With his hair fluttering, the Patriarch of the Xiao Family descended from the sky, standing on ceremony as he floated down to the ground, without hurrying his landing. Stopping between the two Elders, he asked, looking from one to the other:

  "Did I interrupt something?" His tone of voice was deep and became particularly sharp when he faced 1st Elder Dong.

  Just as with the 1st Elder, Xiao Ning had never seen the Patriarch, so seeing that man radiating Spiritual Energy, he couldn't help but be impressed. The leader of the Xiaos appeared to be at the apex of the Spirited Realm, about to break through to the Sovereign of Awakening Realm.

  However, his cultivation wasn't the only impressive thing. His appearance was also quite striking. There was no hair on his face, but his face wasn't delicate by any means. His hair and eyes had the same tone, a deep, abyssal black capable of usurping the incandescent glow of light. And the deep black strands that crowned his head cascaded down his back, fluttering at the slightest sign of a breeze. His arms were well-built, and his height exceeded two meters. Fastened at shoulder height was a gray cape, with golden prints of mystical arabesques, populated with mysteries and fascinations. And to top it off, he wore a turquoise tunic with short sleeves on the arms.

  "No! You did not interrupt! I was just giving the proper punishment to this little bastard," huffed 1st Elder Dong, who, without giving much importance to the Patriarch's arrival, invoked the golden light in his hand again.

  Seeing this, Xiao Chang stepped in front of Xiao Ning and asked once more:

  "Older Brother, please, do not take the words of this foolish young man into consideration. Show your wisdom and forgive him." However, although spoken through polite words, his tone of voice was firm and challenging.

  Being the 9th Elder, Xiao Chang had a lot of power within the Xiao Family. However, when addressing one of the superior Elders, like the 1st, who was only below the Patriarch, he should demonstrate some courtesy. But it wasn't respect that his tone of voice indicated at this moment.

  "Hmph! No matter how much you beg, I will still slaughter this little animal," rumbled Xiao Dong, ignoring Xiao Chang's request.

  The tension in the environment rose at an alarming rate. The two Elders faced each other. It seemed they were ready to fight if necessary. And all this just because Xiao Ning blew up an old cabin. The 1st Elder wouldn't forgive that filthy and irreverent mouth again. And Xiao Chang wouldn't let him do whatever he wanted with the only son of his esteemed late friend.

  Seeing her father face the 1st Elder, Xiao Shui lost her color. She knew how strong her father was. And she had full confidence in him. But she didn't want to see him battling someone so important within the Family. Even more so now that his situation was unstable.

  It was then that the Patriarch's powerful voice reverberated, interposing itself between the two.

  "1st Elder Dong, I appreciate your enthusiasm in wanting to discipline mischievous youths." The Patriarch paused, raised his chin as if looking down at the 1st Elder, and hissed, making a point to be rude. "However, I am still the Patriarch. It is not your duty to punish anyone."

  Hearing such words, Xiao Dong's face contorted into an indescribable grimace. He looked like he wanted to curse the Gods and condemn that abominable thing to a hell of torture.

  Meanwhile, Xiao Ning, who was trying hard to be invisible, just watching everything from his privileged position, took a blow to his left flank, making him bend over sideways. He put a hand on his rib where he was hit and looked to the side. Xiao Shui glared fiercely at him and gave him a pinch. At the same time she twisted his skin, she ordered:

  "Beg for forgiveness now! This is all your fault! Quick! Beg for forgiveness!" she shrieked, twisting Xiao Ning's arm.

  Xiao Shui was very disappointed. Last night, for a moment, she thought Xiao Ning had taken her words seriously and wouldn't cause trouble for her father again. However, just a few hours later, because of him—that damn vagabond—her father was almost fighting the 1st Elder. If she had foreseen this, she would have slapped him out of the Family herself.

  "Ow! Ow! Ow!" whined Xiao Ning, trying to get away from her. "I'm not going to beg for anything. I have my pride."

  "Who cares about the pride of a vagabond like you? Apologize immediately!" Xiao Shui squeezed Xiao Ning's arm even harder, making him howl in pain.

  "Ow! Ow! Ow! Alright! I'm sorry! I won't do it again," apologized Xiao Ning to Xiao Shui.

  "Not to me, you idiot! To him!" she pointed to the 1st Elder.

  "I won't apologize to him. And even if I did, it wouldn't do any good," said Xiao Ning, who was already starting to have to use his Spiritual Energy to endure the pain.

  "Huh? What are you talking ab..." Not understanding what Xiao Ning meant, Xiao Shui was about to squeeze his arm even tighter when she heard the Patriarch speak again in an intimidating hiss.

  "That is, of course, if you still respect me as the Patriarch," he hissed, looking coldly at the 1st Elder.

