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  At the break of dawn, a sliver of sunlight streamed through the window. Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, surprised to find that he had fallen asleep without realizing it.

  Turning his head, he saw Ya Fei sleeping soundly, her head resting on the desk.

  Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. He began to feel that he was fated to attract peach blossoms and easily incur debts of love.

  He gently lifted Ya Fei into his arms, and a fragrant st wafted to his nose. Looking down at the exquisite faestled against his chest, her long, curved eyeshes fluttered slightly.

  A sense of iedness arose in his heart as he gazed at this entingly beautiful yet tender and affeate young dy.

  He softly pced her on the boudoir bed in the room adjat to the office. Without lingering further, he quietly closed the door.

  "Elder Sister will always be here, waiting for you to return."

  His hand paused. Xiao Yan didn't dare to look back. He gently closed the door, unfolded his Eagle Wings, and flew out through the office window.

  He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would be unwilling to leave.

  Ya Fei watched as Xiao Yan flew away from the window, his figure gradually disappearing. She gently touched her forehead with her jade-like hand and revealed a sweet smile.

  Xiao Yan soared boldly over the skies of Jia Ma Sacred City.

  Perhaps only he dared to act like this iire Jia Ma Empire. After all, even if Jia Xing Tian discovered him, he wouldn't stop him.

  "That brat, only knowing how to be lovey-dovey with women, not even b to say goodbye to me." Hai Bodong stood in the sky, disgruntled as he watched the fiery light fly farther and farther away. He shook his head repeatedly, at a loss for words.

  Just then, a piece of white paper gently drifted down from the sky, floating in front of Hai Bodong.

  Curious, he caught the falling paper. On it, a few lines were scrawled messily:

  [Xiao Yan's IOU]

  [ime I e to the Jia Ma Empire, I will definitely present a Mighty Huang Pill to Old Hai.]

  [(￣▽￣)]

  Hai Bodong couldn't help but be amused as he looked at the paper. He carefully put it away, gazed toward the horizon, and said, "Xiao Yan, d, the world outside is vast. Be careful this time."

  At this moment, with his Qi Method frantically cirg within his body, Xiao Yan resembled a fiery meteor streaking across the sky as his Eagle Wings transformed into a pair of blood-red fire wings.

  'The Dou Qi of a Dou Spirit is truly profound. My speed has actually increased tenfold!'

  This was the first time Xiao Yan had flown at full power since breaking through to the Dou Spirit realm. bined with the Fme Mantra that had refihe Yin-Yang Twin Fme, he now felt as if his Dou Qi was inexhaustible.

  Even when fully utilizing the Ten Thousa Fme to boost his speed, his Dou Qi didn't seem to decrease at all.

  Suddenly, a graceful figure appeared in his flight path. It was without a doubt Her Majesty Queen Medusa.

  The only 'debt' Xiao Yan had not yet repaid was that owed to Medusa.

  "Oh, Your Majesty, what a ce! Are you out for early m exercise as well?" Xiao Yan said with a grin. He swore he absolutely had no iion of running away and shirking his debt.

  Medusa's devastatingly beautiful face looked somewhat grim as she coldly stared at him.

  Xiao Yan swallowed hard and nervously said, "Your Majesty, please listen to my sophistry—I mean, please allow me to expin."

  Medusa directly cut him off and asked frostily, "When will you be able to restore my body to the Rank 7?"

  Xiao Yan immediately took out a scroll from his ste ring to prove his innoce, "I have a Secret Method here. Its inal effect is to use three kinds of Heavenly Fmes along with a body above the Dou Aor realm. Through the Secret Method's refi, it create a Heavenly Fme Body that allows a soul to be resurrected."

  "I have slightly modified this Secret Method. By using three kinds of Heavenly Fmes, I restruct a Heavenly Fme Snake Body for Your Majesty and allow you to truly reach Rank 7. Even Rank 8, 9, or 10 won't be a problem iure!"

  "I've genuinely been w hard to help Your Majesty regain your strength. It wasn't a lie."

  Xiao Yan spoke eloquently, sounding like a pyramid scheme salesman, almost ving himself with his own words.

  Naturally, Medusa didn't believe it could be as exaggerated as reag Rank 9 Magical Beast or even Rank 10. She opehe scroll with a hook of her fio take a look.

  A hint of surprise fshed in her eyes. The Heavenly Fme Snake Body that Xiao Yan's modified Secret Method could dense would indeed allow her tain a physical body. Moreover, her potential would increase quite a bit. Even if not the Rank 9, breaking through the threshold of the Rank 8 iure wouldn't be a problem.

  Medusa grew even more curious about Xiao Yan. This d's talent in alchemy was absurdly high. Modifying pill recipes a Methods was like revising homework for him, aually got them right.

  Her beautiful eyes looked at Xiao Yan, her delicate face softening slightly as she asked, "Where are you heading now?"

