The girl stepped down from Blue Eagle's back, dressed in a plain, pale blue cloth dress. The fabric was ordinary, but it set off her slender, graceful figure.
Her long black hair was simply tied back, giving her the lovely air of a childhood sweetheart from next door.
On closer inspection, her eyes were clear and gentle, her lips pink, and her features delicate and bright.
Overall, although she could not be called a peerless beauty, her fresh air lent her a distinctive charm.
After looking her over a few times, Xiao Ce withdrew his gaze, his eyes free of stray thoughts.
The self-control Xiao Xun'er had cultivated in him since childhood was no joke.
"H-hello, senior," Xiao Yi Xian greeted him a little nervously.
The Mysterious Yellow Flame rarely mentioned her former master to her. On the few occasions she did, she only said that her master was an extremely accomplished alchemist, the best on the continent.
Xiao Yi Xian naturally did not believe that claim of being the best on the continent, but that did not stop her from considering Xiao Ce a formidable expert, so some nervousness was inevitable.
"Hello," Xiao Ce replied, continuing to study the girl with a slight frown.
Something about the elements before him felt familiar, reminding him of someone, but the memories were too distant for him to recall immediately.
"What's your name?" Xiao Ce simply asked outright.
Xiao Yi Xian dared not refuse to answer. Somewhat stiffly, she said, "My name is Xiao Yi Xian, senior."
"Xiao Yi Xian..." Xiao Ce froze, then smiled.
Now he knew why she had felt familiar.
The little valley, the thatched cottage, Blue Eagle-weren't those precisely the features associated with Xiao Yi Xian in the original story?
He had not expected such a coincidence.
He had not gone looking for this ill-fated girl, yet this ill-fated girl had come to him instead.
"Senior, do you know me?" Xiao Yi Xian asked quietly as she watched Xiao Ce's reaction.
Xiao Ce answered with something unrelated. "Your constitution is very special."
Xiao Yi Xian pressed her lips together without speaking.
Xiao Se stopped staring at Xiao Yi Xian. Looking at the empty air before him, he said with a light chuckle, "Mysterious Yellow Flame, aren't you going to see me?"
The next instant, dark yellow flames rose behind Xiao Yi Xian, slowly coalescing into a beautiful woman before Xiao Yan.
"Master." The beautiful woman's expression was cool and her voice faint. If one ignored her trembling flames, one would most likely have thought she was calm.
Looking at her, Xiao Se was somewhat surprised. "Why did you take this form?"
The Mysterious Yellow Flame said evenly, "In life, aside from alchemy, master would only let his gaze linger on beautiful women with full figures.
"I thought master would like it."
Xiao Ce: ...
"What you think is only what you think. Don't make wild guesses about me!" Xiao Ce firmly stopped her.
The Mysterious Yellow Flame tilted her head, a questioning look appearing on her cool face. "Then should I take another form, master?"
Xiao Ce pressed his brow and turned his head aside. "N-no need."
The corners of the Mysterious Yellow Flame's mouth rose almost imperceptibly.
Beside them, Xiao Yi Xian listened in complete bewilderment. What puzzled her most was what "in life" meant.
Could the young man before me be a soul?!
Xiao Yi Xian shrank back, somewhat tempted to leave.
After those few exchanges, Xiao Ce felt considerably closer to the Mysterious Yellow Flame. After some hesitation, he asked, "Mysterious Yellow Flame, are you still willing to follow me?"
The Mysterious Yellow Flame said nothing, answering through action instead.
She returned to her purest flame form, floated before Xiao Ce, and went straight into his mouth.
Did this count as gaining another bodyguard?
A second later, the Mysterious Yellow Flame emerged from his body again, her gaze dangerous. "Master, why is there another flame inside you?"
Naturally, Xiao Ce could not reveal the Emperor Flame in front of Xiao Yi Xian, so he said, "I'll tell you later."
The Mysterious Yellow Flame fell briefly silent without pressing him.
Xiao Ce changed the subject and asked, "Right, where did you go? How did you end up with Xiao Yi Xian?"
The Mysterious Yellow Flame's expression was somewhat cold, but she still explained what had happened between her and Xiao Yi Xian.
As it turned out, Xiao Yi Xian had entered the valley by chance and made her home there.
After observing her for a while, she found that Xiao Yi Xian was a good person and deeply committed to becoming an alchemist. This reminded her of Xiao Ce's former dedication to alchemy, so she had come forward to help Xiao Yi Xian refine medicine, promising to stay with her as she grew.