  When she heard such a comment, she, who was no stupid girl, let go of Xiao Ning's arm and wondered:

  What is going on? It took a while, but eventually, Xiao Shui realized that there was a pre-existing enmity between the Patriarch and the 1st Elder. She just didn't understand why.

  To this, Xiao Ning answered:

  "I don't know what's going on, but it seems the 1st Elder doesn't like the Patriarch very much, and the feeling is mutual. Furthermore, your father is probably on the Patriarch's side. That's why Uncle Chang and the old geezer seem about to fight," he informed while massaging his arm, rubbing the skin, trying to relieve the burning sensation.

  As an Alchemist, Xiao Ning needed to always be attentive to details, no matter how tiny they appeared to be. That was why he immediately noticed the 1st Elder's grimaces, as well as the vein popping on his neck, pulsing angrily when the Patriarch arrived or whenever he spoke. For this reason, he had no doubts: the mess he had made, in the end, was just an excuse for them to clash.

  While the two elders and the Patriarch faced each other, two more men radiating Energy from the Spirited Realm descended from the sky. They were old men with white hair and wore extravagant robes that gleamed in the sunlight.

  "What is going on here, Brother Dong?" asked one of the men who joined the 1st Elder.

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  "Did a beast do this?" inquired another man who also joined the 1st Elder, pointing to the cabin with a nod of his head.

  However, to these questions, Xiao Dong did not answer; he continued to glare at the Patriarch with fury in his eyes.

  "Since the Patriarch is willing to take responsibility for the actions of this little bastard, there is no reason to stay here," exasperated the 1st Elder, turning around. "Let's go!" he said to the two men who had just arrived.

  The two newcomers exchanged short but meaningful glances. They didn't need to ask out loud to get answers. They were fully aware of the internal strife. Thus, without even greeting the Patriarch, they took flight along with the 1st Elder and left, leaving a feeling of hostility behind.

  As soon as the three left, Xiao Chang went to the Patriarch and bowed his head.

  "I ask for forgiveness! My godson caused trouble for the Patriarch," he apologized sincerely.

  "Ahaha! There is no reason to apologize." The Patriarch gave a jovial smile, abandoning the gloomy countenance from before. "But..." He looked at the destroyed shack for a while, then at Xiao Ning. "What happened here?"

  Xiao Ning looked at the Family leader with an unfathomable expression, when he finally said:

  "Seriously? You couldn't tell it exploded either?" These stupid questions whose answers were obvious irritated Xiao Ning deeply. But what irritated him the most, or should I say, frustrated him, was all these people coming here just to watch his failure. Was there a need for such a fuss?

  Unable to let this comment slide, Xiao Chang stepped forward and slapped Xiao Ning's head, which made a "Tap!" sound.

  "Stupid boy! Don't be disrespectful to the Patriarch," he scolded, assuming a severe expression.

  "It's alright, Brother Chang! Boys are just like that," said the Patriarch, who didn't take Xiao Ning's lack of manners to heart. "But what I want to know is, why did your house explode?"

  "That's right, Xiao Ning. What happened here?" Xiao Chang was also curious. Just yesterday he had been in this place, and at that time, there didn't seem to be anything capable of causing such destruction to the surroundings.

  Xiao Ning looked to the side and scratched his head. He didn't mind failing when performing an Alchemical Composition, since that was normal. But having to explain his mistakes to others was a bit shameful and, in a way, humiliating for someone like him, who had dedicated millennia of his life to this art.

  "The cauldron exploded," he whispered, turning his face to the side, hoping his words would be carried away by the wind.

  "Huh? What did you say?" Even Xiao Shui, who was standing right next to him, couldn't hear what he had said.

  "..." Xiao Ning remained silent for a while until, suddenly, he clicked his tongue, letting a frustrated sound escape his mouth, and spoke in a loud voice. "I said the cauldron exploded!"

  "Cauldron? What cauldron?" inquired the Patriarch, seeming confused. Since when would a simple kitchen utensil cause such damage?

  "Are you talking about the Enchanted Cauldron the Xu Family gave you?" questioned Xiao Chang. "So you tried to do Alchemy?"

  "Or rather, you failed miserably," emphasized Xiao Shui, looking at the wreckage of the shack scattered everywhere.

  "I didn't fail!" protested Xiao Ning, indignant. He waved his arms and exasperated: "That Enchanted Cauldron was rotten. If it weren't for that, I would have succeeded, you foul-mouthed brat."

  "Hmph! As if. You are nothing but a failed vagabond," mocked Xiao Shui, making a point to emphasize "failed". On any other occasion, she would be furious at being called a "foul-mouthed brat," but seeing him so irritated was compensation enough to calm her nerves.

