BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

Hearing Xiao Zhan's loud laughter, Xiao Hua grimaced, finding it both annoying and noisy. He just wished everything would finish quickly so he could get back to refining pills.

"What are you frowning at, you little rascal?" Xiao Zhan glanced back and saw the grimace on Xiao Hua's face. Unable to contain his temper, he scolded, "Where are your manners? Go and serve tea to Lady Ya Fei!"

'You're so excited you even use honorifics... Shameless old man,' Xiao Hua thought to himself, rolling his eyes helplessly.

Xiao Hua approached the table, picked up a cup of warm tea, and hurried over to serve Ya Fei with both hands.

Ya Fei smiled gently, finding Xiao Hua's demeanor cute, as she accepted the tea. But suddenly, her expression shifted. Her beautiful eyes were drawn to Xiao Hua's fair hands—or more specifically, the black ring on his left hand.

'Child, your ring is in plain sight,' Lady Azure said with amusement. She found the situation humorous, knowing how meticulous Xiao Hua was about hiding his identity, yet one small slip had revealed everything to Ya Fei.

'Ah, fuck..!' Xiao Hua cursed inwardly as he quickly withdrew his hands, careful to maintain his calm expression.

As he straightened up, he squinted and stared coldly at the beautiful woman in front of him.

Feeling his open stare, Ya Fei’s heart tightened slightly. She sensibly lowered her head and took a sip of her tea, her expression perfectly masked.

Xiao Hua turned and lazily walked back to stand behind Xiao Zhan. Unnoticed by anyone, he frowned, knowing she was definitely not the type to let things slide.

After further discussion and idle chat, Ya Fei stood up, deciding it was time to leave. Beside her, Xiao Hua, who had remained silent throughout, took on his role as host and escorted her out under Xiao Zhan’s approving gaze.

Once they exited the main entrance, Xiao Hua showed no intention of returning home. Instead, he casually followed Ya Fei, narrowing his eyes as if deep in thought. His expression revealed nothing of what was on his mind.

Walking beside him, Ya Fei felt her body tense up, a slight anxiety creeping in. Her clenched fists were damp with perspiration. Ever since she was a child, she had an exceptional memory, and she vividly recalled the black and red ring worn by the mysterious black-robed boy when she gave him the crystal card.

For this reason, she was certain that the ring on Xiao Hua’s finger was identical to the one worn by that mysterious boy. As the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, she finally understood why the Xiao Clan was held in such high regard by the enigmatic child and, particularly, his esteemed teacher.

Biting her lip, Ya Fei glanced sideways at the boy beside her, measuring him discreetly. He wore inexpensive black clothes, and his delicate features hinted at a future of striking handsomeness. What stood out most were his heterochromatic eyes—crimson on the left and cyan on the right.

The aura he emitted was devoid of the usual arrogance that often accompanied the young and talented. There was no trace of the domineering presence that ordinary geniuses couldn’t hide. Instead, he exuded an indifference, as though he was detached from everything around him.

“Have you seen enough?” Just as Ya Fei was about to smile bitterly, the boy finally spoke, his voice as indifferent as his demeanor.

Startled, she quickly turned her head away, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She found it hard to believe that this boy was the same person who had forced both her and Gu Ni into submission at the auction house.

Reaching the level of 8-Star Dou Grandmaster at the age of six and having a fifth-tier alchemist as his teacher...

She had received reports of his achievements, but it had never crossed her mind that the mysterious black-robed child and Xiao Hua were one and the same.

Slowing her steps, Ya Fei sighed and looked at Xiao Hua. “How should I address you? As Young Master or Little Brother Xiao Hua?”

Xiao Hua remained silent before suddenly raising his chin toward a corner, speaking in an overbearing tone. "Go in."

Ya Fei followed his gaze and walked over. When she realized where she was, her cheeks involuntarily reddened. The place Xiao Hua had indicated was Wu Tan City's famous meeting spot for lovers.

After a brief hesitation, Ya Fei considered suggesting a change of venue. However, Xiao Hua had already swaggered over and seated himself on a stone chair beneath a dark green willow tree.

