Chapter 709: Second Child

"Bestiary of Ten Thousand Beasts?"

Xiao Yan nodded solemnly, planning to return to Shou Yu and wait for Cai Lin's emergence from seclusion, giving her a chance to seek the legacy of a Tian Teng Snake master.

Yet Xiao Yan held little hope, for judging by current evidence, the Manhuang Ancient Domain's ancient battle had likely been won by the Tai Xu Ancient Dragons; all other Magical Beast Families perished in that cataclysmic beast war, and the Tai Xu Ancient Dragons were now the sole surviving divine beast family on the Dou Qi Continent.

"Xiao Yan, are you planning to go to the Great Thousand World?" Zi Yan asked.

"I will go, one way or another—reviving Xiao Xuan's ancestor is impossible with the current resources of the Dou Qi Continent." Xiao Yan did not hide his intentions from Zi Yan; he truly planned to journey to the Great Thousand World.

Even without thoughts of reviving Xiao Xuan, how could Xiao Yan's innate adventurer's blood resist the urge to explore an unknown world?

"I'm coming too!" Zi Yan sprang to her feet, her expression grave.

"You must understand—the Great Thousand World is far stronger than the Dou Qi Continent, and it will be extremely dangerous. I may not even be able to protect you then." Xiao Yan reached out and ruffled Zi Yan's small head.

Zi Yan's gaze hardened, silent, glaring at Xiao Yan as if asking whether he intended to abandon her on the Dou Qi Continent, just as Zhu Kun had once done.

Seeing the fear of abandonment in Zi Yan's eyes, Xiao Yan's heart softened. "Ya Tou, how could I ever leave you behind? Just don't complain about being tired and beg me to carry you."

Hearing this, Zi Yan's big, watery eyes sparkled again, a flash of purple light darting through them as she grinned. "Hehe, if you dare leave me, I'll beat you to death. I'm on the Heavenly List, you know."

Zi Yan leapt onto Xiao Yan's back, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around him, clinging as if she'd never let go.

"Alright, alright, Heavenly List, Heavenly List—you're the Heavenly List." Xiao Yan sighed helplessly, having no idea what this "Heavenly List" even was.

Not long after, Zi Yan returned to Dragon Island to refine and absorb the essence bloods, aiming to elevate her cultivation realm. To enter the Great Thousand World, even if she couldn't become a Ten-Rank divine beast, she must at least reach Nine-Star Dou Sheng Peak—otherwise, she'd only be a burden.

But given the Dou Qi Continent's current barrenness, reaching Nine-Star Dou Sheng Peak was no easy feat.

Yet Alchemists have always condensed miracles into a single elixir—and Xiao Yan was fortuitously a Golden Pill Alchemist!

However, crafting a Grade Nine Golden Pill requires more than alchemical skill—it demands vast medicinal materials and resources. Though Xiao Yan was a Dou Emperor, the Xiao Clan—or even the Yan Alliance—lacked deep foundations. On the Dou Qi Continent, only two factions possessed the greatest reserves: the Soul Sovereign and the Gu Clan.

At this moment, within the Xiao Realm's grand hall.

"Brother Xiao Yan." A light, ethereal voice came from outside the door.

Xiao Yan turned his head—without doubt, it was Xun Er.

Xun Er walked forward with a smile, opening her palm to reveal a top-tier storage ring. "Brother Xiao Yan, the medicinal materials you requested."

Seeing Xun Er before him, Xiao Yan did not take the storage ring; instead, he gazed at the beautiful woman before him.

In Xiao Yan's heart, Xun Er was a celestial fairy descended to the mortal realm—her beauty struck him like lightning, piercing straight into his soul.

Her skin was as translucent as white jade, emitting a faint luster, as if every inch held boundless charm.

Xun Er was also entering seclusion to elevate her cultivation; she had just emerged from it days ago. Upon hearing Xiao Yan planned to refine pills, she journeyed to the Ancient Realm and nearly emptied all its Pill Fields and medicinal material storerooms.

The entire Gu Clan, from top to bottom, grinned so wide their jaws ached—on the Dou Qi Continent, who didn't want Xiao Yan to refine pills? But even the Gu Clan dared not directly ask. Now that Xiao Yan was willing to use these materials, knowing his nature, he would never slight them—any extra Mystical Pills or Golden Pills gifted would be a tremendous fortune for the Gu Clan!

Feeling Xiao Yan's burning gaze, Xun Er—just out of seclusion and long unseen—felt affection surge within her. She slowly lifted her head, her beautiful eyes meeting his.

Her eyes were like two bright gems, radiating a faint glow, their depths profound, as if piercing straight into one's soul. Her lips were like soft petals, slightly upturned, exuding a captivating fragrance.

Her walk was like a dance—light and graceful. A fresh aura emanated from her, as if carrying nature's magic, making Xiao Yan utterly captivated.

"Xun Er is so beautiful—I could stare forever and never grow tired." Xiao Yan felt as if he had returned to Wutan City.

"Brother Xiao Yan, you're still as smooth-talking as ever," Xun Er whispered, snuggling tightly against his chest, feeling his intense affection.

"That proves I've been faithful since childhood—what I said back then was true."

They embraced, as if time had halted. Their breaths gradually synchronized; their heartbeats grew in unison.

Xun Er gently lifted her head, gazing at Xiao Yan, who smiled back at her. Their eyes met, conveying silent, profound emotion.

