Chapter 321: Cultivating in the Valley
In the midst of lush, overlapping green mountain peaks, deep within a secluded and spirit-rich valley, Xiao Yuan gazed at a small wooden cabin that looked nearly identical to one from his memory, nodding with clear satisfaction.
The Central Plains truly lived up to its name as the continent's heart. This place, located within the winding mountains northwest of Ye City, was saturated with natural energy—much like the secluded valley in the Magical Beast Mountain Range he once trained in. It was undoubtedly an ideal place for reclusive cultivation, and the efficiency of Dou Qi training here was significantly higher.
Though a seventh-rank magical beast had once occupied this valley, facing four Dou Zong and one Dou Zun powerhouse, it wisely chose to retreat and surrender the territory without a fight.
Xiao Yuan appreciated the gesture and decided not to use its magic core for alchemy.
The wooden cabin before him had been built using his vast soul power, replicating it from memory by cutting down a large batch of trees himself.
Yun Yun and Xiao Yi Xian, both of whom had once lived in a similar cabin, could instantly tell how much thought Xiao Yuan had put into it. Their gazes toward him were full of warmth and affection.
For Tang Huo'er, this was her first time living in such a place. As the heiress of Blazing Flame Valley, she was used to comfort and luxury.
This kind of residence—high EQ would call it "rustic," low EQ, "shabby"—was a refreshing novelty to her. It was even kind of fun, like the carefree life of a reclusive master in seclusion. She was genuinely looking forward to experiencing it.
As for Cai Lin, though she muttered about it being a "cheap trick to woo women," she still followed along without protest.
Xiao Yuan was used to her sharp tongue by now. She might talk tough, but so long as she was soft when kissed, that's all that mattered.
This temporary retreat was Xiao Yuan's idea.
Although his ultimate enemy was a monstrous figure like Hun Tiandi, right now, such a being wouldn't even spare a glance at a mere Dou Zong like him.
The only real threats were the Honored Elders of the Hall of Souls—those at the Heavenly Venerate level.
But Xiao Yuan wasn't afraid of typical Venerates.
He had entrusted a soul-marked jade piece to the Heavenly Flame Venerable. If danger arose, unless someone much stronger than the Venerable placed a space-sealing formation, he would immediately tear through space to protect Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yi Xiang had also reached the peak of two-star Dou Zun. The toxic power of her Calamity Poison Body, once a curse, had become the best nourishment for her strength.
And Xiao Yuan himself, thanks to his battle power, could already contend with a Dou Zun. So even if the Hall of Souls found them here, he wouldn't back down.
Of course, if the enemy sent someone stronger than the Heavenly Flame Venerable, then there wasn't much to be done. If even the Venerable couldn't win, any resistance would be suicide.
Still, if it came down to it, Xiao Yuan was confident he could perish together with any enemy below the Dou Sheng level.
After all, the Dou Emperor bloodline in his body wasn't just for show.
That said, safety always came first.
He had traveled here using spatial rifts, making sure no one in the Ye Clan except Xiao Yan, the Venerable, Yao Lao, Ye Zhong, and Xin Lan even knew he had left.
Their group's residence had been sealed off under the pretense that the Venerable, having just regained a physical body, needed to enter secluded cultivation. No one besides Xiao Yan could enter.
Xiao Yan, meanwhile, was training in alchemy at the Ye Clan's top-tier pill room.
Ye Zhong and Xin Lan would periodically deliver herbs.
All of Xiao Yan's training materials were fully supplied by the Ye Clan.
Thanks to such precautions, Xiao Yuan could relax and bring his four lovers out for a well-earned retreat and to deepen their bonds.
Just as one person has a personal cultivation rhythm, a group also finds its collective rhythm.
Though it was called a vacation, none of them planned to slack on training.
The Ice River Valley incident had passed, but they didn't let their guard down.
The Queen of the Snake People, the Sect Master of Misty Cloud Sect, the Sovereign of the Poison Sect, and the heiress of Blazing Flame Valley.
All four women had their own pride. While it felt good to have someone they could rely on, none of them wanted to be mere ornaments.
Especially not when Xiao Yuan carried such heavy pressure. They hoped to help lighten that burden—even just a little.
Xiao Yuan was deeply moved. Training had to be done on one's own, but as an alchemist, he did have ways to enhance cultivation speed.
"Here's the medicinal ingredients you asked for."
Xiao Yi Xiang and Cai Lin descended from the sky, landing gracefully and handing Xiao Yuan a storage ring filled with herbs.
To help them improve faster, Xiao Yuan intended to refine supportive pills and medicinal liquids.
While Xiao Yuan built the wooden cabin, Xiao Yi Xiang and Cai Lin had gone to gather herbs—saving time and also helping the two women bond. After all, they'd now be living under the same roof as sisters.
"Back already? Thanks. I've just finished setting up. Let's eat first, then we can begin training."
Xiao Yuan grinned.
Getting some rest and relaxation while training was truly a blessing for him.
"Mm, sounds good!"
Xiao Yi Xian's sweet smile reminded him of the kind-hearted girl from Qingshan Town years ago.
"Need help?"
Cai Lin didn't smile as sweetly, but her tone was gentler than usual.
"Sure. I have some ingredients here. You two help me prep them."
