BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

After three weeks had passed and the fourth week began, Xiao Hua and the others returned to the Xiao Clan. It was time for them to head back to Jia Nan Academy.

Xiao Hua and the group gathered in the main courtyard, ready for their return journey. Despite Xiao Yang's complaints about the break being too short, they knew it would take some time to reach the academy.

Xiao Zhan and the Elders gave a brief speech before sending them off. Initially, the Elders had wanted to send a few of their members and guards to escort them, but they ultimately decided against it, as it would slow them down and draw unnecessary attention.

Their caution was due to the recent conflict with the Jia Lie Clan. After some negotiation, the Jia Lie Clan had agreed to leave Wu Tan City, surrendering all of their assets to the Auction House.

The Auction House then divided the spoils, taking forty-five percent of the wealth and territory for themselves. The Xiao Clan received twenty percent, while the remaining thirty-five percent would be auctioned off.

Xiao Hua smirked, thinking about Ya Fei's cleverness. ‘What a shrewd woman. If they had taken too much of the Jia Lie Clan's wealth, others would have plotted against them. But if they took too little, it wouldn’t benefit them. Instead, they decided to auction it, gaining both profit and favor.’

"However, I still can’t believe they managed to steal a stack of gold coins right under our noses. Who would’ve thought Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie Nu had a talent for thievery..." Xiao Tao grumbled after hearing Xiao Zhan's report.

"Hmm... I wonder where they’ll go next," Xiao Yang mused, arms crossed. "It’s not easy to establish a strong clan in another city without a solid foundation..."

Xiao Yang noticed that Xiao Hua wasn't paying attention to their discussion, his excitement apparent. “Cousin Xiao Hua, it seems you’re getting excited.”

“Ah… I just can’t wait for the Inner Academy Qualifying Competition.” Xiao Hua’s eyes sparkled as he glanced at the others. “I’ve decided to join in the fun. Master mentioned that the Inner Academy’s Medicinal Warehouse contains a vast amount of medicinal herbs.”

“I see. Well, you are a Tier 3 Alchemist. It’s no surprise that the medicinal warehouse excites you.” Xiao Tao nodded, understanding the allure that rare ingredients and recipes held for an alchemist.

Xiao Hua smiled and tilted his head. “I know Xun’er will register as well. But what about the rest of you?”

Xiao Tao smiled wryly. “Well… We’re still only Dou Masters, so we won’t be joining this year’s competition. But with the resources you’ve shared with us, we’ll definitely be ready next year. Winning, though… that’s another matter.”

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er nodded in agreement. Xiao Tao’s reasoning made sense—those who participated in the Inner Academy Qualifying Competition were usually seniors or those who had reached Dou Grandmaster level.

It was no wonder that Xiao Yang and Xiao Tao felt a bit downcast at being unable to join their younger cousins on this journey. Initially, they had only accompanied them to protect them on the Elders' and Patriarch's orders. But now, they had grown attached and wanted to witness their journey firsthand.

Xiao Tao and Xiao Yang exchanged glances and smiled warmly, thinking of their small, cute cousins. They silently resolved to train even harder once they returned to Jia Nan Academy, determined not to let their monstrous cousins leave them behind.

“Brother Xiao Hua, Cousin Xiao Tao, Cousin Yang,” Xiao Xun Er called out softly. They all turned their attention to her, nodding in understanding as they sensed the abnormality outside.

Xiao Hua and the others could clearly feel that their carriage was surrounded by fifteen hostile individuals. These assailants made no effort to conceal their murderous intent, leaking it out in an attempt to intimidate those inside—though it only served to heighten their awareness.

A cold smile crept across Xiao Hua's face as he identified the presence of Jia Lie Bi, the former Clan Head, and Jia Lie Nu, an Elder of the Jia Lie Clan, through his spiritual perception. Behind them, he sensed a smaller presence—it was Jia Lie Ao, Jia Lie Bi’s son.

Xiao Tao narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp with killing intent. “Is it the Jia Lie Clan?”

