Favored of Fate

Night.

Huo Xuan arrived at the Xiao Family's back mountain, where Old Ya had already been waiting.

"Young Clan Leader Yan, you have finally arrived. I have been waiting here for quite some time."

"I wonder what Elder Yao wished to discuss with this junior?" Huo Xuan asked with a faint smile.

"Kid, I merely invited you here for a talk. Would you mind having the two behind you step aside?"

Hearing this, Huo Xuan turned and called out behind him, "Yan Yang, Yan Ya, I need to speak with Elder Yao alone. You two may withdraw first."

The moment Huo Xuan finished speaking, Yao Chen sensed the two Dou Zun auras concealed in the darkness disappear.

"Alright, Elder Yao. You may speak now."

"Judging from the matter of breaking off the engagement last time and the incident at the marketplace today, this old man feels that Young Clan Leader Yan seems to be deliberately targeting Xiao Yan..."

"Elder Yao, I am deliberately targeting Xiao Yan," Huo Xuan said calmly.

After hearing Huo Xuan's words, Yao Chen immediately grew curious. "Oh? You are the Young Clan Leader of the Flame Clan, while Xiao Yan is merely the young master of a small family in Wutan City. Why target him like this?"

"Elder Yao, do not take me for a fool. The Xiao Family and Xiao Yan are not as simple as they appear, are they?"

"The Xiao Family was once the Xiao Clan, the most prosperous of the Ancient Eight Clans. You should have known this long ago, shouldn't you?"

"Th-this..."

Yao Chen was slightly taken aback. "This old man does indeed know of it. However, the Xiao Clan has already declined, and Xiao Yan is now this old man's disciple. Therefore, this old man begs Young Clan Leader Yan to spare Xiao Yan," Yao Chen pleaded.

"Elder Yao, if I am not mistaken, you are planning to give the Flame Mantra to Xiao Yan for cultivation. Are you doing this because you fear that I, Huo Xuan, may fail in cultivating the Fennel Technique in the future, or because you fear that after I gather enough Strange Fire, I will not honor my promise to revive you?"

For a moment, Yao Chen was left speechless. Indeed, he believed that cultivating the Fennel Technique carried an extremely high risk. Giving the Fennel Technique to Xiao Yan meant gaining another hope of rebirth. And even if Huo Xuan gathered all the Strange Fire yet refused to help revive him, would there not still be Xiao Yan?

"Elder Yao, let me ask you: how is Xiao Yan's talent?"

"Talent? In the Jia Ma Empire, he would absolutely be considered a genius. But in the Central Plains, that so-called talent could only be considered ordinary," Yao Chen answered without hesitation.

"Then, Elder Yao, without your help, what achievements would Xiao Yan attain in the future?" Huo Xuan continued asking.

"Achievements? He would probably reach Dou Emperor. His chances of breaking through to Dou Zong would be very slim."

"And with your guidance, what would Xiao Yan's achievements be?"

"With this old man's guidance, if he inherited my true teachings, becoming a Dou Zun would not be a problem. He might even step into the Dou Sheng realm."

Hearing this, Huo Xuan gently shook his head. "You underestimate Xiao Yan too much. His future achievements will be immeasurable."

"And how do you know that?" Yao Chen asked doubtfully.

"Elder Yao, if I told you that I could see through Xiao Yan's fate, that I knew every detail of his future accomplishments, would you believe me?"

"I would not."

Yao Chen frowned. "This old man has traveled across the Dou Qi Continent for many years, yet I have never heard of anyone being able to see through another person's fate."

"The Dou Qi Continent is full of wonders. There is much you do not know," Huo Xuan said with a smug smile.

Could Huo Xuan truly see through others' fates? Naturally, that was false. He had merely read the original novel and was fortunate enough to know everything about Xiao Yan.

Huo Xuan continued, "Xiao Yan is someone others would envy. He can easily obtain things others can only dream of. He can easily defeat opponents stronger than himself. Whenever disaster strikes, not only does he survive, but he also gains fortuitous encounters because of it. That is because he is Favored of Fate."

"Favored of Fate?"

"The Dou Qi Continent is vast, and there are many unknown recluses hidden from the world. When their lives reach their end, those with solitary temperaments may hide the cultivation techniques they created somewhere, waiting for someone fated to find them. Thus, there is a saying on the Dou Qi Continent: if one day you fall from a cliff and land in a Mountain Cave, do not panic. Take two steps forward, and perhaps you will become an expert! Elder Yao, have you heard this saying before?"

"Naturally. It is not false. In the continent's history over the past thousand years, there has been no shortage of stories of people becoming experts through fortuitous encounters. However, only a small number of people can obtain such encounters."

"Those few are Favored of Fate. It is because fate favors them that they can achieve such accomplishments."

"Elder Yao, you yourself are an excellent example. Back then, you were expelled from the Medicine Clan, yet you still became a Dou Zun and the Continent's Number One Alchemist."

"There are countless others who were expelled from the Medicine Clan just as you were. Like you, they were unwilling to accept it. Among them, there must have been some with greater talent than yours. But look at them—whose achievements could compare to yours?"

After hearing Huo Xuan put it that way, Yao Chen felt that it did seem to make some sense.

"I, Huo Xuan, swore back then that I would make the Flame Clan stand at the pinnacle of the Eight Clans. Xiao Yan is Favored of Fate. Given enough time, he will surely lead the Xiao Clan back to its peak. Do you think I would allow Xiao Yan to continue growing?"

"Then you intend to get rid of Xiao Yan?"

"That is right. Xiao Yan is destined to die in the future. Elder Yao, this junior still respects you, so you need not worry. In the future, I will certainly honor my promise and revive you."

"Lastly, this junior warns you: do not become too deeply entangled in your bond as master and disciple with Xiao Yan. Otherwise, when Xiao Yan dies in the future, you will surely seek revenge for him. This junior truly does not wish to become your enemy, but neither am I afraid to become your enemy." After saying this, Huo Xuan left.

"Favored of Fate?" Yao Chen murmured to himself as he gazed at the sky.

If what Huo Xuan said was true, then having such a disciple would truly be comforting. Yet this Xiao Yan had now brought him endless troubles. If he continued teaching Xiao Yan, he would surely become the enemy of Huo Xuan, perhaps even the entire Flame Clan, in the future.

Was I wrong? Should I not have accepted Xiao Yan as my disciple? Still, Xiao Yan did help me. Then I will teach him with all my strength for three years and let him win the Three-Year Agreement!

"It is getting rather boring to remain in the Xiao Family and keep causing trouble for Xiao Yan. I should go to the Tagor Desert and search for the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame instead."

Huo Xuan had originally planned to continue causing trouble for Xiao Yan over the next three months, but after thinking it over carefully, he realized that would be too foolish. Taking care of proper business was more important.