A Main Hero??? this time!!!

Leroy felt his body over a little bit. The soul of Xiao Yan resisted for a few more moments. With a turn of the Flame Vortex Core once more, the soul that was already powered up by the other person that came from the "other world" was devoured. Just the same as he had devoured the original when arriving.

"Hmm, "Destiny" is not messing with the situation. How interesting? Is it because of everything that must be done? Or because of my actions in the "Waiting Area" restoration?"

As Leroy felt the info settle in place and his "personal name" get suppressed, he walked over fixing his robes at the same time. The bandages were removed as healing sped up under his control from the Flame Vortex Core.

"I must be cautious against "it" all the same. But the rest of the matters are whatever."

Memories of this Dimension came to the forefront making it easy to decide what to do next. The Cultivation method that he used was the same as before considering all the changes that took place previously, a lot of techniques were inside to use.

As for the Interspatial Ring around his neck, it was tossed into the Flame Vortex Core. Immediately it reacted and was put under refinement by the effects. No sense in allowing a "parasite" to make things difficult for him like this.

Yao Lao was ok enough, but the fact of the matter was, that he was not really needed by Leroy. The knowledge was however and would serve to boost the current information already inside his mind. More methods of "Medicine" and "Alchemy" to help. The 3 year supply of qi consumed by Yao Lao was taken back first. The soul itself was next on the chopping block.

Moving to the gravesite as the original was doing before he took over, the soul settled down. Leroy's name was suppressed fully as he took on the name Xiao Yan. As far as mannerisms and whatnot, all of it was crushed under the strength of his soul.

"Another mother with strange issues and the like. Ah well. I am myself, so good luck with whatever you had planned." Turning away from the gravestone after a slight bow of half respect, Xiao Yan felt nothing for the marker place. Especially knowing it did not contain a body down below. 'Need to focus on this refinement to speed things up.'

Sitting down crisscross, he started circulating Astral Fire Body Sense. With its guidance, the problems in the body were found and grounded away. The herbs and medicinal effects the body was subjected to over the years were taken out.

'The fusion of Fire Body to the level it became a Core Manual into the incomplete Astral Sense is such a boon. So many techniques went into making it this as it is now.' Xiao Yan felt the change was way more than before. 'So many times I fought with these techniques before and they still amaze me to this day.'

Metal Seed hummed and sent pulses in the area. The sound of booming thunder smashed the bones and weak flesh. Using the knowledge from Star Martial God Technique as well as Tales of Demons & Gods, the process was smoother and contain less pain than before.

Astral Fire Body Sense erupted as the Flame Vortex Core fueled the body further during its change. The spirit of Yao Lan in the ring was engulfed in pain as the "smelting effect" of the core hammered away at the ring that floated inside.

Yao Lan used the Essence Flame to keep a bit of himself alive in retaliation. Falling back into a deep slumber once more. But what was needed from him was trickling into the memory of Xiao Yan as the refinement process sped up.

What took days before and sometimes weeks only took a few hours this time. Xiao Yan stood up taller than before. Looking more like someone in his late teens instead of the middle teen stages. His hair had a streak of blue white inside it.

The knowledge of a Receptarier was not that different than Pill or Elixer making. The Alchemists here in this dimension was a profession that is tiered over a dou-qi fighter. In terms of respect really. Supplementation for their cultivation allows them to get an edge. But they usually lack the more offensive fighting abilities.

In moments, the basic threshold of becoming an Alchemist once more was attained. Not satisfied at all, Xiao Yan continued to cultivate in silence. Once he reached the 9th rank of the Dou Disciple, he took a break from swallowing the Qi in the area.

'The Flame Vortex Core already gives me top tier Fire dou-qi. I can still use my Flame Martial Arts to produce a lower level Flame in competitions.' Checking on his Internal Space was disheartening. 'Reduce to the length of an Olympic Pool... how discouraging compared to before. But at least the atmosphere is still there infused with the "Laws" of th previous Dimension. So people and animals can survive inside easier.'

Deciding to go on a walk was the best choice. The third rebirth was more than enough to weigh heavy on his thoughts. The loss of his family two times sucked but unlike the first time, it was after a few decades that they parted.

He was able to see his kids turn into adults. Not much more he could ask for in that regard besides more time.

So much time spent thinking and further thoughts on days to improve quickly caused time to pass quickly.

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A walk Encounter-

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As Xiao Yan walked in the forest, he thought about the changes that were off. The encounter with the girl in the woods did not happen. Nor did the engagement break off yet. The fact the bandages worn earlier were due to him burning himself in a medicinal bath was depressing.

"Well.. this is something to see." Before Xiao Yan was the very situation he was thinking about. Albeit more advance than what originally happened. The young girl attacked by three would-be rapists was pretty naked. But a few markings on the faces of the others proved she fought back the entire time. "Hmm, this is something real."

'Who the hell is he!?' The biggest of the rapists freaked out. Seeing as how different Xiao Yan looked compared to before was enough to mistake him for someone else. 'The clothes belong to someone of the Xiao Family!'

"For clarification sake..." Xiao Yan kept walking as he talked. ".. this is not some kind of "play" thing right? They didn't pay you for some fun and this is just a "kink" being fulfilled? Fantasy come in all forms after all. I would not want to ruin your business."

"I am not kind of girl!" The young lady yelled. More embarrassed that she was considered to be a prostitute than just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"OK." Xiao Yan cleaned his ears from the loud piping voice. "Release the girl and you can keep living. Get up and go home, forget everything that happened today." The girl started crawling away when free. "Run you fool."

