Grueling Cultivation, Rapid Progress, and Two Junior Sisters Become Disciples!

After Ye Xinlan, Cao Ying, and Dan Chen moved into the Danta courtyard, Xiao Yan's daily life was completely filled with Alchemy and teaching Alchemy.

In the first month, Xiao Yan followed Xuan Yi to learn Alchemy. Although Xuan Yi was mostly a gentle mother figure in front of Xiao Yan, she became quite strict when teaching Alchemy.

She would point out even the slightest mistake with extreme rigor and precision. She practically broke down and cramed all the Alchemy she had learned in her life and fed them into Xiao Yan's mouth.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan's talent was ridiculously high. He would learn from his mistakes and correct them after making them only once. As time went on, Xuan Yi's teaching efficiency became higher and higher, and she looked at Xiao Yan with increasing satisfaction.

According to her estimate, within a year at most, she would have nothing left to teach Xiao Yan, and by then, Xiao Yan would have completely graduated.

In the second month, Xiao Yan followed Xuan Kongzi to learn Alchemy. This Alchemy Grandmaster, the head of the Three Great Elders of Danta, was able to refine the Eighth-Grade Pill with Nine-Colored Pill Lightning with extreme stability. Even Xiao Yan's powerful soul power at the Mid-Stage Spirit Realm still felt suppressed in front of him.

Xiao Yan could roughly sense that Xuan Kongzi's soul realm had probably reached the peak of the Spirit Realm, and he was probably only one step away from the Heavenly Realm.

After checking Xiao Yan's Alchemy skills, Xuan Kongzi first gave him a brief overview of his experience in alchemy before the Eighth-Grade, and then proceeded to explain the Eighth-Grade Pill directly.

From letting Xiao Yan observe him refine some basic Eighth-Grade Pill, to later imparting all his insights on refining Eighth-Grade Pill step by step, and then personally guiding Xiao Yan in refining Eighth-Grade Pill.

Although Xiao Yan failed most of the time at first, by the end of the second month, Xiao Yan had successfully refined an Eighth-Grade Pill and officially entered the realm of Eighth-Grade Alchemy Grandmaster.

In the third month, Xiao Yan began to learn Alchemy from Tian Leizi. Compared to Xuan Yi's strict teaching and Xuan Kongzi's detailed explanation, Tian Leizi's Alchemy, like the man himself, had a feeling of hearing thunder in silence.

Although his alchemy techniques seemed conventional and unremarkable, Xiao Yan discovered their secrets after studying them more deeply.

When refining medicine, this Tian Leizi is always able to sense the optimal temperature for extracting the essence of various medicinal materials with machine-like precision. With a standard, textbook-like method, he makes refining pills like a standard automated industrial process. Basically, the pills refined by him, as long as they are successful, have the best effect.

The solid technique and control over the heat were simply breathtaking.

In contrast, the Old Yao's Alchemy was a unique school of its own, which could be described as combining orthodox methods with unorthodox ones.

When refining medicine normally, the techniques used by the Old Yao were somewhat similar to those of Xuan Yi, Xuan Kongzi, and Tian Leizi. These techniques originated from ancient methods that had been passed down in the Danta for a long time. However, the four of them integrated their own understanding of medicine refining with these techniques, forming unique methods that were both similar and had their own characteristics.

But perhaps because Old Yao's life trajectory was more turbulent, and he had faced many dangerous situations and survived death many times, he also had some unique and strange techniques that even the Three Great Elders of Danta did not possess. That method was called the Spirit Ascension Method!

That was a pill-refining technique that could forcibly improve the quality of pills. Throughout the entire continent, only he had comprehended this method, a masterpiece that even the Old Yao himself was extremely proud of.

It can be said that as long as Xiao Yan inherits this method, he can officially graduate and open his own sect to take on disciples.

This is another important reason why Xiao Yan only accepted Ye Xinlan as a nominal disciple in the first place.

He believed that he was not qualified to accept formal disciples before he had successfully cultivated the Spirit Ascension Method. This was his strict requirement for himself and his respect for his mentor, Old Yao.

Old Yao simply smiled in response. Although in his view, Xiao Yan had already graduated from his apprenticeship, he, as the teacher, could only feel gratified that his disciple was so dedicated.

Regardless, Xiao Yan was his most prized disciple.

Although Han Feng's betrayal still saddens him to this day, he does not deny that he once had such a disciple, or even an adopted son.

He has endured many hardships over the years, but fortunately, none of them killed him. Instead, they made him stronger and happier.

