Chapter 239: Flirting and Bantering

Word Count: 2,196 Words

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Over the course of two months, with more than a thousand days' worth of Fire Energy, Xiao Yan spent his time soaking in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Coupled with his Di Class Qi Method, his cultivation advanced by two stars, reaching the 5-star Dou Spirit stage.

Therefore, as soon as he left the tower, he sought out Zi Yan for a sparring match.

The result was still the same. He couldn't defeat this cute little girl. Her physical strength was terrifyingly immense. Xiao Yan estimated that her strength rivaled that of an exceptionally powerful Rank 5 magical beast. Just the explosive power from her body alone was equivalent to a 5-star Dou King.

Moreover, Zi Yan possessed some strange Spatial Strength. As a result, regardless of all his improvements, he still could not overcome her.

"Hmph! Of course! You think my position as number one on the Strong Ranking was just for show?" Zi Yan retracted her purple Dou Qi Wings and slowly descended beside Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan patted the dust off his clothes and stood up slowly.

He had already decided to participate in this year's Strong Ranking Grand Competition and aimed to secure a spot in the top ten.

Because as long as he could enter the top ten in this competition, he would qualify to become an elder candidate. Additionally, he would gain the opportunity to enter the ninth floor of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to undergo the Essence Heart Flame Body Forging!

Essence Heart Flame—Xiao Yan immediately understood what this was upon hearing it.

The Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower had ten floors in total. Even someone like Zi Yan, who was ranked first on the Strong Ranking, could only reach up to the seventh floor, while the eighth floor was essentially reserved for elders.

As for the purple Fire Crystal Cards, only elite Dou Emperors at the Dean level could possess them—for example, the peak Dou Emperor Hu Gan, the Deputy Headmaster of the Outer Academy, and Su Qian, the First Elder of the Inner Academy who possessed Dou Ancestor strength.

Because after reaching the Dou Emperor realm, only the essence of the Fallen Heart Flame could accelerate their Dou Qi cultivation.

Simply put, after undergoing the Essence Heart Flame Body Forging, as long as one wasn't extremely unlucky, it was equivalent to obtaining a pass to advance to the Dou King realm, with a high chance to break through to Dou Emperor.

That's why so many coveted a spot in the top ten of the Strong Ranking.

"Just what is your background, little girl? I've advanced to a 5-star Dou Spirit, and I've reached the entry level in the Di Class Dou Techniques I've learned, yet I still can't defeat you." It was one of the few times in his life that Xiao Yan felt puzzled.

Currently, he could skillfully use 'Lightning Flash,' the entry-level technique of the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, which allowed him to flash over thirty meters instantly, and he was diligently working toward achieving 'Instant Lightning' at the minor mastery level.

After Zi Yan's guidance, he had also learned to utilize the Ancient Dragon Roar with his soul. Although it was still at the entry level and could only unleash large-scale roars or target enemies directly in front of him, once he reached minor mastery he would be able to modulate the sound.

If he reached major mastery, he could even condense the sound waves into a single line, achieving the terrifying effect of shattering an enemy's soul from a hundred miles away.

But even with all these techniques, he still couldn't defeat Zi Yan.

"I don't know either. It would be great if I did." Zi Yan pouted, then reached into the void and produced three tier 5 medicinal herbs, which she tossed to Xiao Yan.

"Help me make them taste good. I'm going back into the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to cultivate."

Xiao Yan caught the medicinal ingredients with a smile and nodded. He waved his hand to summon his medicinal cauldron and placed the herbs into it one by one. Then he added some sugar, vanilla, rose petals, and other ingredients.

He refined several large bottles of candy-like pills.

The cultivation of magical beasts was different from that of humans. They didn't cultivate Qi Methods; their bloodlines were innate Qi Methods that allowed them to absorb the energy of the world through their bloodline strength to grow. To accelerate growth, they needed to consume and digest medicinal ingredients.

Every month, Zi Yan would spend considerable time searching deep mountains and forests for Heavenly Treasures. After consuming them, she would enter the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower and use the Fallen Heart Flame to quickly digest the medicinal properties, accelerating her growth.

According to Zi Yan, she could sense places with abundant energy, which helped her find these treasures. She had a natural talent for treasure hunting!

Xiao Yan had also gone treasure hunting with her, but the problem was that although she could indeed sense places with abundant energy—and those places did have heavenly treasures—they were guarded by magical beasts, and extremely powerful ones at that.

After obtaining the jade bottles, Zi Yan quickly poured out a golden pill. Ignoring its residual heat, she popped it into her mouth and chewed vigorously.

(╯▽╰)

"Delicious! So sweet and fragrant." After chewing and swallowing the pill in just a few bites, Zi Yan licked her lips and looked at the jade bottle in her hand with lingering desire.

Zi Yan wasn't serving as Xiao Yan's sparring partner free of charge. His payment was helping her transform the bitterness, sourness, and spiciness of the medicinal ingredients into something delicious, almost like candy.

Xiao Yan had probably never imagined that one day his alchemy skills would be used to make candy!

"By the way, Zi Yan, when you're not using your No. 1 cultivation room, could you lend it to me?" Xiao Yan rubbed his nose somewhat awkwardly. After all, asking an eleven- or twelve-year-old looking little girl for something made him feel a bit embarrassed.

But now that his cultivation had reached the 5-star Dou Spirit stage, even the best cultivation rooms on the sixth floor had limited effects. Ordinary 5-star Dou Spirits could barely handle the sixth floor, and only an abnormal person like Xiao Yan dared to venture to the seventh floor at this level, and he even wanted to enter the No. 1 cultivation room.

Although he had considered taking Yao Sheng's 17th rank on the Strong Ranking, he estimated that the 17th-ranked cultivation room wasn't even one-tenth as good as Zi Yan's No. 1 room.

