Chapter 247: Black

【Chapter 242 (Grab Some Stuff) — Due to borderline content, this chapter was blocked and locked for 48 hours. So I wrote an extra chapter; wait two days before checking back, or stash it for now.】

Xiao Yan rushed to the door, flung it open with a sharp click, and there stood Xun Er, dressed in a plain white dress, waiting on the other side.

"What's wrong, Xun Er? It's so late." Xiao Yan smiled confidently.

Xun Er blinked her beautiful eyes at Xiao Yan, then pointed outside and said: "It's morning, Brother Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yan's heart lurched!

He'd spent half the day refining Mei Du Sha's body — it had been night when he started, so naturally it was now morning!

"Oh right, look at me — lost track of time in cultivation. Forgot half the day had passed." Xiao Yan suppressed his panic and smiled politely.

Xun Er's eyes glinted with wisdom as she gazed into Xiao Yan's, then tilted her head toward the room, offering a smile that wasn't quite a smile: "Aren't you going to invite me in, Brother Xiao Yan?"

Xiao Yan swallowed hard with a gulp. Could this be a woman's sixth sense??

Xiao Yan laughed: "Haha, Xun Er, you're too much — if you're tired, just come in and rest!"

Xun Er smiled and stepped gracefully into Xiao Yan's room, glancing left and right — except for an alchemy furnace actively refining medicinal materials, there was nothing else.

The entire room was filled with the scent of medicinal materials.

"My room reeks of medicinal residue — if your clothes get stained, I'd feel terrible," Xiao Yan hurriedly explained.

Xun Er looked at his smile, blinked her eyes, said nothing more, and pulled out a Mysterious Ring, handing it to Xiao Yan: "These are medicinal materials purchased using Xiao Dian's Fire Energy. Are you planning to refine Pills?"

Xiao Yan shrugged helplessly: "No Fire Energy left — training in Room One costs thirty Fire Energy per day. Xiao Dian's just gotten on its feet; income and expenses are barely balanced. I have to earn my own money."

Poverty was always a big problem — even Xiao Yan couldn't escape it.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan had a money-making powerhouse: Pill Alchemy. On the Dou Qi Continent, Elixirs were precious everywhere — hard currency.

So Xiao Yan used the backup Fire Energy he'd left in Xiao Dian to buy medicinal materials for Third-Rank Pills.

In the Inner Court, most were Great Dou Masters; even low-grade Dou Spirits could use Third-Rank Pills — so Third-Rank Pills sold best.

Xiao Yan suddenly remembered something and asked: "By the way, Xun Er — are there others in the Inner Court selling Pills?"

At this, Xun Er's delicate brows furrowed, and she sighed: "Yes — not just one person, but a Faction."

"Faction?" Xiao Yan froze.

"This Faction is called the Medicine Guild. Everyone in it is an Alchemist who entered the Inner Court from the Alchemy Division. Lu Mu, who once pursued Cousin Xiao Yu, joined the Medicine Guild," Xun Er mused.

Not all New Students joined Xiao Dian — only those without connections joined Xiao Dian seeking Xiao Yan's protection.

Xun Er continued: "The Medicine Guild monopolizes ninety percent of the Inner Court's Pill sales. Other scattered Alchemists can't compete. Rumor says their leader is a Fourth-Rank High-Level Alchemist."

"If Brother Xiao Yan plans to sell Pills, you'll have direct conflict with the Medicine Guild."

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, took the Mysterious Ring from Xun Er, gently brushed her Jade Hand, and said: "A Fourth-Rank Alchemist? My strength may not be the strongest in the Inner Court — but in Pill Alchemy, I'm certain I'm the First Alchemist here!"

When it came to pill refining, Xiao Yan couldn't stay low-key even if he wanted to.

Since childhood, he'd received the Mysterious Ring and inherited a powerful Alchemist lineage; he'd memorized every medicinal herb, recited the entire Herbal Medicine Collection, possessed the Strange Fire and Burning Decree, and his Soul Force had reached Six-Grade Peak — recently, with the Black Demon's aid, he refined a Six-Rank Pill.

Xiao Yan was, without question, the First Alchemist of the Inner Court.

"We don't need to fear them. Nature selects the strong; survival favors the powerful. Competition is inevitable — as long as they don't play dirty, we'll outmatch them fairly in Pill quality."

Xun Er knew perfectly well how powerful Xiao Yan's Pill Alchemy was — in four months, she'd helped Xiao Yu and others surge from Dou Masters to Great Dou Masters, all the way into the Inner Court, created the Five-Grade Four-Stripe White Spirit Pill formula, and could even refine Dou King Pills.

Champion of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Convention!

Xun Er nodded, smiling: "Then Xiao Dian will help you sell your Pills, Brother Xiao Yan. But since only you can refine them, we can only ease your sales burden."

Xiao Yan gently stroked Xun Er's silken hair and said softly: "It's my own need for Fire Energy — I'm the one who should feel guilty for making everyone help."

"Alright, Brother Xiao Yan — now it's your turn," Xun Er smiled brightly and slowly stepped out of the room.

Before closing the door, Xun Er leaned in, grinning: "Brother Xiao Yan, don't slack off and go do unrelated things, okay?"

The door clicked shut.

!!!!!!!

Xiao Yan's heart jolted — could this be his girlfriend's Spiritual Perception?! Had she found out something?!

"Phew — first, I'll recover my Soul Force with the Soul Gathering Spiritual Heart Decree."

