Xiao Yan gently inhaled a breath of air as he studied the green-red crystal body that was suspended in the air. It was a long while later before he suppressed the excitement in his heart. His hand slightly curled and a gentle suction force erupted from it.

The Monster Core that faintly emitted a frightening energy fluctuation did not resist this gentle force. Instead, it smoothly rushed down from above before remaining suspended at a spot that was two inches from Xiao Yan’s hand.

The slightly flickering green-red fire illuminated Xiao Yan’s face, reflecting an unusually evil luster.

Zi Yan suddenly pulled at Xiao Yan’s sleeve just as he became absent-minded because of this Monster Core, abruptly waking him up from his absent-minded state.

Xiao Yan, who had recovered, instantly shifted his eyes away from this green-red Monster Core. He immediately exhaled a deep breath. Shock flashed across his eyes. This damn thing was filled with a kind of bewitchment both inside and out. He did not know just what kind of frightening unique beast it was before it died.

With a flick of Xiao Yan’s hand, an emerald-colored jade box appeared in his hand. He felt extremely afraid of this Monster Core. Hence, Xiao Yan did not dare to carelessly touch it in a random manner. He used a gentle force to wrap around the Monster Core to carefully pull it into the jade box.

“Click!”

The jade box was gently closed, isolating the Monster Core that emitted an unusual bewitchment. Only then did Xiao Yan relax his heart. His hand moved and the jade box was carefully placed into his Storage Ring.

“This damn thing...”

Xiao Yan finished putting the jade box into his Storage Ring. He wiped off the cold perspiration on his forehead. He suddenly discovered that his back was drenched from perspiration. He involuntarily cursed while feeling some lingering fear. Just this corpse, that had been dead for an unknown number of years, had turned him into such a miserable and uneasy state. Such a supernatural thing was a first encounter for Xiao Yan in many years.

On top of feeling a lingering fear, Xiao Yan involuntarily felt a little lucky and joyful. Regardless of how great a danger he had experienced tonight, this reward was at the very least able to make up for all the fear.

“It is but just a corpse, yet it has actually frightened you to such an extent. How shameful...” Zi Yan by his side covered her mouth and laughed when she saw Xiao Yan’s expression.

Xiao Yan snappily glanced at this little girl. However, when he recalled that the large corpse of this Magical Beast would have just been trash without her help tonight, he did not argue with her. His hand used a great force to rub Zi Yan’s head as he said, “Alright, the matter is already over. You should also go back and rest. Remember, do not mention what happened tonight to anyone else.”

Although Xiao Yan was uncertain about the origin of this damn Magical Beast, it was clear from the many near misses tonight that it was not an ordinary being. It was likely that this matter would attract quite a lot of trouble should it be spread around.

Zi Yan clearly understood this point; therefore, she did not argue with Xiao Yan. In any case, the ten extremely sharp and hard bone spikes had already satisfied her. She immediately nodded and turned around. Her purple ponytail swung past Xiao Yan as she swaggered out of the door.

Xiao Yan sighed in relief after sending off this little grandaunt. He waved his sleeves and a gentle wind tightly shut the door. After which, he stretched his lazy waist. After all the activity late in the night, he felt quite exhausted. His body immediately moved and flashed onto the bed. The fire light in the room slowly dimmed with a flick of his finger.

TL: The term grandaunt is used to describe a female who is very difficult to serve.

A night of danger passed in this peaceful manner. Although the process was risky, Xiao Yan was able to obtain an extremely rich reward.

“Creak.”

The tightly shut door was slowly pulled open the morning of the next day. Xiao Yan slowly walked out. His narrowed eyes glanced at the sun in the sky that was emitting warm sunlight, causing him to involuntarily smiled. He walked to the spacious yard, and the Dou Qi within his body moved with just a thought, circulating through his limbs and bones.

“Hah!”

A low cry was suddenly emitted from Xiao Yan’s mouth as he sensed the feeling of the interior of his body being filled with strength. His body moved and a fist technique that stirred violent wind was displayed in an extremely natural manner without the slightest pause in between. Although this fist technique could not be considered a profound Dou Skill, it still possessed a lot of momentum under the support of Xiao Yan’s powerful Dou Qi. When the wind from his fist flew by, the withered leaves on the ground shook until they scattered in all directions.

His fist technique flowed as smoothly as flowing water. A moment later, Xiao Yan withdrew his fist and stood tall. He did not know if it was because he had absorbed a little of the wild and violent energy from the green-red blood yesterday, but he had the feeling that the force he threw out with his fist was strengthened compared to the past.

“*Clap* *Clap*!”

A clapping sound suddenly sounded after Xiao Yan had withdrew his fist. Immediately, a laugh followed, “What powerful Dou Qi. Despite being this far away, the Dou Qi in my body was shaken by it until it became agitated. An expert Dou Huang really lives up to his reputation.”

Xiao Yan’s gaze searched for the source of the clapping sound. He looked over after finding it only to see that Xiao Li was unknowingly standing by the entrance to the yard with a smile he was looking at Xiao Yan while he clapped.

“Second brother.” Xiao Yan smiled and called Xiao Li.

