"Alchemy—what a delightful pastime."
After concocting a'sub-standard' healing salve, Xiao Xue hurried straight to Xiao Zhan.
The most basic ointment was useless to her; a Water Attribute constitution already boasted self-healing second only to Wood.
The salve's effect couldn't match the speed of her own Qi-driven recovery.
—By the time she reached for the jar, the cut had closed.
Yet to mercenaries who lived by the blade, such a styptic could mean the difference between life and death.
Once it spread among them, the Xiao Family's dominion over Utan City would be within reach.
And when that happened, the first phase of her Main Quest—"Reinvigorate the Xiao Clan"—would be complete, freeing her to roam the world for real training.
Xiao Xue pushed open the council-hall doors, pot of salve in hand. "Father!"
Xiao Zhan had been discussing with the Three Elders how to manage the market quarter the Jia Lie Family had ceded when his daughter strode in.
"Father, Elders, let's turn that market into an apothecary."
Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders blinked. "Sell medicine?"
She nodded, pressing a jade bottle into his palm. "Take a look."
Puzzled, Xiao Zhan opened it; one sniff of the fragrant liquid lit his face with delight. "This is—!"
"Xue'er, where did you get this?"
"I made it."
Xiao Zhan & Elders:???
Only after she refined another batch before their eyes did they accept that their young miss could truly alchemize.
Her earlier failures had simply been beginner's clumsiness.
Her Soul Power rivaled that of a Third-Grade Alchemist; once she had the knack, crafting a tierless salve was child's play.
The revelation wasn't hard for them to swallow.
Knowing little of Alchemists, they took it more calmly than even Yao Lao might.
—The girl breaks through by drinking water; what's a little potion-brewing?
"The Xiao Family is destined for greatness!"
Watching her work the cauldron with practiced ease, Xiao Zhan could no longer contain his joy and burst into hearty laughter.
For a second Xiao Xue saw a certain chancellor astride a horse.
Yes, my Family has the makings of the Hall of Souls. (Not.)
She tried to slip away but Xiao Zhan caught her by the scruff.
"From today, Xue'er is Young Clan Leader. Any objections?"
His sharp gaze swept the Three Elders; they had no grounds to refuse and voiced their consent.
Young Clan Leader: the heir presumptive.
On the Fighting Qi Continent, only imperial successions bother with gender; clans care only for strength.
The right to inherit always falls to the most capable direct descendant.
For instance, the Nalan Family will pass to Nalan Yanran, the Gu Clan to Gu Xun'er.
Of course, Nalan Yanran's claim may owe something to Nalan Su's lack of a son.
Otherwise, Xiao Xue might have been saddled with a betrothed from birth.
Had Nalan Yanran actually had a brother, Xiao Xue would never marry a mere footnote; she'd break the engagement—and then—
Certain Nalan: "Do not scorn the young for being poor!" (Ahem.)
But enough digression; back to the Xiao household.
On this continent, power is the only currency of speech.
A fourteen-year-old Nine-Star Dou Practitioner who is also an Alchemist—who in the clan could utter a single "no"?
The matter was settled at once. Xiao Xue wasn't eager for the title, but a father's word is weight; she accepted.
She could always dump the clan on her Cheap older brother later and be a hands-off figurehead.
With that decided, she proposed that the Family buy medicinal herbs in bulk for mass production.
Though the Qi Gathering Powder had fetched hundreds of thousands of gold, enough for raw materials, that windfall was of "uncertain origin."
Besides, once the herbs became finished products, explaining their provenance to the clan would be tricky.
So from the start she planned to let the Xiao Family handle sales—and therefore supply.
"Xue'er, leave such trifles to us. Focus on your training; our Family still has some foundation," Xiao Zhan said, ruffling her hair with a carefree smile.
The words sounded eerily like: just study hard and leave everything else to Dad.
You keep your eyes on the road, kiddo; Dad will handle the rest… ahem.
She nodded silently, listed the required herbs, and handed the slip to Xiao Zhan.
Stepping out of the hall, she spotted her Cheap older brother and Xun'er.
Their presence came as no surprise.
When she'd first begun learning alchemy, she'd secluded herself in her courtyard to minimize distractions.
However, Xiao Yan and Xun'er each had their own ways to learn what was happening in her courtyard without disturbing her.
The layman watches the spectacle, the expert sees the technique. While Xiao Yan and Xun'er were merely startled that Xiao Xue could concoct medicine, Yao Lao discerned the essence from her method.
