"Who is this kid?" Wang Kun asked from the side.
"Crown Prince, his name is Xiao Hao. He’s a waste who awakened a One-Star Bronze Martial Soul! We’ve already expelled him from the Xiao Family," Xiao Long sneered.
"Hmph! To think a waste like him would dream of defeating my Junior Sister. Who gave him the nerve!" Wang Kun jeered, looking at him as if he were a buffoon.
HUMMM!
Just then, a wave of incredibly powerful True Qi suddenly surged from Xiao Yu’s body, making the very air tremble.
"What? Xiao Yu has already reached the Yellow Realm Fifth Layer!"
Xiao Chen’s pupils contracted sharply, his expression one of utter shock.
"Haha! As expected of my daughter, advancing three small realms in just one month! You waste, what do you possibly have to fight my daughter with?" Xiao Yang exclaimed, ecstatic.
"My disciple’s cultivation speed is rare even in the Profound Sword Academy. For this kid to think he can defeat her is simply a fool’s dream!" Tang Feng said with a smile.
"Waste, surely you understand the gap between us now!" Xiao Yu said, her head held high with pride.
"Is that little bit of strength something to be proud of?" Xiao Hao said lightly.
"Shut your mouth! I’d like to see how long you can keep up that tough talk!"
Xiao Yu was instantly enraged by Xiao Hao.
She had originally thought that reaching the Yellow Realm Fifth Layer would surely make Xiao Hao despair.
But he seemed utterly disdainful. How could she tolerate that!
SWOOSH!
In the next moment, Xiao Yu’s figure flickered, and she instantly appeared before Xiao Hao. Potent True Qi coiled around her right palm as she struck at him.
This was the Xiao Family’s Mortal Level Upper Grade Martial Art, the Cold Jade Palm.
In the past month, Xiao Yu had already cultivated it to the Perfection realm.
Combined with her cultivation having reached the Yellow Realm Fifth Layer, its power was several times greater than a month ago.
’I refuse to believe Xiao Hao can still withstand this.’
BANG!
Just then, Xiao Hao also executed the Cold Jade Palm, his palm clashing fiercely with Xiao Yu’s.
AAAH!
A piercing scream escaped Xiao Yu’s lips. Her body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing hard onto the ground.
"No! This is impossible!"
"How could his cultivation have reached the Yellow Realm Fifth Layer too?"
Xiao Long’s and Xiao Yang’s eyes went wide, as if they had seen a ghost.
"My disciple lost to him again!"
Tang Feng also wore an expression of disbelief.
"Junior Sister, are you all right?!"
Wang Kun quickly flashed to Xiao Yu’s side and helped her up from the ground.
At the same time, his gaze fell on Xiao Hao, a terrifying, cold light glinting in his eyes.
"I’m fine!"
Xiao Yu’s face was a mask of frost; she found the reality of the situation hard to accept.
She couldn’t understand how Xiao Hao, that waste, could have advanced to the Yellow Realm Fifth Layer in such a short time.
’If I had known, I would have used my Snow Phoenix Martial Soul to fight Xiao Hao from the start. Then I wouldn’t be in such a pathetic state.’
"Hao’Er actually won!"
At this moment, Xiao Chen felt as if he were dreaming.
"Hmph! That waste’s mother must have left him elixirs even better than Qi Gathering Pills. Otherwise, his cultivation couldn’t have improved so quickly," Xiao Long said, his face incomparably dark.
"So that’s how it is."
"That explains it! How could a waste who awakened a One-Star Bronze Martial Soul possibly have a cultivation speed comparable to Miss Yu’s!"
"What’s so great about forcefully raising your cultivation with elixirs? Even a pig could do that."
The Xiao Clan Members all came to a sudden realization and began to scoff at Xiao Hao.
"It seems this kid’s mother was no simple character. A pity his awakened Martial Soul is just too poor. Even with an endless supply of elixirs, it’s useless. Sooner or later, he’ll hit a bottleneck," Tang Feng said, shaking his head.
