Chapter 197: Ya Fei’s Surrender, Shocking Rewards, Dou Venerate Powerhouse

"One pill can raise a Dou Practitioner's strength by at least four or five stars?"

Ya Fei was dumbfounded.

The effect was simply heaven-defying.

"Why not try it yourself and see?"

Zhou Yi smiled faintly. In a blur of movement, he stepped out of the bath. With a slight shake of his body, the water droplets on his skin evaporated instantly.

"So fast!"

Ya Fei was astonished once again. Though she was only a low-ranked Dou Practitioner, she hadn't caught a single glimpse of how Zhou Yi left the bath.

And his method of drying himself off—it was equally breathtaking.

"This man exudes an air of unfathomable mystery. He must be at least a Dou King!"

Ya Fei watched Zhou Yi casually sit on her bed. Her heart was a mix of shame and anger, but as her gaze fell upon his matchlessly handsome and impossibly youthful face, her emotions stirred in an unusual way.

"A young, enigmatic powerhouse who's also a skilled alchemist... He's definitely not from the Jia Ma Empire!"

Fingering the jade bottle that held the pill, Ya Fei's delicate, porcelain-like hands hesitated for a moment before countless thoughts raced through her mind:

"Could he be from the fabled Central Plains?"

Hurriedly, she retreated behind a screen to dress. Moments later, she emerged, adorned in a crimson gown. Her alluring, voluptuous figure radiated a mature charm, a magnet for countless admirers.

The faint fragrance she carried wafted through the air as Ya Fei, with a warm smile and an elegant stride, approached Zhou Yi.

"May I ask the gentleman's esteemed name?"

Her ruby lips parted slightly, and her captivating gaze locked onto Zhou Yi's, her soft, enchanting voice sending shivers through the air.

Though Zhou Yi's sudden appearance and the fact that he'd seen her bare body had initially angered her, his power, mystery, youth, and unparalleled looks—not to mention the wealth and skills he exuded—had long since extinguished that anger.

In its place was a growing curiosity.

Lacking aptitude for cultivation, Ya Fei had an exceptional knack for judging people and treasures. One glance was all it took for her to discern something's worth.

She had met numerous individuals, including Dou Emperor-level experts, yet her instincts told her Zhou Yi was the most invaluable treasure she had ever encountered.

"Zhou Yi, as in the 'Zhou' from the Zhou Dynasty, and the 'Yi' from the Book of Changes."

Zhou Yi chuckled, twirling a teacup in his hands as he admired the beauty before him.

"How could there be a beauty without wine? Would Miss Ya Fei grant me the honor of a drink?"

"Please wait a moment, my lord!"

With a dazzling smile, Ya Fei turned to leave. Her graceful, serpentine waist swayed as she walked, igniting a fire within Zhou Yi.

She was accustomed to such burning gazes and paid no heed. Her beauty had ensnared countless men, yet Zhou Yi's composed demeanor intrigued her. Despite sharing a bath and seeing her unclothed, he hadn't lost his reason or dignity, maintaining a playful, lighthearted conversation.

That earned her admiration.

While she often leveraged her beauty for advantage, she disdained men who lost themselves in desire.

Ya Fei swiftly left the room and instructed her maid to serve Zhou Yi a pot of fine tea. Then, she hurried to find Gu Ni, the resident Rank Two Alchemist.

"Uncle Gu Ni, please examine this pill for me!"

Startled by her urgency, Gu Ni's curiosity was piqued. It was rare to see the composed Ya Fei in such a state.

"What pill has you in such a hurry?"

As Gu Ni opened the jade bottle, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air. Both he and Ya Fei felt their Dou Qi circulate more fluidly just from inhaling the scent.

"A Rank Four Pill!"

Gu Ni's expression shifted, and his exclamation betrayed his shock.

The fragrance, energy fluctuations—it was unmistakably a Rank Four pill.

The denser the aroma, the higher the quality of the pill. This one was undoubtedly exceptional, even among Rank Four pills.

His hands trembling slightly, Gu Ni sniffed the pill cautiously. A silver needle infused with Dou Qi appeared between his fingers, and he delicately pierced the pill.

With every movement of the needle, Gu Ni's expression grew increasingly serious. After a moment, he placed the pill back into the bottle and looked at Ya Fei with fervent eyes.

"This pill enhances strength and is extraordinarily potent. Among Rank Four pills, it is a masterpiece. To craft such a pill would require a Rank Five or even Rank Six Alchemist!"

"Miss Ya Fei, where did you get this?"

"Could it be the work of the Pill King, Gu He?"

"Or is this a new creation altogether?"

Ya Fei didn't answer his barrage of questions, her heart in turmoil.

