Outside Wutan City.
"Uh… Cousin Xun'er, is Brother Bai really coming back?" Xiao Yan asked excitedly as he looked at the elegantly standing young girl ahead.
He had run into Xiao Xun'er by chance just as she was heading out. After greeting her, he learned that Xiao Bai and the others would be returning to Wutan City today. Unable to hold back his excitement, he decided to tag along.
His teacher and Brother Bai had been gone for nearly a year now, and he had been eagerly looking forward to their return—mainly because he had run out of Foundation Elixir.
The elixir refined by Brother Bai was simply too effective for his recovery. Just a few days ago, after consuming the last bit of it, his cultivation had successfully broken through to the Ninth stage of Dou Zhi Qi realm.
With this, he had no worries about the clan's coming-of-age ceremony. However, the next stage of his cultivation required him to break through to Dou Zhe, and once he reached that level, he would need to choose a cultivation method.
Before leaving, Yao Lao had mentioned giving him a mysterious and bizarre technique—one that, if fully cultivated, could surpass even legendary Tian Class techniques.
Although he was somewhat skeptical about whether the old man was bluffing, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. With his breakthrough approaching, how could he not be anxious?
"Yes. Brother Xiao Bai should be arriving today." Xun'er's clear, refined gaze held a touch of anticipation as she spoke softly.
"That's great!" Xiao Yan exclaimed excitedly.
Although he didn't understand how Xun'er was so certain, his teacher had once told him that both she and Brother Bai were anything but simple—one possessed a profound background, while the other was an enigma even he couldn't fully comprehend.
Thus, he had long since learned not to pry into their mysterious affairs. His teacher had advised him that if he wanted his friendships to last, he needed to maintain a respectful distance—digging too deep into everything would only make people wary of him.
But Brother Bai really understood him. Just the other day, he had been wishing for his return, and now, here he was!
As the two of them quietly waited, a luxurious carriage slowly approached from the outskirts of the city.
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up with anticipation. Could that be Brother Bai?
However, seeing that Xun'er merely glanced at it indifferently before looking away, he figured it wasn't.
"Stop!"
As the carriage drew near, a voice filled with excitement called out from within.
"Master Liu Xi, is something the matter?" A middle-aged man's voice responded.
No further sounds came from the carriage for a moment. Then—
The curtain lifted, and a young man dressed in long robes stepped out. He was quite handsome, but the occasional flicker of lecherous intent in his eyes completely ruined his appearance.
At this moment, Liu Xi was beyond thrilled. And the source of his excitement?
The refined young girl standing not far away.
He never would have thought that a small town like Wutan City could have such an absolute beauty! This trip had truly been worth it.
The young girl's attire was simple yet elegant. Her delicate face was free of any cosmetics, a natural beauty akin to a lotus in clear water.
Her long, dark hair was loosely tied with a silk ribbon, cascading just to her slender waist. A blue-gold sash wrapped around her midsection, perfectly accentuating her graceful curves.
Inwardly, Liu Xi thought, If I could hold that delicate waist in my arms, what kind of pleasure would that be?
His heated gaze lingered on the young girl, and his hands trembled slightly from excitement. Compared to the women he had played with before, she was entirely different.
Her ethereal, lotus-like aura made him feel as if the women he had previously found attractive were nothing more than common, vulgar trinkets—utterly ordinary.
The lust-driven Liu Xi instantly felt an overwhelming desire to claim her for himself.
Seeing this man step out and leer at Xun'er, Xiao Yan frowned. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, blocking the young man's gaze.
Regardless of Xun'er's background, her cultivation level was currently the same as his—she had yet to break through to Dou Zhe. As Brother Bai's sworn brother, he would never stand by and let her be harassed.
Otherwise, if Brother Bai returned and found out that he had stood idle, how could he ever face him again?
The young man glanced at Xiao Yan dismissively.
Just a mere brat who hadn't even reached Dou Zhe yet—hardly worth noticing!
Retrieving a badge from his storage ring, Liu Xi pinned it to his chest before stepping down from the carriage and walking toward Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed as he noticed the emblem the young man had just pinned to his chest. It depicted an ancient alchemy cauldron, with a silver ripple pattern shimmering under the sunlight.
"A Tier 1 Alchemist!"
At first, Xiao Yan was slightly startled, but then he seemed to recall something. Folding his arms across his chest, his expression turned disdainful.
A mere Tier 1 Alchemist?
His teacher was a Tier 8 Alchemist, and Brother Bai had even created his own lightning alchemy method in just a few months, refining Tier 2 peak-grade Foundation Elixirs.
