"Have you heard? Ya Fei is marrying Master Zhou!"
"Ya Fei? The one from the Miteer family, the one who looks like a fairy? I heard her cultivation talent isn't high, but her pride is sky-high. She's rejected countless men. So who is this Master Zhou?"
"You don't know Master Zhou? He's said to be a big shot from Central Plains. Not only is he young, but he's also a Grade Six Alchemist. The Dou Pills he crafted helped Ya Fei advance from a Four-Star Practitioner to a Dou Master. What's even more terrifying is that he's also a Dou Ancestor powerhouse!"
"Grade Six Alchemist? A Dou Ancestor powerhouse?"
"Hiss!"
"Is that true?"
"Of course it's true! You know the Sixth-Grade Beast, the Amethyst Winged Lion King from the Magical Beast Mountains? It's now Master Zhou's mount. I've seen it with my own eyes!"
"That's true! Ya Fei is so sharp, the man she marries has to be extraordinary. Too bad such a rare beauty is getting married!"
"A Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist—Ya Fei really hit the jackpot this time. No wonder she never looked at those other men. She must have been waiting for a big shot like this!"
"In our area, a Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist can walk around as they please! Pill King, Gu He, may be a Grade Six Alchemist, but he's only a Dou King, that's too far behind!"
"Our Jia Ma Empire doesn't even have a Dou Ancestor powerhouse!"
"Isn't Ya Fei the kind of woman who thinks too highly of herself? Now she's kneeling before Master Zhou. I wonder what he looks like?"
"Even if he's young, a Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist must be at least seventy or eighty years old!"
...
With the joyful news spreading, Zhou Yi's name quickly resonated throughout the Jiamma Empire.
A Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist.
This was an absolute figure who could influence the very fate of the Jia Ma Empire.
Countless factions began to investigate any information they could find about Zhou Yi.
Misty Cloud Sect.
The Grand Elder, Yun Leng, approached Sect Master Yun Yun and handed over an invitation. "Sect Master, this is an invitation to the wedding of Master Zhou Yi."
"Master Zhou Yi?"
Yun Yun was momentarily stunned, scanning her mind but failing to recall any familiar name.
"Sect Master, Master Zhou Yi is said to be a Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist. He only recently arrived in our Jia Ma Empire, which is why his fame hasn't spread. He also tamed the Sixth-Grade Beast, the Amethyst Winged Lion King…" Yun Leng explained.
"It's him!"
Yun Yun immediately recalled meeting Zhou Yi in the Magical Beast Mountains. She didn't expect him to have settled in the Jia Ma Empire so quickly.
He was already getting married!
"Do you know this Master Zhou?" Yun Leng asked, a little puzzled.
"I met him in the Magical Beast Mountains. I saw him tame the Amethyst Winged Lion King with my own eyes," Yun Yun said lightly, dismissing Yun Leng.
However, when she saw the address on the invitation, she felt a bit confused.
The location was just outside the Jia Ma Holy City.
It was not far from their Misty Cloud Sect.
But if she remembered correctly, the area was a forest. Given the wedding date on the invitation, it seemed unlikely that any construction could have been completed in time.
"Since the senior has arrived at the Jia Ma Holy City, I'll go visit him. Perhaps I can be of help and make a good impression!" Yun Yun thought, deciding to leave Misty Cloud Sect.
Jia Ma Holy City.
Within a quiet manor, an elderly man in simple robes, with white hair, looked over the collected information in his hands.
He was Jia Ma Empire's Guardian, Jia Xingtian.
A peak Dou Emperor powerhouse.
"Zhou Yi… a Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist?"
There was little information about Zhou Yi. Most of it was about his auction of Dou Pills, the Qi Gathering Powder, and his tame of the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Being a Grade Six Alchemist wasn't remarkable, but being a Dou Ancestor powerhouse was like a nuclear bomb—too dangerous.
As the royal protector, he couldn't afford to ignore this.
"With my strength, I might be able to defeat the Amethyst Winged Lion King, but taming it would be impossible. Only someone with Dou Ancestor cultivation could do that!"
"This powerful figure has appeared out of nowhere. Most likely from the Central Plains. With such a 'dragon crossing the river,' things are going to get lively in the Jia Ma Empire!"