"Don't know who you are, but you are not a native of Wu Dan Town!" After thinking it over, the rapists became very bold. His two cohorts following suit. They encircled Xiao Yan all at once. "Will make you pay for letting our plaything get away!"

"He looks a little like that loser Xiao Yan!" One of the others said. Unlike the original, the clothes did not have the emblem on them from the clan. Since he ripped it off before leaving earlier. But something still gave it away. "In fact, definitely resemble a member of that clan!"

"Then we should do Xiao Zhan a favor!" Feeling even bolder as the Xiao Clan was on the decline, the three attacked with everything they had. "Let's do the whole clan a favor and put him down!"

*Fwish!* Using just the Flame Martial Arts, Xiao Yan's hands glowed with a blue flame. A sadistic glint in his eyes as he was still wound up from the fighting before arriving in this Dimension. His hands shot out. Going right through the chests of the two lackeys.

Lifting them both up into the air in one fluid motion, the flames flared up burning the lungs and throat out in seconds. Faster than the two could even scream, they were done. Pulling free, he delivered a kick to the boss of the group.

"Kuk!" Blood and spittle shot out of the mouth of the leader as he flew back like a cannonball. A foot indention in his chest. Smacking into a tree kept him from fainting outright. "Who.. the .. hell are.. you?!"

"Oh..." Xiao Yan turned to the distance as Astral Sense picked up someone heading this way. A small suspicion it was most likely who he thought considering the time and all. With a wave of both of his hands, both bodies of the lackeys were stored away into his Flame Vortex Core. "..I am Xiao Yan. Can't you tell?"

"No way are you Xiao Yan!" The thug shouted. No way would he lose to the loser Xiao Yan. "What.. family do you belong to!?" Standing on shaky legs, you would think he tried to run instead. But the name was such a disappointment in the town, it made him bold. "I.."

Xiao Yan stabbed him in the chest the same as the others. Instead of killing him outright, he did enough damage to make things easier for later. Live people offered more to the Flame Vortex Core. After all, the soul was never more alive than when emotions were high.

*Fwish!* A plume of blue flame engulfed the last one as he was then stored into the Flame Vortex Core like the other two. All that could be heard inside of Xiao Yan's internal space, was the sounds of screaming and flames churning away at bodies as it spun.

"Good thing they are so weak, it would take effort to refine them otherwise." Turning to walk back, Xiao Yan made sure to remove the funds & resources before they were refined. Meeting the one who ran towards him was more pressing, however. "Xun Er, you shouldn't be out by yourself. Especially with it getting late like this."

A doe-eyed blue-haired girl stopped running seeing as he was ok. She felt qi fluctuations earlier and was very worried that Xiao Yan was in trouble. Considering how the guards of the Gu Clan were out currently, she felt even more worried.

"Brother Xiao Yan.. you look so different." Her eyes scrutinized him closely. But their was no doubt it was Xiao Yan. Just looked to be older and more mature somehow. The slight change in the hair and demeanor made her worried. "What happened to you?"

"Cultivation Manual and Techniques I am using. My full strength will display quickly." Giving her a small practiced smile, Xiao Yan walked off towards town. "The family's Dou-qi examination is most likely still going on, I take it you want me to go?"

"Of course!" Xun Er smiled and twirled as only kids could do. It would be cute if that type of thing didn't urk Xiao Yan. "I am sure you can show them what for! I believe in you!" Her little fist shook as she had it raised in a fighting manner.

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Family Competition-

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Despite the way Xiao Yan carried himself, several people thought it was ok to just heckle and make fun of him. Things like bastard were said over 30 times in five minutes. All because they were to chicken shit to even talk to the girl Xun Er next to him.

A fat man with an older man were in a seated position. Both were elders of the clan and didn't think much of Xiao Yan since he lost all his skill and power 3 years ago.

"How dare you be late to the family ceremony!" A member of the clan spat at Xiao Yan. Despite the fact the person he was trying to shame was the third son of the Patriarch, the young man was pretty brazen. "A weakling like you should be kicked out of the clan."

"Oh, so weak people should be removed?" Xiao Yan smirked as he walked over face to face with the loudmouth. Seeing as he matched the older member in height, the crowd took notice that something had changed about him besides just the physical appearance. "You talk just enough that you annoy me. Let me show why that is a bad idea."

"Let's get started, we have been waiting for you!" The fat elder said. His face was jolly but a strange undercurrent in his tone made for a closer listen. Seeing how Xiao Yan ignored what was going on made him slightly upset. 'This brat is still the shame of our clan.'

"Xiao Yan... head to the stage." The Head Elder said. He was just ready for the day to be over. 'How did he change so much in a short time? It was only a week ago that he was still weak and puny.'

*Fwip!* Xiao Yan's right fist whipped out faster than most could see. He was not gentle at all as he actually wanted to see if enough of his body improved from the Metal Seed influence. It did.

*Crack!* The jaw of the offending party was shattered. Muscle tissue was torn as the head stretched the neck out and the man collapsed. As the clan member laid in a pool of his own blood, Xiao Yan moved to the stage.

"How tiresome." Placing his hands to the monument, Xiao Yan circled his Dou Qi. It lit up displaying his cultivation. 'Something stupid should be happening next. I just can not remember at this time what it was.' Walking away, he did not pay attention to the murmurs of the others who gaped at the test result. 'I swear it is something important to them but not to me.'

"Dou Disciple 9th Rank!" A voice yelled from the crowd. Others started yelling unbelieving. "It has to be rigged somehow!"

Once one person said it, several started to say the same.

Xun Er walked then jumped over and touched the monument. It lit up shutting the crowd up in an instant. Dou Disciple 9th Rank from her was more believable!

"In a matter of moments..." Someone still couldn't believe it.