Yao Lao

The moment the door opened, a faint, elusive fragrance wafted toward him.

Xiao Yan froze for a moment, then walked into the guest room and shut the door with practiced ease.

A bright candle flame soon lit up inside the guest room, illuminating the dim space.

The Beautiful Figure beneath the night quietly put on a bamboo hat under Night Sky's cover, hiding her face before the candlelight could fill the entire room.

"Though I more or less guessed you must have something urgent to come find me at this hour, why do you always like coming to see me in the dead of night?"

Yao Wan could not help grumbling, "If someone saw us, who knows what kind of boring gossip would start spreading."

"Gossip?"

Xiao Yan was stunned. He had not expected Wan Guniang to care about that... no, wait, ordinary girls basically all cared about that, right?

The only question was, could Wan Guniang really be considered an ordinary girl?

"Forget it. Let's not talk about that. Let's talk about why you came to find me."

"Mm."

Xiao Yan nodded, then said aloud, "Hey, old fellow, stop hiding."

"Brat, didn't I just absorb a few years of your Dou Qi? Did you have to get that angry?"

In Yao Wan's eyes, an aged figure drifted out of the black ring on Xiao Yan's finger like mist.

She was not particularly surprised. If she had to say anything, it was probably that she was surprised Xiao Yan had discovered him so quickly.

After the old man appeared, grumbling and cursing, his gaze naturally fell on Yao Wan.

"When I was bathing, this old fellow suddenly popped out and even told me that the Dou Qi I'd lost over the past two years was all his doing."

Perhaps because he was in front of Yao Wan and had Wan Guniang backing him up, Xiao Yan's words carried quite a bit more backbone.

"Heh heh..."

Instead, when that aged figure saw Yao Wan, he could not help laughing.

"What a fine Girl... truly extraordinary talent."

"You flatter me, old sir."

"Then Xiao Yan, he..."

Yao Wan's gaze returned to Xiao Yan.

"This brat is far too petty."

The old man snorted, yet said, "Still, I suppose I do owe him a favor..."

"Are you planning to take him as your disciple, elder?"

Yao Wan asked.

"He can be considered a decent seedling, at least. Of course, Girl, your talent is even better. I'm only afraid you've already set out on your own path midway and may not be willing to accept this Old Man."

The old man stroked his beard and smiled at Yao Wan.

"That is true enough. Everyone has their own way to live, but I also have my own path, so I won't try to climb higher through you."

Yao Wan gently shook her Beautiful Head. She saw things very clearly. In the end, she might not necessarily have Xiao Yan's talent and fortune either. So what if her starting point was a little higher? If she could not reach Dou Di, she would still be finished all the same.

Rather than become a genius she might not necessarily be able to live up to, she might as well place her bet from the very beginning on someone who was already almost certain to succeed.

As soon as she finished speaking, Yao Wan could not help looking toward Xiao Yan.

"Xiao Yan is indeed more suitable than I am. I think it's quite good."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan could not help freezing. From Miss Wan's conversation with that Old Man, the other party seemed to be someone formidable.

It was just that Miss Wan seemed to have given the chance to become his disciple to him...

"Heh heh... hear that? You little brat, did you really think I stayed by your side just to eat and drink for free?"

The old man laughed. "If not for the fact that I saw your kind nature and tenacious temperament, did you think just anyone could catch my eye?"

"Besides, taking an alchemist as your teacher—what could you possibly be dissatisfied with?"

"Alchemists aren't that amazing. Even without you, I still have Wan Guniang..."

Xiao Yan was indeed tempted, but as he patted his sleeve, he still could not help muttering under his breath.

"..."

The old man said nothing, but without a doubt, both people present heard Xiao Yan's muttering perfectly clearly.

Feeling the old man's gaze, Yao Wan beneath the bamboo hat also felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Don't expect me to help you too much. At most, I can help you refine some Spirit Medicine, that's all. I don't have any experience teaching others..."

Yao Wan could not help saying.

She was truly afraid that if this Old Grandpa in the ring was actually angered and ended up dusting himself off and leaving, that would really be terrible.

"...Wan Guniang hopes I'll take him as my teacher?"

Xiao Yan did not respond directly. Instead, he raised his head and asked subconsciously.

"My wishes have no necessary connection to your choice. This concerns your future. I only hope you won't act out of impulse."

Yao Wan sighed softly, too embarrassed to say it too plainly.

Xiao Yan fell silent for a moment, then nodded lightly before looking at the old man.

"Fine. I am willing to become your disciple."

In the end, he was not someone who liked dragging things out. Since he had already made up his mind, he naturally would not delay any longer.

Before the old man, Xiao Yan performed three kowtows and nine bows, carrying out the formal disciple-taking ceremony. This could be considered his official acceptance as the old man's disciple.

"Good. My name is Yao Lao. As for my origins, to avoid distracting you, it will not be too late to speak of them later."

Seeing that this newly acknowledged teacher had immediately become a riddler, Xiao Yan was no longer angry. Instead, he smiled and said, "Teacher, then when will you make me an alchemist?"

"There's no rush to become an alchemist."

Yao Wan cut in from the side and smoothly said, "There are quite a few requirements to become an alchemist. Xiao Yan should first raise himself to Dou Zhe as quickly as possible."

"Dou Zhe?"

Out of his trust in Wan Guniang, although he was still half skeptical, Xiao Yan no longer tangled over the matter of becoming an alchemist. Instead, he continued asking, "Then, Teacher, how long will it take me to become a Dou Zhe?"

"With your talent, at your current age of not even fifteen, and with me helping you, you naturally need not worry."

Toward Yao Lao's promise, which was no different from painting a pretty picture, Xiao Yan was half skeptical. Clearly, he did not trust him as much as he did Wan Guniang.

Although he was somewhat wary of this old man hiding inside the ring, no matter what, he had no other choice now.

And the first task Yao Lao gave Xiao Yan was to go buy medicinal herbs. Yao Lao would refine pills to help Xiao Yan raise his cultivation.

But although the profession of alchemist earned a great deal of money, it also burned through a great deal of money.

Just the medicinal ingredients Yao Lao needed, plus the Magic Core, would be impossible to acquire without several thousand Gold Coins.

All Xiao Yan had was a little over four hundred Gold Coins he had saved by scrimping and saving. If Xiao Yan had to solve this himself, even selling him probably would not be worth that much money.

Fortunately, although Xiao Yan himself had no money, the mysterious alchemist girl beside him had plenty.

Rather, the Gold Coins used as currency on the Dou Qi Continent were merely the least valuable things inside Yao Wan's Storage Ring.

When Xiao Yan was stumped by the requirements Yao Lao put forward, he subconsciously looked at Wan Guniang beside him, who seemed to be listening quietly and had no intention of avoiding the matter.