My Cousin Is a Master Con Artist-He Can't Stand the Test!

"Bleeeh! Dream on if you think you can catch me!"

Ye Tian lay on Little Dragon's back, his two chubby little hands gripping her horns firmly as though he were holding a steering wheel.

"Master, where are we going now? You've already wreaked havoc in every Alchemy Hall, Spirit Herb Hall, and the like within a hundred miles."

Just then, a sweet female voice rang through Ye Tian's mind, clear as silver bells and delightful to hear.

It was Ling'er, the Fairy Dragon beneath him, speaking to Ye Tian.

Neither of them had any cultivation yet; they were like mortals without even the strength to truss a chicken.

But having signed a master-servant contract, their minds were linked, so Ye Tian naturally knew what Ling'er was thinking.

Yet the chaos ancestral dragon bloodline was overwhelmingly powerful. Though it had not fully manifested, it already set Ling'er apart from other True Dragons.

Both her draconic physique and her Dragon King divine power far surpassed those of Dragon Clan members her age.

That was how she could carry Ye Tian wherever he pleased through some of the Eternal Ye Family's smaller domains.

"Never mind that. We can wreak havoc somewhere else."

"The Eternal Ye Family is huge. The area we've explored probably isn't even a ten-thousandth of it."

"As for the headquarters of the Alchemy Hall, Artifact Refining Hall, and Spirit Medicine Hall, we'll wait until we're a little older to cause trouble there."

As Ye Tian thought this, his little eyes darted around. One glance was enough to tell that this little imp had a bellyful of wicked schemes.

Actually... those branches of the Alchemy Hall and Artifact Refining Hall did not particularly mind Ye Tian's mischief.

He was only a child, after all. However much trouble he caused, he could hardly overturn the heavens, so they let him run wild.

As for those chasing him and clamoring to settle scores with the Young Master, they were merely playing along to satisfy the Young Master's appetite for fun.

In his excitement, however, Ye Tian failed to notice a white-robed figure behind him.

"Young Master, what are you sneaking around all by yourself for in broad daylight?"

"Why not tell your cousin about it? Let me have a little fun too. Hehehe."

A voice sounded behind Ye Tian. His tiny body instantly stiffened, and he slowly turned his head like a zombie.

"Uh, it's... it's you, Cousin. It really has been a while."

Ye Tian spoke in an adorably babyish voice, but inwardly, he was squirming with guilt.

Ye Dan paid no heed to that.

He knew this brat's favorite trick was to act cool and cute to wriggle out of trouble.

"You little brat, you're not the least bit honest."

"Last time, I asked you to show your cousin your extraordinary talent for alchemy."

"And what happened? You actually made a pill! I was so delighted that I swallowed it in one gulp, risking myself to test your medicine."

"But what you made was a damned laxative!"

Ye Dan spoke through gritted teeth. Although he was smiling, a bone-piercing chill radiated from him.

Guilty and embarrassed, Ye Tian said, "Cousin, I didn't mean to! Who knew that laxative would be so powerful that even an unrivaled genius like you, who's already achieved grain abstention, would..."

"You still dare bring it up? I really was fooled by that cute little face of yours!"

"Come on, back to the Alchemy Hall with me. Today, you're going to make pills properly!"

"You have no idea how close to madness I've come trying to figure out that dirt alchemy you used when you were younger."

Ye Dan issued his command, allowing no argument.

Since Ye Tian already felt guilty, and the gap between their cultivation was so enormous, he could only follow Ye Dan to his alchemy chamber.

Little Dragon naturally followed too. Ever since accepting Ye Tian as her master, Ling'er had stayed by his side, inseparable as his shadow.

A few incense sticks' worth of time later, Ye Dan brought Ye Tian to his private alchemy chamber.

He wanted Ye Tian to properly demonstrate the mud alchemy he had performed when he was only a dozen or so days old.

But Ye Tian was bent on escaping and refused outright.

"No, no! I want to go out and play!"

"I'm only one! I'm not making pills. I want to go out and play!"

"If you force me to make pills, Cousin, I'll tell my mother!"

Ye Tian had no shortage of crafty ideas, and Ye Dan could not force him. He was the Ye Family's Young Master, after all.

Ye Dan was frantic but helpless. Suddenly, something occurred to him.

He took a soft candy from inside his robes and said, "Cousin, this candy was made from winter-spring grass."

"If you agree to show me your alchemy, I'll give you this candy."

At that moment, Ye Dan resembled a child trafficker, trying every trick to coax Ye Tian into displaying his alchemical talent.

Sure enough, children had no resistance to things like candy.

The instant the soft candy appeared, Ye Tian's eyes all but glazed over as he stared fixedly at it.

Although an adult soul inhabited his body, for some reason, he still could not resist children's toys, candies, and treats.

Ye Tian lowered his head and hesitated for a moment, then suddenly looked up. "Fine. As long as you give me candy, Cousin, I'll reluctantly give you a demonstration."

Seeing his plan succeed, Ye Dan silently made a mental note: The Young Master can't resist candy. I can use it to trick him more often in the future.

"Good! In that case, stay right here, Cousin. I'll get the alchemy equipment ready!"

Delighted, Ye Dan threw caution to the wind and handed Ye Tian the candy.

This was his territory, anyway. Even with the power to reach the heavens, the boy could forget about escaping.

Ye Tian clutched the soft candy and began chewing, remembering to give half to his Little Dragon.

The boy and the dragon were happily eating.

But a dark shadow flashed past, swift as a ghost.

It whisked them both away without making a sound.

Ye Dan was still preparing his alchemy equipment, after which he summoned a flame before the Alchemy Furnace.

"Cousin, there are so many things to consider when making pills!"

"First is the pill formula. Only with the right formula can you refine the pill you want."

"Next are the raw ingredients. You can only form a pill if you have all the materials. Otherwise, it's nothing but empty talk."

"The flame matters too. An ordinary flame is only good for burning firewood."

"Generally speaking, the flames on this world's divine flame rankings are superb for alchemy."

"I may not be particularly gifted, but I happen to possess the black-and-yellow divine flame, ranked nineteenth on the divine flame rankings!"

"Hmm? Cousin, did you hear me?"

Ye Dan had been speaking earnestly, his words pouring out in an unbroken torrent, when he noticed there was not a sound behind him.

Even his question went unanswered. Sensing something was wrong, he immediately turned around.

But there was no one there—only silence.

A small slip of paper hovered in the air. Ye Dan reached out and summoned it to his hand.

"Ye Dan, I know this wasn't exactly honorable of me."

"But the Young Master is a sword genius unmatched through the ages. Sword cultivation is his natural calling."

"Having him study alchemy with you would truly waste his talents, wouldn't it? I, Ye Sword God, have taken the Young Master away."

After reading the message on the paper, anger flashed through Ye Dan's eyes, and he tore it to pieces.

"Ye Sword God, you bastard! You've tried to steal the Young Master from me time and again. No matter what happens today, I won't let you have him!"

Clad in white, Ye Dan shot away like a soaring wild goose, swift as lightning, following Ye Tian's aura to bring him back.