The Tree May Desire Stillness, but the Wind Will Not Cease

Following Wu Yan's gaze, Xiao Yan raised his hand. "This ring is a keepsake my mother left me. I've worn it for a long time, and nothing ever went wrong."

Though he said that, Xiao Yan still obediently removed the black ring from his hand.

This man was a legendary figure of the Jia Ma Empire. Surely what he said could not be wrong?

With that in mind, Xiao Yan handed the ring to Wu Yan and entered a cultivation state.

A quarter of an hour later, Xiao Yan sensed that the strand of Dou Qi he had just cultivated was still there. He was instantly overjoyed, unable to hide his delight.

"My strange illness is really cured!"

Clenching his fist, Xiao Yan excitedly leaped down from the bed.

When he saw Wu Yan and Gu Xun'er sitting quietly to one side, Xiao Yan immediately shut his mouth and cautiously moved closer.

Blinking, Xiao Yan stared at the two silent figures in complete confusion.

What were these two doing?

Wu Yan raised a hand and condensed a blue droplet that radiated the aura of life.

Using Spatial Power, he suspended the black ring in the air and slowly brought it closer to the droplet of life.

The next moment, Wu Yan narrowed his eyes and pushed the black ring away.

"Senior, are you still going to keep pretending?"

No matter how well he had concealed himself, he ultimately could not resist when faced with that droplet of life so close at hand.

Besides, Wu Yan's perception was not something an ordinary Dou Zong could compare to.

"Hehe..."

An aged chuckle rang through the room as a somewhat illusory elderly figure drifted out from the black ring.

"Little friend, your perception truly is sharp. This old man merely swallowed some saliva, that was all~"

The old man's face carried traces of helplessness and surprise. He had not expected his luck to be so good that, upon awakening, he would encounter someone who had been rare even in his lifetime.

At that moment, the victim himself—Xiao Yan—wore an utterly twisted expression.

If others had not been present, he would have started cursing on the spot.

"Senior's soul power far surpasses mine. You should not be an unknown figure, correct?"

Wu Yan calmly watched the somewhat illusory old man, thoughts churning in his heart.

Even at this time, Wu Yan did not forget to raise the little rich girl's favorability. He shifted slightly, vaguely placing himself in front of her in protection.

Feeling Wu Yan's silent protection, young Gu Xun'er's little heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Yao Chen took in the actions of the three youngsters, and the movements of the two Dou Emperors outside the door did not escape his perception either.

"This old man has died once already. There is nothing I cannot speak of. My name is Yao Chen. Perhaps you have not heard that name, but friends across the continent have shown me some respect and given me another title—Venerable Yao."

"Venerable Yao—Yao Chen. An Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmaster and the master of Starfall Pavilion. It is said that he died when his cauldron exploded while refining pills."

Wu Yan repeated the gossip he had heard from Cao Ping, the corners of his lips curling upward. "It seems the truth was likely not so simple."

"Little friend's information is quite well-informed..."

Yao Chen smiled bitterly, unwilling to uncover the scars buried deep in his heart.

"I heard a friend mention you before. He is also an Alchemist, and he regards you as his goal."

"Hehe, what does an old man like me still have..."

Yao Chen shook his head, and the atmosphere fell quiet for a moment.

After several seconds of silence, Wu Yan first glanced at Gu Xun'er, then at Xiao Yan.

"Senior, how do you intend to compensate this child?"

Though it had only been half a year, it had already caused Xiao Yan immense emotional trauma.

Yao Chen had long made plans for this, but he still pretended to deliberate for a while.

"This old man's alchemy skills are still passable on the continent, and this boy's talent is barely acceptable."

Hearing this, Wu Yan said nothing and instead looked at Gu Xun'er beside him.

Seeing Wu Yan's gaze, Gu Xun'er turned to Xiao Yan.

"Brother Xiao Yan, what do you think?"

"..."

At this moment, Xiao Yan could barely hear what these people were saying.

He only knew that Wu Yan had just said the words "Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmaster"!

Pill King Gu He was merely a sixth-rank Alchemist, yet his fame already shook the Jia Ma Empire.

This man was an Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmaster. Just how great a figure was he?

"...It seems Brother Xiao Yan is very willing to accept Senior Yao Chen's guidance."

Gu Xun'er fell silent for a moment. Looking at Xiao Yan's stunned expression, silence spoke louder than words.

Wu Yan withdrew the droplet and tossed it into Gu Xun'er's bracelet.

As for Yao Chen's eager gaze, hehe, sorry, he had not seen it~

An Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmaster was indeed an important figure, but what did that have to do with Wu Yan?

More importantly, in Yao Chen's current state, refining even a high-grade sixth-rank pill would be a life-or-death struggle. Who would count on him?

Forget it. With that time, it would be better to ask Cao Ping directly. Compared to him, the Cao Clan, which had multiple Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmasters capable of refining eighth-rank pills, was more qualified to receive Wu Yan's goodwill.

If that old man had been attached to Gu Xun'er, Wu Yan would have given it to him, because that would also raise Gu Xun'er's favorability.

But the problem was that Yao Chen was attached to Xiao Yan.

He was not familiar with Xiao Yan; they had only just met for the first time. If Gu Xun'er, that little rich girl, had not asked him to intervene, he would not have bothered with Xiao Yan at all.

With that time, would it not be better to hold Ya Fei under the moonlight or cultivate quietly than to look at this kid who was not even a Dou Zhe?

The Spatial Barrier was lifted, and Wu Yan brought Gu Xun'er back to her small courtyard.

"The matter has been handled. I will leave first. If Miss Xun'er has any business, you may contact me as you did this time."

"Mr. Yan, take care."

"Mm."

As his voice faded, faint spatial ripples slowly surged and subsided where Wu Yan's figure had vanished.

Gu Xun'er looked at the courtyard, which seemed to have become empty in an instant. For a moment, she felt at a loss, even somewhat reluctant to part with him.

They had clearly only spent a few hours together, yet it felt as though they had known each other for many years.

Perhaps even Wu Yan had not realized that Gu Xun'er was only eleven years old at the time, and her mentality was still far less mature than an adult's.

Her background and discernment had indeed granted her insight far beyond that of her peers, but she was still only an eleven-year-old girl on the verge of adolescence.

When an overwhelmingly dazzling member of the opposite sex entered her life, spending only a short time with her yet constantly considering her feelings—

To a girl about to enter adolescence, that was an incomparably deadly poison.

"Ah..."

With a soft sigh, Gu Xun'er touched the bracelet around her wrist. A cool aura surged up her arm, soothing the turbulent sea within her.

Returning to her room, she sat cross-legged and entered a cultivation state.

Beneath the calm sea, undercurrents still flowed, leaving deep marks upon the ocean floor.