Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

“Some members of the family aren’t very talented, so we need to refine some pills to improve their talents,” Xiao Yan sighed. “We’ve almost collected the materials for the sixth-grade Bone Removal and Marrow Cleansing Pill, but we don’t have a suitable reason to use them.”

"There's no reason for you to bring out a sixth-grade pill?" After shaking its body, the Amethyst Winged Lion King lay down again. "What, don't your family members know you're a sixth-grade alchemist?"

"It's seventh grade... never mind, sixth grade it is then," Xiao Yan subconsciously retorted, then didn't bother to say more. "My family only thinks I've apprenticed to a fifth-grade alchemist, and I've only passed the second-grade alchemist qualification exam. I came out this time with the excuse that I wanted to take the third-grade alchemist qualification exam." Xiao Yan muttered to himself.

In the past year and a half, everyone in Wutan City knew that Xiao Yan had been unable to cultivate normally for the past three years because his soul was injured. His soul injury was also healed by a fifth-grade alchemist, and he even became that alchemist's disciple.

Although there were some jealous people, after seeing that Xiao Yan's talent had fully recovered and even surpassed his former self, and that he had become a "Dou Shi" in just one year, all the gossip disappeared completely.

In addition, Xiao Yan completed the assessment for a second-grade alchemist within a year and obtained the badge of a second-grade alchemist. His status in Wutan City was almost on par with that of the head of the Xiao family, Xiao Yan's father, Xiao Zhan.

Incidentally, Wutan City is no longer divided among three families. The Xiao family, which now possesses four Dou Ling, has completely wiped out the Jia Lie family and the Ao Ba family. Furthermore, due to the presence of these four Dou Ling, the Xiao family even seems to be showing signs of returning to the Holy City.

"A fifth-grade alchemist? Then he can indeed refine the Purple Spirit Pill." The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King nodded.

The Purple Spirit Pill is a fourth-grade pill made primarily from Purple Spirit Crystals, capable of enhancing human cultivation talent. However, because Purple Spirit Crystals are relatively rare and difficult to obtain, the Purple Spirit Pill is considered a dispensable pill for a large portion of human forces.

"However, since you said your family doesn't know you're a seventh-grade alchemist..." The Amethyst Winged Lion King suddenly seemed to remember something, his eyes darting around as he chuckled, "Are you planning to refine the Purple Spirit Pill here?"

"What do you want to do?" Xiao Yan stared warily at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King. "Let's make this clear first: if you want me to refine pills, you'll have to follow the rules for alchemists. You'll need to prepare the medicinal herbs yourself!"

"It's alright, the medicinal herbs needed for what I want you to refine are plentiful throughout the entire Monster Mountain Range..."

Upon hearing the words of the Amethyst Winged Lion King, Xiao Yan suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

"The stuff you just fed my son," the Amethyst Winged Lion King said with a smug grin, "I recognized the smell. Purple Smoke Fruit, Anorexia Flower, and Azure Cloud Fruit, right? You can have as much as you want!"

Purple Smoke Fruit is a specialty fruit of the Monster Mountain Range. Because the fruit contains a small amount of fire attribute power, it is highly favored by fire attribute monsters.

The anorexia flower is a first-class flower, but it is more often considered a "wildflower" without any rank. Its only effect is to treat people suffering from anorexia.

Biyun fruit, a first-grade medicinal herb, is mostly used in low-grade healing pills, since its effect is merely to induce intoxication.

The product made from these three medicinal herbs wasn't even a first-grade pill. Xiao Yan just casually made some to feed the little lion king as...snacks!

"You really have the nerve to steal snacks from your son?" Xiao Yan's lips twitched as he looked at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King with a speechless expression.

"What do you mean by 'robbery'?" The Amethyst Winged Lion King looked disgusted. "This is a fair trade! I give you the Purple Smoke Fruit, the Anorexia Flower, and the Azure Cloud Fruit, and you refine pills for me. It's perfectly fair, isn't it?"

"What kind of fair trade is this? I didn't even ask you for payment!"

"Want a reward? No problem! See that accompanying amethyst source? It's yours!"

"You really sold your son's advancement items just for a bite to eat?"