Thinking of this, Jia Xingtian decided to visit and probe Zhou Yi's intentions.
"Why is the wedding venue located in such an empty place outside the city?"
Jia Xingtian looked at the invitation again, unable to make sense of it. "Is there something special about this place?"
"Let's go see it first!"
Jia Xingtian stood and flew out of the manor, soon arriving above the wedding venue outside the city.
Looking down, he saw only a small grove of trees, no different from any other.
"Could he be planning to build a mansion here?"
"Building it in just a month seems too rushed. It's not enough time."
"With his Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist status, he's not short on money. And with the Miteer family's influence, getting a mansion for his wedding should be easy…"
Jia Xingtian released his soul force to scan the ground, looking for something unusual.
"Old Jia!"
A streak of light shot toward him—it was Pill King Gu He.
Gu He had received Zhou Yi's invitation and rushed to see if he could be of help. Though he had heard Zhou Yi was a Grade Six Alchemist, he believed Zhou Yi must have a powerful teacher who was at least a Grade Seven Alchemist. Gu He hoped to meet him through Zhou Yi.
If he could get guidance from an Alchemist above Grade Seven, the benefits to him were obvious.
"Old Jia, Gu He!"
A cold voice rang out as a green streak of light appeared—it was Yun Yun, Sect Master of Misty Cloud Sect, who had come in haste.
Zhou Yi, after his proposal with the Miteer family, had gone back to Wu Tan City to pick up Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin, while also sending an invitation to the Xiao family.
Since he had only met Yun Yun and Gu He so far, he had asked Ya Fei to deliver invitations to them.
Ya Fei quickly sent the invitations.
Seeing Gu He and Yun Yun arrive, Jia Xingtian nodded. It was not unexpected.
Gu He was an Alchemist, and Zhou Yi was one as well.
It was natural that Gu He would hurry over.
Yun Yun, as the Sect Master of Misty Cloud Sect, would naturally be interested in a newly emerged Dou Ancestor-level Grade Six Alchemist.
Though on the surface, the Jia Ma Empire and Misty Cloud Sect maintained peace, they were in competition.
Jia Xingtian looked at Yun Yun.
He made a firm decision.
He couldn't let Yun Yun win Zhou Yi over; otherwise, the Jia Ma Empire would be in danger.
Buzz!
At that moment, all three—Jia Xingtian, Yun Yun, and Gu He—felt a powerful pressure descend. They looked up to see a majestic beast soaring toward them.
It was the Amethyst Winged Lion King!
Boom!
A fierce wind swept by as the Amethyst Winged Lion King landed in front of the three.
It was Jia Xingtian's first time seeing Zhou Yi.
Although he had heard that Zhou Yi was young, seeing him in person left Jia Xingtian stunned.
He was so young.
And so handsome.
Gu He was also considered a handsome man.
But compared to Zhou Yi, he was like a firefly compared to the bright moon.
"Sect Master Yun, Master Gu, it's nice to see you again!" Zhou Yi greeted Yun Yun and Gu He, then turned to Jia Xingtian. "You must be the royal guardian, Old Jia."
"Greetings, Master Zhou!" Yun Yun and Gu He both cupped their hands in greeting.
"Old Jia Xingtian, greetings, Master Zhou!" Jia Xingtian dared not be presumptuous.
Standing before Zhou Yi, Jia Xingtian felt a suffocating, mountain-like pressure.
Terrifying.
Is this the aura of a Dou Ancestor powerhouse?
A Dou Ancestor powerhouse.
Terrifying indeed.
"Please wait a moment!" Zhou Yi said, taking out the specially made Zhou Manor and casually throwing it into the air.
The manor soared up, expanding rapidly, quickly becoming as large as half of Jia Ma Holy City. The sight left Jia Xingtian, Yun Yun, and Gu He stunned.
Boom!
The Zhou Manor landed with a crash, shaking the entire imperial capital. Jia Xingtian's eyelids twitched. If this had landed on the palace, it could have buried the entire royal family.
It was terrifying!
But what was even more terrifying followed.
Zhou Yi gently stomped his foot, shifting mountains and rivers.
With a wave of his hand, the land came to life, flowers bloomed everywhere.
