After leaving the main hall, Xiao Yan slowly climbed to the top of the mountain behind the clan building. Sitting at the top of the mountain, Xiao Yan calmly watched the mountaintops far away being shrouded in mist. There, in the mist, was the Jia Ma Empire's famous Magic Beast Mountain Range.
"Hehe, power ah… In this world, without power, you're not even worth some excrement. At least, no one tries to trample on excrement." With shoulders waving up and down, the young man's soft, self-taunting voice echoed across the top of the mountain, filling the air with sadness.
"I will never be insulted like this again!" Opening his left hand, which still had the bloody scar from the events of the day, Xiao Yan's said with confident and firm voice.
"Hehe, kid, looks like you need some help."
Right when Xiao Yan pledged his oath, a wizened, strange laugh entered his ear.
Xiao Yan's face changed and he immediately turned around but in his mind he thought finally Yao lao came.
Right when Xiao Yan was in his thought, the strange laugh aimlessly sounded again.
"Hehe, stop searching, I'm on your finger."
Xiao Yan's eyes contracted and his gaze fell on his right hand's black ring.
"You're talking?" Enduring his hearts excitement , Xiao Yan tried to keep his mouth smiling.
"Kid, you're quite calm, to not have been scared witless." From the ring, a taunting voice sounded.
"Who are you? Why are you in my ring? What are trying to do?"
After calming himself, Xiao Yan asked the essential questions.
"Who am I? You don't need to know, I won't harm you. Hahaha, after all these years, I finally found someone with a soul strong enough. What luck! Hehe, I should thank you for your offerings over the past three years, otherwise I would probably still be sleeping."
"Offerings?" Xiao Yan blinked his eyes in confusion. After a moment, his face darkened and chilling words jumped out of his teeth with difficulty: "My Dou Qi disappearing… you did that?"
"Hehe, I had to do that, kid don't be mad at me."
"You FUCKER!"
The normally calm and composed Xiao Yan showed heavy enrage but he knew his cheat finally arrived with this he will become strong.
As he start removing ring from his left hand,Yao Lao in ring came out and said.
"Hehe, kid, you don't need to be so mad do you? I only took three years of your Dou Qi." The transparent elder smiled at the stunned Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched and he pushing down his anger. He said: "Geezer, since you were hiding within the ring, then you should know how much pain you've caused me since you took my Dou Qi right?"
"But with these three years of humiliations, you've matured right? Do you think that three years ago you would have had this kind of tolerance and mindset?"
Xiao Yan furrowed his brows but he thought mature my ass he think Yao Lao did to test him.
After some time, Xiao Yan let out a long breath and said: "Even though I don't know who you are, I would like to know if you plan on staying in the ring to steal my Dou Qi. If that's the case then I would ask for you to find a new owner, I can't afford to keep on raising you."
"Hehe, other people don't have as strong of Soul Perception as you." The elder stroked his beard: "Since I already chose to appear, then before you give me permission I won't take your Dou Qi."
"Kid, do you want to become strong? Do you want to be respected by other?" Now he know finally came to main point.
"I already know why my Dou Qi was disappearing and with my talent, why do I need you to become strong?" Letting out a small breath, Xiao Yan still said.
"Kid, even though your talent is pretty good, you should know that you're already 15 but your Dou Qi is only at 3 Duan. I think that I heard that your adult ceremony is next year right? Do you think that within a year, using your talent and hard work you can get to 7 Duan Qi? In addition, the girl who you promised to fight three years from now doesn't have shabby talent either. You want to catch up and surpass her? It's not going to be easy." The elder's face that was full of wrinkles blossomed like a Chrysanthemum.
"If you didn't take my Dou Qi, then do you think that any of this would have happened? You old f*cker!"Xiao Yan's face darkened and he started to curse but he wanted this cheap Yao Lao to start giving him sweetness but seeing him not speaking he said: "Do you have a solution?"
"Maybe." The elder vaguely replied.
