Chapter 23 - 23: Timeskip and Meeting Some Bad Luck?

Three Years Quickly Passed By... Location: Suotuo City

Suotuo City was a large city, this bit could be seen from Spirit Hall's allocated as the third ranked Lord Spirit Hall.

Currently just past noon, the blazing sun shining fiercely, at Suotuo City's west gate entered four youths. By looks, they both only appear to be ten-some years old, not carrying any luggage, two boys and two girls.

"YES! We finally reached this Suotuo City! I really don't understand how Grandmaster thought, obviously there's quite a few intermediate spirit master academies expressed they would unconditionally recruit us, yet he asked us to come take the examination here that not even worn down academies would." Silky smooth black long hair combed out into a neat scorpion braid, hung down to her lower back, wearing small pink clothes, tightly covering a figure already begun developing, if speaking of c.h.e.s.t still said to be inadequately developed, but her slender small waist could cause countless women envy.

Tall and slender taut legs wrapped up in trousers, her face was still childish, but a perfectly round little b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s were already somewhat hinted at.(A/N: Image)

"Complaining? I seemed to forget someone saying she wanted to enjoy the journey to Suotuo City?" A boy by the girl's side opened his mouth to reply to the girl. The boy's clothing was simple, looking like twelve or thirteen years old, about one metre seventy tall, wearing a pale blue fresh attire, very neat.

Around his waist a belt inset with twenty four pieces of jade, black hair hanging halfway down to his shoulders, facial features although not considered handsome, gave people a kind of very easy to get along with feeling. At the corners of his mouth he continuously wore a slight smile.(A/N: Image)

The girl pouted as the boy's smile turned teasingly before his mouth turned into a coughing fit as the girl, quick as the wind, struck his stomach with the back of her elbow, seeing the pained expression on the boy, the girl didn't hold back.

"True to that but, I wouldn't complain anyway Wu-er. Suotuo City... heh, can't wait to look around and see what's the difference between Nouding City and this one." Said with an excited smile by a twelve year old boy as he looked around, giving a quick sly wink at the scorpion braid girl, he turned to give a quick glance at bakery store before storing it's location and name at the back of his mind.

With black hair and eyes, a handsome face that made some of the girls he passed by turned their heads twice and even more to look at him with hearts in their eyes, he wore a mixed pf red and black clothes, black boots and some copper like ornaments to compliment it. He had a bigger build than the boy besides him, but was still lean, he seemed to be at the same height of girl or even taller, while the boy gave off a calming and easy going feeling, he seemed to give off a comfortable and confident feeling around himself. (A/N: Image)(A/N: It's just the cover image if you can't see it)

"Well I also think that it was a enjoyable experience for everyone, right Xiao Wu? Suotuo City... It's bigger and livelier than I expected?" Giving a side hug to the scorpion braid girl and sly wink as well, she hummed in a interested voice as she went to the youth's side.

She was a girl with long silky soft black hair that reached her waist, black pretty eyes with sometimes golden light flashing, which gave others a feeling of mystery and unknown beauty, it also made any boy that stare into them to fall for her, in fact, the surrounding boys that she passed would just continue to stare at her until they either hit someone else or a building wall.

Wearing simple mixed of white and blue clothes, and deep blue colored boots just below her knees which off them legs, she walked close by the boy as she put a casual, yet, enchanting smile on her face. With a c.h.e.s.t that should belong to someone older by a couple or more years, as well as her curves and b.u.t.t, she walked with her hands behind her back by the side of the boy, unknowingly causing her peaks to rise higher.(A/N: Image)

Yes. These four people are Xiao Wu, Tang San, Xiao Yan and Xun Er respectively. Although a mere three years has passed, they looked far from their nine year old selves.

A lot of surprises had happened during the past three years.

For instance their teacher Yu Xiaogang had finally brokethrough his 29th spirit rank after 2 decades!

It had happened when he had digested that refined hundred year old purification fruit. Just like what the description of it said, it had completely cleansed all of the impurities inside his body, that had blocked the pathways of his meridians, and everything else to bring the body's state to peak condition.

Including changing the state of his appearance.(A/N: Image)

Yup. At the age of 40-50, he looks like one of those long haired bad boys that Xiao Yan saw in his past life. Yu Xiaogang's new look caused him to gain a jealous and envious look from grandpa Lao and Xiao Yan, two swoon pair of eyes, before they pale and turned green, from Xiao Wu and Xun, one blank look from Tang San.

Truth be told, the effects of the purification fruit wasn't supposed to affect Yu Xiaogang's body that much, but when grandpa Lao visited him to help diagnose his situation he explained that it was due to Xiao Yan's heavenly flame refining it.

When Xiao Yan was just almost done undergoing the trial by fire of his heavenly flame, he had unknowingly let the fruits out of the storage and the flame had done something unexpected, it had refined them to perfection and was about to get incinerated if it weren't for Xiao Yan's timely completion of the trial.

