Chapter 104: Return to the Xiao Family (Fourth Update—Please Subscribe)
It was as if, by integrating the Solitary Nine Swords into the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand, the level of the latter could be elevated to that of the former. As the Mistress of Tianshan once said, the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand was a martial art one could never fully master. After learning it, Xiao Xie picked up the Dragon Essence and swallowed it. Contrary to his expectations, the Dragon Essence was not hard at all, but rather soft—like eating a rice ball. After all, the Dragon Essence was, in truth, the... Well! Xiao Xie shook his head, deciding not to dwell on what the Dragon Essence truly was for fear that he might lose his appetite. Soon enough, he finished the Dragon Essence, bite by bite.
The Dragon Essence melted instantly in his mouth. Once he had consumed it, Xiao Xie immediately sat cross-legged and began refining its medicinal power. If he didn’t refine it completely, he would risk turning into a half-dragon, half-human monstrosity, just like Duan Lang.
Half a day later, with the Dragon Essence fully refined, Xiao Xie’s strength successfully advanced to the level of a one-star Douhuang.
Xiao Xie pulled up his own attribute panel. Given his current state, there had been some changes:
Name: Xiao Xie
Age: Sixteen
Bloodline: Human, Bomberman, Nine-Lives Shadowcat
Lifespan: Immortal
Cultivation: One-Star Douhuang
Profession: Fifth-Rank Alchemist
Cultivation Technique: Burning Art (Earth-rank, Low)
Heavenly Flames: Amaterasu, Green Lotus Core Flame, Hellfire
Special Abilities: Formless and Shapeless (Ability from Formless Fruit)
Ninjutsu: Transformation Technique, Grand Fire Annihilation
Martial Arts: Northern Sea Divine Skill, Solitary Nine Swords, Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand, Taiji Fist
Magic: Bone Summoning, World of Ice and Snow
Immortal Arts: Sword Control Technique
Skills: Turtle School Energy Attack, Armament Haki, Triple Slash, Sky Dance Technique, Parry, Flash Step
Dou Techniques: Eight Extreme Collapse, Heavy Shadow Step, Hundred Waves Stacked, Tiger Howl
Equipment: Light Strike, Thornmail, Mark II Iron Man Armor, Doran’s Ring, Spark Prism, Romantic Turret (Imperial Arm), Moon Slash, Super Terminator (Nine-Star Douhuang), Super Infinite Shotgun...
Pet: Amethyst Winged Lion King
Items: Six Senzu Beans, Fragment of Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Map, Seastone Handcuffs, Teddy Bear, Solar-Powered iPhone, Flashlight...
Worship Points: 753,862
Credits: 3,503,785
“What’s going on?” Xiao Xie stared at the age entry—it still read sixteen. By rights, he should now be seventeen. It seemed that only in the world of Battle Through the Heavens did his age progress, but surely his lifespan must still be consumed elsewhere.
“Xiaoxiao, what’s going on?” Xiao Xie asked Xiaoxiao, who was munching on chips and watching TV.
Without even turning her head, Xiaoxiao waved her hand and replied, “Master, the age entry is just calculated by the system according to the timeline of Battle Through the Heavens, but your bone age really is seventeen. Master, you must remember, each year the system gives you a birthday draw, but if it counted the time in other worlds, it would mess up the chronology.”
“So that’s how it is!” Xiao Xie had wondered before why, after spending a year in the world of Swordsman, he hadn’t gotten a birthday draw. Now it made sense—the birthday draw was based on the timeline of Battle Through the Heavens.
After changing into the black robe of an alchemist, Xiao Xie left his room to find Little Doctor Fairy and Qinglin, who were in the courtyard, enjoying tea and admiring the flowers.
“Young Master!” Qinglin’s eyes lit up as she saw Xiao Xie and hurried to greet him.
“Hehe, Qinglin, long time no see.” Xiao Xie chuckled, ruffling her hair.
“Long time no see?” Qinglin looked puzzled.