“Feeling how powerful your Dou Qi is, I think that your strength is not merely at the initial stage of the Dou Haung class, right?” Xiao Li smiled as he walked closer and asked with some uncertainty. He had also met some experts at the initial stage of the Dou Huang class. However, the other party’s Dou Qi would not cause the Dou Qi to be stimulated in this manner.

“I should be considered a four star Dou Huang.” Xiao Yan carelessly smiled as he replied. He did not have anything to hide in the face of Xiao Li. Of course, he might be a four star Dou Haung on the surface, but his true combat strength was comparable to someone at the peak of the Dou Huang class. If he were to display some of his trump cards, he would even have the ability to fight an elite Dou Zong. The only disadvantage was that each time he met an elite Dou Zong, he would need to stake this life of his...

Even though Xiao Li was prepared, his face still involuntarily displayed a dumbfounded look when he heard Xiao Yan’s reply. He bitterly smiled, shook his head and sighed, “Your training speed can really embarrass others to death.”

“Second brother is currently at the peak of the Dou Wang class, no? Your training speed is also quite quick. As long as you are able to breakthrough to a Dou Huang in the remaining time, the ‘Life Devouring Pill’ could be considered to have been overcome.” Xiao Yan’s gaze swept over Xiao Li. With his current eyesight, he was naturally able to tell that the latter was already at the peak of the Dou Wang class. There was only a line’s gap to the Dou Huang class.

“Yes, but it is all thanks to the ‘Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower’ within the Inner Academy. I frequently head to the bottom level to train during these two years. There my training speed is much faster when compared with it outside. Unfortunately, the Heart Flame was exhausted...” Xiao Li helplessly explained.

Xiao Yan felt a little embarrassed upon hearing this. It seemed that this time around, he would need to think of an everlasting method. Otherwise, it was impossible for him to return to the Inner Academy to replenish the heart flame everyone one to two years. After all, who could anticipate whether he would require another couple of years in his next retreat. It was not as though such a thing had happened for the first time.

“It seems that the heart flame does provide quite the great increase to second brother’s training speed...” Xiao Yan rubbed his lower chin and suddenly mused.

“It is indeed useful. However, that is only the case at the lowest level of the ‘Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower’. If it is a little higher, there would not be much effect.” Xiao Li nodded as he replied.

“Second brother needs not go and train there in the future...” Xiao Yan mused for a moment before suddenly grinning. He immediately flicked his finger in front of Xiao Li’s uncertain gaze. An invisible flame curled and rose on his finger.

The invisible flame was just like a tiny long snake that lingered over Xiao Yan’s finger. It immediately shot out from the tip of Xiao Yan’s finger to being gently pressed against the skin outside Xiao Li’s heart.

“Chi!”

A hot temperature was emitted. The clothes on Xiao Li’s chest were turned to powder. The invisible flame made contact with Xiao Li’s body and immediately emitted a ‘chi chi’ sound. His body had suddenly tensed up. A bean-sized droplet of sweat swiftly rolled down his forehead. However, he did not resist even a little. Instead, he tightly clenched his fist and forcefully resisted the searing pain. He knew that Xiao Yan would definitely not perform something that did not benefit him.

The invisible flame remained for an instant before it strangely passed through Xiao Li’s skin, and entered his body. After the invisible flame entered his body, a flame picture appeared on the skin where Xiao Li’s heart was.

Xiao Li’s body relaxed following the appearance of the fire picture. He wiped the perspiration off his forehead, and studied the flame picture on his chest before speaking with a bitter smile, “Third brother, what are you doing?”

Xiao Yan’s expression was somewhat pale. He smiled at Xiao Li and said, “This is a flame seed that I have placed in your body using the ‘Fallen Heart Flame’. If you use Dou Qi to activate it while training in the future, you will be able to obtain an even greater effect than at the bottom of the ‘Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower’. Moreover, according to my expectations, this heart flame seed should be maintained for one to two years. During that time, it is likely that you will break through to the Dou Huang class. At that time, the flame seed’s effect of increasing your training speed will greatly weaken. Hence, its disappearance will not matter.”

Xiao Yan knew that the ‘Life Devouring Pill’ within Xiao Li’s body had yet to be completely overcome. If he was unable to breakthrough to the Dou Huang class within the stipulated time, his life would come to an end. Hence, Xiao Yan did not hesitate to spend great effort to plant a heart flame seed within Xiao Li’s body. In this way, the latter’s speed would be able to significantly accelerate.

Xiao Li was also startled when he heard this. Joy immediately surfaced on his face. Even he felt quite surprised that Xiao Yan could utilize such a method. However, after recalling that the interior of Xiao Yan’s body had the ancestor of this heart flame, the ‘Fallen Heart Flame’, his surprise was greatly reduced.

Little fellow, you are now in possession of more and more tactics...” Xiao Li patted Xiao Yan’s shoulder as he loudly laughed.

Xiao Yan vaguely smiled. He was just about to speak when a ‘Xiao Gate’ Elder suddenly entered the yard. He hurriedly reported with a respectful voice when he saw the two of them, “Two chiefs, First Elder Su Qian asks both of you to hurry to the front yard. He says that Old Ying Shan is about to leave the city!”

Xiao Yan’s eyes slightly shrank the moment he heard these words. He muttered, “Finally... he is willing to leave the city.”