446 Drifting Cloud Steps

Focusing back onto the large screen of light that showed what Qing Yi was currently doing inside, Xuan Hao soon lost interest and turned his attention towards the quest he had completed just a little while ago. After all, watching his disciple read through a dozen or so pill recipes was not really that interesting to him…

[Side Quest 2/2: Kill the demonic creature sealed in the underground cave(Complete)]

[Reward: Drifting Cloud Steps]

[Redeem]: [Y/N]

Seeing that everything was in order and the quest had indeed been completed after Yi Min killed the demonic rat, Xuan Hao decided to redeem the reward without any hesitation.

Whoosh!

Following the fact that he redeemed the reward, Xuan Hao felt the similar feeling as he had when he first absorbed the knowledge from the system after Qing Yi was first promoted to a Journeyman Alchemist.

The only difference this time around, was that the information he received was way less compared to that time. After all, one was the alchemy knowledge worthy of someone at the peak of the Artisan Alchemist Realm with countless different recipes, while the other was just a single movement technique.

Different from the alchemy knowledge, he would have to learn the Drifting Cloud Steps from the start without any help…

With this in mind, Xuan Hao began reading through the Drifting Cloud Steps Movement Technique that he had just been given.

The Drifting Cloud Steps was different from any of the movement techniques he had seen before back in the Flying Sword Sect, as it required a certain degree of spatial manipulation. Meaning that for one to start practicing the Drifting Cloud Steps, one would at least need to be in the Domain Lord Realm…

Maybe someone talented enough might be able to grasp the Drifting Cloud Steps in the Half-Step Domain Lord Realm, but Xuan Hao did not really think too much about this. Mainly because his three disciples were still far away from reaching that level.

At the very least, he would have a strong movement technique to teach his disciples when they became strong enough in the future!

Having thought about this, Xuan Hao could not help but sigh as he looked up towards the light projection showing Qing Yi still busy looking through the potion recipes.

His two oldest disciples were both close to reaching the Core Formation Realm and could already be considered the strongest among their peers in the Flying Sword Sect, but… Xuan Hao could not help feeling that they were a bit weak when he looked around at the other youths who had showed up from around the Sky Empire to join the Alchemy Competition.

Even if they specialised in alchemy, the ones not from sects outside the core region of the Sky Empire, were all at the later stages of the Foundation Establishment Realm! There was even one who had already reached the Core Formation Realm!

It was worth mentioning that these youths spent most of their time practicing alchemy instead of cultivating! The ones who focused on increasing their cultivation realm… Xuan Hao felt that most of them would likely already have reached the Core Formation Realm at this point!

<br/>How could his disciples lack behind others by so much!?

"Hah… Looks like I will have to help Qing Yi and Chu Yang breakthrough to the Core Formation Realm when I get back… That way I will also be able to complete the main quest!"

Having made up his mind, Xuan Hao decided to make sure to spend some more time with his two oldest disciples and help them breakthrough to the Core Formation Realm after returning to the sect.

As for Bai Ning, he would not stress him too much given that he had only recently joined the Flying Sword Sect. Letting him enjoy his blacksmithing was a good plan for now… In the future, he would make sure Bai Ning learned a few techniques to protect himself.

After all, even if he wanted to become a great blacksmith, he would still have to learn a few things to protect himself… Just look at Yi Min, she was a splendid example of a great blacksmith with powerful techniques to protect herself from danger!

"Looks like she's finally going to start making a potion."

Seeing that Qing Yi stepped away from the small table filled with all sorts of potion recipes, Xuan Hao focused back onto the large light projection in the sky showing his disciple.

Helping his disciples increase their strength and learning the Drifting Cloud Steps could wait. For now, the most important thing was Qing Yi's performance during the Alchemy Trial and preventing the Artisan Alchemist Fang Shi from having any plans to steal away his disciple…

"Hm?"

Secretly glancing down towards Fang Shi standing on the platform as he was busy managing the situation inside the cauldron, Xuan Hao could not help but let out a slightly surprised voice upon spotting something.

"A rabbit tail…?"

Why does he have a rabbit tail!?

Not knowing about what had happened in the alchemy competition during his absence, Xuan Hao thought that Fang Shi might have some kind of weird hobby and felt even more adamant in preventing him from snatching away his disciple!

…

"Haha, looks like everything is going well inside the alchemy trial!"

Unaware of the fact that part of Qing Yi's Skin Strengthening Potion had not completely worn off yet, Fang Shi smiled happily as he observed the condition of everyone inside the cauldron.

"Though, I did not expect for them to do so well! The only one who did worse than expected on the first test, was that girl from the Flying Sword Sect… I hope she can do better during the second test…"

Feeling happy that almost everyone exceeded his expectations, Fang Shi could not help but feel that it was a little weird that Qing Yi was the only person who did worse than he had expected… Perhaps he had overestimated her?

"Master… Please stop talking to yourself… It's weird…"

"Cai Yu! Just wait for the competition to end-"

Hearing his disciple suddenly call out to him from the side and even daring to call him weird in front of the elders from the Iron Sky Kingdom standing nearby, Fang Shi felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he turned around to begin scolding her.

Whoosh~

Unfortunately for Fang Shi, the quick turn caused him to discover something weird close to his-

"W-what is this!? I thought it had already disappeared… Don't tell me, is there perhaps a permanent side effect to that potion!?"

Discovering the cute fluffy rabbit tail hidden behind the large outer robe he was wearing; Fang Shi began shivering as he remembered that some potions and pills caused permanent side effects that would not disappear over time and would be hard to recover from.

Given that he still had a small cute and fluffy rabbit tail, Fang Shi feared that Qing Yi's Skin Strengthening Potion might be one of those potions with permanent side effects…

If that was really the case, would he not have to live with a rabbit tail until he got back to his alchemy lab and figured out a way to remove it…?

Thinking about all of this, Fang Shi had completely forgotten to continue scolding Cai Yu, as the person in question curiously looked over towards him. Wondering why her master had suddenly frozen up and looked all embarrassed.

…

"Ah!"

Having realized something, Cai Yu barely managed to stop herself from laughing out loud, as she watched the embarrassed expression on her master's face.

Did he not check if the side effects had disappeared before coming back out and starting the Final Stage of the alchemy competition? There was no way he could just stop it now that it had already started…

"Master~ Did something happen~?"

With a cheeky grin on her face, Cai Yu looked over at her master, as he instantly understood that she knew what had happened.

"Ahm-! Nothing to worry about!"

"Hm? Are you sure~? I was almost certain that you were going to scold me just now…"

Not planning to let her master go, Cai Yu decided to use the opportunity to escape from whatever punishment her master had planned for her when they got back home.

Even if she enjoyed poking fun at her master from time to time, she still understood that her master's punishments were nothing to scoff at!

It had to be known, the last time she had stepped over the line, she was forced to take care of her master's collection of poisonous herbs…

With her strength back then, taking care of those poisonous spiritual herbs, while not deadly, was still a quite painful experience for her. Even when she tried to use her father to escape, he had directly refused her and allowed her master to punish her!

"You were just imagining things… How could I ever be angry with my dear disciple…?"

Hearing her master say this, Cai Yu smiled happily, she knew that she had escaped punishment.

"Indeed! It was just this disciple's imagination!"

Fang Shi did not take this to mind, as he was far more worried about how to get rid of his new permanent rabbit tail…