Bone Spirit Cold Fire

"Strength... In this world, without strength, you were worth less than a pile of dog shit. At least no one dared to step on dog shit!"

Xiao Yan had endured enough ridicule over the past few years. Though he did not quite believe that Xiao Han could truly solve his problem, he could only treat a dead horse as if it were alive. Perhaps Xiao Han really had a way!

Thinking of this, Xiao Han handed the ancient-looking Ring in his hand toward Xiao Han.

"Wait, little fellow. Don't let him trick you!"

The sudden voice made Xiao Yan tense up.

Xiao Yan withdrew the hand holding the Ring and scanned his surroundings. But now that he was only at the third stage of Dou Qi, the range his awareness could cover was extremely limited.

Uh!

Xiao Han's heart jolted. He knew all too well where that suddenly sounding voice had come from. He anxiously held out his hand. "Xiao Yan, give me the Ring, quickly!"

"Wait!"

Seeing how anxious Xiao Han was, Xiao Yan became wary again.

Over the past three years, Xiao Yan had fallen from the altar of genius and endured countless cold stares. At the same time, his temperament and patience had surpassed those of many peers. Even some adults could not compare to him.

With no one around, Xiao Yan looked at the Ring in his hand and timidly asked, "Was that you speaking?"

"Yes."

An aged voice came from within the ancient-looking Ring. Immediately afterward, a wisp of white vapor seeped out from it. The white aura grew denser and denser, finally condensing into the transparent figure of an old man.

The old man had white hair and a youthful face, with kindly features and bright, spirited eyes. He carried something of an immortal air.

Xiao Yan's pupils contracted. Forcing down the terror in his heart, he tried to keep his voice calm as he asked, "Who are you? How did you get inside my Ring?"

"You needn't concern yourself with who I am for now. In any case, I won't harm you. Tsk, tsk, tsk. After all these years, I've finally encountered someone whose soul strength meets the standard. How fortunate!" The old man stroked his goatee, his gaze burning as he looked at Xiao Yan. At last, his eyes landed on Xiao Han, turning somewhat cold as he asked, "Who are you? Why are you setting your sights on him?"

If Xiao Han had merely been targeting Xiao Yan, the old man would not have been so hostile. But tonight, Xiao Han was clearly after the Ring in Xiao Yan's hand.

The old man had heard every word of the earlier conversation between Xiao Yan and Xiao Han.

That was right. Xiao Yan's cultivation regression over the past three years had entirely been because of him. The old man had been asleep, and in order to awaken, he had no choice but to absorb Xiao Yan's Dou Qi.

Still, the old man had always been extremely careful. Even Xiao Yan, the victim himself, knew nothing about it. Yet Xiao Han knew.

How could the old man not be hostile?

"Xiao Han has been setting his sights on me? Could it be that he wants my Ring?" At this moment, Xiao Yan finally understood.

"Hehe..."

Xiao Han smiled. "Yao Lao, since you've already awakened, I'll give you an opportunity. My aptitude is no worse than his. Think it over. Follow me, and I'll help you reconstruct your body as well!"

In the Doupo World, there were several people Xiao Han admired. Medicine Saint Yao Chen was one of them.

"Reconstruct my body?" The old man frowned, and a trace of emotion appeared in his eyes.

"That's right."

Xiao Han nodded, delighted inwardly. This might work.

As a transmigrator, Xiao Han knew that the reason Yao Chen had helped Xiao Yan so much was ultimately because he hoped Xiao Yan would one day be able to refine a body for him, allowing him to revive and be reborn.

Xiao Han said bluntly, "You chose Xiao Yan because you wanted to cultivate him into an alchemist, then later teach him the Flame Mantra. Once the time was right, you would use a Different Fire to refine a body for yourself. I can promise you right now that as long as you follow me, I'll help you refine a body too. You should be able to sense that my soul strength is no weaker than his!"

Yao Lao stared at Xiao Han for a long while, then smiled, though his tone grew somewhat cold. "That is indeed true. However, between you and Xiao Yan, I still choose Xiao Yan!"

"Why?" Xiao Han was puzzled.

"Because this is the Northwest Region of the continent, and most people don't even know what Different Fires are. Yet not only did you speak my name, you also mentioned Different Fires and the Flame Mantra. As for the Flame Mantra, even my sworn brother, Wind Venerable Feng Xian, knows nothing about it. Yet you know me so well. That makes this old man deeply uneasy." When Yao Lao finished speaking, the coldness in his gaze intensified.

"Uh!"

Xiao Han clicked his tongue inwardly. He had only focused on finding a way to persuade Yao Lao, never expecting it would instead provoke Yao Lao's deep vigilance. Noticing the icy look in Yao Lao's eyes, Xiao Han asked in surprise, "You want to kill me?"

"That's right."

Yao Lao nodded without denying it. "You know so much about me, and you even know that I possess the Bone Spirit Cold Fire. Speak. Were you sent by that beast Han Feng?"

"Han Feng?"

Xiao Han's expression remained calm. With the corners of his lips slightly raised, he said indifferently, "Forgive me for being blunt, but not to mention Han Feng—even the three great heads of the Pill Tower or the Patriarchs of the Ancient Eight Great Clans are not qualified to command me, Xiao Han!"

"Uh, what an arrogant brat."

The chill in Yao Lao's eyes deepened as he sneered. "I always thought that, relying on my alchemy skills, I was already arrogant enough. Who would have thought that someone even more arrogant than me existed? To be honest, you do suit this old man's taste. But for my own safety, you must die today!"

As soon as Yao Lao finished speaking, a Dark White flame coiled around his transparent palm like a small snake.

The moment the Dark White flame appeared, the surrounding temperature immediately rose to a terrifying height. The flowers and grass within a hundred meters rapidly yellowed and withered at a visible rate. Some dry firewood even began to blaze fiercely under that terrifying heat.

The sudden change stunned Xiao Yan, who stood to the side.

Xiao Han knew that the Dark White flame in Yao Lao's hand was the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, ranked eleventh on the Different Fire Ranking.

"Sigh, I hadn't intended to make a move against you. Since you're so blind to the times, Yao Lao, don't blame me!" With a thought, Xiao Han took out a card from the System Inventory.

"You are clearly only at the first stage of Dou Qi, yet you can remain so calm. You do have some character. Very well, I'll let you be buried beneath this old man's Different Fire. That can be considered an honor!" With a flick of his finger, Yao Lao shot a wisp of Bone Spirit Cold Fire toward Xiao Han.

At the same time, with a crack, Xiao Han crushed the card in his hand.

"Ding-dong!"

"Congratulations, you have successfully used the Fortune Stealing Card. Please select a target!"

The card shattered, forming a dark golden orb of light that hovered before Xiao Han.

"Yao Lao!"

"Ding dong!"

"Congratulations, the target has been successfully locked. Please select the treasure to steal. The locked target possesses the following stealable treasures: Fire Blowing Palm, Eight Extremes Collapse, Flame Mantra, Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler... Bone Spirit Cold Fire..."

"Bone Spirit Cold Fire!"

"Ding dong!"

"Congratulations, by using the Fortune Stealing Card, you have successfully stolen Yao Lao's Bone Spirit Cold Fire."