Although Wutan City was just a small city in the Jia Ma Empire, it was far more prosperous and lively than Snake-Person City. Its streets teemed with people and carriages, and while its shops couldn't be called dazzling in their variety, they offered just about everything.
The autumn wind swept past, lifting the fine strands of hair at Gu Shenge's temples. Sunlight streamed down from above, gilding his tall, straight figure as if with a layer of golden radiance. He seemed otherworldly, dazzling as the dawn, and drew sidelong glances from passersby. Quite a few women looked at him with admiration and awe.
Xiao Yan followed behind Gu Shenge, looking at the transcendent, peerless figure who seemed to embody the light of dawn—Juan Shoutian—and silently grumbled to himself.
Big brother's friend sure was conspicuous. Dressed all in gold, he drew attention wherever he went. Everyone but the blind would notice him.
"I heard from Xiao Ding that he had a younger brother named Xiao Yan. That's you, right?"
Gu Shenge's voice sounded beside Xiao Yan's ear. He nodded. "That's right, Brother Juan. You have a good memory."
At Xiao Yan's compliment, Gu Shenge smiled faintly and continued, "It's not really a good memory. Xiao Ding told me about your situation, so it stuck with me. But judging by how you look now, I suppose you've already dealt with that trouble."
Xiao Yan understood what Gu Shenge meant by that trouble, but the next thing he said made Xiao Yan tense up.
"Cases like yours, where your Battle Qi suddenly regresses, are rare, but not unheard of. There are only a few possible explanations."
"Either you have a special constitution that's reached a critical point and needs a massive supply of Battle Qi to awaken; or a powerful being is lying dormant inside you and needs to absorb your Battle Qi to recover; or perhaps you've obtained some kind of treasure that requires enough Battle Qi to unlock. Am I right, Xiao Yan?"
Those few brief sentences made Xiao Yan feel as if he'd been stripped bare, as though he had no secrets left to hide from this man called Juan Shoutian.
A trace of alarm flickered deep in Xiao Yan's eyes. His hand clenched into a fist, his palm growing damp with sweat. His throat felt dry, and he didn't know how to answer. He wanted to deny it, but Gu Shenge had already blocked every avenue of escape.
Seeing the cold sweat beading at Xiao Yan's temples, Gu Shenge shook his head with a soft laugh and told him not to be so nervous.
"Haha, there's no need to be nervous. I'm not interested in your little secrets. But I sensed something familiar in your aura. You're cultivating the Flame Mantra, aren't you? You've got some nerve. Do you know who the last person to cultivate this technique was?"
No way! He could even sense that?
Xiao Yan was stunned that Gu Shenge had named his cultivation technique. He had never shown Juan Shoutian even a trace of his Battle Qi, yet the man had identified his technique from his aura alone. His perception was terrifying!
Wait! From the way he spoke, he seemed to know the Flame Mantra very well.
Since all his secrets had been laid bare, Xiao Yan knew there was no point trying to hide them. He nodded and admitted it.
"Brother Juan's perception is right. I am cultivating the Flame Mantra. As for its origins, I don't know much. My teacher passed it on to me."
Hearing this, Gu Shenge gestured toward a nearby restaurant and smiled. "If you don't mind, let's sit upstairs. I'd like to hear your story—and meet your teacher while we're at it."
After Gu Shenge had put it that way, Xiao Yan had no reason to refuse. He nodded and followed him toward the restaurant.
In a private room upstairs, a point of golden light appeared at Gu Shenge's fingertip. It spread into layers of rippling waves that enveloped the room, forming a barrier to keep anyone from disturbing them or eavesdropping.
Xiao Yan poured a cup of tea for each of them. His resolute face still carried a hint of youthful softness, and his expression was full of respect. His voice, too, held a trace of deference as he began to tell his story.
After listening for a long while, Gu Shenge smiled and looked toward the ring concealing Yao Lao's soul. "If I'm not mistaken, the teacher you mentioned must be Venerable Yao, once famous throughout the Central Plains."
"Venerable Yao?" Xiao Yan repeated the title, puzzled. His teacher had never told him about his past, but judging by the name, his teacher must have been a Dou Zun expert when he was alive.
With his identity revealed, Yao Lao stopped pretending to be dead. He drifted out of the ring like a ghost, studying Gu Shenge as he raised a hand to stroke his beard.
"I never expected anyone to remember my name after all these years. It's quite heartening."
Gu Shenge took a sip of tea and spoke calmly.
"As the Central Plains' foremost alchemist, Venerable Yao was known to everyone. Your disappearance caused quite a stir across the Central Plains. Feng Zunzhe of Starfall Pavilion is still searching for you across the continent, and he has never given up."
Hearing that Feng Zunzhe had continued searching for him even after his death, the old man's face took on a complicated expression—relief, gratitude, and, above all, guilt.
He regretted not heeding Feng Zunzhe's warning back then and trusting Han Feng too much. That was what had allowed his treacherous disciple to ambush him and bring about his death, leaving his old friend to roam the continent in search of him. His friend must have endured so much over the years.
Yao Lao sighed. "Alas, I put him through all that worry and trouble."
Xiao Yan didn't know what kind of relationship his teacher had with Feng Zunzhe, but for someone to keep searching the continent without knowing that his teacher had died—his devotion had to be far beyond anything Xiao Yan could imagine.
"Little brother, thank you for telling me all this. I owe you a favor. Once I've recovered, I'll refine any pill you ask for, as long as I'm capable of making it. I won't turn you down."
Yao Lao put aside his emotions and made the promise to thank Gu Shenge for telling him everything.
But Gu Shenge shook his head. That wasn't what he wanted. What he wanted was the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
"Venerable Yao, how about we make a deal?"
Xiao Yan and Yao Lao both looked puzzled. What deal?
"I want to trade for the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. In return, I can kill Han Feng, the treacherous disciple who caused your death, and help you come back to life. What do you say?"
Yao Lao's expression shifted as he scrutinized Gu Shenge. He hadn't expected the man to be after the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, but he didn't refuse outright. Instead, he fell into thought.
It wasn't that he didn't want to refuse. He was afraid that if he did, Gu Shenge might simply take the flame by force. With the strength he could currently muster, he could only deal with a Dou Ling—he was no match for a Dou Emperor, especially one as formidable as this.
If they fought, Yao Lao might exhaust all his soul power and still fail to take his opponent down with him.
A moment later, Yao Lao looked at Xiao Yan. His gaze held both anticipation and kindness. He had made up his mind.
"I can make a deal with you, but we'll have to change the terms."
Gu Shenge nodded. "Go ahead, Venerable Yao. As long as it's not too outrageous, I can agree to it."
~
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