Chapter 22: Should We Just Get Rid of My Senior Brother?
"Have you forgotten that the whole reason I became your disciple was to learn the Burning Art?" Xiao Yan thought to himself, holding back a sigh. If I wanted to learn alchemy, I could just hire a top tier ninth grade alchemist.
"I've already made some progress with the Burning Art, and now I need to head out to find a Heavenly Flame," Xiao Yan said tactfully, not wanting to openly upset the old man.
"Heavenly Flame? No! You should focus on cultivating your alchemy skills first!" Yao Chen frowned, his tone firm.
"No, I'm going to find a Heavenly Flame," Xiao Yan replied, shaking his head. The weakness coursing through his body was unbearable. He needed to devour a Heavenly Flame as soon as possible to regain his strength.
"I won't allow it! You must master my alchemy techniques first," Yao Chen insisted.
"Hmm?" A soft yet dangerous hum sounded as two elderly figures appeared behind Xiao Yan. Their sharp gazes locked onto Yao Chen, accompanied by faint smiles.
"What was it you just said?" one of them asked, his tone seemingly casual but laced with overwhelming pressure.
"I… I said…" Yao Chen froze. Staring at the two old men Wen Lao and Wu Lao an overwhelming sense of powerlessness washed over him.
Despite being at the pinnacle of nine turn Dou Venerate, only a hair's breadth away from becoming a Half Saint, Yao Chen knew that gap was an insurmountable chasm. It made him no match for these two.
Under their scrutinizing gazes, Yao Chen's lips twitched. Since these three arrived, his days as the master of the Starfall Pavilion had been anything but peaceful.
Desperate Pleas
"Disciple, you can't leave me!" Yao Chen clutched Xiao Yan's arm with a death grip. "I need you! You're a once in a century alchemy prodigy. If you leave, it will be an irreparable loss to the world of alchemy!"
"What are you doing? Hey, let go!" Xiao Yan struggled to free himself, shaking his leg in an attempt to dislodge Yao Chen.
"If you stay here and diligently study alchemy with me for just one year, I'll pass on all my most treasured knowledge!" Yao Chen offered, attempting to bargain.
His dream was clear: to mold Xiao Yan into a seven tier alchemist by the age of sixteen. Such a feat would not only secure Xiao Yan's place in history as a genius but also elevate Yao Chen's reputation as one of the greatest alchemists in the Dou Qi Continent.
"What do you have to offer?" Xiao Yan asked, glancing at the old man clutching his arm.
"Any technique or Dou Skill you want!"
"Ha! Your Heavenly tier techniques? I gave you those," Xiao Yan said with a smirk.
"…" Yao Chen's lips trembled.
"Fine! I'll give you the formulas for eighth tier pills, maybe even the remnants of a ninth tier pill recipe!"
"My clan already has complete ninth tier pill recipes."
"I'm a nine turn Dou Venerate! I can protect you!"
"Do you see those two?" Xiao Yan gestured toward the two Half Saints standing silently at his side.
Yao Chen fell silent for a long moment, clearly out of arguments.
Finally, with gritted teeth, he said, "If you become a seven tier alchemist, I'll even give you my Bone Chilling Flame!"
Hearing the name of the Heavenly Flame, Xiao Yan finally paused, his expression softening slightly.
He turned to look at Yao Chen, meeting the old man's eager gaze. In a calm, serious tone, he said, "Teacher, since you care about me so much, how about we just kill my senior brother? That way, I can have his Sea Heart Flame as well."
"???" Yao Chen blinked, utterly dumbfounded.
"What kind of grudge do you have against him?"
"Technically, none," Xiao Yan admitted.
"Then why do you dislike him so much?"
Yao Chen stood up, letting out a long sigh. "I raised him from a child… I've treated him as if he were my own son."
"Too bad he might not see you as his father," Xiao Yan said with a cold chuckle but refrained from saying more.
Yao Chen's Struggle
Yao Chen fell silent, staring at Xiao Yan with a mix of frustration and helplessness. Despite his immense power and skills, he was no match for the combined force of Xiao Yan's talent and the pressure from Wen Lao and Wu Lao.
