The Strongest Talent Tree

Seeing Feng Hao’s crestfallen look, Xi Yueyao wore the triumphant expression of a successful prankster. She pulled on his hand and giggled, "Where are we going to have fun?"

"Not so fast," Feng Hao said with a wry smile. "First, let’s check out the Alchemy Department, then we’ll go see your sister and your aunt."

"Okay then." Xi Yueyao pouted her lips cutely and said cheerfully, "Anyway, I’ll go wherever you go."

"Mm, I like that attitude. You deserve some praise," Feng Hao said, nodding in satisfaction.

It was a bit of a walk from the Magical Injury Department to the Alchemy Department, but Feng Hao didn’t take a flying car. The reason was simple: he wanted to spend more time walking with the little lady.

The Alchemy Department was as quiet and deserted as ever, even though the new semester had just begun.

After asking around a bit, the two soon found Miao Feng. To Feng Hao’s surprise, Miao Feng was hanging out with Houhuiyao.

When Feng Hao and Xi Yueyao arrived, the two were hunched over some Alchemy Equipment, messing around with it. Judging by Houhuiyao’s frustrated expression, he was clearly getting trounced by Miao Feng.

"Yo, are you two having an alchemy competition?" Feng Hao asked with a light laugh.

Miao Feng and Houhuiyao froze, then rushed over when they saw Feng Hao. "Senior Brother!" "Boss! You’re back?"

"Yeah." Feng Hao nodded, then turned to Miao Feng and asked, "Xiaomiaozi, are you settling into the academy okay?"

"It’s fine," Miao Feng said with a shy smile.

"What about you?" Feng Hao chuckled, looking at Houhuiyao.

Houhuiyao sighed dramatically. "Don’t even ask. A dignified Level 5 Alchemist like me is getting utterly crushed by young brother Miao Feng. Seriously, Boss, who in the world is your master? How could he train monsters like you two?"

"Get outta here. *You’re* the monster," Feng Hao retorted good-naturedly.

"Er..." Houhuiyao gave an awkward laugh and lamented to himself, ’Sigh, looks like I’ll just have to stick to the Medical Department from now on.’

Feng Hao rolled his eyes slightly, then pulled Xi Yueyao forward to introduce her. "By the way, this is your sister-in-law."

"I know, I know!" Houhuiyao said with a fearful expression. "Boss Xiyue already introduced her to me."

"Oh, she did?" Feng Hao chuckled, at a loss for words. He then took his leave. "We can chat more later. I’m going to spend the next few days with Yaoyao."

With that, he turned and left.

"Take care, Boss!" "Take care, Senior Brother!" Miao Feng and Houhuiyao called out in unison.

After leaving the dormitory area, Feng Hao thought about visiting Sun Yaowen, but on second thought, he decided against it. ’Knowing that old man’s temper, he’d probably grab on and not let me leave. Better to go see him in a few days.’

Just as he was about to leave the Alchemy Department, Xi Yueyao stopped in her tracks. "Wait, Teacher Yue is in the Alchemy Department too. Aren’t you going to see her?"

"Uh, I almost forgot. Come on, let’s go chat with Teacher Yue," Feng Hao said, smacking his forehead in realization.

Xi Yueyao clearly knew where Yue Linglong’s dorm was, so the two quickly found her faculty quarters.

He hadn’t seen her in over half a year, and in that time, Yue Linglong had broken through to the sixth rank. Her once bewitching aura now carried a hint of scholarly elegance, giving her an unexplainable sense of dignity.

"Teacher Yue, long time no see," Feng Hao said with a light smile, stepping forward to greet her.

Xi Yueyao, on the other hand, was much more direct. She rushed forward, hugged Yue Linglong’s arm, and snuggled up to her. "Teacher, I brought the medicine-peddler!"

"Haha, you little scamp." Yue Linglong dotingly stroked Xi Yueyao’s head, then looked up at Feng Hao. "I heard you went to Mu Country to participate in the Thief pre-selection. How did it go? What was the result?"

"Took first place with ease. What can I say? Your student is just that outstanding," Feng Hao said, showing off.

