Apprenticing Under Yao Lao, Reward: Peerless Comprehension

"Hehe, strength... Without strength, you're not even worth dog shit. At least no one dares step on dog shit!"

Xiao Yan slammed a fist into the boulder beneath him. The force was so great that blood splattered, and his grief-stricken, indignant voice echoed through the valley.

[Ding! Host has harmed Xiao Yan. Determined to weaken Xiao Yan's level by 0.1 star.]

[Random reward: Right fist strength +1.]

Xiao Yan: ...

This worked too? Wasn't this just making him hurt himself?

"Hehe, little fellow, do you need strength? Do you long to become powerful?"

At that moment, an old, strange laugh sounded beside him.

Xiao Yan abruptly turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping behind him. There was nothing there, only wild grass rising and falling in the wind.

"Hehe, stop looking. I'm on your finger."

The strange voice rang out again, coming from the storage ring on his right hand.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan calmly said:

"Although I don't know who you are or how you came to be inside my ring, since you have appeared, Senior, please show yourself."

"Not bad composure, little fellow. It seems those three years of setbacks have tempered your mind."

The old voice seemed quite pleased with Xiao Yan. Then, a shadow emerged from the ring and condensed in the air into a translucent figure.

Looking at Yao Lao's soul form, Xiao Yan revealed a look of "surprise."

"Senior, you're actually in a soul state. As far as I know, only souls that have reached the Spirit State can take form and remain intact for a long time."

Yao Lao also cried out in surprise. "I didn't expect a little fellow like you to have such knowledge. You've given me quite a pleasant surprise."

Xiao Yan's thoughts raced, and he deliberately pondered aloud:

"I think I know why my Dou Qi has been disappearing over the past three years."

"It must have been absorbed by you, Senior, to nourish your soul."

Yao Lao used a nonexistent hand to stroke a nonexistent beard. His eyes grew increasingly curious as he looked at the youth before him, and he gave a strange laugh.

"You guessed correctly. Since that's the case, shouldn't you be angry?"

Xiao Yan chuckled. "Since you've revealed yourself, Senior, you must be here to compensate me. Am I right?"

Yao Lao fell silent. He had seen the youth humiliated by having his engagement broken off today and feared that he would become depressed, affecting Yao Lao's grand plans.

That was why he had revealed himself.

Now, however, it seemed the youth's will was even more unyielding than he had imagined.

Still, now that he had appeared, it was certainly no longer possible to hide in the ring and secretly absorb the youth's Dou Qi.

"I am naturally not a heartless and ungrateful person. Since I absorbed your Dou Qi for three years, I will certainly compensate you."

"How about this? I'll teach you a high-level Black Tier Dou Technique."

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. Was he trying to fob off a beggar?

He shook his head and said:

"I only have three stages of Dou Qi. Dou Techniques are too far away to solve my immediate problem."

"I failed to consider that. Still, this is rather troublesome."

Yao Lao pondered, a troubled expression appearing on his face.

Xiao Yan curled his lips inwardly. Hurry up and show your real skills. Take me as your disciple already.

You wanted me to grow stronger so that I could help you refine a body in the future.

I also wanted to complete the system mission and obtain the reward.

Everyone was in a hurry.

Yao Lao descended to the ground and scrutinized Xiao Yan. After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke with great reluctance.

"Do you want to become an alchemist?"

"An alchemist?"

Xiao Yan feigned surprise. "Alchemists hold noble status. Every Dou Zhe wants to become one. But the requirements to become an alchemist are extremely strict... Could it be that I meet them?"

"No, even if I meet the requirements, alchemists are generally taught personally by a master, step by step. Could it be that you are an alchemist?"

Yao Lao had not expected Xiao Yan to be so quick-witted. In the blink of an eye, he had guessed Yao Lao's identity as an alchemist, leaving him quite frustrated.

He stroked his illusory beard and deliberately said, "That's right. I am an alchemist."

"Although you barely qualify, with my guidance, you can become a competent alchemist as well."

Xiao Yan did not expose him and immediately said, "In that case, when will you begin teaching me alchemy?"

"I can't wait!"

Yao Lao rolled his eyes. Just because I absorbed your Dou Qi for three years, you think I'll teach you alchemy so easily? You little punk must be dreaming.

He crossed his legs atop a bluestone and said indifferently:

"If you want me to teach you alchemy, then become my disciple!"

