Relationship Changes

"Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan, where are my pills?" Zi Yan had come to Xiao Yan's room early in the morning, looking at him expectantly.

"You really are punctual." Xiao Yan looked helpless. He had agreed with Zi Yan that she would come to him for pills an hour after sunrise every day, but the moment the time came, no matter where he was, Zi Yan would stare at him with those big eyes.

"Here, here, here." He placed five pills in Zi Yan's hand, then took out another pill. After hesitating for a long while, he handed it to her as well.

"Here. This is a sixth-tier pill. Its effects are powerful, so be careful."

The moment Zi Yan saw the pill, her eyes went wide. She wiped away nonexistent drool and grabbed the pill in her hand. "At least you've got a bit of a conscience. Hehe."

"Dear lady, you haven't exactly eaten little of the good stuff. Five pills every day—I'm practically your personal alchemist."

"How is that true?" Zi Yan puffed up her cheeks angrily. "You took all the good things. I haven't even eaten a tenth of what you have, yet you keep saying that Heavenly Snake Mansion can't find medicinal herbs and that you want to cut down my daily pills."

As she grew more emotional, a mist of tears appeared in Zi Yan's eyes. It almost made Xiao Yan feel a little sorry for her—if not for the fact that he saw the ground beneath her feet had already been crushed to pieces.

"Hmph, I'm going to play with Sister Xun Er." Everyone naturally liked Xun Er's temperament, and Xun Er herself was very fond of Zi Yan, so the two of them had begun spending every day together, leaving Xiao Yan out instead.

Xiao Yan had not even enjoyed a minute of peace before an even more terrifying voice rang out.

"Brother Xiao Yan." Xu Yingwu's voice drifted over, and Xiao Yan could only smile bitterly.

If anyone was more troublesome than Zi Yan, it was definitely Xu Yingwu. Zi Yan would leave as soon as she got her pills, but Xu Yingwu could cling to him for an entire day. Ever since Xu Yingwu had seen Xiao Yan refine pills, he came to seek advice on alchemy problems every day. His questions were not something that could be answered casually, so they often took up most of the day. Although Xiao Yan could also gain much from Yao Lao's answers, it still was not as satisfying as learning on his own.

"Brother Xiao Yan, I encountered several problems while refining pills yesterday. I hope Brother Xiao Yan can enlighten me without reservation."

"Of course, of course," Xiao Yan replied with a bitter smile.

But before Xu Yingwu could ask his questions, Xiao Yan and Xu Yingwu both noticed that the Dou Qi in this stretch of heaven and earth had suddenly grown thin, as though it had been drained away, rushing toward Su Zhang's room.

Xu Yingwu said joyfully, "Is Teacher coming out of seclusion?"

"It has been ten days. Is it finally over?" Xiao Yan muttered to himself.

After the Dou Qi gathered, another quarter of an hour passed before a powerful aura surged out from the room.

"Hahaha, I've finally taken this step!"

"Six-star Dou Zong?" Xiao Yan sensed the powerful aura Su Zhang was giving off. The increase in Dou Qi was secondary; more importantly, Xiao Yan could feel that Su Zhang's soul power had become pure and vast. For an alchemist, soul power was the foundation of one's standing. Su Zhang had gained greatly from this moment of enlightenment. Becoming a seventh-tier alchemist would surely follow naturally.

"Congratulations, Teacher, on successfully advancing." Xu Yingwu bowed.

Su Zhang looked at Xu Yingwu and Xiao Yan standing outside the door, his heart filled with emotion. Then he said to Xu Yingwu, "Yingwu, wait outside for a while. I have something to discuss with little friend Xiao Yan."

With that, Su Zhang pulled Xiao Yan into the room, leaving the bewildered Xu Yingwu watching Xiao Yan get dragged away.

Xu Yingwu paced outside the door twice, then struck his fist into his palm. His bewilderment turned into a look of firm resolve. "That's it. Teacher probably meant that I still come to Brother Xiao Yan too late. Teacher was reminding me that I should seek guidance as early as possible. That must be it. Looks like tomorrow, I can't wait until dawn."

Xiao Yan had no idea how much trouble Su Zhang's casual action would cause him, because he once again saw Su Zhang crying like a child.

"Venerable One, Su Zhang has once again received your teachings. Even death could not repay the debt of gratitude I owe you."

Yao Lao looked at the emotional Su Zhang with a sigh. He had not expected him to be such a man of feeling.

"You studied my records and forged your own path in alchemy. That counts as inheriting my legacy. Su Zhang, in this life, I have had only one disciple—Xiao Yan." Yao Lao paused here. Only Xiao Yan knew how important Han Feng had been to Yao Lao, and how much regret Yao Lao still carried.

"Are you willing to take me as your master?" Yao Lao asked solemnly.

Su Zhang was stunned at first, then his face filled with wild delight. He kowtowed and said, "This disciple, Su Zhang, pays respects to Teacher!"

It could be said that Yao Lao had completely changed Su Zhang's fate. The Pill Tower had good reason for choosing him; he was exceptionally sensitive to medicinal herbs, or he would not have been selected as an alchemy attendant. However, he severely lacked creativity, which was why the Pill Tower had not devoted great effort to training him. Yao Lao's appearance had completely shown him a clear path. Thus, even after several decades, he still held boundless gratitude and admiration for Yao Lao. For Yao Lao to agree to accept him as a disciple now was something he had never even dared dream of.

"You obtained my notes first, so you may be considered to have entered the sect before him. From now on, Xiao Yan will have to call you Senior Brother."

Although there was technically something improper about Yao Lao doing this, given Su Zhang's age, Xiao Yan accepted it as only natural.

"Senior Brother." Xiao Yan bowed to Su Zhang.

Su Zhang's face was full of smiles. "Junior Brother, there's no need for such formality. This is Sappanwood Spirit Jade. Wearing it can strengthen the wood attribute and raise your pill-forming success rate. Consider it a meeting gift between us."

The moment Sappanwood Spirit Jade fell into Xiao Yan's hands, he felt the dense wood-attributed energy, as though it were erupting from a wellspring. Every alchemist possessed a fire attribute with a trace of wood attribute, but fire was ultimately dominant. It was common for insufficient wood attribute to affect pill formation. With this jade, Xiao Yan would almost never have to worry about wood attribute problems again.

"Senior Brother, this is too valuable. I can't accept it," Xiao Yan said sincerely.

"Hey, if your Senior Brother gives it to you, accept it. You and Teacher have suffered so much, and if you won't even let your Senior Brother show something for it, this guilt of mine may weigh on me for the rest of my life."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. "Then many thanks, Senior Brother."

Su Zhang pushed open the door and called to Xu Yingwu, who was waiting outside, "Yingwu, come here quickly. From now on, Xiao Yan is your Martial Uncle. Hurry and pay your respects."

"Huh?" Xu Yingwu scratched his head in confusion. He clearly remembered that things had not been like this just moments ago.

But a master's order could not be disobeyed, so Xu Yingwu respectfully said, "Xu Yingwu pays respects to Martial Uncle."

Xiao Yan also looked helpless. "Brother Xu, from now on, we'll address each other as we see fit. You can call me Martial Uncle, and I'll call you Brother Yingwu."