On the exact same day he blew up his own shack, Xiao Ning moved into the house of the Family's 9th Elder, Xiao Chang. Luckily, he got his own room, which, by the way, was twice as big as his old cabin.

  Xiao Ning stood in the room, admiring it. The chamber itself had red walls adorned with extravagant designs painted in gold. In the corner, next to the door, was a bamboo table, and on the wall, a painting of a verdant mountain. But the best part was the place where he would sleep, spacious and comfortable, lined with dark blue silk sheets. It was a giant bed.

  Since that would be his room for some time, Xiao Ning had no reservations when he threw the skin of a recently killed Demonic Beast onto the bamboo table along with a pair of tusks that were about twenty centimeters long. Tusks that were extracted using the Patriarch's Spiritual Energy.

  After a brief inspection of his new chamber, followed by a profound feeling of sleepiness upon peeking at the bed where he would spend his nights—which seemed to be calling him, inviting him to try it—Xiao Ning, resisting, left the room holding his Grey Sequoia spear in one hand.

  He had lost his Enchanted Cauldron, and when he thought about it, he regretted not being more demanding with the Xu Family. But past is past. It wasn't worth dwelling on these things; it would only give him more of a headache. So, what he had to do now was save money, and fast. The problem was that he didn't know many methods for this, not on the Central Continent. He had always been poor in this place. Only one means came to mind right now, and it boiled down to hunting monsters.

  Monsters yield a lot of money; the problem is they are extremely dangerous. Even more so for someone like Xiao Ning, who was at the 4th Layer of the Mundane Realm and, to make matters worse, hadn't practiced any powerful Combat Technique.

  It's fine that he had killed a Red-Haired Boar even under these conditions, but one must know that they aren't that powerful of a monster. Aside from their tough hide, pointy tusks, and ugly face, they could even be considered docile monsters. However, whether on the Ancestral Jade Mountain, or especially in the Forest of a Thousand Dooms, the creatures that hide there are terrifying.

  Therefore, if Xiao Ning was really going to hunt Demonic Beasts that wouldn't be used in his Alchemical Compositions, he needed to prepare. Cultivation aside, it would be necessary to at least learn a decent Combat Technique. However, there was another reason to learn a new skill, and for Xiao Ning, this was more important...

  Without an Enchanted Cauldron, practicing the Essence Flames Technique would become much more difficult, or rather, tedious. And in the absence of this item, he also couldn't practice Alchemical Composition. That meant to improve his Flames, Xiao Ning would have to invoke them and keep them going for as long as possible, plain and simple. And would that be a boring task or what? Staying for hours with his arm extended while fire burned in the palm of his hand.

  Fortunately, there was another way to perfect his Essence Flames without the need to walk around with his arms extended. And that was to practice a fire-type Combat Technique. After all, fire is fire.

  In other words, to improve his Essence Flame and avoid blowing up another cauldron, he would need to get used to fire, become more intimate with it.

  Thus, determined to improve his Flames, Xiao Ning headed to the outer courtyard with his spear in hand. Arriving there, he murmured:

  "I think the best technique for now is the Seven Forms of the Dragon's Breath."

  As the name suggests, the Seven Forms of the Dragon's Breath is a skill that possesses seven variables, and they all differ from one another. However, what makes it so special is the fact that one must learn one form at a time. And this, in a way, insinuates a correlation with the Essence Flames, as it is only possible to advance one stage at a time.

  For example, to be able to use the second form, one must first master the first down to the smallest detail. To use the fourth, one must initially learn the third, the second, and, of course, the first. It might seem laborious, but the rewards obtained by mastering the Seven Forms are aggrandizing.

  Because not only do you become stronger, but you also become more intimate with the technique's base element, whatever it may be. If it's water, you will flow like water. If it's wind, you will flutter as such. If it's fire, you will burn like fire.

  Therefore, despite being laborious, Xiao Ning decided to start with it.

  After reaching the outer courtyard, he put his spear aside, because before using it alongside the Dragon's Breath, he would need to control the technique. Thus, he made a symbol with his hands, previously drawing something in the air, and uttered:

  "1st Form; Dragon's Breath: Tongue of Fire!"

  With a wave of his arm, Xiao Ning threw his right hand forward, and from his palm came a line of fire the thickness of a finger that wouldn't be able to burn even something already on fire.

  The first attempt was a shameful failure.

  But Xiao Ning didn't give up and kept trying, time after time. He remembered the theory; now he just needed to practice.