Unexpectedly, only a few months after she left the valley with Xiao Yi Xian, the seal was broken, so she returned.
The story was not complicated, and Xiao Ce nodded in understanding.
"By the way, master, may I separate out a wisp of child flame for her? That way, she can continue refining pills, although it will be harder for her than for ordinary alchemists," the Mysterious Yellow Flame said.
Xiao Yi Xian grew nervous at this point as well. She knew that Xiao Ce's next words would determine whether she still had any hope of continuing to refine medicine.
At this, Xiao Ce smiled faintly. "That's fine. You can decide."
Hearing Xiao Ce say this, the Mysterious Yellow Flame nodded, immediately separating out a wisp of child flame and sending it before Xiao Yi Xian.
Xiao Yi Xian accepted the child flame in delighted surprise, and it immediately entered her body.
Xiao Yi Xian bowed repeatedly to the Mysterious Yellow Flame and Xiao Ce. "Thank you, Sister Mysterious Yellow. Thank you..."
Xiao Ce said, "Just call me Xiao Ce."
"Thank you, Senior Xiao Ce!" Xiao Yi Xian said.
With the Mysterious Yellow Flame's child flame secured, Xiao Yi Xian no longer wished to disturb Xiao Ce and immediately prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Xiao Ce thought for a moment before saying, "Xiao Yi Xian, since you enjoy alchemy, you can visit this valley often from now on. I can teach you free of charge."
"Really, senior?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, overjoyed.
Xiao Ce said, "Of course I wouldn't lie to you. Come whenever you have time. There's quite a bit of fate between us."
Xiao Yi Xian nodded repeatedly, feeling as though the delightful surprises were about to knock her senseless.
At a glance, Xiao Ce was clearly a powerful, important figure. Having someone like him willing to teach her alchemy was truly too fortunate.
Xiao Yi Xian solemnly waved goodbye and left riding Blue Eagle, Xiao Lan.
Watching Xiao Yi Xian's departing figure, Xiao Ce looked thoughtful.
Naturally, he was not showing goodwill for no reason.
Although Xiao Yi Xian was a fairly popular character in the original story, that was not enough to turn him into a lapdog.
He was willing to teach Xiao Yi Xian alchemy simply because, with her Woeful Poison Body, she would grow extremely quickly in the early stages and could rapidly become combat-ready.
Moreover, Xiao Yi Xian valued affection and loyalty. If he befriended her now and asked her to do things later, she would certainly not refuse.
Although he had the Ninth Grade Golden Pill as a bodyguard, its identity was special, after all, so it was better to be cautious.
Ultimately, he would only be teaching her some alchemy, which would not take much of his energy.
Just then, the Mysterious Yellow Flame silently approached Xiao Ce. She said nothing, but her eyes were clearly asking, "Master, why is there a flame inside you?"
With Xiao Yi Xian gone, Xiao Ce naturally did not mind revealing certain things to the Mysterious Yellow Flame and the Ninth Grade Golden Pill.
After a little thought, he told the two "people" that he had obtained this opportunity elsewhere, and that the flame inside him was the Emperor Flame.
Upon learning this, the Ninth Grade Golden Pill, which had taken pill form and hung around Xiao Ce's neck, immediately assumed human form, revealing a surprised expression.
Even the Mysterious Yellow Flame looked surprised, evidently unable to believe that the legendary Emperor Flame was inside Xiao Ce.
Xiao Ce hurriedly explained that the Emperor Flame inside him was only a wisp of essence. To restore it to its peak, he would have to absorb other Heavenly Flames and use their essences to replenish the Emperor Flame's essence.
Hearing this, the Mysterious Yellow Flame immediately declared her willingness to be absorbed by Xiao Ce.
Xiao Ce hurriedly refused. Even though he could not sense the Mysterious Yellow Flame's cultivation level, he knew that she could not possibly be below Dou Zun.
With such terrifying energy, even if the Mysterious Yellow Flame voluntarily suppressed herself and did not attack him, he would still need several years to absorb her completely. That was something he could not accept.
After being refused, the Mysterious Yellow Flame was not unhappy at all. Instead, after thinking for a moment, she said, "Master, there's an infant Myriad Beast Spirit Flame in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Do you want to absorb it?"
Before you continue