A Debt of Gratitude

After Xiao Lin's excitement subsided, he glanced at Xiao Zhen beside him and found that the boy was grinning foolishly as well.

Xiao Zhen also breathed a huge sigh of relief. He had originally guessed that, as a transmigrator, his soul would be somewhat stronger than others' according to the usual tropes. Sure enough, just as he had expected, his Soul Power had earned old Fa Ma's approval.

Xiao Zhen was secretly delighted when someone viciously smacked the back of his head. Turning around, he discovered it was his father.

Just as Xiao Zhen was about to ask why he had been hit, Xiao Lin scolded, "Brat, why haven't you greeted your teacher?"

Only then did Xiao Zhen come back to his senses. Right, he was supposed to take a teacher. He had been so happy that he had completely forgotten about it.

Xiao Zhen gritted his teeth, then dropped to his knees with a thud and heavily kowtowed several times to Fa Ma, who sat before him.

Seeing how serious Xiao Zhen was, Fa Ma revealed a gentle smile. He stepped forward to help him up, dusted off his knees, then patted his head and said warmly:

"Good child, get up! From now on, you may call me Teacher. If there is anything you do not understand in the future, you can come ask me."

Xiao Zhen nodded. With his obedient appearance, he truly looked somewhat like a twelve- or thirteen-year-old child.

Yet Xiao Zhen was screaming inwardly, My head hurts! It hurts like hell!

Aside from the burning pain on his forehead, Xiao Zhen also felt an itch. He had probably used too much force just now and split his forehead open.

Seeing the trace of blood on Xiao Zhen's forehead, Fa Ma directly took out a bottle of medicinal pills from his Storage Ring. He poured out an emerald-green pill that emitted a fragrant aroma, then fed it to Xiao Zhen.

Although Xiao Zhen did not know what grade the pill was, the moment he swallowed it, he felt that his head no longer hurt much, while the wound seemed to be healing rapidly.

Fa Ma stood where he was, seeming to ponder something. Then, as if he had made some major decision, he took out a scroll and placed it directly in Xiao Zhen's hands.

Fa Ma said with a smile, "You have just become my disciple, and this old man has nothing particularly good to give you. This is a Fire Affinity Cultivation Technique, so take it!"

Xiao Zhen did not stand on ceremony. He felt that if he refused, it would be a slap in Fa Ma's face, so he could only accept it helplessly.

Chemier, who stood nearby, looked extremely shocked when he saw that scroll, as though he had witnessed something miraculous.

After Xiao Lin repeatedly expressed his gratitude, Fa Ma personally saw the father and son out.

Only after returning to the office did Chemier curiously ask Fa Ma the question in his heart.

"President, since you accepted that child, it means his talent must be exceptional. But why did you give him that kind of manual? You spent a great deal of effort obtaining it back then."

Fa Ma stroked his white beard and explained, "Chemier, you do not know just how powerful that child's Soul Power is. I am afraid that even some Second-grade Alchemists are far inferior to him in terms of Soul Power."

Chemier was somewhat astonished. He had not expected Xiao Zhen's soul to be so powerful. Cultivation Techniques and Secret Arts for cultivating the soul were mere legends across the entire continent, not something a minor figure like him could ever come into contact with.

Moreover, such things were even less likely to exist within the Jia Ma Empire. One's soul could only grow stronger along with time and cultivation.

"Then... how does that child's talent compare to Gu He's?"

Without hesitation, Fa Ma said that in terms of Soul Power, that child's talent was indeed stronger than Gu He's. Even their cultivation talents were worlds apart.

When Gu He was Xiao Zhen's age, that boy had still been working hard to cultivate Dou Qi.

Speaking of the young Gu He, Fa Ma was also quite appreciative of him. Gu He had only recently begun to emerge, yet at just over twenty years old, his cultivation had already reached the level of a nine-star Dou Master, while he was already a Third-grade Alchemist.

The current Gu He could be considered one of the most outstanding young alchemists of the Jia Ma Empire. When Fa Ma first met Gu He, he had recognized his talent and wanted to accept him as a disciple.

However, Gu He had refused the offer, because he had already taken a teacher before that, and his teacher had met with misfortune. Gu He did not wish to take another teacher.

Although Fa Ma had been somewhat disappointed by Gu He's refusal, he had not deliberately made things difficult for him. Instead, he often gave him guidance like an elder.

Now that Xiao Zhen had suddenly appeared, with talent even greater than Gu He's, Fa Ma was confident that under his guidance, Xiao Zhen could completely surpass Gu He within twenty years and become the new leading figure among the Jia Ma Empire's alchemists. That would bring him honor as well.

Listening to the president praise Xiao Zhen without reservation, Chemier finally understood why Fa Ma valued Xiao Zhen so highly.

As for the contents of that manual, the president had probably examined it long ago. After all, a scroll was not a medicinal pill; anyone could read it. It was not a consumable item.

After returning to the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhen went straight to his room. He took the scroll from his Storage Ring, opened it, and discovered that it was actually a cultivation technique.

Xiao Zhen was astonished to find that this cultivation technique was a low-grade Earth-tier Fire Affinity Cultivation Technique.

Seven Revolutions True Flame Art

Grade: Low-grade Earth-tier

Evaluation: A superior Fire Affinity Cultivation Technique. Those who cultivate this technique can cultivate powerful true flames possessing the power to burn all things.

After reading the system's evaluation, Xiao Zhen could not help giving it a thumbs-up. He had not expected that merely taking a teacher would earn him such a superior Fire-attribute Cultivation Technique.

Holding the scroll against his chin, Xiao Zhen began to ponder. It seemed that his bargain-bin teacher truly valued him, to casually give him a low-grade Earth-tier cultivation technique right from the start.

Cultivation techniques and Dou Skills that reached the Earth tier were likely something only a few factions in the Jia Ma Empire could produce.

Within the Jia Ma Empire, the Misty Cloud Sect was probably the most likely faction to possess an Earth-tier Cultivation Technique. After all, the Misty Cloud Sect was said to have been founded by the Dou Zun Yun Potian, and they also possessed a mysterious Gate of Life and Death.

In some fanfictions, there were even opportunities within the Gate of Life and Death to break through to the Dou Emperor realm. However, those were probably just fabrications by fanfiction authors. Otherwise, how could the sect have been so easily destroyed later on?

The fact that Fa Ma could take out this cultivation technique and give it away was enough to demonstrate the Alchemist Guild's foundations. Alchemists truly had a lucrative future.

Carefully examining the scroll in his hand, Xiao Zhen could not help muttering to himself, "It seems I owe my bargain-bin teacher a huge favor now."

Xiao Zhen could roughly guess Fa Ma's purpose in giving him this cultivation technique. He probably wanted to win over a genius like him.

After thinking for a while, Xiao Zhen slowly said, "I am not an ordinary twelve-year-old child. I will not be moved so easily. However, I will remember this favor. I will surely repay Teacher's kindness many times over in the future."

Although Xiao Zhen and Fa Ma were only teacher and disciple in name for now, having just established the relationship and possessing no real bond yet, Xiao Zhen had no choice but to accept this favor.

After all, the Profound-tier Cultivation Technique within the clan simply could not compare with the Earth-tier cultivation technique before him. The quality of one's cultivation technique was tied to one's future prospects and had to be treated seriously.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Zhen sat cross-legged on his bed and began cultivating the Seven Revolutions True Flame Art.

Fortunately, he had only received that cultivation technique yesterday and had not had the time to cultivate it much, merely learning some of its key principles. Otherwise, having to switch cultivation techniques again would have been truly troublesome.