The sky was just beginning to lighten when Zi Yan, the Little Fairy Doctor, and Hai Bo Dong returned.
When Zi Yan snuck into Chen Xiao's room, he was still engrossed in studying the Earth Demon Old Ghost's notes.
Sensing the mischievous Little Dragon Person behind him preparing to cause trouble, Chen Xiao didn't even turn his head. He shifted the notes from his right hand to his left and, with a single hand, pinned the future Dragon Emperor down on the bed.
Each playful skirmish ended in her defeat, which greatly displeased Zi Yan. Puffing out her cheeks, her dark eyes darted around. In a burst of intense purple light, she transformed into her Big Dragon Person form. Watching Chen Xiao's restraining right hand quickly retract as if pricked by a needle, Zi Yan giggled foolishly, completely disregarding her image.
Heh heh, I won one back!
"Stop looking at those notes, look at this."
Sitting up from the bed, she knelt and draped herself over Chen Xiao's shoulder, taking out a silver scroll.
The material used to make this scroll was quite peculiar, resembling a strange crystal. On its surface, faint electrical currents like silver snakes flowed and twitched. Just by its appearance, one could tell it was extraordinary.
Chen Xiao readily complied, putting away the notes and slowly unfurling the scroll.
"Thunderclap Mirror, Mid-Level Earth Tier, Lightning Attribute Cultivation Technique."
"How about it, not bad, right? Demon Flame Valley even specifically opened a hidden stone cave treasury to hide these things. Unfortunately, it couldn't fool this Deputy City Lord. There was even a Fifth-Tier Magical Beast guarding the treasury, but I knocked it out with one punch."
Zi Yan lay draped over Chen Xiao's shoulder, vividly describing the process of obtaining the treasure, her eyebrows dancing.
As for her title of "Deputy City Lord," it could be completely ignored.
This girl was full of whims; just a few days ago, she had declared herself the Second City Lord.
"It's indeed good. Mid-Level Earth Tier is already considered top-tier in the Black-Corner Region. At least for now, I haven't found any High-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Techniques."
Chen Xiao nodded in praise.
The only pity was that there was no one with a Lightning Attribute around him who could cultivate this technique. It would still have to be treated like the Dark Shadow Skill, waiting for a suitable opportunity to be auctioned off in exchange for resources.
"This cultivation technique is much more valuable than the Mid-Level Earth Tier technique from Old Eagle Mountain Man because it comes with a配套 [peitào] (matching) Dou Skill."
Zi Yan chuckled and took out another silver scroll, placing it in Chen Xiao's hand.
"Awakening Thunder Technique, Mid-Level Earth Tier Dou Skill, a set with the Thunderclap Mirror..."
If it were just a single Mid-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Technique or Dou Skill, they could occasionally be found in the Black-Corner Region.
But this kind of set of Dou Skill and Cultivation Technique instantly skyrocketed in value. It was already comparable to a single High-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Technique or Dou Skill. If obtained by the right person, spending several decades, it would be enough to build a powerful faction.
"Keep it as a collection. Most of the good stuff in the Black-Corner Region has been scoured clean by us. Now, I estimate no one can afford the price."
Hearing this, the Big Dragon Person nodded slightly and put both the cultivation technique and Dou Skill into her Storage Ring.
Ever since Zi Yan and Chen Xiao left the Inner Academy together, except for occasional periods of seclusion, the two had been almost inseparable. Her keeping it was no different from Chen Xiao keeping it.
"Look at this, you should be interested in this." Zi Yan smiled and placed a crimson scroll into Chen Xiao's hand.
"Flame Manipulation Art: True!"
Looking at the particularly bright red characters, Chen Xiao's heart stirred. His consciousness entered Fang Yan's Storage Ring.
A moment later, a scroll with a very similar appearance and color was taken out.
This was also a Flame Manipulation Art!
Only, it lacked the character "True."
"Your Flame Manipulation Art is fake, incomplete."
