubby old man paused, carefully scrutinized Xiao Yan's face, then suddenly burst into laughter.
The real Xiao Yan was said to be breathtakingly handsome, while this guy… Well, he looked rather ordinary. Clearly, they weren't related.
"Elder brother, you truly have sharp eyes!" Xiao Yan forced out a stiff smile.
Damn it!
That bastard Lu Bu! If he weren't already a Dou Ancestor, I'd beat him until his face blossomed like a peach!
"Hahaha! You really aren't Xiao Yan!" The chubby old man roared with laughter. "You looked fine before, but now that you're forcing a smile, you look even worse! Hahaha!"
"Hahaha! Elder brother is absolutely right!"
"Indeed! That Xiao Yan must be an incredibly majestic and divine figure. How could he possibly show up in some small border city like ours?"
"Hahaha!"
The entire auction house filled with laughter except for Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He remained silent for the rest of the auction. When it started, he quickly made his bids, securing the herbs he needed at the highest prices, and immediately left the city without looking back.
"Teacher, this isn't going to work!" Xiao Yan's face was still dark. "The entire Central Plains already knows about a Xiao Yan with Dou Emperor potential!"
"So what? It's not like you've never used a fake name before," Yao Lao chuckled. "Didn't you just use Lu Bu's name back in the Northwestern Continent? And your boasting wasn't any less outrageous than his."
Yao Lao suddenly looked forward to meeting Feng Xian. When that day came… hehe cough cough better not think too much about it!
"Teacher, whose side are you on?" Xiao Yan's face darkened even more.
"Cough cough… What I mean is, you can always retaliate in kind!" Yao Lao cleared his throat and said seriously, "If he can go around declaring Dou Emperor potential, then you can come up with something even more exaggerated! It's just a battle of words, after all."
"Hmm? That actually makes sense!" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up. He had been too annoyed to think straight. Wasn't he already doing this before?
"Alright… Let me think. First, it has to be even more arrogant than 'Dou Emperor potential.' But it also can't be related to Dou Emperors otherwise, people will just focus on that instead…"
Xiao Yan rubbed his chin, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "The 'Master of the Holy Gate, where all under him are Dou Saints' thing is already outdated. I need something new."
"Teacher, any suggestions?"
"Hmm… Maybe something related to alchemy? You're skilled in that field, and even if you aren't quite there yet, I can always back you up if needed," Yao Lao suggested. Naturally, he defaulted to his area of expertise.
"Hmm… Alright then… How about this?" Xiao Yan smirked.
"In the path of alchemy, who stands at the peak? Once you meet Lu Bu, all your knowledge becomes void!"
"Teacher, what do you think?"
"That's… extremely arrogant. Even I feel like punching you," Yao Lao said, twitching his lips. This brat is ridiculously bold!
"Hehehe… Then it's settled!" Xiao Yan rubbed his hands together, excitedly anticipating the day when Lu Bu's name would spread across Central Plains!
"Oh, by the way!" Yao Lao suddenly remembered something. "We're currently being tracked by the Hall of Souls. And back in the Northwestern Continent, you used Lu Bu's name…"
"So if you don't want to get caught, you should probably avoid drawing too much attention "
Yao Lao's tone took on a hint of schadenfreude. Sometimes, watching his disciple get flustered was quite entertaining.
"…"
Xiao Yan's excited smile instantly froze, his face stiffening like a mask.
"No! I will spread this phrase across the entire Central Plains!" he grumbled indignantly. "Maybe not now… but eventually!"
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