Elixirs could indeed rapidly increase a Martial Artist’s cultivation.
But what truly determined a Martial Artist’s upper limit was their Martial Soul.
If one’s Martial Soul was too weak, their cultivation would stagnate forever after reaching a certain level, no matter how many more elixirs they consumed.
And Xiao Hao had awakened the trashiest One-Star Bronze Martial Soul. Reaching the Profound Realm would be his absolute limit.
A person like that had no future to speak of.
"Junior Sister, he actually dared to injure you. Do you want your Senior Brother to teach him a lesson for you?" Wang Kun said coldly.
"Thank you, Third Senior Brother, but I want to defeat him myself. Next time, I absolutely will not lose to him again!" Xiao Yu said through gritted teeth.
Losing to this waste, Xiao Hao, twice in a row was, for her, an unparalleled humiliation.
But the more this was the case, the more she felt she had to defeat Xiao Hao with her own hands. Otherwise, she would develop a heart-devil, which would be detrimental to her future cultivation.
"Very well! That waste’s upper limit is the Profound Realm First Layer at best. Once you step into the Profound Realm, Junior Sister, crushing him will be as easy as turning over your hand!"
Wang Kun nodded, not taking Xiao Hao seriously in the slightest.
"Xiao Yu, one day, I will take back what belongs to me! Father, let’s go!"
After speaking, Xiao Hao left the Xiao Family grounds with Xiao Chen.
Although he desperately wanted to take back the necklace Xiao Yu wore, with Tang Feng here, he had absolutely no hope of succeeding and could only continue to endure.
’However, I believe that before long, my strength will surpass Tang Feng’s, and I will take back what is mine.’
’Hmph! Xiao Hao, you can forget about getting that necklace back for the rest of your life.’
Watching Xiao Hao’s departing figure, Xiao Yu sneered in her heart.
"Disciple, although you lost to him, you need not be discouraged. Your Martial Soul’s potential is more than a hundred times greater than his. Your future achievements are simply beyond his comparison!
Now then, the auction at the Celestial Pill Pavilion is about to begin. Let’s go!" Tang Feng said.
"Yes, Master."
Xiao Yu’s eyes were filled with keen anticipation.
’As long as Master helps me buy those seven flawless Purple Spirit Pills, I’ll definitely be able to step into the Profound Realm within half a year.’
’At that time, Xiao Hao will be nothing but a joke in front of me.’
’I hope we can find some information on that mysterious Alchemist this time. If we can invite him to the Profound Sword Academy, we’ll surely be able to cultivate a large number of elites. Then we can compete with the geniuses from other dynasties.’
Tang Feng thought, his gaze intensely fervent.
Following that, he led Xiao Yu and the others toward the Celestial Pill Pavilion.
"Hao’Er, your Martial Soul is simply heaven-defying! To help you advance to the Yellow Realm Fifth Layer in such a short time... I’m starting to suspect it might be a legendary King Level Martial Soul," Xiao Chen couldn’t help but exclaim with emotion.
"Father, my Martial Soul might be even more powerful than a King Level Martial Soul. Before long, no one in all of Celestial Water City will be my match. When that time comes, I will definitely find a way to restore your Dantian so you can cultivate again," Xiao Hao said.
"Hao’Er, it’s enough that you have the heart. But your father’s Dantian is extremely difficult to restore, unless we have a Celestial Level Elixir! You don’t need to put too much pressure on yourself. Just let things take their natural course," Xiao Chen said.
Not long after, they arrived at a simple courtyard.
This was their new home. Though not luxurious, the surroundings were quiet and perfect for cultivation.
’I’ll refine the remaining seven Foundation Establishment Pills right here.’
Xiao Hao entered his room, took out a Foundation Establishment Pill, swallowed it, and began the refinement process.
He didn’t know when the Black Dragon Alliance would send their experts, nor how strong they would be.
The only thing he could do was increase his cultivation in the shortest time possible to protect his adoptive father.