Xun Er felt the warmth of Xiao Yan's palm through her clothes. She placed her hand on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat, which brought her deep comfort. Xiao Yan held her tighter, savoring this moment—as if the world had shrunk to only the two of them, and nothing else mattered.

They finally parted slightly, yet still clung tightly together.

"Brother Xiao Yan, you still need to refine pills and create your own Pill Formulas," Xun Er took Xiao Yan's large hand and placed the storage ring into his palm. She knew well that Xiao Yan had long been preparing to enter the Great Thousand World.

Moreover, alchemy on the Dou Qi Continent had declined far beyond its ancient glory. Many Pill Formulas vanished because no one could successfully refine them—after reading them, no one could recreate the pills.

Xiao Yan now must revive alchemy on the Dou Qi Continent himself. Mystical Pill Formulas are scarce; Golden Pill Formulas can only be created by him.

Thus, Ya Fei's suggestion to auction off the Dou Techniques and Cultivation Methods from the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion was entirely correct—it could acquire rare resources. For example, sending Nalan Yanran to seek rare medicinal materials.

Xiao Yan took Xun Er's storage ring, then his eyes dimmed slightly as he sighed. "Ah, a few days ago, Father scolded me."

??

Xun Er's beautiful eyes flickered with confusion—why had he been scolded?

Before Xun Er could ask why, Xiao Yan's large hand swept out, lifting her into his arms.

"Ah! Brother Xiao Yan?"

Xiao Yan grinned with a mischievous glint. "Father told us to hurry up and have a second child—to give him a grandson to continue the Xiao Clan's lineage."

Hearing Xiao Yan's blunt words, her heartbeat quickened. Xun Er was no naive child like Zi Yan—she understood exactly what he meant. Her beautiful eyes shot him a playful scowl, yet she made no resistance; after all, she was Xiao Yan's wife.

Xun Er clenched her jade hand into a small fist and lightly patted his chest. "Brother Xiao Yan, you really are…"

"Hehe, what can I do? Father already picked the name—he says if it's a boy, it'll be Xiao Lin." Xiao Yan teleported a step back into his room.

Looking at the beautiful woman lying on the bed, Xiao Yan felt a surge of excitement.

Xiao Yan stepped closer to the bed and reached out to touch Xun Er's forehead.

"Brother Xiao Yan."

"Xun Er."

Unlike in the Demon Fire Space, this time only the two of them shared their affection.

Of course, Xiao Yan was no man obsessed with beauty—he knew that now, as a Dou Emperor, he bore the duties and responsibilities befitting one.

Hun Tian Di and the entire Soul Sovereign had gone into hiding. All top-tier research and development on the Dou Qi Continent now required Xiao Yan's personal oversight. For instance, this time refining the Grade Nine Golden Pill—he planned to publicly refine it, allowing all alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent to observe, and even give them lessons!

Just as he once did before leaving Jia Nan Academy, when he gave a Master Class to the Alchemy Guild's alchemists and the academy's elder alchemists!

But this time, Xiao Yan wouldn't be giving a Master Class—he'd be giving a Medicine Emperor Class!

To prepare for this Medicine Emperor Class, Xiao Yan had spent long months—a full month—though during that month, he wasn't solely occupied with pill-refining preparations.

"No way! It's still seven days away—how are there so many people?!!"

Xiao Yan's plan to teach Pill Alchemy at Jia Nan Academy had been publicized by Ya Fei a month ago; naturally, not only did countless Alchemists flock to witness Xiao Yan personally refining Imperial Grade Pills and willingly share his knowledge, but even if he merely closed his doors to refine, they still came to pay homage—not to a master, but to a Sage Emperor!

"This is even more insane than the Pill Gathering!" some Alchemists from Zhong Zhou, seeing the Black Horn Region packed to bursting, were utterly stunned.

It wasn't just Xiao City—it was the entire Black Horn Region swarming with people; had Peace Town and Jia Nan Academy not barred entry, the entire academy would surely have been crushed under the crowd.

But things weren't much better now—the area outside Peace Town was packed solid, inside and out.

"Ha, the Pill Gathering merely witnesses the rise of a Champion from the Young Generation—this is Xiao Yan refining Pills!"

"How are there so many Alchemists? It feels like every Alchemist on the Dou Qi Continent has come here!" Seeing the entire Black Horn Region teeming with people, some Cultivators could only laugh bitterly.

"Who is Xiao Yan? He's not just a Dou Emperor—he's the number one Alchemist on the Dou Qi Continent, the Sage Emperor who forged an Imperial Grade Pill! Most here aren't even Alchemists—they've come just to breathe the air, hoping their Cultivation Realm might rise from it."

Hearing this, some Alchemists were left dumbfounded—but after thinking it over, they found it made sense, and began inhaling deeply, greedily.

At this moment, within Jia Nan Academy, Dean Mang Tianchi and Senior Elder Su Qian stood in Space, gazing down at the entire Black Horn Region, both unable to decide whether to laugh or cry.

The once terrifying Black Horn Region, simply because of one word from Xiao Yan, had become as bustling as a marketplace.

"Is this still the Black Horn Region?" Senior Elder Su Qian was speechless.

Mang Tianchi stroked his beard, then gazed downward toward the former base of Xiao's Palace, built by Xiao Yan, and sighed: "He now speaks one word, and the entire world shifts."

Su Qian also looked toward Xiao's Palace's base, nodding in full agreement—and right now, Xiao Yan was inside Xiao's Palace.