This water-based alchemy left even the widely-traveled Yao Lao clicking his tongue in admiration.
Everyone on the continent took it as common knowledge that only those whose fire attribute Dou Qi contained a sliver of wood could become Alchemists.
Even Yao Lao had once believed the same.
Yet Xiao Xue had forged an entirely different path.
Yao Lao was no stick-in-the-mud; he had heard of—and even seen—people attempting water-method alchemy, but every one of them had failed without exception.
The reason for their failure was their inability to control water with precision.
Xiao Xue's fine control of water earned even Yao Lao's heartfelt admiration.
An ordinary third-grade Alchemist would probably struggle to manipulate medicinal ingredients with such delicacy.
Although the salve she was refining now could barely qualify as a first-grade pill, Yao Lao could read a great deal from it.
He was certain that, given time, this girl would accomplish great things!
"Big Sister Xue, how did you do that?" Xun'er, quite familiar with Xiao Xue, stepped forward, linked arms with her, and asked straight out.
As the Eldest Miss of the Gu Clan, Xun'er lacked for no Medicinal Pills, yet the profession of Alchemist held an irresistible allure for everyone on the Fighting Qi Continent.
Xiao Xun Er had always dreamed of becoming an Alchemist, but her Dou Qi was extremely pure fire attribute without the slightest trace of wood, failing the Innate requirement.
Now, seeing Xiao Xue actually concoct medicine, her desire to become an Alchemist was rekindled.
—If Water Attribute Dou Qi can do it, why can't I?
Looking at Xun'er, Xiao Xue smiled helplessly and explained her idea of water-method alchemy to the two of them.
Naturally, Xun'er had no way of walking her path.
Moreover, trying to add a wisp of wood to her Dou Qi to become an Alchemist would be exceedingly difficult for Xun'er.
After all, Xiao Xun Er carried the Gu Clan's inherited strange fire, the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame.
Any other flame containing wood-attribute simply couldn't compare to it.
As for a wood-attribute strange fire, first it was nearly impossible to find, and second, even if found, without the Flame Mantra Xun'er would be unable to refine it.
Therefore, barring a heaven-sent stroke of luck, Xun'er was probably fated to have no connection with alchemy.
After explaining the reasons to her Cheap older brother and Xiao Xun Er, Xiao Xue excused herself and left.
Whatever reaction the two of them might have was no longer her concern.
For the next stretch of time, Xiao Xue devoted herself to cultivation and alchemy within the Xiao Family.
Because the Xiao Family purchased large quantities of herbs and sold Medicinal Pills, the Jia Lie Family, the Aoba Family, and the Mittel Auction House all began to suspect that the Xiao Family had an Alchemist.
The Mittel Auction House decided to strengthen cooperation with the Xiao Family, the Aoba Family happily clung to their thigh, and even the Jia Lie Family extended friendly overtures.
Her Cheap older brother, apparently stimulated by her, began cultivating day and night on the back mountain.
The following months passed peacefully.
During this period, Xiao Xue refined blood-activating salves, antidotes, and other medicines that barely had any grade, while her alchemy skills grew increasingly proficient.
Finally, two months later, Xiao Xue successfully refined a first-grade pill and officially stepped into the rank of First-Grade Alchemist.
The medicines she produced seized the vast majority of Utan City's market stalls, bringing substantial profit to the Xiao Family.
Not long after, Xiao Xue launched skincare and health products, directly capturing Utan City's largest consumer base.
As a rich young lady in her previous life, she understood commercial matters more thoroughly.
While healing and antidote medicines made money, the profit margins were far from spectacular.
After all, pills for treating external injuries or detoxifying were mainly used by mercenaries who gambled with their lives.
When they're already trading life for coin, how much can you expect them to spend on pills?
Thus, healing and antidote medicines always relied on small profits but quick turnover—earning money while also winning the Xiao Family a good reputation.
Meanwhile, medicines for strengthening the body or preserving beauty naturally commanded higher prices.
Only people with enough food and spare cash would pay several times the price for such nourishing, instantly effective pills.
Thanks to Xiao Xue's maneuvering, the Xiao Family raked in profits and earned widespread praise from the people of Utan City.
The Xiao Family quickly rose from being one of Utan City's three great clans to its foremost Family.
One day, while cultivating by the back-mountain waterfall, Xiao Xue suddenly heard the long-absent voice of the System.
[Main Quest: Revitalize the Xiao Clan, Stage 1—Dominate Utan City: Completed.]
[Rewards have been issued; please check, host.]