All in all, the girl was a bit of an oddball, but she was quite generous.
And judging by the properties of the weapon she used, she was very likely a Dark Force-type Mage as well, which was a pleasant surprise for Feng Hao.
He knew that the grafting ability of [Black Eyes] only worked on talents from the same branch. His tier-one talent was a Dark Force-type talent, so he could only graft talents related to Dark Force.
If that girl could develop a Dark Force talent, he would have a chance to take his power to the next level.
Of course, before that, he had to find a way to get on good terms with Xi Yueyao. After all, grafting her Genetic Tree required getting a sample of her blood.
'Daggers are best dual-wielded. I need to find a chance to trick her out of the other one, too,' Feng Hao thought maliciously.
After seeing Xi Yueyao off, business at the Miao Medicine Tower returned to normal. Many Mages, hearing of its reputation, came to buy medicine. Some even came from other cities.
In the evening, Miao Feng returned from his supply run, his expression grim. "Master, I ran into people from the Beixing Family on my way back."
"They didn't give you any trouble, did they?" Feng Hao asked with a frown.
"No." Miao Feng shook his head slightly and continued, "They just asked about the Experience Pills. It seems they want to buy some, too."
"They're well-informed." Feng Hao's brow furrowed. "Did you agree?"
Miao Feng gritted his teeth, his voice filled with resentment. "Of course not."
"Good."
With that, the two of them stopped dwelling on the matter of the Beixing Family.
After organizing the purchased materials, Feng Hao began refining Experience Pills while Miao Feng watched intently from the side.
Three batches of tier-five Experience Pills and the first batch of Tier One Experience Pills were quickly refined. Miao Feng couldn't help but exclaim in amazement at Feng Hao's godlike alchemy skills.
Under Feng Hao's guidance during this time, he had already faintly reached the level of a Second-level Alchemist. Refining common tier-one and tier-two pills was no longer a problem for him. Although he couldn't compare to Feng Hao in terms of pill quality and success rate, he was already very satisfied.
"These are for the three major families. Deliver them in five days so they don't get suspicious," Feng Hao said, handing a portion of the Experience Pills to Miao Feng with instructions.
"Understood." Miao Feng nodded seriously. "Oh, right, Master. The academy is starting soon. Should we hire some help?"
Feng Hao was slightly taken aback, not having realized how quickly time had passed. "You can take care of that."
...
Inside the Xiyue Clan manor, seeing Xi Yueyao return, Xiyue Peak asked with a stern face, "Yaoyao, where have you been causing trouble now?"
"I was not!" Xi Yueyao's big eyes darted around. She took out an Experience Pill and said smugly, "Look, Daddy! This is an Experience Pill I got from the Miao Medicine Tower. I told you they must have a lot more hidden away."
"Are you sure you *got* it, not *stole* it?" Xiyue Peak's expression was grave. He knew his lawless little daughter all too well.
Xi Yueyao pouted. "Well, I was going to steal it, but then I thought that kid's performance was pretty good, so I gave him a dagger instead."
"You didn't give away the Dark Moon Dagger, did you?" Xiyue Peak's face darkened, his heart aching at the thought.
"I did. It's not like I like using daggers anyway," Xi Yueyao said nonchalantly.
"You, this girl..." Xiyue Peak was so angry he was speechless. Although Experience Pills were precious, the Dark Moon Dagger was just as valuable.
Besides, the clan had already ordered a batch of Experience Pills, so there was no need to pay such a high price. But what could he do? He was the one who raised such a prodigal daughter.
"Hmph!" Xi Yueyao snorted dismissively, skipping away without realizing she had made a losing deal.
On the other side of the manor, in the eldest daughter Xiyue Frost's chambers.
Ever since the theft, Xiyue Frost had shut herself in her room. Whenever she thought of those two shameless thieves from that day, she wished she could subject them to death by a thousand cuts.
But so much time had passed, and not a single clue had been found.
