"The Mysterious" Old Man

After Xia Mo and Xiao Yan left the hall, Xiao Yan wandered aimlessly until, without realizing it, he arrived at the Xiao Clan's back mountain. Over the past three years, it had become a habit. Only this place held good memories, offering him a little comfort.

Xia Mo and Xiao Yan sat at the edge of a cliff, looking toward the Monster Mountain Range across from them. "Xiao Mo, do you think that in this world, without strength, you're not even worth a pile of shit?" Xiao Yan asked through gritted teeth, his face full of self-mockery.

Today, all his dignity had been thrown to the ground and ruthlessly trampled several times. Nalan Yanran's words had cruelly torn open Xiao Yan's wounds from the past three years, forcing him to see the reality of this world.

"Of course. If it had strength, I wouldn't even dare step on it. Gross. Would you dare? No way, right?" Xia Mo said mischievously, pinching his nose shut.

"You brat..." Xiao Yan gave a bitter smile.

"But there are just as many people with strength as there are without it. Some people think too highly of themselves, when they're really just frogs at the bottom of a well. Xiao Yan, don't lose heart. Being able to fight Lord Xia Mo to a draw already makes you impressive. That man and woman from today couldn't even take one punch from Xia Mo," Xia Mo said to Xiao Yan with feigned seriousness.

"That's right. They've never even seen a real genius. Their pride is worthless. I'll carve today's humiliation into my heart. There won't be a second time," Xiao Yan said fiercely, clenching his fists.

"Hehe, well said. Some people really are frogs at the bottom of a well. Young man, it seems you need some help."

After Xiao Yan finished swearing his oath, a strange laugh sounded beside both his and Xia Mo's ears.

Xia Mo and Xiao Yan sprang to their feet on reflex, standing back-to-back as they scanned their surroundings. "Who is it? Come out!" they shouted in unison.

Although Xia Mo knew who it was, the sudden strange laughter still gave him a fright. Luckily, it hadn't been a "jie jie jie."

After a moment of silence, just as they began to think they had imagined it, they heard Xiao Yan's ring say, "Hehe, I'm on your hand."

Xia Mo and Xiao Yan's gazes instantly focused on the ancient black ring on Xiao Yan's right hand.

"Damn, the ring became a spirit!" Xia Mo pretended to be shocked and took a step back.

The ring fell silent for a moment, as though the words it had intended to say had been choked off.

"Little one, you're quite timid. Look at the one beside you—how calm he is. He's wearing the ring, yet he wasn't frightened at all," the ring's voice sounded again.

Then, a white phantom appeared before Xia Mo and Xiao Yan.

"Damn, a ghost!" That was Xiao Yan.

"Wow, a white-bearded old man!" That was Xia Mo.

Hearing their words, Old Yao looked at them with a face full of black lines.

"I'm not a ghost. As long as one was powerful enough before death and possessed sufficiently strong soul power, one could survive like I have."

Xia Mo then stood to the side and watched the two of them engage in a battle of wits. First, Xiao Yan asked Old Yao who he was and why he was inside his ring.

With an embarrassed expression, Old Yao said that while he had been asleep, he had absorbed Xiao Yan's Dou Qi. He kept teasing him and even thanked Xiao Yan.

Once the usually composed and calm Xiao Yan learned the reason his Dou Qi had disappeared, he immediately went mad. He could not help cursing and even threw the ring his mother had left him off the cliff.

Old Yao controlled the ring and flew it back up, continuing to provoke Xiao Yan. He even said that absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for three years had brought him great benefits.

Now that Xiao Yan knew the reason, he intended to tell Old Yao to get lost. Naturally, Old Yao was unwilling, so he brought up the Three-Year Agreement, instantly reigniting Xiao Yan's anger.

Listening to them, Xia Mo walked over to Xiao Yan's side and quietly told him to demand benefits from the old man—the more, the better.

Hearing Xia Mo's words, Xiao Yan calmed down as well. After that, he gradually gained the upper hand, so Old Yao changed tactics and began tempting Xiao Yan with benefits.

Xiao Yan did not believe Old Yao's grand promises. Since Old Yao bragged about being so powerful, Xiao Yan decided to use the three years of absorbed Dou Qi as leverage. He tentatively demanded that Old Yao help him reach the Seventh Stage Dou Qi within one year, or else get lost.

In the end, Old Yao said he could help Xiao Yan reach the Seventh Stage Dou Qi within a year and pass the Coming of Age Ceremony. Then he introduced the concept of alchemists, and the balance instantly shifted. Old Yao directly seized the initiative.

