Chapter 153: That Shameless Old Man
For Yao Yan, the Fallen Heart Flame would be his final stop in the Black-Corner Region. Once everything was settled, he planned to leave with Hun Xu Zi and return to the Hun Clan. Compared to the cultivation resources in the outside world, those controlled by the imperial clans were the key to his rapid advancement. Relying solely on external resources, reaching the Dou Saint realm would take him until the Bodhi Ancient Tree appeared—and that's assuming everything went smoothly.
No matter the world, the best cultivation resources are always monopolized by those at the top.
In the Dou Qi Continent, the imperial clans held control over such resources—most notably the Gu and Hun Clans. The Hun Clan, in particular, surpassed the others thanks to their dominance through the Soul Hall, which allowed them to collect vast amounts of cultivation resources. Unlike the other clans that stayed within their own domains, rarely venturing outside, the Hun Clan extended their reach far and wide.
At present, Yao Yan had obtained almost as many heavenly flames as Xiao Yan in the original story. To acquire more, he would have to rely on the Hun Clan. He understood this very clearly.
Yao Lao looked at Yao Yan's calm gaze and couldn't help but offer a warning. "You'd best not take him lightly. Han Feng was taught by me—he's not easy to handle. And he's very likely connected to the Soul Hall. If you contact him rashly, you could bring yourself a heap of trouble."
Geniuses always have their flaws, and the biggest one is arrogance. Underestimating your opponent can get you killed.
"Don't worry, I've never underestimated him. In fact, not just him—I never underestimate any opponent. Even a lion uses all its strength to hunt a rabbit. In a fight between humans, losing once means losing your life," Yao Yan said with a calm smile, his deep black eyes fixed on Yao Lao.
"…Fine then. Since you want to try, go ahead. Just be careful. Especially if you encounter people from the Soul Hall. Those guys are strange—do not let them mark you," Yao Lao warned with a serious expression. He'd had several dealings with the Soul Hall and knew how troublesome they could be. Like a pack of wolves, they would probe, test, and then strike. Without sufficient strength, your end would not be pleasant.
However, given the special rules of the Black-Corner Region, the elders of the Soul Hall likely wouldn't interfere personally. As for ordinary guardians, Yao Lao in his current state didn't fear them too much.
If it came to it, he could still protect Yao Yan and Cai Lin.
He was, after all, the former Medicine Sovereign.
Yao Yan's expression twitched slightly, but he still nodded obediently, accepting Yao Lao's concern. He actually felt quite comfortable around this elder, who shared a sliver of blood with him—much more so than with Hun Xu Zi. The latter never expressed concern for Yao Yan; he only valued his usefulness.
Yao Yan didn't doubt for a second that if he lost that value, Hun Xu Zi would refine his very essence. With his mastery in alchemy, that would be an easy task.
All the things he'd consumed from Hun Xu Zi… in the end, he'd be forced to spit them all back out.
"Think carefully about all of this. That's enough from me. I'll leave you two to talk—been a while since you reunited~" Yao Lao chuckled, winking at Yao Yan before fading away to go "relax" elsewhere.
This old man… Yao Yan cursed silently, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward Cai Lin, only to meet her eyes directly.
"Is it that nice to look at?"
Her gaze sharpened slightly as she glared at Yao Yan, her tone cold.
Yao Yan merely smiled and continued to admire her delicate features openly, teasing, "It's indeed quite nice to look at."
"…Is that how you tricked Cai Die back then?" Cai Lin narrowed her beautiful eyes with a hint of danger in her voice. She hadn't forgotten his connection to her younger sister. Sometimes, she had to admit he was a bit shameless. Already having her sister, plus two beautiful maids, yet still coming after her? Did he really think she was as easy to fool as her sister?
"I didn't trick her. I truly like her. Maybe it's because of her appearance, maybe her personality—either way, I like her."
Yao Yan spoke without the slightest hint of shame. He didn't bother explaining himself to Cai Lin either—there was no need. They weren't at that stage yet.
Because of her appearance?
Cai Lin and Cai Die were identical twins. His words sounded suspiciously like an implication, but she had no proof. She simply rolled her eyes and stood up to return to her room. She didn't want to stay alone with him in the same space—it felt a bit too awkward, especially under the way he looked at her without restraint.
Yao Yan didn't stop her. He had more important matters to take care of anyway.
"You sure enjoy peeping, don't you?"
He didn't leave. Instead, he looked toward the window, voice filled with irritation. This old man was getting too comfortable playing this trick. Once was enough—but he'd come back again? Truly shameless.
"Cough, cough~"
An awkward cough sounded as Yao Lao's figure emerged near the window. His concealment technique clearly relied on a unique soul-based skill. But such methods could only fool normal eyes. To someone like Yao Yan, who possessed Spirit Realm soul power, it was completely ineffective.
Yao Yan had already seen through it once. He didn't expect the old man to use the same trick again. His face was really thick.
"I only remembered something suddenly. I wasn't trying to sneak a look… Besides, there's nothing worth seeing." Yao Lao stroked his beard, speaking with the composure of a wise elder—very convincing for those unaware.
"You must've been quite the playboy in your younger days, huh?" Yao Yan laughed as he eyed the pretending old man. He knew plenty of Yao Lao's scandalous past—at least what was revealed in the original novel. Just the confirmed incidents were enough to paint a colorful history.
