Reunion with an Old Acquaintance

As soon as Su Zhang finished speaking, a trace of confusion flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes. His expression gradually darkened, and Dou Qi began to gather within him.

Yao Lao had always been his greatest trump card. Now that Su Zhang had exposed it with a single remark, and it was still unclear whether Su Zhang was friend or foe, Xiao Yan could not afford to take him lightly.

Su Zhang seemed oblivious to Xiao Yan's change. He took a box from his Storage Ring. Inside was a slightly yellowed booklet. The moment he took it out, Su Zhang's expression became exceptionally solemn. Though the booklet had yellowed somewhat, Xiao Yan could tell that Su Zhang had preserved it with great care.

"This is the alchemy experience bestowed upon me by the Venerable. Everything I have today came from the Venerable's guidance."

Yao Chen, in his soul form, emerged from the ring. As he looked at Su Zhang, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, though he was even more puzzled.

"Who are you?"

The instant Su Zhang saw Yao Lao, tears welled up in his eyes. He slowly knelt to the ground, his voice trembling as he said, "Venerable, Su Zhang has finally seen you again. Back when you advanced to become a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, your name had already spread throughout the Central Plains, while Su Zhang was merely a young attendant in the Pill Tower. When you advanced to the seventh grade, the attendant serving at your side was Su Zhang."

Su Zhang choked back a sob and wiped the tears from his face, utterly unconcerned with his appearance as he continued, "After you successfully advanced, you gave these notes to Su Zhang and said that I should not remain in the Pill Tower all my life, wasting my talent. Since then, Su Zhang practiced diligently and only achieved what I have today because of you. Everything Su Zhang has was bestowed by the Venerable."

Only then did Yao Lao understand, and memories of the past flooded back. He had been too excited after advancing to the seventh grade. Seeing that Su Zhang, who stood nearby, possessed rather good soul strength, he had given him his notes from when he had entered the sixth grade. He had never expected Su Zhang to truly treat that booklet as sacred doctrine, much less that they would meet again today in Tianlan City.

"I never expected a casual act from back then to produce an alchemy master. There is no need to dwell on it too much. What you have achieved today still depends on your own efforts." Yao Lao waved a hand.

Su Zhang finally stopped crying. Looking at Yao Lao's soul form, he said, "Why have you become like this, Venerable? I once returned to the Central Plains, where rumors were everywhere that you had already passed away. Su Zhang thought he would never see you again."

"Alas." Yao Lao let out a long sigh. The better Su Zhang treated him now, the more he regretted having misjudged Han Feng and been killed by him in collusion with the Soul Hall.

"It is a long story. I suppose this was simply a calamity I was destined to face." Yao Lao's eyes dimmed somewhat.

Seeing Yao Lao like this, Xiao Yan knew that he was thinking of Han Feng again. His teacher had been deeply hurt by Han Feng. After capturing Han Feng, Yao Lao had also spoken with Xiao Yan about the past.

I still need to become stronger and revive Teacher as soon as possible, Xiao Yan thought to himself.

"Since the Venerable has come to Tianlan City, please move into the Echo Sect. It would allow Su Zhang to express a little of his gratitude to you," Su Zhang continued.

"There is no need. I have already become like this; external conditions no longer matter to me." Yao Lao continued, "Did you refine the Imperial Extreme Pills at the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion?"

Yao Lao paid particular attention to matters concerning alchemists. Thus, after seeing them once, he had remembered the three pills on the counter and their maker.

A trace of a student's embarrassment appeared on Su Zhang's face as he faced his teacher. "In reply to the Venerable, I refined them. Su Zhang is ashamed. It has been seven years since I advanced to the sixth grade, yet I have never found the way to advance further."

"Alchemy lies in both the heart and the spirit. From the pills you refined, I can see that your control of heat is quite precise, and your refinement of medicinal ingredients is also clean and decisive. You must have spent considerable time honing yourself. However, your divided-focus control still has flaws. By the stage of condensing the pill, your Dou Qi is slightly insufficient. Although we alchemists do not regard Dou Qi as the foremost priority, sufficient cultivation is still essential to advance to the seventh grade." Yao Lao precisely pointed out Su Zhang's shortcomings.

Upon hearing this, Su Zhang slowly fell into deep thought. He had been stuck as a Sixth-Grade Alchemist for a long time mainly because Yao Lao's notes only went as far as the sixth grade. He had studied them again and again without ever understanding the answer. Now that Yao Lao had pointed out his inadequacies, Su Zhang immediately recognized his own flaws.

"Let's go outside first," Yao Lao said. "He has been stuck at the sixth grade for many years, likely because he never completely understood it. After my reminder just now, it will probably take him a few days to fully grasp this insight."

Xiao Yan then slowly walked outside and closed the door behind him.

Yang Yue had been guarding the door the entire time. Seeing Xiao Yan emerge, he was startled. His gaze lingered on Xiao Yan as he asked, "My old friend is all right, isn't he?"

"Master Su has gained some new insight. I'm afraid he will not be coming out anytime soon," Xiao Yan answered truthfully.

Yang Yue nodded. Though he had no idea what had happened inside, the instant the door opened, he knew that his old friend was not only unharmed but had indeed gained some new insight.

The more this was the case, the more complicated Yang Yue's gaze became as he looked at Xiao Yan. When he had first seen Xiao Yan arrive at the Heavenly Snake Mansion with the cultivation of a Dou Emperor, he had assumed Xiao Yan was merely someone who relied on his strength to act with Tyranny.

"I originally thought Qing Lin's background was simply too tragic, so a little kindness was enough to make her unable to leave your side. I never expected that you truly were capable of giving people surprises."

Xiao Yan chuckled softly. Neither he nor Yao Lao had expected what happened with Su Zhang. Yao Lao was easygoing by nature and was willing to offer guidance whenever he encountered good talent. As for Qing Lin, it was entirely due to her circumstances. Only Xiao Yan himself knew how difficult those years of being treated as trash had been. Seeing Qing Lin suffer abuse for no reason just as he had, he naturally wished to help her.

"You flatter me, Mansion Master Yang."

"Flatter you?" Yang Yue shook his head. "You are definitely not yet twenty, but you are already a Dou Emperor capable of dominating an entire region, as well as a top alchemy master capable of refining sixth-grade pills. No amount of praise for you would be excessive."

"It was only luck," Xiao Yan replied. Everyone could see only his boundless glory, but how many could understand the hardship behind it?

"Actually, reason tells me that I should let you take Qing Lin away. If she follows you, the height Qing Lin could reach in the future is likely beyond anything I can imagine."

Though Yang Yue said this, Xiao Yan's expression did not change. He knew that when someone spoke like this, the important part usually came afterward.

"But Qing Lin is also of extraordinary significance to the Heavenly Snake Mansion. Even if one searched the entire continent, one might not find a second person with the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Besides, she is still so young."

"So what does Mansion Master Yang mean?"

"Wait until my old friend awakens. Then I will give you my answer."

Xiao Yan nodded as well. Qing Lin presumably would not suffer any mistreatment here, but he understood the importance of freedom. If Qing Lin wished to follow him, Xiao Yan would not refuse. Though the Heavenly Snake Mansion was no ordinary force, Xiao Yan did not hesitate.