Battle Through the Heavens: Oh no, I've become the succubus Xiao Yan!

In the spring of his thirteenth year, Xiao Yan broke through to the Dou Ling realm.

The process went more smoothly than expected. There is a barrier between the peak of the Great Dou Master and the Dou Spirit, but Xiao Yan has the Fire God Body as a cheat, and his Dou Qi accumulation is far beyond that of ordinary people. This barrier is not thick in front of him; it can be said to be extremely thin.

The moment of breakthrough, the crimson battle qi in his dantian suddenly contracted, as if being gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, condensing into a state of even higher density. The crimson solid battle qi sank to the bottom of his dantian, becoming several times more concentrated than before.

Just as the battle aura was fully condensed...

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the Vulcan Illustrated Manual trembled violently.

The patterns on the first page spun wildly, radiating brilliant golden light. Then, the patterns on the second page cleared up, as if a thick fog had been dispelled by the blazing sun, revealing lines of ancient runes.

A piece of information flooded into Xiao Yan's mind.

The Fire God Body Refining Technique.

Temper your body with flames to forge an indestructible fire god's form.

"This is..." Yao Lao floated out of the ring, staring at Xiao Yan with a furrowed brow, sensing that Xiao Yan's aura was ancient and powerful.

"The second page of the Vulcan's Manual," Xiao Yan said, "was automatically unlocked when I broke through to the Dou Ling realm."

The old apothecary was silent for a few seconds: "The first page is a method for cultivating the soul, the second page is a technique for refining the body... How many pages does this thing actually have?"

"I don't know. But I have a feeling there's a lot more to come."

The old doctor didn't press the matter further. He had lived for hundreds of years and had seen countless rare treasures and cultivation techniques, but he had never heard of the Fire God Manual before; it was even more bizarre and magical than the Burning Technique.

---

The Fire God Body Refining Technique operates very directly. It can be described as simple and brutal. It involves activating internal flames to envelop the entire body, tempering the skin, flesh, muscles, and bones from the outside in.

Xiao Yan made his first attempt that very night after his breakthrough.

Sitting cross-legged, with a thought, crimson flames seeped from his body, like fiery snakes coiling around his arms, chest, and legs. The flames burned close to his skin, but not in a scorching way; rather, they were like forging and hammering, as if a blacksmith were repeatedly hammering red-hot iron to remove impurities and leave only refined steel.

It hurt. Xiao Yan gasped.

It wasn't an excruciating pain, but a dull ache as if every muscle and bone was being reshaped. Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and endured it for half an incense stick's time before the flames slowly receded from his body.

He stretched his arms—his strength, speed, and reaction time had all improved. Not by much, but there were definitely changes, considering he had only been training for a short while.

"Your physical strength..." the old apothecary examined it, "is already comparable to that of a magical beast of the same level."

"This is only the first time."

  

"...What a monster! This technique is truly heaven-defying." Over the years, Elder Yao had grown somewhat accustomed to the extraordinary abilities of his disciple. Yet, he was always left in awe and exclaiming in wonder.

---

Unlocking the second page of the Vulcan's Manual brings more than just body-refining techniques.

His soul perception also increased dramatically with the breakthrough. Everything within a hundred feet radius became crystal clear. He could sense Xun'er's breathing next door, the footsteps of the night patrol guards in the courtyard, and even an earthworm wriggling three feet underground. He could even clearly perceive the residual soul fluctuations on Yao Lao's ring.

The quality of his battle aura had also changed. A faint golden hue seeped from the crimson battle aura, a sign that the potential of the Fire God Body was being further released. The quality of his battle aura was now comparable to that of a high-level Battle King.

"Dou Ling cultivation, Dou Wang quality Dou Qi," Yao Lao shook his head, "who would believe these things if they were told, especially since you're only thirteen years old this year."

"Whether others believe it or not is unimportant. On the contrary, it's better if they don't know; it's safer for the Xiao family." Xiao Yan clenched his fist, feeling the power surging through his meridians, and smiled. "Besides, you saw it today, Teacher."

---

Another benefit of the breakthrough in soul power is the breakthrough in alchemy.

Previously, he could refine grade three pills with ease, but he was always just a step away from grade four. Now, with his soul power advancing to the next level after breaking through to the Dou Ling realm, he has finally crossed the threshold for grade four pills.

