Exposing Yao Lao!

Xiao Yang had not known his Dou Qi attribute before.

Now that he knew he had a fire attribute with a trace of wood, he felt he should try becoming an alchemist.

Even without the system, once Xiao Yang knew he had fire and wood attributes, he would have wanted to try becoming an alchemist.

After all, alchemists held an extremely high status on the Dou Qi Continent.

Becoming an alchemist also brought many benefits!

Basically, no matter where one went, alchemists were highly sought after.

However, becoming an alchemist was also extremely difficult.

First, one needed fire and wood attributes, which alone barred countless people.

Then, one needed guidance from an alchemist teacher.

Finally, one needed sufficient soul talent.

Without good soul talent, one could not become an alchemist either.

Of course, one also needed money!

Although alchemists made money, they also burned through it!

Even the ingredients for a first-tier pill were extremely precious!

To become an alchemist required extensive practice, and who knew how many medicinal ingredients would be ruined in the process.

So, although alchemists made money, they also spent a great deal of it.

As for money, Xiao Yang had it!

His attributes also qualified!

As for soul talent, he was only at the sixth stage of Dou Qi, yet he already possessed an intermediate Mortal Realm soul. That showed his soul talent was not bad either!

Lastly came the most important thing: a teacher!

On the Northwest Continent, which alchemist could compare to Yao Lao?

Forget the Northwest Continent—even across the entire Dou Qi Continent, Yao Lao's alchemy skills ranked among the best!

Before obtaining the system, Xiao Yang might not have changed the plot because of the butterfly effect.

But now, if he wanted to try taking Yao Lao as his master, he could only change the plot!

He did not want to wait another two years before attempting to take Yao Lao as his master.

He just did not know whether Yao Lao had awakened yet.

Xiao Yang hesitated for a moment, then a trace of determination flashed through his eyes.

Rather than practice Fighting Skills, he walked toward Xiao Yan.

Sensing Xiao Yang's arrival, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes as well.

"Brother Yang, what is it?"

"Nothing. I just suddenly thought of something."

"The alchemists the family hired before all said there was nothing wrong with your body."

"Since there is nothing wrong with you, could the problem be with your surroundings?"

"For example, could this stone beneath you, or something in your room, be the problem?"

Xiao Yang pretended to curiously inspect the stone beneath Xiao Yan's buttocks and casually gave it a pat.

Xiao Yan gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

"Brother Yang, it is not like you have never cultivated in my room or on this stone before."

"Besides, my Dou Qi does not only leak away when I cultivate in those two places."

"Wherever I cultivate, the Dou Qi in my body disappears very quickly."

Xiao Yang slapped his forehead and said awkwardly.

"That does seem to be the case!"

At that moment, Xiao Yang's gaze shifted to Xiao Yan's Bone Flame Ring.

"Hey, the Bone Flame Ring your mother left you—you wear it wherever you go, right?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan also looked at the ancient ring on his hand.

"No way. I have worn the ring my mother left me for years."

"My cultivation did not go wrong like this before."

Xiao Yang shook his head.

"Anyway, no matter how you cultivate, you cannot retain your Dou Qi. Why not take off the Bone Flame Ring and try cultivating?"

Xiao Yan did not object to Xiao Yang's suggestion, though he did not believe a ring could make his Dou Qi disappear.

But what if it could?

Trying would not hurt anything, after all.

With that thought, Xiao Yan removed the Bone Flame Ring from his hand and intended to give it to Xiao Yang.

When his hand was halfway out, he suddenly thought of something.

"If the Bone Flame Ring really is the cause, I should leave it beside me instead."

As he spoke, Xiao Yan jumped down from the stone and moved to the ground nearby.

He plucked a leaf from the bushes beside them, intending to place it beneath the ring.

Seeing this, Xiao Yang walked over and took out a tissue from his Storage Ring.

"Use this."

Xiao Yan did not stand on ceremony. He accepted it directly and laid it on the ground.

Then he placed the Bone Flame Ring on top of the tissue.

After finishing all this, he returned to the stone and sat cross-legged to cultivate.

Xiao Yang said nothing and simply watched quietly from the side.

Soon, several minutes passed, and Xiao Yan opened his eyes again.

At that moment, a trace of shock flashed through his eyes, and his face was filled with excitement.

"Brother Yang, my Dou Qi did not disappear!"

"I can improve again!"

After saying that, Xiao Yan's eyes reddened, and tears welled up in them.

Though he had not said it, over the past year, the disappointed looks from the family elders, the pain on his father's face, and the clan members gradually distancing themselves from him had all left Xiao Yan feeling deeply stifled.

Especially since he would sometimes hear idle gossip.

He wanted to be angry, but there was nothing he could do to those people.

Now, he could cultivate again!

Although his cultivation had fallen to the third stage of Dou Qi, he was confident that with his talent, he would soon return to the Dou Zhe realm!

After all, Xiao Yan had been a Dou Zhe before.

He had already walked the path to becoming a Dou Zhe once.

So his meridians were much wider than before, and his cultivation speed had improved considerably as well.

With his talent, becoming a Dou Zhe again would not take long at all!

"Brother Yang, thank you!"

"If not for you, I would never have known why my Dou Qi was disappearing!"

Xiao Yan excitedly stepped forward and hugged Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang helplessly broke free, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Fortunately, it was not too late yet.

"With your talent, you will grow stronger very quickly. From now on, I will be waiting to ride your coattails!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's still somewhat childish face became utterly serious.

"Brother Yang, if not for you, I might have remained at the third stage of Dou Qi for the rest of my life."

"There is no need to say such things between brothers!"

Xiao Yang did not continue speaking. He merely smiled and nodded.

Then he looked at the Bone Flame Ring beside them.

"What should we do with this Bone Flame Ring now?"

Xiao Yan's gaze also fell upon the Bone Flame Ring.

His face was now full of wariness.

He cautiously stepped forward, not daring to touch the Bone Flame Ring.

Xiao Yan directly wrapped the Bone Flame Ring in the tissue.

Only after sensing that the Dou Qi within his body was no longer continuing to leak away did Xiao Yan carefully pick it up.

At that moment, his face was full of solemnity.

"Brother Yang, I think it would be better to store it away carefully. After all, it is my mother's keepsake."

"But I plan to seal it properly inside several boxes!"

As Xiao Yan spoke, he gritted his teeth.

Right now, he did not dare touch the Bone Flame Ring again.

He did not want the Dou Qi he had painstakingly cultivated to disappear again.

At that moment, an aged, strange laugh sounded beside their ears.

"Hehe, if you hide this ring away, I can only slowly fade away."

"For the sake of your 'offerings' over the past year, I can compensate you a little."

Upon hearing the word "offerings," Xiao Yan instantly understood something.

He looked at the Bone Flame Ring in his hand.

"You were the one absorbing my Dou Qi?"