Under the blazing sun, Xiao Yi Xian saw Chen Yang's eyes suddenly light up. Those eyes—how to describe them—seemed able to see through everything, making her feel as though she stood naked before him with no secrets left.
At the same moment Chen Yang sensed the world before him change. First was Xiao Yi Xian, who was rushing him. Before, he'd only been able to coach her thanks to overwhelming raw strength; now he could clearly trace her attack path, spot its flaw, and even see how the move could be improved.
Seeing this, Chen Yang raised two fingers and flicked them gently; Xiao Yi Xian, sword and all, was sent flying.
"Ah!"
With a cry of surprise Xiao Yi Xian spread the Purple Cloud Wings to steady herself mid-air, then hurried over once she landed.
"Husband, what happened to your eyes?"
Xiao Yi Xian asked anxiously.
Qing Lin, standing nearby, ran over as well, looking at Chen Yang with equal worry.
"Part of my sealed talent must have unsealed itself; no big deal." Chen Yang waved it off with the most clichéd explanation that still sounded reasonable.
"Then, husband, now that your talent's unsealed, can you reach Dou Zong soon?" Xiao Yi Xian's face lit up.
"Should be within half a year!" Xiao Yan came over; as long as he followed Xiao Yan into the Snake-People Tribe territory, he could smoothly break through to Dou Zong. Lately he'd been trying on his own, but the barrier between Dou Huang and Dou Zong was troublesome—even with the continent's top talent, it would still take time.
Since effort alone couldn't do it, Chen Yang simply chose to lie flat: if grinding can't beat cheating, then cheat!
"Young master is amazing!"
After a month of rest Qing Lin had filled out: rosy cheeks, glossy hair, far cuter than the scrawny girl she'd been weeks earlier.
"Thanks. Qing Lin, Cultivate hard and you'll be as strong as your young master one day." Chen Yang patted her head.
As long as snake-type Demonic Beasts existed, Qing Lin could keep growing stronger. Once he advanced to Dou Zun at Jia Nan Academy, Chen Yang planned to visit the Heavenly Serpent Mansion for a chat.
In the northwest, if you wanted to train Qing Lin, you had to look to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion.
"Mm… Qing Lin will do her best!" Qing Lin nodded earnestly.
Meanwhile, after a month of broken bones and crushed pride, and with the plot correcting itself, Xiao Yan finally arrived at Stone Desert City after rescuing the Mo Tie Mercenary Group.
Seeing his two older brothers again warmed Xiao Yan's battered heart.
"Big brother, second brother!"
"Big brother, third brother!"
"Second brother, third brother!"
"Eldest little brother…"
"Uh…"
Dead drunk, Xiao Di insisted they all swear brotherhood—until they remembered they were already brothers and mocked him for it.
The next morning Xiao Yan found his brothers and told them everything that had happened since he left home.
"What?"
"Little Yan Zi, you're a Five-Star Great Dou Shi?"
"Not bad, kid—equal to Father's strength two years ago!" Xiao Li shouted.
"Heh…"
"It's all thanks to Brother Yang; without him I'd still be a mere Dou Practitioner."
Xiao Yan never forgot Chen Yang's favor.
"Right, Great MasterChen Yang, because of Uncle Xiao Yong, shows kindness to our entire Xiao Family,"
"Little Yan Zi, you're riding Uncle Xiao Yong's coattails!"
Xiao Zhan had naturally told his two elder sons about family matters; they saw no harm in knowing.
"Big brother, second brother, did you know Father has successfully broken through to Dou Ling!"
Xiao Yan looked at his brothers and grinned.
"What?"
"Father reached Dou Ling?"
"Great! With this our Xiao Family might return to the Imperial Capital!"
Xiao Ding was thrilled.
"It won't be long; once I become a Dou Wang I'll start moving the family back to the capital!"
