I Am Unwaveringly Loyal to the Soul Hall

Once Chen Cang had been properly settled in, the servant returned to report to Xiao Zhan.

"Did Elder Chen say he needed anything?"

"Clan Leader, Elder Chen said nothing of the sort. He only asked that we avoid disturbing his cultivation unless necessary."

"Understandable. To have become a Da Dou Shi at his age takes both talent and hard work. By the way, with Yan'er and his brothers living next door, might that..."

"Don't worry, Clan Leader. Elder Chen has already met the third young master. He seemed quite interested in him and even asked a few questions."

"Oh? Tell me more."

The servant immediately recounted their earlier conversation in full.

Xiao Zhan shook his head as he listened. "That only means he doesn't mind Yan'er and his brothers living next door. Still... I suppose it counts as good news. When the eldest and second eldest return, have all three brothers come see me. I need to give them some instructions."

"Yes."

The appearance of an unfamiliar Da Dou Shi stirred up quite a storm in Wutan City.

Some rejoiced while others fretted. Unlike the delighted Xiao Clan, the Ao Ba Family and the Jia Lie Family fell into a gloomy mood upon learning that this Da Dou Shi had joined the Xiao Clan.

That damned luck really made them green with envy.

After privately cursing the Xiao Clan, the two clan leaders began arranging meetings with one another in unspoken accord, showing signs of joining forces.

Over the next six months, that trend became increasingly apparent.

Those matters were Xiao Zhan's concern. Chen Cang, the root cause of it all, remained entirely unaffected.

He cultivated and took his horse for walks. When he was thirsty, someone brought sweet, juicy fruit; when he was hungry, someone brought delicious meals. If he wished, he could even summon a few pleasing maids to warm his bed at any time.

Tsk, tsk. The old Chen Cang had never enjoyed such a comfortable life.

Now, he was gradually coming to understand those who would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

You laughed at their lack of ambition; they laughed at your failure to understand how to live.

Fortunately, with the Void Pegasus Beast around, Chen Cang could not allow just anyone to come and go freely from his courtyard if he wanted to keep that secret as secure as possible. There was therefore no chance of him sinking into indulgence.

He knew the difference between eating his fill once and eating his fill at every meal.

Thus, cultivation remained his foremost priority.

Of course, becoming a Guest Elder of the Xiao Clan had not left Chen Cang entirely unaffected.

For instance, at Xiao Zhan's urging, the three Xiao brothers would occasionally come to seek his advice.

It was mainly Xiao Ding and Xiao Li who did so. As for Xiao Huohuo, he merely tagged along for the ride.

Chen Cang held nothing back, helping wherever he could. Occasionally, he would suppress his strength and give them a thorough beating, allowing the two brothers to improve quite quickly.

Nor was it limited to them. Sometimes, when Chen Cang went out for a stroll, other Xiao Clan members who encountered him would seize the opportunity to ask for guidance. He turned none of them away, more than living up to his position as Guest Elder.

It was precisely because he had kept this up for half a year that Chen Cang now enjoyed an excellent reputation within the Xiao Clan, with young admirers by the handful.

That night.

Chen Cang sat cross-legged on his bed, working toward breaking through to four-star Da Dou Shi.

Ever since becoming a Da Dou Shi, he had clearly felt his cultivation slowing considerably. Six months had passed, yet he had only reached three stars.

The higher one's realm, the harder each breakthrough became and the longer it took. That was only natural.

Beyond that, however, his insufficient supply of pills was also a factor.

Back in Tianying City, Master Mo had practically treated him like his own son, never begrudging him any pills.

Now, those days were gone for good.

Most of the pills left behind by the old city lord replenished expended energy; none accelerated cultivation.

"Becoming an Alchemist is something I simply have to do."

It was not the first time he had sighed over this, but developing even a trace of Wood Attribute after birth was no easy feat.

Just then, a knock, knock came from outside the courtyard.

Ending his cultivation, Chen Cang rose and went out to investigate.

"Clan Leader? It's rare to see you visit."

"Haha, that's because I'm afraid of disturbing your cultivation. Is now a good time? There's something I'd like to discuss with you," Xiao Zhan replied with a hearty laugh.

Since Chen Cang's arrival, the Xiao Clan had unquestionably become the strongest force in Wutan City, forcing the other two major families to begin joining forces as a precaution.

On top of that, his two sons were progressing rapidly. It would have been difficult for Xiao Zhan not to be happy.

"Please come in."

Chen Cang led Xiao Zhan inside and brewed him a cup of tea.

Seeing how tightly Xiao Zhan gripped the cup, Chen Cang worried that he might crush it at the slightest provocation. The makings of a teacup killer were already taking shape.

"Here's the thing. Yan'er is now four years old, and a few days ago, I had him begin Qi Refining. Did you know about that?"

"Yes. When he sensed Dou Qi, he even came over here specifically to show off," Chen Cang said with a nod.

"The little rascal made a round at my place too. Still, it's understandable. He spends every day with his two older brothers and you, so he's long wanted to cultivate. Back to the matter at hand, what do you think of Yan'er's talent?"

A person's talent could be judged in many ways.

The first indication was how long it took them to sense Dou Qi. The shorter the time, the greater their talent.

That measure might not be entirely accurate, but it still offered a useful reference.

"To sense qi within a single day makes him a genius. He's much more talented than Xiao Ding and Xiao Li. If he cultivates normally, he should have no difficulty surpassing you in the future, Clan Leader."

Chen Cang gave his honest assessment.

Xiao Zhan felt both embarrassed and proud as he listened, a thoroughly contradictory mix.

"Ha, that's a good thing. But I'm rather curious-how long did it take you to sense qi back then, my young friend?"

"I don't remember too clearly. I think I succeeded after ten or so attempts."

Lies did not wound; truth was the sharp blade.

Xiao Zhan silently abandoned the notion of comparing him with Xiao Yan and stated the purpose of his late-night visit.

"Let's leave that aside. I came to ask you to become Yan'er's teacher and guide his cultivation. As you know, I'm usually busy with clan affairs and can't spare much time."

Steal Yao Chen's disciple?

Chen Cang promptly shook his head.

It was not that he feared Yao Chen, whose current condition remained a mystery. He simply did not want to waste his energy.

After all, teachers on the Dou Qi Continent were different from the kind of teacher he had once been. Taking a disciple meant accepting responsibility for them to the very end.

And who was Xiao Yan?

The originally destined protagonist!

As everyone knew, protagonists were also notorious trouble magnets. Wherever they went, trouble followed.

What was more, Chen Cang knew the Xiao Clan's background all too well.

He, meanwhile, had been trained by a Soul Envoy of the Soul Hall.

Although he felt little attachment to the Soul Hall, Chen Cang had already decided to secure an identity within it someday. If necessary, he could also be unwaveringly loyal to the Soul Hall.

If he took Xiao Yan as his disciple, wouldn't their eventual falling-out with the Soul Hall jeopardize his own prospects there?

As for guiding things from the middle, just thinking about it was a headache.

So, thanks for the kind offer, but he would respectfully decline.

"There's no need to bring this up again. Xiao Yan and his brothers all call me Brother Cang. Becoming his teacher would only make things more awkward between us. As for guiding his cultivation, my position as Guest Elder is sufficient."

It was worth mentioning here that Chen Cang had told the Xiao Clan he was fifteen, older even than Xiao Ding.

Seeing Chen Cang refuse, Xiao Zhan looked somewhat disappointed.

His proposal that Xiao Yan take Chen Cang as his master had partly been intended to deepen Chen Cang's ties with the Xiao Clan, but it had mostly been for Xiao Yan's sake.

Unfortunately...