"Hiss!"
"Hiss!"
"Hiss!"
Jia Xingtian, Yun Yun, and Gu He all gasped in awe, their eyes wide with disbelief and shock.
They had never before witnessed such miraculous techniques or treasures.
It was a complete eye-opener for them.
Their awe and reverence for Zhou Yi deepened.
"This definitely isn't the power of a Dou Ancestor expert!"
The three of them were at the pinnacle of the Jia Ma Empire's hierarchy. Although they had never encountered a Dou Ancestor, they knew enough about the strength of one.
The power displayed here far surpassed what a Dou Ancestor could possess.
It was at least on the level of a Dou Venerate expert.
Hiss!
A Dou Venerate expert!!!
For Zhou Yi, however, these abilities were nothing extraordinary. He possessed numerous divine powers, including the immense strength, earth manipulation, and the regenerative powers granted by his Soul Bones.
The techniques he had just used were precisely those three powers.
And they were enhanced versions at that.
Shifting mountains and rivers, altering the course of rivers, bringing life back to all things, and making flowers bloom—these were merely small trials of his strength.
"Please, come inside!"
Zhou Yi gestured lightly, speaking in a calm tone.
"Master Zhou, please, after you!"
Jia Xingtian, Gu He, and Yun Yun all bowed respectfully.
If Zhou Yi were merely a Dou Ancestor, that would be one thing.
But a Dou Venerate expert...
Such a figure was legendary.
With a single finger, they could crush them without any hope of resistance.
No matter how they looked at it, they couldn't afford to be careless.
Zhou Yi wasn't putting on airs. After all, Yun Yun was destined to be his wife, and Jia Xingtian had two granddaughters, which was very commendable. As for Gu He...
He would let Yao Chen take him in as a worker.
The three sat stiffly across from Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi took out a water kettle, filled it with spiritual water, and a dark yellow flame flickered at the tip of his finger.
"Is this... a heavenly fire?"
Gu He's eyes widened in shock, unable to contain his astonishment.
As an alchemist, there was nothing he desired more than heavenly fires.
He had been searching for one his entire life.
"This Xuanhuang Flame, ranked last on the Heavenly Fire List, is nothing impressive!"
Zhou Yi flicked his finger, and the flame dropped into the kettle to heat the water, leaving Jia Xingtian, Gu He, and Yun Yun's eyelids twitching. Could heavenly fire really be used to boil water?
"Though the Xuanhuang Flame isn't ranked highly, it is still a heavenly fire. I've lived many years, and this is the first time I've seen one!"
Jia Xingtian remarked with a sigh.
"Indeed, heavenly fires are hard to find. Even one ranked at the bottom of the list is as hard to obtain as reaching the heavens!"
Gu He gazed at the Xuanhuang Flame, filled with envy.
"I see your alchemy skills aren't bad. I'll introduce you to someone. If you can become his disciple, it will be a great opportunity for you!"
Zhou Yi glanced at Gu He and said indifferently.
"Thank you, Master Zhou! Your kindness will never be forgotten by me!"
Gu He's joy was evident. He thought Zhou Yi was introducing him to a teacher, and he was overjoyed. This was exactly why he had come here. He hadn't expected things to progress so quickly.
Master Zhou was truly a kind person!
He was so willing to help!
Zhou Yi took out the Soul Nurturing Jade and summoned Yao Chen.
"Yao Chen, pay respects to the young master!"
When the soul figure appeared, Yun Yun, Gu He, and Jia Xingtian couldn't hide their curiosity.
"No need for such formalities!"
Zhou Yi waved his hand and introduced, "This is Yao Chen, the former number one alchemist on the continent, an eighth-grade high-level alchemist."
"Once I find the materials to help him restore his cultivation, becoming a ninth-grade alchemist will be no problem!"
"Hiss! The number one alchemist on the continent?"
"An eighth-grade high-level alchemist?"
Hearing these two titles, Gu He and the others were completely stunned.
Although Gu He was a sixth-grade alchemist, the gap between him and an eighth-grade high-level alchemist was like the difference between a Dou King and a Half-Saint.
It was immeasurable.
Thud!
Gu He snapped back to his senses and immediately knelt in front of Yao Chen.
