Clash

Clash

Yao Chen smiled the entire time as he watched Xiao Yan, not angry in the slightest. This matter really had been a little underhanded; anyone in his place would have felt resentful.

There was also the fact that he was somewhat wary of Xiao Bai and Xiao Xun Er.

In any case, this fellow would become his disciple sooner or later. The harsher he cursed now, the more suffering he would endure later.

Seeing that Xiao Yan looked as if he would not stop until he had cursed out every bit of frustration in his heart, Xiao Bai waved a hand and cut him off.

He needed to deal with his own business first. As for how this master and disciple would love and torment each other in the future, he could not be bothered to care.

After the three people and one Soul Body sat down again, Xiao Bai spoke first.

"May I ask how senior should be addressed?"

"Mm... I've already forgotten my exact name... Just call me Old Yao!" The old man stroked his beard lightly and laughed vaguely, looking every bit like a transcendent immortal.

A trace of amusement flashed through Xiao Bai's eyes, and he cupped his hands.

"So it is Senior Old Yao. Senior takes medicine as your name, and your soul is so powerful. Presumably, you are an alchemist of no low rank?"

"Not bad. This old man was indeed once an alchemist. As for my rank... too much time has passed. I can't remember!" When Old Yao mentioned being an alchemist, he even straightened his chest slightly, a hint of pride in his gaze.

Then he looked at Xiao Bai again. "What? Do you need some pill refined, boy? Then this old man is powerless. Right now I'm only a Soul Body, and I can't refine pills!"

After hearing this, Xiao Xun Er fell into thought. Did Xiao Bai Gege need some special pill refined? It seemed she should ask him when they went back later. This old man could not do it, but she could.

Xiao Bai's gaze flickered. Did Old Man Yao think he was blind? How could he not recognize that bright, blazing Bone Spirit Cold Flame of his?

If there were no Heavenly Flames, asking Old Yao to refine pills would indeed be making things difficult for him. The flame used for alchemy was either a tangible flame formed from Dou Qi—he could rule that out, since the man did not even have a body, so where would Dou Qi come from?—or else it was Beast Fire or Heavenly Flames.

Or was Old Yao testing him? But what was there to test? Was he testing his knowledge?

To see whether he could recognize the Bone Spirit Cold Flame?

Xiao Bai shook his head. Since he could not figure it out for the time being, he did not dwell on it.

"Senior misunderstands. I am not trying to have pills refined. I merely wish to obtain an alchemist's inheritance from senior!"

Old Yao raised a brow and said, "You have the Lightning attribute. What do you need an alchemist's inheritance for?"

"Senior need not ask about that. This junior has his own arrangements!"

"Fine, then. Take me as your master!" Old Yao smiled slyly. As it happened, he quite admired this young man.

"I have no intention of taking a master." Xiao Bai refused without the slightest hesitation.

Was Old Yao qualified to be a teacher? Of course he was. On that point, this old man's reputation was fairly good. If Xiao Bai had no golden finger, this would also count as a decent opportunity.

But he could not!

"Boy Xiao Bai, are you dreaming? If you don't take me as your master, why should this old man give you an inheritance?"

Old Yao rolled his eyes. Why did young people these days only think of getting good things for nothing?

Xiao Bai ignored his expression and calmly asked an unrelated question.

"Judging from senior's Soul Body state, you should still be able to revive, right?"

"Mm... yes. Why are you asking that, boy?"

Old Yao's gaze turned wary. This concerned his greatest secret.

Xiao Bai paid no attention to his expression and continued speaking on his own.

"I once saw a method recorded in an ancient text. It requires three kinds of Heavenly Flames to refine a body for revival. I wonder if senior is also using this method?"

Old Yao could no longer remain calm. His expression turned solemn, and he said blandly, "Oh? That truly is a method I've never heard of."

Xiao Bai smiled calmly and said, "Senior, how about we make a deal?"

"What deal?" By now, Old Yao had begun to react. This boy had been beating around the bush for so long; now they had finally reached his true purpose.

He no longer dared to treat Xiao Bai as some junior boy.

This was a living, breathing little fox. The way this fellow spoke seemed wild and unconstrained, but in truth, every step had been carefully calculated.

"One Heavenly Flame, in exchange for two things from senior!"

"Let's hear it. Which two things?" Old Yao narrowed his eyes and asked evenly.

"A Rank 8 Alchemist inheritance, and the method of revival!" Xiao Bai said seriously.

These two things concerned his future plans. He had to obtain them.

Actually, there was one more thing, but there was no rush now. It could not run away.

Xiao Xun Er's lively eyes shone brightly as she gazed at Xiao Bai at this moment. She felt as if his whole body were glowing, carefree and confident, as though everything was within his grasp.

Right now, she had the urge to throw herself into his arms and act spoiled, so that he could lavish affection on her as much as he liked!

Off to the side, Xiao Yan watched the two of them go back and forth, discussing nothing but high-level topics—revival, Heavenly Flames, Rank 8 Alchemists...

Was this something someone at the third stage of Dou Zhi Qi could listen to?

In all of Wutan City's three great clans, if any family had a First Grade Alchemist, they would enshrine them like an ancestor.

Even the famous Pill King Gu He of the Jia Ma Empire was only a sixth-grade alchemist.

Yet Bai Ge and this mysterious old man were treating the inheritance of a Rank 8 Alchemist like cabbages in a market, casually trading it away.

All of a sudden, he felt that brooding over the words he had spoken for Nalan Yanran today—hadn't his perspective been a little too small?

Right now, he had the feeling that he was not worthy to sit at the same table as them.

Mm, why did this stone stool feel a little hot under his backside?

"How do you know this old man is a Rank 8 Alchemist?" Yao Lao asked, somewhat surprised.

"Although Senior is only a remnant soul, the quality of your soul is extremely high. There is even a lively, fluid sense within it. Presumably, before your death, your soul had already reached the perfected Spirit Realm.

"A Rank 8 Alchemist may not necessarily have reached perfected Spirit Realm, but one who has reached perfected Spirit Realm must certainly be a Rank 8 Alchemist!"

After Xiao Bai finished speaking in an unhurried manner, a smile appeared on Yao Lao's face. He clapped his hands and said, "I never expected that a tiny Jia Ma Empire would produce such an astonishingly talented young man as you. Boy, among the powerhouses of this continent in the future, there will surely be a place for you!"

"I agree to your trade!"

Xiao Bai was not surprised that Yao Lao could agree. Since it was a trade, sometimes it was not about whether it was fair or whether the value was equivalent, but about whether what both sides traded was something they each needed.

It was only a Heavenly Flame. He knew where one was, but could not use it. He might as well trade it for something that would help him.

And since Yao Lao wanted Xiao Yan to cultivate the Flame Mantra and help him refine a body for his revival, he naturally had an urgent need for Heavenly Flames as well.

So there was no point in saying who lost out and who profited. As long as both parties to the trade were satisfied, it was a win-win.

"However, I have one condition!"

At that moment, Yao Lao suddenly spoke, making Xiao Bai frown slightly, but he still said, "Please speak, Senior!"

"I want a ready-made Heavenly Flame. No maps or the like. Also, the Heavenly Flame has to be in Mature form, not its juvenile form!"

The corner of Xiao Bai's eye twitched. He had originally planned to just give him a map, but he had not expected the old man to be so sharp. However, since that was the case, he had something to say as well.

"Fine, but I also have a condition!"

After hearing this, Yao Lao was speechless and cursed inwardly, This little fox really won't take the slightest loss. See? The counterattack came so quickly!

Helplessly, he nodded and said, "Let's hear it!"