Xiao Yi Xian froze, unsure why Yun Yun had suddenly brought this up, and instinctively looked toward Xiao Yan.
When Xiao Yan heard that Yun Yun wanted to poach her, he initially thought little of it and was about to decline on Xiao Yi Xian's behalf.
First, the woeful poison body required an unusual method of cultivation, making it inconvenient for her to take a master.
Second, she's my bodyguard. If she becomes your disciple and you tie her down, what am I supposed to do?
But a thought stirred in his mind, and Xiao Yan suddenly changed his approach.
Handing her over was certainly out of the question. He could not do without Xiao Yi Xian.
But in two years, the Misty Cloud Sect would bear the Xiao name anyway, and Xiao Yi Xian would still be his.
No one could tie her down.
Then why not use this apprenticeship to rub Nalan Yanran's nose in it?
Wasn't Nalan Yanran always so proud of her talent?
A fifteen-year-old Three-Star Dou Zhe?
Did she think she was a once-in-a-century genius?
Now I'll let her see just what sort of genius she really is!
Xiao Yi Xian is a sixteen-year-old nine-star Dou Shi!
And the further she progresses, the faster Xiao Yi Xian will cultivate!
Fast enough to drive Nalan Yanran to despair!
If Xiao Yi Xian replaces Nalan Yanran as the Misty Cloud Sect's young Sect Master...
That would be hilarious!
Nalan Yanran would truly become a clown!
Still, Xiao Yi Xian had the woeful poison body. She could take a master, but only in name; she could not actually leave with Yun Yun.
Right, I can use Li Feiyu's name and say he wants to teach Xiao Yi Xian alchemy, keeping her outside the sect to gain experience.
Having worked it all out, Xiao Yan stepped forward first and said, "Master's wife, Xiao Yi Xian has yet to take a master.
"If you could accept Xiao Yi Xian as your disciple, nothing could be better.
"However, Xiao Yi Xian needs to travel with my teacher for two years to gain experience and learn his alchemy.
"If you don't mind, you could accept her now and let her enter the sect to study in two years."
Yun Yun considered it for a moment, then ultimately agreed to Xiao Yan's suggestion.
Normally, accepting a disciple this way went against the rules.
But Xiao Yi Xian was simply too gifted!
She could not bear to let her slip away!
Rules were never made for geniuses!
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. He had known Yun Yun would agree.
Hadn't Jia Nan Academy done the same back then?
Seeing his talent and hearing that his teacher was a Tier Seven Alchemist, they had preferred to give him a year's leave rather than miss the chance to accept him!
Xiao Yi Xian stood there rather timidly.
Ever since leaving Qingshan Town, she had been like a fledgling eagle leaving its nest, noticeably more reserved and fearful.
Hearing Xiao Yan speak and make decisions for her, she merely stood to one side, listening without a word.
Only after Xiao Yan had arranged everything did she timidly step forward and, following his instructions, formally take Yun Yun as her master.
Yun Yun gently helped Xiao Yi Xian up, finding her more pleasing the longer she looked at her.
Although Yanran was her personal disciple, her temperament was too proud. In the end, she was nothing like Yun Yun.
Though Yun Yun taught and doted on her, she could not feel wholehearted love and affection for her.
Yet looking at Xiao Yi Xian's gentle, timid manner, Yun Yun suddenly felt as though she were looking at her own daughter.
A warm sense of affinity and closeness welled up naturally.
"Good child."
Yun Yun gently stroked Xiao Yi Xian's head.
After a moment's thought, she took several bottles of pills from her ring and pressed them into Xiao Yi Xian's hands.
"Consider these your apprenticeship gift.
"Once you officially come to the Misty Cloud Sect, I'll hold a grand initiation ceremony for you."
Xiao Yi Xian took the pills and glanced at them.
But with the knowledge she had gained living in Qingshan Town, she could recognize, at most, Tier Three Pills. She could not identify the tier of those Yun Yun had given her.
Xiao Yan smiled beside her and said, "These are Tier Four Pills used to improve your cultivation. They're extremely precious. It seems my master's wife truly likes you."
Xiao Yi Xian was startled, then deeply moved.
