On the Fighting Qi Continent, breaking through from Peak Dou Huang to Dou Zong takes a considerable amount of time even if one's resources meet the standard. In the original plot, Xiao Yan spent a full two and a half months in the Tianshan Blood Pool before breaking through to Dou Zong.
Similarly, the advancement of Magic Beasts requires a significant period of settling. In the original plot, even someone with top-tier Bloodline like Zi Yan took about the same amount of time as Xiao Yan's Breakthrough to Dou Huang to advance from Rank 5 to Rank 6. The Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python that Medusa evolved into was initially not even Rank 5; it took a long time following Xiao Yan before Medusa truly mastered that body and became a Dou Zong.
Therefore, Hai Bodong and the Amethyst Winged Lion King certainly won't be able to successfully break through in a short time.
As the Amethyst Winged Lion King swallowed the Medicinal Pill, a cocoon shimmering with azure firelight quickly formed around it. Its size increased slightly, but it did not return to the massive size of its original form.
"It actually formed a cocoon?" Old Yao watched the changes in the Amethyst Winged Lion King, stroking his beard in surprise.
"Teacher, what happens if it cocoons?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.
"I once heard an old friend say that if the Magic Beast race has the Opportunity to evolve, they will inevitably form a cocoon. The moment they break out of the cocoon, they will surely surpass their current Bloodline and successfully complete their advancement," Old Yao said with emotion.
Chen Yang glanced at Old Yao, who was talking eloquently over there. The 'old friend' this old fellow mentioned was probably Hu Jiujiu, who had gone to some unknown subordinate plane of the Major Thousand Worlds, right?
Speaking of which, after Old Yao became an Immortal Grade Heavenly Supreme in the original work, did he ever find Hu Jiujiu?
"When the Amethyst Winged Lion King transforms upon advancing to Rank 7, a Lightning Tribulation will surely fall. I'll send it to the Cloud Mist Sect later; it's a bit more convenient over there!" Chen Yang nodded and said.
"Brother Yang, aren't we going to wait for the big lion to transform before leaving?" Xiao Yan looked at Chen Yang and asked in confusion.
"I say kid, have you forgotten that you're still a student of the Jia Nan Academy?" Chen Yang looked at Xiao Yan, raising an eyebrow as he asked.
"Holy crap, I really did forget!" Xiao Yan's face immediately fell. He had only requested a one-year leave from Instructor Ruo Lin, and now a year and a half had passed. Moreover, Xun'er...
"So, we must speed up. Within about seven days, I will complete the refinement of all the Medicinal Pills. Then we'll head to the Izumo Empire together to find a Heavenly Flame for your sister-in-law Xian'er, and then go straight to the Jia Nan Academy!" Chen Yang said.
In the original plot, after the Three-Year Agreement, Xiao Yan experienced a second trip to the Cloud Mist Sect, escaping the Jia Ma Empire, and adventuring in the Black-Corner Region. That took about a month and a half. If he and Xiao Yan moved a bit faster on the road, it shouldn't be a problem for Xiao Yan to make it in time for this Inner Court Promotion Competition.
Although... Xiao Yan could already meet the graduation requirements now!
"Alright!" Xiao Yan nodded and turned back to refine pills as well. He planned to leave some foundations for the Xiao Family before departing.
With Brother Yang's help, the current Xiao Family's father was already a Four-Star Dou Ling, while Uncle Ying had jumped three stars in a single month to become a Five-Star Dou Ling. While the Xiao Family's strength wasn't top-tier in the capital, it wasn't bad either.
However, the Xiao Family had lived in a remote corner for so many years that they had almost no mid-level combat power. The former Grand Elder and the Third Elder had stayed in Wutan City, so currently, the only Great Dou Master in the capital was Xiao Ying.
The day before yesterday, to curry favor with him, Fa Ma had sent a medicinal recipe for the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill. Xiao Yan planned to use these few days to refine several Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pills to leave as a foundation for the Xiao Family.
However, just as Xiao Yan left Chen Yang's courtyard, intending to find his sister-in-law Ya Fei to buy more medicinal herbs for the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill, he encountered Nalan Yanran walking toward him.
"Why are you here?" Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran and asked in confusion.
Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan, and her already nervous heart suddenly skipped a beat. Forcing herself to stay calm, she reached out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear: "Teacher asked me to organize the Cloud Mist Sect's collection of medicinal herbs and deliver them to the Xiao Family. Since I've run into you, I'll just give them to you. Please give them to the Master's Husband!"
As Nalan Yanran spoke, she pulled out three storage rings from her bosom and opened her hand toward Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan nodded, raised his hand to use the Vacuum Palm to suck them over, tucked them into his robe, and then stepped past Nalan Yanran.
Nalan Yanran caught the scent Xiao Yan left behind as he walked past her, and her heart felt a wave of bitterness. She knew all of this was her own doing from the start, and she knew that no matter what she did, she couldn't make Xiao Yan turn back, but... that sourness in her heart just couldn't be cast aside!
"Brother Yang is refining pills and likely doesn't have time to see you. If you're free, I'm passing by the Nalan Family on my way to the Mittel Family. Shall we walk together for a bit?" Xiao Yan had walked about ten steps when his keen Soul Power sensed Nalan Yanran's expression behind him. He stopped helplessly, turned around, and called out to her.
"Coming!" Nalan Yanran's sorrow instantly turned to joy, and she ran toward Xiao Yan with cheerful steps.
On the bluestone road of the capital, the youth and the girl walked side by side, their shadows stretched long by the morning sun.
"In seven days at most, Brother Yang and I will leave the Jia Ma Empire. You..." Xiao Yan glanced at the girl beside him and finally decided to speak more clearly, "You should stop setting your heart on me."
Nalan Yanran's previously joyful eyes immediately turned lonely, and her whole being seemed to deflate: "I..."
Without waiting for Nalan Yanran to speak, Xiao Yan continued: "Besides, my heart already belongs to someone else, so... I'm sorry!"
Hearing this, Nalan Yanran knew Xiao Yan was referring to that girl from three years ago in the Xiao Family hall, whose beauty had made her feel jealous. Suddenly, for some reason, she blurted out: "Isn't it normal for powerful men on the Fighting Qi Continent to have three wives and four concubines? Doesn't the Master's Husband have many women too? Why do you..."
As she spoke, Nalan Yanran realized something was wrong. Her pretty face turned beet red, and she stammered: "I... I didn't mean that, I..."
Xiao Yan gave a slight smile: "Xun'er... she doesn't like me being with other girls!"
With that, Xiao Yan turned the corner of the long street and headed toward the Mittel Family, leaving Nalan Yanran standing at her own front gate, staring in the direction he had left for a long time, unable to let go.
"If your engagement were still in place, given Xiao Yan's character, no matter how outstanding that other woman was, he definitely wouldn't have abandoned you. But now... sigh..." Nalan Su appeared behind Nalan Yanran at some point, placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder, and said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Father, ugh..." Nalan Yanran finally couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into tears, turning to throw herself into Nalan Su's arms, crying her heart out!
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