After everything was properly settled, Xiao Yan slowly emerged from the cave. He climbed up the steep path to the mountain top in a furtive manner. Seeing that there was no one around, he let out a sigh of relief and took large strides towards his family’s residence. Returning leisurely to his family, as he reached the front courtyard, he noticed the eldest elder and two others hastily brushing past him. Pausing, Xiao Yan felt puzzled. He had clearly seen the gloomy and angry expressions on their faces just now. “Who provoked them?” Shaking his head in bewilderment, Xiao Yan turned around. Just then, a young girl in green clothes appeared from a side path and stood gracefully before him. Gazing at Xuner, whose face was full of a charming smile, Xiao Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Recalling the question asked by the Pharmacist Elder in the cave, his face flushed with embarrassment. He averted his gaze to the sky, feigning deep thought.
Confused by Xiao Yan’s unusual behavior, Xuner shook her head in puzzlement after a moment. She stepped forward, her eyes scanning Xiao Yan, and a hint of surprise appeared on her delicate face. Placing her hands behind her back, she leaned slightly forward until their faces were only a centimeter apart. With a half-smile, she said, “Xiao Yan brother, have you advanced to a Fighter?”
The warm, fragrant breeze that greeted his face caused Xiao Yan to momentarily lose focus. Shaking his head vigorously, he suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind. Patting the head of the girl, who was nearly as tall as he was, he said helplessly, “Can’t you let me say it myself, so I can satisfy my vanity a little?”
Hearing this, Xuner’s eyes curved into beautiful crescents. Extending her small, fair hand, she, as usual, smoothed out the slightly wrinkled clothes of Xiao Yan. In the past, when Xuner treated him like this, Xiao Yan hadn’t given it much thought. But today, after the Pharmacist Elder’s words revealed his true thoughts, his heart suddenly felt a bit restless.
Occasionally, other clan members passed by, and seeing Xuner tidying Xiao Yan’s clothes like a doting wife, they couldn’t help but feel envious.
Looking down at the flawless, delicate face, a strand of black hair fell over her smooth forehead, occasionally lifted by the breeze, revealing her large, bright eyes. As her eyes darted around, they were extremely captivating.
Staring at Xuner, Xiao Yan’s breathing gradually became a bit faster, and his eyes gleamed with a fiery intensity. “Xiao Yan brother… what are you looking at?”
After straightening Xiao Yan’s clothes, Xuner finally noticed his intense gaze. Her face blushed, and she gently scolded, “Ah? Er…”
Startled, Xiao Yan’s face also reddened. But fortunately, his skin was thicker than Xuner’s. After a couple of coughs, he nonchalantly said, “Nothing, I just think Xuner is getting prettier.”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s words, Xuner responded with an ambiguous hum, her rosy lips forming a joyful curve. “Oh, right…” Remembering something, Xuner again fixed her gaze on Xiao Yan and softly asked, “Since Xiao Yan brother has advanced to a Fighter, you should have learned a Dou Qi cultivation method, right?”
Xiao Yan’s face stiffened, and he nodded awkwardly. Tapping her white chin with her slender fingers, Xuner smiled and said, “Can Xuner see what level of cultivation method it is?”
“Cough… the cultivation method… it’s just an external thing. As long as you work hard, does the level really matter?” Xiao Yan said with a dry laugh.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s expression, Xuner’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but her voice remained soft and alluring, “Xiao Yan brother, let Xuner see it…”
Unable to resist Xuner’s insistence, Xiao Yan sighed and shrugged. Extending his hand, a faint yellow light soon appeared. “Xiao Yan brother, is this the ‘better’ cultivation method you mentioned?”
Staring at the faint yellow light that seemed ready to extinguish at any moment, Xuner’s face looked slightly displeased. Her tightly pressed rosy lips showed her anger. Xiao Yan laughed awkwardly, not knowing how to explain. “You clearly know that having a high-level cultivation method in the early stages is immensely beneficial for future cultivation. Yet, you still refused me. Xuner wasn’t giving it to you as a charity. You could’ve just returned it with a higher-level method later. But now, you’re practicing the lowest-level method. Are you deliberately trying to upset me?”
Xuner’s eyes widened, glaring at Xiao Yan indignantly. Her long eyelashes even had a few teardrops, making her look pitifully adorable. For the gentle and soft-tempered Xuner to speak in such a manner, it was evident how confused and angry she was with Xiao Yan’s actions.
Looking at Xuner, who was biting her lip and stubbornly demanding an answer, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly and said with a bitter smile, “We’ve lived together for more than ten years. Don’t you understand me yet? Do you really think I’m that kind of idiot who would refuse a high-level cultivation method and practice the lowest-level one instead?”
“But your cultivation method… it’s clearly a low-level Yellow Tier. I can sense it.” Hearing this, Xuner’s anger subsided a bit, but she still insisted stubbornly. “Don’t judge by appearances. I can’t explain the reasons now, but in the future, you’ll understand. I’m definitely not acting rashly,” Xiao Yan said with a smile.
“Really?” Staring at Xiao Yan’s confident expression, Xuner paused, then hesitantly asked again. “Really, absolutely really…” Nodding quickly, Xiao Yan, fearing she might continue to press the issue, quickly changed the subject. “Has anything happened to the family recently? Why do the elders look so gloomy?”
“Yes, recently, the Jia Lie family hired a First Rank Alchemist from somewhere. They now sell a healing medicine called ‘Spring Revival Powder’ in their market. This healing medicine is cheap and highly productive, and it’s very popular among the mercenaries around Utaan City.” Xuner nodded, furrowing her brows, and continued softly, “Due to the influence of ‘Spring Revival Powder,’ the number of people in our family’s markets has decreased by almost half. Because of the reduced foot traffic, many merchants have moved to the Jia Lie family’s market. In just a few days, the Xiao family has suffered a significant economic blow. Uncle Xiao is already at his wits’ end dealing with this.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded in understanding. No wonder the elders looked so gloomy. Touching his nose, Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed, and he inwardly sneered, “Just a First Rank Alchemist. Does the Jia Lie family think they can defy the heavens or something?”
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