"Sister, look what goodies I brought!" Xi Yueyao bounded in, opened her small hand, and placed six Experience Pills before her.
"You, silly girl!" Xiyue Frost shot her an exasperated glance. Her eyes fell on the Experience Pills, and she asked in surprise, "Weren't we told the first batch of Experience Pills wouldn't arrive for a few more days?"
"I got these from the Miao Medicine Tower! What do you think? Am I amazing or what?" Xi Yueyao said, tilting her little face up proudly.
Xiyue Frost couldn't help but laugh. She really didn't know what to say about her younger sister. "You, honestly. You don't act like a girl at all."
Xi Yueyao pouted, clearly not taking the words to heart. She said excitedly, "Sister, hurry and try one."
"You keep them. I'm not in a hurry," Xiyue Frost said with a radiant smile.
"That kid selling the pills said you can only eat five at most, any more and they won't have an effect," Xi Yueyao said with a pout. "I already ate one, and there are six here, so you can have two, Sister."
"Is that so?" Xiyue Frost was surprised. She hesitated for a moment before picking up an Experience Pill and consuming it.
She had been present during the initial pill testing and was very curious about the Experience Pill's miraculous effects. After taking it, she quickly felt a surging medicinal power and hurriedly closed her eyes to begin cultivating.
Ten minutes later, Xiyue Frost opened her eyes and frowned. "It doesn't seem to have any effect."
"How is that possible? Did that kid give me fake pills?" Xi Yueyao exclaimed, gritting her teeth.
"I doubt they're fake," Xiyue Frost said thoughtfully. "This Tier One Experience Pill probably only works on Mages below the second tier. I'm already level twenty-two."
"I'll try one myself. If they're really fake, I'll tear down the Miao Medicine Tower!" Xi Yueyao huffed and swallowed an Experience Pill.
Feeling the familiar medicinal effect, her beautiful eyes lit up instantly, and she began cultivating without a moment's delay.
Xiyue Frost shook her head helplessly. Her sister was playful by nature and usually too lazy to cultivate, yet she yearned for the power of a High-level Mage.
That's why during the pill testing, when she heard that Experience Pills could directly raise one's level, she had snatched one from a servant and popped it into her mouth without a second thought. Thankfully, there was nothing wrong with the pill, or it would have been too late for regrets.
After taking four Experience Pills in a row, Xi Yueyao went from a level-six Mage to a level-thirteen Mage. She giggled foolishly in excitement. "Heehee, cultivating isn't so hard after all!"
"I wonder who it is that gets a long face just hearing the word 'cultivate'?" Xiyue Frost said irritably.
"Hmph, it's definitely not me. I love cultivating the most," Xi Yueyao said with a pout, refusing to admit it.
Xiyue Frost shook her head helplessly and asked seriously, "Stop fooling around. Tell me, what talent did you awaken?"
"Oh." Xi Yueyao closed her eyes to sense it for a moment, then opened them in pleasant surprise. "Wahahaha! It's the strongest talent, Dark Force Fifth Layer! I really am a genius."
"Dark Force Fifth Layer?!" Xiyue Frost was equally surprised and delighted.
Among the currently known Dark Force-type talents, Dark Force Fifth Layer was undoubtedly the strongest. It could add four subsequent instances of damage to your Dark Force attacks. With each instance's power decreasing by twenty percent, a rough calculation amounted to about triple the damage.
Furthermore, Dark Force had the innate advantage of ignoring armor and Gang Qi, making the damage output from five hits incredibly substantial.
There was still one Experience Pill left. Not wanting to waste it, Xi Yueyao swallowed it without a second thought. As it turned out, the sixth Experience Pill had no effect.
'That kid wasn't lying. But how am I supposed to cultivate now?' Xi Yueyao's face fell.
Beside her, Xiyue Frost could only shake her head helplessly.
...
「A few days later.」
The first batch of Experience Pills was delivered to the three major families of the east, west, and south.