Watching Chen Xiao open the scroll taken from Fang Yan's Storage Ring, Zi Yan said smugly.
She had already seen the true Flame Manipulation Art, and comparing the two, the difference was clear at a glance.
Chen Xiao nodded slightly: "In the Storage Rings of the Second Elder and Third Elder, there should also be a fake Flame Manipulation Art, or to be more precise, a Flame Manipulation Art that hasn't been perfected by the Earth Demon Old Ghost. This cultivation technique is quite interesting. Although I can't cultivate it since I'm not Fire Attribute, some of the principles within it are very helpful for the Dou Skill I want to create."
As early as when he was tempered by the origin of the Fallen Heart Flame in the Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy, a雏形 [chúxíng] (prototype) of a Dou Skill had already formed in Chen Xiao's mind.
Afterward, by reading extensively and continuously accumulating knowledge, the prototype became more and more complete. Until the last Sudden Enlightenment, he gained even more inspiration.
Unfortunately, for the Dou Skill in his mind to truly be realized, it still needed a type of flame, a flame with an Ice Attribute that he could control. The stronger the power, the better.
For example, the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, which was theoretically suitable for him.
Bone Spirit Cold Flame, a mixture of extreme heat and extreme cold. When extremely hot, it incinerated everything. When extremely cold, it froze the world...
This Heavenly Flame was ranked quite high on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, and Chen Xiao couldn't Pre-pay for it for now.
Yao Chen did have one, but that was Yao Chen's lifeline, and there was basically no possibility of exchanging for it.
When he had contact with Yao Chen a year ago, Chen Xiao also didn't have the ability to forcibly obtain it, so it had been delayed until now.
"It's good that it's useful. Also, this, Little Fairy Doctor Sister and Old Man Hai said this should be a Seventh-Tier Fire Attribute Magic Core."
Zi Yan chuckled and nodded, taking out another wooden box and handing it to Chen Xiao.
Opening the wooden box, a fist-sized fiery red spherical body lay quietly inside. One could feel that this sphere contained an extremely violent and vast Fire Attribute energy.
This was the Magic Core that the Earth Demon Old Ghost had prepared for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet. Chen Xiao had expected it and wasn't surprised.
"What's the last item? Don't keep me in suspense."
Putting away the Magic Core, Chen Xiao slightly tilted his head to ask, then quickly turned back.
This girl, Zi Yan, was completely draped over his shoulder, ample and generous.
Turning back slightly, he averted his gaze.
Everyone around Chen Xiao had a deep appreciation for his ability to gather information, and they could also guess that he had his own secrets.
However, no one had ever explicitly mentioned it, including Zi Yan, who seemed a bit silly.
Without asking further, Zi Yan took out a grayish-brown bamboo slip and handed it to him.
The material of this bamboo slip looked very ordinary, but since the Earth Demon Old Ghost had specifically placed it with items like the Thunderclap Mirror, even if Chen Xiao didn't have the advantage of memory, he could guess that it was definitely not something common.
Gently untying the thin thread on the bamboo slip, Chen Xiao slowly unfolded it. Then, three bloody characters appeared clearly under his gaze.
"Heavenly Demon Puppet!"
"Heavenly Demon Puppet, this method is not a cultivation technique, nor is it an ordinary Dou Skill, but a puppet technique passed down from ancient times. To refine a Heavenly Demon Puppet, three things are needed: a body, a soul, and a magic core. Using the body as the vessel, the soul as the guide, and the magic core as the heart, combined with numerous materials, it ultimately creates a Demon Puppet. Demon Puppets are divided into three grades: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The difference in grade depends on the refining materials and the refining flame. Their power is boundless, and they feel no joy, sorrow, pain, or injury. They are truly a killing weapon..."
His gaze swept over the blood-red text on the bamboo slip, which was no different from what Chen Xiao already knew, only more detailed.
