Old Yao? No, Han Feng!

Gu Long watched Xiao Yan's bizarre changes in cultivation with cold eyes.

He knew that Yao Chen had already begun absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi.

The Venerable Yao who had once shaken the continent now had his soul dwelling within the seemingly plain black ring on Xiao Yan's finger.

Gu Long realized that this was an opportunity to strengthen Dragon Domain!

Yao Chen's value was beyond question: a Peak Eighth-Grade Alchemist, master of the Flame Mantra, and immensely knowledgeable.

If he could subdue him, he would be of tremendous help to Dragon Domain in the future.

In the original course of events, Xiao Yan had relied on Yao Chen's guidance to rise again.

If this "teacher" could be replaced...

A bold and sinister plan gradually took shape in Gu Long's mind.

He thought of someone—Yao Chen's traitorous disciple, Han Feng!

The so-called Medicine Emperor, who was likewise skilled in alchemy yet wicked at heart and possessed an incomplete version of the Flame Mantra.

Let Han Feng's soul "guide" Xiao Yan, then "bestow" upon him an incomplete Flame Mantra that was destined to have limited potential...

Without a doubt, this was the best way to cripple Xiao Yan's future threat at its roots. It was crueler than simply killing him.

Not long afterward, the time was ripe.

Xiao Yan's cultivation had fallen to Three-Stage Dou Qi, and he had become depressed and gloomy, barely leaving his room.

Late one night, Gu Long made his move again.

He circulated the Soul Condensing Art, and Soul Power enveloped his body like invisible gauze, perfectly concealing his aura.

He sensed the activity in Xiao Yan's room and confirmed that Xiao Yan was asleep, while Ling Ying's attention was not focused here.

Like a ghost in the night, he silently slipped into Xiao Yan's room.

Xiao Yan lay on the bed with his brows tightly furrowed.

Even in his sleep, his face still bore traces of exhaustion and confusion that would not fade.

Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Long held two fingers together like a sword and lightly pressed a precise acupoint at the back of Xiao Yan's neck.

A wisp of Dou Qi entered him. Xiao Yan's body stiffened, and without even a groan, he fell completely into a deep coma.

Gu Long's gaze fell upon the black ring on Xiao Yan's finger.

He carefully removed it and held it in his palm.

He could sense an extremely faint soul fluctuation within the ring. It was in a period of deep slumber and recovery, and its awareness of the outside world had dropped to its lowest point.

This was precisely the stage when Yao Chen was fully focused on absorbing Dou Qi to restore himself.

After taking the ring, Gu Long returned to his room and immediately contacted Zhao Yun in the distant Black Corner Region through the system.

"Lord."

Zhao Yun's voice rang directly in Gu Long's mind through the system, as steady as ever.

"General Zi Long, how is the construction of Dragon Domain progressing?" Gu Long asked first.

"Reporting to Lord, we have initially taken control of three cities, subdued seven forces large and small, and are opening up resource channels. Everything is proceeding according to plan," Zhao Yun reported concisely.

"Very good. I have an urgent task for you. Go to Feng City immediately, find Han Feng, capture him alive, strip away his soul, and bring it back."

Remember, I want his soul alive. Move quickly, and try not to alert too many people.

Gu Long issued the order.

With Zhao Yun's Peak Nine-Star Dou Ancestor strength, capturing a Dou Emperor-level Han Feng would be as easy as turning his hand.

"Understood!" Zhao Yun did not question the order.

The communication ended. Gu Long placed Xiao Yan's ring into the System Space for temporary isolation, then waited for Zhao Yun's return.

Only two hours later, barely perceptible ripples appeared in the space within Gu Long's room again, and Zhao Yun's figure emerged.

He held a ball of light imprisoned by silver Dou Qi. Within it, an illusory figure struggled and roared, his face twisted in fury.

This was Han Feng's soul!

"Lord, I have completed the mission." Zhao Yun presented the ball of soul light.

There had not been much disturbance in Feng City. Han Feng had been subdued by Zhao Yun in an instant, and his soul had been forcibly stripped away.

"You've worked hard, General Zi Long. Return to the Black Corner Region first and continue overseeing the construction of Dragon Domain." Gu Long accepted the ball of soul light.

Zhao Yun nodded, and his figure vanished once more.

