Accidental Discovery

Accidental Discovery

"What, only thinking of me now?"

Yao Wan gave a soft cough, her tone calm as she spoke.

How could Xiao Yan possibly forget who had just helped him clear his meridians and circulate his energy through a full cycle? He coughed lightly.

"Uh... many thanks, Wan Guniang..."

"Besides that worthless word 'thanks' of yours, do you have nothing else?"

As she spoke, Yao Wan slowly withdrew her palm.

"Uh... Miss Wan, about that..."

Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly, but he had no idea what he should say.

"Hmm...? Wait, what is going on?"

Yao Wan lifted her fingertips, only to notice that the Life Spirit Flame in her palm seemed to have strengthened. Or rather, it had "grown" a little.

"What's wrong, Miss Wan?"

"...My Life Spirit Flame seems to have grown slightly after coming into contact with your Flame Mantra, though the reaction is still very faint."

Looking at Xiao Yan, Yao Wan hesitated for a moment before explaining.

"Grown? Heavenly flames can grow too?"

Xiao Yan asked instinctively.

"Of course they can. All heavenly flames are formed from gathered Heaven and Earth Energy. From nothing to existence—naturally, that is growth."

Yao Lao explained at just the right time, "Besides, strictly speaking, the Life Spirit Flame in the girl's hand cannot yet be considered a complete form. At most, it is only a kindling that has just been ignited. Naturally, there is still plenty of room for it to grow."

"So that's how it is."

Xiao Yan murmured instinctively, then suddenly realized something and smiled. "Then, in that case, can the Flame Mantra also help Miss Wan nurture her heavenly flame?"

"I have never heard that the Flame Mantra has such a marvelous use..."

Yao Lao instinctively stroked his beard and said, "It is a decent method, but right now, both the grade of your Qi Method and your Dou Qi cultivation are far too low. You simply cannot satisfy the girl's need to nurture the Life Spirit Flame."

"Hmm... then I need to devour heavenly flames to evolve the Flame Mantra?"

Xiao Yan's mind turned quickly. Since his Dou Qi was insufficient, then the simplest and most direct method would be to refine a heavenly flame and raise the grade of the Flame Mantra, right?

"Precisely."

Yao Lao nodded.

"Finding heavenly flames? No problem. I'll find them, then—"

Now that he had cultivated the Flame Mantra, Xiao Yan instead swept away his earlier conflicted, stifled manner. A brilliant smile appeared on his face, and he looked toward Yao Wan.

"Miss Wan won't say now that I can do nothing but say thanks, right?"

"Let's wait until you actually find a heavenly flame before saying that."

Yao Wan gave a soft snort. She truly had not expected Xiao Yan's first time cultivating the Flame Mantra to bring her this kind of benefit, but just as Yao Lao had said, whether it was the current Xiao Yan or the current Flame Mantra, the help they provided to her Life Spirit Flame was far too small.

If he wanted to help her nurture her heavenly flame, then no matter what, they would have to wait until Xiao Yan had absorbed at least one or two heavenly flames first.

"But finding heavenly flames..."

Yao Wan suddenly stared at Xiao Yan's face in a daze.

"I say, Xiao Yan, can you even find a heavenly flame?"

Xiao Yan's expression instantly collapsed.

"Miss Wan, who are you looking down on!"

"I don't mean to look down on you. It's just... well..."

Yao Wan stopped before saying too much. In any case, the meaning had been conveyed, and everyone understood it, so she would not say more and wound his pride.

After all, having the will and having the ability were two different things.

Xiao Yan's breath hitched. He only felt his chest grow unbearably stuffy. He instinctively wanted to retort, but in the end, he did not even have the confidence to do so.

Of course he knew Yao Wan did not mean to make a joke out of him. It was precisely because of that, however, that his pride felt even worse.

"All right, this brat will definitely find a heavenly flame in the future."

In the end, Yao Lao could not help but cut in.

Looking at his teacher, who had stepped in to ease things for him, Xiao Yan was immediately deeply moved.

"All right, don't look at me with those eyes. Cultivate properly. Otherwise, with your current strength, even if you encountered the lowest-ranked heavenly flame, you would be burned straight to ash."

Yao Lao said irritably. After speaking, he returned to the Storage Ring by himself and vanished.

Only Xiao Yan and Yao Wan were left in the room once again, and the atmosphere in the guest room turned awkward as well.

"Miss Wan, I actually..."

"All right, cultivate properly. I did not mean to mock you. It is just that if you want to see the vast world beyond, rather than merely stay in the Gama Empire as a frog at the bottom of a well, you will still have to rely on your own effort."

"The help I can give you is limited, in the end."

Yao Wan said softly.

Xiao Yan nodded. He was not some utter fool who understood nothing. A fool like that could not possibly have achieved what he had, breaking through to Dou Zhe in a single year.

"I understand, Miss Wan... Then rest well. I'll be going first."

After saying this, Xiao Yan cupped his fists in farewell, then left.

After returning, Xiao Yan once again went the whole night without sleeping. When he opened his eyes again, it was already daytime the next day.

"Time passed that quickly...?"

Xiao Yan let out a breath of Stale Air and murmured instinctively.

As soon as his words fell, Xiao Yan heard a knock at the door.

"Third Young Master, the Clan Leader and the elders are calling for you."

An aged voice came from outside the door, as though it did not intend to give Xiao Yan any time to think.

"All right... I'll go right away."

Xiao Yan nodded lightly, then opened his door and walked out.

Passing through the small path, Xiao Yan then entered the Guest Hall.

There were the familiar faces as always. The only difference was the arrival of three strangers, who were presumably the honored guests Father had mentioned yesterday.

An old man, and a young man and woman.

The Star Moon Emblem on the old man proved his status as a Seven Star Da Dou Shi, while of the man and woman who had come, one was a Five-Star Dou Zhe and the other a Three-Star Dou Zhe.

Xiao Yan raised his brows. Figures like these were rarely seen in Wutan City.

For example, that old man—if Father had not received the Shi Ling Pill gifted by Miss Wan, his cultivation would have been two stars higher than Father's.

As for that man and woman...

Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the two of them, as calm as an ancient well.

One Five-Star and one Three-Star. If Xiao Yan spent a bit more time, it was not as though he could not reach such a level.

After having seen a true favored daughter of heaven like Miss Wan, Xiao Yan's standards had unconsciously been raised by quite a lot. A mere two Dou Zhe were not enough to leave him dumbstruck.

"Father, you were looking for me?"

Then, Xiao Yan shifted his gaze and stood beside Xiao Zhan as he spoke.

"Heh heh, Yan'er is here. Quickly, sit."

Xiao Zhan smiled. Xiao Yan looked up, only then discovering that there was an additional seat of honor to one side compared to usual.

Xiao Yan raised his brows and instinctively glanced at the Three Elders.

These old things—had the sun risen from the west today?

But thinking about it, that made sense. The current him had Miss Wan backing him from behind. If these old things wanted to make trouble for him, they would still have to take her mood into account.

Hmph.