Provocation

The instant the white-robed youth entered, the entire hall seemed to brighten.

His white robes fitted him closely, adorned with ink-black bamboo. Aside from the confidence and nobility of someone born to a great clan, his handsome face also carried a devil-may-care roguishness.

Two stray locks of hair hung down, adding another touch of carefree elegance.

Calling him dashing and debonair would hardly have been an exaggeration, yet his pitch-black eyes held a depth that did not belong to someone his age.

"Grandpa!" Seeing Danyang Zi seated in the hall, Dan Chen hurried over as though she had spotted her savior.

Beside her, Cao Ying watched Xiao Yan with her lovely eyes, looking thoughtful.

"My dear granddaughter, what's wrong?" Seeing his precious granddaughter so flustered, Danyang Zi frowned, sensing there was more to this.

"He... he keeps following me..." After a moment of silence, Dan Chen finally chose to complain.

"Oh? You mean this young man?" Danyang Zi's brow furrowed further, and a trace of displeasure entered his gaze as he looked at Xiao Yan.

"Young man, I hear you're Yao Chen's disciple. May I ask what business Yao Chen sent you here for?" Danyang Zi glanced at Xiao Yan, his tone revealing neither approval nor disapproval.

Although they were both eighth-tier alchemists, Yao Chen's relationship with the Dan family was not particularly close. The two were merely nodding acquaintances.

"Actually, my teacher didn't send me here. I just thought your young lady looked rather delicate and wanted to escort her." Xiao Yan grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth.

"You thought my granddaughter looked delicate, so you wanted to escort her?" Danyang Zi was dumbfounded for a moment before a flicker of anger rose within him.

"To think the young pavilion master of the illustrious Starfall Pavilion would trail a delicate young girl. Yao Chen may be an upright gentleman, but apparently his eye for disciples leaves much to be desired."

Danyang Zi snorted. "Since my granddaughter has already returned, there's no need for you to trouble yourself any further, young pavilion master."

Yao Lao, an upright gentleman? That old sealed gourd is secretly a lecher, too.

Xiao Yan silently grumbled to himself, then chuckled. "Please don't misunderstand, Senior. As the saying goes, a graceful maiden is a gentleman's worthy match. I merely escorted your young lady home and hoped to get acquainted with the Dan family along the way."

"You brat, I haven't seen much of your ability, but your skin is certainly much thicker than Yao Chen's."

Danyang Zi scoffed and waved a hand. "For Yao Chen's sake, I won't pursue the matter of you following my granddaughter. But if there's a next time, don't blame me for going to your teacher and demanding an explanation."

With that, he gestured toward the door.

Since his host had gone that far, Xiao Yan could hardly insist on staying.

Having a thick skin did not necessarily leave a bad impression. Some people even appreciated it. But pestering someone relentlessly would most likely stir resentment, if not outright disgust.

Sweeping his gaze around, Xiao Yan briefly lingered on the old man beside Danyang Zi and the red-clad girl next to him, then turned to leave.

This chick in red is seriously hot. In terms of looks alone, she should rank even higher than Dan Chen. Hmm, once she grows up, she should be a nine out of ten.

Especially that figure-way hotter than Dan Chen's. Should I turn back and ask her name? Forget it, forget it. Dan Chen's right there. Making a move now would definitely end in a wreck.

As those thoughts flitted through his mind, Xiao Yan continued forward without pausing.

This youth may be rather shameless, but his composure is impressive. The same thought passed through the minds of both Danyang Zi and the Cao Family Ancestor.

For a fifteen-year-old boy to laugh and joke without batting an eye before two ancestors of such power and standing, even with a top alchemist as his teacher, already showed exceptional composure.

How could they have known that Xiao Yan had experienced countless worldly affairs during the thirty years of his previous life alone? On his very first day after being reborn, he had even pissed on a Dou Sheng's head, and he had spoken with a Dou Di expert as well.

Compared with those exploits, what did two eighth-tier alchemists have to throw their weight around about?

Just as Xiao Yan was about to step over the threshold, a young woman's slightly husky voice rang out.

"Wait!"