  While Xiao Ning looked ready to lose his temper with Xiao Shui, the Patriarch, who had finally understood what was happening, burst into laughter:

  "AHAHA! So you were trying to practice Alchemy. Indeed, it would be good to have an Alchemist in the Family. We never had one." Showing his wisdom and giving his support to this boy who was despised by almost everyone, the Patriarch placed his hand on Xiao Ning's shoulder and continued. "But remember! To be an Alchemist, before anything else, you must awaken your Essence Flame. And that is only possible when you reach the Virtuous Realm. Until then, study hard and focus on your cultivation. Otherwise, you will fail again. I'm sure one day you will achieve your dream. Just don't lose hope."

  Seeing the Patriarch encourage Xiao Ning up close—a boy he had just met and had no connection with—Xiao Shui could do nothing but admire him. The leader of the Xiao Family was different from the others she knew. Spirited. Kind. Merciful. These were all qualities he possessed that made him a good leader. Xiao Shui had always admired him for this. After her father and older brother, the Patriarch was the person she respected the most.

  This admiration wasn't exclusive to Shui. Most young people supported the Patriarch because he was one of the few who encouraged them to grow and achieve their dreams, regardless of their origins. Unlike most Elders, who prioritized bloodlines and status.

  However, despite the Patriarch's encouraging words, Xiao Ning didn't listen and just contested:

  "I already told you I didn't fail! It was the fault of the cauldron sent by the Xu Family, which was in terrible condition," he said, removing the Patriarch's hand from his shoulder. "Besides, I already awakened the Essence Flames a long time ago."

  "Don't be a liar," Xiao Chang scolded him. He couldn't believe how rude his godson was being. He was used to it, but acting like this in the presence of the leader of the Xiaos was unacceptable! "The Patriarch is giving his good advice. You should lower your head and listen."

  "But I'm not lying, Uncle Chang, see for yourself." Finishing saying this, Xiao Ning extended his right hand and invoked his Essence Flames. At that very instant, a vigorous fire emitting a gleaming orange glow sprouted from the palm of his hand. "As if I would wait to reach the Virtuous Realm to do something so basic," he mocked.

  Xiao Ning was tolerant of many things. Honestly speaking, they could slap him in the face and spit on his clothes and he still wouldn't get angry. However, he hated it when his abilities as an Alchemist were doubted. When that happened, he felt obligated to prove his prowess.

  Both Xiao Chang and the Patriarch were men of profound knowledge. When it came to cultivation, few in the Xiao Family could compare. Their only weakness was Alchemy. That legendary technique, practiced by few. Although it wouldn't be so prestigious and coveted if it weren't rare.

  However, even though their knowledge of Alchemy was superficial, there was no way they couldn't recognize those flames of orange glow and unique presence flickering in the palm of Xiao Ning's hand. Without a doubt, those were the legendary Essence Flames, ordinary in appearance, yet so mystical and divine.

  The Patriarch, once, when he went to the capital on a lucky day, managed to meet an old Alchemist. On that occasion, the old Alchemist allowed him to closely watch the creation of a potion. Therefore, he had no doubts that it was the exact same fire used by the elder to heat the cauldron.

  However, this didn't make sense. It was common knowledge that only upon reaching the Virtuous Realm could someone awaken the Essence Flames. And that, of course, only if the person had a great talent for Alchemy. Otherwise, there wouldn't be only eighty-seven Alchemists in the entire Empire.

  But right now, Xiao Ning, a boy known to be a vagabond, was indeed using such legendary flames.

  The Patriarch and Xiao Chang had to rub their eyes to make sure they were seeing clearly.

  But the most confused of all was Xiao Shui. She didn't know why her father and the most important man in the Family were making those silly faces and exchanging glances every second, as if they were trying to communicate through thought.

  After a while, when he finally managed to calm down, Xiao Chang looked at Xiao Ning and asked:

  "Little Ning, how long have you known how to use the Essence Flames?"

  "What? Are those really the Essence Flames?" exclaimed Xiao Shui, astounded. As a cultivator, she knew well what this special fire was. She just never imagined a vagabond like him would be able to use them. Now she understood why her father and the Patriarch had that goofy expression.

  With a wave of his hand, Xiao Ning made the flames disappear before answering:

  "Hm... I think about two weeks."

  "Does anyone else know this?" asked the Patriarch, in a tone of voice that seemed controlled but hid an implicit urgency.

  "I don't know. I don't think so." Xiao Ning wasn't worried about who knew or didn't know he was an Alchemist. To be frank, he never made a point of keeping any secrets.

  Hearing this, the Patriarch and Xiao Chang looked at each other again.

  "Little Ning, since your house was destroyed, from today on you will live with me," stated Uncle Chang. And although Xiao Shui didn't approve, he didn't listen to her.

  "Alright!" agreed Xiao Ning, shrugging, not caring much about where he would live.

  He understood well what Xiao Chang and the Patriarch's true intentions were in wanting to keep him close. But he didn't care, since this way he wouldn't have to spend money rebuilding his old cabin and could save up to buy a new Enchanted Cauldron—preferably one that, this time, wouldn't explode.