Thanks to the powerful effects of the Experience Pills, the strength of the three major families rose rapidly. Their three Patriarchs even broke through to the sixth tier under the effect of the tier-five Experience Pills, putting them on the same level as Beixing Kuang.
Coupled with the boost the Tier One Experience Pills gave to the younger generation, Rongcheng had transformed from a city dominated by the Beixing Family to a state where four great families vied for power. This was the exact outcome Feng Hao and Miao Feng had hoped to see.
The Beixing Clan was now in complete chaos. They could only watch as the other three major families rose rapidly, completely powerless to stop them.
During this period, the Beixing Clan had sent people to the Miao Medicine Tower to negotiate on several occasions, only to be given the cold shoulder every time. A few times they tried to use force, but they were dealt with by the other three families working together.
There was nothing they could do. Ever since Feng Hao revealed that he could refine tier-six Experience Pills, the three major families had started treating the Miao Medicine Tower like a precious treasure.
The three Patriarchs would drop by the Miao Medicine Tower from time to time. Feng Hao, of course, wouldn't refuse to associate with these three gods of wealth. Over time, they became good friends who could talk about anything. As for how much weight this friendship held, that was anyone's guess.
It was time for the annual entrance exam for Rongcheng Academy. Led by Miao Feng, Feng Hao arrived at the legendary Rongcheng Academy.
It was no exaggeration to say that the magnificent academy before them occupied nearly a third of Rongcheng, leaving Feng Hao with an unprecedented sense of shock.
Countless young men and women who had come from all over Rongcheng to study bustled about, creating a unique atmosphere of youth, dreams, and passion...
"Xiaomiaozi, is there anything I need to pay attention to for the entrance exam in a bit?" Feng Hao asked with a smile.
"Not really. They just test your genetic activity and then collect a huge tuition fee," Miao Feng replied casually.
Feng Hao nodded slightly and continued walking through the surging crowd.
Perhaps it was because enemies were bound to cross paths, but they had barely taken a few steps before they ran into Beixing Ran, the girl who had broken off their engagement. Beside her stood a tall, wild-looking middle-aged man who, from his bearing, had to be the Beixing Clan's Patriarch, Beixing Kuang.
Upon seeing Beixing Ran, Miao Feng's expression instantly turned ugly. He gritted his teeth and pulled Feng Hao to walk in another direction.
Feng Hao knew the boy didn't want to cause him any trouble. He chuckled and pulled him to a stop. "Why go around? They're the ones who should be moving aside."
"But I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself," Miao Feng said through clenched teeth, his chest heaving.
"Still haven't gotten over it?" Feng Hao chuckled. "You have to understand, from the moment you became my disciple, that woman was no longer worthy of you."
Miao Feng was silent for a long time before his emotions gradually calmed. "Thank you, Master."
"Come on. Walk past them with your back straight!"
Led by Feng Hao, Miao Feng bravely lifted his head and walked straight toward them. In that moment, an unprecedented pride and confidence filled his chest.
Beixing Kuang and his daughter naturally noticed them as well. Seeing the two approach, Beixing Kuang wanted to go forward and exchange a few words, perhaps to ease the tension between them.
However, Feng Hao and Miao Feng had no intention of acknowledging him and walked past them casually.
"So what if he found a powerful master? What's there to be so smug about," Beixing Ran said with a disdainful look.
Beixing Kuang shook his head with a bitter smile. This daughter of his still didn't understand the clan's current situation, nor did she know about the Experience Pills. "Xiaoran, after you enter the academy, find a chance to make up with Miao Feng."
"I'd rather not," Beixing Ran said, raising her head proudly.
"That's an order!" Beixing Kuang said in a low voice.
Beixing Ran was indignant. "Isn't he just the disciple of an Alchemist? Once I get into the academy, I'll find you an even more impressive son-in-law!"
"You girl... Forget it. Do whatever you want," Beixing Kuang sighed melancholically.