Xiao Yan's first attempt at refining a fourth-grade pill was on the third day after his breakthrough. He chose the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill, one of the more difficult fourth-grade pills to refine, which could help a Dou Shi break through the Great Dou Shi barrier and was effective for both Great Dou Shi and Dou Ling. For the Xiao family at this point, it would be extremely valuable.

Flames surged within the medicine cauldron as more than twenty kinds of medicinal herbs were added in one after another. Xiao Yan's soul power tightly locked onto every change in the medicinal power within the cauldron. At the crucial moment of condensing the pill, for the first time, he simultaneously sensed the subtle fluctuations of all the medicinal power. Previously, he could only capture 70%, and the remaining 30% was entirely supplemented by experience.

For this alchemy, he borrowed the Bone Spirit Cold Fire from the old medicine master, as well as the flames of his own Fire God Body and the fire of his battle qi.

Logically speaking, these three types of flames are vastly different, and putting them together would be like throwing a bomb. However, in front of Xiao Yan, these three flames were as docile as kittens.

This time, I'm absolutely certain.

The elixir is complete.

Three pale blue pills lay quietly at the bottom of the cauldron, with three fine lines appearing on their surface. These were the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pills, and of excellent quality at that.

The old apothecary picked up one, examined it, and nodded: "Good quality. Fourth grade, you pass."

Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

A fourth-grade alchemist, thirteen years old. In the Jia Ma Empire, this record is unprecedented. Even in the Central Plains, few can compare.

But he had no time to be happy. Fourth-grade was just the beginning; fifth-grade was what he truly needed. The Soul-Nourishing Saliva, the Barrier-Breaking Pill, and the Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill—these crucial pills were all fifth-grade.

However, with the blessing of the Fire God Body's flames, he was not anxious about breaking through to the fifth rank. The Fire God Body's flames were of extremely high quality, far surpassing the battle qi flames of ordinary alchemists, and coupled with his fire control ability, this was his greatest advantage.

"First, stabilize your fourth rank and solidify your foundation," said the old doctor. "There's no rush for the fifth rank. Once your cultivation advances further and your soul power reaches another level, the fifth rank will naturally come naturally."

"What about cultivation level? I just broke through to the Dou Ling realm. Are there any other pills that allow for rapid leveling without side effects?"

"No rush, you're only thirteen. Besides, where would you get such a pill? There's only the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill."

"Oh, alright. But Master, could you perhaps create your own elixir formula?"

"No. I am just an ordinary alchemist, and I don't even have a physical body anymore. I don't have that ability."

---

In the days that followed, Xiao Yan focused on consolidating his fourth-grade alchemy skills while simultaneously cultivating the Fire God Body Refining Technique.

Every night, he would activate the flames to envelop his entire body, allowing the crimson flames to temper his physical form from the outside in. When cultivating, he would sit cross-legged in his room, his entire body enveloped in flames, so to outsiders, it would appear as if he were meditating in fire.

The effects of the Fire God Body Refining Technique were real. Half a month later, Xiao Yan's physical strength had surpassed that of magical beasts of the same level; ordinary swords and blades could not even leave a white mark on his body.

"With your physical strength," said the old doctor, "no one of your level can hurt you."

"No one in the same rank can withstand a single punch from me."

The old medicine doctor: "...Could you be a little more humble?"

"But I'm telling the truth," Xiao Yan said innocently.

The old doctor sighed and fell silent. Because it was indeed the truth.

---

On the other side, Xun'er's signs of bloodline awakening became more and more frequent, from once every three to five days to once every other day. Each time it occurred, her golden battle aura surged, her whole body became burning hot, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Xiao Yan would always help her. He used the flames of his Fire God Body to calm her raging battle qi. The crimson flames and golden battle qi merged, like two rivers flowing into the same channel, and the raging power slowly subsided.

Xun'er had gotten used to it. Every time Xiao Yan came, she would lean on his shoulder quietly, waiting for the burning sensation to subside.

"Brother Xiao Yan," she asked once, "Will I always be like this?"

"No. These symptoms will disappear once your bloodline awakening is complete."

"How does Brother Xiao Yan know so much?"

"I guessed. Does Xun'er believe me?"

Xun'er gently punched him, then didn't say anything more, just quietly leaned on his shoulder.

She wasn't quite sure what had happened to her, but she knew that with Brother Xiao Yan around, she wasn't afraid.