After Yao Chen brought Xiao Yan into the Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion, one of the shop assistants was just about to greet them when he saw Yao Chen's face and hurriedly called for Yao Jinliang.
"Pavilion Master! That Dou Wang lord is here!"
Yao Jinliang was resting in the courtyard. The sudden shout startled him, and he immediately hurried outside.
"Well, Dou Wang lord, it's been a long time."
Yao Jinliang spoke to Yao Chen with a fawning smile.
"Is Xiao Yi Xian here?" Yao Chen asked impassively.
"She is, Dou Wang lord. I'll go fetch her right away."
Hearing that Yao Chen had come to see Xiao Yi Xian, Yao Jinliang was overjoyed. Lately, that little tyrant had been wreaking havoc on his shop's precious medicinal herbs.
"No need to fetch her. We'll go to her."
With that, Yao Chen led Xiao Yan into the back courtyard and headed straight for Xiao Yi Xian's room.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Yao Chen knocked on the door.
"Did the herbs arrive today? Just leave them by the door."
Xiao Yi Xian's lazy voice came from inside.
Yao Chen's face darkened. This little girl had been throwing her weight around ever since she got here. Xiao Yan, meanwhile, was full of curiosity about his junior sister.
"Your master didn't bring any herbs."
At the sound of the long-missed voice, Xiao Yi Xian sprang up from the bed.
She rushed out, excitedly threw her arms around Yao Chen, and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Master, it's been so long since I saw you. I've missed you so much!"
Yao Chen was startled by Xiao Yi Xian's sudden embrace. A faint blush spread across his face, and he promptly pushed her away.
"Girl, mind your manners."
Xiao Yan froze solid where he stood. Was she his junior sister or his master's wife?!
"Hahaha, Master, I was only joking."
Xiao Yi Xian giggled, then turned and noticed Xiao Yan standing nearby. Curiously, she asked,
"Who are you? Why did you come with Master?"
Yao Chen saw the chance to answer for her.
"Girl, mind your manners. This is your senior brother. He came with me because we're here to see you."
"Here to see me? Why did Master want to see me? Could it be that he really missed me?"
Xiao Yi Xian teased Yao Chen playfully.
Her words made Yao Chen's face turn even redder. He coughed awkwardly twice.
"Ahem..."
"Stop fooling around. I brought your senior brother here so I could teach you both alchemy."
Hearing that he would teach them alchemy, Xiao Yi Xian immediately grew serious.
"Master, you're going to teach us alchemy? What about my constitution?"
At the mention of her constitution, Yao Chen's brows furrowed. He considered the matter for a moment before replying,
"Girl, start by studying the theory with me. Once you can withstand my Heavenly Flame, I'll give you a strand of Child Flame to practice with."
Xiao Yi Xian nodded firmly, then thanked Yao Chen gratefully.
"Thank you, Master!"
"Girl, gather your things. We're going to the Magical Beast Mountain Range."
Xiao Yi Xian nodded and hurried back into her room to pack.
A short while later, Xiao Yi Xian came back out.
Yao Chen carried Xiao Yan through the air, while Xiao Yi Xian used her Flight Dou Technique to travel with them to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
Xiao Yan was astonished by Xiao Yi Xian's Flight Dou Technique. He hadn't expected his junior sister to be able to form wings from Dou Qi. He decided to ask Yao Chen about it once they arrived.
In the vast, boundless Magical Beast Mountain Range, Yao Chen led Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian onward at a leisurely pace.
Ancient trees towered all around them. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The mountain wind howled, carrying the fragrant scent of plants and the roars of magical beasts.
After flying through the Magical Beast Mountain Range for a long while, they finally spotted a seemingly abandoned thatched hut in a secluded valley.
The hut stood alone in a grassy clearing, surrounded by blooming wildflowers and fluttering butterflies. It had the air of a hidden paradise.
Yao Chen walked up first and gently pushed open the half-shut wooden door.
It creaked, the old sound echoing through the silent valley.
A faint dusty smell lingered inside. The simple furnishings were plain to see: a worn-out wooden bed, a table missing a corner, and several rickety chairs.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian followed Yao Chen inside, curiously looking around.
Xiao Yan ran his hand over the dusty tabletop, leaving a clear streak in its wake.
Xiao Yi Xian went over to the bed and sat down gently, savoring the rare tranquility.
Yao Chen walked to the window and pushed it open. Fresh air swept inside.
Outside, verdant mountains and clear waters stretched as far as the eye could see. In the distance, mist curled around the peaks like a fairyland.
"This is a decent place to stay. Let's rest here for a while," Yao Chen said from inside the hut.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian both nodded in agreement.
They set about cleaning the hut, sweeping away the dust and tidying up.
Before long, the thatched hut had come to life.
The sun sank in the west, and its golden rays bathed the hut, wrapping it in a warm glow.
By the time they had finished cleaning and settled in, night had fallen. They each sat down to cultivate and waited for dawn.
The next morning, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian both came to pay their respects to Yao Chen.
"Good morning, Master!"
"Master, are you going to start teaching us alchemy today?"
Looking at his two disciples, Yao Chen recalled the plan he had made the night before: he would first pass his cultivation on to Xiao Yi Xian, then teach them the basics of alchemy.
"Girl, today I'll first pass my cultivation on to you. I've already done so for your senior brother." He spoke to Xiao Yi Xian first.
Then he turned to Xiao Yan and said, "Little Yan, stand to the side and watch as I pass my cultivation on to your junior sister. It'll benefit your own cultivation, too."
At Yao Chen's words, Xiao Yan quietly stood to the side, his gaze calm and focused.
Xiao Yi Xian was delighted. During the time Yao Chen had been away, she had raised her cultivation by eating poison, barely reaching Three-Star Dou Shi. With Yao Chen's guidance, she was sure to reach Da Dou Shi.
"Master, that's wonderful! The day you pass your cultivation on to me has finally come again!"
Yao Chen used his soul force to examine Xiao Yi Xian's cultivation. He was astonished to find that she had advanced so quickly.
"Girl, in just one short month, you cultivated on your own from Nine-Star Dou Zhe to Three-Star Dou Shi! This Woe Poison Body really is formidable!"
Beside them, Xiao Yan's eyes instantly widened like copper bells, and his mouth fell open into an uncontrollable "O."
Even her own cultivation is this terrifying. I'll have to work even harder, or she'll surpass me. How will I protect Xun Er and the Xiao Clan then?
After his initial shock, Xiao Yan resolved to overcome every obstacle and cultivate diligently under his master, so that he could protect his family in the future.
Xiao Yi Xian stood before Yao Chen, ready to receive the cultivation he would pass on to her.
"Girl, are you ready? I'm about to begin."
Yao Chen prepared to use the Teaching Art to pass his cultivation on to Xiao Yi Xian.
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