Malicious Borrowing

"Why are you asking so much? Do you still want to become my disciple or not?" Yao Lao urged.

"Teacher, please accept Xiao Yan's bow." Xiao Yan hurriedly performed the formal rite of discipleship. I can't let a teacher like this slip away.

Seeing this, Yao Lao nodded in satisfaction. From now on, he could openly absorb Xiao Yan's Dou Qi. A disciple honoring his teacher—nothing wrong with that, right?

"Boy Xiao Han, you can kneel and become my disciple too. This old man can make you a Peerless Expert!" Yao Lao said to Xiao Han.

"Old sir, there is no need. Just focus on teaching Xiao Yan." Xiao Han shook his head. He had no intention of taking a master. He only wanted to get some Foundation Establishment Fluid from Yao Lao and advance to the Dou Zhe realm as soon as possible. Once he became a Dou Zhe, he could cultivate a Peerless Cultivation Technique.

Besides, he had the Pill Canon and could study on his own. Even if that failed, he had the Omnipotent System. Though the system could not provide him with any tangible help, he could exchange points for treasures. As long as he had enough points, what could he not obtain? Therefore, he had no need to take a master. He did not like the restrictions of a master-disciple lineage; that path did not suit him.

"Boy Xiao Han, you had better think this through. I can make you a Peerless Expert of the Dou Qi Continent in the future. Are you really unwilling to become my disciple?" Yao Lao asked again.

"Old sir, there really is no need." Xiao Han still refused.

"Back then, people used to beg me to accept them as disciples. Yet you, brat, rejected me without the slightest hesitation. Fine, fine." Yao Lao shook his head with a laugh and could not help looking at Xiao Han a few more times. A little fellow with no Dou Qi at all had rejected him so directly. Did this boy not want to grow stronger? Xiao Yan also came over to persuade Xiao Han, naturally not wanting him to miss such a good opportunity. This Old Man clearly was no ordinary person.

"Xiao Yan, you have your path, and I have mine. Stop trying to persuade me." Xiao Han shook his head, then turned his gaze to Yao Lao. "Old sir, this junior has a request."

"Let's hear it," Yao Lao said.

"I hope you can help me advance to the Dou Zhe realm sooner," Xiao Han said. Naturally, he could not directly ask Yao Lao to give him some Foundation Establishment Fluid.

"You refuse to become my disciple, yet you still want this old man to help you. You are quite the clever one." Yao Lao looked at Xiao Han with a half-smile. Then he waved his sleeve. "Fine. You suit my tastes. Teaching one is teaching, and teaching two is still teaching. From now on, cultivate alongside Xiao Yan. I will give you some guidance while I am at it."

"Thank you, old sir!" Xiao Han hurriedly thanked him, his opinion of Yao Lao improving somewhat. This old man was not bad.

"Thank you for granting this, Teacher." Xiao Yan also hurriedly thanked him. Then he patted Xiao Han on the shoulder. "Xiao Han, from now on, we brothers will cultivate together. Three Years Later, when we go to the Misty Cloud Sect, we must make Nalan Yanran pay!"

"Alright!" Xiao Han laughed. To be honest, he was also looking forward to Three Years Later. After all, three years from now, Xiao Yan would turn the Misty Cloud Sect upside down. He was looking forward to that part of the story.

"You two little brats, do not celebrate too soon. Confidence is good, but you must face reality. What is Nalan Yanran's strength? A Three-Star Dou Zhe. And what are yours? One of you is at Dou Qi Stage Three, and the other has no Dou Qi at all. With strength like that, you still want to go to the Misty Cloud Sect three years from now?" Yao Lao immediately poured a bucket of cold water over them.

"Uh..." Xiao Han and Xiao Yan exchanged glances, then laughed awkwardly. That really was the case.

"Teacher, you must have a way, right?" Xiao Yan moved close to Yao Lao and looked at him eagerly, his handsome face filled with expectation.

"Of course." Yao Lao looked immensely proud, then continued, "Do you know who this old man was back then? In those days..."

Several lines omitted here...

"..." Xiao Yan and Xiao Han stared at each other, and the corners of their mouths twitched. Both silently looked down on the old man. He was too good at bragging—he was practically floating away.

After boasting for a long while, Yao Lao finally came back down.

"Hey, hey! You little brats, were you even listening?" Seeing their expressions, Yao Lao immediately blew his beard and glared.

"Teacher, we know you are very formidable, but this is not the time to talk about that. What exactly is your method for rapidly increasing Xiao Han's and my strength?" Xiao Yan asked.

"Increasing your strength, what is the rush?" Yao Lao glared at Xiao Yan and stroked his beard. Then he said, "Let us continue. Eh, where was I just now? Oh, I remember. In those days..."

"..." Xiao Yan and Xiao Han exchanged glances, black lines spreading across their foreheads as their mouths twitched.

After a long time, just as Xiao Han and Xiao Yan were about to fall asleep listening to him, Yao Lao finally got back to the point. Their spirits immediately lifted.

"Listen carefully. Although the gap between your current strength and that of your peers is enormous, it is not impossible to reverse it," Yao Lao said as he stroked his beard.

Xiao Han's heart leaped with joy. Was the Foundation Establishment Fluid finally coming? "I have a secret formula called Foundation Establishment Fluid. This Spirit Liquid has mild medicinal properties and is best suited for helping those below the Dou Zhe realm cultivate. As long as you train diligently every day, your strength will definitely catch up with your peers quickly!" Yao Lao said.

Xiao Han blinked, his face full of delight. He chuckled and said, "Old sir, do you have any Foundation Establishment Fluid on you? How about giving each of us some right now?"

"Giving you my ass! Do you think Spirit Liquid is cabbage, that you can have it whenever you want?" Yao Lao shot Xiao Han a disdainful look, then said, "Tomorrow, each of you must prepare three intact Purple Leaf Orchid Grasses—the older, the better. Also, two Bone Cleansing Flowers; their age does not matter. In addition, one Tier 1 Wood Attribute Magic Core. Tomorrow, I will refine one portion of Foundation Establishment Fluid for each of you."

"Purple Leaf Orchid Grass? Bone Cleansing Flower? A Tier 1 Wood Attribute Magic Core?" Xiao Yan's mouth could not help twitching. That would cost at least a thousand Gold Coins. It was several years of his savings. How could he afford it?

"Teacher, my savings are not enough. Could you support me a little?" Xiao Yan looked helpless.

"Figure it out yourselves. Someone is coming. Do not let anyone know of my existence." After saying that, Yao Lao slipped into the Ring.

"How am I supposed to do this without money?" Xiao Han was troubled as well. He had only just entered the Dou Qi World and was penniless.

"Forget it, I will borrow some from someone. Xun Er should have quite a bit saved up. I will go borrow from her." Xiao Yan spread his hands and headed down the mountain. Below, a graceful figure was walking up the mountain—it was naturally Xun Er.

Hearing this, Xiao Han gave Xiao Yan a disdainful look. Though he greatly admired Xiao Yan, borrowing money from a girl was something he could not bring himself to do. How could a dignified man borrow money from a girl? The next second, Xiao Han cleared his throat, his face full of smiles. "Ahem... Xiao Rou, your master is a little short on funds right now. Could you help me out in an emergency and lend me a few thousand Gold Coins?"

"Ding..."

"The system has detected that Master Xiao Han is engaging in Malicious Borrowing and has the lazy mentality of gaining without working. The system will issue punishment!"

Boom!

In the night sky, a bolt of Thunder as thick as an arm struck down. Xiao Han's entire body crackled with electricity, and before long, he was charred...