Female Protagonist Assistance System

Chapter 19 : . Dou Qi Tower

Stepping through the black doors, the light inside the Dou Qi Tower was slightly dim. A soft glow emanated from fire pearls on the surrounding walls, illuminating the spacious tower with a deep, quiet radiance.

Upon entering, several wide passages appeared before them. At the front of each passage were large characters representing various attributes.

Xiao Han and Gu Xun'er had different attributes, so they separated at the fork in the path.

Xiao Han stepped into the lightning path. Inside were five smaller paths, where one could faintly see the figures of some clan members.

Lightning attributes were always rare, and the Xiao family had few lightning-attributed disciples. So, walking along the third path, Xiao Han didn't see anyone.

Walking directly to the last room, Xiao Han looked up at the room number.

Thirty-two.

The silver door of the room before her was already open, revealing a faint silver light screen.

The silver light screen was a defensive setting and also the final test for young clan members. To obtain the cultivation method inside, one needed to break through the light screen.

Xiao Han touched the light screen, then glanced at the other doors, noticing that the light screen of the room Xiao Zhan had directed her to was the hardest.

She placed her hand on the light screen, then slightly concentrated. A flash of silver light appeared in her hand, and the light screen before her shattered like glass.

Although she didn't need a cultivation method, she might as well go in and take a look out of courtesy.

The light in the small room was a bit brighter. The room wasn't spacious. In the center of the small room was a stone platform, upon which lay a dark silver scroll.

The system scanned it and reported to Xiao Han: [Host, it's a yellow-rank high-grade cultivation method called "Thundershock Sky".]

Yellow-rank high-grade? Xiao Han raised an eyebrow. This was the highest-level lightning-system cultivation method in the Xiao family to date. Was Xiao Zhan really willing to part with it?

"Well, I'll take it for now. It might be useful later," Xiao Han thought, and stored the cultivation method in her system space.

Having taken the item, Xiao Han had no intention of lingering and walked straight out of the lightning path.

As soon as she exited, she heard Xiao Yan's arrogant voice: "I can help you break the light screen, but you have to beg me first."

System: [...Oh boy, the male lead is courting death again.]

Xiao Han originally didn't want to meddle, but upon hearing Xiao Yan's voice, she changed her mind and turned towards the source of the sound.

Rounding a corner, Xiao Han finally saw the crowd.

Xiao Yan was standing in front of the crowd, looking arrogantly at a girl in a red dress. The girl's face was flushed with anxiety, one hand pressed against the light screen, her face pale. It seemed she wanted to obtain the cultivation method inside the room but couldn't break the light screen.

Xiao Han understood the situation. Wasn't that red-clad girl Xiao Mei?

"Xiao Yan, how can you be like this? That's too much!" Someone surrounding Xiao Mei indignantly shouted at Xiao Yan, "If you don't want to help, then don't, but how can you insult people?"

Xiao Yan sneered, "Did I insult her? I'm just stating facts. With this little strength, you still want to get a cultivation method? Heh, considering we're from the same clan, as long as you, Xiao Mei, beg me nicely, I'll help you break the light screen. Otherwise, don't cry when time runs out."

Seeing Xiao Mei's expression on the verge of tears, Xiao Yan felt extremely pleased.

Let them look down on him before. Now, don't they have to beg him humbly?

As Xiao Yan was secretly rejoicing, an indifferent voice he hated to the bone came from behind: "What's going on here?"

Xiao Yan's smug expression froze, then turned to hatred.

Everyone looked towards the voice and saw a white-clad young woman calmly walking towards them.

Xiao Mei, as if grasping at a lifeline, pleaded to the approaching Xiao Han: "Cousin Xiao Han, I can't break the light screen here. Can you help me?"

Xiao Han glanced at Xiao Yan, taking in the hatred on his face. She inwardly gave a cold, hard smile. This person was truly oblivious, unaware that he had thoroughly squandered the Xiao family's goodwill. But even if he knew, he probably wouldn't care.

But she didn't mind adding to his frustration.

Thinking this, Xiao Han calmly uttered two words to Xiao Mei: "Step back."

"Ah? Oh..." Xiao Mei was momentarily stunned, then finally came to her senses. Her pretty face lit up with joy as she obediently moved aside.

Xiao Yan spoke maliciously: "Xiao Han, you think you can break this light screen?"

Xiao Han didn't even turn her head: "At least I defeated you."

Hearing her mention this, Xiao Yan's expression instantly twisted. He angrily said: "If I hadn't been careless, how could a waste like you possibly have beaten me?"

Before Xiao Han could speak, an elderly voice sounded: "Xiao Yan, enough! Victory and defeat are common in battle. If you can't face defeat, how will you ever embrace victory?"

Xiao Han was startled, then narrowed her eyes.

This was... Medicine Elder's voice?

She never expected to hear Medicine Elder's voice.

And that form of address... It seemed Medicine Elder was also dissatisfied with Xiao Yan's character.

Hearing Medicine Elder's rebuke, the insults about to leave Xiao Yan's mouth were caught in his throat. His expression changed several times before he finally left in anger.

This old man, always meddling, how annoying. If he didn't still need him, he wouldn't bother serving him!