Xiao Hua hadn’t chosen this place because of its reputation as a lover's meeting spot but because it was the quietest and least populated area when no couples were around.

Seeing that he wasn’t going to budge, Ya Fei shook her head and slowly stepped forward. She sat facing Xiao Hua, her long, narrow eyes sparkling as she assessed the young man before her.

"In answer to your question, you may call me whichever suits the situation," Xiao Hua said.

"I see. Then, Young Master," Ya Fei replied courteously. She raised her eyes and hesitantly asked in a timid voice, "Will you kill me, Young Master?"

"Is there a reason to?" Xiao Hua smirked and leaned back in the stone chair. Now that his identity was revealed, there was no need for pretense. "The black-robed man who did business with you was indeed me."

"Now that I think about it, the mysterious black-robed boy appeared shortly after you arrived in Wu Tan City..." Ya Fei mused with a wry tone. She wondered why she hadn’t connected the dots when it should have been so obvious.

"Despite that, the way you figured it out was truly impressive," Xiao Hua remarked. "I completely overlooked your keen observational and memorization skills. I let my guard down."

"Fufufu. I’ve been fortunate to have these skills—they've helped me countless times in the past," Ya Fei giggled, her laughter harmonious. She looked at Xiao Hua and said, "After all, they managed to reveal you, Young Master."

"If a lady is too smart, no man will like her," Xiao Hua quipped, glancing at Ya Fei, who had identified him through her sharp observation and memory.

"Hmph! Unless you’ve done something naughty, there’s no reason for us women to show our intelligence, Young Master. Besides, that’s just the thinking of vulgar men!" Ya Fei retorted, raising an eyebrow disdainfully.

"Ke ke. That’s true," Xiao Hua agreed with a nod. Even he preferred his women to be smart and powerful so they wouldn’t be easily deceived or bullied by others.

"Anyway, you should know why I came to find you. Please do your utmost to keep my identity a secret. It’s in everyone’s best interest." Xiao Hua spoke indifferently, his tone turning threatening as he continued, "And don’t think for a moment that you can use this to threaten me. If you try, you’ll lose more than you stand to gain."

"Do I look like a brainless woman?" Ya Fei asked, spreading her hands innocently.

Xiao Hua seriously stared at the ample curves of her chest for a moment before nodding. "They are indeed large. As for whether you have brains, that depends on your actions from now on."

"......"

Ya Fei's mouth fell open, stunned by the audacity of the young boy. Being teased by someone several years younger—and still very much a boy—left her with mixed emotions, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Shaking her head, Ya Fei fixed her anxious gaze on Xiao Hua and asked the question that troubled her most. "What about our collaboration?"

"Nothing will change. I’ll refine those Tier 4 Pills and deliver them to you within a week, as long as you continue refusing to supply the Jia Lie Clan with any medicinal ingredients," Xiao Hua responded without hesitation.

'As expected, he's been hiding his identity and strength. Elder Huo is only a Dou Emperor and a fifth-tier alchemist. So, who exactly is the black-robed person I met at the auction house before?' Ya Fei wondered inwardly.

She had assumed it was his master who refined the pills, but from Xiao Hua's tone and attitude, she could easily deduce that the boy in front of her was indeed the one who had refined those fifty Tier 4 Pills.

"Haha, I look forward to working with you," Ya Fei said with a beautiful smile, extending her hand in a natural and generous manner.

Xiao Hua briefly shook her delicate hand, indifferent to her gesture. The contact was brief, leaving Ya Fei feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"Sometimes I wonder if you’re really just six years old. Only now do I realize that you’ve been leading me by the nose," Ya Fei sighed.

"Indeed," Xiao Hua replied with a hint of glee.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of commotion near the Primer Auction House.

"Since you’ve never met them, I’ll tell you this," Xiao Hua said, grinning at Ya Fei. "The alchemists of the Jia Lie Clan are overly arrogant, and the disciple is as lustful as he is incompetent."

"I see. So they’re here because of the sudden cut in supplies, with the disciple tagging along to try and acquire me, huh..." Ya Fei's voice turned cold, laced with killing intent.

As they stopped talking, the sound of heavy footsteps approached.

