The Night Deepened

Yao Yan's return to the small courtyard caused no stir. He was no important figure, and he had always been the sort of low-key nobody who faded into the background. If not for the small commotion caused by his becoming Yao Nong's disciple more than three years ago, perhaps even the few streets nearby would not have known of him.

In the past, aside from cultivation, he refined pills. Every day, he was either at home or at the clan school, practically following the same route back and forth. He rarely interacted with others.

As a transmigrator who knew the future, Yao Yan possessed a strong sense of crisis. He knew full well that the peaceful life of the Medicine World was nothing more than a castle in the air, and its destruction had already entered its countdown. Especially after learning that Yao Chen had died from a pill-refining backlash, he scarcely dared to slack off for even a single day.

Only in recent days had Yao Yan gradually regained a sense of living.

In the kitchen, unused for many years, Yao Yan was stir-frying dishes. Smoke from the oil billowed forth, and the fragrance was irresistible. As for tending the fire... for an alchemist, that naturally came with a mere lift of the hand. He could even control the heat perfectly.

Before long, three dishes and a soup were ready. A bucket of rice sat beside the table, along with a pot of unidentified wine taken from a mercenary's storage ring.

"Perfect in color, aroma, and flavor. My skills haven't declined."

Yao Yan looked at the dishes he had cooked and gave a satisfied assessment before dropping onto the stone bench beneath the tree.

Ling Er leaped down from the tree and deftly landed on Yao Yan's shoulder. She curiously examined the dishes on the table. Having lived in the Shennong Mountain Range all her life, she had naturally never seen such things before. She could not help making a coquettish sound at Yao Yan. "Ying ying~"

"Want to try some?"

Yao Yan clearly understood what she meant. He picked up a piece of braised pork and held it out to her, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Ling Er sniffed it, and hesitation flashed through her emerald eyes. This thing contained no Flora Essence and was completely different from the pills she usually ate. After hesitating, she glanced at Yao Yan. Perhaps out of trust in him, she cautiously took a bite. Her eyes immediately brightened, and she swallowed it in one gulp.

That strange flavor was unlike Flora Essence. It was a novel taste, and as a little foodie, she found it somewhat irresistible.

"She actually ate it..."

Yao Yan could not help laughing at the sight. He then handed her the chopsticks he had prepared and said, "Eat by yourself. Use chopsticks like this."

Ling Er jumped onto the table and struggled to grip the two chopsticks with her tiny paws, imitating his motion of picking up food. The chopsticks immediately fell from her grasp. Her silly yet adorable appearance caused Yao Yan to burst into laughter. In a mischievous mood, he did not help her and simply let her study the chopsticks while he poured himself some wine and began drinking.

This was Yao Yan's first time drinking in this world. The taste was fairly good, spicy yet carrying a distinctive fruity fragrance.

Ling Er's nose was sharp. Catching the scent of the wine, she immediately began asking for some. "Ying ying~"

Yao Yan hesitated for a moment, but still poured Ling Er a cup of wine.

Imitating Yao Yan, Ling Er held up the cup. She first sniffed it, then, finding the smell agreeable, downed it in one gulp. Her whole body shuddered at once, and her pair of fluffy ears stood straight up. Her sparkling emerald eyes stared at Yao Yan, as though she greatly liked the taste.

Holding up her wine cup, she happily cried out at Yao Yan, "Ying ying~"

"..."

Yao Yan froze for a moment, then simply handed her an entire pot.

Ling Er accepted it without hesitation and began drinking straight from the wine pot. The audible glugging of wine going down her throat could be heard clearly.

"Drinking straight from the bottle? Impressive!"

Yao Yan laughed and gave Ling Er a thumbs-up.

However, he had clearly underestimated Ling Er's tolerance for alcohol. This little fellow's capacity was just like the number of pills she could consume—an unfathomable bottomless pit. After downing five bottles, she showed no sign of drunkenness at all. In fact, the more she drank, the more energetic she became, her eyes shining so brightly that she looked ready to pounce on Yao Yan.

"Fine, fine. You can have it all."