Once he had learned all of the old man's skills and taken all the good things in his possession for himself, he'd show him!

Seeing Xiao Yan leave, Xiao Han turned her attention to the light screen before her. She raised her hand and pressed it against the light screen, a flash of silver light passing through her hand.

"Lightning-Breaking Palm."

Ripples rapidly spread across the light screen under her hand. Finally, under everyone's shocked gaze, the light screen burst with a bang.

Withdrawing her hand, Xiao Han said nothing and turned to leave.

Xiao Mei was naturally overjoyed: "Thank you, cousin!"

Exiting the Dou Qi Tower, Xiao Han immediately saw Gu Xun'er under a tree. She habitually scanned the surroundings and saw Xiao Zhan with an unpleasant expression.

It seemed the events that had just transpired in the Dou Qi Tower had already reached Xiao Zhan's ears. Otherwise, how could he have such an expression?

But these weren't things Xiao Han cared to concern herself with. She walked straight towards Gu Xun'er.

"Senior Sister, don't forget about our shopping trip this afternoon," Gu Xun'er reminded her, not curious about what kind of cultivation method Xiao Han had obtained.

Xiao Han nodded. Since she had agreed, she wouldn't forget.

"Since everyone's here now, let's go directly to the market district. We can also have lunch there," a voice suddenly came from nearby. Xiao Han and Gu Xun'er turned to see Xiao Yu approaching with Xiao Mei and Xiao Ning.

Seeing Xiao Han, Xiao Mei once again happily expressed her gratitude. She had obtained a yellow-rank high-grade cultivation method. Without Xiao Han's help, she might have truly left empty-handed.

"I've already heard about what happened in the Dou Qi Tower," Xiao Yu smiled. "Thanks again. But that Xiao Yan is really disgusting. I thought those three years would have tempered his character, but who would have thought he'd become even more arrogant."

Gu Xun'er had also heard about the incident in the Dou Qi Tower, but she didn't care about such matters.

Xiao Han said indifferently: "Let him be."

Xiao Yu pursed her lips and changed the subject, apparently not wanting to continue discussing Xiao Yan and spoil the mood. "Let's go to the market district."

Although she didn't enjoy shopping, Xiao Han had agreed to it and couldn't back out at the last minute, so she didn't object. Since she didn't object, the others certainly wouldn't either. So, after leaving the Dou Qi Tower, the group headed straight for the Xiao family's market district.

In the bustling market, many mercenaries flocked to various medicine shops, all to purchase the Xiao family's new healing medicine, Yu Ling Powder. Though both were first-grade healing medicines, Yu Ling Powder was not only more effective than the Jia Lie family's Spring Return Powder but also cheaper. So after Yu Ling Powder appeared, it was frantically bought up by mercenaries. The Xiao family not only reclaimed their market share but also left the Jia Lie family at a total loss. Now that the Miteer Auction House had refused to sell medicinal ingredients to the Jia Lie family, they could be said to have suffered a severe blow.

Walking down the street, Xiao Han's group wandered aimlessly. The Xiao family's market district was crowded, but thanks to Xiao Yu's Jia Nan Academy uniform, the mercenaries would instinctively make way for them, so they didn't feel uncomfortable walking.

Just then, Xiao Han suddenly heard the system's voice in her mind: [Oh? Host, the system has detected Jia Lie Ao of the Jia Lie family and the first-grade alchemist Liu Xi approaching.]

Liu Xi? Who was Liu Xi?

Xiao Han, who hadn't paid much attention to the original story, had no impression of minor characters from the early parts, so when the system reminded her, she was momentarily confused.

[Liu Xi is the first-grade alchemist the Jia Lie family invited back, the one who refined Spring Return Powder,] the system quickly explained, seeing that Xiao Han didn't remember.

As a cultivator, her powerful spiritual force had given her a strong memory. After the system's reminder, Xiao Han thought carefully and finally found the relevant characters and plot points in some corner of her memory.

Just as she recalled who Liu Xi was, the next second, they saw the crowd in front of them suddenly scatter to the sides. A group of burly men wearing Jia Lie family guard uniforms escorted Jia Lie Ao and a frail man in white robes, arrogantly walking towards them.

"Oh my, the Xiao family's market district actually has such beautiful ladies."

The speaker was the white-robed man walking in the middle. His gaze was glued to Gu Xun'er, his tone extremely frivolous.

Feeling the other's undisguised gaze, Gu Xun'er's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she unconsciously took a step back.

How could Xiao Ning endure seeing the girl he admired being looked at so frivolously by another man? Moreover, he was the only male in their group. If he didn't stand up, was he supposed to hide behind the girls?

But just as he took a step forward, he was stopped by Xiao Yu.

"Sister—" Xiao Ning called out urgently. By rights, Xiao Yu's temper was even more explosive and impulsive than his own. Why would she stop him at a time like this?

Xiao Yu shook her head at him, her gaze rather solemn as she focused on the badge on the frivolous man's clothes opposite them.

The badge depicted an ancient medicinal cauldron with a silver ripple on its surface that reflected an unusual light in the sunlight.

"This is... a first-grade alchemist?!"