The Xiao Family's back mountain.
"If you'll have me, I wish to become your disciple!"
Gu He cupped his fists and bowed respectfully. As he looked at Yao Lao, now reduced to a soul, his eyes held nothing but fervent admiration and respect.
The foremost alchemist of the Central Plains—though Gu He lived in a remote place like the Jia Ma Empire, the Venerable of Medicine's name had still rung in his ears like thunder.
The eighth rank and the sixth rank seemed only two grades apart for alchemists, but the gulf between them was as vast as the Heavenly Abyss.
A heaven-sent opportunity now lay before him. Gu He had to consider whether this was the only chance he would ever get. If dropping to his knees without warning had not been improper, as though he were trying to pressure the Venerable of Medicine, he would already have done so.
Geniuses were common; good teachers were not.
Yao Lao looked at the middle-aged man before him and wanted to slap him away. After all, the last disciple he had loved like a son had destroyed his body and nearly killed him outright.
How could he have any desire to teach another disciple now?
But—
Remembering Fang Yang's words and that difficult, obscure pill recipe, Yao Lao finally relented. "Would you be willing to become my nominal disciple?"
Thud!
"Greetings, Master!"
Gu He dropped heavily to his knees. Seizing the opening, he immediately bowed in full.
"Get up."
Yao Lao sighed, then had his newly accepted disciple help him continue refining the pills Fang Yang needed.
The Misty Cloud Sect had sent both a person and medicines. If he could not produce some fine pills this time, he would have no excuse.
A month later.
Scarlet-gold Dou Qi blazed across