Although he hasn't been resurrected yet, with Xuan Yi's all-out help regardless of the cost, his soul power has fully recovered to its peak. The soul power of the Heavenly Realm can now make the soul as solid as a physical entity. Apart from not having Dou Qi and not needing to eat, drink, or relieve himself, his daily life is actually no different from that of a living person.

At Xuan Yi's insistence, Old Yao regained his former appearance as a handsome and dashing man. Whenever Xiao Yan went to pay his respects, he would see his master and mistress as a perfect couple, like a pair of immortals.

The smile in Xuan Yi's eyes became even more pronounced.

This period was arguably the happiest time in Xuan Yi's life over the years.

The people you love are right beside you, you spend every day with them.

His disciple, whom he regarded as his own child, made rapid progress in Alchemy and showed great respect to her and the Old Yao. Their daily interactions increasingly resembled those of a family of three.

In a great mood, she sent someone to the Starfall Pavilion to deliver a message. Although she did not mention Old Yao's matter due to concerns for his safety, she still firmly invited Venerable Feng to the Danta for a chat, saying that she had important matters to discuss.

Unfortunately, the messenger returned and said that Venerable Feng was currently traveling and not in the pavilion. Although the pavilion had a means of communication, it would take some time for Venerable Feng to return, so Old Yao would not be able to see his old friend for the time being.

Xiao Yan was quite eager to meet Venerable Feng. Of course, he didn't want to become the Young Pavilion Master; his main purpose was to meet Venerable Feng's disciple, Mu Qingluan.

Whether it's for Queen Medusa, Zi Yan, or even the resurrected Dou Saint Skeleton Old Yao, Xiao Yan needs to go to the Beast Domain. With Mu Qingluan, the junior sister of the Heavenly Luan Clan, it will be much more convenient for him to go to the Beast Domain.

"Master, I have successfully refined Second-Grade Pill!"

Xiao Yan, who was still pondering his future life plans, raised an eyebrow slightly when he heard Ye Xinlan's excited voice beside him. He looked at the girl in front of him, who was holding pills in her hands and whose pretty face was flushed with excitement.

During these three months, Xiao Yan spent his time learning alchemy from the Three Great Elders and returning to his courtyard to teach Ye Xinlan, Cao Ying, and Dan Chen.

Although he is only three to five years older than them, Xiao Yan is now a genuine Eighth-Grade Alchemy Grandmaster, apprenticed to the continent's number one alchemist, Yao Zun Venerable Yao, and three giants of the Danta.

If Ye Xinlan initially only wanted to become Xiao Yan's disciple because she thought he was more powerful than her grandfather; Cao Ying only felt that her senior brother was exceptionally talented and wanted to surpass him; Dan Chen only saw Xiao Yan as the hope for solving her physical condition and the salvation for her life.

After these three months, they had all realized a terrible truth:

Without learning alchemy, seeing Xiao Yan is like a frog in a well seeing the moon; after learning alchemy, seeing Xiao Yan is like a mayfly seeing the blue sky!

They simply couldn't comprehend what Xiao Yan was made of.

They even doubted at one point whether Xiao Yan was even human.

This was because during those three months, Xiao Yan would explain any of their questions clearly and in a very simple and easy-to-understand way. In fact, he would even draw inferences from some of their questions and offer suggestions that could be applied to other situations, all of which benefited them greatly.

But the most outrageous thing is that if they really ask tricky questions, Xiao Yan will not only not be stumped, but will also personally conduct experiments.

Then, not long after, this guy would mutter things like, "I get it, so that's how it is!" or "If I do this and that again, then I can..." Not only would he be able to solve their problems, but Xiao Yan's own Alchemy would also become more refined at a visible speed.

Otherwise, his Alchemy could not have progressed from the High-Tier Seventh-Grade by chance to the Eighth-Grade by chance in just two months.

This is really outrageous!

Three months have passed, and Cao Ying and Dan Chen have vowed that they have worked hard enough, but they have only managed to stabilize their Alchemy at the Fourth-Grade. It will probably take another six months to reach the Fifth-Grade.

Half a year?

They even suspected that Xiao Yan would make another breakthrough in Alchemy in six months, directly reaching the Eighth-Grade Alchemist realm of the Five-Colored Pill Lightning.

Five-Colored Pill Lightning Eighth-Grade Alchemist who is not even sixteen years old—with such heaven-defying talent and strength, he could probably embarrass a bunch of old guys who have been immersed in Alchemy for decades!