Having gained the upper hand, Old Yao unleashed his trump card, saying Gu He was nothing and that he himself was a hundred times better than Gu He. He also said Xiao Yan had the qualifications to become an alchemist, and Xiao Yan's defenses instantly crumbled.

At last, the fox's tail was revealed. Just like that, Old Yao put on airs and accepted Xiao Yan as his disciple.

Although Old Yao had been talking with Xiao Yan the whole time, he had not forgotten Xia Mo, who had been silent for quite a while. After all, this little one's talent was truly terrifying—Old Yao had never seen anything like it. He turned to Xia Mo and asked, "Little fellow, what do you think? Are you interested in taking me as your master?"

"Xiao Yan becomes your disciple, and you'll help him reach the Seventh Stage Dou Qi within a year. If I become your disciple, what will you give me?" Xia Mo asked Old Yao curiously.

"I can make you a Peak Second-grade Alchemist within a year. Besides, alchemists usually need a teacher's personal guidance. Without a teacher, it is difficult to become a high-level alchemist. Just obtaining an Alchemical Formula requires countless efforts, and even then, there's no guarantee you'll get one," Old Yao answered Xia Mo seriously.

Xia Mo naturally agreed right away. If he said too much and the old man decided not to take him in, that would be bad.

"You're willing? Then the two of you shall become my disciples together." The old man sat cross-legged on a rock and spoke solemnly.

"Ah, we still have to formally take you as our master?" That was Xiao Yan.

"Oh." That was Xia Mo.

"Of course. If you don't become my disciples, why would you dream of learning all my lifelong knowledge?" The old man rolled his eyes at Xiao Yan. In this matter, he seemed rather old-fashioned.

However, on the Dou Qi Continent, alchemist inheritances were extremely important. A master was not merely a teacher; the relationship between master and disciple was comparable to that between parents and children, perhaps even deeper.

Thus, the two of them respectfully and properly performed the disciple ceremony before the old man.

Seeing that they had completed every courtesy, Old Yao nodded in satisfaction and became much friendlier. "I've already forgotten my name. You may call me Old Yao. As for my origins, you'll learn of them in the future. For now, your main priority is improving your strength and alchemy."

Old Yao said to the two of them, "By order of seniority, Xiao Yan will be the senior disciple, while Xiao Mo will be the junior disciple. Xiao Mo is still young, so as the senior disciple, Xiao Yan must take good care of his junior brother. And Xiao Mo, don't bully your senior brother."

After becoming his disciple, Xiao Yan became much more casual. Hearing this, he rolled his eyes and asked Old Yao, "Teacher, how will you help me reach the Seventh Stage Dou Qi within a year?"

"For the past three years, you have constantly absorbed Dou Qi, laying an incomparably solid foundation. You will understand its benefits in the future."

Xiao Yan's eyes shifted. "Then when can I learn alchemy?"

Old Yao gave a crafty smile. "Any time, as long as you complete your daily Dou Qi and Dou Technique training."

The moment Xia Mo saw Old Yao's expression, he knew Xiao Yan was in for a miserable time. Sure enough, Old Yao took out a pile of books from his Storage Ring. "Here. To learn alchemy, you must finish reading all of these."

Xiao Yan's face instantly went dead with despair...

As a qualified onlooker, Xia Mo had been snickering to himself when Old Yao suddenly turned his gaze toward him.

"Don't laugh. You need to study too. Although you've already learned some alchemy and become a First-grade Alchemist, Xiao Mo, your knowledge is far from comprehensive. You need to improve. Whether it's cultivation or alchemy, only by laying a solid foundation will you have a chance to become a strong expert and a high-grade alchemist."

Looking at that pile of books, Xia Mo was reminded of the terror of being ruled by three years of college entrance exams and five years of mock tests in his previous life. Sigh, the gossip had come back to bite him.

"Xiao Yan, if you want to reach the Seventh Stage Dou Qi within a year, you'll need medicinal assistance. However, those in the Dou Qi stage cannot take pills. I do have a Second-grade Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid Formula, though. The medicinal liquid it produces can be used by you."

"Tomorrow, prepare three complete stalks of Purple Leaf Orchid Grass—the older, the better—two Bone Washing Flowers, regardless of age, and one First-tier Monster Core. These are all low-grade medicinal herbs. Xiao Yan, you should be able to get them, right?" Old Yao did not ask Xia Mo to procure them. After all, how much money could a child possibly have?

At Old Yao's words, Xiao Yan began hopping around in agitation while Xia Mo snickered at the side.

"Someone's coming. I'll return to the ring first. Don't let anyone know of my existence, not even those closest to you." With that, Old Yao vanished, and the ring slipped precisely onto Xiao Yan's finger...