Gu Long looked at Han Feng's struggling soul in his hand, his eyes icy.

He mobilized his Soul Power and forcibly erased all of Han Feng's memories concerning Zhao Yun, retaining only his alchemical knowledge and cultivation experience.

As for the incomplete Flame Mantra that originated from Yao Chen, Gu Long branded it deep within his soul.

He brainwashed him into having to "carefully guide" Xiao Yan and "at the appropriate time" pass the Flame Mantra on to him.

After finishing all this, Gu Long infiltrated Xiao Yan's room again.

Xiao Yan was still unconscious, unaware of what had happened.

Gu Long put the black ring back onto Xiao Yan's finger, then carefully sent Han Feng's altered soul into the ring.

The moment Han Feng's soul entered the ring, it instinctively began drawing in the meager Dou Qi within Xiao Yan's body to stabilize itself.

This process was nearly identical to when Yao Chen had absorbed Dou Qi before, but the sleeping Xiao Yan noticed nothing.

After checking once more and finding no mistakes, Gu Long quietly departed.

The next day, Xiao Yan awoke from his coma. He only felt some soreness in his neck and assumed it was caused by overtraining, so he did not investigate further.

Feeling the Dou Qi within him continuing to drain away, his face was filled with bitterness and despair.

He checked himself over. The ring left behind by his mother was still safely on his finger.

What he did not know was that the greatest "fortuitous encounter" of his life had already been quietly swapped out.

Inside the ring's space, Han Feng's newly awakened soul sensed Xiao Yan's terrible aptitude and the Dou Qi constantly leaking from his body. His heart was full of contempt and irritation.

Yet an inexplicable subconscious urge drove him to "guide" this worthless brat.

And at some point in the future, pass the "Flame Mantra" on to him!

Meanwhile, through the System Space, Gu Long watched Yao Chen's soul, which remained asleep, and a smile of complete control appeared at the corner of his lips.

This important chess piece would remain hidden for now.

When the time was right, he had plenty of ways to make the Venerable Yao serve him, Gu Long, and his future Dragon Domain.

Several days later, just as Xiao Yan was on the verge of being crushed completely by the blows he had suffered, an aged voice tinged with gloom finally sounded in his mind:

"Kid, do you want to become a genius again?"

Xiao Yan's entire body trembled violently. As if he had seized a lifeline, he quickly looked around behind him, yet did not see a single person...

"Hehe, stop looking. I'm on your finger."

Just as Xiao Yan thought it had merely been an illusion, that strange laugh rang out again from nowhere.

His pupils constricting, Xiao Yan's gaze abruptly settled on the ancient black ring on his right hand.

"Was that you speaking?"

Xiao Yan forced down the fear in his heart and tried to keep his voice calm.

"Not bad composure for a little brat. You weren't even frightened."

A teasing laugh came from within the ring.

"Who are you? Why are you inside my ring? What do you want?"

After a brief silence, Xiao Yan clearly asked the crucial questions.

"Don't worry about who I am for now. I won't harm you, anyway. Still, I should thank you for your offerings over this period. Otherwise, I would probably have remained asleep."

"Offerings?"

Xiao Yan blinked in confusion. A moment later, his young face suddenly darkened.

"The Dou Qi that has been mysteriously disappearing from my body... was that your doing?"

"Hehe, I had no choice either. Don't blame me, kid."

"You bastard!"

Xiao Yan tried to remove the ring from his finger and throw it away, but found that no matter what he did, he could not take it off.

"Kid, don't be in such a hurry. I can teach you alchemy and make you an Alchemist!"

On the Dou Qi Continent, everyone wanted to become an Alchemist, but not just anyone could become one. It required meeting all sorts of harsh conditions...

Xiao Yan was deeply skeptical of Han Feng's words.

"But what conditions do you have? Why would you help me?"

There was no such thing as a free lunch. Xiao Yan did not believe Han Feng could be so kindhearted.

Hearing Xiao Yan's doubts, Han Feng gave a strange laugh. "First, become my, the Medicine Emperor's, disciple. Second, offer me half of your cultivated Dou Qi every day. Third, forge me a suitable body in the future!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan weighed the pros and cons. He would first trick him into teaching him alchemy; as for forging a body later, he would deal with that when the time came!