“Miss Ya Fei, the Jia Lie Clan has come to cause trouble with their newly hired alchemist!” a guard exclaimed in panic.

Ya Fei’s smile widened, her eyes turning icy. With a cold voice, she said, "It seems I’ve been too lenient, Young Master."

"How unfortunate. Of all people, they’ve chosen to target you. Truly, beauty can bring trouble with just a flick of a finger," Xiao Hua teased, curling his lips into a smirk.

Ya Fei giggled, her previous coldness gone. "There are some benefits to it, Young Master, though it doesn’t seem to work on you."

Xiao Hua rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I admit you're beautiful, but you still need more experience when dealing with me."

"Young Master... are you sure you're just a child?" Ya Fei asked, genuinely stunned.

Xiao Hua ignored her question and instead asked, "Should I lend a hand?"

"Please do. After all, this fragile yet beautiful lady might be helpless against a Dou Grandmaster cultivator," Ya Fei responded playfully.

Xiao Hua gave her a strange look. "I’ll admit you’re fragile, but helpless? Miss Ya Fei, I pity the Jia Lie Clan and the two alchemists they brought more than I pity you."

Ya Fei giggled in response. "It seems you have a personal grudge against them, so I don’t mind letting you steal the stage, Young Master."

Xiao Hua smiled and said nothing, donning a black robe he pulled from his ring. He walked forward, joining Ya Fei to decimate the Jia Lie Clan.

---

"Aren’t you going to welcome us?"

As Ya Fei and Xiao Hua mingled with the crowd, observing the situation, they heard an arrogant voice from nearby.

Xiao Hua glanced over and saw two men—an old man in an alchemist's robe and a young man clad in black and gold.

'The old man in the alchemist robe must be Xuan Wu. Though he looks a bit younger than I expected, I assume the one in black and gold is Liu Xi,' Xiao Hua thought to himself. However, he was puzzled by the man clad in black and gold, someone he had never seen before, but he soon realized it was the lust-filled disciple.

"Master, can I have that rumored beautiful auctioneer?" the man in black and gold asked, his voice dripping with lust.

"Do whatever you like," Xuan Wu responded indifferently.

Ya Fei continued walking until she reached the front. "Well now, who’s causing a ruckus in front of the Primer Auction House? I never thought it would be you, Clan Leader Jia Lie Bi."

The Jia Lie Clan members and the alchemists turned to face Ya Fei. The alchemists were immediately captivated by her glamorous appearance and seductive looks, their eyes filling with lust and greed.

Xuan Wu laughed as he stepped forward. "Your auction house has been very rude to the Jia Lie Clan, my employer. However, if you satisfy me tonight, I might forgive you."

The crowd reacted with disgust to his lust-driven words, with some beginning to hurl insults at him.

Meanwhile, Liu Xi was taken aback by his master's words. Hadn't he just said that Liu Xi could have the auctioneer? Now, suddenly, he wanted her for himself...

Feeling offended, Liu Xi released his Dou Grandmaster cultivation pressure, silencing the crowd. "Hmph! Woman, do you think no one dares to touch you just because you work for the Primer Clan? When they hear that I’m a Dou Grandmaster and a third-tier alchemist, they’d gladly hand you over to me rather than protect you."

The crowd fell silent at Liu Xi's boastful words. A third-tier alchemist was not someone to be trifled with, and many in the crowd felt sorry for Ya Fei, believing her fate was sealed.

However, Ya Fei merely sneered at his words. Having encountered Dou Kings and even Dou Emperors, a mere Dou Grandmaster didn't faze her in the slightest.

'It seems he knows about the Primer Clan and how they operate, but he failed to properly investigate who manages this branch...' Xiao Hua thought to himself, shaking his head with pity for the old man.

"There's something you need to understand, alchemist," Xiao Hua said, stepping out of the crowd and drawing everyone's attention. He walked forward, placing himself in front of Ya Fei, making it clear that he intended to protect her. He looked at Xuan Wu and sighed. "You’re not a Dou Grandmaster who happens to be a third-tier alchemist. You're a third-tier alchemist who has reached the Dou Grandmaster realm."

"What?" Xuan Wu was puzzled by Xiao Hua's words.