Xiao Hua nodded in confirmation, causing Xiao Yang to seethe with anger. “Tch! We were kind enough to let them go, and yet they pull something like this?! Next time, we should just kill those ungrateful bastards!”

Hearing Xiao Yang's outburst, Xiao Tao sighed and analyzed the situation calmly. “It’s not like we captured them ourselves. It was the mysterious Young Master who aided the Xiao Clan, so there’s no reason for them to be grateful, Yang’er.”

Xiao Xun Er nodded in agreement. “Indeed. We took their wealth and territories, and even forced them out of Wu Tan City. It’s not surprising that they hold a grudge against us.”

“There won’t be a next time,” Xiao Hua stated coldly. Despite sensing the presence of a Dou Spirit cultivator among their ranks, he was confident in his ability to defeat them.

Including Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie Nu, the group surrounding their carriage consisted of two high-level Dou Grandmasters, two high-level Dou Masters, and eight high-stage Dou Practitioners.

Xiao Hua relayed this information to the others, and Xiao Xun Er narrowed her eyes, her voice icy. “It seems the Jia Lie Clan has some extensive connections.”

“Connections? More like money doing the talking,” Xiao Hua smirked. “Considering a Dou Spirit cultivator is working with them, it’s clear they bought their help.”

Surprised to find a Dou Spirit cultivator among the ambushers, Xiao Tao and Xiao Yang exchanged a quick glance before looking at Xiao Hua. “Can you handle the Dou Spirit?” they asked, their voices laced with concern.

Depending on Xiao Hua’s answer, the two brothers were prepared to sacrifice their lives if necessary. Understanding their resolve, Xiao Hua assured them with a confident grin. “I can take care of the Dou Spirit, as well as Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie Nu.” His eyes narrowed, his tone deadly serious. “But I’ll need you to deal with the rest.”

“Simple,” Xiao Tao replied, his confidence echoed by Xiao Yang and Xiao Xun Er.

They exchanged determined nods, their resolve to end the Jia Lie Clan once and for all solidifying, especially for Xiao Tao and Xiao Yang. They weren’t inexperienced students—both had gained valuable experience in the treacherous Black-Corner Region.

The fact that their opponents couldn’t fully conceal their bloodlust only confirmed to them that these ambushers were far less seasoned than the ruthless and unscrupulous people they had faced in the Black-Corner Region. Having encountered similar situations many times before, they knew the importance of striking decisively and without hesitation.

Bang!

Once they finalized their plan, their eyes filled with killing intent. Without a second thought, they kicked the carriage door open. Xiao Hua’s voice was icy and resolute as he commanded, “Kill them all!”

The ambushers were caught off guard by the sudden charge and were slow to react. The Dou Practitioners were too sluggish to defend themselves and were swiftly eliminated. Although the Dou Grandmasters and Dou Masters managed to evade the initial assault, they still suffered minor injuries.

However, Xiao Hua and the others didn’t relent. They pressed the attack, driving a wedge between the Dou Grandmasters and Dou Spirit cultivator. Xiao Xun Er took on the two Dou Grandmasters, while Xiao Tao and Xiao Yang each engaged a pair of Dou Masters.

“SON!!!”

Xiao Hua, charging towards the rear, halted momentarily at the sound of a heart-wrenching scream from Jia Lie Bi. Turning around, he saw one of the fallen bodies was that of Jia Lie Ao, the Young Master of the Jia Lie Clan and Jia Lie Bi’s son.

Jia Lie Bi’s eyes turned bloodshot as he charged forward in a blind fury. “I’ll make you regret ever being born! You’ll beg for death, YOU BASTARD!!!”

Xiao Hua faced him head-on. Jia Lie Bi, his fist enveloped in a storm of wind, aimed a powerful punch at Xiao Hua’s face.

“If you didn’t want him to die, you shouldn’t have brought him here,” Xiao Hua scoffed, effortlessly blocking the punch with one hand. His voice was filled with cold exasperation. “You should’ve stayed in your warm house. Then, you wouldn’t have lost him.”