When the heavenly flame refined the fruits, it not only helped condensed and converged all of the fruit's beneficial effects into a smaller size to bring out most of, it also left a part of it's spirit power to further increase the effects of the fruits. Which resulted in Yu Xiaogang's condition.

Of course, it didn't just stop there. No no no. Luo San Pao, his spirit had also evolved!

It's once small and chubby figure, and pale purple fur, had took a radical change. It's height increased into 10 feet tall, the unknown bulging and spherical, something on top of it's head grew into a two meter in length and three finger wide pointed horn. It's once pale purple fur was shed to show hardened golden scales that was both fearsome and yet beautiful. Two 13 feet wide exquisite and dangerous pale golden wings appeared on it's back.(A/N: Image)

Luo San Pao, had evolved into a Sacred Golden Dragon! Is what Xiao Yan had thought at the time, strangely feeling nostalgic all of the sudden, as well as getting a feeling of holding a white and red colored ball to throw it at the evolved Luo San Pao, while yelling out loud that he was the best.

Later on after his spirit had evolved, Yu Xiaogang tried calming down all the spirit power inside of him, the spirit power that he had kept on gathering inside of him for several years, and quickly tried to find out his current spirit power rank. Which shocked everyone in the room.

Two purple spirit rings appeared behind Yu Xiaogang as his trembled and face plastered in complete utter disbelief.

"Spirit power rank... 49..." Soon after he dropped the bombshell he directly fainted face first to the ground.

Not only his spirit power has skyrocketed into 2 entire realms of cultivation but his spirit rings as well had undergo an evolution.

After being woken up and several hours of sessions of crying and Yu Xiaogang being grateful. Xiao Yan, Xiao Wu and Tang San then ate the remaining refined fruits and undergo a transformation.

... They didn't really have any changes on the outside but in the inside however; they have a more denser bone structure, meridians pathways, strengthen bone marrows and more vitality than before. So it wasn't really a bust, despite Xiao Wu's protests, their bodies had gotten stronger so it really matter.

Especially Xiao Yan, with a already stronger body than his own spirit power, with his strange physique Zenkai boost during the whole fire forest fiasco, he felt the overall power and strength of his body risen. Having only testing his body on some 'willing' volunteers he was able to see and feel that his body was at the peak spirit spirit elder level of toughness, endurance and strength. But he wasn't truly clear about it due to the fact that there weren't any powerful spirit ancestors for him to willingly spar with to make him understand his true limits.

Xiao Yan did numerous training and spars with his friends, especially Xun Er, everytime they spar he would always end up defeated or make a draw between them. That had greatly surprised him at first when he was swiftly defeated by her, before thinking on it for a while, he decided that it was to be expected.

When they fought at each other back in the Fiery Bright Forest, Xun Er was inexperienced in her human form fighting against humanoid beings. Combined with being unfamiliar in moving her body, heavenly flame and using her spirit skills but with more spirit power and strength than him, Xiao Yan could only bring their fight into a draw at that time as he himself was unfamiliar of the newly gained abilities of his as well as with the help of immense leftover spirit power of the heavenly flame that his body couldn't fully absorbed.

And that was three years ago. With no one except his peers/friends to spar with to gain insight of his true abilities and strength Xiao Yan could only do with what he had.

Anyways, much later on Tang San and Xiao Wu brokethrough to the 30th spirit rank much early on and got their own thousand years old spirit rings, only this time, it was far more older than what the optimal spirit ring condition for spirit elders, thankfully their bodies and minds, though Xiao Yan knew that Xiao Wu didn't get her spirit ring from a spirit beast cause, well, she got it from her own body? So Tang San was the only one who's body and mind were more than ready to take on the spirit power of the thousand year old spirit ring.

What was most ironic was the fact that his third spirit ring was the same as what he had in the original. Only this time, it was older and the ability much more stronger. He also got the external spirit bone despite the fact he got it from a different spirit beast than the original, though Xiao Yan reasoned the heavenly laws, aka plot, was helping him.

Especially Xiao Yan, as he had invented one of the most best selling 2nd tier pill in all the Douluo Continent, the Biggra Pill.

One of the best choices Xiao Yan had made when he chose to become an alchemist. All hail the motherf.u.c.k.i.n.g human king!

Yeah Xiao Yan had brokethrough to the grandmaster spirit rank a two and a half years ago and which had had transition to him rising to the 2nd tier Alchemist after concocting some 2nd tier pills.

The requirements for someone to rise to the ranks of being an alchemists was simple, you concoct three pills of the tiers that basically says which tier alchemist you are.

Also you need to show off to your teacher, or any branch of the alchemist association, the required spiritual power and fire ability control when making the pills to officially grant your title of which alchemist tier you are.

When Xiao Yan heard the term spiritual power he was initially shock, and thought that Huo Yuhao was born sooner and was an alchemist, until he found out that it was a different ranking system and it was created by someone with the surname Gu.

Xiao Yan had released a relieved sigh at that.

