"To break through to the Innate level before the New Year, one would need an Innate Spirit Pill!"
But he was still unable to refine an Innate Spirit Pill.
Because only an Innate Expert could refine it.
Where could he find an Innate Spirit Pill?
Moreover, an Innate Spirit Pill would cost at least ten thousand gold.
He didn't have that much money to buy one.
Besides, Innate Spirit Pills were rare; they weren't sold in Xingyue City or the surrounding cities at all.
What a headache!
However, just as Yang Xiaotian was about to slip out of the Yang Family Manor, he noticed that the number of patrolling guards had doubled compared to usual, which he found odd.
After overhearing the guards' conversation, Yang Xiaotian learned that a fugitive wanted by the Imperial Court had made his way to Xingyue City.
This man was named Hu Lie, cruel and ruthless, who had slaughtered a household of dozens; moreover, while fleeing, he had killed several patrolmen and an Alchemist.
The man was not weak, a second-layer Innate expert.
No wonder Yang Family Manor was so well-guarded.
Nevertheless, Yang Xiaotian didn't pay much attention to it.
If he really encountered Hu Lie, he actually wanted to use him to test his current strength.
After leaving Yang Family Manor, Yang Xiaotian took his usual route towards the valley.
However, not long after entering the dense forest, Yang Xiaotian suddenly saw a man leaning against a large tree in the distance. He instantly realized something was off and looked closely, only to see that the man had a face full of beard, his robe was somewhat tattered, and it was stained with lots of blood.
Just then, Hu Lie also realized someone was there and abruptly stood up, turning his head towards Yang Xiaotian. Instantly, a ferocious aura rushed towards him.
However, when he saw that Yang Xiaotian was just a child of seven or eight years old, he was taken aback. But then, with a murderous look in his eyes, he lifted his heavy blade and walked towards Yang Xiaotian, "Kid, it's just your bad luck to run into me."
"Don't worry, it's just one slice, it'll be quick, and you won't feel any pain!"
Hu Lie's blade was indeed swift.
In the space of a breath, the blade had already reached in front of Yang Xiaotian's neck.
Just when Hu Lie was sure that the blade would chop off the head of the child before him, suddenly, the figure in front of him flashed, and his blade missed its target.
Immediately after, a powerful force of a fist exploded from beneath his ribs.
Hu Lie had no time to dodge and was struck in the ribs by a fist.
Bang!
The sound of breaking bones resounded.
He was sent flying several meters back.
Stabilizing himself, Hu Lie felt the pain at his ribs and looked in disbelief at the child in front of him: "Tenth-order late-stage peak?"
This child was actually an Acquired peak master!
He had traveled all over the place, been to more than a dozen kingdoms, and seen many talents, but this was the first time he had encountered a seven or eight-year-old late-stage peak master.
This is Xingyue City of Divine Sea Country, isn't it? Divine Sea Country has produced such a monstrous talent?
"May I know which family this young brother belongs to?" Hu Lie's thoughts raced, and he pretended to smile amicably, "I mean no harm. I am here to visit relatives and by chance was robbed on the way here. I thought you were one of the robbers coming after me."
While speaking, Hu Lie gradually moved closer to Yang Xiaotian without a trace.
Seeing through the other's intentions, Yang Xiaotian was well aware. So, when Hu Lie suddenly burst forward to strike him again, the Heaven-Penetrating Sword appeared in Yang Xiaotian's hand, and he thrust it out instantly.
A speck of sword light pierced the darkness.
Under the moonlight, the sword light was dazzlingly brilliant.
Hu Lie felt a pain in his left eye and couldn't help but cover it and scream. Yang Xiaotian's sword had just blinded his left eye.
"Sword Qi, how can you, an Acquired, have Sword Qi!" In the midst of his pain, Hu Lie looked at Yang Xiaotian in both shock and anger.
Only an Innate Grandmaster could wield Sword Qi, yet Yang Xiaotian was clearly just an Acquired peak expert.
"Who told you that an Acquired can't use Sword Qi?" Seeing his sword strike a success, Yang Xiaotian felt a weight lift from his heart.
"You little thing, so what if you can wield Sword Qi," Hu Lie roared in fury, "Today, you will die!" With that, a massive tiger Martial Soul appeared behind him.
Then, tiger-striped patterns emerged all over his body, and his hands transformed into sharp claws, much like those of a tiger.
This was the Transformation.
