Wutan City, the Xiao Clan's back mountain.
Xiao Yan sat at the edge of a cliff. He had just undergone his test.
Yet after all these years, his cultivation was still stuck at the third stage of Dou Qi. He had become the useless fool his clan mocked.
Even his fiancée, Nalan Yanran, had come to break off their engagement not long ago, leaving him to suffer humiliation.
But three years earlier, he had been brimming with confidence, an undisputed prodigy.
For the past three years, however, he had been unable to find the cause. Not only had his Dou Qi steadily drained away, but his strength had even begun to decline.
Now, he had fallen back to the third stage.
In an instant, Xiao Yan flew into a rage!
Over the past three years, he had endured all kinds of scorn and ridicule without so much as a flicker of emotion.
Even Nalan Yanran coming to break off their engagement hadn't stirred him this much.
But now—
He was absolutely furious.
The reason was that he had discovered an old man's soul hiding inside the ring on his finger.
It turned out that this old man had been secretly absorbing his Dou Qi for the past three years, leaving his cultivation stagnant and even causing it to regress.
After letting loose a string of curses, Xiao Yan angrily flung the black Storage Ring off the cliff.
"You old bastard, so you're the one who did this! You're the reason my cultivation was stuck—and even regressed—for three whole years?"
Yao Chen floated out of the Storage Ring. He looked at Xiao Yan, his expression frozen in surprise.
He realized that he had transmigrated—not only to the Dou Qi Continent, but into the body of Elder Yao.
Xiao Yan's teacher, the master of Starfall Pavilion on the Dou Qi Continent, the foremost Alchemist—Yao Chen!
After realizing he had transmigrated into Elder Yao, Yao Chen hadn't even had time to react when a System Panel appeared before his eyes.
[You, Yao Chen, were betrayed by your disciple Han Feng. As a Dou Zun expert, you met your end.]
[After becoming a soul, you happened to take refuge in Xiao Yan's Storage Ring.]
[After absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for three years, you have finally awakened.]
[From this moment on, you intend to make a comeback, grow stronger, and take revenge on Han Feng. You will also demand justice for the unfair treatment you suffered in the Yao Clan.]
After his memories had merged, Yao Chen saw the text displayed on the System Panel.
Xiao Yan stared at the soul that was Yao Chen.
"Old man, are you saying that you were behind my strength declining all this time? You drained my Dou Qi for three years. Do you know how much injustice and humiliation I suffered in the Xiao Clan because of you?"
"Don't you owe me an explanation?"
"Fine!" Xiao Yan thought that with his cultivation talent, now that he had found the cause of his lost Dou Qi, his astonishing talent must have returned.
That meant he could make huge strides in cultivation over the next three years, then head to the Misty Cloud Sect and challenge Nalan Yanran, fulfilling the agreement they had made.
As for the old man before him, who was now nothing but a soul—
What could he possibly do?
If he really had any way to help, he wouldn't have been reduced to a wisp of a soul.
Xiao Yan said, "I'm not going to be a sucker and let you keep draining my Dou Qi for free. Go find someone else, old sir."
Xiao Yan could hardly wait to start cultivating.
With the astonishing talent he'd shown over the past three years, he figured it shouldn't be too hard to recover and reach the fourth stage of Dou Qi in a month, right?
With that thought, Xiao Yan immediately rose to his feet, ready to find a quiet place to cultivate.
Just then, Yao Chen saw the quest displayed on the System Panel.
[Current quest: Take Xiao Yan as your disciple.]
[Reward: One White Blind Box.]
[After completing the quest, you may claim the box and draw a reward.]
[Accept the quest? Please choose.]
Yao Chen immediately chose to accept the quest displayed on the System Panel.
He accepted it.
Looking at Xiao Yan, Yao Chen said, "Young man, do you want to become stronger? Do you want others to look up to you?"
"If you take me as your master, I can pass on all the Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills I've learned in my life."
"With my help, your strength can advance by leaps and bounds. Otherwise, even with your talent, you'll still be far behind the Misty Cloud Sect backing that girl Nalan Yanran."
"If you lose to Nalan Yanran and fail to fulfill your Three-Year Agreement, that will be a minor matter."
"But your father's humiliation will likely go unanswered."
"Well, young man?"
"Have you thought it over? Will you take me as your master?"
Xiao Yan looked at the soul that was Yao Chen, feeling uncertain. After all, this old man was the reason his Dou Qi had been draining away for the past three years.
Xiao Yan remained wary. He didn't know whether he should believe him.
But the old man wasn't wrong. Even if Xiao Yan's talent was exceptional—he had performed a miracle three years ago—what about now?
Nalan Yanran had the Misty Cloud Sect and its countless cultivation resources backing her. He was from little Wutan City. How could he possibly compete?
Winning the Three-Year Agreement would be easier said than done.
After all, he had fallen far behind Nalan Yanran. He wouldn't be able to catch up in a short while.
In the end, Xiao Yan decided to accept, if only to give it a try.
"Fine. I'm willing to take you as my master. If you really can help me win the Three-Year Agreement with Nalan Yanran and help my father clear his name—"
"Then I, Xiao Yan, will honor you as my master for the rest of my life. I'll treat you as both master and father. I, Xiao Yan, keep my word."
Xiao Yan spoke with conviction.
His expression and tone were utterly earnest, and Yao Chen believed him.
Compared with Tang San from Douluo, Yao Chen clearly trusted Xiao Yan's words and promises more.
There was a reason people said, "The Endless Fire Domain has Elder Yao, while the God Realm has no Yu Xiaogang."
It wasn't without cause.
Taking Xiao Yan on as a disciple now would not only complete the System's current quest; in the long run, it would also bring great benefits.
After Xiao Yan finished speaking, he knelt before Yao Chen and bowed to him as his master.
A system message immediately appeared before Yao Chen.
[Current quest: Take Xiao Yan as your disciple.]
[Reward: One White Blind Box.]
[Current quest completed. You have obtained one White Blind Box. Draw a reward now? Please choose.]
Yao Chen looked at the prompt on the System Panel and opened the System's inventory. Sure enough, there was a White Blind Box inside.
Without hesitation, he chose to open it.
"System, open the box now!"