Xiao Yuan nodded, leading them to a nearby stream in the valley.
The stream was spring-fed from the stone cliffs in the valley's corner, sweet and clean—safe to drink directly.
Besides, with Xiao Yi Xian, a poison master, and Xiao Yuan, now a veritable alchemy master, even deathcap mushrooms could be made safe and delicious.
"Is Sister Huo'er and Sister Yun still training?" asked Xiao Yi Xian, glancing at the cabin as they walked.
"Mm. Sister Yun's Dou Qi fluctuations have been increasing. She'll likely break through in the next few days," Xiao Yuan replied. "And Huo'er is focused on fire control techniques. I asked Elder Ye for a durable pill cauldron—its only feature is heat resistance. It can withstand even the Nine Dragon Thunder Flame."
After their recent battles, Yun Yun had been on the verge of a breakthrough. But her thoughts had been disturbed by Xiao Yuan's absence. Now, with some peace, her breakthrough was imminent. She had remained inside the cabin, protected by Xiao Yuan's soul barrier, undisturbed by the construction outside.
Tang Huo'er had wanted to help with the cabin, but her explosive fighting style didn't translate to delicate handiwork. She even tried to dry the wood with her flame—but since she was still learning to control the Nine Dragon Thunder Flame, she ended up charring the lumber.
Frustrated, her good mood evaporated.
Why, when everyone had Heavenly Flames, was the gap between them so wide?
Xiao Yuan was an alchemist—but that was no excuse! Even her father, Tang Zhen, wasn't an alchemist, yet had terrifying fire control.
She decided to return to Blazing Flame Valley for guidance.
But Xiao Yuan had expected this. He knew his lovers' temperaments well and didn't expect them to laze around in this valley forever.
Yun Yun and Cai Lin could continue their own cultivation.
But Tang Huo'er and Xiao Yi Xiang had recently gained large power boosts. They needed time to stabilize their strength before advancing further.
And for Tang Huo'er, nothing sharpened Dou Qi like practicing fire control.
So, Xiao Yuan had prepared recipes for medicinal liquids that didn't require pill condensation. Just extract the impurities and refine the essence. Perfect for her to practice.
It would also strengthen her soul power. A triple win.
"Huo'er may be headstrong, but she's persistent. Alchemy is tiring and boring, but she'll endure—and gain much."
Xiao Yi Xiang nodded approvingly.
Although she often felt helpless about Xiao Yuan's womanizing, she couldn't deny he had good taste. All the women around her were respectable.
Even the aloof Cai Lin had plenty to say about Xiao Yuan while gathering herbs earlier. Having both been "coerced" by him in the past, they had an immediate bond.
Cai Lin also liked Xiao Yi Xian's ever-sweet demeanor. She once wore that smile too—but lost it while carrying the burden of leading her tribe.
Now, with fewer responsibilities, she felt unease during downtime. But after the recent battle, she realized that Xiao Yuan might be charming, but he also made many enemies.
So she understood why he trained so hard.
If she were him, she'd do the same.
But unlike Xiao Yi Xian, she hadn't yet shed her queenly mask and rediscovered her carefree, smiling self.
For now, she immersed herself in training.
She wanted to stand by Xiao Yuan's side in battle—not behind him.
Even if his strength was overwhelming, she'd give her all.
Thankfully, as a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, her post-transformation growth was incredibly fast. She had hope.
"This valley is rich in energy. I plan to go into seclusion for a while and train a secret art."
While awkwardly preparing food, Cai Lin spoke calmly.
"A secret art?" Xiao Yuan asked curiously.
He knew little about ancient beasts like her.
"It's a secret method in my inherited memory. It speeds up cultivation—but it only works after transforming into human form and needs special pills. The herbs and formulas are in my storage ring. Help me refine them."
She turned to him with an expectant look.
"Alright. I'll get the pills made as soon as I can," Xiao Yuan promised.
"Thank you," she replied gently.
"No need for thanks. This is exactly why I learned alchemy—to help myself and those around me. The Pill Gathering is a nice opportunity, but to me, it doesn't mean much.
But Xiao Yan needs the Three Thousand Burning Flame. He also has to inherit Teacher's title as the continent's number one alchemist. So he must go. If not, he'd be like me—more focused on personal power. The Hall of Souls… we've only seen the tip of their forces."
Xiao Yuan's expression grew serious.
He had always been wary of the Hall of Souls.
Even his teacher, at peak Dou Zun, fell to them. Sure, Han Feng betrayed him, but that only proved how terrifying they were.
What's more, Xiao Yuan knew they were backed by the entire Soul Clan—the continent's most powerful force.
Even the Ancient Clan couldn't fully match them.
"You knew all that even back when you were cultivating?" Xiao Yi Xiang asked, puzzled.
In her memory, Xiao Yuan had always trained with relentless determination.
"Well, at first I was just mad about Nalan Yanran's broken engagement. Honestly, her reasoning wasn't that bad—just executed poorly. She didn't act like the heir of one of the empire's top three clans. By then, I'd met Sister Ya Fei—beautiful, wise, kind. Compared to her, Nalan just didn't impress me anymore."
Xiao Yuan chuckled, remembering the past.
(END CHAPTER)
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