At this point, all the thoughts that Ye Xinlan, Cao Ying, and Dan Chen originally had about Xiao Yan, such a monstrous talent, were completely replaced by deep shock and endless admiration.

When a young girl first falls in love, she meets someone who will captivate her for life, and from then on, she can no longer see anyone else.

Unfortunately, their current opponents are too strong.

Queen Medusa, Xiao Yan's fiancée, has a seductive figure, a face that could destroy a nation, and immense power. Most importantly, they have to call her Master's Wife.

That's right, even Cao Ying and Dan Chen have to call them that now.

This happened in the second month after Xiao Yan followed Xuan Kongzi in alchemy and successfully refined Eighth-Grade Pill.

Xiao Yan was in a good mood that day, Xuan Kongzi said to him with a smile:

"Nephew, how has your uncle treated you this past month?"

Without even thinking, Xiao Yan answered directly:

"My senior master imparted all his knowledge to his disciple, showing me profound kindness."

Xuan Kongzi nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this, and said with relief:

"Alright, nephew, you are indeed an honest and kind person. Your uncle has a small favor to ask of you. Would you be willing?"

Xiao Yan readily agreed. Xuan Kongzi treated him no differently than his own personal disciple. Let alone a small favor, even if it meant tearing a hole in the sky, Xiao Yan would do it without batting an eye.

Then Xuan Kongzi poked a hole in the sky:

"Nephew, your uncle has been teaching you alchemy lately, and I also have to keep an eye on the Three Thousand Burning Flame. In my spare time, I also have to handle affairs within the tower. I'm really overwhelmed. After thinking it over, I've decided not to take on any more disciples. After all, after teaching you, I think everyone else is just mediocre."

I've heard that the young ladies from the Cao Clan and Dan Clan get along well with you. Why don't you let them become your disciples? With your talent and current Alchemy, being their master would definitely help them go further than me being their master. Perhaps they will all become Ninth-Grade Alchemy Grandmaster in the future!

In this way, I can say that I have not disappointed the expectations of the Cao and Dan families."

Xiao Yan felt like the sky was falling when he heard this.

After all that talk, you old man, you're probably just trying to shirk your responsibilities, aren't you?

After all, teaching disciples is not something that can be accomplished in a day. Even if the problem of the Three Thousand Burning Flame is solved and there are fewer things to do in the Danta, Xuan Kongzi will still need to stay in the Danta to take care of his disciples. Over the years, the Three Great Elders have been trapped in the Danta because of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, and they may have wanted to go out and explore for a while.

Furthermore, after teaching Xiao Yan, Xuan Kongzi had already satisfied his urge to teach disciples, and now he had no desire to take on any more apprentices.

But Xiao Yan was in a bad mood.

Time was already tight, and he wished he could devote all his time to his own cultivation. Now, he was in a real dilemma to have to spare a lot of time and energy to teach his disciples.

Given his character, once he decides to teach, he will certainly teach well; he would feel guilty if he were even slightly perfunctory.

The adoration and admiration the girls showed him made it impossible for him to treat them with indifference.

Moreover, that was originally his duty as a master or senior brother.

But the thought of actually becoming the three women's master did put some pressure on him.

However, Xiao Yan wasn't one to dwell on things. Even if Xuan Kongzi really wanted to slack off, Xuan Kongzi had been genuinely good to him. Teaching one disciple was one thing, teaching three disciples was another. At worst, he could stay at the Pill Danta in the future and ask the elders of his sect to teach him when he needed to go out.

Moreover, teaching apprentices does indeed help him improve his Alchemy skills, which is not something he finds entirely unacceptable.

As for the time lost, he can simply make up for it later by working harder.

Thus, Xiao Yan gained two more disciples, Cao Ying and Dan Chen.

Since the two girls entered the sect at the same time, they were ranked according to age, with Cao Ying being the second senior sister and Dan Chen the junior sister.

Ye Xinlan, who had long suspected that her master would not belong to her alone, finally received this "bad news." Although she was the senior sister, her Alchemy were not as good as her two junior sisters, so she had to practice more on her own.

She was younger than her two junior sisters and had only just entered the First-Grade before joining the sect. This meant that all her alchemy techniques and experience were inherited from Xiao Yan, unlike her two junior sisters who already had some traces and habits of their family's methods. This was her advantage.

She believed that as long as she worked hard enough, she would one day rightfully become the senior sister.

She's Master's most senior disciple; she absolutely cannot let Master down!