If I Must Be a Phoenix's Tail, I Shall Perish with the Phoenix

"Wait, Third Brother, there's one more small matter." Xiao Yan hurriedly grabbed Xiao Meng and smiled sheepishly.

Xiao Meng felt terrible all over. This guy was really pushing his luck.

"Fourth Brother, I was only being polite. You actually took it seriously?"

Xiao Meng said with a dark expression. "Acting like this will get you beaten up someday, you know?"

Xiao Yan gave an awkward smile. "Third Brother, it's only a small matter."

"Spit it out. Your brother's time is precious," Xiao Meng said, feeling rather vexed. He decided never to exchange pleasantries with this guy again. Look how spoiled he had become—he did not even know how to behave anymore.

"Master needs to refine a Fourth-Grade Pill for me, which will consume a great deal of Soul Force. About that Soul-Nourishing Wood..." Although Xiao Meng had not mentioned the Soul-Nourishing Wood just now, Xiao Yan knew he had merely forgotten about it for the moment. Once he remembered, he would definitely come knocking to demand it back, and might even beat him senseless.

So Xiao Yan decided to bring it up first. That way, he would have a much better chance of keeping the Soul-Nourishing Wood, and he could also avoid a beating.

"Forget it. It's just a worthless piece of wood. Consider it my good deed for the day—give it to that old beggar," Xiao Meng sighed, waving his hand.

Xiao Meng's reaction caught Xiao Yan completely off guard.

"Brat, watch your mouth! Who are you calling a beggar?" Yao Lao protested from inside the ring. He transformed into a tiny soul figure about a foot tall and flew out, glaring furiously at Xiao Meng.

He was a dignified ninth-grade alchemist, yet someone had mistaken him for a beggar. He was probably the first in all of history. If those old monsters found out, they would laugh their teeth out.

Xiao Meng glanced sideways at him. "If you're not a beggar, then take out something to exchange for the Soul-Nourishing Wood. Otherwise, return it to me."

Then he snorted. "You old bastard, you're shameless. I kindly lent you the Soul-Nourishing Wood to restore your Soul Force, yet you want to keep it for yourself. Let me ask you this: do you have any conscience left?"

"You infuriate me, brat! Name your price. There are not many things in this world that I cannot afford," Yao Chen nearly went mad.

"Then give me the Bone Spirit Cold Flame," Xiao Meng said casually, staring at Yao Lao with a teasing look.

Yao Lao froze for a moment before crying out, "Brat, how do you know I possess the Bone Spirit Cold Flame?"

Xiao Yan was equally shocked. Xiao Meng was far too mysterious. How did he know everything?

Xiao Meng looked completely at ease as he said calmly, "I know the past and see the future. What's so surprising about that?"

"The Bone Spirit Cold Flame ranks eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. This Heavenly Flame can only be encountered once every hundred years, when the sun and moon alternate, in places of extreme cold and extreme yin. Back then, to obtain the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, you spent eight years in that sunless hellhole known as the Fallen God Icefield. And when you finally absorbed it, you nearly got burned to ashes by the Bone Spirit Cold Flame..."

Xiao Meng recounted the entire process and location of how Yao Lao had obtained the Bone Spirit Cold Flame as though he knew them by heart.

"You... you... how do you know all this?" Yao Lao's expression changed drastically. He staggered back several steps as if he had seen a ghost, scarcely believing his own ears.

Many things that had happened on the Fallen God Icefield were known only to him and two others. One was his friend Feng Xian, while the other was a woman named Han Shanshan.

"I merely calculated it on my fingers." Xiao Meng smiled faintly.

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes, looking at Xiao Meng's arms crossed over his chest as he timidly said, "Third Brother, you haven't even counted on your fingers yet."

Xiao Meng: "..."

"Is that the point?" Xiao Meng shot Xiao Yan a fierce glare and could not be bothered with him.

"Brat, how do you know these things? Who exactly told you?" Yao Chen took a deep breath and stared fixedly at Xiao Meng as he asked in a low voice.

Xiao Meng curled his lip. "I already told you. I know the past and see the future."

Yao Lao did not believe him at all and continued staring at him.

"Old Yao, don't brag in front of me next time. There are plenty of things in this world that you can't afford."

Xiao Meng snorted. "You dare show off in front of me? I'll beat you until you're black and blue, got it?"

With that, Xiao Meng swaggered away with an exaggerated gait. His posture was so arrogant that it made people want to punch him to death.

"Oh, right. Let me tell you something else—Han Feng is in the Black-Corner Region." Xiao Meng had only taken two steps before suddenly turning around to look at Yao Chen.

