Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

Xiao Bai paused at Xiao Yan's question, turning to fix him with a deep, unreadable stare.

Xiao Yan shrank back under that gaze, all too familiar with it. That's the look he gives me before a beating!

"I have a flexible moral bottom line," Xiao Bai said after a moment, his words initially baffling Xiao Yan. Then he turned and continued walking.

"Flexible moral bottom line?" Xiao Yan muttered, puzzling over it. Suddenly, it clicked. Brother Bai's just saying he's shameless! If he can win, he'll talk morals. If he can't, what morals?

He didn't dare say it aloud, though—getting thrashed wasn't on his to-do list. Thumbs up, Brother Bai. Only you could make shamelessness sound so refined.

Inside the ring, Yao Lao rolled his eyes, mentally comparing his strength to Xiao Bai's, wondering if the kid would "talk morals" with him.

The two walked in silence until they reached the Miteer Auction House in the northern district.

The Miteer Auction House was the largest and most prestigious trading hub in the Jia Ma Empire, with branches in every major city, Wu Tan City included.

Despite its name, the auction house offered more than auctions—it handled appraisals, acquisitions, and retail as well.

The place buzzed with activity, people streaming in and out. Wu Tan City's proximity to the Magical Beast Mountain Range made it a hotspot for mercenaries, who sold herbs, magical beast cores, and other spoils to the auction house. Here, they could offload their goods quickly and at fair prices.

Selling at a market stall might fetch a higher price, but it took time—time better spent hunting in the mountains again.

"Brother Bai, why come here? Couldn't we just go to our clan's market?" Xiao Yan asked, puzzled, as Xiao Bai headed straight for the auction house. He only needed a few herbs and a magical beast core, easily found at the market. "Isn't this place a bit… high-end?"

In Xiao Yan's mind, the Miteer Auction House was for bulk deals or rare items unavailable at regular markets. Most people stuck to the markets for everyday needs.

After asking, Xiao Yan glanced around slyly, leaning in with a mischievous grin. "Heh, I heard they got a real enchanting auctioneer recently. Brother Bai, you here to check her out?"

He gave Xiao Bai a knowing pat, winking. "Don't worry, Brother Bai. We're tight. I won't breathe a word to Cousin Xun'er. Heh heh heh!"

Xiao Bai was speechless.

Yao Lao was speechless.

Both had the sudden urge to smack this kid. What a disgrace!

Am I that kind of person?

I'm a scholar! (I'm an alchemist!) This is an insult to my dignity!

A maid from the auction house spotted them entering. One had grayish-white hair and a handsome face, exuding a carefree charm. The other was youthful, with clear features and confident eyes.

These maids had a knack for spotting big spenders, and these two screamed "big client." With a professional smile, one approached. "Welcome to the Miteer Auction House, young masters. How may I assist you?"

"I need some herbs," Xiao Bai said.

"Please follow me."

She led them to a private reception room, served tea, and asked with a smile, "What herbs does the young master require?"

"Two hundred portions each of Purple Sun Fruit, Blood Coagulation Grass, and Jade Flower," Xiao Bai replied. He turned to Xiao Yan, who quickly added, "I need three ten-year-old Purple Orchid Grass, two Marrow-Washing Flowers, and a first-tier wood-element magical beast core."

The maid jotted down the order, calculated, and said, "The total comes to twenty-three thousand eight hundred gold coins."

Xiao Bai nodded. "Prepare the herbs."

Her smile grew warmer. "Please wait here, sirs." She left to fulfill the order.

"Brother Bai, why buy so many first-tier herbs?" Xiao Yan asked, curious.

"Kid, you're not seriously planning to refine pills, are you? Can your lightning attribute even do that?" Yao Lao chimed in, equally baffled. For anyone else, he'd think they were mad.

But Xiao Bai? That kid's sharper than a monkey with a tail. He's no lunatic.

Last night, Xiao Bai had asked for basic alchemy knowledge and two first-tier pill recipes. Yao Lao had handed them over without much thought, assuming it was idle curiosity. But now, the herbs Xiao Bai ordered matched the recipe for Blood Coagulation Powder, and he'd bought two hundred portions. It didn't add up.

Recalling the incense-burner-like cauldron, Yao Lao had initially thought it was just that—an incense burner. Now, he wondered if it was Xiao Bai's makeshift alchemy cauldron.

"Yep, I'm giving it a try," Xiao Bai said, calm and composed.

He silently thanked the Jia Lie Clan's "generous donation." Without their storage rings, he'd have scrimped on a few portions to test with. Now, he could afford to be extravagant.

He could've borrowed from Xun'er, but he'd never asked her for anything, and the thought made him hesitate.

"Teacher, didn't you say only fire and wood attributes can refine pills? What's going on?" Xiao Yan asked Yao Lao mentally, seeing Xiao Bai's serious demeanor.

Yao Lao, who'd watched Xiao Bai grow up, was skeptical but intrigued. Xiao Bai wasn't reckless, and his confidence suggested he had a plan. Yet, in Yao Lao's experience as an eighth-tier alchemist, no one in the Dou Qi Continent had ever succeeded as an alchemist without fire or wood attributes.

Eighty percent disbelief, twenty percent doubt.

This kid's bluffing. With my eighth-tier expertise, how could anyone refine pills with lightning? Even pure fire techniques sound more plausible.

But what if he's got some trick up his sleeve?

No way. Absolutely impossible.

Yao Lao shook his head, unconvinced by the idea of lightning-based alchemy. He's probably just obsessed with becoming an alchemist.

Sighing, he told Xiao Yan privately, "There's no such thing as lightning alchemy. Your Brother Bai's probably dreaming too big."

Hearing Yao Lao's tone, Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Bai with pity. "Don't worry, Brother Bai. I'll work hard to become a high-tier alchemist. Whenever you need pills, just tell your little brother, and I'll hook you up!"

Xiao Bai rolled his eyes. Xiao Yan's sympathetic look told him exactly what the master and disciple had been whispering about. He couldn't be bothered to argue. He wasn't fully confident in refining pills himself—talk was cheap. If he succeeded, great. If he failed, so be it.

His goal wasn't purely to become an alchemist. That was secondary. His real aim was Pill Lightning, which he believed could accelerate his breakthroughs.