She hadn't inspected the pill earlier, but Zhou Yi's description had already hinted at its remarkable effects. She'd only half-believed him at the time.

Now, the truth surpassed her wildest expectations.

Zhou Yi was likely a Rank Five, or even Rank Six Alchemist.

And he was still so young.

If he was a Rank Five Alchemist, his talent alone would far surpass even the renowned Pill King, Gu He.

"A mysterious young man gave this to me. He said it's his own creation, the Dou Fighter Pill, capable of raising a Dou Practitioner's strength by at least four or five stars."

"What? At least four or five stars?"

Gu Ni was stunned. Such an effect was nearly unheard of.

"But... are you certain he's young? Could he not be a seasoned expert maintaining a youthful appearance?"

Gu Ni found it hard to believe a mere youth could craft such a pill.

"This... His appearance shows no trace of age, but his aura is enigmatic," Ya Fei murmured, recalling Zhou Yi.

His youthful visage was undeniable, but his bearing and demeanor exuded a depth that defied his apparent age.

It was the first time Ya Fei couldn't see through someone.

"If even you can't discern his age, he's likely not as young as he seems. Powerful alchemists often conceal their years."

Gu Ni nodded, then said eagerly, "Where is he now? Take me to meet him!"

"Uncle Gu Ni, patience. It wouldn't be appropriate to visit him uninvited. Let me speak with him first."

"You're right; I was being hasty."

Gu Ni composed himself. "Securing a connection with a Rank Five or Six Alchemist would elevate your standing within the Miteer Clan. This is a rare opportunity!"

"I understand," Ya Fei replied, heading back upstairs.

She sighed inwardly.

Alchemists truly were formidable individuals.

Why hadn't she been blessed with such talent?

Suppressing her thoughts, she returned to find Zhou Yi lounging on her bed, teasing her flustered maid.

"Sir, you seem to be enjoying yourself," she said, her voice a soft, intoxicating melody.

The faint scent of her perfume tickled Zhou Yi's nose. He glanced up, taking in her elegant demeanor, and muttered inwardly, What a vixen.

"Miss Ya Fei, I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me," he teased, unflustered by her charm.

Ya Fei waved her maid away, poured Zhou Yi a cup of wine, and smiled.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting, Young Master. Ya Fei will drink to atone!"

With a soft tilt of her head, Ya Fei lifted her glass and downed it in one go. The mesmerizing curve of her ample figure created a breathtaking sight.

Zhou Yi's heart stirred.

He wanted to play.

Back at home, he had been free to indulge whenever he pleased.

Why not now?

"Well, did I lie to you?" Zhou Yi chuckled.

Moments ago, he had sent Ya Fei to fetch the wine, but in truth, it was to give her an opportunity to test the pill's effects.

"Young Master must be joking; how could I doubt you?"

Ya Fei smiled sweetly, her eyes fixed on Zhou Yi.

"Thank you for your generous gift, but I fear I am unworthy of such kindness."

Her smile deepened as she added, "I wonder, what brings you here, Young Master? Though I may be insignificant, I do have some influence in the Jia Ma Empire and could perhaps be of service to you."

"I come from a faraway place," Zhou Yi replied, his gaze lingering on her. "For now, I have no pressing matters."

Don't let her warm smile fool you, Zhou Yi thought. Though her cultivation was only at the Dou Practitioner level, this woman was no mere ornament. She was shrewd, probing for information under the guise of courtesy.

Ya Fei's heart skipped a beat.

Her suspicions were correct—Zhou Yi must hail from Central Plains.

"Fate has brought us together," Ya Fei said with a charming smile. "For your generous gift, I must repay you with the best hospitality I can offer. Please feel at home here. Should you require anything, do not hesitate to ask."

Her enchanting eyes sparkled as she gazed at him, a look no man could easily refuse.

She wanted something.

She wanted Zhou Yi.

To Ya Fei, Zhou Yi was a wild and powerful alchemist, unaffiliated with any faction in the Jia Ma Empire.

If she could secure his help, her influence would soar.

"Anything I need?" Zhou Yi's eyes swept over Ya Fei's mature beauty, lingering on her alluring figure. He smirked, his meaning clear.

Ya Fei hesitated, her thoughts a whirlwind.

Zhou Yi was handsome, a masterful alchemist capable of creating fourth-tier pills, and at least a Dou King-level expert. Moreover, he had seen her body—no ordinary woman could refuse such a man.

But it was too fast.

Yet, Ya Fei knew all too well that if she wanted to win over someone like Zhou Yi, she had only one card to play: herself.

"Perhaps Miss Ya Fei would like to test the pill first?" Zhou Yi's voice broke through her turmoil.