The moment Xiao Meng said this, the foot-tall Yao Chen abruptly grew to the size of a normal person. His body trembled violently, and pale-white flames burst from his pupils, causing the temperature of the world to plummet dozens of times over.

"Teacher, what's wrong?" Xiao Yan's expression changed dramatically at Yao Lao's sudden transformation. He could sense intense hatred and killing intent.

"Han Feng is really in the Black-Corner Region?" Hearing Xiao Yan's voice, Yao Lao quickly controlled his emotions, and his voice became calm. Yet Xiao Meng knew that behind that calmness lay a heaven-shaking storm of suppressed hatred.

"Absolutely."

Xiao Meng nodded and added, "One of your good friends has been searching for your whereabouts. Afraid of being found, Han Feng hid in the Black-Corner Region. That bastard even gave himself the title of Medicine Emperor."

"Teacher, who is this Han Feng?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.

Xiao Meng smiled and spoke first. "By seniority, you should call him Senior Brother."

"I do not have such a traitorous disciple, so Xiao Yan does not need to call him Senior Brother!" Yao Lao nearly roared.

"Old Yao, you're already so old. Why are you getting so worked up?"

Xiao Meng rolled his eyes. "Xiao Yan has inherited your teachings now, so let him handle the matter of cleaning house. Is it worth getting angry over a heartless wretch? Be careful not to hurt yourself with anger. It isn't worth it."

"Fourth Brother, your teacher ended up like this because of that so-called Senior Brother of yours," Xiao Meng then said to Xiao Yan.

"What? Teacher was harmed into this state by Han Feng?" Anger spread across Xiao Yan's face. How could a disciple harm his own master?

"Teacher, don't worry. If I ever encounter that beast, I'll definitely kill him for you," Xiao Yan said through gritted teeth, clenching his fists tightly.

"Fourth Brother, Han Feng is currently a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, as well as a sixth-grade alchemist. There are countless powerful experts around him," Xiao Meng said, giving Xiao Yan a strange look.

Xiao Yan instantly stood there dumbfounded. A Nine-Star Dou Emperor? A sixth-grade alchemist?

"No matter how high his cultivation is or how skilled his alchemy may be, one day I will personally clean house for Master," Xiao Yan said solemnly after recovering his senses.

However, Xiao Meng, who was intently watching the system screen, was completely bewildered. Why had the system not rewarded him with fishing attempts yet?

Xiao Meng's face darkened slightly. "Are teacher-student relationships really this tense nowadays?"

"Han Feng, a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, a sixth-grade alchemist, with countless powerful experts around him..."

Damn it, just listening to that almost scared even Xiao Meng senseless. How could it not provoke Xiao Yan? Was Xiao Yan seriously just talking nonsense with a straight face? If he had meant it sincerely, two fishing attempts would have been guaranteed.

Having gained nothing, Xiao Meng stormed off angrily. He had wasted so much breath yet received nothing in return. The thought made him annoyed.

"System, why didn't you give me any fishing attempts? Did I really fail to provoke Xiao Yan just now?" Xiao Meng was in a foul mood as he walked along.

The system responded.

Ding! Frequent provocation has minimal effect and does not meet the requirements for rewarding fishing attempts.

Xiao Meng: "..."

"What do you mean, frequent provocation? It has been nearly two months since I last provoked him. You call that frequent?" Xiao Meng protested.

Ding! As the... first... supporting character, Xiao Yan possesses a strong drive to improve. Even without provocation, he will work very hard. Your previous provocation has already pushed his drive to improve to its peak.

"Wait, explain what those two ellipses mean first!"

Xiao Meng raged, "System, are you fucking fooling me? Am I really the protagonist?"

Ding! You are the true protagonist.

Xiao Meng did not buy it at all. With his eyes practically splitting from rage, he roared, "If I'm the protagonist, then why did you sound so reluctant when you mentioned Xiao Yan's role? I may have only finished high school, but I understand what those two ellipses mean. Don't even think about fooling me!"

System: "..."

"System, tell me honestly—which one of us, Xiao Yan or me, is the protagonist?"

Xiao Meng took a deep breath and said pleasantly, "Just tell me. As long as you speak the truth, no matter what the answer is, I'll gladly accept it."

"However, I, Xiao Meng, have one bad habit: I would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix."

Xiao Meng then said with a cheerful smile, "If I must be a phoenix's tail, I shall perish with the phoenix."

System: "..."

Ding! You are the protagonist.