How to Revive Yao Lao

"Yao Lao, is there any way to help you escape this spiritual state?" Tang Wulin suddenly asked.

Yao Lao really hadn't expected Tang Wulin to ask that out of the blue. After thinking for a while, he answered with a wry smile.

"There is a way... but it's very difficult. Very, very difficult."

"That's all right, Yao Lao. You've helped me so many times; now it's my turn. As long as there's a way to restore you, I'll do whatever it takes!" Tang Wulin said earnestly.

Yao Lao looked deeply at Tang Wulin. "I don't know whether there's a way to restore me in your world, but the method I know is that the Flame Mantra might help me regain a physical body."

"The Flame Mantra? Is that the cultivation technique you gave me when I absorbed the Golden Dragon King's seal?"

Tang Wulin immediately remembered that, a month ago, when he absorbed the Golden Dragon King's seal, Yao Lao had given him a cultivation technique. Old Tang had said at the time that it was incredibly powerful. Tang Wulin hadn't continued cultivating it, of course—and he couldn't have, since according to the technique, it couldn't circulate without Yao Lao's flames.

Yao Lao nodded. "That's right. I didn't create this technique. I stumbled upon it in a hidden realm when I was young. It says that once the Flame Mantra reaches a certain level, it can forge a complete physical body. Of course, the prerequisite is the corpse of a powerful expert. By the standards of your world, you'd probably need the corpse of one of the strongest Titled Douluo—and even that might not be enough. After that, I'd need medicines to nourish my soul and repair its damage, the essence blood of a supreme bloodline poured into the bones, and an Eighth-Tier Pill. Finally, and most importantly, the Flame Mantra must reach mastery with at least three Heavenly Flames before any of the other steps can be carried out."

"This..." Tang Wulin froze. He'd known it would be difficult, but he hadn't imagined it would be this difficult.

The very first requirement was already impossible for Tang Wulin to fulfill right now. The corpse of one of the strongest Titled Douluo? What a joke. Tang Wulin was only an ordinary Soul Master with Soul Power at level thirteen.

He'd never even heard of the medicines to nourish a soul or the essence blood of a supreme bloodline. Still, since they were items, perhaps they could be bought. Compared to the first requirement, those seemed easier.

But what was an Eighth-Tier Pill? Tang Wulin had never heard of such a thing on the Douluo Continent. Given Yao Lao's identity as an alchemist, it was probably a term from the Dou Qi Continent. But just hearing "Eighth-Tier" made it sound extraordinary. If it corresponded to Soul Masters, it would mean an eight-ring Soul Master.

And finally, he needed the Flame Mantra, mastered with three Heavenly Flames.

But Heavenly Flames? What were those? Was it the bone white flame in Yao Lao's hand? Tang Wulin had only ever seen that kind of flame with Yao Lao.

Yao Lao had clearly seen how troubled Tang Wulin was. He gently patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't rush. I know these conditions are difficult, and I even feel that some of them can't be fulfilled on the Douluo Continent at all. So if you get the chance one day, you can try. If you don't, there's no need to force it."

"I'm still too weak!" Tang Wulin clenched his fists. "Yao Lao, no matter what, I'll do everything I can to help you recover!"

Yao Lao chuckled warmly and ruffled Tang Wulin's hair. "When you absorbed the Golden Dragon King's seal, I gave you the Flame Mantra with a little selfish motive... or perhaps it was wishful thinking. I hoped you would cultivate it, because then there might be a chance for me to regain my physical body someday."

Tang Wulin shook his head. "How could that be selfish? If you hadn't taught me the Flame Mantra, I might not even have survived! And you've helped me so many times. Dad taught me that you should always repay kindness."

Yao Lao gazed deeply at Tang Wulin, his heart filled with admiration. This child... I knew I was right about him.

"All right, I won't keep you. Your teacher is coming. He probably has something to ask you."

With that, Yao Lao turned into a streak of white light and returned to the Spirit Ring.

"Teacher Wu!"

Tang Wulin thought for a moment, then pretended to still be unconscious and lay back down on the bed.

"Click!"

The door opened softly, and Wu Zhangkong walked in and sat beside Tang Wulin.

Seeing Tang Wulin lying motionless, a trace of suspicion crossed Wu Zhangkong's handsome face. He reached out and took Tang Wulin's wrist.

"If you're awake, stop pretending to be asleep!" Wu Zhangkong said in a deep voice.

Tang Wulin opened his eyes at once and smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know you knew medicine, Teacher Wu."

"I don't know any medicine!"

"Huh? Then how did you know I was awake?"

"After I brought you back, I fed you a Heaven-Reaching Creation Pill. The medicinal effects have mostly taken hold after several days. If you still hadn't woken up today, I would've gone to take the person who sold it to me to task," Wu Zhangkong said calmly.

"Uh... all right!" Tang Wulin scratched his head and chuckled.

"All right, I have a few things to ask you."

"What do you want to ask, Teacher Wu?"

"That night, when I arrived at Snack Street, I saw a powerful expert possessing you. Do you know him?" Wu Zhangkong's gaze was icy, as if he were interrogating a criminal.

"Teacher Wu must mean Yao Lao. No wonder Yao Lao said just now that Teacher Wu had something to ask me. So he was seen!"

After thinking it over, Tang Wulin nodded. "Teacher Wu, I know him!"

"Who is he?" Wu Zhangkong asked again.

"Teacher Wu, it's not that I don't want to tell you. I promised this senior that I wouldn't tell anyone who he is." Tang Wulin wore a helpless expression.

"Besides, Teacher Wu should remember that when school started a month ago, I had a problem with my body. It was with this senior's help that I resolved it."

After hearing Tang Wulin's answer, Wu Zhangkong lowered his eyes and sat silently at the bedside for a while, apparently recalling what had happened a month ago.

"Fine. I understand. As long as he means you no harm, that's all that matters. Remember, you have special training with Xie Xie and Gu Yue tonight."

With that, Wu Zhangkong stood up and started to leave the room.

"Teacher Wu, wait a moment."

Wu Zhangkong stopped. "What is it?"

"Can I skip special training tonight?"

"Give me a reason."

"When I first enrolled, I asked a Grandmaster at the Eastsea City Blacksmith Association to sell a batch of pill recipes for me. It's been over a month, so I want to go check on them. Also, I haven't called my parents in a long time, and I'm worried they might be concerned. I want to give them a proper call."

Wu Zhangkong stood still and thought for a while, then nodded. "All right. I approve."

"Okay! Thank you, Teacher Wu!"