The crowd parted, revealing a pale-faced young man dressed in lavish robes. His eyes burned with fervor as they locked onto Xiao Xun Er.
"Ah!"
Just as the young man opened his mouth to speak again, a jade staff appeared before him. With a wretched scream, he was sent flying. His lackeys scrambled to catch him, but they failed miserably.
"Well, well, isn't this Young Master Jia Lie Ao?" Xiao Tian stepped beside Xiao Xun Er, twirling the jade staff with a mocking grin. "Weren't you also a Dou Zhe? How come you couldn't even take a single hit from my Dog-Beating Staff? Did all your Dou Qi go soft from spending it on women?"
Jia Lie Ao clambered up from the ground, his face twisted with humiliated rage. Pointing at Xiao Tian, he spat, "Don't think you can act all high and mighty just because you're a Dou Zhe now, Xiao Tian! Be careful, or you'll end up like your brother—losing your Dou Qi right after becoming a Dou Zhe!"
"No need to worry about me," Xiao Tian replied, spinning the Dog-Beating Staff casually. "You should be more concerned about yourself right now."
Jia Lie Ao's fists clenched so tightly they creaked, his expression darkening as he glared at Xiao Tian. His followers, sensing their master's foul mood, cleverly spread out, surrounding Xiao Tian and Xiao Xun Er with malicious intent.
Seeing Jia Lie Ao's men closing in, Xiao Tian turned to Xiao Xun Er. "Stay safe and protect yourself!"
Lightning crackled as Xiao Tian infused the Dog-Beating Staff with electric energy. Bolts of lightning surged beneath his feet, and his figure blurred into a series of afterimages.
Moments later, Xiao Tian halted, planting the staff into the ground with a flourish. He clapped his hands and sighed, "Not a single one worth fighting."
Jia Lie Ao and his lackeys lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain, clearly zapped by the electric onslaught. Even Jia Lie Ao, a One-Star Dou Zhe, was no match for Xiao Tian's overwhelming strength—felled by a single strike.
At that moment, a shout rang out from the crowd. "Who dares cause trouble in the Xiao Clan's market?"
Uncle Pei En charged over with a group of guards. Spotting Xiao Tian amid the moaning heap of bodies, he hurried to his side. "Third Young Master, what happened here?"
"Nothing major," Xiao Tian said with a smile. "Just some troublemakers trying to stir things up in the Xiao Clan's market and harass a respectable young lady. I gave them a little lesson. Uncle Pei En, could you arrange for someone to 'escort' them back to Jia Lie Clan territory? We wouldn't want them disrupting everyone's business."
Pei En nodded and signaled his men to haul the group away. As they lifted Jia Lie Ao, Xiao Tian noticed a bracelet embedded with a Tier 1 Magic Core on his wrist. Swiftly, he plucked it off and stowed it in his system space.
Once Pei En had everything under control, Xiao Tian tossed him the Dog-Beating Staff and a pouch of gold coins. "If Jia Lie Ao comes back to make trouble, give him a good whack with this. As for the hundred gold coins, treat everyone to some food and drinks on me."
Pei En caught the staff and coins with a grin. Xiao Tian then took Xiao Xun Er's hand, ready to leave. But as they turned, his gaze landed on a strikingly handsome young man in the distance. The man's eyes occasionally gleamed with a lewd glint, and his hand was shamelessly tucked inside the clothes of a maid beside him, heedless of the crowd. Xiao Tian squinted. Isn't that Liu Xi, the alchemist who schemes against Xun Er in the original story? Why's he here so early?
Xiao Xun Er noticed Xiao Tian's focus and asked, "What's wrong, Brother Xiao Tian?"
"Nothing, just glancing around," Xiao Tian replied, brushing it off. Probably a butterfly effect. No matter. I'll deal with him when the time comes.
The commotion had soured their mood, and after wandering for so long, neither felt like continuing. They decided to head back to the Xiao Clan. At the entrance to Xiao Xun Er's courtyard, Xiao Tian pulled out a delicate women's bracelet—the one rewarded by the system. Xiao Xun Er froze, staring at it.
He dangled the bracelet with a teasing smile. "Want it? If not, I'll take it back."
Snapping out of her daze, Xiao Xun Er quickly snatched it. Her cheeks flushed as she realized how eager she'd been. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she gracefully slipped the bracelet onto her fair wrist and said softly, "Thank you, Brother Xiao Tian."
Xiao Tian pinched her reddened cheek gently. "This bracelet has a calming effect and is good for cultivation. Wear it often. Now, head inside and train hard. Break through to Dou Zhe soon."
Startled by his affectionate gesture, Xiao Xun Er scampered off like a frightened rabbit, stammering, "I-I'll go back now!"
Watching her retreating figure, Xiao Tian chuckled. Passing by Xiao Yan's courtyard, he noted that his brother was likely inside, training. He's probably waiting for nightfall to start refining the Foundation Elixir. Xiao Tian didn't linger on the thought. Instead, he headed toward the back mountains to train, hone his Dou Techniques, and check in at the peak. The back mountains are where Xiao Yan's rise began. My gut tells me checking in there will yield some incredible rewards.
Atop the Xiao Clan's back mountain, Xiao Tian scanned his surroundings, ensuring no one was nearby. "System, check in."
[Ding! Location: Xiao Clan Back Mountain Peak. Check-in successful. Rewards: Fire and Wood Attributes, Qilin Heaven-Burning Flame, Alchemy Tome, Heavenly Thunder Halberd, Thunder Origin *1]
Xiao Tian skimmed the system's descriptions. The fire and wood attributes were minor and not suitable as primary attributes. The Qilin Heaven-Burning Flame, a vivid crimson fire, was said to have formed from the severed horn of a fire qilin, with the faint roar of a qilin emanating from its core. The Alchemy Tome was a detailed compendium of pill formulas, each entry meticulously annotated with ingredient descriptions, illustrations, and step-by-step refining instructions, even including animated visuals of the process.
Becoming a revered alchemist in the Dou Qi Continent required two strict conditions: a Fire Attribute and a trace of Wood Qi, paired with strong soul perception. Xiao Tian, with his soul strengthened by two lifetimes, already met the soul requirement. The system had now provided the missing attributes.
Alchemists were the most prestigious profession on the continent, commanding immense wealth, status, and access to rare herbs and resources through the Alchemist Guild—perfect for advancing cultivation.
The Heavenly Thunder Halberd allowed Xiao Tian to channel his lightning attribute and spiritual thunder into a formidable Fang Tian Ji (a halberd-like weapon), unmatched in sharpness and power. No need to worry about a weapon now, Xiao Tian thought. While many in the Dou Qi Continent fought barehanded with Dou Techniques, he preferred the feel of a weapon.
The Thunder Origin would accelerate his condensation of spiritual thunder.
Grinning so widely he could barely contain himself, Xiao Tian marveled at the rewards. This practically makes me an alchemist overnight! The Alchemy Tome is the real treasure—detailed herb guides, pill formulas, and refining visuals. It's like a cheat code.
After checking in, Xiao Tian summoned the Qilin Heaven-Burning Flame. The crimson fire hovered in the air, radiating an explosive aura. Swallowing hard, he asked the system, "How do I refine this?"