My Master Is Taishang Laojun?

"Heh, Xun'er! You two talk, you two talk..."

Xiao Ning shot Xiao Yan a look and slipped away without a shred of loyalty.

"Brother Xiao Yan, don't you love Xun'er anymore?" Xiao Xun'er glanced calmly at the retreating Xiao Ning, then gently straightened Xiao Yan's clothes. In her pale green dress, she looked like a lotus untouched by the mortal world. Her slender waist could fit within one hand, and the two bells at her wrist chimed whenever she moved.

"Why were you peeping at another girl bathing?"

As her delicate hands adjusted his clothes, her face drew so close to his that he could catch the faint fragrance of her breath.

"Ahem! Of course I wasn't! Xun'er, I have to train today to prepare for the Three-Year Agreement with Nalan Yanran. See you tomorrow!"

Xiao Yan hunched slightly, his ears reddening, and made an awkward escape.

Xiao Xun'er covered her smile with one hand, amusement flashing through her eyes. He was still the Brother Xiao Yan she knew...

"Elder Ling, what have you found?"

Only after Xiao Yan vanished did her smile fade and her voice turn cool.

"Young Master Xiao Yan is indeed somewhat strange. We should have an answer within a day or two," Ling Ying's aged voice came from a nearby shadow.

"Root it out. Then..."

A ruthless glint entered Xiao Xun'er's eyes. She caught a falling leaf from the locust tree beside her and slowly closed her pale fingers around it.

When she opened her hand, only fragments remained, scattering in the wind.

"That little minx is getting more bewitching by the day."

On the Back Mountain, Xiao Yan, still flushed, jumped into a mountain spring. He stayed there until he cooled down, then surfaced and shook water from his tousled hair.

At his age, it took next to nothing to set him off, and that girl had dared to tease him. Next time he got the chance, he would pin her to a rock and swat her backside with a willow switch.

He breathed out slowly, and his heart finally settled.

Nalan Yanran breaking off the engagement had been expected, and Xiao Ning had set him back on the main quest. It seemed there was no avoiding a trip to the Misty Cloud Sect.

For now, the important thing was getting stronger.

Otherwise, even a petty struggle among Wutan City's three clans would leave him helpless.

"Hum..."

Xiao Yan clenched his fists and felt the Dou Qi stirring within him. Tiny wisps of Qi flowed through his meridians. Three-Stage Dou Qi put him close to the bottom of this world.

Any member of the Xiao Clan could beat him into the ground.

"So, my old master..."

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes at the Storage Ring on his finger. "Isn't it time you came out?"

"You're an interesting little fellow."

Sure enough, a lazy voice came from the Storage Ring. Xiao Yan jolted and nearly dropped it. A wisp of pale smoke rose and gathered into the figure of an old man sitting cross-legged in midair, smiling kindly as he studied Xiao Yan.

"Good. You didn't throw the ring away in fright. Those years of hardship weren't wasted," the old man said.

"So you're the one who swallowed my Dou Qi all these years?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and stared at Yao Lao, hope and excitement surging in his eyes. "I know who you are. There's no need to play the reclusive expert. You're Yao Chen of the Yao Clan. Your disciple Han Feng betrayed you, and now only a remnant of your soul remains in this Storage Ring."

He had waited fifteen whole years for this day.

Of course he was excited.

"Let's skip the small talk. I want to grow stronger and find my footing on this continent. You need revenge on that fine disciple of yours and a way back to Starfall Pavilion."

"Teach me and help me grow stronger. When the time comes, I'll make you a new body and help you get revenge. How does that sound?"

"The Heavy Xuan Ruler, the Flame Mantra, alchemy methods—bring out whatever you've got. I won't complain if there's too much..."

Floating in the water, Xiao Yan fixed the mysterious old man with an eager gaze.

The man had no reason to refuse.

But the old man shook his head. "Little fellow, you have the wrong person. I've watched you all these years, and your character is sound, so I'm willing to take you as my disciple. But my name is not Yao Chen."

"Nor do I make a habit of taking disciples on someone else's behalf."

"Oh, come on." Xiao Yan spat out a leaf and sighed. "Yao Lao, you can drop the act. Let's be honest with each other. You've watched me for fifteen years. Don't you trust me yet?"

"Heh..." The old man chuckled and shook his head. "Are you truly so certain I'm this Yao Lao you speak of?"

"If anyone else had been in this Storage Ring, I would have known with the power I held after becoming an emperor," Xiao Yan said with a sigh.

"Who else could you be?"

"Me?" The old man stroked his beard. After a moment's thought, he said, "I have many incarnations, and this remnant body is but one of them. In the mortal world, though, people often call my true self... Taiqing Dao De Tianzun."

"..."

Silence fell.

Then Xiao Yan burst out laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face, and he toppled into the spring.

The old man merely smiled and watched him.

"If you're Taishang Laojun, then I'm the Jade Emperor... Wait." Xiao Yan's smile froze. He was a Transmigration traveler, yes, but he was the only one in this world of Dou Qi. Anyone who knew the name Taishang Laojun...

"Remembered that this isn't your original world?" Now it was the mysterious old man's turn to smile.

"You really are Taishang Laojun?!" Xiao Yan's scalp prickled. The man had even seen through his identity as a Transmigration traveler. That was terrifying.

"I am."

The old man nodded with a smile.

Xiao Yan swallowed. Then wild delight spread across his face. Anyone would know what an incredible patron this was. He had struck gold! Even if the man had drained his Dou Qi for a hundred and fifty years instead of fifteen, it would have been worth it!

"Master!!!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Xiao Yan dropped to his knees, afraid the man might change his mind.

"That's enough. Get up," Taishang Laojun said with a smile.

"As for the Heavy Xuan Ruler you mentioned, I've never heard of it. But when Yu the Great made a ruler to measure the seas during his flood-control work, he also forged a smaller spare. Make do with that for now."

With that, the old man waved his sleeve.

An enormous black Mystic Staff appeared above them, blotting out the sky. It rapidly shrank, then dropped before Xiao Yan and plunged into the mountain pool, sending ripples across its surface.

Xiao Yan swallowed.

He reached out and gently stroked the Mystic Staff. It bore no inscription like the As-You-Will Golden Cudgel, but the intricate patterns covering it made clear at a glance that it was no ordinary weapon.

It felt like an ancient artifact. When he gripped it, coolness seeped into his hand, followed by a weight as heavy as a mountain.

"Use this weapon for now. With your current strength, the other treasures would crush you into a bloody pulp through backlash before you could even use them." Taishang Laojun stroked his beard.

"As for the alchemy you mentioned, I know a little about that. I can teach you a thing or two when the time comes. How much you learn will depend on your own aptitude."

"It's a pity I'm only a remnant-soul incarnation now. There's much I no longer have the strength to do."