The Troubles and Joys of Taking Two Disciples

"Xiao Yi Xian, go!"

Xiao Xuan urged his young disciple on with a gentle smile.

What a joke. When it came to taking disciples, he had to do it himself if there was no one around, but now that he had someone under him, there was no way he was going to do the work himself.

At most, he could casually put some other measures in place.

There was plenty of time to persuade this girl.

"Yes, Master!"

Although Xiao Yi Xian was still puffing her cheeks in anger, she was kind by nature, and the sight of Qing Lin's timid, self-conscious manner made her heart ache. She was so small, and it was plain to see she had suffered a great deal.

Xiao Yi Xian had no real objection to making her a junior sister.

"Little sister, come over and have a chat with me..."

It had to be said that women were still the best at winning other women over, though women also made up a considerable share of those who stabbed one another in the back.

Before long.

"Your disciple Qing Lin greets you, Master!"

Xiao Xuan, who had kept his head raised and his eyes on the sky, finally looked over. When they went looking for Heavenly Flames later, they might run into something interesting!

For now, though, the priority was settling matters with his young disciple Qing Lin.

"Mm, all settled?"

After casually brushing Xiao Yi Xian off, Xiao Xuan turned an appreciative gaze on Qing Lin.

She was of mixed human and Snake-People blood. No wonder she had been born with the bloodline of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.

Still, this path relied on chance. If someone really wanted to mass-produce them... heaven would teach them a lesson.

In this case, offending the natural order was a secondary concern.

"My reason for taking you as a disciple is simple. Once you've grown stronger, I want you to help me protect my clan. Can you do that?"

Xiao Xuan spoke solemnly. He had never been one to conceal his intentions, so he always made such matters clear beforehand.

"Sister Xiao Yi Xian already told me everything just now. I'm willing, Master."

Tears that tugged at the heart still lingered on her little face. There was no telling what Xiao Yi Xian had said to her. Xiao Xuan shrugged and asked another question.

"Is there anything else you need to take with you? From now on, you'll be cultivating with me."

"Huh? I don't think so!"

Her face was full of confusion. Although Qing Lin had survived until now thanks to the help many people had given her, whether openly or otherwise, as for whether there was anything she couldn't bear to leave behind...

Qing Lin herself didn't know.

"Mm, then let's go. If you miss this place in the future, just come back on your own. You'll grow strong soon enough anyway."

Xiao Xuan made the arrangements casually, quite unconcerned.

One shouldn't pull up seedlings to make them grow, but under his guidance, wouldn't becoming a Dou Emperor in three years and a Dou Sheng in ten be as easy as lifting a hand?

Especially with cheat-like constitutions like theirs, whose advantages were even greater than those of a Dou Di Bloodline.

The greatest advantage was that their potential wouldn't run out as their strength increased.

"For the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, the focus of cultivation, besides improving your Dou Qi, is strengthening your will and soul."

Although he had never encountered an expert born with this constitution, Xiao Xuan could still draw on his knowledge of similar things to see the key to cultivating the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.

"Besides cultivating Dou Qi, you should also make sure to practice a soul cultivation technique regularly!"

He stroked her little head, and an odd feeling rose in his heart.

It seemed raising someone was quite a nice feeling!

Of course, it was only because Qing Lin was so young that Xiao Xuan felt this way. As for a precocious, mischievous girl like Xiao Yi Xian...

Xiao Xuan didn't find her quite as cute.

"Master, why haven't you given me a cultivation technique?"

Beside them, Xiao Yi Xian had started puffing her cheeks again.

He was treating them differently already?

How could he do that? She had even become his disciple first. Xiao Yi Xian's displeasure was written all over her face. What kind of master behaved like this?

"You ill-mannered brat!"

He gave her a few taps on the head, neither too hard nor too soft, to cover up some of his embarrassment.

Come to think of it, Xiao Xuan really had been thinking that someone with a Woeful Poison Body only had to eat poison for her Dou Qi to shoot up and up. In that case, what need was there for a cultivation technique?

It had indeed been an oversight on his part, but Xiao Xuan would never admit it.

"I was going to make a special trip to look for the remains left by a previous Woeful Poison Body holder when I had time later, to see if there was a technique for cultivating it to perfection, specifically suited to your Woeful Poison Body."

"Now, though, it seems... hmph, hmph!"

Of course, whether he had actually intended to look before wasn't so important.

He had something to do at the moment, so one couldn't say he hadn't had the idea.

"Master!"

Without hesitation, Xiao Yi Xian wrapped her arms around Xiao Xuan's arm. "I was wrong. Will you forgive me?"

"Oh! Then start by cultivating the same technique as Qing Lin!"

"Yuan Transformation Art!"

"A Heaven Tier foundation-building technique, specifically meant to lay a foundation and make it easier to switch to another technique later."

He had no jade slips containing inherited techniques. Since his revival, Xiao Xuan's pockets had been cleaner than his face, and he couldn't be bothered to go out looking for resources, so of course he didn't have a single thing to his name.

But none of that was a problem. He simply tapped them with a finger.

A vast jumble of information instantly flooded the two girls' little heads, making them groan under the strain.

"Not bad, right?"

Xiao Xuan chuckled, quite pleased with their reaction. How could cultivation be smooth sailing all the way? Didn't they have to suffer a little more?

"So this is a Heaven Tier technique? It doesn't seem much different from the Yellow Tier ones I got before!"

Xiao Yi Xian pouted. With her knowledge, it would have been a miracle if she could tell the difference.

Hearing this, Xiao Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but his little notebook was ready.

Just you wait! Do you think I won't be able to put you in your place later?

Hmph, hmph!

"That's about it. Let's head to the next stop."

"Huh?"

Xiao Yi Xian couldn't stop complaining. They were rushing from one place to another like this—what was that supposed to be?

"What are you squawking about? We came out this time specifically to take care of business. Shouldn't we get a move on? Look how well-behaved Qing Lin is." Xiao Xuan put on the bearing of a master and looked quite imposing.

In fact, he had already toned it down, adopting an especially familiar manner reserved for his own people.

Back when Xiao Xuan traveled the world, who didn't tremble at the mere mention of the Xiao Clan's name?

As an Emperor Clan passed down from ancient times, they weren't exactly arrogant, but they had to have everything they were due.

Besides, most people in the world were mediocre. Even if he gave them face, they wouldn't be able to accept it.

"Master, are you going to take more disciples?"

Xiao Yi Xian held it in, then held it in again, but in the end she couldn't help herself. Today had really been enough! Even if it was still early, who took several disciples in a single day?

She had thought it was a lucky opportunity, but now... could she take back that earlier mistake?

"Cut the nonsense. There happens to be a trace of a Heavenly Flame nearby, and a youngster in my clan happens to need one. We'll go have a look and bring it back with us."

Xiao Xuan's words showed no concern at all for whether the Heavenly Flame already had an owner.

After all, now that Xiao Xuan knew about it, it had an owner.

The group hurried off to their next destination.

Not far outside the city was an ordinary stretch of desert. Its only difference from the surrounding sands was that a few cave entrances were hidden within it.

But Xiao Xuan could sense the scorching heat inside. It probably reached fairly deep toward the earth's core, so it was no surprise that a Heavenly Flame could be born there.

Yet as his soul power probed deeper, Xiao Xuan's expression grew somewhat unpleasant.

He really was a step too late!