Hmm? An opportunity came knocking all by itself? Xiao Yan stopped and slowly turned around.

The red-clad girl had slowly risen to her feet. "I hear you're Venerable Yao's disciple. Does that mean you're here to take part in that so-called Youth Tournament, too?"

"That's right." Xiao Yan smiled faintly.

"My master, Xuan Yi, and your teacher, Yao Chen, have been rivals for years. I wonder whether you're qualified to be my opponent."

As she spoke, a hint of provocation appeared on the girl's alluring face.

No, your master must not have told you that those two are actually old sweethearts...

By now, however, the girl's identity was all but obvious.

Xiao Yan stared at the red-clad girl. "You're Cao Ying of the Cao family?"

"Indeed!"

The corners of the girl's rosy lips curved upward.

Well, that fell into my lap without any effort! Girl, I put this whole outfit together just for you! Heh heh! Xiao Yan's thoughts churned, and he inwardly agreed that the Cao family's enchantress truly was a beauty.

Yet a trace of arrogance appeared on his face as he looked at Cao Ying and smiled. "Heh, since our masters are so evenly matched, it seems we ought to determine which of us is better, too."

Dan Chen and Cao Ying were both heaven's favored daughters, but their personalities were completely different.

To win over someone as timid and introverted as Dan Chen, he needed to give her a sense of security and make her trust and depend on him. He had to be bold, attentive, and thick-skinned-domineering without losing his gentleness.

Of course, that required sufficiently powerful backing or considerable strength of his own. Otherwise, the Dan family would beat him to death.

Winning over a woman like Cao Ying, whose extraordinary talent had left her peers trailing in the dust since childhood, was comparatively difficult. Such a woman possessed both strength and confidence. If he showed her a gentle, harmless side first, she would look down on him instead.

To win over a woman like that, he had to conquer her thoroughly, soundly defeating her in Dou Qi, alchemy, and every other field she excelled in, and finally, in bed... (omitted here)

In short, she was a wild mare, and no easy one to tame.

Seeing the arrogance on Xiao Yan's face, Cao Ying was delighted rather than startled. She had never found a match among her peers, and when she finally encountered Dan Chen, the girl's meek nature made her unwilling to compete.

Xiao Yan, however, had successfully stirred her desire to win.

This fellow has a pretty face, but I wonder whether he's just an embroidered pillow stuffed with straw. A spark of interest in Xiao Yan rose within Cao Ying.

Naturally, that interest would vanish once Xiao Yan lost. But she had never considered what effect it would have on her if he won instead.

"Flame control is a fundamental skill for an alchemist. Although the tournament is still seven days away, why don't we have a flame duel here first?" Cao Ying's red lips parted, and her gaze brimmed with fighting spirit as she looked at Xiao Yan.

"Ying'er, this is the Dan family's hall. Don't be rude." The Cao Family Ancestor frowned from his seat.

After all, this was the Dan family's territory. Acting without the host's permission would be far too impolite.

Cao Ying ignored the Cao Family Ancestor's admonition. Xiao Yan, on the other hand, turned toward Danyang Zi, who had remained quiet.

"Senior, would you permit the two of us to hold a flame duel here?"

"Heh." Danyang Zi smiled faintly.

"You may have a very thick skin, brat, but Yao Chen's disciple shouldn't be too shabby. I'd like to see just how outstanding you are myself.

"Cao Ying, lass, make sure you teach this lecher from the Starfall Pavilion a proper lesson on your little sister Dan Chen's behalf."

With that, he swept his large hand, and a section of space within the hall instantly became much sturdier, clearly intended to serve as their flame-dueling arena.

"You old rascal." The Cao Family Ancestor shook his head helplessly at Danyang Zi, then cautioned Cao Ying, "Lass, show a little mercy."

At that moment, Cao Ying naturally paid no heed to those words. As she stared at Xiao Yan's confident face, her excitement grew. With a flick of her finger, a blood-red flame fell into the flame-dueling arena.

"Heh." In response, Xiao Yan also put on an arrogant air and flicked his finger. A wisp of cyan flame rose within the arena.