During this time, Xiao Li dedicated himself to Alchemy, and Canaan Academy was busy collecting medicinal ingredients for him.
Especially medicinal ingredients of Fifth Rank and above, anything found in the Black-Corner Region's apothecaries or discovered by students in the back mountains would be taken by the Elders of Canaan Academy.
The entire Black-Corner Region was in a state of alarm because of that incident; the Dead Spirit Tree had gained dozens more corpses, and they didn't want to provoke Canaan Academy.
Rumors spread that Earth Demon Old Ghost of Demon Flame Valley had announced he was going out to travel, and Demon Flame Valley sealed its mountain gates. Some speculated that the mysterious Headmaster of Canaan Academy had returned!
That was a Dou Zun (Dou Venerate) expert! He could sweep across the entire Black-Corner Region, and now the experts of the Black-Corner Region had all gone into hiding, waiting for the storm to pass before reappearing.
For the next six months, Xiao Li was immersed in Alchemy, refining batch after batch of Elixirs with the support of Canaan Academy.
He exchanged Elixirs for resources to aid his Cultivation, such as the Body Refining Dou Technique, the Sky Burning Flame Devil Body, that Xiao Li had recently acquired.
The Sky Burning Flame Devil Body was an Intermediate Earth Rank Body Refining Dou Technique, which was quite rare. This Dou Technique was created a hundred years ago by a powerful expert named Flame Devil Venerate.
It involved absorbing various powerful flames and using them to temper the Physical Body, thereby forging a powerful Physical Body not inferior to that of a Demonic Beast.
This Dou Technique was extremely suitable for those with unique flames. Back then, the Flame Devil Venerate only possessed one powerful Eighth Rank Demonic Beast flame and several Seventh Rank Demonic Beast flames to forge his Flame Devil Body, making him rarely unmatched in battles of the same Rank.
Theoretically, this Dou Technique had no upper limit. If one possessed an conflagration (heavenly flame), then the power of this Dou Technique would be equivalent to Advanced Earth Rank, as the power of a heavenly flame was beyond doubt.
The Flame Devil Venerate specifically mentioned that if someone possessed five heavenly flames and then Cultivated the Sky Burning Flame Devil Body, its power would likely be equivalent to a Heaven Rank Dou Technique, but the Flame Devil Venerate believed this to be impossible.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Li felt that this Dou Technique suddenly lost its appeal. So, he was just going to pass it on, right? And then leave it for Xiao Yan?
However, Xiao Li thought that the stronger Xiao Yan became, and the sooner he reached Dou Di (Dou Emperor), the better, because then he could just relax.
Xiao Li collected four Seventh Rank Demonic Beast flames from Canaan Academy, all of high quality. There was even an Eighth Rank Demonic Beast flame in the Hidden Book Pavilion, but Mang Tianchi didn't agree to give it to Xiao Li.
If he kept taking more, Canaan Academy would be completely depleted by Xiao Li. Mang Tianchi decided to keep that Eighth Rank Demonic Beast flame for outstanding Alchemists of the Academy. Xiao Li already had a heavenly flame, so taking this Demonic Beast flame would truly be a waste of a good thing.
Although Fire Elder was only a novice Fifth Rank Alchemist, he was the most diligent and gained the most from observing Xiao Li's Alchemy this time. Fire Elder planned to fully dedicate himself to Cultivation during the upcoming period, first raising his cultivation to Dou Huang (Dou Emperor), and then refining his Alchemy.
"It's time to go home and visit," Xiao Li stretched, preparing to bid farewell to the Headmaster and the Grand Elder.
At the Grand Elder's place,
Coincidentally, Headmaster Mang Tianchi was playing chess with Grand Elder Su Qian, but Su Qian was being utterly defeated. Despite Mang Tianchi's seemingly carefree and unconventional demeanor, he was not only powerful but also very skilled at chess.
"Oh? The boy is here. You're leaving, aren't you?" Mang Tianchi said with a chuckle.
"Yes, I've been at the Academy for two years now. It's time to go home and visit," Xiao Li nodded.
"Then go. I will stay at Canaan Academy for these two years. If you encounter any difficulties, just come find me. There's nothing in the Northwest Continent that I need to fear.
