Chapter 40: The History of Alchemy
"This brat seems to have quite the interest in Cao Ying," Xiao Yan thought, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Cao Ying, whose mischievous grin hinted at trouble.
"Heh, troublesome woman."
Compared to the simple and pure Dan Chen, Cao Ying was clearly not someone to be trifled with. Now, it seemed she was itching to cause trouble for him.
"Keep scheming," Xiao Yan chuckled coldly in his mind. "Once I trick you into bed, let's see who's crying then."
On the surface, however, his expression remained as warm and affable as ever. "Since Sister Cao Ying is willing to grace me with her presence, I, Xiao Yan, must be truly fortunate," he said with a faint smile, ignoring the murderous glare from Song Qing.
Then, as if recalling something, Xiao Yan turned to Dan Chen, seated nearby but deliberately avoiding his gaze. "Hey, come sit next to me," he called out.
Dan Chen remained motionless, as if she hadn't heard him.
"If you don't come over, don't blame me for dragging you here," Xiao Yan raised his voice, his tone teasing.
"Oh, someone's jealous," Xiao Yan smirked, noticing how Dan Chen continued sitting stiffly. He raised his voice again, "I'll count to three. If you're not here by then, I'll be angry."
"Three!" Dan Chen's slender figure visibly stiffened.
"Two!" Her smooth, pale leg twitched slightly.
"One!" Xiao Yan's tone turned sharper, as if he was genuinely annoyed.
With a start, Dan Chen bolted upright, the sound of her chair scraping echoing across the room. She walked over in small, hesitant steps, her delicate face wearing a look of grievance and quiet defiance.
Today, Dan Chen was dressed in a white floral dress that hugged her slender waist and extended just past her knees, revealing a hint of fair, jade like legs. As she approached, a faint, soothing fragrance wafted over to Xiao Yan.
"Perfume? Someone's dressing up," Xiao Yan mused, a faint smile playing on his lips. He gestured to the seat beside him. "Sit."
Dan Chen hesitated, as though wanting to resist. But when she caught Xiao Yan's stern gaze, she relented and sat down with a slight pout.
"That's better," Xiao Yan said with satisfaction, unable to resist reaching out to pinch her soft, flushed cheek.
"People... are watching," Dan Chen whispered, her face turning an even brighter shade of red.
Only then did Xiao Yan pull his hand back, though his thoughts turned to finding a way to counteract the strange sensation he felt whenever he touched her a peculiar soul repulsion that had begun to bother him.
"Hmph," Cao Ying's cold snort drew Xiao Yan's attention.
"Why is she snorting while I'm cozying up to my little wife?" Xiao Yan thought irritably, shooting her a brief glance.
"Little wife???" Cao Ying's enchanting eyes widened, and an inexplicable anger began to simmer within her.
"Dan Chen, has this scoundrel forced you into this? You've only known each other for a few days. He must've been bullying you. Tell me, and I'll stand up for you," Cao Ying said, her tone dripping with false concern.
Dan Chen blushed harder but hesitated. Something in Cao Ying's words made her instinctively shake her head.
"What's gotten into you today?" Cao Ying's shock gave way to a subtle hostility toward Dan Chen.
"Oh? The palace intrigue begins?" Xiao Yan chuckled inwardly, amused by the brewing tension.
"Too bad neither of you is the main wife." Xiao Yan's thoughts drifted to another face a breathtakingly ethereal girl with an unmatched aura of elegance and mystery. "Xun'er... no one on this continent, except perhaps me, has a background stronger than yours."
Returning to the moment, Xiao Yan decided that Dan Chen might need a little help. She was no match for Cao Ying, who was cunning and confident. It wouldn't hurt to tilt the scales slightly and dampen Cao Ying's pride.
"Talk big all you want, Cao Ying," Xiao Yan teased, his tone mockingly condescending. "You couldn't even rescue your little friend earlier. Be careful, or you might lose yourself in the process. Still, even if you're not too bright, you're decent looking. I wouldn't mind taking you as a bed warmer."
"You!" Cao Ying's delicate eyebrows furrowed in anger before she suddenly burst into laughter, her voice soft yet laced with venom.
"Bed warmer for Lord Xiao Yan? Why, I would be so honored!" she replied, her sarcasm sharp.
"Wait what's burning?" Xiao Yan looked around in mock confusion, pretending not to notice the smoldering rage in Cao Ying's eyes.