"It's no big deal. Without the companion amethyst source, he'll just advance a little slower," the Lion King laughed heartily. "Besides, he still has you, doesn't he? Can you really bear to watch him spend so much time advancing from the fourth rank to the fifth rank?"

Now it was Xiao Yan's turn to look at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King with a face full of disgust, who had ruthlessly "sold out" his own son for a bite to eat.

In the end, Xiao Yan and the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King reached a fair deal—

Xiao Yan took away the companion Purple Crystal Source, but in the future, after Xiao Yan becomes a true seventh-grade alchemist, he will need to refine the Transformation Pill for the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and his son. The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King will prepare all the materials. Furthermore, after Xiao Yan leaves Wutan City, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King will stay in the Xiao family as Xiao Yan's master's mount to protect the Xiao family.

As for the Purple Spirit Crystal, it became a gift from the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King to Xiao Yan.

The refining of the Purple Spirit Pill did not take much time, and Xiao Yan returned to Wutan City that afternoon.

"Young clan leader, you're back!"

"That's right, you're finally back. If you have time later, could you ask the kitchen if they have any of my favorite dishes today?"

"Cousin Xiao Yan, did you pass the test?"

"Well, not bad luck, I succeeded by sheer luck. If you need any grade three pills, you can come find me!"

"Young clan leader, are you looking for the clan leader?"

"Elder, do you know where my father is?"

"The clan chief is handling clan affairs in the front courtyard study; it will probably take quite some time."

"Elder, really, if you know there are so many things to do, can't you help my father with some of them?"

Upon entering the Xiao family, Xiao Yan greeted the clansmen warmly, though he occasionally uttered words that sent chills down one's spine. For instance, when the Grand Elder told Xiao Yan where Xiao Zhan was, he froze on the spot after hearing Xiao Yan say, "Can't you help my father with something?" He didn't dare to speak for a long time.

"Alright, alright, Elder, you're really easy to tease!" Xiao Yan complained irritably. "By the way, my master gave me some pills. Elder, if you have time later, go find my father. Cousin Xiao Ning and that guy Xiao Yu can both use them."

Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder's eyes lit up. "Yes, definitely!"

"Then I'll be going now. Elder, if you have something to do, please go ahead and do it!" After saying that, Xiao Yan waved goodbye to the Elder of the Xiao family.

"A pill that both Yu'er and Xiao Ning can use..." Watching Xiao Yan walk away, the First Elder pondered for a moment, "Could it be the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill?"

The pills were refined by Xiao Yan's master, and they were even usable by Xiao Yu, who was about to become a Dou Shi, and Xiao Ning, who was already a three-star Dou Zhe. The only pill the Grand Elder could think of was the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill. After all, the ordinary Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill could help a Dou Shi break through the Great Dou Shi limit, but giving the two little guys who were still just Dou Zhes the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill...

"Isn't it too early to give them the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill now?" The First Elder muttered, watching the direction Xiao Yan had left.

Xiao Yan didn't care how much his words made the Grand Elder think. After telling the Grand Elder about the new pills, he spent a few minutes coming to a spacious room, knocked on the door, and slowly pushed it open after receiving permission.

"Yan'er? You're back so soon?" Xiao Zhan, sitting at his desk, looked at Xiao Yan who had just entered with some surprise. "The assessment..."

Just as Xiao Zhan was about to ask about the assessment, his gaze fell on Xiao Yan's chest—

There was a badge pinned there, depicting an ancient medicine cauldron. The surface of the cauldron had three mercury-like ripples that undulated slightly as if they were alive.

Xiao Zhan was naturally familiar with this badge, after all, Xiao Yan had shown it to him half a year ago. However, at that time, the badge only had two silver ripples, while today's badge had three ripples.

"It seems that the assessment for a third-grade alchemist is a piece of cake for you, Yan'er!" Xiao Zhan laughed as he stood up and walked towards Xiao Yan.

"It was just luck," Xiao Yan said awkwardly, touching his nose. "The pill that I needed to refine for the third-grade alchemist assessment just happened to be the Windwalking Pill, which I was most familiar with, so I passed it on the first try."

The third-grade alchemist assessment in Black Rock City this time did require the refinement of Windwalking Pill. However, for Xiao Yan, whether it was Windwalking Pill or not, he could pass it on the first try. Therefore, when he said the words "most familiar with", Xiao Yan was slightly unnatural.