  "Of course, I'm returning to Jia Nan Academy. I'm still a student, you know. I have csses to attend," Xiao Yan dispyed an i smile.

  "Tell the truth," Medusa gave him a sidelong gnce. Did he really think she'd believe that?

  "Uh... Jia Nan Academy has a Heavenly Fme. Also, this Secret Method 't create something out of nothing; it requires an enormous amount of energy. The fire-attributed energy in that Heavenly Fme location is just right," Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and expined.

  Medusa khat this boy would never visit a pce without a purpose. Jia Nan Academy must have accumuted eight lifetimes of misfortuo have a student like him.

  She slightly opened her mouth, and a green light flew out. The Green Lotus floated in the air while her body emitted a seven-colored radiance as she transformed bato the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, coiling ihe Green Lotus to absorb its energy and accelerate her growth.

  With Medusa reverting to her snake form, a new problem arose. An exquisitely crafted long dress slowly drifted down. What made Xiao Yan's blood surge was that a red, triangur piece of fabric floated past his eyes.

  Xiao Yan instinctively reached out to catch the clothes. His heart pounded violently, parable to when he first ehe Gate of Life ah!!

  It was still warm!

  But in the sed, a bone-chilling cold that felt like falling into the her Hells spread throughout his body. It was as if a cold, giant python had ed itself around him and was staring at him with a pair of deadly eyes.

  Xiao Yan didn't dare eain any further thoughts and pced the clothes ihe Green Lotus.

  Poor Xiao Yan; his own cultivation treasure, the Green Lotus, was thus seized by Medusa. He had always been the oaking advantage of others; since when did he bee the one being taken advantage of?

  After st the Green Lotus in his ste ring, Xiao Yan silently recited Xun Er's name in his heart before slowly calming his boiling Dou God Bloodline!

  Flying at full speed, with his current velocity and the acceleration from the Heavenly Fme, Xiao Yan's speed was not much slower than that of an ordinary peak Dou King or even a Dou Emperor.

  He soared over fortress after fortress. All the city guards simply saluted upnizing Xiao Yan from afar. Who would dare to stop him?

  As the overall champion of the Alchemist Graing and the Little Leader of the Xiao 's Yan Alliahere weren't many people in the Jia Ma Empire who hadn't seen his portrait.

  You might not know who the ruler of the Jia Ma Empire is, but you 't afford not tnize Xiao Yan!

  Not long after flying beyond the borders of the Jia Ma Empire, he ehe territory of the Bck-er Region.

  Upon arriving in the Bck-er Region, Xiao Yan couldn't remain so ostentatious. After all, he still cared about his reputation.

  He took out a brand-new Soul Robe from his ste ring. In case he entered someohout eyes, he would still kill if necessary, but he couldn't do so using his owy.

  He couldn't allow his persona to colpse.

  'Tsk tsk tsk, this Soul Robe is probably equivalent to a peak tier 7 Monster Core Armor.'

  This was the Soul Robe of a Heaven Grade Protector of the Hall of Souls, much better than the one he had initially obtained. Based on his Spiritual Strength perception as a 6th-tier alchemist, this Soul Robe could already resist the spiritual perception of those at the Soul State.

  Soul State! That's the realm of 8th-tier alchemists!

  'Only Spiritual Strength at the middle or te stage of the Soul State might be able to see through the perception barrier of this Soul Robe. The Hun is truly wealthy.' This Soul Robe alone robably equivalent in value to a high-grade tier 7 medial pill.

  After p for a moment, Xiao Yan took out the Little Soul Bck Purple Pill he had obtained from Hun Lu. In the Bck-er Region, a wless nd simir to a p Earth known as the Golden Triarength was the ultimate truth.

  Swallowing the pill, he felt a sensation as if his soul was sublimating, rushing straight to his mind.

  'This effect is quite a bit better than the Seven Magical Green Spirit Saliva!'

  Xiao Yan could truly feel his soul being stronger, rising from a middle-stage 6th-tier alchemist all the way to a high-stage 6th-tier, approag peak 6th-tier before it stopped. It had directly increased by more than one small grade!

  'The Hun may be evil, but their items are indeed good stuff.'

  Whether it was this Soul Robe or the Little Soul Bck Purple Pill, they were all top-grade items of excellent quality.

  A single pill solved the troubles of many alchemists. The Spiritual Strength that could only be increased a tiny bit through great effort was aplished with just one pill.

  The allure of pills was something even alchemists themselves couldn't resist.

  Xiao Yan pulled down the brim of his hood, a fierce glint fshing in his eyes. If ahout eyes dared to attack him, they couldn't bme him for being ruthless.

  Meow! Mao Wu flew out from his Acceptance Soul to boost his morale.

