Bickering, Hun Cang Enraged

"Second Brother." Hun Cang looked at Xiao Yan. "Do you want to become an alchemist?"

"I do, Big Brother," Xiao Yan replied without hesitation.

If Dou Zhe on the Dou Qi Continent were considered a powerful profession, respected and admired by all, then alchemists were an even more coveted and sought-after profession.

As their name suggested, alchemists could refine all kinds of miraculous pills that enhanced one's strength.

Such miraculous methods made them people every faction wished to recruit, granting them exceptionally lofty status.

If people were asked to choose between killing a Dou Wang and a Fourth-grade Alchemist,

ninety-nine percent of them would choose to kill the Dou Wang.

That was because alchemists could use their pill-refining skills to build an intricate network of connections.

Killing an alchemist was one thing if it succeeded, but if it failed, one would face endless pursuit from those who had benefited from the alchemist's kindness.

"But..." Once Xiao Yan's excitement faded, he faced reality. "Big Brother, the requirements for becoming an alchemist are very demanding. I might not meet them."

Hun Cang smiled faintly. "Second Brother, when have you ever heard me speak of baseless things?"

Xiao Yan froze, then said in wild delight, "Big Brother, you mean I meet the requirements?"

"That's right." Hun Cang nodded. "If you're willing, I'll even find you a teacher who can teach you step by step. But you must study hard and not slack off!"

"No problem, Big Brother. I'm more than willing. You might not know this, but back in high school, I used to get up at six in the morning to study, and I'd still be reading by lamplight at two in the morning." Xiao Yan was so excited that his words came out in a rush.

Sleeping only four hours a day? Was he cultivating immortality or something...? Hun Cang was momentarily speechless and blurted out, "Second Brother, you worked so hard. You must have gotten into a pretty good university, right?"

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and said awkwardly, "Not really. All I read were novels."

"..." Hun Cang was speechless. "What novels? I used to love them too. Tell me the titles."

"Stuff like Golden Scales Are Not Things in a Pond, Fragrance of Flowers in the Fields, Young A Bin..." Xiao Yan frowned in thought. Too much time had passed, and he could not remember clearly.

Hun Cang's eyes widened. "Rainy Night Carries a Knife, Not an Umbrella?"

"Holy shit, Big Brother, so you're one of us too!" Xiao Yan flashed a wicked smile.

"What books are those? How come I've never heard of them?" Inside the ring, Yao Chen could no longer hold back and emerged.

"Ahem..." Hun Cang shot Xiao Yan a glare. "It's normal that you don't know them. They're books from my hometown."

He pointed at Xiao Yan in warning. "Don't mention them again. I study the Spring and Autumn Annals. Why would I discuss such things with you?"

By the end, Hun Cang let out a sigh.

Xiao Yan chuckled, feeling even closer to Hun Cang.

As expected of a fellow townsman. Their interests were pretty much the same.

Then, as if recalling something, he suddenly turned toward Yao Chen. "Old man, why are you here? Eavesdropping again?! You've made a habit of spying, haven't you? Have some respect for your age!"

"What?! You brat, you dare insult me?" Yao Chen had still been pondering the conversation between Hun Cang and Xiao Yan, but the moment Xiao Yan spoke, he erupted like a lion with its fur standing on end.

Xiao Yan planted his hands on his hips and declared boldly, "Did I say anything wrong? You stole my Dou Qi for three years and got me mocked for three years. I get annoyed every time I see you now. If you weren't a soul, I'd smash your skull in!"

With Hun Cang present, Xiao Yan fully demonstrated what it meant to borrow a tiger's might to intimidate others.

Hun Cang raised a hand in a calming gesture. "Enough. Stop bickering."

"Hmph!"

Two snorts sounded at nearly the same time.

Yao Chen unhappily turned his head away, and Xiao Yan immediately looked in the opposite direction.

Hun Cang looked at Xiao Yan and thought, Second Brother, don't blame your brother for letting you down. You still have to follow the original plan, so just suffer a little more.

He said solemnly, "Second Brother, about becoming an alchemist..."

As he spoke, he pointed at Yao Chen. "This is the teacher I told you about. His attainments in alchemy are extremely high. You won't go wrong learning from him."

When Xiao Yan's gaze swept over him, Yao Chen crossed his arms and lifted his chin.

Xiao Yan said unhappily, "Big Brother, can this old guy really do it? If he were truly capable, would he have ended up as a remnant soul? Don't let him fool you."

"..." Hun Cang was at a loss for words.

Xiao Yan was not wrong. Yao Chen really did look rather miserable now.

Who could have imagined that Yao Chen had once been a respectable man in life—a Dou Venerable and an Eighth-grade Alchemist?

"You brat, you really know how to rub salt in the wound!" Yao Chen, who had been putting on airs, completely lost his composure, his face twisting.

When hitting someone, do not hit their face. When insulting someone, do not expose their shortcomings.

Yao Chen said furiously, "Hmph. If you don't want to learn, even better. I don't want to teach you either. Fifteen years old and still only at the Third Stage of Dou Qi—this kind of trash is the first I've ever seen in all my years. You must be hopelessly stupid. You can't be taught."

"You damn old man, you've got the nerve to bring that up? Who caused all this? Don't you have even a shred of self-awareness?" Xiao Yan rushed before Yao Chen and unleashed a flurry of punches.

Unfortunately, Yao Chen was currently in soul form, so Xiao Yan could not hit him at all. Every punch passed straight through him.

Yao Chen looked thoroughly pleased. When Xiao Yan finally stopped, panting, he smiled. "Already worn out at such a young age? You only punched for a little while. Keep going."

"Heh, I—I... Big Brother, look at this rotten old man bullying me. Help me." Xiao Yan immediately turned to Hun Cang.

You could bully me before, but now I have a big brother. How could I still let an old bastard like you act so arrogantly?

Hun Cang pressed a hand to his forehead.

This was simply unbearable to watch. How had things turned out like this? Where was the nice master-disciple scene?

As the chief culprit, Hun Cang instead began complaining inwardly.

"Enough! Your noise is giving me a headache!"

Gathering his thoughts, Hun Cang gave a low shout, his expression instantly turning stern.

At once, Yao Chen and Xiao Yan became like two elementary school students who had done something wrong. They obediently stood before Hun Cang, not daring to move recklessly.

"Second Brother..."

"Big Brother, I'm here."

"We haven't spent much time together, so you may not know this, but I hate people who break their promises the most.

As the saying goes, a man's word is his bond. Since you agreed to it, study properly under Yao Chen. If you truly master the profession of an alchemist, no one will look down on you wherever you go in the future."

Hun Cang advised him earnestly, his words carrying a trace of anger.

The moment he finished speaking, even he was startled.

Why did that sound so much like New Oriental...

"Big Brother, I'll listen. Don't worry, I'll study hard and strive to become an alchemist as soon as possible," Xiao Yan said seriously.

Hun Cang nodded in satisfaction. "Yao Chen will stay by your side from now on. If you have any problems with cultivation, you can ask him as well. As for your Dou Qi, don't worry. I used a special medicinal liquid, so he no longer needs to absorb your Dou Qi."

"Thank you, Big Brother." Xiao Yan felt a surge of emotion in his heart.

A medicinal liquid that could restore a soul must be expensive...

Big Brother has truly gone to great lengths for me. I have to work hard. I can't let him down.