"If you help me to get to 7 Duan Qi in just one year then I'll forgive you for taking my Dou Qi for three years. How's that?" Xiao Yan probingly asked.
"Hehe, wishful thinking kid."
"If you can't help me then why should I keep you, someone useless, by my side? You should find another unfortunate person…" Xiao Yan said.
"You're not even remotely close to a 15 year old young man. Looks like these three years really helped you grow a lot. Did my plan backfire?" Looking at the clever Xiao Yan, the elder paused and then dumbfoundedly shook his head.
Xiao Yan shrugged his shoulders and lightly said: "If you want me to keep you by my side then you should at least have some sincerity right?"
"What a sharp mouthed kid. Alright, alright, after all, I do need your help." Without another choice, the elder nodded and slowly came to the ground. After examining Xiao Yan for a while, a treacherous smile spread across his face. But as soon as it appeared, it left and the elder pondered for a moment before unwilling asking: "Do you want to become an alchemist?"
Alchemist?"
Hearing the elder's words, Xiao Yan paused before continuing he raised his head and said: "DO I MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS?"
Enjoying the Xiao Yan shocked face the elder stroked his beard slowly. After looking over Xiao Yan for a few more seconds, he finally said with some helplessness: "Even though you barely make the cut, I owe you a favor. Hah, I'll let this count as the favor returned…"
Looking at the reluctant elder, Xiao Yan asked "Even if I make the cut, alchemists are taught by other alchemists. Are you an alchemist?"
Looking at the suspicious little face of Xiao Yan, the elder straightened and with pride he said, "Yup, I'm an alchemist! As for what stage I don't remember but remember I am better the that pill king you people mentioned. "
"Mister, if you don't mind me asking, would you like this man to be your student?" Xiao Yan got on knees and said with a hint of respect.
In Dou Qi mainland, even though alchemists were very rare, there were still differences between alchemists. From low to high, the stages for alchemists range from the lowest, 1, to the highest, 9. The Pill King Gu He that made the Gathering Qi Powder that Nalan Yanran offered was a sixth stage alchemist and within the Jia Ma Empire, he could be considered to be the top alchemist not to mention this cheap old man is really better than Pill King.!
"Hehe, you are good very good of course I want you to be my student ." The elder sat on a green rock and coiled his legs beneath himself while smiling.
After watching Xiao Yan finish paying his respects and get up , the elder nodded his head, satisfied. In his voice, a hint of intimacy appeared: "My name is Yao Lao. As for my origin, you don't need to know for now so that you don't get distracted".
"Xiao Yan's eyes darted around and he asked: "Umm teacher, how will you help me to get to 7 Duan Qi within one year?"
"Even though for the past three years your Dou Qi has always been declining, your foundation in Dou Qi is much firmer than other people. In Dou Qi training, the foundation is the most important! Later, you'll be able to discover how many benefits these three years have brought you!" Yao Lao's smile slowly disappeared and he took on a more serious expression.
"Then when are you going to teach me alchemy?" Xiao Yan steered his thoughts onto the most important thing.
"To become an alchemist, you need to have Dou Qi of the Fire-Attribute. So, before you become an alchemist you have to at least become a Dou Zhe and learn a fire attribute Dou Qi method!"
Xiao Yan held out his hand and said: "Fire attribute Dou Qi method? Hehe, teacher, since I'm your student, you should give me a fire attribute Dou Qi method, as in our clan there area all shabby huang tier techniques?"
"haha don't worry I am going to teach you more better Dou Qi technique "Yao Lao said with a smile.
"What's the Dou Qi Method you are ging to teach ?" Watching Yao Lao´s bantering face, Xiao Yan said.
"A huang level method that can evolve!"
Xiao Yan's eyes widened and without blinking, Xiao Yan stared at Yao Lao's face, secretly thinking now his time has come but said"No way! I've never heard of any Dou Qi method that can evolve!"
