Being Honest With Each Other

"Is there a chance...?"

Xiao Yan fell silent for a while, unable to say anything.

"This isn't a choice that can be made lightly."

Old Yao comforted him. "There's no rush over the next few days anyway. You've been wound too tight lately, so take these days to relax, rest, and think it over before telling me."

"No matter what you choose in the end, you'll still be my disciple."

Old Yao naturally understood that although Xiao Yan had matured greatly over the past few years and was far more levelheaded than his peers, he was still only a boy who had just turned fifteen.

Since it concerned his future path, it was only right to give him more time to consider it.

That night, Xiao Yan shut his door, then followed the path toward the guest courtyard at the southeast corner of the Xiao Family estate.

But just as he stepped outside, Xiao Zhan arrived.

"Father? What are you doing here?"

Xiao Yan was taken aback when he saw Xiao Zhan, then asked.

"Hehe, it's nothing particularly important. I just wanted to come see you."

As he spoke, Xiao Zhan stepped forward and gently patted Xiao Yan's shoulder. "Yan'er, you've had it hard this past year or so."

Xiao Yan froze for a moment before smiling and shaking his head.

"What are you saying, Father?"

Xiao Yan said, "I was only trying to prove myself. I just didn't want Father to lose face because of me."

"Sigh... you've suffered, child."

Xiao Zhan sighed. Though he was the father, he had been unable to offer his child even the slightest help.

"It wasn't that hard, Father."

"Mm."

Xiao Zhan nodded slightly and said no more useless assurances.

Words would never be as useful as actions.

"Oh, right. An honored guest will be arriving tomorrow. When you meet them, mind your manners."

"An honored guest? Who?"

Xiao Yan asked instinctively.

"You'll find out tomorrow."

Xiao Zhan spoke gently, while inwardly he could not help but sigh. Though his child would surely have someone he loved and might even do foolish things for her in the future... he still had to settle down and build a family someday. Better to make sure he had a small family first.

Now that his child's talent had returned, the knot in Xiao Zhan's heart had finally been untied. In the future, with the world wide open before him, he could let the boy roam as he pleased.

The father and son did not speak for long before Xiao Zhan left.

Xiao Yan did not pay much attention to why his father had suddenly brought it up. He assumed it was simply an acquaintance from his father's generation.

Compared to that, Xiao Yan felt it would be better to talk to Miss Wan.

Without realizing it, Miss Wan had already been staying with the Xiao Family for a year. He had also unknowingly developed the habit of asking her whenever something came up.

As for why... perhaps it was simply because she knew more than he did.

But then again, didn't Teacher know even more? Why go out of his way to ask someone else...?

Xiao Yan could not be bothered to think about it and quickly headed for the guest courtyard along the path.

Inside the guest room, Yao Wan paused her cultivation and instead ignited the wisp of azure-green flame in her hand.

"Still not enough..."

Just as she sighed, a familiar knock sounded outside the door.

Yao Wan called for the visitor to enter as she put on her Bamboo Hat.

"Miss Wan, you're still awake?"

Pushing open the door and seeing the Bamboo Hat concealing her face as always, Xiao Yan gave an awkward laugh.

"If I were asleep, could I answer you?"

Yao Wan shook her head, taking it as one of Xiao Yan's bad jokes.

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Yan noticed the azure-green flame quietly burning at Yao Wan's fingertips.

So that's the Living Flame Teacher mentioned...?

"Not cultivating and not sleeping in the middle of the night—what did you come to see me for?"

Yao Wan tossed a medicinal herb seed into the rising glow of the Living Flame. An immensely dense aura of life burst forth, transforming into soft branches that grew out of the flame.

"This is..."

Xiao Yan had long heard of the miraculous connection between the Living Flame and medicinal herbs, but witnessing it for himself was vastly different from mere hearsay.

"...The Living Flame, ranked fifth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."

Yao Wan explained, "...But come to think of it, you probably learned about it from Old Yao before I broke through. Saves me the trouble of showing off in front of you and wasting my breath."

"Well? Did you come to tell me something?"

Yao Wan gently pinched the Living Flame, and the azure-green fire slowly vanished in her palm.

"Fifth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking... Something so rare in all the world just appeared before me like a common cabbage. What could I possibly say?"

At most, Xiao Yan grumbled inwardly about how the alchemists he encountered were each more frightening than the last. It was one thing for his teacher, an old monster whose former cultivation realm was still unknown, to possess the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. But how could Miss Wan, a mere Dou Wang, possess the even more terrifying Living Flame...?

"What? Jealous?"

There was a faint smile in Yao Wan's voice.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't... I'm insanely jealous."

Xiao Yan plopped down onto the table directly opposite the guest room door.

"If you want Heavenly Flames, go find them yourself. You'll definitely go looking for Heavenly Flames in the future anyway."

Yao Wan said.

"But what if I want more than one Heavenly Flame, Miss Wan?"

Xiao Yan slowly turned his head and asked softly.

"...Don't tell me you're planning to cultivate some especially strange technique?"

Yao Wan's heart stirred, but she could not reveal it outright. She could only pretend to be unfazed and ask casually.

"..."

Xiao Yan suddenly went silent. Yao Wan instinctively raised her head. "Why did you stop talking? Did I really guess right?"

"You were—well, it's pretty much as Miss Wan said."

Xiao Yan irritably scratched his hair and said.

"Huh?"

"Teacher, should I tell Miss Wan about Fen Jue...?"

Xiao Yan could only split his attention and speak to Old Yao first.

Within the Storage Ring, Old Yao frowned deeply. Truthfully, he personally disliked forming this kind of relationship where another person knew everything about him, especially after having suffered a great loss because of it once before.

But after pondering for a moment, Old Yao finally sighed.

"Forget it. That girl is too clever; you won't be able to hide it from her. Since that's the case, it's better to be honest. Besides... if you can cultivate Fen Jue, you'll probably have to share some benefits with her as well."

Since his teacher had said so, Xiao Yan naturally did not hide it from Miss Wan. He then told Yao Wan about Fen Jue.

"Oh... I see."

Yao Wan lightly nodded before saying, "You're conflicted over whether or not to cultivate Fen Jue?"