In less than a moment, Yao Chen had already refined the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.
Such a trifling rank was nothing for an Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmaster like him.
Xiao Yan stared in stunned amazement.
Who would have thought his teacher actually had some real ability? He'd refined the medicine just like that?
Wasn't there always a chance of failure when refining medicine?
He'd refined all that spirit liquid in one go.
Could it be that his teacher had been a high-ranked Alchemist when he was alive? For a moment, Xiao Yan was filled with curiosity about Yao Chen.
There's no point thinking about all that. With my teacher's help, maybe I really can defeat Nalan Yanran and win the Three-Year Agreement. Xiao Yan said to himself.
Then, Xiao Yan immediately began cultivating.
Several days passed.
The back mountain of the clan.
At that moment, Xiao Yan suddenly opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
He realized that the Dou Qi he had been losing for so long had finally stopped disappearing. Instead, it had gathered within him.
And it had successfully helped him break through, advancing to the strength of a four-star Dou Zhi Qi practitioner.
Xiao Yan was thrilled!
For him, this was a breakthrough he hadn't felt in a long time. It felt wonderful, exhilarating.
He was finally no longer like before, when the little Dou Qi he painstakingly cultivated would vanish at once, like sand slipping through a bottomless hourglass.
In those circumstances, it would have been a miracle for his strength to advance. He'd have been lucky just to avoid getting weaker.
But fortunately, that wouldn't happen anymore!
After Xiao Yan broke through and reached the fourth segment of Dou Qi, he said excitedly, "Teacher, I didn't expect your spirit liquid to be so effective."
"I've only cultivated for a few days, and I've already recovered to the fourth segment."
"I believe that with a little more time, I have a good chance of reaching the fifth segment too," Xiao Yan said excitedly.
"What does the strength of a mere fifth segment amount to? You're satisfied with far too little," Yao Chen said.
"Hehe, Teacher, your student has naturally seen far less of the world than you," Xiao Yan said with a smile.
Compared with the past three years, the ridicule he'd endured and the anxiety brought on by his steadily declining strength, he was already very satisfied.
Still, his teacher wasn't wrong. Nalan Yanran had the Misty Cloud Sect behind her, the greatest force in the entire Jia Ma Empire.
Her teacher, Yun Yun, was even a powerful Dou Emperor!
If he didn't work hard,
if he didn't put in a hundred times more effort than Nalan Yanran, he wouldn't be able to catch up. After all, the gap between him and Nalan Yanran was still far too great.
Leaving the family's back mountain, he returned to the Xiao Clan.
Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan and said, "Yan'er, I know that Nalan girl from the Nalan Family coming here to break off the engagement hit you hard."
"But it doesn't matter. I'll say the same thing I always have: my son, Xiao Zhan's son, was destined to be extraordinary!"
"That Nalan girl wasn't fortunate enough to be with you. My son's future achievements will absolutely be no less than those of the Nalan Family!" Xiao Zhan said confidently, looking at Xiao Yan before him.
A father was a father, after all. His faith in him hadn't diminished in the slightest.
The more his father believed in him, the more Xiao Yan felt he had to work hard.
There was something else on Xiao Yan's mind, too. Since he had become a disciple, Elder Yao was his teacher.
He was in a spiritual form now. What had happened to him when he was alive?
Since he was so powerful, surely no ordinary person could have harmed him. So how had he ended up in this state?
He had survived only by absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for three years.
Although Xiao Yan didn't know what had happened, he had already made up his mind: he wouldn't let anyone who had harmed his teacher get away with it!
More importantly, he wanted to know if there was any way to help his teacher come back to life and regain his physical body.
Instead of remaining in a spiritual form like this.
Xiao Yan planned to ask his teacher about it when he got the chance. No matter how difficult it was, he was willing to do anything to help his teacher return to life!
Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan.
Then he patted his shoulder and comforted him.
Xiao Yan immediately replied, "Father, don't worry. I'm fine."
"There are plenty of good women on the Dou Qi Continent. I, Xiao Yan, don't have to marry Nalan Yanran."
"Well said! That's the spirit of a real man, just like your two older brothers," Xiao Zhan said with a satisfied smile. All three of his sons were men of courage. None of them had ever disappointed him.
Still, Xiao Zhan was worried. After all, the Misty Cloud Sect stood behind Nalan Yanran.
Even if Yan'er failed in his challenge three years later, Xiao Zhan would consider it perfectly normal. That was the Misty Cloud Sect, after all. He only hoped Xiao Yan wouldn't put too much pressure on himself.
At dusk, after returning to his room, Xiao Yan watched Yao Chen float out of his Storage Ring.
Then he spoke.
"Teacher, I want to know who harmed you when you were alive and left you in this state, neither fully human nor ghost."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Is there any way for you to come back to life?" Xiao Yan asked seriously.
Yao Chen wasn't surprised that Xiao Yan cared about him. But now that he had bound himself to the system, all he needed to do was help Xiao Yan cultivate and grow stronger to draw treasure-chest rewards. He believed it wouldn't be long before he could come back to life.
Still, he was very pleased that Xiao Yan cared so much.
Yao Chen said, "Don't worry about it, Little Yanzi. For now, your top priority is to increase your strength."
"Only when your strength has improved will you have a chance of helping me."
Xiao Yan nodded and immediately replied, "Yes, Teacher!"
"I'll remember that."
Xiao Yan continued cultivating. The night passed, and although he didn't reach the fifth segment of Dou Qi, he had made considerable progress.
His strength was increasing at a very noticeable pace.
At that moment, a familiar figure came over. It was Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yan's childhood sweetheart.
She was also the young lady of the Ancient Clan.
"Brother Xiao Yan, why have you been avoiding Xun'er lately? Are you worried I'll ask you to pay me back?" Xiao Xun'er said.
Xiao Yan gave an awkward smile. Whether before or after his transmigration, he'd never borrowed money from a girl.
He couldn't help feeling awkward about it now.
He quickly replied, "Xun'er, I've been busy cultivating lately, so..."
Xiao Xun'er looked astonished. When Xiao Yan had been cultivating just now, some of his Dou Qi had escaped without him realizing it.
She had sensed it—and Brother Xiao Yan had actually broken through?
It had been three years. Was this Brother Xiao Yan's first breakthrough in all that time?
Xiao Xun'er was surprised. "Brother Xiao Yan, have you finally found the reason your strength stopped improving and even began to decline?"
"Just as I thought, Nalan Yanran will regret this. Brother Xiao Yan, you'll definitely regain your former glory." After saying that, Xiao Xun'er suddenly felt that something was off.
How had Brother Xiao Yan suddenly regained his strength?
Was someone helping him from behind the scenes? Xiao Xun'er felt she needed to get to the bottom of it.
That night, Xiao Xun'er hid in the shadows.
She watched a wisp of spirit drift out of Xiao Yan's Storage Ring.