Obsession

"Brat, was that your first realization after breaking through to Dou Zhe?" Old Man Yao asked, torn between laughter and tears as he could not help scolding him.

"Can't be helped. Ruoruo gave me too much. She even prepared the Qi Gathering Powder for this breakthrough long ago. How could I not feel something?"

Xiao Yan stretched lazily, pulling at his stiff body after sitting for so long. His bones crackled sharply.

"She gave you too much?"

Old Man Yao's expression turned strange, and for a moment, he did not know how to respond.

That girl Ruoruo gave him a lot?

It would be more accurate to say Xun'er had given him a lot.

Still, there was nothing wrong with putting it that way. After all, how a gift was used depended entirely on Hun Ruoruo's personal wishes.

Using someone else's flowers to offer to Buddha was clearly one such option.

At that thought, Old Man Yao could not help shaking his head. Although that little girl Xun'er was exceptionally intelligent, she was ultimately a Little Flower raised in a greenhouse. Going up against a Rose like Ruoruo, who had grown wild and free, meant she had lost completely.

He glanced at Xiao Yan, whose face still showed delight, and slowly said, "Now that you've broken through to Dou Zhe, you've officially crossed the threshold of becoming an Alchemist. Once you learn a Cultivation Technique and Dou Skill, you'll be able to fully convert the Fire attribute energy within your body."

"Have you considered what you want to choose?"

Having expected this step long ago, Xiao Yan put away his brief joy and looked at Old Man Yao with blazing eyes.

He took a deep breath, and his voice suddenly softened. "Before I choose, Teacher, can you tell me about Ruoruo's background?"

"For now... no."

Seeing the boy lower his eyes slightly, Old Man Yao sighed. "What she carries far exceeds your imagination. Compared to it, your so-called Three-Year Pact can only be considered children's play."

"The Three-Year Pact... can only be called childish?"

"Xiao Yan, you should know that this isn't a denial of what you've been through."

Xiao Yan remained silent. He understood his teacher's temperament.

After a long while, he clenched his fists and said in a low voice, "Even Ruoruo, with her strength, is like this. How can a mere Dou Zhe like me possibly help her?"

"Hehe, that girl may think even more highly of you than you do yourself." Old Man Yao seemed to recall something and smiled helplessly.

"She thinks more highly of me... than I do?"

"Don't you understand her personality? Other than that explanation, what else could possibly make sense?"

Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly as he unconsciously recalled Hun Ruoruo's cold gaze, the one that regarded other people's lives as worthless grass.

That was right. Why would she treat me this way?

My looks? My status? My strength?

He did not think he was so lacking in self-awareness.

"Teacher, then I choose the Fierce Heaven Art." After a moment of silence, the boy suddenly spoke, his gaze clear.

Old Man Yao asked in surprise, "Brat, you're choosing without even asking about the Cultivation Difficulty or method?"

"I choose it."

"This technique is exceedingly difficult to cultivate. Even with your current talent, your chance of mastering it is only around twenty percent." Old Man Yao took out the Fierce Heaven Art and another Earth-tier Cultivation Technique, waving them before the boy.

"This Earth-tier low-grade Fire attribute Cultivation Technique and Dou Skill has a full ninety percent chance of success."

"Mm, I understand."

"This technique advances by devouring Heavenly Flames. You understand the power of my Bone Spirit Cold Flame, right? If several Heavenly Flames gather within your body, there's even a risk of your body exploding!" Old Man Yao summoned the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, and its icy yet scorching aura instantly filled the entire cave.

"Devouring Heavenly Flames is incomparably dangerous. When I refined one back then, I nearly burned to ashes!"

"Fine."

"Heh." Old Man Yao asked curiously, "Brat, aren't you afraid at all?"

He had originally been thinking about how to lure Xiao Yan in, yet their roles had somehow completely switched—

The one who should have been guiding him was now trying to dissuade him, while the one who should have resisted had become utterly resolute.

What a strange affair.

"I'm afraid." Xiao Yan grinned. Perhaps it was Old Man Yao's illusion, but that upward curve carried a faintly wicked edge.

"But when I think about being able to clear away the fog surrounding that enchantress, I don't seem so afraid anymore. Over these past six months of knowing her, whether she used me or toyed with me, I never had any initiative from beginning to end. If I said I wasn't frustrated, even I wouldn't believe it."