"We have Old Eagle Mountain Man's body, Han Feng's soul, and a magic core. Can't we refine another one anytime? But refining puppets requires flames. It would be great if Sister Cao Ying were here."
Zi Yan said with her eyes lighting up.
Everyone had deeply experienced the effectiveness of the Heavenly Demon Puppet during this time. If they had another Heavenly Demon Puppet, even without Cao Xi, they could still surround and kill a Six-Star Dou Zong.
What she didn't know was that the Heavenly Demon Puppet could still evolve. Otherwise, she would probably be even more interested.
"I have other arrangements for Han Feng's soul. Now that Demon Flame Valley is destroyed, the Black-Corner Region is no longer a threat. For the next period, just focus on cultivating. There's no need to rush to refine the Heavenly Demon Puppet. When we get to the Central State, it will be Cao Ying's turn to work."
Zi Yan nodded, then asked curiously, "When are we going to the Central State? Three years from now?"
"It won't take that long, two years at most."
Zi Yan nodded in agreement, then jumped off the bed.
"Alright, you continue. I'm going to see Sister Cai Lin."
As she spoke, purple energy surged around her, and she transformed back into her Little Dragon Person form.
Watching Zi Yan leave, Chen Xiao didn't continue reading the notes. He began to study the pre-pay in his mind.
Every time he completed the follow-up for a pre-pay and the pre-pay opportunity refreshed, he would try things he couldn't pre-pay before to see if the limit had increased.
This time was no exception.
It was a bit regrettable that after some attempts, Chen Xiao found that the pre-pay limit had not changed this time. It seemed he would have to wait until he broke through to the Dou Zong realm to pre-pay those more precious things.
Shaking his head to discard the greed, Chen Xiao carefully considered his current situation.
With the matter of Demon Flame Valley resolved, the focus for the next period would be on improving his strength.
He had the Qing Yuan Pill, which could accelerate his cultivation speed at the Dou Huang level, and the quantity was abundant. This was only a Fifth-Grade Elixir. Even if the ones left by Cao Ying were used up, Old Yan from the Thousand Medicine Shop was also a Fifth-Grade Alchemist and could refine them.
In addition, Chen Xiao also had the Ice Spirit Jade to assist him, which could further increase his cultivation speed.
Finally, there was the Royal Extreme Pill that he hadn't taken yet.
"The Mid-Level Earth Tier Cultivation Technique is temporarily sufficient, and I can't pre-pay for a higher level one. Dou Skills are not being considered. I already have soul cultivation methods and Soul Skills. Should I pre-pay for some medicinal ingredients or other things that can be taken directly and are useful for the Dou Huang level, such as Sixth-Tier Magical Beast Essence Blood?"
A thought stirred in Chen Xiao's mind, and he had some ideas.
Leaving the pre-pay opportunity unused was too wasteful. Since there was nothing urgently needed at the moment, it might be better to maximize its role in assisting cultivation.
For example, with something like Sixth-Tier Magical Beast Essence Blood, Chen Xiao could completely pre-pay it and use it in advance. Not only could it increase his strength, but it could also improve his physical body strength.
Most importantly, completing the follow-up for this kind of pre-pay was very simple.
Chen Xiao didn't even need to spend time personally hunting magical beasts. He could just issue a mission. As long as the reward could tempt the powerhouses in the Black-Corner Region, there would naturally be plenty of people willing to do the work.
When Demon Flame Valley was still around, these powerhouses might have had some reservations, but now, as long as Chen Xiao gave them the opportunity, the powerhouses on the Black Ranking would definitely rush to help.
"Someone!"
Hearing Chen Xiao's call, a Dou Ling from the Mitre Family immediately walked in from outside, bowing and waiting for instructions.
"Notify all forces in the Black-Corner Region with powerhouses at or above the Dou Wang level to have their leaders gather at the Purple Firmament Pavilion in seven days. Tell them that this Pavilion Master has something to discuss. Black Emperor Sect is excluded."
"Yes!"
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