“Nothing.” Xiao Xie quickly realized that, for Qinglin, she had only seen him yesterday. Laughing it off, he turned to Little Doctor Fairy.
She was as elegant as ever, dressed in snow-white robes, her long black hair cascading smoothly, a teacup in hand, sipping gently.
“What is it?” Little Doctor Fairy asked, noticing Xiao Xie’s nostalgic gaze.
“Nothing. Tomorrow, get ready—we’re returning to Wutan City. Jia Nan Academy’s enrollment is about to begin, so we’ll go with them,” Xiao Xie said.
“All right, I know.” Little Doctor Fairy nodded. She had heard a bit about Jia Nan Academy.
Jia Nan Academy was renowned throughout the Dou Qi Continent as a prestigious fighting school, its strength far surpassing what most could imagine. It was said that to be an instructor there, one needed at least the strength of a Great Fighter. In terms of heritage and power, even the Cloudmist Sect was several degrees weaker.
On the Dou Qi Continent, academies differed from sects. Joining a sect meant being bound by its rules and representing it in all future deeds, but academies were different—after graduation, there were no such ties.
Yet, people are not without feelings. In the pure environment of an academy, students often developed a deep attachment, and after graduation, this subtle bond led many to help the academy when possible.
One person’s help might seem insignificant, but thousands or tens of thousands could create a network of influence that was truly formidable. That was precisely the goal of every academy.
Attending an academy was the fastest path to acquiring cultivation methods and fighting skills. In a school of Jia Nan’s caliber, outstanding students or those favored by an instructor might even obtain high-level techniques. With these treasures, the road to becoming strong drew much closer.
Cultivation methods, fighting skills, and elixirs—the three most coveted things on the Dou Qi Continent. Jia Nan Academy held two of these, so in the hearts of countless people, entering Jia Nan Academy meant a future free of worry. Every student who graduated smoothly from there became highly sought after by all factions, their prospects bright and promising.
Thus, every year, countless youths in the Jia Ma Empire racked their brains, doing everything possible to enter Jia Nan Academy.
However, though Jia Nan Academy was a golden opportunity, its entry requirements were extremely strict: before turning eighteen, one had to reach the eighth stage of Dou Qi.
This stringent threshold excluded all but the most talented. Those who made it in were all exceptionally gifted young people.
Little Doctor Fairy couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for Jia Nan Academy’s instructors—who could possibly teach someone as talented as Xiao Xie?
“Young Master, I’ll go pack,” Qinglin said.
“Go ahead!” Xiao Xie smiled.
With Qinglin gone, Xiao Xie took out Moon Slash and handed it to Little Doctor Fairy. “Take this for self-defense.”
“If you give me Moon Slash, what will you use?” she asked curiously.
“I have this.” Xiao Xie produced Light Strike and hung it at his waist. In order to nurture it into a Zanpakuto, he needed to carry it at all times, so he wouldn’t need Moon Slash anymore. Since Moon Slash was a spirit blade, it suited Little Doctor Fairy perfectly.
She smiled, accepted Moon Slash, and stored it in her ring.
…
Early the next morning, Xiao Xie and the two women rode the Amethyst Winged Lion King toward Wutan City.
“Xiao Xie has returned once again! Hahaha…” Half a day later, they arrived in the skies above Wutan City.
Xiao Xie signaled to the lion king, who brought them down into the Xiao Clan’s training grounds.
“It’s the Fourth Elder! The Fourth Elder has returned!” Some sharp-eyed clan disciples had already recognized Xiao Xie atop the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
“Fourth Elder! Fourth Elder!”
…
Xiao Xie’s status in the Xiao Clan was now unparalleled—even the clan leader, Xiao Zhan, could not compare. News of him becoming a fifth-rank alchemist and driving off Queen Medusa had spread throughout the empire, and the Xiao Clan, thanks to him, had become the foremost family in the Jia Ma Empire. Although the clan’s overall strength was not outstanding, as long as Xiao Xie was present, the Xiao Clan was number one.
“Xiao Xie, welcome home!” Even Xiao Zhan was alerted, and brought the family out to greet him.