  The day passed slowly. The sun painted the horizon golden. And Xiao Ning kept training. Truth be told, he only trained for a few hours. However, what was once a line the thickness of a finger transformed into a blaze over two meters long.

  "Dragon's Breath: Tongue of Fire!" uttered Xiao Ning, and a long blaze flew out, swallowing everything in its path.

  Satisfied with the result, Xiao Ning let his body fall. While panting cheerfully, he smiled. Someone uninformed would think that was a simple blaze of fire created by a Combat Technique. But he knew it wasn't quite like that. If it were a simple skill, he wouldn't have dedicated himself for so long.

  That Tongue of Fire contained traces of his Essence Flames, and he was slowly fusing the two techniques, making the Dragon's Breath even more powerful and, most importantly, improving the Essence Flames. This was something he had done in his past life, so repeating the feat wouldn't be a problem at all.

  "Once more!" he repeated. He got up and launched the Tongue of Fire, coloring the outer courtyard orange.

  Each time he used the technique, it shone more intensely, and if he continued like this, it wouldn't take long to reach the second form.

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  However, when Xiao Ning was about to launch his attack again, something interrupted him.

  "That technique is quite powerful."

  A voice suddenly emerged, making him suspend his training.

  Xiao Ning turned around and saw Xiao Shui approaching. Unlike the firm and imposing countenance she usually had—even more severe when addressing him—her face was discouraged, lackluster, and her voice weak and distant.

  "I never read about it in the Apprentice Pavilion," continued Xiao Shui in a disheartened tone. She had already read about all the existing techniques in the Apprentice Pavilion, yet the one used by Xiao Ning wasn't familiar to her.

  "That's because I didn't get it at the Pavilion," replied Xiao Ning sincerely.

  "Then where did you get it?" inquired Xiao Shui, recovering her color a bit due to curiosity. "Unless you are an Awakened, it's not possible to enter the Advanced Techniques Pavilion, and the one you used is as powerful as mine. I doubt someone just gave it to you."

  Xiao Shui's words were not wrong. In the Xiao Family, those stuck in the Mundane Realm were only allowed to take Combat Techniques and Spiritual Cultivation Techniques from the Apprentice Pavilion, the place where low-level techniques were kept. The more powerful ones were kept in the Advanced Techniques Pavilion, and the only ones who could enter that place were Family members who had reached the Awakening Realm.

  "Oh, what is yours?" asked Xiao Ning, intrigued.

  "It is a technique from the Awakening Realm," answered Xiao Shui, who preferred not to go into too much detail. "But you still haven't answered me, how did you get yours?"

  "Found it around," said Xiao Ning simply, shrugging his shoulders as if it were no big deal. In fact, he had bought the Dragon's Breath Technique at some random street market, completely by chance. "But more importantly. Did something happen?" He couldn't help but ask, because, as if the discouraged expression on her face wasn't enough, her addressing him so politely, trying to maintain a conversation without including insults, was a rather strange, not to mention doubtful, behavior.

  "Found it around, huh..." murmured Xiao Shui in a suspicious tone. She definitely didn't believe that. However, instead of interrogating him about the truth, she shook her head and continued. "Whatever, that doesn't matter right now. I came here to apologize."

  "Apologize?" He arched his eyebrows strangely. What did she have to apologize for?

  "Exactly!" affirmed Xiao Shui, nodding. "I talked to my father and he explained the reason why 1st Elder Dong and he were clashing earlier today. It turns out the 1st Elder, along with some others, are trying to take over the Patriarch's position."

  Hearing what Xiao Shui said, Xiao Ning made a strange face. In his past life, something of the sort had indeed happened. The Patriarch had resigned his position and another took over; he just didn't remember who, maybe it had been the 1st Elder. Regardless, that was the time the Xiao Family had its worst years. If that were to happen again, trying to save the Family would be useless. If he were to go ahead with the plan to help them, he would need to do something about it.

  But for now, he was more curious about something else:

  "If that's the case, then why are you apologizing to me?" Xiao Ning didn't understand what Xiao Shui meant. After all, what did she need to apologize for?

  "It happens that yesterday, on the Ancestral Jade Mountain, I accused you of being responsible for the problems faced by my father, and I have been taking this frustration out on you for a long time. But he told me that the Elders are trying to remove him from his position because he supports the Patriarch, and they are using you as an excuse." Xiao Shui lowered her head and shouted loudly so anyone could hear her. "I ask for profound forgiveness! I shouldn't have said that. I was unjust and disrespectful. I am willing to pay for my mistakes."