Meanwhile, Ya Fei smiled in amusement. She had only been familiar with his alchemy techniques and not his true strength. Naturally, she was excited to see the immense power of this monster from the Xiao Clan.

"Though it may sound the same, it isn’t. In battle, the latter are far weaker than standard Dou Grandmaster cultivators,"

As Xiao Hua uttered those words, golden lightning surged from his body, causing fierce winds to sweep through the crowd. Slowly, the lightning enveloped his pale skin, turning it a creamy white with golden lines flowing across it like veins.

With a sharp intake of breath, the golden lightning gathered fiercely around his right hand, extending and sharpening into a blade more lethal than any sword.

Xuan Wu could feel the tremendous, destructive power within the lightning, and he instinctively took a step back. His eyes filled with dread as his heart pounded in trepidation, staring at the deadly energy concentrated in Xiao Hua's hand.

He recognized this feeling. As someone who had lived a long life, he was no stranger to the sensation of death looming over him.

Xiao Hua stomped his feet and launched himself forward, vanishing from sight before reappearing directly in front of Xuan Wu. His lightning-clad right hand pierced through Xuan Wu’s chest before sending him flying and crashing through several buildings, damages Xiao Hua would pay for later.

Just when everyone thought it was over, a shadow emerged from the smoke—a bloody figure with a hole in the chest staggered out.

Xiao Hua and the others watched as a red Dou Qi armor materialized around Xuan Wu's upper body. Everyone knew he had instinctively activated it the moment Xiao Hua vanished and reappeared before him. But against Xiao Hua's attack, the red Dou Qi armor was no stronger than paper.

"Hahaha! Too bad, brat! I'm not like those weak alchemists you talked about!" Xuan Wu spat blood furiously, laughing like a madman.

The crowd sighed and shook their heads at the crazed man, unable to accept the outcome. They could all see his bloody figure, the gaping hole in his chest, and assumed he had lost his mind in denial of his defeat.

"You wish you were dead just now, old man," Xiao Hua murmured softly, but his words were heard by everyone, including Xuan Wu.

"HAHAHAHAAH!!!" Xuan Wu burst into a maniacal laugh, glaring at Xiao Hua, who regarded him with a pitiful look, as though observing a corpse.

"I'm going to kill you, brat! And I'll make that woman beside you scream in pleasure, begging for more while you listen! Hahaha—!" Xuan Wu’s crazed taunts were abruptly cut off as he coughed up blood and felt a searing pain in his body.

"What... What is... happening to... my body?" Xuan Wu gasped, as golden lightning streaked out from his body, cooking him from the inside out.

"AAAHHHHHH!!!!"

Xuan Wu was being burned inside out, and each flash of golden lightning made him let out a blood-curdling scream that struck fear into everyone present. His pleas for mercy and an end to his suffering echoed around them, but no one moved. They were paralyzed with horror, their feet seemingly glued to the floor as they witnessed the terrifying scene.

Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, the body of the tier-three alchemist was incinerated at a pace visible to the naked eye. After more than ten seconds, nothing remained of him but ashes; even his bones were consumed by the merciless golden lightning.

("Cruel Gold Tribulation, huh? Even after witnessing it countless times, it never gets any easier to watch a body being fried inside out,") Lady Azure mentally communicated with Xiao Hua.

She had observed the entire scene but chose not to intervene, knowing that Xiao Hua could handle the situation without trouble from these low-level individuals. Instead, she felt a pang of sympathy for the nameless third-tier alchemist, whose death was far more agonizing than she anticipated.

(“In my defense, Sister Azure, you’re the one who taught me this technique!”) Xiao Hua complained.

(“And in my defense, I only provided insight after you had already developed it!”) Lady Azure retorted spitefully.

To that, Xiao Hua could only pursed his lips as what she said was true. Now he could only shake it off and create different move.

'To be honest, Xuan Wu's death now is reminiscent of the way Queen Medusa killed him in the novel,' Xiao Hua thought, reflecting on the differences. 'The main difference is that in the novel, he was corroded by acid, while here he's being incinerated inside out by Heavenly Tribulation Lightning...'