  Xiao Yan flew directly into the Bck-er Region with a loud whooshing sound. The Ten Thousa Fme behind him switched to the Seed Fme of the Nihility Dev Fme. His entire body was enveloped in darkness as he flew over various cities in the Bck-er Region toward Jia Nan Academy.

  Apart from entering a few fools who stupidly attacked him at the beginning and were killed with a single palm strike, perhaps because he was too high-profile, the journey was surprisingly peaceful. Although several Spiritual Strength probes swept over him, they were all blocked by the Soul Robe.

  Perhaps in a pce like the Bck-er Region, the more ostentatious and mysterious oed, the more others were apprehensive and dared not make a move. In any case, Xiao Yan smoothly arrived at Peace Town.

  After entering Peace Town, Xiao Yan no longer wore his Soul Robe but ged into the uniform of Jia Nan Academy.

  Since Xiao Yan was already enrolled, he naturally had the uniform. Wearing the blue and white attire, he immediately took on a different appeararuly resembling a young scher to learn, full of vitality and energy.

  Who would have thought that this eighteen-year-old youth with a sunny smile and overflowing spirit was not only the leader of the Yan Allia also a Heaven Grade Protector of the Hall of Souls!

  Xiao Yan turned his head to look at a nearby alley, his expression being solemn.

  'The Soul Sacrifice Old Shop... I wonder if the Hall of Souls in the Bck-er Region has any e with it.'

  Upon being a Heaven Grade Protector, Xiao Yan received not only the Heaven Grade Protector's Soul Robe but also a map.

  As a Heaven Grade Protector, he could know the exact locations of three branch halls of the Hall of Souls. Xiao Yan himself already trolled one, and the other two branch halls were marked on the map.

  One was at the edge of the North-Western Region, in a pce called Burial Stream of the Sky Heart Empire. That branch was retively weak; the stro was only a Human Grade Protector named Protector Tie.

  The other was in the Bck-er Region. This branch hall was siderably stronger. Although it also had only one Protector, the Protector was ah Grade Protector named Protector Xuan.

  Knowing these loeant that if he entered any issues, he could go to these two branch halls.

  Xiao Yan strolled around Peace Town. When he saw some local street snacks, he stopped to buy a few skewers. He even spotted a carbonated beverage that resembled co.

  'Hah~~~ This is youth! This is how being young should be! Dealing with those old monsters made me feel like an old man myself.' Xiao Yan savored this rare moment of peace!

  Praise be to peace!

  After a while, more than a dozen figures approached him. Their gazes swept over him in his academy uniform. The leading young man asked curiously, "Junior Brother, it's not vacation time now. Why are you in Peace Town?"

  Jia Nan Academy was somewhat like a full-time b school. The students' activity range was at most within Jia Nan City. Peace Town outside Jia Nan City ce where students would only appear during vacations.

  Xiao Yan's eyes drifted over these dozen or so figures. There were also some young men and women apart from the leading youth who looked to be around twenty-two or twenty-three years old. From their words, he surmised that they were members of Jia Nan Academy's Law Enfort Unit.

  Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and said, "I took some time off to return home due to personal matters; I just came back from the Bck-er Region."

  "From the Bck-er Region?! May I know your name, Junior Brother, and who your instructor is?"

  "Xiao Yan. My instructor is Instructor Ruo Ling." His eyes blinked as the image of that gentle, mature woman who was as soothing as flowing water appeared in his mind.

  "Xiao Yan? You're that Xiao Yan who, not long after enrolling, defeated a Xuan Css student and then took a year and a half off?!"

  Xiao Yan held his head high and puffed out his chest. What is called a legend? This is called a legend.

  Even when I'm not at the academy, legends about me still circute.

  Don't be infatuated with me; I'm just a legend.

  "That's me—" Xiao Yan was about to aowledge when the girl beside the captain added, "The heartless sdrel who abandoned Junior Sister Xun Er for a year and a half?"

  ! ! ! ? ? ?

  Xiao Yan's face stiffened. What the hell?!

  When the leading young man saw Xiao Yan's embarrassment, he slightly coughed and said, "Anyway, since you're here, Junior Brother, we'll escort you back to the academy. It's still term time now, and there are four months left until this year's Inner Academy Qualifying petition."

  The Inner Academy Qualifying petition was like the end-of-term exam. Jia Nan Academy's finals didn't have scores; they were simply pass or fail. Back then, Xiao Yu had returo the Xiao after the Qualifying petition ended, and enrollment took pce before the start of eaew term.

  "Then you have my thanks." Xiao Yan cupped his hands in gratitude. Although he could fly back directly, Jia Nan Academy certainly didn't allow flying around at will.

  "Hehe, it's nothing. Oh, by the way, Xiao Yan, I should remind you of something before we leave. Even though you haven't been at the academy, you probably already have quite a few potential rivals there."

