A line of text appeared on Yao Chen's System Panel.
It was a system reward.
Yao Chen looked at the reward displayed on the panel.
[You have received a random reward: Heavenly Sun Sword Art, a high-tier Earth Rank Dou Technique. It has been added to your inventory.]
Yao Chen looked at the system inventory and immediately checked it.
The Heavenly Sun Sword Art he had just received was a high-tier Earth Rank Dou Technique.
It also had the Lightning Attribute, and only those with the Lightning Attribute could cultivate it.
Once mastered, using the sword art would unleash heavenly lightning.
It would deliver a powerful attack.
Unfortunately, only those with the Lightning Attribute could cultivate it, so Yao Chen couldn't.
That wasn't necessarily true, though. As long as he exchanged for the Lightning Attribute in the system's shop,
he would be able to cultivate it.
He couldn't do it now, but that didn't mean he never would.
Besides, this was a high-tier Earth Rank Dou Technique. Its grade was no small thing.
On the Dou Qi Continent, Heaven Rank Dou Techniques and cultivation methods were exceedingly rare.
In a sense, high-tier Earth Rank Dou Techniques and cultivation methods were practically the pinnacle.
At that moment, inside the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's tent,
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were both extremely excited.
They had witnessed everything that had just happened.
They had never imagined that the teacher Little Yanzi had taken on would be so formidable.
What kind of person was Pill King Gu He?
What status did he hold in the Jia Ma Empire? They knew perfectly well.
Yet in front of Mr. Yao, he had been so deferential.
And Mr. Yao had treated him with indifference. Pill King Gu He hadn't even dared to let out a fart.
Naturally, the brothers were filled with awe.
"Little Yanzi was able to take such a grandmaster alchemist as his teacher. It's truly a blessing for our Xiao Clan..."
The brothers exclaimed in admiration.
Xiao Yan looked at Yao Chen.
"Teacher, then the Misty Cloud Sect's sect master and Pill King Gu He..."
"They came to Shi Mo City because of you?"
Yao Chen nodded without saying anything.
He hadn't taken insignificant nobodies of their caliber seriously.
He was a Dou Sheng. Someone who wasn't even a Dou Zong was beneath his notice.
Meanwhile, Pill King Gu He, Yun Yun, and Nalan Yanran
left the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's territory, disappointed.
They sighed, feeling dejected and disheartened.
"I can't believe we came all the way to Shi Mo City."
"We wanted to get properly acquainted with Mr. Yao."
"We didn't get the chance back in Wutan City..."
"But it turns out Mr. Yao simply doesn't..."
Pill King Gu He sighed, feeling utterly defeated.
But when he thought it over, Mr. Yao was a grandmaster alchemist of that caliber.
Why would he ever take Gu He seriously?
Gu He had never felt so defeated before.
And he didn't even dare say anything.
Yun Yun sighed as well.
Failing to befriend Mr. Yao would be extremely detrimental to the Misty Cloud Sect's future.
She could only hope that the Jia Ma Imperial Family wouldn't make any moves...
Nalan Yanran was lost in thought.
At first, when she was at the Misty Cloud Sect and heard her teacher, Yun Yun, tell her
that Xiao Yan had taken Yao Chen as his teacher, she hadn't believed it.
Now that she had seen it with her own eyes, Nalan Yanran was confused,
and her feelings had grown exceedingly complicated.
"Honestly... I wonder what Mr. Yao was thinking."
"To take that good-for-nothing Xiao Yan as his disciple."
At noon the next day, Jia Xing Tian of the Jia Ma Imperial Family
arrived at the Desert Iron Mercenary Group in Shi Mo City with his great-granddaughter, Yao Yue.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were astonished.
They couldn't believe that Little Yanzi's teacher, Elder Yao, had
even stirred the Jia Ma Imperial Family into action with this trip to Shi Mo City.
Elder Jia had even come in person, which amazed them.
In private, he repeatedly patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder and said,
"Little Yanzi, your teacher is no ordinary person."
"Elder Jia is the Imperial Family's guardian, and that's Princess Yao Yue."
"She's the little princess of the Jia Ma Imperial Family. Someone like her has come all this way."
"Looks like your teacher's reputation in the Jia Ma Empire is truly impressive!"
Xiao Li was thrilled. He patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder and said,
"Haha, that girl from the Nalan Family really didn't know what she was looking at."
"She actually looked down on our third brother. She's the one with the shortsighted eyes."
"Mr. Yao has a real eye for talent. Little Yanzi's future achievements will be limitless!"
Jia Xing Tian looked at Yao Chen and said,
"Mr. Yao, when I heard you'd come to Shi Mo City, I came all the way from the Imperial City."
"If you need any help anywhere in the Jia Ma Empire,"
"please don't hesitate to ask."
"The Jia Ma Imperial Family will do everything in its power to support you!"
Jia Xing Tian said.
Yao Yue looked at Yao Chen. She truly wanted to become the disciple of a teacher like him.
That way, her Alchemist rank would surely advance faster than it did now.
At that moment, far away in the Black-Corner Region, Han Feng, the Medicine Emperor,
naturally knew nothing of what was happening in the Jia Ma Empire.
Though, to be precise, he was no longer the Medicine Emperor. He was now the Medicine Sect Master.
Not long ago, he had taken from Old Man Yin Gu of the Heavenly Yin Sect
the Sect-Breaking Pill that had been auctioned at the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City.
He had also broken through the Dou Emperor barrier and entered the Dou Zong realm.
This was something Han Feng had dreamed of for a long time, but had never managed to achieve!
With his forces in the Black-Corner Region and his own Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor strength,
taking the pill from Old Man Yin Gu had been no difficult task.
Now that he had finally reached the Dou Zong realm, he was extremely satisfied.
But before Han Feng killed Old Man Yin Gu, he learned some important information from him.
"Mr. Yao? Wutan City? An alchemist capable of refining Rank 6 or higher pills?"
Hearing this important information, Han Feng's expression immediately turned grave.
Those key words, taken together—
the more he heard them, the more they sounded like that old bastard Yao Chen.
Han Feng's expression suddenly darkened.
Could the alchemist in Wutan City who could refine Rank 6 or higher pills
be his teacher, Yao Chen?
That was impossible. That old bastard Yao Chen had clearly been killed by him.
He couldn't possibly have come back from the dead.
And yet the crucial information Old Man Yin Gu had given him before dying
all sounded exactly like that old bastard Yao Chen!
Han Feng's expression was grave.
"Could it be that old bastard Yao Chen didn't die?"
"Given his talent in alchemy, his soul power must be extraordinarily strong."
"Could he have survived as a soul, barely clinging to life?"
"Could he be in the Jia Ma Empire now? In Wutan City?"
"If that's the case, I'll definitely go there."
"If that old bastard Yao Chen is still alive, I, Han Feng, must get the complete version of the Flame Mantra!"