With his hand coated in golden lightning, Xiao Hua pierced Jia Lie Bi’s chest, killing him instantly. The lightning charred the body as he flung it towards Jia Lie Nu, causing the latter to flinch and delay his reaction.

As Jia Lie Nu shifted to avoid the incoming corpse, his instincts blared, and he ducked just in time. A small foot, enveloped in golden-green Dou Qi, struck where his neck had been moments before. 'If I hadn't dodged, my head would be flying by now,' he thought, a chill running down his spine.

“Oh? You’ve got time to be distracted, old man?” A chilling voice echoed above him. Jia Lie Nu immediately rolled to the side.

Just as he moved, a foot stomped the ground where his head had been, generating a powerful gust of wind and kicking up dust.

Once the dust cleared up, Xiao Hua's figure appeared with an indifferent look on his face while his left foot on the cracked earth.

"While I commend you for dodging quickly," Xiao Hua remarked, his gaze fixed on the pitiful figure of Jia Lie Nu, "it seems you didn't expect the residue of my lightning to penetrate your Dou Qi armor, did you?"

Jia Lie Nu's chest and arms were encased in a bluish-green wind Dou Qi armor, yet he still found himself in a wretched state, unable to fully block the remnants of Xiao Hua's tyrannical golden lightning.

"Just... what kind of... lightning... is this...?" Jia Lie Nu gasped, his chest deeply caved in, struggling to catch his breath.

"Ah, my lightning is a bit special," Xiao Hua replied indifferently, before turning his attention to the Dou Spirit cultivator whose killing intent was palpable enough to make one's skin crawl. To Xiao Hua, however, it was nothing compared to the Heavenly Lightning.

"You seem eager to protect him. I wonder how much Jia Lie Bi paid you. It must have been an enormous sum."

"Indeed. I need him alive to find out where that man stashed the rest of my payment," the Dou Spirit cultivator responded coldly.

"Is that so? A rather peculiar last wish for a dead man." Xiao Hua's voice turned icy as a chilling killing intent flashed across his eyes. Golden-green Dou Qi surged from within him, sending waves of powerful and destructive energy rippling outward.

Sensing the imminent danger, the Dou Spirit cultivator's expression turned grave. His yellow Dou Qi surged in response, but the sense of threat only intensified. His instincts screamed at him that things were about to get even more perilous. With a flick of his fingers, a black spear appeared in his hand, which he brandished before pointing it sideways toward the ground. He knew that by accepting the task of killing the boy before him, there was no chance Xiao Hua would let him leave alive.

He glanced at his comrades and realized they were all entangled in their own battles, particularly the two struggling against Xiao Xun Er. He now truly wondered about the background of these people, as Jia Lie Bi had never mentioned their true strength, only that they were from a small clan in Wu Tan City.

'Tch! What do you mean they're just Dou Grandmasters, you useless bastards? These people could give me, a Dou Spirit, a run for my money!' The Dou Spirit cultivator cursed Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie Nu for withholding crucial information.

Unbeknownst to him, Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie Nu had never truly fought against Xiao Hua and the others, as they rarely left their clan's premises. Naturally, they were unaware of their true strength and combat abilities, beyond knowing they were Dou Grandmasters.

"Hmph! Brat, whether I live or die won't be decided by you!" the Dou Spirit cultivator shouted indignantly, his voice low and filled with killing intent. With a roar, he swung the black spear with all his might, unleashing a powerful surge of yellow Dou Qi from the spear. He intended to end this fight quickly before Xiao Hua could make his move.

Xiao Hua was not one to be underestimated. With a blinding silver flash, the Heavenly Suppression Band transformed into a pair of formidable gauntlets. His feet slammed into the ground, causing golden-green energy to explode beneath him. The force of the turbulent energy turned Xiao Hua into a black shadow, streaking toward the Dou Spirit cultivator with terrifying speed.

As he tightened his fist, golden-green Dou Qi surged from his gauntlets, a technique emblematic of a Dou Grandmaster. The energy radiated from his fists, cutting through the air with a violent wind as it collided with the Dou Spirit cultivator’s spear, forcing the latter to stagger backward.