  "I'm sure you know why. A girl as outstanding as Xun Er is immensely attractive to those geniuses in the academy. In just over a year sining to the academy, her fame has caught up with the 'Little Witch,' and her suitors are endless."

  Xiao Yan chuckled lightly upon hearing this, "Oh? Then I really o experie myself. I just hope they won't disappoioo much."

  …

  Seated on the back of the griffin, Xiao Yan exhaled lightly, raising his head to gaze dreamily at the azure sky. The delicate and elegant face of a young dy gradually surfaced in his mind, filling his heart with longing.

  'Xun Er, I finally see you. Unknowingly, a year and a half has passed.'

  This flight sted nearly the entire night. At dawn the day, a ray of m light shot out from the horizon, dispelling all the darkness across the nd.

  'Jia Nan City... Jia Nan Academy, I, Xiao Yan, have returned!'

  Even from high in the sky, he couldn't take iire city with his eyes, showing just how vast this city was.

  This time, Xiao Yan was determio ehe Inner Academy. He had heard from Instructor Ruo Ling that the Inner Academy was full of extraordinary talents, especially those students orong Ranking'; each of them was astonishingly brilliant.

  Now, he felt a surge of curiosity and fighting spirit. He wondered just how exceptional these so-called genius students were.

  "Hehe, Junior Xiao Yan, we'll be nding the griffin at the city's flyi station shortly. At that time, you'll o make your own way to the academy. Our Law Enfort Unit is on duty this week and 't stay away from Peace Town for too long." The young man from the Law Enfort Unit turned his head and suddenly realized that Xiao Yan, who had been behind him, was o be seen.

  "Many thanks for Senior Brother's escort along the way. Xiao Yan is immensely grateful." A voice came from below.

  The young man steering the griffin looked horrified. They were a thousaers high!!! Is he crazy?!

  Just as this Senior Brother thought Xiao Yan had lost his mind, a pair of dazzling blood-red fire wings appeared behind the tter. He slowed his dest with a fp; tongues of fme scattered as he nded gracefully oreet like a celestial warrior desding.

  "Dou Qi Wings?!!"

  Of course, Xiao Yan paid no attention to what that Senior Brother and the surrounding people thought. Right now, his heart was set ourning, wishing he could fly directly to Xun Er's side.

  'Wait... It's been over a year. Where does Xun Er live now?' Xiao Yan froze. He suddenly realized a big problem. Where was Xun Er?

  Just as Xiao Yan was feeling at a loss, as if Heaven intended for lovers to be reunited, a young man who looked a year or two older than Xiao Yan poi him with a shocked and somewhat dumbfounded expression.

  "Little Leader!!!"

  Xiao Yan turned his head and said, "Oh, it's you, Xiao Ning. You came at just the right time."

  firming that it was indeed Xiao Yan, Xiao Niedly rushed over, only to be caught by Xiao Yan, who pinched his cheeks and lifted him slightly.

  "Li-Li-Little Leader..."

  "Don't be so excited. I'm straight."

  The Xiao disciples who had entered Jia Nan Academy, including Xiao Ning, had known for two months that Xiao Yan would be returning to the academy. This was because most of the rge quantity of low-tier pills that he had given to Xun Er were for improving the strength of the 's disciples.

  Xiao Yan ractically revered as a living Bodhisattva among the Xiao disciples at Jia Nan Academy. They had been eagerly awaiting the ce to 'have an audience' with him.

  Setting Xiao Ning down, Xiao Yan wiped his hands and said, "We talk about other matters ter. Where is Xun Er?"

  Xiao Ning didn't waste words either. Uanding the retionship between Xiao Yan and Xun Er, he led Xiao Yan toward the Xiao 's temporary residence.

  When Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength detected that familiar figure he had been longing for day and night, he instantly erupted with extreme speed and appeared in a fsh outside the door of a building.

  Sensing Xiao Yan's arrival at the same time, the door opened with a creak, and their eyes met.

  Xiao Yan looked at the beautiful young dy standing gracefully before him. That face had long been deeply engraved in the depths of his heart over the years.

  "Xiao Yan ge-ge..."

  Xun Er's heart was filled with a thousand words ahousaions—joy, happiness, but also some pints and aears untrolbly welled up at the ers of her eyes.

  After all, Xiao Yan had left her for over a year for the sake of another woman; anyone would feel a bit resentful.

  But when Xiao Yan opened his arms, she still rushed into his embrace without hesitation.

  Xiao Yan hugged her tightly and breathed in that familiar fragrance greedily.

  "I'm sorry I'm te."

  Xiao Yan slowly lowered his head and kissed her deeply as soon as he finished speaking. All the words and feelings in his heart transformed into this one kiss.

  The entire square fell silent at the sight of the passionately kissing couple. Faintly, it seemed there were tless sounds of hearts being broken.

  "It's over. The academy is going to be turned upside down."