Yao Chen, the Great Smooth Talker

Yao Chen, the Great Smooth Talker

Xiao family, rear mountain.

Having fled from the family estate, Xiao Yan still had lingering fear in his eyes. He had never expected those people to go so crazy.

After Yang Chen and Nalan Yanran left, the Xiao clan members had all gone mad, crowding around him and scrambling to cozy up to him, hoping he would help them ask for a medicinal pill.

"Those people are truly insane. But an alchemist's influence really is terrifying!"

Recalling what had just happened, Xiao Yan could not help but marvel, his tone carrying a hint of envy. If he could become an alchemist too, then the people in the family would have to show him some respect even without his uncle backing him.

"Hehe, little fellow, do you want to become an alchemist?"

Suddenly, an aged voice drifted eerily into Xiao Yan's ear, startling him badly. He looked around, yet found no one in sight. Just then, the aged voice sounded again.

"Little fellow, stop looking. Lower your head and look at your hand."

Prompted by the voice, Xiao Yan lowered his head and examined his hand. His gaze suddenly stopped on the pitch-black storage ring, and his pupils shrank sharply. An aged figure slowly floated out of the black storage ring.

"Whew, I was suffocating in there. I nearly got discovered by that guy yesterday."

Yao Chen truly deserved to be an old fox who had lived for who knew how many years. His act had not a single flaw, completely fooling Xiao Yan into believing that Yang Chen had never noticed Yao Chen's existence.

"Yesterday? You mean my uncle?"

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, his face gaining a trace of astonishment. He had not expected this mysterious old man to be so unfathomable that even his uncle had failed to see through him.

"Yes, that guy. What a pity he has already reached the Dou Wang realm. Otherwise, this old man would definitely have taken him as a disciple. How could it possibly have been your turn, brat?"

That was not entirely false. With Yang Chen's talent, how many people in the world would not want to take him as a disciple? Even those Dou Saint-level old monsters in the Pill Tower would be tempted if they learned of it.

But in Xiao Yan's ears, it took on an entirely different meaning.

Looking at the unfathomable old man before him, Xiao Yan even overlooked the possibility that this man, who had been by his side all along, might be the true culprit behind the absorption of his Dou Qi. Instead, he was stunned by the old man's strength.

"Then, Senior, are you stronger than my uncle?"

"Cough, cough. When this old man roamed the continent, your uncle was still who knows how many years away from being born."

Yao Chen gave a dry cough, his face calm and his heart unflustered as he played a word game with Xiao Yan. But Xiao Yan was in no mood to think that deeply. Seeing that such a top-tier expert wished to take him as a disciple, he was naturally overjoyed.

Xiao Yan did not doubt Yao Chen's words. After all, Yao Chen had said that even his uncle had not noticed him, and when his uncle returned the ring to him today, he had not said anything either. Clearly, he did not know of Yao Chen's existence.

With that first impression already planted, Xiao Yan naturally believed Yao Chen.

"Then, Senior, does that mean I can become your disciple? But my talent..."

"Brat, if your talent were too poor, would this old man have shown himself? After receiving your offerings for three years, I suppose I owe you a favor. I shall reluctantly take you as my disciple."

Yao Chen spoke with a pretentious air. His bearing as an expert completely bluffed Xiao Yan. Even after learning that Yao Chen had absorbed his Dou Qi for three years, Xiao Yan was no longer all that furious. He was merely surprised, then complained with a mixture of indignation and helplessness.

"So it was you, Senior, who absorbed my Dou Qi and made me suffer three years of scorn."

"But over these three years, your temperament has matured greatly as well, has it not? Otherwise, with your uncle's proud temperament, would he value you so highly?"

Yao Chen said with a chuckle, then abruptly changed the subject and did not dwell on the matter. After all, he was in the wrong.

"Besides, once you become this old man's disciple, could I possibly hide anything from my final disciple? Naturally, I will devote all my effort to nurturing you."

He certainly would not hold anything back. Yao Chen had originally intended for Xiao Yan to inherit his legacy. As for devoting all his effort... hehe, that would not require this teacher to worry about it.

Someone else was putting in great effort to train Xiao Yan, while he got an heir for free. This time, Yao Chen had hit the jackpot!

"You just mentioned becoming an alchemist..."

Seeing how quickly Xiao Yan had caught on, Yao Chen secretly nodded. It had to be said that after three years of tempering, Xiao Yan had indeed become far more composed.

"Since your teacher dared to bring it up, you naturally meet the requirements."

"Then is your alchemy better than my uncle's?"

Xiao Yan's eyes rolled as he spoke with a trace of slyness, like a little fox. He made Yao Chen so angry that the old man could only snort coldly.

"Hmph. This old man is the continent's number one alchemist. Do you think that reputation is undeserved?"

There was no way Yao Chen dared claim that his alchemy could surpass that monster's.

At his peak, Yao Chen would even have dared boast that Yang Chen could use one hand and still be better than him at alchemy. But now, with only his soul remaining, although his alchemy had grown more refined, that monster simply could not be judged by ordinary standards. His talent was utterly absurd.

Who would believe that someone could take a fourth-tier pill formula they had only just obtained and directly refine a pill with pill patterns? When Yao Chen saw it last night, he truly began to doubt his life. He felt that all the pills he had refined in his life had been refined for nothing.

Otherwise, with Yao Chen's pride, why would he resort to such rhetoric to deceive an inexperienced little fellow like Xiao Yan?

"Teacher, please accept this disciple's bow!"

Xiao Yan was decisive. He immediately bowed down in worship. After all, he could not rely on his uncle forever, could he? Now that there was a teacher willing to guide him, it was naturally an excellent thing. Once he cultivated to his teacher's level in the future, he could repay his uncle as well.

"Mm, rise."

Only after Xiao Yan had completed the ceremony did Yao Chen allow him to rise. His gaze toward Xiao Yan had also gained a touch of warmth as he said softly,

"My surname is Yao. You may call me Old Yao from now on. As for what I just told you, before your strength reaches the Dou Wang realm, you must never reveal my origins to anyone!"

"Not even my uncle?"

For some reason, although they had only known each other for a short time, Xiao Yan's trust in his uncle was already second only to that of his closest relatives.

"You must not reveal a single word to him about becoming my disciple. Otherwise, he will surely guess my origins. When that happens, it will only bring endless trouble to both you and your uncle."

Yao Chen's stern expression directly frightened Xiao Yan, who hurriedly nodded solemnly.

Who knew what Xiao Yan would think when he learned that, before meeting Old Yao, his uncle had already spoken with him?