After two months of Cultivating, Xiao Yan felt more confident than ever that he could Breakthrough to Dou King before the Three-Year Agreement.
"Good, good, good! Keep at it, Little Yan Zi. Big Brother and I will bask in your glory, hahaha..."
Xiao Li clapped Xiao Yan on the shoulder, beaming.
"Right, Big Brothers, Brother Yang should have reached Stone Desert City ahead of me. Has he come looking for you?"
Remembering Chen Yang's request to pass along a Medicinal Pill, Xiao Yan asked the two Xiao Ding brothers.
The problem was, Chen Yang hadn't actually given him any Medicinal Pill—he couldn't very well lop off his own head and send it back to Xiao Yong; that would scare Xiao Yong to death.
Xiao Yan indulged in that wicked thought.
"No!" Xiao Li shook his head.
"Hold on—someone who might match Great MasterChen Yang's description was here!"
After thinking, Xiao Ding told Xiao Yan about the Sand Mercenary Group.
"That has to be Brother Yang, no doubt about it!"
"Come, Big Brothers, let's pay Brother Yang a visit!"
The moment Xiao Yan heard, he knew it could only be Chen Yang.
A man who'd recently arrived in Stone Desert City with a Demonic Beast that could grow or shrink at will—that had to be Chen Yang.
After all, that size-changing secret art was something Yao Lao had given away.
"All right, I'll arrange it!"
...Around ten in the morning, three youths appeared at the gate of the Sand Mercenary Group.
When the onlookers recognized the two heads of the Mo Tie Mercenary Group, chatter erupted.
"Don't tell me the ones who wiped out the Sand Mercenary Group are connected to the Mo Tie Mercenary Group?"
"Hiss... If that's true, then the decision I made back then was absolutely brilliant!"
"I'm done for—I turned down Captain Xiao Li's invitation and joined another group. Now I'm finished..."
The three paid no heed and stepped forward to knock.
Just as Xiao Yan raised his hand, the door creaked open by itself.
"Hey, big lion, we meet again!"
Spotting the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King, Xiao Yan crouched to give it a rub, but got an eye-roll instead.
"Hey, you little..."
Xiao Yan lunged, but the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King was faster and vanished from sight.
With no other choice, Xiao Yan continued inside with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.
Outside, some rejoiced while others despaired; inside, Xiao Yan saw Chen Yang teaching a green-cloaked girl a Dou Technique.
"You're here!"
"Qing Lin, brew some tea."
Chen Yang smiled at the three, ruffled Qing Lin's hair, and sent her off to make tea.
"Yes, Young Master."
Qing Lin nodded, wiped the sweat from her brow, and went to brew the tea.
"Brother Yang!" Xiao Yan cupped his hands in greeting.
"Greetings, Great MasterChen Yang!" Xiao Ding and Xiao Li bowed respectfully.
"Enough, enough—every time we meet you make a fuss. Next time, none of this."
"Sit."
Chen Yang led them to a nearby pavilion. "Not bad—another star in just a month!"
Xiao Yan scratched his nose. "Heh, pure luck, pure luck."
Chen Yang was immune to Lucky Guy's "luck." He rolled his eyes. "Any progress on the Heavenly Flame?"
Xiao Yan's face fell. "I've searched two spots on Old Hai's map; only the western one's left."
Chen Yang nodded. "Steady your Qi this month; next month I'll go with you."
Xiao Yan brightened. "Great! With you along, even if Queen Medusa shows up, that Heavenly Flame is ours!"
Chen Yang merely smiled. The flame was destined for Xiao Yan anyway; his presence just ensured the System triggered and that he could meet the soon-to-evolve Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python—and the fourth-rank Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake in the magma sea.
That snake was mediocre, but perfect for Qing Lin right now.
He'd wait a month because Qing Lin was about to Breakthrough to Dou Practitioner.
Once she became a Dou Practitioner, her chances of controlling the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake would be much higher.
(End of Chapter)
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