Boom!

"What?!" The Dou Spirit cultivator was in complete disbelief, realizing that he couldn’t match Xiao Hua’s raw power. The force behind the clash was overwhelming, sending him reeling.

"He's certainly worthy of being a Dou Spirit," Xiao Hua muttered, feeling a sharp sting in his hand from the impact. "That actually hurt a bit."

The Dou Spirit cultivator glared furiously at the bleeding Jia Lie Nu, cursing his luck for being dragged into a fight with a monster like Xiao Hua. But he pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on surviving the battle at hand—if he could.

Taking a deep breath, the Dou Spirit cultivator gripped his black spear tightly, causing traces of deep yellow Dou Qi to spread from it. A scorching, deep cry echoed as flames began to engulf the weapon.

"Inferno Piercing Mountain!"

With a fierce shout, the Dou Spirit cultivator unleashed a roaring blaze that consumed the spear, transforming it into a searing weapon of destruction. He thrust it forward, sending a wave of fiery energy hurtling toward Xiao Hua.

("Boy, incoming!") Lady Azure's voice echoed in Xiao Hua’s mind.

("I know, Sister Azure!") Xiao Hua responded. He took a deep breath and clenched his fist, feeling the golden-green Dou Qi surge like a raging torrent through his Qi Paths. Strength flooded his body, erupting fiercely as he prepared his counterattack.

"Golden Spear of Primordial Azure!"

As Xiao Hua’s cry resounded, his clenched fist loosened, and from his palm, a storm of golden-green energy materialized. Thunderous currents and raging flames coalesced into a massive spear, crackling with intense power. He hurled the gigantic spear toward the Dou Spirit cultivator’s attack.

Bang!

The golden, domineering spear collided with the fiery red spear in a thunderous explosion that shook the earth. The deafening sound echoed across the battlefield, causing Xiao Xun Er and the others to momentarily halt their fights, their eyes drawn to the epic clash unfolding before them.

To the ambushers, the outcome of the fight between their leader and the young boy would determine everything. They knew they stood no chance against these three freak of nature, despite their side had two Dou Grandmasters and two Dou Masters. Surprisingly, the young girl effortlessly held off both of their Dou Grandmasters, preventing them from aiding the Dou Masters.

"This isn't good, Brother Lu! It’s not just her strength; this strange flame of hers is giving me a hard time," one of the enemy Dou Grandmasters muttered anxiously.

"Shut up! You think I don't know that, Pei!" Brother Lu cursed, frustration evident in his voice. The situation was dire, and the golden flames that girl wielded were incinerating his Dou Qi, rendering his attacks ineffective.

"Don't worry! Once Boss Jin kills that kid, we can deal with her and that cursed flame!" Pei tried to reassure him, attempting to calm his nerves.

"I'm surprised you think your boss can win."

A cold, chilling voice echoed above them. They looked up and saw the young girl who, despite her youth, already showed signs of blossoming into a breathtaking beauty. Her hands were enveloped in a beautiful golden Dou Qi—the very same energy that was giving them so much trouble.

"Ha! Girl, do you really think that boy can defeat our boss when he’s just a mere Dou Grandmaster?" Pei smirked, his confidence unwavering. He believed their boss couldn’t lose against a Dou Grandmaster.

Brother Lu, however, remained silent. At first, he had assumed these children were mere flowers raised in a greenhouse, pampered and inexperienced despite their impressive cultivation levels. But now, he understood the truth—they were far from ordinary.

‘These two are freaks of nature!’ Brother Lu grimaced, his expression darkening and regret washed over him. He wished they had never accepted this job, no matter how much they were paid.

"At least one of you understands." Xiao Xun Er glanced at Brother Lu, noticing his grim expression, and nodded in satisfaction. She smiled, knowing he recognized that Xiao Hua was not weak and could contend with a Dou Spirit cultivator. She looked at Pei, her lips curling into a smirk. "If your boss were fighting an ordinary Dou Grandmaster, he would have easily won. Unfortunately for you, Brother Xiao Hua is anything but ordinary."

"Puakh!"

