"Hey."
After being "violently beaten" by Yao Lao, Xiao Yan rubbed his head, silently thinking that this "old ghost" really did have problems. His soul could actually solidify enough to hit people. No wonder he could even sneeze.
"Teacher, Heavenly Flames are extremely rare. If I cultivate the Flame Mantra but fail to find a Heavenly Flame in the future, wouldn't I be stuck forever with a Huang Class Qi Method?" Xiao Yan asked, voicing his concern.
Although Yao Lao had not shown him the Flame Mantra, he could not withstand Xiao Yan's repeated questioning and still revealed some information, such as the materials required for the Qi Method. Heavenly Flames.
Even though the three-year agreement had undergone some changes, it ultimately still existed.
Xiao Yan knew very well that if he wanted to defeat Nalan Yanran, he could not take the ordinary path.
"Your teacher naturally will not let you fight an unprepared battle." Yao Lao smiled calmly and began explaining at a leisurely pace.
At the same time, on the other side, Xiao Zhan and the three elders finished their discussion and decided to fully mobilize the clan's resources to purchase the medicinal ingredients required to refine the Foundation Elixir and the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill.
If so, the Xiao Clan would have to endure some hard days for a period of time. However, as long as the four of them increased their strength, they could fight for greater benefits in places such as the Wu Tan City marketplace and even expand beyond Wu Tan City.
Xiao Yan was the priority for cultivation. As long as he could become an alchemist and had a 4th Tier alchemist backing him, the Xiao Clan would stand undefeated.
After the discussion, Xiao Zhan suddenly thought of something and asked Zhang Yuan, "Yuan'er, you want the Three Lines Green Spirit Pill. Could it be that you have already reached the peak Dou Shi realm?"
Before coming to find Zhang Yuan, he had seen the small squad of Black Armored Guards that Zhang Yuan had brought back.
In the Jia Ma Empire, military promotions followed strict regulations. Both strength and military merit were indispensable.
To become a general personally received by the imperial royal family, one needed sufficient merit and at least Dou Huang level strength, like the former founder of the Mu Clan, one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great clans.
To become a regional commander, one needed Dou Wang strength. At that point, one could guard major city fortresses or serve as a city lord, commanding at least ten thousand troops under a commanding envoy.
A commanding envoy required Dou Ling strength. Under them were captains who required at least Da Dou Shi strength, and under them were squad leaders who required at least Dou Shi strength, with further subdivisions below.
If one's strength was insufficient but merit was enough, they would only be granted an honorary noble title and would not be promoted in military rank.
The Black Armored Guards Zhang Yuan belonged to were established by a powerful 9-Star Dou Wang. Under him was a vice commander at 3-Star Dou Wang level, commanding the Tian, Di, Xuan, and Huang Camps. Each camp commander was a late-stage Dou Ling expert between 7-Star and 9-Star. Each commander had five divisions: front, rear, left, right, and center. Each division captain was a mid to late-stage Da Dou Shi, and each captain commanded five squads of a hundred men each.
Those Black Armored Guards addressed Zhang Yuan as the squad leader. Xiao Zhan, therefore, knew that his nephew was already a Dou Shi and at least mid-stage.
Now it seemed he was actually late-stage.
"By chance, I reached the peak a few days ago." Zhang Yuan released his aura.
"Good!" Xiao Zhan and the others were overjoyed.
That aura was indeed peak Dou Shi, and extremely solid.
A peak Dou Shi at sixteen years old. Not to mention the Xiao Clan, even in the history of the Jia Ma Empire, such a figure was extremely rare. At the very least, he had the bearing of a future Dou Huang.
One with Dou Huang potential, and another with at least Dou Wang potential, who could also become an alchemist.
The rise of the Xiao Clan was within sight.
'Before that, we should marry Yu'er or Mei'er to Yuan'er to further tighten his ties with the Xiao Clan,' the First Elder secretly thought.
Xiao Zhan trusted Zhang Yuan completely and did not think so deeply. With excitement in his voice, he said, "I'll go gather enough medicinal ingredients to refine two Three Lines Green Spirit Pills and have that senior refine them for you, helping you advance to Da Dou Shi."
A sixteen-year-old Da Dou Shi. Advancing to Dou Ling within five years would not be difficult, and attempting Dou Wang within another ten years was possible.
"I'll trouble you, Uncle," Zhang Yuan laughed brightly and did not stand on ceremony.
Although he was only a peak Dou Shi, he already had records of killing Da Dou Shi. Even if Xiao Zhan fought him with his life on the line, the one who would die would definitely not be Zhang Yuan.
If not for having less merit than a veteran Da Dou Shi, he would already be a Black Armored Guard captain instead of a squad leader.
Once he broke through to Da Dou Shi, the other party would no longer be able to contend with him.
"Don't be polite with me." Xiao Zhan patted Zhang Yuan's shoulder and left quickly with the three elders.
After their figures disappeared from sight, Zhang Yuan turned his head toward a certain spot and smiled. "They're all gone. Xun'er, are you still not coming out?"