Yao Yan doted on the little fellow. He simply took out all the wine in the storage ring. Nor was he worried that she might drink herself sick. As a Strange Fire Spirit, even if Yao Yan drank himself to death, she would not suffer the slightest problem.

Ling Er accepted every bottle, drinking one after another.

Yao Yan, meanwhile, drank cup by cup, smiling as he watched Ling Er drink. He was quite curious whether she would get drunk. To an alchemist, that was a very interesting subject.

The question was quickly answered, because Ling Er did get drunk. After drinking several dozen bottles, she finally collapsed onto the table. Her body curled into a ball as she hugged her tail and fell asleep, her large ears drooping at her sides, making her look somewhat adorably foolish.

"She really got drunk?"

Yao Yan wore a strange expression. He then swept his Soul Power across Ling Er's body and found nothing unusual about her, which eased his mind somewhat. Still, he found it remarkable. A Strange Fire Spirit could actually be drunk unconscious from wine—this was surely a bizarre tale in the world of strange fires.

But it also demonstrated one thing from another angle: while Ling Er maintained this form, she could not use Exotic Flame Power.

Yao Yan picked up Ling Er and tucked her into his arms, lowering his head as he murmured, "What a fascinating little fellow."

Sensing the familiar aura, Ling Er wriggled her body, rested her head against Yao Yan's chest, rubbed against him, and then settled down quietly.

"Whew~"

The night wind was slightly cool, stirring the branches as withered leaves drifted down.

The night gradually deepened.

Yao Yan lay on the roof with Ling Er in his arms, his hand gently stroking her soft, sleek fur as he quietly gazed at the stars filling the Medicine World's sky. It felt as if he were standing within a river of stars. Such scenery had been present every day in the past, yet he had never paid it any attention.

Perhaps his state of mind had changed, allowing him to notice sights beyond cultivation.

Perhaps he had missed many things over these years.

"Whoosh~"

The space beside him suddenly rippled like water, and Yao Nong's figure appeared in Yao Yan's field of vision.

Yao Nong looked at Yao Yan and transmitted with Soul Power, "Young Master, Yao Ding will return home tomorrow. At that time, this old servant will seal off the space around his residence. However, it can last for at most the time it takes an incense stick to burn. If it goes beyond that, the elders of Pill Cauldron City will notice, and they will arrive within a few breaths."

"What about their strength?"

Yao Yan's expression remained unchanged as he asked the most crucial question.

"Yao Ding is returning home tomorrow. Given his parents' temperaments, they will certainly host a banquet for friends and relatives. Many of them were accomplices in the murder of Young Master's parents. Most are Dou Wangs, while the weaker ones are merely Dou Lings. With Young Master's strength, handling them will be easy. The only one to be wary of is Yao Ding's former enlightenment teacher at the clan school, a Six-star Dou Emperor."

Yao Nong continued transmitting with Soul Power, then took a Jade Bottle from his storage ring and handed it over.

"This is a Thunder Fire Pill, refined from the Thunder-Fire Power triggered during the refinement of a Seventh-grade Pill. It possesses extremely powerful Destructive Power. Even a Dou Zong would be severely injured if careless. It will be enough to deal with him."

"What do you plan to do afterward?"

Yao Yan accepted the Thunder Fire Pill, fell silent for a moment, then transmitted.

Yao Nong's expression did not change. He said softly, "To the outside world, this old servant has always claimed to be Young Master's teacher. If a disciple seeks revenge for his parents, how can his teacher stand idly by? Even if this matter reaches the Punishment Elder, at most this old servant will receive some punishment and be stripped of his position. It will not be fatal."

"Thank you for all these years."

Yao Yan was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

Yao Nong shook his head, a trace of amusement entering his tone. "There is no need for this. This old servant merely followed orders. Besides, being able to witness the rise of someone like Young Master means this old servant has not lived in vain."

Yao Yan said nothing more, nor did he speak of the future.

If one day he truly reached the pinnacle, he would naturally repay the kindness of former days. If not, then no matter how much he said, it would be useless.