"As expected of my son!" Xiao Zhan walked up to Xiao Yan and patted him hard on the shoulder. "You've only been involved in alchemy for a little over a year. Even if this was just a fluke, it can't hide your talent at all!"

"But this time it was really just luck." Xiao Yan looked completely innocent.

"Alright, alright, stop pretending in front of your dad." Xiao Zhan shook his head helplessly. "But you probably didn't just want to share your joy of passing the test with me, did you?"

“Yes, there is a bottle of pills that you need to distribute, Father.” Nodding, Xiao Yan took out a white jade bottle containing the Purple Spirit Pill from his Awakening Flame Ring. “After I passed the third-grade alchemist assessment this time, my teacher refined this bottle of Purple Spirit Pills for me.”

"Purple Spirit Pill?" Xiao Zhan's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the white jade bottle in Xiao Yan's hand with disbelief.

As a prominent family in the former holy city of Jiama, the Xiao family naturally had records related to the Purple Spirit Pill. Although the main ingredient, Purple Spirit Crystal, was difficult to obtain, making the Purple Spirit Pill somewhat dispensable for major powers, this did not mean that the Purple Spirit Pill was ineffective!

Moreover, for the Xiao family now, a pill like the Purple Spirit Pill, which can enhance the potential and talent of the younger generation, is extremely rare and hard to come by!

Have you eaten it yourself?

However, compared to the younger generation of the entire family, Xiao Zhan was more concerned about whether Xiao Yan had taken the Purple Spirit Pill.

"After I broke through to the Dou Zhe level, my teacher had me take it," Xiao Yan said with a smile after putting the jade bottle into Xiao Zhan's hand. "My teacher's mount is a sixth-tier amethyst winged lion king, and amethyst crystals are not a rare medicinal material for him."

"Even so, it would take twenty years to get one Purple Spirit Crystal!" Xiao Zhan was both amused and exasperated by Xiao Yan's ignorance of the value of money. "How many... are there in total... six Purple Spirit Pills?!"

After confirming the number of Purple Spirit Pills in the jade bottle, Xiao Zhan swallowed hard. With the help of Teacher Xiao Yan, the younger generation of the Xiao family had made significant progress compared to the past. At least at the start of the coming-of-age ceremony, there were five Dou Zhe besides Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er.

Now, these five fighters are basically all around the five-star level. Although the Purple Spirit Pill cannot improve their strength, it can greatly enhance their potential. As long as there are enough resources in the future, these five people will definitely be able to become Dou Shi by the end of the year!

A sixteen or seventeen-year-old Dou Shi is fully capable of becoming a Dou Wang before the age of thirty, not to mention Xiao Yan, who is already a Dou Shi...

The Xiao family will undoubtedly be the strongest family in the future Gama Empire!

"Hoo—" After letting out a long breath, Xiao Zhan put the jade bottle into his storage ring, then looked at Xiao Yan seriously, "Yan'er, your teacher's kindness to our Xiao family... can we really repay it?"

During this year, Xiao Yan's mysterious teacher helped the Xiao family in countless ways, from Xiao Yan, whose talent improved to a higher level, to Xiao Zhan, who became a Dou Ling, and the three elders, and even the Xiao family, who became the dominant force in Wutan City...

"Yes, I can," Xiao Yan said with a confident smile. "I will repay the kindness my teacher has shown to our Xiao family with my whole life!"

Although he felt a little resentful that Yao Lao had made him experience three years of hardship, without Yao Lao, Xiao Yan might have spent his entire life wasting away in the Northwest Continent, and becoming a Dou Zong might have been his end, instead of having the confidence to become a Dou Zun or even a Dou Sheng as he does now!

"To repay with a lifetime?" Xiao Zhan nodded. "Indeed, such kindness is not too much to repay with a lifetime!"

"Speaking of which, the enrollment period for Canaan Academy is approaching soon. Are you still going to participate?"

Suddenly, Xiao Zhan thought of the enrollment time for Canaan Academy in about two weeks. However, Xiao Zhan was not sure whether Xiao Yan, who had such a teacher, would still need to go to Canaan Academy.

"Canaan Academy?" Upon hearing this name, Xiao Yan instinctively wanted to refuse.

Go register.