And this guy dared to show off? Puffing out his chest like some big shot? What a joke!
If this had been before his recovery, Xiao Yan might have thought a Tier 1 Alchemist was a significant figure. But now? He didn't even take Gu He, a Tier 6 Alchemist, seriously!
"Kid, protecting a beauty takes skill—you're still lacking!" Liu Xi chuckled, a trace of contempt flashing in his eyes.
Bumpkins will always be bumpkins! He doesn't even recognize an Alchemist's badge, yet he dares to scoff? Truly an ignorant country fool!
Before arriving, Liu Xi had heard that Wutan City didn't even have an Alchemist Association, let alone Alchemist apprentices. Seeing it now, it was indeed a backwater dump.
With that, he stepped past Xiao Yan toward Xun'er.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan quickly moved to Xun'er's side, preparing to block any inappropriate actions. Even if he wasn't strong enough, he would still do everything he could to stop this guy!
"I am Liu Xi. May I know this young lady's name?" Liu Xi feigned a gentlemanly smile, adjusting his robes slightly—deliberately exposing his Alchemist badge for her to see.
This trick had never failed him. No matter how cold and distant a woman was, the moment he revealed his Alchemist badge, their eyes would light up with interest.
"Scram."
Xun'er lifted her gaze slightly, giving him a calm, indifferent glance before parting her lips to utter a single word.
Liu Xi froze.
His smile gradually faded, his expression turning dark. "All these years, you're the first person to dare speak to me like that."
"Hahaha!" Xiao Yan, seeing his stunned look, burst into laughter, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.
Liu Xi's face darkened further.
He was a Tier 1 Alchemist!
Everyone who had ever met him treated him with utmost respect. Yet now, he was being humiliated in front of some backwater bumpkin?! His hatred surged.
"Jia Lie Ye, grab her! I originally wanted to be gentle, but she doesn't know what's good for her!" Liu Xi's face was twisted with malice as he ordered the middle-aged man who had just stepped out of the carriage.
Jia Lie Ye hesitated, then sighed with a wry smile.
He knew this so-called 'Master Wu's disciple' was lustful, but he hadn't expected him to be so blinded by his desires that he'd try to abduct a girl in broad daylight!
How ridiculous!
He recognized both Xiao Yan and Xun'er as members of the Xiao Clan—one famous for her beauty, the other a fallen genius rumored to have regained his ability to cultivate.
Regardless, the Jia Lie Clan couldn't afford to provoke the Xiao Clan anymore.
Ever since their clan leader and several elders mysteriously died near a blacksmith's shop in Wutan City's western district, the Jia Lie Clan had been living in fear, treading carefully.
When Jia Lie Ye took over as patriarch, he had surrendered their most profitable markets and most of the clan's wealth to the City Lord's Mansion in exchange for protection, preventing their complete downfall.
Now, after finally managing to recruit Liu Xi, hoping he would help the clan recover, he realized—this guy was utterly useless outside of alchemy!
Damn it! How is life so unfair?! How can someone like him become an Alchemist?!
Sighing, he forced a dry laugh and said, "Master Liu Xi, she's from the Xiao Clan. Our Jia Lie Clan can't afford to offend them right now."
"The Xiao Clan?" Liu Xi sneered, his eyes filled with disdain.
"If you help me get her, I will do everything in my power to make the Jia Lie Clan the number one family in Wutan City!"
Seeing Jia Lie Ye's hesitation, Liu Xi waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry. If necessary, I will ask my teacher to step in!"
He didn't consider the so-called 'major clans' in Wutan City worth his attention at all.
What was there to fear when their strongest experts were only Da Dou Shi?!
Jia Lie Ye's expression shifted, his mind wavering.
If it was just Liu Xi, he wouldn't have believed that he could solve the Jia Lie Clan's crisis.
But his teacher, Master Wu, was different.
Master Wu was a Tier 3 Alchemist!
A Tier 3 Alchemist was a notable figure even in the Jia Ma Empire, let alone in this small city.
With Master Wu as a backer, the Jia Lie Clan's revival would be within reach.
Recalling how much Master Wu doted on Liu Xi, treating him like a son, Jia Lie Ye hesitated for a moment—then made his decision.
Looking around, they were quite far from the city gate, and there weren't many people nearby. If they wanted to make a move, now was the perfect time—knock them out, throw them into the carriage, and no one would be the wiser.
"Master Liu Xi, I hope you keep your word," Jia Lie Ye's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint as he spoke solemnly.
He wanted to take a gamble. The current situation of the Jia Lie family was dire, and this was an opportunity. If they succeeded, the Jia Lie family would rise to new heights under his leadership.