From around the corner, a young girl in a purple dress walked out. Her slender waist was delicate enough to grasp, her long black hair cascading casually down to her waist, her temperament transcendent.
She was the white moonlight in countless men's hearts. At this moment, she wore a faint smile, but there was a hint of grievance in her eyes.
"Xun'er, long time no see. Your elder brother has missed you greatly," Zhang Yuan said, gazing at her affectionately.
The girl wrinkled her small nose slightly and softly asked, "Does Brother Yuan really missed Xun'er?"
"Your elder brother rarely writes letters home, but I never missed the monthly letter to Xun'er," Zhang Yuan replied.
He was not a creep. As a child, he had no particular thoughts about Xiao Xun'er and merely stopped Xiao Yan from doing stupid things.
But childhood companionship was like a gentle stream. At first, it went unnoticed, yet unknowingly gathered into a pool full of emotion.
As the girl grew up and developed feelings for him, he naturally would not act pretentious. He simply learned from fellow transmigrators how to court through letters, and the results were excellent.
"You're a shameless flirt," Xun'er said. Thinking of the contents of those letters, a blush rose on her delicate face.
Some of those straightforward verses made her feel warm every time she thought about them, yet she truly liked them. She would often gaze at the moon and imagine the appearance of her beloved.
Now that they finally met again, she restrained herself with great effort so as not to throw herself into his arms.
"Brother Yuan, when are you leaving this time?" Xun'er asked with her hands behind her back, tilting her head.
"I still have military duties. This return was during a redeployment through Wu Tan City, so I came back to take a look. I must return to the camp within five days. A long leave will take some more time," Zhang Yuan said as he reached out and held Xun'er's soft hand.
The girl struggled symbolically once before letting him hold it.
"I haven't been back in two years. Is Xun'er willing to accompany your elder brother for a walk?" Zhang Yuan asked.
Xun'er flicked her hair and looked at him sideways. "Can Xun'er refuse?"
"Of course not," Zhang Yuan rejected domineeringly.
He took Xun'er's hand and strolled through the Xiao Clan.
A place he had lived in for thirteen years would not become unfamiliar just because he had left for two.
Holding hands, they encountered many familiar faces along the way and would stop to chat for a few words.
Golden boy and jade girl, perfectly matched, just like in the past. It made people feel they were meant for each other and left countless young men and women heartbroken.
After an unknown amount of time, the two arrived at the cliff behind the mountain, watching clouds roll and drift in the distance, their hearts finding rare tranquility.
"Xun'er, this is for you. You can look at it whenever you miss me," Zhang Yuan said as he took out a bracelet and handed it to her.
It was made from the Monster Core of a 3rd Rank Magical Beast, a Fire Blazing Bird. Those with the fire attribute Dou Qi would gain a slight increase in cultivation speed by wearing it.
Given Xun'er's identity, it was merely a small trinket. But within the Xiao Clan, it was an extremely rare treasure.
This gift from Zhang Yuan was filled with sincerity.
"Thank you, Brother Yuan." Xun'er happily accepted the bracelet and put it on immediately.
"Does it look good?" she asked, raising her wrist.
"It looks good. The bracelet is beautiful, and the wearer is even more beautiful," Zhang Yuan praised sincerely.
Xun'er smiled softly. With a flip of her wrist, she took out a scroll and handed it to Zhang Yuan, saying with slight nervousness, "It wouldn't be proper to only receive without giving. Brother Yuan won't refuse Xun'er's gift, right?"
Zhang Yuan opened the scroll and glanced at it, his pupils shrinking slightly.
This was actually a Low Di Class lightning attribute Qi Method called Heavenly Thunder Art. It was compatible with all lightning attribute Dou Qi methods, meaning he could directly switch to cultivating it.
If news of this Qi Method spread, the entire Jia Ma Empire and even the surrounding empires would erupt.
As expected of the number one white, rich beauty of the Dou Qi Continent.
"Thank you, Xun'er." Zhang Yuan put away the Qi Method.
Xun'er let out a breath of relief, surprise flashing in her beautiful eyes as she smiled lightly. "I thought Brother Yuan would refuse."
"I truly wanted to refuse," Zhang Yuan said seriously. "As a man with pride and self-respect, I do not want to accept a woman's favor. But I know you are not an ordinary person. Being able to casually take out a Di Class Qi Method only proves that point."
"To be worthy of you, I once thought I would need to at least become a Dou Zong. But now it seems that even becoming a Dou Zun might not be enough."
"In that case, I naturally must seize every opportunity to grow stronger, even if that opportunity comes from you."
"Compared to others saying I rely on women, I fear far more that one day in the future I might lose you, Xun'er."
Zhang Yuan looked at Xun'er, his voice sincere and full of affection.
"Brother Yuan."
Xun'er abandoned all restraint and threw herself into Zhang Yuan's arms.
A smile curved at the corner of Zhang Yuan's lips.
'I'm living off soft rice with my own ability. Why should I feel embarrassed…'
'It feels amazing, alright.'
(End of Chapter)
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