Upon awakening one's Martial Soul, different Martial Souls possess different abilities. After Hu Lie's Transformation, he gained the speed and strength of a ferocious tiger.
Hu Lie lunged at Yang Xiaotian once more.
Under the moonlight, his claws glistened with a chilling radiance.
Hu Lie's speed had increased by half from before.
Transformation, huh?
Seeing the opponent charging at him, Yang Xiaotian remained calm, his body surged with radiance, and patterns like those of the Black Tortoise's shell emerged on his skin.
At the same time, a dark glow continuously emanated from his body, completely merging him with the darkness.
If Hu Lie could undergo Transformation, he could do it as well.
Moreover, he possessed Twin Martial Spirits, which allowed him to undergo Dual Transformation.
Yang Xiaotian thrust his sword out once again.
This time, he executed the first technique of the Heaven-Penetrating Sword Technique.
A flash of the sword so fast Hu Lie was utterly unable to track it.
After his Transformation, Yang Xiaotian was as swift as a ghost, blending into the darkness, making it extremely difficult for the naked eye to perceive him.
Hu Lie, who had just reached Yang Xiaotian, felt a pain in his throat and froze in place, his eyes filled with shock, his expression incredulous as if he had witnessed something unbelievable.
"Dual Transformation, Twin Martial Spirits?" Hu Lie struggled to open his mouth as he fell, his throat's blood ceaselessly staining the ground red.
Yang Xiaotian looked at the lifeless Hu Lie and let out a sigh of relief.
Simultaneously, he was inwardly elated. Under the Dual Transformation, combined with the Heaven-Penetrating Sword Technique, the power was beyond his imagination.
Seeing the bundle Hu Lie had dropped in the distance, something sparked in Yang Xiaotian's mind. He went over, opened it and found a martial arts Secret Tome, the "Soul Severing Blade Technique."
Besides this martial arts tome, there were some gold pieces, a book of Alchemy insights, and a jade bottle.
When Yang Xiaotian opened the jade bottle, the fragrance of the Elixir hit his nostrils, instantly invigorating his spirit.
This is!
He tipped his palm and saw two pills, crystal clear and emanating waves of Elixir fragrance, land in his hand.
These past few days, Yang Xiaotian had been flipping through Alchemy books in the valley cave, gaining a fair understanding of Elixirs. Seeing these two pills, he was tremendously pleased.
"Four Symbols Spirit Pill."
The Four Symbols Spirit Pill, like the Dragon-Tiger Elixir that his grandfather had once purchased at a high price, was an Innate Spirit Pill. However, the Four Symbols Spirit Pill was even harder to concoct, and the ingredients needed were more precious, making the pill's power superior.
Yang Xiaotian recalled the guards at Yang Family Manor saying that Hu Lie had killed an Alchemist before. Could it be that these insight on Alchemy and the two Four Symbols Spirit Pills were acquired by Hu Lie from that Alchemist?
Having been relentlessly pursued, Hu Lie presumably hadn't had the chance to consume them; now, they conveniently benefited Yang Xiaotian.
Yang Xiaotian took everything in the bundle, not leaving behind the gold. With this gold, he would be able to buy many things in the future.
Only a fool would refuse.
Not long after Yang Xiaotian left, Yang Chao, who was patrolling the nearby area with the guards of Yang Family Manor, came by, and they were all astonished to see Hu Lie's corpse.
They had all seen Hu Lie's portrait and recognized that the person killed was indeed the notorious criminal, Hu Lie.
"Such a powerful sword technique, killed with a single strike. Who could have killed Hu Lie?" one of the Yang Family Manor guards marveled with curiosity.
"To have killed Hu Lie, the person must be at least a third-level Innate expert," Yang Chao speculated, "And undoubtedly a master swordsman."
At that moment, Yang Hai also arrived with his guards, and upon seeing the slain Hu Lie, he was surprised yet secretly delighted. After all, the Imperial Court had put a bounty on Hu Lie's head worth three thousand gold pieces.
With this thought, he rushed to sever Hu Lie's head with his sword.
Just as Yang Hai was about to take the head away, Sun Hua, a guard following Yang Chao, mustered the courage to say, "Great Manor Lord, Yang Chao was the first to discover Hu Lie. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for you to take the head?"
Logically, even if the reward was to be claimed, it should have been Yang Chao.
Upon hearing this, Yang Hai abruptly slapped Sun Hua across the face, shouting, "Are you blind? Who said he found him first? It was clearly me who discovered him first."