"I have a feeling that although that Earth-tier Cultivation Technique is good, if I want to make her my goal, it's still far from enough."

At this point, Xiao Yan paused, spread his palm before his chest, then slowly clenched it.

"Besides, if I'm not mistaken, Teacher deliberately brought up the Fierce Heaven Art when we first met because you wanted me to cultivate this technique, didn't you?"

At those words, Old Man Yao revealed a rare expression of comfort mixed with something difficult to voice.

He fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded bitterly, his voice hoarse. "That's right. According to the Fierce Heaven Art's records, fusing several Heavenly Flames can refine a body for a Soul Body to inhabit. Then I can be reborn as well..."

"If that's the case, then there's even less reason not to cultivate the Fierce Heaven Art. I'm not some stubborn fool. If I truly can't master it, I can just switch to another technique."

Under Old Man Yao's reddening eyes, Xiao Yan smiled faintly, his gaze filled with ruthless determination.

"Dying is out of the question. I still have many unfinished things to do. But if it's only pain... then I'll endure it!"

Xiao Family, Xiao Manor

The ancient trees that had just endured winter pushed out several Green Sprouts carrying the breath of spring. The scattered snow that had rested upon their branches gradually melted under the spring sunlight, becoming nourishment for all things.

Spring had arrived. The day Xiao Yan broke through to Dou Zhe also happened to be the day before the preliminary test for his Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

Sitting quietly on a Stone Stool, Xiao Yan looked at the Blue-haired Girl not far before him. She wore an Elegant Long Dress of blue and white, propping up her face as she looked at him with a smiling gaze. Her deep eyes carried a trace of mischief.

It seemed no one could ever guess her Thoughts.

The girl smiled and said, "Third Young Master, congratulations. You finally broke through to Dou Zhe."

Xiao Yan nodded and said softly, "After suppressing it for so long, I've finally gained something. At this point, I can be considered to have officially stepped onto the path of cultivation once again."

He spread his fair palm, where a pale yellow glow flickered in and out of sight.

"Pale yellow? Third Young Master actually chose a Yellow-tier low-grade technique?"

Hun Ruoruo covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes wide. "Do you think your Dou Qi is too abundant, so you deliberately wanted to increase your Cultivation Difficulty?"

"...Of course not."

"Then do you think this color looks nice?"

"No. What's nice about Earthy Yellow?"

Xiao Yan revealed a mysterious smile, rarely showing a touch of Childlike Fun.

"Eh, that's so hard to guess. Could it evolve?" Hun Ruoruo frowned and pouted.

"No, you...?!"

Xiao Yan, who had originally intended to keep her guessing, trembled inwardly. His pupils shook—

This enchantress's thoughts were far too wild.

One moment, she had been talking about color preferences completely unrelated to cultivation. The next, she had somehow ruled out every wrong answer.

That was unreasonable.

Could one really guess that a cultivation technique could evolve?

Hun Ruoruo suddenly stood up and slowly approached Xiao Yan, her steps halting and light. She leaned forward slightly.

Her laughter was crisp and enchanting, like a golden oriole. "Did I guess right?"

Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither yielded.

"Yes. How did Ruoruo see through it? Teacher told me this should be the only copy of this technique in the world." Xiao Yan surrendered swiftly after holding out for only a few breaths.

"Then did he tell you that he also told me about it?"

Xiao Yan stared at her in disbelief and said angrily, "Hah! You two really were in cahoots!"

"Hehe, Third Young Master, don't be angry."

Her eyes brimmed with an indescribable magic, as if she were suppressing some kind of impulse.

"This tiny place, Wutan City, has too many restrictions. It's been suffocating me. Would you like to go out and gain experience with me?"

"By then, we might even get our hands on a Heavenly Flame~"

"A Heavenly Flame?"

At the mention of Heavenly Flames, Xiao Yan's expression tightened. He had never expected her to directly bring up what he desired most urgently.

He tried to forcibly suppress his excitement, but when the girl's warm breath lightly brushed against his neck, his disappointing heart ultimately pierced through the last of his Guts.

The sound of pounding heartbeats rang out, making the tense atmosphere especially awkward.

The boy lowered his head in defeat.

He knew that if he wanted to escape Hun Ruoruo's Demonic Claws, he still had a long road ahead.

The New Book PK Recommendation Slot is here. If possible, I hope everyone won't let the book pile up unread. Thank you!

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