Matchmaking Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan

Hearing Yao Chen's inquiry, both Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian looked to the side involuntarily.

Seeing this scene, Yao Chen guessed the general situation and thought to himself.

These two little ones must have had something happen last night. But that's fine. Back when I read Battle Through the Heavens, it was a pity that Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan didn't end up together. This time, I, their master, shall properly play matchmaker.

After this thought, the scene became strangely quiet, and Yao Chen took the initiative to break the awkward silence with a cough.

"Ahem~~"

"Starting today, we shall begin your study of alchemy. Xiao Yan, you haven't had contact with medicinal herbs before, so follow Xiao Yi Xian first to learn about the types and properties of herbs."

Yao Chen spoke to Xiao Yan first, then turned to Xiao Yi Xian.

"Girl, you have the foundation of a physician and are quite familiar with medicinal herbs, so take the lead in helping Xiao Yan get acquainted with them."

Upon hearing Yao Chen ask her to teach Xiao Yan about the herbs first, Xiao Yi Xian initially wanted to refuse, but thinking that a master's orders were hard to defy, she could only helplessly agree.

"Very well, Master. I will start by helping Senior Brother Xiao Yan familiarize himself with the properties of these herbs."

Seeing that Xiao Yi Xian had agreed, Yao Chen was very happy and, in order to further play matchmaker, said, "I will be heading into the Magical Beast Mountain Range for the next two days to search for medicinal herbs and the magical beast cores needed for refining pills."

"Ah!"

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian both cried out in surprise.

"What is it? I am merely preparing for the upcoming alchemy."

Hearing their exclamation, Yao Chen put on a serious expression and said.

"Uh... nothing, Master. Please be careful out there!"

Seeing Yao Chen's serious expression, Xiao Yi Xian could only offer a cautious reminder.

Seeing this, Yao Chen set off to search for herbs and magical beast cores.

The Magical Beast Mountain Range stretched for ten thousand miles, with undulating peaks and swirling clouds and mist.

Like a lone wild goose, Yao Chen moved swiftly through this mysterious and dangerous region.

His gaze was sharp, scanning the mountain forests below in search of traces of precious medicinal herbs.

Before long, Yao Chen descended into a mountain valley.

In the valley, ancient trees towered into the sky, and flowers and grasses flourished.

He walked with light steps, weaving through the grass, and relying on his many years of experience, he keenly sensed an unusual aura.

Yao Chen followed that aura, and there, beside a giant boulder, he saw a few spirit herbs swaying gracefully while emitting a faint glow.

A flash of pleasant surprise crossed his eyes. "It's actually a century-old Purple Cloud Vine!" Yao Chen squatted down cautiously, his hands gently brushing away the surrounding weeds, his movements as soft as if he were handling a rare treasure.

After obtaining the Purple Cloud Vine, Yao Chen ventured deeper into the mountain range.

The mountain paths were rugged and overgrown with thorns, but his speed did not slow down in the slightest.

Suddenly, a strange fragrance wafted over. Yao Chen's heart stirred, and he quickened his pace, rushing toward the source of the scent.

At the edge of a cliff, he discovered a cluster of thousand-year-old Blood Lingzhi.

The Blood Lingzhi looked like a burning flame, swaying gently in the breeze.

Yao Chen took a deep breath, utilized his movement technique, leaped to the edge of the cliff, and successfully tucked the Blood Lingzhi into his storage space.

The harvest of herbs put Yao Chen in a pleasant mood, but he did not forget the other purpose of this trip—to hunt low-level magical beasts and collect their cores.

Yao Chen's figure flickered rapidly through the forest, and before long, he heard a low, deep roar.

A massive Two-Headed Wolf appeared before him.

The Two-Headed Wolf's eyes flashed with ferocity, its fangs sharp.

Yao Chen, however, was not afraid in the slightest. His figure flashed, appearing instantly behind the Two-Headed Wolf, and with purple light surging in his palm, he struck out.

The Two-Headed Wolf let out a miserable howl and collapsed to the ground.

Yao Chen quickly extracted its magical beast core and continued on his way.

Along the way, Yao Chen encountered several more low-level magical beasts, such as Gale Leopards and Venom Scorpions, but they were all easily dealt with, and he harvested quite a few cores.

Meanwhile, back in the house, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian were left in an awkward state.

Xiao Yi Xian took the initiative to speak, breaking the embarrassing silence.

"Senior Brother Xiao Yan, let's begin."

Xiao Yi Xian gently raised her hand, and with a thought, her storage ring flickered with light, and a pile of various medicinal herbs appeared on the table.

Her eyes were filled with seriousness and focus as she smiled at Xiao Yan.

"Senior Brother Xiao Yan, today I will teach you how to identify these herbs."

Xiao Yan nodded, his eyes filled with curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

Xiao Yi Xian first picked up a herb with serrated leaves that emitted a faint, refreshing fragrance and said, "This is a Purple Leaf Orchid. It has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, and it usually grows in damp mountain valleys."

Xiao Yan leaned in to observe closely, gently sniffing the fragrance of the medicinal herb and committing its characteristics to memory.

Next, Xiao Yi Xian picked up a medicinal herb with a thick root and purple flowers.

"This is the Nether Flower. It can calm the mind and soothe the spirit, but its petals contain trace amounts of poison, so one must be extra careful when using it."

Xiao Yan listened intently, occasionally asking questions, which Xiao Yi Xian patiently answered one by one.

During the teaching process, Xiao Yi Xian's hair would occasionally slip down, and Xiao Yan would subconsciously reach out to tuck it behind her ear. Whenever their fingers inadvertently brushed against each other, they could feel the warmth of the other, and a faint, imperceptible blush would rise to their faces.

Xiao Yi Xian picked up another herb with a peculiar shape, resembling coral.

"This is the Coral Vine. It has a remarkable effect on treating internal injuries."

Xiao Yan listened earnestly, his eyes fixed firmly on the herb, fearing he might miss a single detail.

As time passed, the herbs on the table grew fewer, and Xiao Yan's knowledge of medicinal ingredients grew ever greater.

Seeing Xiao Yan learning with such dedication, Xiao Yi Xian felt filled with gratification, her eyes revealing a look of admiration.

"Senior Brother Xiao Yan, what I've taught you today is only a small portion. We will be learning much more together over the next two days."

Xiao Yi Xian said gently.

Xiao Yan raised his head, looking at Xiao Yi Xian with a firm gaze.

"Junior Sister, thank you. I will definitely work hard to learn it all."

The two smiled at each other, and in that moment, the awkwardness from last night was shattered; the distance between them seemed to have drawn much closer.

The room was permeated with the fragrance of medicinal herbs, and the sunlight spilled over the two of them, casting their warm and beautiful silhouettes.

Their laughter and conversation echoed in the room, and a warm, intimate atmosphere quietly spread.

Two days passed quickly. At this time, Yao Chen returned fully laden and arrived at the entrance of the thatched cottage, only to hear the sounds of playful banter drifting from inside.

"It seems these two little ones are getting along quite well now!"

Yao Chen coughed once before entering the thatched cottage.

Hearing the cough, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian immediately stopped their playful antics and stood up to welcome Yao Chen.

"Master, you have finally returned."

Xiao Yi Xian spoke first, addressing Yao Chen.

"Little Yan-zi, girl, your master has returned."

With an "I understand" expression on his face, Yao Chen looked at the two of them with a smile.

"Master, it's not what you're thinking!"