Tempting Me—He Was Tempting Me!

"It's nothing!"

Xiao Yan composed his expression and smiled at Nalan Yanyun. "Sister Yan Yun, my mother once left something behind. My father told me it was meant for her future daughter-in-law. I'll go get it for you now."

Nalan Yanyun had long learned to read people at the Nalan Family. She could tell Xiao Yan had something to deal with and did not want her to know, so she did not press him. She nodded obediently. "Go ahead, Brother Xiao Yan. I'll be fine here alone."

"I'll be back before dinner." Xiao Yan made his promise, then turned and hurried away.

Gu Han caught sight of this from the corner of his eye, and a glint flashed through his gaze. "Looks like Old Yao has awakened and is about to lay everything out for Xiao Yan."

He did not follow to watch the excitement. Instead, he continued answering the questions raised by the Xiao Family's younger generation.

During his limited time in the Xiao Family, he wanted to become the white moonlight of the Xiao Family juniors.

Elsewhere, Xiao Yan hurried back to his courtyard. He entered his room and shut the door, then lowered his head to stare solemnly at the Ring on his hand. "Who are you?"

"Why were you among my mother's belongings?"

"Do you know why my cultivation regressed?"

A hazy aura emerged from the Ring, taking the form of an illusory elderly figure.

"Little fellow, don't be in such a hurry. Ask your questions one at a time." Yao Chen stroked his beard and spoke with a faint smile. "As for my identity, so much time has passed that I have nearly forgotten it myself. You may call this old man Old Yao."

"As for why I was among your mother's belongings—if you mean this Ring, then it was crafted for me by a close friend who searched for countless Heavenly Material Earthly Treasures. For certain reasons, this old man took residence within it. Isn't that perfectly normal?"

"As for the reason your cultivation regressed, this old man must thank you for your Offering over the past three years."

Offering!?

Of all Old Yao's words, only those two remained in Xiao Yan's mind. It was as though he had been struck by lightning.

"My cultivation regressed, and my Dou Qi vanished for no reason—this was all your doing!?" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, his voice icy and his fury blazing.

"Boy, this old man did not do it intentionally." Embarrassment flickered in Old Yao's eyes. "This Ring is special and can house a soul. While this old man was asleep, I could not recover on my own unless I was worn by someone whose soul strength had reached a certain level."

"While recovering from my injuries, I merely unconsciously devoured your Dou Qi."

In truth, those words were only half true.

What he needed to restore his Soul Power was not Dou Qi, but the spiritual power contained within Heaven and Earth. (When Xiao Yan's soul broke through to the Spirit Realm, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power was mentioned. It should not be the same as that of the Great Thousand World.)

While asleep, he could not actively devour Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power to recover. He needed the Ring's wearer to serve as a bridge.

If the wearer's soul strength was insufficient, they could not become a conduit for absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power.

Xiao Yan's Dou Qi had vanished because he had become the vessel through which Old Yao absorbed Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power.

But he had awakened after only the first year and could have recovered on his own. The reason he had continued devouring Xiao Yan's Dou Qi was that he had once been blind in his judgment. This time, with everything on the line, he had no choice but to carefully assess Xiao Yan's character.

Naturally, those details were not suitable to tell Xiao Yan.

"Fuck your mother!"

Xiao Yan did not think too deeply about it. Old Yao's words were practically an admission, and rage had consumed his mind.

On instinct, he pulled off the Ring and hurled it away. It struck the wall with a crisp sound, but after bouncing back, it did not fall. Instead, it hovered in midair.

Seeing this bizarre sight, Xiao Yan—having lived two lives and endured three years of cold stares that had tempered his character—instantly calmed down. Cold sweat broke out across his back.

The Xiao Family had been a Dou King Family ten years ago. Though it had declined, some of its accumulated knowledge remained. As far as he knew, only rare and noble beings such as Alchemists used Soul Power when refining pills.

Yet even someone like Pill King Gu He had never been said to possess the ability of "Soul Out of Body."