Ever since discovering that she possessed the woeful poison body, she had regarded herself as calamity incarnate. Coupled with her rural origins, this had left her feeling deeply inferior.
Yet she had never expected that the people she met afterward would each treat her better than the last!
Looking at her kind, gentle teacher Yun Yun, whose presence felt like a spring breeze, Xiao Yi Xian thought:
Teacher Yun Yun is a wonderful person, just like Young Master Xiao Yan!
If Teacher Yun Yun ever needs me, I'll do everything I can to help her!
Xiao Yan had originally made Xiao Yi Xian take Yun Yun as her master merely to rub Nalan Yanran's nose in it and fleece a little wool from the Misty Cloud Sect along the way.
What he had not expected was that Xiao Yi Xian's grateful nature would lead her to develop genuine gratitude toward Yun Yun!
He was still rather inexperienced in matters between men and women, unaware that this little scheme had planted yet another seed for a future romantic battlefield!
With their discussion finally over, Xiao Yan took his leave.
He needed to find an inn in the city and settle Xiao Yi Xian in first, then switch into his Li Feiyu identity to meet Yun Yun.
Inside the ring, Yao Lao chuckled. "Boy, don't you think these relationships have become a mess?
"Yun Yun is both your cultivation partner and your master's wife.
"Nalan Yanran is both your fiancée and your martial niece.
"Xiao Yi Xian is both your companion and half a disciple to you.
"And Yun Yun is both Nalan Yanran's master and her sister.
"Look at this tangled web. Can you even keep it all straight?"
Xiao Yan said helplessly, "Teacher, stop making fun of me.
"When all is said and done, isn't it your fault for failing to stop that Demonic Lust Ape back then?
"If you'd stopped him, would we have all these problems now?"
Yao Lao smiled without answering, thinking to himself:
I really did fail to stop him back then, and I had some regrets. But looking at things now, if something like that happens again, I won't stop it even if I can.
After all, the drama surrounding you is simply too entertaining!
After settling Xiao Yi Xian at an inn, Xiao Yan found a secluded spot, dispelled the Concealment Breath Pill's effects, then put on a black robe and a mask.
Li Feiyu was back in action!
When he had taken his leave earlier, Yun Yun had told Xiao Yan where she was staying, so he knew where to find her.
Arriving at an inn, Xiao Yan went upstairs and knocked on Yun Yun's door.
To his surprise, Yun Yun was not there.
Xiao Yan paused, then turned around, went downstairs, and returned to the wall above the city gate.
Sure enough, Yun Yun was standing atop the wall again, waiting longingly for him.
Xiao Yan frowned.
This... what am I supposed to do?
I'm already inside the city. Do I really have to leave and come back in again to meet Yun Yun?
But Black Rock City had only this one gate, making it difficult for him to leave unnoticed.
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yan sighed.
"Teacher, I'm afraid I'll have to deploy my secret weapon-you.
"Please possess my body and slip out of the city without anyone noticing.
"With my current strength, I can't manage that yet."
Yao Lao roared with laughter inside the ring.
"Boy, are you sure you want to play a trump card like me so casually over such a trivial matter?"
Xiao Yan said helplessly, "What else can I do? If I had any other option, I wouldn't use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken."
This really was using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken. It was rather ridiculous!
Once Xiao Yan let Yao Lao possess him, Yao Lao could already wield the strength of a low-star Dou Zong.
But who could have imagined that the strength of a low-star Dou Zong would be used merely to slip over the city wall without alerting the guards and take a detour?
A mighty Dou Zong furtively climbed over the city wall, then flew low for more than a dozen li before Xiao Yan regained control of his body and began walking toward Black Rock City, one step at a time.
At last, he arrived at Black Rock City's gate again.
Yun Yun immediately spotted Xiao Yan's familiar black robe and mask.
She flew down from the wall and landed before him.
Her face was slightly flushed, and her heart trembled, but Yun Yun still kept her feelings restrained, merely looking at the figure before her with a faint smile.
"Mister Li, you're here."
Despite his earlier embarrassment, Xiao Yan had already regained Li Feiyu's calm, inscrutable persona.
A deep voice, edged with vocal fry, slowly sounded.
"Mm, I'm here."
Before you continue