"I, Gu He, pay my respects to the senior and beg for acceptance as a disciple!"
"You're average in talent, but you're not bad," Yao Chen remarked, glancing at Gu He.
If it were up to him, he wouldn't have taken Gu He in as a disciple.
But Zhou Yi had spoken.
How could he refuse?
He also understood that Zhou Yi was likely having him take Gu He in as a worker.
His current soul body was indeed inconvenient.
Having a sixth-grade alchemist at the Dou King level like Gu He would make things much easier for him.
Moreover, Gu He was already at the peak of Dou King.
Even without any help, he would likely breakthrough to Dou Emperor in a few years.
Zhou Yi would surely give Gu He a gift later, helping him break through to Dou Emperor and becoming an even more useful worker!
"Disciple greets the teacher!"
Gu He, overjoyed, quickly bowed. There was no need for unnecessary formalities. In front of Zhou Yi, Gu He poured a cup of tea for Yao Chen, completing the apprenticeship ceremony.
"Gu He, congratulations!"
"Gu He, congratulations!"
Jia Xingtian and Yun Yun congratulated him. To become the disciple of an eighth-grade high-level alchemist was a stroke of incredible luck.
Though this eighth-grade alchemist wasn't in the best condition...
With Zhou Yi's strength, it was certain he would help him recover his body soon.
Yao Chen passed on some alchemy techniques and valuable formulas to Gu He before telling him to stay by Zhou Yi's side and learn, then entered the Soul Nurturing Jade to recover.
He said to learn from Zhou Yi.
But really, it meant being used by Zhou Yi.
Gu He, Yun Yun, and Jia Xingtian all understood.
But none of them minded.
After all, who wouldn't want to serve a Dou Venerate expert?
Especially Jia Xingtian.
If Zhou Yi were willing to guide him, he might break through to Dou Ancestor before his lifespan ran out.
"This is the Dou Emperor Pill I've crafted. Taking it will allow you to break through to Dou Emperor."
Zhou Yi casually took out a pill and tossed it to Gu He.
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Gu He, now completely under Zhou Yi's influence, had already started addressing him as "Young Master."
Soon after, Jia Xingtian and Yun Yun took their leave.
Gu He, on the other hand, remained at Zhou Yi's mansion, awaiting instructions and busily working.
"Great-grandfather!"
Upon returning, Jia Xingtian found a tall and beautiful woman dressed in luxurious robes in his house.
It was none other than the Empire's Princess, Yao Ye—his great-granddaughter.
"Ye'er, you're here!"
Jia Xingtian looked at the graceful Yao Ye, his heart stirring, and smiled, "Guess who I just met?"
"Master Zhou?"
Yao Ye's heart skipped a beat. As the Empire's Crown Princess, she was as capable as any man, overseeing the imperial army.
The recent commotion, coupled with the sudden appearance of Zhou Yi's mansion, had reached her ears the moment it happened.
She had come specifically to ask Jia Xingtian about it.
"Exactly!"
Jia Xingtian grinned, "Master Zhou is even more formidable than rumors say—at least a Dou Venerate expert!"
"And he looks much younger, even more handsome than Gu He was in his prime…"
"At least a Dou Venerate?"
Yao Ye was shocked, her lips parting in surprise. As she listened to Jia Xingtian's words, she quickly understood his intentions.
He wanted her to win Zhou Yi over.
As the Princess, she had long suspected this, but wasn't particularly opposed.
She was curious about this legendary Dou Venerate expert.
After all, he was a legend in his own right.
If she could marry him, that wouldn't be bad at all.
She had also met Gu He.
Zhou Yi was more handsome, more powerful, and an alchemist as well—this was far more perfect than she had imagined.
She just wondered what his personality was like.
Some powerful people could be odd.
Even brutal.
Savage.
They liked tormenting women.
She hoped Zhou Yi wasn't like that.
"I leave it to you, Great-grandfather."
"Mm!"
Jia Xingtian was pleased with Yao Ye's attitude and said gently, "Don't worry, Great-grandfather won't lead you astray. Master Zhou is a perfect match!"
"When the wedding day comes, you and I will go together. I'll introduce you to him!"
"Mm!"
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