"I wasn't like you, always hesitating. If you like someone, go for them. Don't wait until it's too late to regret it."
Yao Lao spoke with the tone of someone who'd been through it all.
"Don't worry, I won't make that mistake."
Yao Yan smiled. In matters of love, he never held back. In a world like this, you had to fight for what you wanted. He glanced at Yao Lao again—easy to say, hard to do. If he remembered correctly, one of the three heads of the Pill Tower was an old flame of Yao Lao's. But for some reason, Yao Lao had always avoided that topic and never responded to those feelings.
"I've seen through you long ago. Tch, collecting both sisters, and both are Queen Medusa… Kid, you really are blessed~"
Yao Lao floated to his side and teased.
Yao Yan ignored him and changed the subject. "I plan to refine the Ice Heart Pill."
"…You found Earth Core Tempering Milk?"
Yao Lao was stunned, his teasing tone vanishing. His expression grew serious. He hadn't expected Yao Yan to return from Canaan Academy with such a rare treasure. Even in Central Plains, it was a highly sought-after item that sparked fierce competition among alchemists whenever it appeared.
"Just got lucky. Found it in the back mountains of Canaan Academy. I think I was the first one to stumble across it," Yao Yan replied casually as he pulled out a bottle of Earth Core Tempering Milk from his Bone Flame Ring and tossed it to Yao Lao.
Yao Lao caught it using soul force. As he opened the bottle, a liquid inside, crystal clear like amber, shimmered softly. A faint chill exuded from it, carrying an indescribable nourishing aura—one that even benefited soul force.
"Kid, you really do have luck on your side." Yao Lao sighed. He had once offered a reward in Central Plains for this, and only obtained a few drops. But this bottle? Far more than that. Its value alone rivaled that of many rare tier-seven pills.
Yao Yan didn't respond emotionally. He knew better. His so-called luck was only because he had the advantage of perspective—he knew where to look.
The only true luck in his life was surviving Hun Xu Zi's refinement that one time. He had no other choice then—it was life or death.
"When do you plan to refine it?" Yao Lao asked, his gaze sharp.
Yao Yan replied calmly, "No better time than the present. Let's do it today. I don't have much time left."
"Are you sure?"
Yao Lao's tone turned grave. In his current state, he could only assist from the sidelines. The refinement would be up to Yao Yan alone.
Yao Yan nodded firmly. "Yes."
"Do you have a location?"
"Any remote mountain will do. I'll need you to seal off the area with spatial force to keep people away. As for the pill tribulation—I'll handle it myself," Yao Yan said, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes. His Indestructible Vajra Body was now at the second level. He was curious if the tribulation could help further temper his body.
Yao Lao frowned. "Are you confident? A tribulation from a tier-seven pill isn't a joke."
"You'll be right there, won't you?"
Yao Yan smiled and fired back.
Yao Lao chuckled. "As long as your life isn't in danger, I won't interfere. But don't complain if you end up scorched and battered."
…
…
Hundreds of miles from Black Seal City, deep in the wilderness, Yao Yan now sat cross-legged on a stone platform. Yao Lao and Cai Lin stood nearby, quietly observing him as he adjusted his condition. Alchemy was a process that demanded absolute concentration. Even the smallest disturbance could result in failure.
After half a quarter of an hour, Yao Yan slowly opened his eyes. Cyan flames burned within his pupils, giving his handsome face a slightly demonic quality.
With a flick of his hand, he summoned the Black Demon Cauldron from his storage ring. The massive cauldron, guided by his soul force, floated weightlessly and landed softly before him—so light that not a single speck of dust was disturbed. As the Green Lotus Core Flame ignited within the cauldron, glowing red lines lit up along its ancient surface, giving it a divine aura.
Under Yao Yan's control, the fire blazed to its peak. Waves of heat surged from it, warming the entire mountain region.
As the Green Lotus Core Flame rose—
Yao Yan flicked his fingers, sending herbs flying from his ring into the cauldron. Wrapped in soul force, they entered in perfect sequence. Under the intense heat, they withered rapidly, and their essence was extracted at a speed visible to the naked eye—turning into shimmering droplets that floated in the flames like jewels.
"This kid's technique… It feels like the Pill Tower's style. No… it's different…"
Yao Lao's expression grew serious as he watched Yao Yan work. He could see traces of many people in the boy's movements. Just who is his teacher? How does he know so many alchemy techniques—and so refined too?
Could his teacher be a tier-nine alchemist?!
Only a true expert could tell. As someone once on the cusp of becoming a ninth-rank alchemist, Yao Lao had a sharp eye. Reaching that level required unique paths for everyone. What Yao Yan was displaying now clearly carried the imprint of a true master.
Yao Lao's gaze flickered with doubt. He began questioning Yao Yan's earlier claims. If his teacher really was a tier-nine alchemist, why would the Yao Clan exile him?
Just who is his master?
Yao Lao kept pondering, but clearly, even with his former status, he hadn't had access to the high-level figures of the Yao Clan. For those people, even an eight-rank peak alchemist wasn't good enough. The gap between eight and nine ranks was like heaven and earth.
If everything Yao Yan told me before was a lie…
A pang of unease twisted in Yao Lao's chest. He hated being deceived again—especially by someone he had begun to truly value. He didn't want to doubt this young man.
But after what happened with Han Feng, he had to be cautious.
And if Yao Yan had lied… what was his true goal?
(END CHAPTER)
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