"Don't worry! As long as you help me get her, you'll have everything you desire!" Liu Xi was overjoyed that Jia Lie Ye had agreed. His eyes burned with desire as he looked at the stunning young woman.
Xiao Yan, listening to their blatant scheming, became even more wary and cursed inwardly:
'Bai Ge, Bai Ge! Why didn't you wipe out the Jia Lie family when you had the chance? Look, they're causing trouble again!'
Jia Lie Ye then looked at Xiao Yan, who was currently standing protectively in front of Xiao Xun'er. A strange light flickered in his eyes. This so-called "genius" of the Xiao family was a future threat to the Jia Lie family's rise—today was the perfect chance to eliminate him.
"Xun'er, it seems we're in some trouble today," Xiao Yan said cautiously, sensing the killing intent from Jia Lie Ye.
As soon as he finished speaking, Jia Lie Ye pushed off from the carriage with his toes, leaping into the air. A palm strike, infused with fierce green Dou Qi, descended upon Xiao Yan's face with a powerful wind pressure.
Feeling the sharp force cutting through the air, Xiao Yan's pupils shrank, and his breathing became heavy. He wanted to dodge, but there was nowhere to escape.
I'm going to die!
His eyes turned slightly red with unwillingness. He had been crippled for three years, and just when he saw hope of regaining his strength, was he really going to die here today?
No! He refused to accept this!
Xiao Yan mobilized all his strength and prepared to throw a punch. Even if he was going to die, he would at least fight back—he wouldn't accept a meaningless death without resistance!
Just as the palm was about to strike him, a sudden force pulled him backward, creating distance between him and the attack.
Barely escaping death, Xiao Yan let out a breath of relief and turned around. It was Xiao Xun'er who had acted in the crucial moment, pulling him away from danger.
"Thank you!" Xiao Yan said gratefully.
"No need," Xiao Xun'er responded coolly, her gaze now locked on the surprised Jia Lie Ye with a frosty glint.
Just as she was about to instruct Qing Shuang to deal with these nuisances, she suddenly paused, her expression softening as a faint smile appeared on her cold face.
Her sudden smile dazzled everyone, especially Liu Xi, whose eyes filled with obsession as he stared fixedly at the crescent-moon-like eyes of the young woman.
Jia Lie Ye was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. With a cold snort, he looked at Xiao Yan, curled his hands into claws, and slashed forward. Dense green Dou Qi formed into several pale green energy wind blades.
"Xun'er, if you have any tricks, now's the time!" Xiao Yan nearly panicked upon seeing Jia Lie Ye's move. He then turned to look at Xiao Xun'er, who was smiling like a blooming flower, and nearly cried.
Yao Lao had told him before that Xiao Xun'er's background wasn't simple. So now, Xiao Yan was hoping she had some hidden trump card to deal with this situation. Otherwise, he was doomed today.
"No rush," Xiao Xun'er said calmly, as if she didn't care about Xiao Yan's fate at all.
Watching the wind blades take shape, Xiao Yan was on the verge of cursing. So what if they weren't aimed at you? You really aren't worried, huh?
"Why don't you just shout 'Bai Ge, save me!'—it might actually work!" Xiao Xun'er teased with a playful smile.
Xiao Yan was on the verge of tears. Big sister, this is not the time for jokes!
Suddenly, his expression froze as if something clicked in his mind. His eyes filled with disbelief before quickly turning into excitement as he looked at Xiao Xun'er for confirmation.
She simply smiled and nodded without saying a word.
Xiao Yan immediately understood. Without hesitation, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Bai Ge! Help me!"
Jia Lie Ye flicked his fingers, sending the wind blades flying at Xiao Yan. The sharp wind pressure caused grass and branches on the ground to lift into the air—anything that touched the wind blades was instantly sliced in half.
"Heh… Call for help all you want. No one can save you today!" Jia Lie Ye sneered, his killing intent surging. Today, he would ensure this fallen genius was truly erased.
"Oh? Is that so? I don't believe that."
A calm, magnetic voice rang out from the distance.
A muffled thunderclap echoed, and a streak of crimson lightning shot through the air, instantly shattering the wind blades into dust.
Boom!
A meter-wide charred crater appeared on the ground, emitting a wave of heat.
Two streaks of light shot down from the sky, landing before everyone.
"A… A Dou Wang expert!" Jia Lie Ye's face instantly turned pale as terror filled his eyes, his lips trembling slightly.
"Apologies, it seems I arrived a bit late."
The newcomer ignored Jia Lie Ye, turning instead to look at Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er. The stern and authoritative face softened with warmth, and he greeted them with a gentle smile.
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