The banter subsided as the lecture hall began to fill. Soon, the lesson would start, with some of the most talented alchemists from Dan Tower set to teach the gathered students.
This would be an opportunity for Xiao Yan to refine his own skills, but he couldn't help but smile inwardly. Who knew alchemy classes could be so entertaining?
Even with Xiao Yan's maturity and composure, he almost found himself stirred by the fiery allure of Cao Ying's teasing.
"Hmph, then wash yourself clean and be ready to serve me in bed at any time!" Xiao Yan retorted with a cold laugh.
"Silence!" A harsh voice echoed through the classroom, pulling everyone's attention. All eyes turned to see Assistant Instructor Song Qing's face darkened like the bottom of a scorched pot.
The banter between Xiao Yan and Cao Ying had been loud enough for everyone to hear. While their classmates were envious and jealous of Xiao Yan, his intimidating strength kept them silent.
But Song Qing couldn't hold back anymore. In his mind, Cao Ying was already his future wife. Though still young, it was only a matter of time before she reached marriageable age.
He thought to himself, With my exceptional talent, who else could Cao Ying marry but me?
However, the sudden appearance of Xiao Yan filled him with unease. Xiao Yan's extraordinary talent, influential background, and most importantly, Cao Ying's evident interest in him were all glaring threats.
"Well, well, Senior Brother Song Qing seems upset," Cao Ying giggled, her tone as enchanting as ever.
Xiao Yan didn't bother responding further. Instead, he glanced at Dan Chen, whose face was redder than ever after hearing their provocative exchange. Holding back the peculiar sensation that touching her brought, Xiao Yan gently took her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Then, with a calm demeanor, he entered listening mode.
Seeing Xiao Yan's composed expression, Song Qing mistakenly believed he had successfully intimidated him, and a trace of smugness crept into his heart.
"Hmph, genius or not, this is Dan Tower. You can't act as you please here. I'll take this opportunity to humiliate you and make Ying lose interest in you."
Clearing his throat, Song Qing addressed the class.
"Everyone, today marks the first session of the youth class. Since the introductory material consists mostly of common knowledge about alchemy, there's no need for the elders to oversee this lesson. I will be leading the class myself."
His gaze sharpened as it landed on Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan," he said, voice calm but loaded with hidden intent, "among the students here, your alchemy skills are the most advanced. Why don't you enlighten us with a lecture on the history of alchemy?"
So that's your plan, huh? Xiao Yan thought, shaking his head slightly. His eyes flickered toward Cao Ying, who was watching him with a mischievous glint in her eye, clearly amused by Song Qing's antics.
A sly grin spread across Xiao Yan's face. Without warning, his hand moved and gave Cao Ying's plump, rounded side a playful slap.
Cao Ying froze. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, and her confident demeanor momentarily faltered.
This scoundrel… How dare he?! she thought, both shocked and annoyed.
Fortunately, her psychological resilience far outmatched that of Dan Chen. She quickly recovered, her expression smooth once again. This discreet interaction went unnoticed by Song Qing, who might have lost his mind had he realized what Xiao Yan had done.
Standing slowly, Xiao Yan began to speak.
"Alchemy can trace its origins to ancient times, potentially as far back as fifty thousand years ago or even earlier. However, the earliest verifiable records of alchemy date back around fifty thousand years.
"In the ancient era, alchemy was said to possess miraculous powers, with legendary Emperor tier pills boasting god like effects that defied imagination.
"During that time, the Dou Qi continent was home not only to Dou Qi and alchemy but also to other powerful disciplines such as formations and soul arts. However, about fifty thousand years ago, something catastrophic occurred that led to the decline of these ancient traditions.
"Afterward, Dou Qi became the dominant force on the continent, eventually reaching its peak and becoming the mainstay of cultivation.
"Alchemy persisted alongside Dou Qi, as the two disciplines complement each other. Over time, alchemy solidified its status as the second largest mainstream discipline on the continent.
"However, because becoming an alchemist requires both exceptional physical constitution and a strong soul, the number of alchemists has always been scarce. This scarcity has elevated alchemists to the position of one of the most revered professions on the Dou Qi continent."
Xiao Yan's explanation flowed effortlessly, his voice steady and confident.
Yet, as he finished, he noticed that many of the students were staring at him with dazed expressions, clearly struggling to process everything he had just said.
(To be continued…)
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