Ya Fei nodded, retrieving a Dou Pill*. Without hesitation, she popped it into her mouth. Her red lips parted slightly, swallowing the pill in one smooth motion.

Given Zhou Yi's strength, if he had ill intentions, she wouldn't have the power to resist.

She wasn't worried.

The pill dissolved instantly, unleashing a torrent of energy within her. Ya Fei instinctively activated her cultivation technique, guiding the energy through her body.

Pop!

A bottleneck shattered within her.

Her aura surged.

Dou Practitioner, Five-Star.

Pop!

Six-Star.

Pop!

Seven-Star.

In less than half an hour, Ya Fei's cultivation skyrocketed from Four-Star Dou Practitioner to Nine-Star Dou Practitioner, breaking through to the Dou Master realm with a thunderous boom.

"Dou... Dou Master?"

Ya Fei opened her beautiful eyes, disbelief and shock flooding her gaze.

She hadn't anticipated that the Dou Pill's effects would be this astonishing.

Not only had it propelled her through several minor ranks, but it had also shattered a major bottleneck, elevating her to a new realm entirely.

This was simply miraculous.

The pill's efficacy far exceeded her expectations.

Zhou Yi's alchemical prowess rose yet another notch in her estimation.

"To craft such a potent fourth-tier pill… even a fifth-tier alchemist would struggle to match this. Zhou Yi must be at least a sixth-tier alchemist!"

In the entire Jia Ma Empire, there was only one sixth-tier alchemist—Dan King Gu He.

"Young Master's Dou Pill is truly extraordinary," Ya Fei said, her shock replaced by admiration. Her mature, alluring smile carried a seductive charm as her ample chest rose and fell, sending a jolt through Zhou Yi.

This woman was truly born to captivate men.

Zhou Yi gazed at her, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

"The Dou Pill is just the beginning. There are far greater treasures yet to be seen."

With that, he stepped closer, his arm slipping around Ya Fei's slender waist.

His hand rested on her flawless figure, a waist desired by countless men in Wu Tan City.

Ya Fei stiffened under his touch, her body frozen like a startled deer.

With his chin resting lightly on her shoulder, Zhou Yi inhaled her faint, alluring fragrance, a playful grin spreading across his face.

"I know many men dream of holding you like this and imagining what comes next."

"But from now on, only I can hold you."

"You won't have to worry about other men anymore."

Ya Fei was stunned, a deep blush spreading across her face. Her rigid posture softened as she surrendered to his embrace.

Feeling Zhou Yi's warmth and strength, a sense of security washed over her.

Although she knew his intentions were far from pure…

"Young Master, you are indeed domineering."

"Haha!"

Laughing heartily, Zhou Yi scooped Ya Fei into his arms and carried her toward the bed.

Her blush deepened as an unfamiliar sensation coursed through her, her slender arms encircling his neck.

The bed creaked under their weight, its protests muffled by the night.

...

"Why hasn't the young lady come down yet?"

Below, Master Gu Ni paced anxiously, his heart restless as he awaited a chance to visit Zhou Yi.

But despite waiting endlessly, there was no news.

Before he realized it, the moon had climbed past its zenith, and it was already the third watch of the night.

"It seems the young lady has…"

Master Gu Ni looked into the night sky, a hint of realization forming in his heart.

After all, trying to win over someone of that caliber was no easy task. To gain something, one must be willing to give something in return.

Still, Gu Ni couldn't help but grow even more curious about this mysterious alchemist.

He knew that unless this man had some extraordinary qualities to attract Ya Fei, she wouldn't stoop so low.

Even if he were a sixth-tier alchemist, Ya Fei wouldn't sacrifice her body just to secure his loyalty.

It could only mean that this man had a unique charm, one that had managed to capture Ya Fei's favor.

Combine that with immense strength, and the outcome was inevitable.

"Ah, refreshing!"

Zhou Yi exhaled a long breath of turbid air, feeling an unprecedented sense of ease and clarity.

He hadn't expected such an unexpected benefit.

Previously, it felt as though something was holding him back, like sand infiltrating a stream.

Initially, he thought it was due to the spatial intensity of the Battle Through the Heavens world.

But now he realized it was the world itself suppressing him as an outsider.

After his union with Ya Fei, however, it seemed he was now considered one of its own.

The suppression was gone.

Although the spatial density of the Battle Through the Heavens world remained unchanged, Zhou Yi no longer felt stifled. On the contrary, his strength now flowed freely, far more potent than before.

Without releasing his divine sense, he instinctively perceived the presence of a Dou Emperor hiding within the Xiao Clan—the formidable Ling Ying.

"Ling Ying, a Dou Emperor of the ancient Gu Clan. Roughly at the eight-star level, though he feels… rather weak."