"Huu, what do you know? Dou Qi mainland is huge and strange people and things happen all the time. In your limited mind, you haven't even gone outside of Jia Ma Empire. There are tons of impossible things that are actually possible."
Yao Lao's smile and said: "this Dou Qi method is unique It's one in billion!"
"It can really evolve?" Looking at Yao Lao's serious face, Xiao Yan couldn't help but ask again with a smile.
"It can evolve!" Yao Lao seriously nodded.
"There really are such Dou Qi Methods?" His brows furrowed, Xiao Yan hesitated before saying: "Can you let me see it?"
"Hehe…" Looking at the curious Xiao Yan, Yao Lao's mouth opened, but what came out wasn't what Xiao Yan was expecting. "Never mind. There's no use if you see it now so why don't you become a Dou Zhe first before I pass it on to you."
Xiao Yan's outstretched hand paused and after the edge of his mouth twitched for a while, he spat out three words: "Ok I will wait.!"
Happily laughing, Yao Lao ignored the Xiao Yan and said: "Our current mission is to get your Dou Qi up to 7 Duan within 1 year."
Xiao Yan pushed down his curiosity to learn this Đou Qi method and asked , "How are we going to do this?"
Yao Lao with a serious face said: "When one begins to train their Dou Qi, their main focus is to build muscle and strengthen internal Qi paths so that they have a foundation for when they materialize their Dou Qi within their body.
Because people at your age have weak internal Qi paths and can be molded, you need to take the training process step by step and you can't use outside force to boost your training speed or else in the future when your Dou Qi becomes stronger, your internal Qi paths won't be able to withstand the force of Dou Qi pushing through the paths and your Qi paths would burst which would be when you would die."
Yao Lao glanced at the calm Xiao Yan and satisfiedly nodded his head. "But that only applies to others. You're different. Your internal foundation was already solid and reliable three years ago and since then because of your firm personality, you never stopped training your Qi. Therefore, your foundation right now, I can say that it is great!"
"So you want to use outside forces to train my Qi? Like pills?"
"Pretty much. But with the toughness of your Qi paths right now, you won't be able to take the force of any of the pills going through your Qi paths. Even the rudimentary Gathering Qi Powder, you wouldn't be able to use!"
"Then what's your plan?" Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan asked.
"Hehe, since pills are too fierce and can hurt your Qi paths, we need to use a milder method!" Yao Lao smiles and says: "Tomorrow, prepare for me three complete stalks of Purple Leaved Bluegrass, where the older they are, the better. Also, I need two stalks of Bone Washing Flower, the age of it doesn't matter. Oh right, I'll also need a level 1 wood attributed monster core. These are all low-grade material so you should be able to get them… Someone's coming, I'll go back into the ring! Also, don't let anyone else know of my existence, including your closest family." After saying that, Yao Lao ignored the Xiao Yan and jumped into the black ring. The ring shakes a bit and flies onto Xiao Yan's finger.
"Three stalks of Purple Leaved Bluegrass? Two stalks of Bone Washing Flower? A wood attribute monster core? Geezer, are you sure that's right? Do you think that I'm some royal prince? These things, added costs over a thousand gold coin! I only have 400 gold coins. That's only enough for one level 1 wood attribute monster core!" Xiao Yan pointed at the motionless ring and said.
"That's your own problem. Hehe, other people would lust after my nourishing fluids, but all I'm asking is for you to get the money for the material and you're already crying about that…" Yao Lao's taunting laughter sounded within Xiao Yan's heart.
"Damn it! It's really hurt when even in a fantasy world you are poor." Xiao Yan thought. There nothing he can so as his monthly allowance was only 20 gold coins. This was by no means a small amount; it would be enough for a small normal family to feed themselves for an entire year! But the money that he had was barely enough to buy one of the items that Yao Lao required.
"But now I can finally cultivate normally".He said.
"Hah, looks like I have to borrow it from her…" But while smiling when remembering what his teacher said he sigh a depressed breath.
Turning his head towards the path up the mountain, he heard sound of someone's comming to this way.