"If you're unwilling, then forget it."

Taking a master was exactly what Xiao Yan wanted.

At once, he pretended to be reluctant, then respectfully performed the disciple ceremony before him.

Only then did Yao Lao nod in satisfaction.

"You should know, disciple, that my name is Yao Lao. As for my origins, I won't tell you for now."

"But you definitely won't lose out by becoming my disciple. Even someone who calls himself the Pill King is nothing more than a small fry in my eyes."

Xiao Yan naturally knew that Yao Lao was not boasting. Yao Lao was the number one alchemist on the Dou Qi Continent. Naturally, Pill King Gu He was not worth his attention.

[Ding! Host has become Yao Lao's disciple. Determined to weaken Xiao Yan's level by 5 stars.]

[Reward: Peerless Comprehension.]

[Peerless Comprehension: Your comprehension is unparalleled. You can learn Dou Techniques and cultivation methods at a glance; understand alchemy and herb gathering with a single hint; and master any knowledge you come into contact with, so long as you wish to learn it, eventually becoming proficient.]

At that moment, the system's voice rang out again, and Xiao Yan could sense the delight in it.

The weakened level had actually reached 5 stars.

Yao Lao was indeed equivalent to a second life for Xiao Yan. Yao Lao had given him the power to reclaim his dignity.

Xiao Yan was also extremely satisfied with the reward.

If he had been a genius before, then from now on, he would be a genius among geniuses—a peerless genius.

Next would be Yao Lao teaching him the Flame Mantra.

The Flame Mantra was absolutely the key to Xiao Yan becoming a Dou Di.

If he obtained the Flame Mantra, weakening Xiao Yan's level would definitely be worth 5 stars as well.

The system's reward would certainly be no less valuable than Peerless Comprehension. It was truly something to look forward to.

Xiao Yan's eyes darted around as he impatiently said:

"Teacher, now that I've become your disciple, when will you teach me alchemy?"

"To become an alchemist, you must possess fire-attributed Dou Qi as support. Therefore, before learning alchemy, you must at least become a Dou Zhe and cultivate a fire-attributed Dou Qi cultivation method!"

"Hehe, Teacher, since I'm your disciple, why don't you give me a Heaven Tier fire-attributed cultivation method to practice?"

Xiao Yan finally revealed his true intentions, smiling as he held out his hand.

"Do you think Heaven Tier cultivation methods are common goods? You just ask for one?"

Yao Lao's face twitched, and even his soul form showed signs of instability. He did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Xiao Yan spread his hands innocently. "What else can I do? The best fire-attributed cultivation method in my Xiao Clan is only high-level Yellow Tier. I don't mind, but I'm afraid that if your old acquaintances find out, it'll embarrass you, Teacher. And that won't be my fault."

Yao Lao rolled his eyes in exasperation at Xiao Yan's shameless manner. He truly did not know whether taking this fellow as his disciple would be a blessing or a curse.

"I don't have a Heaven Tier cultivation method, but I do possess a cultivation method even stranger than a Heaven Tier one. It depends on whether you dare to learn it."

Yao Lao gave a strange laugh and employed a provoking tactic, conspiracy brewing in his cloudy old eyes.

"Oh, a cultivation method even stranger than a Heaven Tier one?"

Xiao Yan was ecstatic inwardly. Old man, were you finally going to hand over the Flame Mantra?

"What tier is this cultivation method?"

"Low-level Yellow Tier."

Yao Lao chuckled, carefully watching Xiao Yan's expression, hoping to see anger on his face.

But he was clearly disappointed. Xiao Yan's expression remained calm.

"Huh? I tricked you, and you're not angry?"

"How boring."

Xiao Yan curled his lips, his dark eyes fixed unwaveringly on Yao Lao's performance.

Ahem, ahem, ahem!

Yao Lao coughed awkwardly a few times. After a brief silence, he said, "It can evolve!"

"How does it evolve?"

"By absorbing Heavenly Flames!"

"Hand it over!"

Xiao Yan was delighted. It was confirmed—this evolving cultivation method was the Flame Mantra. He immediately held out his hand to ask for it.

"Wait until you become a Dou Zhe. Even if I give it to you now, you won't be able to cultivate it."

However, no matter what Xiao Yan said or how shamelessly he acted, Yao Lao refused to hand over the Flame Mantra.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan could only give up.