Zhou Yi's gaze shifted in that direction. It seemed he had been overly cautious earlier.

Then again, caution was never wasted—better to be safe than sorry.

Though he possessed the Universe Rings and the Huntian Ribbon, artifacts capable of annihilating even a Dou Emperor, his current power fell short of wielding them freely.

To strike, he still needed to land a hit.

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host, for integrating into the Battle Through the Heavens world. System panel updated.]

Zhou Yi's eyes lit up as he turned his attention inward.

Host: Zhou Yi

Cultivation: Nine-Star Dou Ancestor

Titles: Martial God, Martial Ancestor

Martial Souls: Immortal Execution Sword, Candle Dragon

Techniques:

Sacred Heart Technique (Perfected)

Water-Fire Golden Bell Shield (Thirteen Stages Perfected)

Martial Soul Abilities:

Immortal Execution Sword: One Qi to Three Pure Ones, Teleportation, Gravity Domain, Storm Control, Catastrophic Thunderstrike, Royal Earth Slash, Dragon-Slaying True Form, Indestructible Golden Body, Myriad Swords Return, Sky-Splitting Sword Arts, Sword Twenty-Three, Zhu Xian Sword Qi, Zhu Xian Sword Array, Grass Script Sword Technique, Rebellion Quelling Slash.

Candle Dragon: Dragonfire, Dragon's Breath, Sun and Moon Interchange, Heavenly Claw, Veil of Illusion, Eye of Retribution, True Form of the Candle Dragon, Dreaming Three Thousand Realms, Devouring Heaven and Earth, Star-Shifting Maneuver, Ground-Confining Spell, Immobilization Technique, Mountain-Tilting Sea-Overturning Palm, World in Hand, Time Reversal.

Domains:

Martial God Domain

Devouring Domain

Skills:

Divine Eye Tribulation (Limit-Breaking)

Alchemy

Huangdi Inner Scripture

Twin Finger Tunneling Technique...

Martial Ancestor Divine Armor: Wind-Thunder God Wings, Immortal Qilin Armor, Earth God Wind Boots, Purple Gold Heavenly Crown, Transforming Bull Demon Gauntlets.

Special: Reincarnation Art

Inventory: Universe Rings, Huntian Ribbon, Yin-Yang Iron Spheres…

Experience Points: 123,456,999

"Nine-Star Dou Ancestor?"

"Damn, turns out I'm this strong!"

Zhou Yi couldn't help but marvel. It seemed he had been far too conservative.

The suppression of the Battle Through the Heavens world had clouded his perception, making him doubt his strength.

Now, without that restriction, his power as a Nine-Star Dou Ancestor cultivator—combined with divine abilities and techniques—made him an unstoppable force against even a Dou Venerate.

Even his Soul Bones, which had transformed into Martial Ancestor Divine Armor upon his ascension to the Martial Ancestor level, had seen their abilities fully integrated and vastly enhanced.

Looking down at Ya Fei, whose cheeks still bore tear stains from the previous ordeal, Zhou Yi planted a gentle kiss.

"Truly my lucky star," he mused.

If not for Ya Fei, it might have taken him much longer to discover the world's suppression on his abilities.

Still, this method of integrating into the world…

Was surprisingly simple.

Zhou Yi suspected it had something to do with the system.

After his intimate connection with Ya Fei, marked by the lingering traces of her essence, he was now fully assimilated into this world.

Well, he thought with a grin,

Nice!

With his spirits high, Zhou Yi glanced at the system rewards Yafei had triggered.

Reward 1: Zhou Manor (Special Structure)

Reward 2: Ten Years' Worth of Cultivation.

"What the… Could Ya Fei be the first woman I've claimed in the Battle Through the Heavens world? Is that why the rewards are so generous?"

Excitement flickered in Zhou Yi's eyes.

The special structure, Zhou Manor, was essentially a magical artifact. It could expand and contract at will, boasting formidable defensive capabilities.

According to the system's description, it could withstand attacks from enemies a full level higher.

In other words, with Zhou Yi presiding, it could fend off Dou Venerate-level assaults.

Not bad at all.

Especially since Zhou Yi had been looking for a place to settle down.

Originally, he had planned to sell some pills to afford a luxurious mansion.

Who knew the system would simply hand him one?

As for the ten years of cultivation…

That was enough to push him into the Dou Venerate realm.

Once he reached that level, Zhou Yi would be invincible within the Dou Venerate stage.

Even on the vast Central Continent, a Dou Venerate was considered a mighty figure.

And Zhou Yi had no intention of heading to the Central Continent just yet.

With so many beauties in the Jia Ma Empire and at Jia Nan Academy,

By the time he had married them all, he would likely already be a Dou Emperor.

-------

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