After agreeing to accompany Nalan Yanran to break off her engagement, Han Chen returned to Yun Yun's main hall with the two of them.
There was no helping it. Nalan Yanran was afraid he would run off again in the middle of the night, and everyone in the ordinary disciples' quarters where he lived bullied him.
It was his last night anyway, so whether he went back hardly mattered. Besides, who would dare object to her bringing him here?
After closing the door, Han Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, took out the Yellow Dragon Pills from inside his robe, and swallowed one.
Previously, he had not known that his four attributes were actually four spiritual roots, so he had assumed he truly could not cultivate.
But now the system had explained that his foundation was simply too poor, which made his cultivation extremely slow.
Following Han Li's early path of development was absolutely the right approach.
Although he did not have the Heaven-Palm Bottle, he had the system, so pills probably would not be in short supply later on.
Making the most of his time to cultivate was the proper course now. He knew that in less than thirty years, Hun Tiandi would sacrifice half the continent's population to the heavens.
As the Yellow Dragon Pill entered his stomach, Han Chen felt a warm current circulating through his abdomen. His cultivation, which had remained immovable even under thunderbolts, finally began advancing toward fifth-stage Dou Qi.
"So it really was a lack of resources. It took me almost two years to advance from third-stage to fourth-stage Dou Qi, but now a single pill has brought obvious progress."
On the Dou Qi Continent, people could not take medicinal pills before becoming a Dou Zhe, which meant he had received no assistance from pills throughout the Dou Qi stages.
Cultivation with four spiritual roots was already slow, and he could not even use pills. It would have taken a miracle for him to cultivate quickly.
Early the next morning, Han Cheng's door was thrown open with a bang, and Nalan Yanran rushed into the room in a great hurry.
She looked around, only breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Han Chen cultivating cross-legged on the bed.
Hearing the commotion beside him, Han Chen stopped cultivating and opened his eyes to look at Nalan Yanran, a trace of helplessness on his face.
"Look, young miss, could you take it easy? What if I'd been standing behind the door? Wouldn't that have sent me flying?"
Nalan Yanran paid no mind to Han Chen's complaint. Instead, she pulled him up, took a fitted blue robe from her Ring of Holding, and handed it to him.
"Enough talk. What could you possibly be doing in your room? Hurry up and try this on. We're leaving soon, and you can't embarrass me."
Taking the clothes, Han Chen went behind the screen to change. When he emerged, he looked like an entirely different person. To sum it up in a single phrase: what a graceful young gentleman.
His black hair was now combed back and secured with a Jade Hairpin.
The blue robe brought out his scholarly air, lending him a gentle, refined bearing.
His sharply defined brows added a touch of youthful vigor and hot-blooded spirit.
Yet his steady footsteps made him seem dependable and reassuring.
Looking at the transformed Han Chen before her, Nalan Yanran unconsciously fell into a daze, an unfamiliar emotion blooming in her heart.
"Hey, what are you staring at? Aren't we leaving? Don't tell me this doesn't look good on me. Surely not. I'm no narcissist, but I think I'm reasonably good-looking."
Han Chen's question snapped Nalan Yanran out of her daze, and she hurriedly shook her head.
"No, not at all. You look great. Let's go! Elder Ge Ye must be getting impatient."
"All right, let's go."
Han Chen thought nothing more of her words and followed her out of the room.
As the two walked along, the people around them gave them strange looks. None had expected Han Chen, who normally hid from them wherever he went, to stride around so openly today.
The young sect master glanced at the people around them, disdain flashing in her eyes, and spoke quietly to Han Chen.
"Those useless fools can only bully you. Just wait and see how I avenge you at the annual tournament."
"Young sect master, there's no need to turn a personal grudge into a matter for the entire sect. You'll still need their support in the future, after all."
"I don't need them anymore. I only need you..."
Hearing Han Chen's words, she muttered under her breath, then quickened her pace.
They had not walked far before encountering a white-bearded elder in his forties or fifties. He wore a moon-white elder's robe, and his stern face radiated authority without anger.
Upon seeing Nalan Yanran and Han Chen, the elder narrowed his eyes and strode over, his tone hostile.
"Han Chen, why aren't you cleaning the Stele Forest behind the mountain? What are you doing following the young sect master?"
"Grand Elder, Han Chen has something to do with me, and my teacher has approved it. What, does my teacher's word no longer carry any weight?"
"I wouldn't dare. I was merely concerned that Han Chen might delay your training, young sect master. Since these are the sect master's arrangements, I'll take my leave."
This man was Yun Ling, Han Chen's greatest nemesis in the Mist Cloud Sect. Ever since learning that Han Chen lacked talent, he had sought trouble with him at every opportunity. Han Chen could not even understand what he had done to offend him.
Yun Ling cupped his hands to Nalan Yanran and walked straight away. As he brushed past Han Chen, however, a chill flashed in his eyes, and he shot Han Chen a fierce glare.
Neither of them paid Yun Ling any further attention. After today, Han Chen would never return anyway.
At the mountain gate, they found Ge Ye waiting with another man in fine clothing, who stood with a longsword in his hand.
The man's eyes visibly lit up when he saw Nalan Yanran, only to turn cold again at the sight of Han Chen.
Han Chen had no particular recollection of him. He seemed to be nothing more than a passing extra in the original story.
"Elder Ge Ye, sorry for the trouble on this journey."
Hearing Nalan Yanran's request, Ge Ye answered with a smile.
"Not at all, young sect master. It's simply my duty."
The three of them then entered the carriage, while the sword-bearing young man sat outside and served as their driver.
The group headed toward Wutan City in the Jia Ma Empire. The Mist Cloud Sect's carriages all used horses with magical beast bloodlines, making them extremely fast. They reached Wutan City in just three days.
Entering this small, remote city and listening to the lively calls around him, Han Chen could not help feeling excited.
This was where the Flame Emperor's legendary life began. Even this beginner village still held plenty of opportunities.
"System, are there any special requirements for earning experience through check-ins?"
Han Cheng had intended to check in immediately, but after some thought, he decided to clarify things first. What if there was a distance requirement? Wouldn't checking in now be a waste?
Ding. There are no special requirements. The host may check in anywhere. However, the amount of experience awarded depends on how significant that location is to the original story. Rewards may also be issued, though the probability is low.
Han Cheng's eyes brightened at the system's explanation. What was he waiting for?
He could check in right now, then do it again once they reached the Xiao Clan and see what the difference was.
"System, I want to check in!"
Ding! Check-in complete. Congratulations to the host on reaching Wutan City, the starting point of the Flame Emperor's journey. As the future center of the Dou Qi Continent, this place holds immense potential. You have therefore been awarded 200 experience points and one Earth Shield Talisman.
Before you continue