After recovering for a little while, Xiao Yan's Soul Force and Dou Qi returned to peak. He pulled out three Third-Rank Pill Formulas.

One was the Qi-Recovery Pill — a low-grade Third-Rank Pill he'd refined many times, capable of rapidly restoring Dou Qi for those below Great Dou Master level, with restoration amount depending on Pill quality.

Another was the Minor Blood Restoration Pill — a low-grade Third-Rank Pill that quickly healed injuries, replenished blood, and regenerated bone, suitable for those below Great Dou Master level.

The last formula was his flagship: the High-Grade Third-Rank Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid. It wasn't a Pill but a Medicinal Essence — a white liquid used externally. Dropped into clean water and used for bathing during cultivation, it expelled Fire Poison from the body.

This was Xiao Yan's adaptive choice. He remembered Lin Yan's Fire Poison—anyone entering the Tian Fen Lian Qi Tower absorbed some Fire Poison, and many students avoided prolonged training there out of fear.

With the Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid, they could stay longer in the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta — Xiao Yan knew this would be the most sought-after item.

"These three Pills should be enough."

Xiao Yan pulled out the Alchemy Furnace given by the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, and without hesitation, flicked his fingers — Void Swallowing Flame rapidly raised the furnace's temperature.

With a sweep of his hand, countless medicinal materials flew from the Mysterious Ring like a torrent into the furnace.

For Xiao Yan, refining Third-Rank Pills was like playing — though he still couldn't match Hun Xu Zi's speed of forming Pills in seconds.

But with Void Swallowing Flame's aid, refining Third-Rank medicinal materials was like an assembly line — within an hour, he turned vast quantities into Medicinal Powder.

Xiao Yan formed hand seals, his ten fingers dancing. His terrifying Soul Force took shape as invisible, nimble hands that, under his control and Void Swallowing Flame's, packed Pills into Pill Bottles and sealed jars of Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid.

After about two hours, the floor of Xiao Yan's room was piled high with bottles and jars — all filled with round Pills and Spirit Liquid.

Looking at the mountain of Pills and Spirit Liquid, Xiao Yan smiled in satisfaction.

With a sharp click, Xiao Yan's door opened.

Hearing the door open, Xiao Yu and the others snapped their heads up, fixing their gazes on the door — once tightly shut, now slowly opening.

They all knew Xiao Yan planned to refine Pills for sale, and had been waiting in the living room.

Under their stares, Xiao Yan stepped out slowly. His handsome face showed fatigue, but the joy in his brow was unmistakable.

"You spent two hours refining Pills? The Medicine Guild has dozens of Alchemists refining together." As always, Xiao Yu's long, slender legs, exposed beneath her short skirt, still drew every eye.

Xiao Yan couldn't help but study her closely until Xiao Yu's cheeks flushed, at which point he averted his gaze and tossed the spirit rings containing the elixirs to Hu Jia, Xiao Yu, and Xun Er: "Hu Jia, your spirit ring holds Third-Rank Qi-Replenishing Pills—they restore the battle qi of a Great Battle Master. Go with Wu Hao and the others to the Battle Arena; that's where pills capable of rapid battle qi recovery are most needed."

"Xiao Yu, take the Minor Blood-Recovery Pills with Xiao Ning, Xiao Mei, Xiao Yueliang, and Xiao Meng to the Mission Hall and sell them. Those preparing to venture out need these pills most—they restore injuries."

"As for the third type, the Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid, this spirit liquid clears fire poison from the body. Xun Er and I will sell it at the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta; those Inner Court disciples who train there need it most."

Upon hearing Xiao Yan describe the effects of the Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid, everyone froze for a moment, exclaiming in surprise: "It clears fire poison!"

Wu Hao said: "This is something even the Medicine Guild doesn't have. Many dare not stay long in the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta for fear of fire poison. This time, we're going to get rich."

They even wanted some themselves!

"Don't get greedy. Sell all the elixirs and come back—I'll refine better Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid for you. I didn't put much effort into these; their quality is mediocre." Xiao Yan saw right through them and made no hesitation—he gave them a direct promise.

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Hu Jia patted her chest and said: "Pfft, you only refined for two hours—I'll sell all of it for you in one day."

Xiao Yan gave a knowing smile and said: "Oh, really? Then I'm looking forward to it."

Not long after, when Hu Jia sensed the quantity of elixirs inside the spirit ring, she cried out in betrayal!

Without doubt, the moment the Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid was launched, it ignited the entire Inner Court. The Inner Court students, like parched earth, rushed over, eyes blazing with desire.

Although many doubted whether Xiao Yan's Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid could truly clear fire poison and dared not buy such an expensive spirit liquid,

once Xiao Yan brought Lin Yan—their "spokesperson"—over, all doubts vanished.

"No way! Lin Yan's fire poison was really cleared?!"

"I remember now—two months ago, Xiao Yan bought a medicinal material from Lin Yan's stall. I heard he offered to clear Lin Yan's fire poison in exchange!"

"No way! Lin Yan's fire poison was beyond even the entire Alchemy Department's ability—didn't even the Elders say it was impossible?!"

Instantly, everyone turned their eyes to the small jar of Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid on the stall, as if it were a treasure.

Xiao Yan's eyes flashed, and he revealed his white teeth, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together: "Want the Bone-Washing Cold Spirit Liquid? Not expensive—no 998, no 88—today, just five days' Fire Energy per jar."

Everyone froze: Cheating!

(End of Chapter)