Fire Energy wasn't a big issue, but wasting time was.

Zi Yan patted her small chest and said generously, "No problem! It would be idle anyway if I didn't use it. But while you're cultivating, I'll come find you to make pills for me, okay?"

"Of course, that's no problem at all. It's a small matter."

After bidding farewell to Zi Yan, Xiao Yan sat on the ground and pondered.

Meow! Mao Wu emerged from the void and meowed.

"It is indeed a problem. The Fallen Heart Flame is different from ordinary Heavenly Flames; it's a 'magical' attack."

Xiao Yan was now a peak 5th-tier Alchemist. Refining a tier 5 Blood Lotus Essence Pill was no longer an issue, but the Blood Lotus Essence Pill could only protect the body and resist the high temperatures of Heavenly Flames.

The Fallen Heart Flame, however, was a kind of Heavenly Flame that appeared directly in one's heart, burning from within, so the Blood Lotus Essence Pill had little effect.

Xiao Yan did have a pill recipe that could protect the body's interior; it was called the Ground Spirit Pill. This pill would produce a protective effect inside the body and help prevent attacks such as sonic Dou Techniques and the heart flames of the Fallen Heart Flame.

The problem was that this was a tier 6 pill, and he hadn't yet gathered all the main ingredients.

"Let's try our luck. Maybe the Inner Academy's trading area has it." Xiao Yan took out his Fire Crystal Card; he still had over a thousand days' worth of Fire Energy.

…

Xun Er, dressed in an elegant gown, was holding a book and reading in her room. Under the soft sunlight filtering through the window, her exquisitely beautiful face made one want to indulge and lose oneself.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Xun Er, are you free now?"

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's voice, Xun Er immediately put down her book, ran to the door, and opened it with a click. Upon seeing his face, she revealed a rare smile that outsiders seldom saw.

The slender and graceful figure of the young lady stood before him. The faint fragrance that greeted him made Xiao Yan's heart tremble slightly. Unbeknownst to him, the little girl who once followed him around had grown into such a graceful and enchanting young woman.

"Xiao Yan ge-ge, what brings you to see Xun Er today?" Xun Er blinked her eyes, her words carrying a hint of gentle reproach for his long hours cultivating in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.

Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly. "Well, we've been in the Inner Academy for so long, and I haven't taken you around to explore. Today, with the nice weather, a gentle breeze, and the bright sun, it's a perfect day. So I've come to invite the lovely and kind Miss Xun Er to stroll around the Inner Academy's trading area."

Xun Er covered her mouth and giggled. Her clear eyes, as pure as spring water, gazed at Xiao Yan. She leaned into his embrace and affectionately said, "How could Xun Er ever blame Xiao Yan ge-ge?"

Xiao Yan gently wrapped his hands around her slender waist and lightly kissed her silky hair. Feeling his warmth, a faint blush appeared on Xun Er's fair and delicate cheeks. This shy demeanor was entirely different from her usual calm and composed self. One couldn't deny that Xun Er at this moment was extraordinarily charming.

"Xun Er..."

With a man and a woman alone in a room, it was easy for thoughts to turn to less wholesome matters. Xun Er's cheeks reddened as she quickly stepped back and shyly said, "Didn't Xiao Yan ge-ge say he wanted to go for a stroll in the Inner Academy? Let's go."

Xiao Yan cleared his throat lightly. After all, it was broad daylight, not the appropriate time for anything too... adult.

Holding her soft, jade-like hand, the two walked toward the Inner Academy's trading area while chatting and laughing along the way.

The Inner Academy was extremely vast, and it took Xiao Yan half an hour to reach the trading area. However, he wasn't in a hurry, as he chatted endlessly with Xun Er about everything under the sun.

"Ugh, I don't want it." Xun Er looked at the stinky tofu Xiao Yan handed her with a face full of distaste, pinching her nose.

"I'm not lying to you. Although this thing smells bad, it tastes delicious. Try it if you don't believe me."

"No way!"

In the trading plaza, numerous stone platforms were set up, filled with a dazzling array of items. Crowds hustled about outside the platforms. The lively atmosphere made Xiao Yan click his tongue in amazement.

However, the intimate appearance of Xiao Yan and Xun Er attracted countless gazes. Of course, most onlookers wished they could strangle Xiao Yan.

As they walked, their gazes continually swept over the items on the stone platforms on both sides. The more he looked, the more surprised Xiao Yan became.

He discovered that some of the items for sale here were on par with those found in the major cities of the Black-Corner Region. Perhaps because the Inner Academy lay deep in vast mountains, some rare items here were hard to find even in the shops of the Black-Corner Region.

"There are quite a few treasures here." Xiao Yan squatted down and examined the fine items at a stall in front of him.

Xun Er, on the other hand, seemed less interested and was instead contemplating the stinky tofu in her hand. Eating this thing was more challenging for her than defeating a Dou King.

After walking a while longer, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed as he looked toward a particular stall.

'Isn't that Lin Yan, ranked ninth on the Strong Ranking?' Xiao Yan recognized the stall owner; they had met during the faction battle.

Dressed in gray, Lin Yan noticed Xiao Yan's approach. He raised his head, and his blood-red eyes made Xiao Yan frown.

'Those eyes... Fire poison invading the heart?' Xiao Yan was indeed a peak 5th-tier alchemist. He could tell at a glance that Lin Yan had stayed in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower for too long and had accidentally gone into cultivation deviation, allowing fire poison to invade his heart.

However, his attention was quickly drawn to a medicinal ingredient at Lin Yan's stall.

"Green Wood Celestial Vine! One of the main ingredients for the Ground Spirit Pill!"