"First place?" Yue Linglong was taken aback, her beautiful eyes studying Feng Hao in surprise. "That’s wonderful news. A [Thief] holds a very high position in the Thief God Hall."

"It was nothing special," Feng Hao continued to boast, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right. I ran into your cousin when I was in Mu Country."

"My cousin? You must mean that girl Xiaoxue, right?" Yue Linglong said with a smile of realization. "How is she doing now?"

"She’s doing alright. It’s just that she found a boyfriend from the Thief God Hall, and her family doesn’t really approve," Feng Hao said frankly.

Yue Linglong couldn’t help but shake her head with a wry smile. "The Ting Family can be quite stubborn. In any case, I hope she gets what she wants."

"Don’t worry, the kid took twelfth place in the pre-selection tournament. His future is reasonably bright."

"That’s good." Yue Linglong nodded to herself, then pinched Xi Yueyao’s cheek and said with a meaningful look in her eyes, "Alright, I’ve just started my new post here and have a lot to do, so I won’t keep you two lovebirds any longer."

Feng Hao’s face flushed red as he hurriedly pulled Xi Yueyao away.

After leaving the Alchemy Department, the sky was already getting dark. To save time, Feng Hao had no choice but to take out the Mansa to travel.

Then, with Xi Yueyao guiding him, they soon arrived at the hotel where Xiyue Luan was staying. It seemed to be not too far from the grocery store.

"Auntie! Sister! The medicine-peddler is back!" Xi Yueyao shouted the moment she burst through the hotel room door.

Xiyue Luan was in the middle of guiding Xiyue Frost’s cultivation. Seeing the two return, she immediately stopped what she was doing. Xiyue Luan smiled and said, "Haha, I heard you won the Thief pre-selection. From the looks of it, you’re planning to become a [Thief]?"

"Hehe, it’s only a matter of time," Feng Hao said with a slight smirk, then his expression turned serious. "By the way, what’s the situation with Yaoyao’s bloodline?"

At his words, both Xiyue Luan and Xiyue Frost grew serious. Meanwhile, Xi Yueyao burrowed into Feng Hao’s arms with a wronged expression, pouting and complaining, "There’s nothing, nothing! I didn’t awaken any bloodline."

Xiyue Frost shook her head with a bitter smile. "Yaoyao is just like this. She never admits to things that make her unhappy."

Feng Hao nodded in understanding, then turned to Xiyue Luan with a frown. "What exactly is going on with Yaoyao’s bloodline? Is it very bad?"

"How should I put this?" Xiyue Luan mused. "Our Xiyue Clan’s inheritance is the Frost Bloodline, an innate ability to control frost. But Yaoyao’s mutation has completely overturned that."

"What do you mean?" Feng Hao asked, confused.

"To put it simply, the Frost Power in Yaoyao’s body is not under her control," Xiyue Luan said with a worried frown. "I’ve tried many methods during this time, but nothing has been able to improve the situation."

Feng Hao frowned slightly and instinctively looked down at the girl in his arms. "Kiddo, release your bloodline and let me see."

"I don’t want to, I don’t want to! It’s too embarrassing," Xi Yueyao said, shaking her head pitifully.

"You’re just releasing your bloodline. What’s there to be embarrassed about?" Feng Hao said, stunned.

"Then... after I do it, you’re not allowed to laugh," Xi Yueyao said hesitantly.

"Don’t worry. My girl is so cute, how could I ever laugh at you?" Feng Hao soothed her gently.

Hearing such cheesy words, Xi Yueyao naturally wore a sweet expression, but Xiyue Luan and Xiyue Frost looked a bit awkward. Xiyue Frost, in particular, had a complex glimmer in her eyes.

Xi Yueyao nodded obediently, then slowly activated the Bloodline Power within her.

The next moment, under Feng Hao’s astonished gaze, boundless frigid air suddenly gathered from all directions. In the blink of an eye, Xi Yueyao had turned into an ice sculpture—crystal clear, yet still retaining her cute and playful look.

"What’s going on? How did she freeze herself?" Feng Hao exclaimed with a frown.