Xiao Tian smiled faintly. "It's good that you passed. I can relax now."
Frank let out a long-held breath, his nerves finally settling.
"What counts as passing? This time, they—"
Before Otto could finish announcing the results, a commotion erupted behind them.
"It's Liu Ling, the disciple of Pill King Gu He! He must have taken first place. He really is the prodigy of the younger generation."
Lin Fei watched Liu Ling approach, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Maybe it was the Little Princess, Yao Yue," Xue Mei countered from the side, eager to challenge her rival's opinion.
Liu Ling stepped through the crowd. His expression darkened momentarily when he saw Xiao Yan's back, but he quickly masked it with a polished, royal smile. He bowed slightly to Otto and Frank before turning to Xiao Tian and his companion.
"Mr. Xiao Tian, Mr. Yan Xiao—congratulations."
"It was just luck," Xiao Tian replied, his expression indifferent.
"Luck," Xiao Yan echoed with a calm nod.
Liu Ling had no interest in idle chatter. He offered a brief farewell and departed. However, the Little Princess lingered behind him. She flashed a practiced, regal smile.
"Mr. Xiao Tian, Mr. Yan Xiao, there is a gathering tonight. Would you care to join us?"
"No, I have an appointment," Xiao Tian said.
"I'm busy as well," Xiao Yan added.
The Princess's smile froze for a heartbeat before she recovered. She offered a stiff curtsy. "In that case, I won't insist. Farewell."
As she walked away, Lin Fei leaned in curiously. "What were they congratulating you for?"
"Just for passing," Xiao Tian said casually, throwing an arm around Xiao Yan's neck. "You'll find out later. We're heading out. See you tomorrow."
As they walked out of the Alchemist Guild, Lin Fei's brain felt like it was beginning to smoke. "What exactly were their scores?"
Otto watched them go, then mimicked Xiao Tian's nonchalant tone. "Nothing much. Xiao Tian refined the Black Iron Spirit Leaf ten times. Xiao Yan eight times. Liu Ling managed six."
He paused, savoring the shock on their faces. *Using the most understated words to show off... it really is satisfying,* he thought.
"What?!" The three girls stood frozen, their mouths wide enough to fit duck eggs.
***
That evening, Ya Fei declined the Nalan family's invitation. Instead, she "borrowed" Xiao Tian from Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin.
As the two strolled hand-in-hand through the streets, the sound of breaking hearts followed them. Rumors were one thing, but seeing the legendary beauty with another man was a different reality for her admirers.
Suddenly, two terrifying auras soared into the sky from the northwest of the city.
"Hmm? That's Old Hai," Xiao Tian muttered. "The other must be Jia Xingtian of the Imperial Family."
"What is happening?" Ya Fei asked, her voice trembling slightly under the pressure.
"The Ice Emperor and the Imperial Guardian are fighting. The Imperial Family likely wants to test him—to see if a Dou Emperor poses a threat to their throne. Or, perhaps, it's just two old friends sparring."
Xiao Tian looked at her. "Let's go. I'll show you what a real Dou Emperor battle looks like."
"Can we?"
"With me, you can."
Xiao Tian's back erupted with his **Demon Lotus Wings**. Ya Fei gasped, reaching out to touch the magnificent, shimmering feathers.
"They look so real..."
"A combination of a Flying Dou Technique and Dou Qi Transformation," Xiao Tian explained, flicking her nose playfully. "Once you reach the Dou King stage, you'll have your own. Now, come here."
Ya Fei stepped into his arms, leaning into his familiar warmth. With a powerful beat of his wings, Xiao Tian transformed into a streak of light, surging toward the northwest.
In less than a minute, they landed atop a giant tree overlooking a massive mausoleum. Above them, yellow and white light clusters collided, sending violent energy ripples through the air.
Xiao Tian purposefully didn't shield her with his Dou Qi. "Feel the aura. Observe. This pressure will help you grow, especially Old Hai's white light—he shares your ice attribute."
Ya Fei nodded solemnly, her eyes fixed on the sky.
Three more streaks of light landed on a nearby tree: Xiao Yan, Miteer Tengshan, and Nalan Jie. Though they recognized each other, Xiao Tian and Xiao Yan shared a silent look, maintaining their public distance to protect Xiao Yan's identity.
Nearby, Nalan Yanran landed beside her grandfather, her face grim.
"Yanran, you know him?" Nalan Jie asked.
"That is Xiao Tian," she whispered. "Xiao Yan's older brother... and the one who took first place in the internal test."
Nalan Jie narrowed his eyes. "Xiao Lin has quite the grandson. A sharp lad."
On another branch, Mu Zhan stared at Ya Fei, his face livid with jealousy as he saw her resting in Xiao Tian's arms. *A Fourth-Rank Alchemist?* he sneered. *A man speaks with his fists, not his robes.*
High above, the battle slowed. The white light retracted, revealing Hai Bodong.
"No more, it's boring," Hai Bodong grumbled.
"Old Ice, you haven't improved much over the years," joked a white-haired man in hemp robes—Jia Xingtian, the peak Nine-star Dou Emperor.
Hai Bodong ignored him and flashed down to Xiao Tian's side.
"Xiao Tian? Why are you here?"
Xiao Tian smirked. "With a commotion this big? I had to come see if you'd finally gotten yourself killed."