Oh, and if you find any promising young talents, remember to send them to the Academy! Hahahahaha!"
Mang Tianchi was in a very good mood after returning this time; he hadn't been this relaxed in a long while.
"No problem."
"Ah? Xiao Li, are you leaving? No! What will I do if you leave?!" Zi Yan directly pounced over, hugging Xiao Li's leg, almost in tears.
"You're still young. Stay at the Academy. When I come back next time, if your Cultivation is high enough, I'll take you out to play," Xiao Li gently patted Zi Yan's head and said softly.
"Alright," Zi Yan completely deflated, looking dispirited.
Zi Yan was about to advance in Rank, probably within the next six months. Xiao Li thought it was better for Zi Yan to stay at Canaan Academy for safety!
"Headmaster, can you tell what kind of Demonic Beast Zi Yan is?" Su Qian suddenly asked.
"I can't tell. The little girl took a Shapeshifting Grass. Unless her Cultivation reaches Seventh Rank, or she takes another Shapeshifting Pill and reverts to her original form, I truly can't tell what kind of Demonic Beast she is right now.
This girl's Bloodline Rank should be very high. When you picked her up, she was already Fourth Rank, and now she looks like she's about to reach Fifth Rank. She's still in her larvae (infant) state, which means she can at least grow into an Eighth Rank Demonic Beast."
Mang Tianchi also couldn't tell what kind of Demonic Beast Zi Yan was. With so many Demonic Beasts on the Fighting Qi Continent, who could tell just by looking at her human form?
Zi Yan hadn't yet displayed her spatial talent at this time. In fact, even if she had, there were quite a few Demonic Beasts with spatial talent, given the rich history of the Fighting Qi Continent.
It was also possible that Zi Yan was a mysterious Demonic Beast with a Bloodline reversion.
Aside from Xiao Li, who knew Zi Yan was an Ancient Void Dragon, no one at Canaan Academy could recognize her.
Before Xiao Li left, he prepared many Elixirs for Zi Yan, enough for her to eat for a while. After doing all this, Xiao Li took Xia Yilong back to the Jia Ma Empire... Jia Ma Empire, Gama Holy City, Xiao Family.
"It's been a long time since I've been back. The feeling of home is still the most comfortable. Let's go, A Long," Xiao Li led Xia Yilong into the Xiao Family.
"Stop! Who are you? Why are you forcing your way into the Xiao Family?" Unexpectedly, as Xiao Li was about to enter, this scene unfolded.
He, Xiao Li! The young master of the Xiao Family, the Xiao Family's only Alchemist, and one of the Xiao Family's two Dou Wang (Dou King) experts, was stopped at the door.
"Ha ah~ Who's trying to force their way into our Xiao Family? Hmm? Li! Li! Young Master Li? You've returned from your studies?" A middle-aged man walked out, yawning, and was instantly shocked to see Xiao Li.
This person, named Xiao Che, was a Disciple of the Xiao Family. He was originally a Dou Shi (Dou Master), but because of Xiao Li's emergence in the Xiao Family, he became a Great Dou Master. He was the guard commander, simply put, the head of the gatekeepers for the Xiao Family.
Guarding the Family's main gate was no small matter! The main gate was both the Family's facade and its face, making this job very challenging!
Of course, this job was also a lucrative one, with plenty of perks. Everyone knew the Xiao Family was one of the four great Families in the Imperial Capital, so there were many people who wanted to curry favor with the Xiao Family, and these gate guards indeed had many opportunities for extra income.
To be able to serve as a guard commander, one usually held some status within the Family, and the guard commander position was rotated every three years.
So, Xiao Che naturally recognized Xiao Li.
"Oh? It's Xiao Che. It's been many years. A four-star Great Dou Master, not bad, you've made something of yourself. You must work hard. Alright, take us to see Big Brother."
Xiao Li said with a smile, stroking his chin. He wasn't the kind of person who would be aggressive towards members of the same Family. Everyone was a clansman; what was the point of targeting clansmen? Wasn't that just having Han Feng's brain?
"Yes, Young Master Li, this way please."
Xiao Che quickly led Xiao Li and Xia Yilong to the main hall.