  Xiao Shui was a determined, honest, and upright girl. When she discovered she had been so unfair to Xiao Ning, she had no other choice but to lower her head and accept the consequences. She was serious when she said she was willing to pay for her mistakes.

  However, unlike her, Xiao Ning had an expression of incomprehension. He had no idea what she was referring to. And when he finally seemed to understand, he laughed loudly and said:

  "Ahaha! Are you talking about that? I didn't even remember! Ahaha!" he said, amused by Shui's serious attitude. He thought it was something grave, for she possessed such a shaken look on her face, but in the end, it was no big deal.

  "I may be wrong about before, but I still don't like a vagabond like you!" huffed Xiao Shui harshly, feeling wronged. Someone as proud as her had lowered her head and he was laughing? Damn vagabond!

  "Ahaha! You should relax more," suggested Xiao Ning, waving his arms. For someone so young, she was too rigid a girl.

  On the other hand, she found him too relaxed.

  After that, while listening to that vagabond's laughter, Xiao Shui stomped off, cursing him in murmurs. She felt disdained. She had blamed herself so much for the unfair way she treated him, but he cared little about it. As she walked away, she decided: she would never apologize to him for anything ever again.

  Later, Xiao Ning returned to his new room. After such a troubled day, he deserved a good night's sleep.

  The next morning, when he woke up, he raised his head and, while a thick drool ran down his face, looked from side to side. He peeked at the sun happily invading the corner window, announcing a prosperous day, and said:

  "Damn sun!" he cursed. Finishing saying this, he pulled the sheets and covered his head.

  The next day...

  When he woke up, Xiao Ning felt reinvigorated. Indeed, sleeping for a few hours did a lot of good. Anyway, starting today he would begin hunting monsters to gather some money.

  At first, he thought about selling the Red-Haired Boar's skin and tusks to get some parameter of the market value in Chaos Border City. However, he changed his mind and decided he would hunt a few different monsters first. He would stockpile and then sell everything at once. Furthermore, he had absolutely no idea where he could sell these things. He didn't know, much less remember, anything about the city.

  With this in mind, he grabbed his spear, which had a gray shaft, and left the room. His goal was to hunt on the Ancestral Jade Mountain. But first, he would need some things.

  The other time, Xiao Ning found himself forced to carry a Boar of over two hundred kilos a long way—it's fine that that night he had his best dinner in weeks, but that didn't change the fact that he had extra work. So, now, he would go prepared.

  While crossing the wide corridors of the mansion, Xiao Ning looked for people to help him. After all, he had lost almost everything during the Alchemical Explosion, including his pillowcase, which he used as a bag to transport things. However, the place was deserted. So empty that his footsteps echoed off the walls. Because it was an Elder's house, one would expect to find dozens of servants, but that wasn't the current reality.

  It was only after some time wandering through the intertwined corridors haunted by solitude that he finally came across a servant girl.

  She seemed to be a little older than Ning, maybe around eighteen, perhaps twenty years old. Her hair, which had a peculiar reddish tone, almost orange, like a puerile fire casting its first evening rays, was tied at her back in a modest ponytail. Her eyes, endowed with a translucent green, were large and round, somewhat distinct from other people, completely unusual. But the most striking thing was her face, which was covered in spots, small little dots, which closely resembled her inflamed strands.

  "Can I help you with something, Young Master?" asked the servant girl politely, while bowing her head.

  "I need a long knife, about this size"—he opened his hands, gesturing the approximate size the blade needed to have—"and that it be sturdy. I also want the biggest bag you have. But I warn you now, I will get it very dirty. And, if possible, a very large glass jar." With a friendly smile, Xiao Ning announced all his needs.

  "I will provide these things as soon as possible, Young Master." The servant bowed again, in a humble and subservient manner.

  "My name is Xiao Ning." He introduced himself, with a relaxed expression on his face. "You can just call me Ning, if you want."

  "Understood. In that case, I will call you Young Master Xiao Ning," she replied, and after declaring her decision, turned and left.

  "My, my! This woman also needs to relax," commented Xiao Ning, who sat on the dirty floor to await her return.

  After some time, the servant brought all the things he asked for; nothing was missing. The knife was inside the jar, which was so he wouldn't cut himself, according to her. And the jar had been placed inside the cloth sack to make it easier to carry.

  Then, having gotten what he needed, Xiao Ning threw the cloth sack over his back and, with the spear in his other hand, set off toward the mountain.