He sighed inwardly. For all his strength, the young man before him was a storm that couldn't be stopped.
How did my life come to this?
Xiao Yan thought about Yao Chen's genuine kindness and sighed. With his background and resources, he could have easily replaced the Burning Art and found a ninth tier alchemist as his teacher.
But something about the story recorded in the jade scroll had touched him deeply. It was this that led him to choose Yao Chen as his mentor.
Yao Chen's unwillingness to act against his longtime disciple was understandable. However, that didn't mean Xiao Yan would show the same mercy.
He couldn't expose Han Feng's treachery now, but when the day came that Han Feng made a move against him, Xiao Yan wouldn't hesitate to strike first. The Sea Heart Flame would be his.
When it came to ruthlessness, Xiao Yan wasn't inferior to anyone. He simply followed his own code of ethics.
"Well, if you can't bear to part with him, so be it. I'm heading out to find a Heavenly Flame. Don't try to stop me," Xiao Yan said, waving his hand dismissively.
"Wait!" Yao Chen suddenly grabbed Xiao Yan's arm.
"Old man, men shouldn't be clinging to each other like this. If you don't let go, I'll pluck your beard," Xiao Yan said, giving Yao Chen a side glance.
"Hehe…" Yao Chen chuckled, rubbing his hands together with a sly grin. "My precious disciple, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with."
"What is it?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the old man's motives.
"Well… you see, the Pill Tower is holding a young alchemist competition soon. I was hoping you could participate and help me earn some face," Yao Chen said with a flattering smile.
"I'm not interested!" Xiao Yan rejected him outright. His mind was set on heading to the northwest continent for well, definitely for Heavenly Flames, not beauties.
As for some competition? What benefits could it bring? A youth competition, of all things. It sounded like something from a children's activity center back on Earth.
Though Xiao Yan's body was youthful, his soul was that of a mature man. He cared more about tangible benefits than trivial honors. Fame could be useful sometimes, but it could also become a burden. From his perspective, this competition offered no real advantages.
"Disciple, come back! If you don't go, who can compete with that girl, Cao Ying?" Yao Chen's anxious voice rang out behind him, making Xiao Yan pause mid step.
"Did you say there's a girl named Cao Ying?" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up.
"You know her?" Yao Chen asked, surprised.
"Not yet. But tell me about her," Xiao Yan replied, smiling.
"Ah, Cao Ying is a prodigy from the Cao Clan in the Pill Region. When she was born, her soul force was so immense that it almost killed her mother.
By the age of seven, she officially became an alchemist. At fifteen, she reached the level of a fourth tier alchemist and was taken as a personal disciple by my old friend, Xuan Yi.
Ever since he got such a talented disciple, Xuan Yi hasn't stopped flaunting her achievements. You know how it is your senior brother is rather slow witted, and he's already too old for such competitions.
So now, as your teacher, I'm relying on you!" Yao Chen's expression was pitiful as he pleaded with Xiao Yan.
"Hehe." Xiao Yan chuckled softly, nodding his head, which immediately made Yao Chen's face brighten with joy.
"By the way, Xuan Yi is she your old flame?" Xiao Yan's next words wiped the smile off Yao Chen's face, making his cheeks flush slightly.
For someone as carefree as Yao Chen, it was rare to see him push for a disciple to join a competition. Clearly, this was less about the competition itself and more about showing off in front of an old lover.
"Don't talk nonsense! She's just a close friend," Yao Chen retorted, his expression stiff. "If you're unwilling to help, that's fine. You've already obtained the Burning Art. With your background, you don't need me as your teacher to learn advanced alchemy techniques."
"Forget it. Go ahead and leave," he added, waving his hand dismissively.
"Ah, come on, Teacher. Don't be like that!" Xiao Yan's grin widened. "It's just a little competition. I'll win it for you, no problem!"
His smile carried a deeper meaning, one that made Yao Chen feel both uneasy and hopeful.
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