Before Xiao Yan could speak, Yao Lao's voice suddenly rang out.

“Yes, I’ll be going,” Xiao Yan said, and the words that were on the tip of his tongue turned into this: “I’ve heard that Canaan Academy has quite a few Earth-rank cultivation techniques and fighting skills. Even the teachers don’t have many of these levels.”

“That’s true,” Xiao Zhan nodded. “The person who came to Wutan City to recruit students this time is Xiao Yu’s mentor. If you have time in the next two weeks, you can go and talk to Xiao Yu to learn more about her mentor.”

"I will."

Although he didn't get along with Xiao Yu, that crazy woman, Xiao Yan still nodded and agreed in front of his father.

Chapter 138 Strange Fire

Canaan Academy is located at the border of the Gama Empire and two other major empires. Nearby is the Black Corner Region, a no-man's-land that is quite famous throughout the continent.

The fact that the academy can operate stably in such a region and still maintain a superior status naturally proves how strong its teaching staff is. It's possible that Canaan Academy is the most powerful force in this region of the Northwest Continent.

but--

"Teacher, what am I going to do at Canaan Academy?" After leaving the study, Xiao Yan asked directly, "I have no shortage of cultivation techniques and fighting skills, and I have your guidance in alchemy. Wouldn't going to Canaan Academy be a complete waste of time?"

"Although Nalan Yanran could never surpass me in cultivation, I still need to find a different kind of fire in the last year and a half!"

"I didn't say you had to learn anything!" the old alchemist scolded irritably, then said in a deep voice, "I once received intelligence that there should be Fallen Heart Flame in the Canaan Academy area, but until my death, I never heard of any alchemists in Central Continent possessing Fallen Heart Flame."

'Although several decades have passed since then... well, if we're lucky, the Fallen Heart Flame of Canaan Academy might not have been taken yet.'

The Fallen Heart Flame, ranked fourteenth on the Strange Flame Ranking, is a colorless and transparent flame. Those who refine it will have their battle qi constantly tempered by the heart flame, hence its nickname as a cultivation cheat. For Xiao Yan, who is well-versed in the Strange Flame Ranking, the strange flame he desires most is the Fallen Heart Flame.

"Teacher, you also said that several decades have passed since then," Xiao Yan muttered to himself, "What if someone has already subdued and refined the Fallen Heart Flame during these decades?"

"Then just drop out," the old apothecary said nonchalantly. "Canaan Academy has always called itself an academy, and joining and leaving is much more free compared to other forces. If someone really does refine the Fallen Heart Flame, you can just drop out; I doubt you'll face much resistance."

“That’s true…” Xiao Yan nodded. “Then, we’re not going to the Tagor Desert and the Izumo Poison Swamp?”

The three locations that Xiao Yan and Yao Lao deduced were the Monster Mountain Range surrounding Wutan City, the Tagor Desert on the eastern border of the Jiama Empire, and the Poison Swamp in the Chuyun Empire to the west of the Jiama Empire. These three locations were the most likely places in the Northwest Continent where the Strange Flame might exist.

However, after confirmation by the Amethyst Winged Lion King, it has been determined that the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, ranked twenty-second on the Strange Flame Ranking, does not exist in the Monster Mountain Range. Therefore, Xiao Yan plans to visit the Tagor Desert and the Izumo Poison Swamp during the last year and a half of the three-year period.

After all, the Windfury Dragon Flame, which only appears randomly in a certain place in the desert during the hottest days of the year, and the Netherworld Poisonous Flame, which only exists in the Netherworld Poisonous Swamp, would be the most likely places in the Northwest Continent if they were really there. The largest desert in the Northwest Continent and the largest poisonous swamp in the Northwest Continent are the most likely places to have these two strange flames.

"Why are you suddenly so slow-witted?" Yao Lao chuckled and scolded, "Why don't you just ask for leave? You took plenty of leave back in Douluo Continent, didn't you? Or rather, you never really attended any classes properly back then, did you?"

“That’s true…” Xiao Yan chuckled dryly. “However, if I want to go to the Tagor Desert and the Izumo Poison Swamp… I’ll have to take at least a year and a half off. If I ask for leave before I’ve even officially enrolled, will they really agree to it?”

"The Tagor Desert and the Izumo Poison Swamp?"