Xiao Yan could not help recalling cultivation novels he had read in his previous life. Only true experts could achieve "Primordial Spirit Out of Body."

Nascent Soul Old Monsters seized bodies and were reborn...

No, this old man could not be trying to seize his body. Otherwise, he could have acted directly.

Even if he wanted to seize Xiao Yan's body, Xiao Yan had no ability to resist.

It would be better to understand the situation first.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan asked, "Old man, you should know how many scornful looks and mocking words I've endured over these past three years, right? All of it was thanks to you."

"Hehe." Old Yao did not seem guilty at all. With narrowed, smiling eyes, he said, "But didn't those three years also temper your endurance and your mind?"

"There are often people with exceptional talent, but few possess steadfast character. Especially on the path of cultivation, if you wish to climb to great heights, one's character matters even more."

At those words, Xiao Yan loosened his clenched hands.

He knew his own circumstances best. He was a Transmigrator with memories from his previous life, though many had now become blurred.

At first, he had always felt out of place in this world. After displaying his cultivation talent, he had considered himself superior to others, carrying an inexplicable sense of superiority.

Only after becoming a Waste had he truly understood this world's law of the strong devouring the weak. He had also learned which people around him deserved his regard, and from the bottom of his heart, accepted his father and two elder brothers.

From that perspective, he really could thank this old man.

No matter what, now that he knew why his cultivation had regressed, his cultivation talent had surely returned.

At last, he could cast off the title of Waste and step onto the path of cultivation once more.

"Old man, you won't keep devouring my Dou Qi in the future, will you?" Xiao Yan watched Old Yao warily. "If you still need to absorb it, then find another host. I can't afford to support you."

"Rest assured. Now that this old man has awakened, I can recover on my own and will no longer affect your cultivation." Seeing Xiao Yan bring his emotions under control so quickly, Old Yao grew even more satisfied.

"Is that so?" Xiao Yan neither confirmed nor denied it. His eyes shifted as he said, "Then leave."

Old Yao's mouth twitched. "Do you wish to become an unmatched expert?"

"Do you wish to become a respected Alchemist?"

"Do you wish to..."

One old fox and one young fox began a conversation filled with mutual probing.

By the end of it, Xiao Yan admitted that he had been shamefully tempted.

Just as Old Yao had said, even if his talent returned, it would still take him several years to break through to Dou Practitioner. By then, he would already be twenty. Even with Nalan Yanyun's help, allowing him to avoid being burdened by family affairs and worldly obligations, one step behind meant falling behind at every step.

Just think of Gu Han outside. He was a few months younger than Xiao Yan, yet already a Five-star Dou Practitioner.

Then there was Alchemy. Since he had a chance to become an Alchemist, he certainly did not want to let it slip away.

As for making a deal with a tiger... he could not shake off this old man anyway. Since he could not refuse it, why not enjoy it?

"Are you really stronger than Pill King Gu He?" Xiao Yan asked again for confirmation.

He already had the answer in his heart. Gu He could not achieve Primordial Spirit Out of Body.

"If he wished to become my disciple, he would not even qualify." Yao Chen's tone was disdainful.

That attitude made Xiao Yan trust him even more.

At that moment, Yao Chen added, "For example, your fiancée. Even if a Seventh-grade Alchemist came, they would not discover the problem. But this old man knows exactly what is wrong. And with just one Fourth-Grade Pill created by this old man, I can detoxify her and allow her to begin cultivating again."

Xiao Yan:!!!

"Is that true?" Xiao Yan's voice turned eager.

Though they had only met today, Nalan Yanyun had already left a deep impression on him.

Huddling together for warmth, sharing the same affliction, the girl's stubbornness, and her promise to give everything for him—all of it had moved his heart.

Otherwise, he would not have made such an oath to her.

If Old Yao could help Nalan Yanyun restore her talent—

Then they could grow stronger together.

Together, they could seek the scenery at greater heights!