The sound of someone coughing up blood drew everyone’s attention. All eyes turned toward the smoke-filled area. As it cleared, a figure became visible, kneeling on one knee and gasping for air. When the smoke fully dissipated, Pei and Brother Lu gasped in shock. The disheveled, injured figure was none other than their boss, a three-star Dou Spirit.

The sight of their boss’s pale, terrified expression told the ambushers all they needed to know. He had suffered severe internal injuries and was in a dire state. Their gazes shifted to the spot where the clash had occurred. The ground was charred black, with numerous cracks spreading outward. The cracks extended for over fifteen meters before finally stopping, where a deep, wide crater over two meters deep and one meter wide lay at the epicenter.

Brother Lu and the others fell silent. They stared at the gaping hole, then at their pale-faced boss, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over them. The brutal reality of their situation made the corners of their mouths twitch uncontrollably, as if they were on the verge of collapse.

As the scattered soil and dust settled, the figure of a boy with silvery gauntlets on his hands emerged. Unlike their boss, the boy stood tall, his gaze steady and unyielding as he looked down at his defeated opponent. His expression was calm, almost serene, with not a trace of fear or injury to be seen.

Xiao Hua coldly glanced at the ambushers, sending shivers down their spines. He snorted, losing interest in them, and turned his attention to the boss to end the fight once and for all.

"How... how is it possible for a Dou Grandmaster to possess such power, reducing our boss to this pitiful state?" Pei stammered in disbelief, watching their once-mighty leader now crouched, violently coughing up blood.

“Tch! This mission has led us straight to our deaths!” Brother Lu clicked his tongue, his expression darkening. He never imagined that what seemed like a simple job would turn into their demise. All of this was because of that arrogant fool, Jia Lie Bi, who wanted to eliminate the rising stars of the Xiao Clan as revenge for being driven out of Wu Tan City.

Moreover, with the amount of money Jia Lie Bi offered, there was a high chance they wouldn’t have been paid even if they succeeded. Their original plan was for Xiao Hua and the others to battle the bandits, both sides sustaining heavy injuries, allowing them to reap the rewards.

But Xiao Hua and his companions turned out to be overwhelmingly powerful, far stronger than anyone anticipated. The bandits were weaker than expected, and no one foresaw Jia Lie Ao’s death, which provoked Jia Lie Bi into attacking Xiao Hua—something that was never part of the plan.

"Well then, since Brother Xiao Hua has concluded his battle," Xiao Xun Er's gaze shifted to the two remaining Dou Grandmasters. "It's time to finish ours as well."

Her sweet voice, laced with cold determination, felt like a guillotine descending upon their necks. With her chilling declaration, Xiao Tao and Xiao Yang wasted no time, immediately charging forward to eliminate the two Dou Masters.

Afterward, Xiao Yang busied himself with disposing of the corpses while Xiao Tao interrogated the coachman who had been driving their carriage. For the ambush to succeed, the bandits and Jia Lie Clan must have known their exact route, and the coachman was the most likely informant.

"The guy claims they threatened him," Xiao Tao reported, scratching his head as he relayed the coachman’s explanation to Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er. However, a cold glint flashed in his eyes as he added in a whisper, "But I checked the carriage beforehand and found a stash of gold coins. Interestingly enough, the amount matches exactly with what was reported missing from the Jia Lie Clan’s mansion."

"So, we’ve located the missing gold coins, have we? We’re already quite far from Wu Tan City, so returning now would only delay us and worry my master." Xiao Hua rubbed his chin, contemplating how to return the stolen wealth.

"Cousin Xiao Hua, we needn’t worry about the gold coins," Xiao Yang interjected, having just finished beheading the coachman and Jia Lie Nu after confirming their betrayal. "Once we arrive at the academy, I’ll inform Instructor Lei that I need to return these coins to the clan."

With Xiao Yang’s decision made, the others saw no need for further discussion. They returned to the carriage to continue their journey to Jia Nan Academy. Xiao Yang, experienced in driving, took the reins, and with a sharp crack of the whip, the horses set off towards their destination.