Girl, Would You Like to Be Xiao Yan's Junior Sister?

Hearing Xun Er's urgent question, Xiao Yan realized how worried she was. Remembering that his teacher had told him not to reveal his identity, he could only reply helplessly.

"Girl, no matter what happened to me during this time, I promise you that my cultivation is the real deal. It won't have any effect on my future progress."

"All right, Brother Xiao Yan. If anything's wrong, you have to tell me."

Hearing that Xiao Yan was still hiding something, Xun Er didn't press him further. Instead, she reminded him to tell her if anything came up.

As they were talking, a familiar soul force appeared. Xun Er and Xiao Yan sensed it at the same time.

"Girl, I have something to take care of. I need to go out for a while."

Brother Xiao Yan is in such a hurry to leave. His cultivation must have something to do with that soul force. Sensing that something was amiss, Xun Er decided to secretly follow him. Aloud, she agreed.

"All right, Brother Xiao Yan. Go take care of your business."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan hurried away, heading for the cave in the back mountain of the Xiao Clan where he had first met Yao Chen.

Xun Er secretly followed behind him.

Yao Chen was waiting patiently in the cave for Xiao Yan to arrive, but then he suddenly sensed someone following behind Xiao Yan.

After probing with his soul force, he discovered it was Xun Er. Yao Chen came out to meet Xiao Yan without bothering to hide himself.

The moment Xiao Yan saw Yao Chen, whom he hadn't seen in over a month, he immediately dropped to his knees and bowed.

"Greetings, Teacher. It's been a long time. Your disciple has missed you dearly."

"Good, my obedient disciple. Get up and speak."

Yao Chen immediately helped Xiao Yan to his feet. He, too, was thrilled to see his long-absent disciple. After all, he could improve himself again.

"Teacher, during the month or so you were away, I've reached two-star Dou Shi. I've also become quite skilled at using that Earth-Rank Dou Technique, the Devouring Wave Flame Splitting Ruler."

Xiao Yan reported the results of his cultivation during that time and prepared to demonstrate them.

"Excellent, my good disciple! Wait here for a moment. You've got a little tail following you, so I need to deal with her."

Yao Chen praised Xiao Yan, then turned to deal with Xun Er, who had followed them.

Xiao Yan looked at Yao Chen in confusion. When had anyone started following him?

In the blink of an eye, Yao Chen appeared in front of Xun Er at the cave entrance.

Startled by his sudden appearance, Xun Er asked him,

"Who are you? What are you planning to do to Brother Xiao Yan?"

Yao Chen, by contrast, looked at her with a smile.

"You must be Gu Xun Er."

Hearing him call her Gu Xun Er, she immediately eyed him warily, ready to attack at any moment.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Ling Ying, who was secretly protecting Xun Er, also appeared.

"Xiao Yan is in the cave. Let's go outside and talk."

After speaking, Yao Chen flew off to the forest. Xun Er and Ling Ying followed.

"Go on, who are you? Are you plotting against the Xiao Tribe?"

Xun Er glared at Yao Chen the entire time, while Ling Ying stood by, ready to send a signal to the Gu Clan.

Yao Chen laughed heartily, then turned to Xun Er and Ling Ying.

"Ha ha ha! This old man has no designs on Xiao Yan or the Xiao Clan. I know that you're the ones with designs on the Xiao Clan!"

At the second half of Yao Chen's words, cold sweat broke out on Xun Er's forehead, and the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame appeared at once.

"Little girl, don't rush. Hear me out first. I stand by my name: I am Yao Chen."

Seeing that Xun Er was about to attack, Yao Chen hurried to explain, lest she get hurt and Xiao Yan later demand an explanation.

Hearing Yao Chen reveal his identity, she asked in confusion,

"Yao Chen? The Star Fall Pavilion's Venerable Yao? Why aren't you staying at the Star Fall Pavilion? What are you doing here?"

Yao Chen then explained in detail how he and Xiao Yan had met.

"This old man is indeed Yao Chen of the Star Fall Pavilion. But I was ambushed by people sent by the Soul Clan, and my strength plummeted. By a twist of fate, I ended up here and met Xiao Yan."

"I saw that Xiao Yan had an innately powerful soul, and that his cultivation and character were both excellent. He was naturally suited to become an alchemist."

"So, appreciating his talent, I took him on as my disciple."

Listening to Yao Chen's explanation cleared up some of Xun Er's confusion. She then asked about Xiao Yan's cultivation.

"So you were the one who helped Brother Xiao Yan go from the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi to two-star Dou Shi in just one month? Was the rapid increase in his strength because you gave him a pill that drains his life force to forcibly raise his cultivation?"

"Wouldn't that hurt Brother Xiao Yan? And you call yourself his teacher. Hmph!"

Seeing Xun Er's indignant expression as she stood up for Xiao Yan, Yao Chen smiled and answered,

"Little girl, it's true that I helped Xiao Yan improve his cultivation."

"I once came across a secret art that lets me transfer my own cultivation to another person. When I use it, I lose an equal amount of strength, while the recipient gains seventy percent of what I sacrificed."

"So Xiao Yan's cultivation is the real deal, with no side effects. You don't need to worry, little girl."

At Yao Chen's words, the heavy stone in Xun Er's heart finally lifted, and she began treating him with respect.

But she still couldn't understand how Yao Chen knew who she was, so she asked,

"Senior, since you mean no harm to Brother Xiao Yan, I'm relieved. But how did you know who I was?"

Yao Chen thought for a long while. He couldn't tell Xun Er that he had read Battle Through the Heavens in his previous life. Then he remembered that she had used the Child Flame of the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame earlier, and came up with an explanation.

"This old man is an Eighth-Tier alchemist. I sensed the Child Flame of the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame within you earlier, so I guessed you were from the Gu Clan. Xiao Yan has also mentioned you to me many times."

Hearing Yao Chen's explanation, Xun Er didn't think much of it. After all, someone willing to sacrifice his own cultivation to help Brother Xiao Yan improve couldn't be a bad person.

"Senior, sorry for the trouble, but please don't reveal my identity to anyone—not even Brother Xiao Yan. I'm afraid that if my identity gets out, people from the Soul Clan will come after me. They might harm Brother Xiao Yan."

"Of course. I'll get my revenge on those people from the Soul Clan sooner or later!"

Yao Chen agreed, but when he spoke of the Soul Clan, his teeth ground together with hatred.

Seeing the furious look on Yao Chen's face, Xun Er offered to help him. After all, the Gu Clan and the Soul Clan were enemies, too.

"If you need revenge on the Soul Clan, I can help you from the shadows, Senior."

"No need. I'll take my revenge with my own hands!"

Xun Er looked at Yao Chen's determined expression and realized she couldn't help him. She then said goodbye to him and prepared to leave with Ling Ying.

Only then did Yao Chen realize Xun Er was about to leave. He decided to see if he could take her on as a disciple.

"Girl, would you like to be Xiao Yan's junior sister?"