Here's the spiritual power ranking; 1st Tier Spirit, 2nd Tier Spirit, 3rd Tier Spirit, 4th Tier Spirit, 5th Tier Spirit, 6th Tier Spirit, 7th Tier Spirit, 8th Tier Spirit and 9th Tier Spirit. Xiao Yan and Xun Er had asked if someone had reached the 9th Tier Spirit level of spiritual power to his grandpa and he replied after a long pause saying:

"Only those of the Titled Douluo can hope to achieve that level of spiritual power. Even then when alchemists like us reached Titled Douluo they would only have a slim chance of getting their spiritual power to that level. But don't worry about that for now as it's still far for you to understand that level of comprehension."

"Only those of the Titled Douluo can hope to achieve that level of spiritual power huh...." Xiao Yan muttered as he walked besides the group, exploring the streets of Suotuo City, he shook his head to put that information at the back of his head as he listens to Xiao Wu that they needed a place to rest he quickly interjected that he and Xun Er had already booked in an inn a couple days prior.

Xiao Wu asks if he had also reserved them a room but Xiao Yan quickly, but not suspiciously, cut her off saying that he had booked in the last room in the Inn that they have.

Xiao Wu pouted in frustration and was about to dragged him off in shopping spree when Tang San saved him, truly a brother, by taking her by the hand and took off to a certain inn where they'll meet a certain run away white tiger.

Xiao Yan let out a relieved sigh as he gave Tang San a thumbs up. It was all just a lie about the inn being full. In truth is that he just wanted those two to finally have their alone time, as well as getting away from Xiao Wu and don't get him wrong, he loves her as a little sister and would like to keep her company but like all little sisters they can just get you under your skin.

'Haiz, being this exhausted is making me remember about Yi Xian. I'll missed spending time with her.' A sad expression appeared on Xiao Yan's face.

Two years ago, Xiao Xi Yian's adopted father, Xiao Yao, had passed away.

The caused of death of Xiao Yao was of old age and the old injuries that he got when he was young. Xiao Xi Yian was devastated and had cried an entire night on Xiao Yan's c.h.e.s.t.

A few days later, Xiao Xi Yian had left Nouding City and leaving a note to tell him that; she was going to bring the remains of Xiao Yao to his hometown for his resting place and swore that she would later return.

'That was two years ago...' Xiao Yan clenched his hands into fists. Wisps of green fiery ambers started lighted up his fists. Deeply worried and concerned for his best friend.

Unknown to Xiao Yan, due to being deep in his thoughts and negative emotions, he didn't notice the small shy smile on Xun Er's blushing face as she returned the thumbs that she got from Tang San.

'Uwu, I'm finally alone with Yan... What should I do? Should I make the first move? But Xiao Wu said that the guy should be the first to make the move. And if Yan would make the first, what should do next? Be cool and friendly? Be cold and yet cute?' At this point Xun Er felt like her head had exploded from blushing too hard and steam was coming out of her ears.

'Haiz, this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for old man Lao giving me that book/novel about romance. Now I can't look at Yan without thinking about all those dramas and love scenes in my head as I read that book. I hate you old man! I hate you so much!'

<Scene Break>

"Achoo! Eh? Who's talking about me?"

<Scene Break End>

Xun Er let out a long sigh. But then blinked her eyes as she stared at a chicken drumstick right in front of her. Following the hand that held the banana, Xun Er came face to face with a smirking Xiao Yan.

'Huh? Did I really continue to walk without thinking of my actions?'

She immediately blushed in embarrassment at their closeness.

Xiao Yan asked.

"Hey Xun Er, want one?"

She took a moment to respond a nod for a yes.

Xiao Yan gave the chicken to Xun Er and then turned to the barbeque vendor to asked for another one for himself.

Just as the vendor respond for a nod another voice calls out besides him in a soft and feminine voice.

"I want barbequed fish please, also, can you make it extra crispy and saucy?"

Only it wasn't Xun Er as she was nibbling on a chicken drumstick.

Turning to the other side Xiao Yan went wide eyes as he take in the appearance of another girl besides him.

Black long hair scattered over her shoulders, face slightly lowered, height not much different from Xun Er, skin also similarly fair. But, this girl gave people a kind of feeling of standing out from the masses.

She had an extremely well developed figure that was actually somewhat inconsistent with her age, if not seeing her face, very likely one would believe she was an a.d.u.l.t young lady, especially that imposing bosom, it could attract all men's attention, though not at the same level as the other girl besides him.

In contrast with her fiery figure, the young lady's facial expression was very indifferent, it was a kind of chill rising from the heart, ice cold, a pair of black eyes that did not hold even a trace of vitality. Somewhat clashing with her originally extremely beautiful face. All four limbs well proportioned and slender, Both hands hanging naturally to either side, body releasing a deathly still ice chill other people around them very uncomfortable. She was like an emo version of Xun Er!!

But Xiao Yan knew better.

'Zhu Zhuqing?!'