.
Upon hearing Jia Xingtian's instructions, Yaoyue nodded and replied, "Don't worry, Great-grandfather. I'll take care of the medicinal herbs."
After arranging the preparation of the herbs, Jia Xingtian continued, "To escort the Xiao family members, arrange for a high-level Douling to lead some soldiers to the Xiao residence. No one in the Jiama Empire should dare to attack the royal guards."
As if remembering something, he added, "Yue'er doesn't have anything important to do recently, so let her accompany the escort team to the Xiao residence in Wutan City. This will demonstrate the royal family's seriousness regarding this matter and strengthen their relationship with the Xiao family." After saying this,
he emptied his cup of tea and, without waiting for Yaoye's reply, spread his Douqi wings and departed.
Yaoye gazed at Jia Xingtian's direction, a puzzled look in his eyes. He paused for a moment, then turned back to arrange the matters he had been instructed to do.
...
Half a day passed in a flash as the Split Sky Seat soared leisurely.
The setting sun slowly descended, illuminating the sky with an orange-red hue.
In the distance, a slender black figure sprinted past, leaving a trail of shadow in the air.
Atop the dragon's head, Xiao Ling sat cross-legged, intently focused on the medicine cauldron before him.
Within, a rudimentary pill, its surface slightly pitted, was being roasted by the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame.
Under Xiao Ling's deft control, the flames nurtured the pill at just the right temperature, and the irregularities on its surface became increasingly rounded.
As time passed, the energy fluctuations emanating from the pill within the cauldron grew stronger. At a certain point, a fragrant aroma emanated from the cauldron, accompanied by a wave of energy emanating from the pill. However, after being blocked by the cauldron, Xiao Ling effortlessly dispersed them.
Zi Yan and Yue Mei, seated behind Xiao Ling, noticed the movement nearby and turned their gazes.
At that moment, Xiao Ling was drawing the pill into his palm, examining it carefully.
After examining the Douling Pill before him, Xiao Ling muttered to himself, "This pill's quality is quite good. There aren't any errors caused by the hasty refining time."
Sensing Zi Yan and Yue Mei's gazes from behind him, Xiao Ling turned and saw Zi Yan wiping drool from her mouth with her palm. Her wide eyes seemed to speak, as if saying, "I want it!"
Stepping forward and patting Zi Yan's head, Xiao Ling smiled and said, "This isn't for you. I'll refine a few more pills for you later."
Hearing that Xiao Ling would refine pills for her later, Zi Yan calmed down a bit. She took Xiao Ling's hand and shook it, saying, "Then quickly refine the pills for me."
Shaking her head, she glanced in Yue Mei's direction. Seeing her gaze fixed on him with anticipation, he knew she couldn't wait to get her hands on the pill.
With a wave of his hand, the Douling Pill floated in front of Yue Mei. Grasping it in her hand, Yue Mei examined it with some curiosity.
Based on her Dou Wang perception, she knew this pill was definitely of the highest quality.
Initially, she'd thought the refining time was too short, and she was worried the pill's quality might be average. She even thought it might fail, wasting a batch of herbs.
But upon seeing this exceptional pill, all those concerns vanished.
He pulled out a porcelain bottle, placed the elixir inside, and stored it in his storage ring.
Yue Mei exclaimed in amazement, "Master Xiao Ling's alchemy is truly remarkable. He can refine a fifth-grade elixir that would take an ordinary person several days in just half a day, and the quality is so excellent. His skills are truly admirable."
Facing Yue Mei's praise, Xiao Ling waved his hand and replied, "Practice makes perfect. Without the guidance of my elders, I wouldn't be able to reach this point."
He took the map from his storage ring, looked down at it, and with his right hand, tapped the location marked for the Charming Snake Tribe. He said to Yue Mei, who was standing beside him, "Commander Yue Mei, we're almost at your Charming Snake Tribe. Let's say goodbye now."
Yue Mei nodded and cast her gaze forward. With her Dou Wang flying speed, it would only take about ten minutes to reach the Charming Snake Tribe.
Before leaving, Yue Mei blinked her captivating eyes and smiled sweetly at Xiao Ling, saying, "Master Xiao Ling, next time you visit the Charming Snake Tribe, I'll personally entertain you."
With these words, Yue Mei unfurled her Dou Qi wings and soared towards the Charming Snake Tribe.
Seeing that Yue Mei had already left for some distance, Xiao Ling stood above Liekongzuo and pointed in the direction of the map shop in Haibodong. "Akong, fly at full speed in that direction."
Hearing Xiao Ling's command, Liekongzuo raised his head, let out a long howl, and drifted slowly for a long time before finally accelerating. With a twist of his body, his speed suddenly increased, and in a moment, he disappeared into the sky!
...
Wutan City, Xiao Family.
On the bed, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his hands in front of him in a strange hand seal. His chest rose and fell gently, his breaths forming a perfect cycle. As the breaths circulated, a faint white air flowed through his mouth and nose, entering his body, nourishing his bones and flesh.
As the young man closed his eyes to cultivate, the ancient black ring on his finger suddenly shone with a faint, eerie light. It vanished in the blink of an eye, unnoticed by anyone...
"Huh..." Slowly exhaling, Xiao Yan's eyes suddenly opened. A faint white light flashed in his dark vision. It was the Dou Qi that had just been absorbed but not yet fully refined.
"The Dou Qi I cultivated with such great difficulty is disappearing again... Oh, damn it!" After a moment of deep concentration, Xiao Yan's face suddenly grew furious, and he cursed in a sharp voice.
Two and a half years had passed since Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had first disappeared without a trace. During this time, Xiao Yan had been ridiculed within the Xiao Family. Those who had once flattered him were now gone.
After Xiao Yan's cultivation level regressed, Xiao Zhan expended considerable family resources in an effort to restore his talent. He even used a recipe Xiao Ling had sent back from Canaan Academy and invited Mitchell, Vice President of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist's Guild, to examine Xiao Yan.
However, no matter how many resources were used, Xiao Yan's talent remained unrecoverable. The doctors and alchemists who examined Xiao Yan came back clear.
Xiao Yan had wasted so much of the Xiao family's resources, yet his cultivation level remained unrecoverable. This led some to resent Xiao Zhan and his son. It would have been fine
if his talent had been restored, and the resources had been used, but after spending so much money and finding no problems, who wouldn't be upset?
Six months later, the tests for the younger generation would be coming up. If he was still at the third level of Dou Qi, he would surely be ridiculed by his clan members.
He clenched his fists tightly together. After a long while, Xiao Yan smiled bitterly and shook his head. He climbed off the bed exhausted, stretching his numb ankles and thighs. With only the third level of Dou Qi, he couldn't ignore the fatigue.
(End of this chapter)