Taking Yao Lao as Master!

The old man hesitated for a moment.

However, thinking of how Xiao Yang had treated Xiao Yan over the past year, he ultimately nodded.

"Come here, little one. Let me take a look."

"Your soul perception is fairly strong. I just don't know whether your Dou Qi affinity is suitable."

Xiao Yang did not hesitate in the slightest and walked straight up to the old man.

"Then I'll trouble you, Senior."

As he spoke, he extended his hand before the old man.

The old man gently placed his hand over Xiao Yang's.

Xiao Yang found the sensation rather strange.

Although the other party was a soul body, he could still touch him!

The next moment, he felt a trace of Dou Qi within his dantian diminish!

This was not the kind of decrease caused by consumption. It was a permanent loss!

His cultivation had just dropped by a tiny amount!

At last, he understood what Xiao Yan had been feeling over the past year.

If he had to endure that feeling, he might have fallen into complete despair and simply given up.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yang could not help admiring Xiao Yan.

Putting everything else aside, the fact that Xiao Yan had managed to cultivate like this for three years in the original story showed true perseverance!

Just then, the old man raised his brows.

"Huh, it really is a fire-and-wood affinity."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan said excitedly.

"Then does that mean Brother Yang can learn alchemy with me too?"

The old man did not answer immediately.

After hesitating for a while, he sighed.

"Ah, whatever. Herding one is herding, and herding two is also herding. Let's call it buy one, get one free!"

"You two can take me as your master together."

A hint of delight flashed across Xiao Yan's face.

Xiao Yang felt the same.

The two brothers exchanged a glance. No longer hesitating, they stepped forward and respectfully performed the ceremony of taking a master.

Watching them perform every gesture with such seriousness, the old man's expression became somewhat complicated.

Once they had completed the ceremony, he nodded in satisfaction, and his voice carried a touch of warmth.

"My name is Yao Lao. As for my origins, I won't tell you about them yet."

"You only need to know that in this little empire of yours, no one can surpass me in alchemy."

"The strongest alchemist in your tiny corner of the world would be nothing but a fart in my eyes."

Seeing Yao Lao's casual expression, Xiao Yan's mouth twitched as he complained inwardly.

Just what kind of background does this old man have? Even Pill King Gu He is only a fart to him?

Suppressing his shock, Xiao Yan chuckled.

"Hehe, Teacher, since you're so powerful, when will you teach us alchemy?"

Yao Lao rolled his eyes at Xiao Yan.

"If you want to learn alchemy, you must at least possess fire-attributed Dou Qi and cultivate a fire-attributed technique."

"Wait until you become Dou Zhe."

Xiao Yang stepped forward as well.

"Teacher, since even Pill King Gu He is nothing but a fart in your eyes, you should be able to refine some pills to speed up our cultivation, right?"

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up at Xiao Yang's words.

Yao Lao stroked his beard and said proudly.

"Normally, there are no pills on the continent that can assist cultivation during the Dou Qi stage."

"But! Your teacher here just so happens to have created a pill that can be used to assist cultivation during the Dou Qi stage!"

"Go buy three whole Purple Leaf Orchid Grasses later. The older they are, the better. Also..."

Yao Lao listed several medicinal ingredients, and Xiao Yan's mouth gradually fell open wider and wider.

Xiao Yang, however, remained calm.

"No problem."

Only then did Xiao Yan remember that Xiao Yang was here too!

"Good thing Brother Yang is here!"

"Otherwise, just one set of these ingredients would cost over a thousand gold coins. Two sets would cost two or three thousand gold coins!"

"Tsk, tsk. Pills really are only for the rich."

Xiao Yan said with a bitter smile.

After all, his monthly allowance was only thirty gold coins.

Even after all these years, he had saved less than eight hundred gold coins.

"Hehe, how can you be an alchemist if you have no money?"

"Enough. Hurry up and buy the ingredients. That way, you can begin cultivating tonight."

"Alright, I'm going back now. Don't tell anyone about me, including the people closest to you."

As he spoke, Yao Lao returned directly into the Bone Flame Ring.

The Bone Flame Ring flew back into Xiao Yan's hand and precisely settled onto a finger of his right hand.

Xiao Yan looked eagerly at Xiao Yang beside him.

"Hehe, Brother Yang, lend me some money?"

Xiao Yang patted his chest generously.

"It's only a little over two thousand. It's nothing. I'll cover your medicinal ingredients for the Dou Qi stage!"

"After all, I'm the one benefiting here. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to take Teacher as my master."

Xiao Yan did not agree.

"If not for Brother Yang, I'd still be kept in the dark."

"I'll definitely repay Brother Yang in the future."

Xiao Yang shook his head and said nothing more.

"Come on, let's buy the ingredients first."

Xiao Yang's parents had died while holding off enemies on the road when the Xiao Clan moved to Wutan City.

Therefore, the clan had given Xiao Yang a sum of compensation money.

Several years ago, with the soul of an adult in his body, Xiao Yang had begun using that compensation money and the Xiao Clan's connections to do business.

At first, he mainly relied on the Xiao Clan's channels to run small trades.

After making money, he began opening taverns in the Xiao Clan Market.

Using the brewing methods he had learned in his previous life, along with some novels, he expanded his taverns throughout several nearby cities.

The strong liquor of the Dou Qi Continent might have only been around twenty percent alcohol.

The brewing industry of his previous life was simply a crushing advantage from a higher level.

And there were also the stories told by storytellers!

Those were the most popular novels from Xiao Yang's previous life, which he had brought over wholesale.

Naturally, Xiao Yan could not tell, since he had transmigrated too early.

The stories Xiao Yang came up with were all tropes from more than a decade later.

Each time, he only had the storytellers tell a small portion.

Anyone who wanted to hear more could only come to the taverns for the continuation.

Some continuations were even available only in private rooms!

Naturally, there were imitators, but they did not have the taverns' distinctive strong liquor!

The liquor Xiao Yang produced was deeply loved by mercenaries.

Moreover, he had taken the initiative to invite the Mittal Trading Firm to invest.

This was also so he could find himself a backer.

As a result, although Xiao Yang's cultivation was not high, his standing within the Xiao Clan was extremely high.

His wealth even exceeded that of the entire Xiao Clan combined!

Of course, the Xiao Clan also owned a portion of shares in his taverns.

Thus, the Xiao Clan was much wealthier than in the original story.

This was also why Xiao Yan had more property and spending money than in the original story.

Before long, Xiao Yang and Xiao Yan headed together to the Mittal Trading Firm.

As soon as Xiao Yang arrived, a maid respectfully led him into a room.

Inside sat a charming woman in a red dress, her figure graceful and alluring.

"What wind has blown little brother Xiao Yang over today?"

"Could it be that you've written another new story?"

Xiao Yang shook his head and smiled.

"Miss Ya Fei, I came mainly to buy some medicinal ingredients this time."

As he spoke, he handed her a list.