Chapter 49: Sorry, I Couldn't Hold It In
"I... I don't know either," Shi Hao stammered, stepping back nervously as Elder Li glared at him, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"You little brat!" Elder Li could no longer suppress his rage and roared. His voice startled the nearby students.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of exploding cauldrons followed one after another. Thankfully, the students were using high quality alchemy cauldrons, so no one was injured.
But right after, a much louder explosion echoed through the square.
Boom! Xiao Yan's cauldron shook violently. Even though the energy was 90% mitigated by the cauldron, the blast left Xiao Yan pale faced. A massive mushroom cloud rose from his cauldron, and when the smoke cleared, his face was covered in soot, and his hair was a disheveled mess. Clearly, he hadn't escaped unscathed.
"Old man! Are you messing with me on purpose?" Xiao Yan moved swiftly, ready to confront Elder Li. The instability of his newly developed Emperor Pill had already made it prone to failure, and Elder Li's outburst had caused the entire process to collapse.
"Xiao Yan, calm down!" Elder Li quickly tried to pacify him, noting the soot covered Xiao Yan's irritated expression.
Though Xiao Yan was only at the Dou Huang level and not a match for Elder Li, who was at the peak of Dou Zong, Elder Li dared not offend him. After all, Xiao Yan's background was so powerful that even the Grand Elder had suffered under him. Elder Li knew better than to provoke someone with such influence.
Elder Li's eyes darted, and he suddenly grabbed the golden pill Shi Hao had refined. "Why don't you try Shi Hao's pill and see why I'm so upset?" he suggested.
"A child's pill? Even if there's something wrong with it, is that any reason to lose your temper?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Try it, and you'll understand," Elder Li said, handing him the golden pill and scraping off some powder with a small spoon.
Xiao Yan pinched a bit of the powder and brought it to his nose. After sniffing it, his expression changed. He glanced at Elder Li, his eyes now filled with sympathy.
"Shi Hao, what exactly is this pill?" Xiao Yan asked, looking at the chubby boy.
"It's the Nine Turn Golden Pill, an improved version of the Nine Turn Vitality Pill," Shi Hao replied, his courage bolstered by Xiao Yan's presence.
"Then why is the pill golden?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone curious.
To Shi Hao, Xiao Yan was a hero respected by the teachers, adored by the students, and a protective older brother figure to him. Xiao Yan had even promised to help him become a powerful alchemist, so Shi Hao had absolute trust in him.
Xiao Yan turned back to Elder Li, giving him a pitying look. "Elder Li, I commend your patience. Teaching us must be such a burden for you." He even bowed slightly, his voice full of mock sympathy.
"Ah, it's all part of being a teacher. One must be dedicated," Elder Li replied, puffing up with pride at the gesture. Having the prodigy Xiao Yan bow to him stroked his ego immensely.
However, as Xiao Yan returned to his seat, his body began trembling.
"Xiao Yan, why are you laughing?" Elder Li asked suspiciously.
"I'm not laughing. Hahaha cough I mean, I'm not!" Xiao Yan stammered, struggling to suppress his laughter.
"You call that not laughing?"
"Teacher, I've been professionally trained. I don't laugh easily. Hahaha…"
"This is your professional training?"
"Sorry, I couldn't hold it in," Xiao Yan finally admitted, tears of laughter streaming down his face.
Elder Li felt a chill in his heart, as if the warmth of the world had abandoned him. He shot a cold glare at Shi Hao.
"Child, you're too arrogant. In alchemy, the process is everything. Without a proper process, there can be no results. Reflect on this," Elder Li said, ruffling Shi Hao's hair firmly.
Shi Hao stood there with a stiff expression, his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Xiao Yan, what exactly did Shi Hao use in his alchemy today?" Cao Ying asked as she strode up to him after class, her long legs making quick work of the distance.
Ignoring Dan Chen's furrowed brows and the envious glares of the other girls surrounding Xiao Yan, Cao Ying fixed her attention on him. To her, those other girls were nothing but a bunch of cheap distractions, unworthy of her notice. Even Dan Chen, despite her special status, would have been pushed out long ago if Cao Ying had her way.
Over the past three months, Cao Ying had grown increasingly bold in her interactions with Xiao Yan, while he employed the classic tactics of a heartbreaker: not too eager, never too committed.
If she came to him willingly, he'd accept. If she didn't, he wouldn't chase her either.
Her direct question caught him off guard, and a sly grin crept onto his face.
"Why are you smiling?" Cao Ying demanded.
"It's nothing... hahaha."
"Come on, tell me already!" Cao Ying grabbed his arm and shook it playfully.
Xiao Yan looked down, his eyes inadvertently catching sight of her fair skin. His gaze deepened momentarily, but he quickly looked away, only to notice Dan Chen staring at him curiously. Her eyes were filled with a desire to know the truth.
Xiao Yan smirked. "Come closer, both of you."
The two girls leaned in, their faces drawing nearer to his.
"Closer," he urged.
The distance between them grew smaller, one face exuding seductive charm, the other soft and innocent. Xiao Yan's smile turned mischievous.
"Smooch, smooch!" Two quick kisses later, he straightened up with a satisfied grin, leaving the two girls blushing furiously.
"You're disgusting!" Cao Ying glared at him with her beautiful eyes before storming off in embarrassment.
"You're so annoying!" Dan Chen muttered, her face beet red, as she lightly punched his shoulder and tried to leave. But Xiao Yan quickly caught up with her.
While their relationship hadn't yet crossed the line, Xiao Yan wasn't one to leave things to chance. In the Dou Qi Continent, it was entirely normal for strong men to have multiple wives.
Of course, Dan Chen and Cao Ying were both proud and exceptional women, but Xiao Yan wasn't worried. His plan was simple: win over the gentler Dan Chen first, then deal with Cao Ying. One step at a time.
As Xiao Yan grabbed Dan Chen's wrist, she pouted but couldn't shake free of his firm grip. With Yao Lao's help, Xiao Yan had learned a soul technique that bypassed the Ancient Spirit Body's innate defenses, making physical contact effortless.
"What are you doing?" Dan Chen asked, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with unshed tears of frustration.
"I'll walk you home," Xiao Yan said, ignoring her protests as he gently but firmly held her hand and led her forward.
"Let go of me!" she huffed, but her struggles were futile. When they reached a quiet alley, Xiao Yan finally released her hand.
"Jealous?" he teased, looking at her puffed up cheeks.
"I'm not!" she retorted, giving him a sharp look.
"Cute," Xiao Yan muttered under his breath. Before she could react, he cupped her snowy chin and leaned in toward her soft, rosy lips.
(Chapter End)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/LightKira10