"It seems you've agreed, Elder Yao."
Hun Changqing smiled as he looked at Yao Chen, whose heart was surging with emotion.
"Yes, I didn't expect it either. I've been persuaded by you, young man, haha."
Yao Chen stroked his beard and laughed.
However, his mood then sombered as he said,
"It's that little brat whose Dou Qi I absorbed for three years that makes me feel guilty.
Before you came, I planned to take him as my disciple and teach him some skills to repay the favor of those three years of Dou Qi support.
Now I have important matters to attend to, so I'm afraid I can't take him as my disciple anymore. Alas, I can only make up for it in other ways.
But that little brat has suffered a lot because of me over the years. No matter how I try to make it up to him, I will still feel guilty."
Seeing Yao Chen's distress as he expressed his guilt towards Xiao Yan, Hun Changqing laughed and said,
"Elder Yao, there's no need for that. Now that you're by my side..." "He will naturally regain his former talent.
No matter how good his talent was before, if you hadn't absorbed it, he would at most be a Dou Shi.
You are currently refining pills for me, and in your spare time you can also refine some foundation-strengthening pills for him, and teach him some high-level Dou techniques.
For him, these things are not comparable to a mere Dou Shi realm. So, the Dou Qi you absorbed from him over the years has actually been an opportunity for him!
If this child knew this, he would be grateful to you, how could he resent you? Elder Yao, you are overthinking it."
Yao Chen suddenly understood after hearing Hun Changqing's words.
Yes, after all, it was only three years of Dou Qi absorption, and it was Dou Zhe's Dou Qi at that. There was no need to worry about it.
How many years of hard work could one of his pills save him?
In the past, people in the Dou Qi Realm would have broken their heads trying to get a single pill from him. They would probably have been willing to wait for ten years, let alone three.
How did he end up getting himself into this mess? He felt like there was some unseen force compelling him to take Xiao Yan as his disciple. Was it just his imagination?
Yao Chen was somewhat bewildered, but he quickly shook his head, banishing those strange thoughts.
With Hun Changqing's guidance, Yao Chen stopped worrying too much. He was confident that what he left for Xiao Yan was definitely worth more than the Dou Qi he had cultivated over the past three years, and even far more.
"Hehe, it seems Elder Yao has come to his senses. You are a renowned alchemist in Dou Qi Realm, and it's a blessing for that child to receive your gift.
However, I see that Elder Yao values that child so highly, it must be more than just because of those three years of Dou Qi absorption.
I see that Xiao Yan is now fifteen years old, two years younger than me. In that case, I will take Xiao Yan as my sworn brother.
We still need to recuperate in this small town for a while, and in our spare time, we can teach him a bit,"
Hun Changqing said with a smile.
"Oh? Really? Well, that's not a bad idea. Having someone like you as his sworn brother would ease my guilt, though it might put you in a difficult position."
Yao Chen's eyes now held a hint of gratitude as he looked at Hun Changqing. In his eyes, Hun Changqing was a powerhouse destined to reach the pinnacle of the continent.
For Yao Chen's sake, Hun Changqing was willing to take a "genius" from a small border town as his sworn brother—it was truly indescribable.
He was even more convinced that Hun Changqing was a man of high moral character, upright and righteous!
Then he noticed the faint killing intent emanating from Hun Changqing's sinister aura.
He couldn't help but curse the Soul Palace in his heart again,
"Damn Soul Palace! You're truly inhuman! Beasts! Such a good-natured child, and you've raised him into a killing machine! You deserve to die! Just wait, it won't be long before Changqing and I return to Zhongzhou and slaughter all of you villains! We'll restore peace and order to Zhongzhou!"
Only Hun Changqing didn't know what Yao Chen was thinking. If he did, he would definitely laugh and sigh, "Yao Chen is so straightforward!"
...
Since Hun Changqing decided to take Xiao Yan as his sworn brother, Yao Chen believed it was Xiao Yan's good fortune, and that Xiao Yan was actually getting a good deal!
Thus, Yao Chen's guilt disappeared. With their burdens lifted, Yao Chen and Hun Changqing embarked on their entrepreneurial journey, preparing to conquer the world.
Hun Changqing first used the Three Lights Divine Water to heal most of Yao Chen's soul injuries, restoring Yao Chen's soul to the peak of the Dou Zong realm.
It seemed he hadn't felt such a lightness in his soul for a long time; Yao Chen even took a stroll in the Monster Mountain Range outside Wutan City to breathe in some fresh air before returning to work.
Hun Changqing dumped all the materials from his storage ring onto Yao Chen.
He didn't tell Yao Chen what kind of pills to refine, only informing him of his general cultivation progress and letting him handle the pill refining himself.
He would consume whatever pills Yao Chen refined; professional matters should be left to professionals.
Yao Chen was not only proficient in pill refining, but his strength and vision far surpassed Hun Changqing's.
Therefore, Hun Changqing would also consult Yao Chen on some issues and ask him to create cultivation plans for him.
After several days together, their relationship progressed rapidly, now resembling a mentor-student relationship. "
…
Little Changqing, why haven't you healed your arm yet? It's been broken for quite some time now, hasn't it?"
The spirit form of Yao Chen slowly floated to Hun Changqing's side, pointed at his severed arm, and asked with a puzzled expression.
Hun Changqing, who was currently studying a water-attribute fighting technique, immediately felt a headache coming on and said irritably,
"How many times have I told you not to call me Little Changqing? That nickname is embarrassing, you know?
I'm preparing to advance to the Dou Zong level right now. There's no one here who can threaten me, so healing my arm isn't urgent."
Yao Chen nodded thoughtfully and casually said,
"I understand, Little Changqing."
"Don't call me Little Changqing!"
Hun Changqing said again, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, then turned back to studying his fighting technique, seemingly not intending to pay any more attention to Yao Chen.
Looking at Hun Changqing's embarrassed and annoyed expression, Yao Chen stroked his beard, laughed heartily, and floated towards the alchemy furnace beside him.
"Hahaha, these young people nowadays... they're really not cute at all."
...
"Little Changqing!"
Suddenly, Yao Chen, who had already drifted away, suddenly darted back to Hun Changqing, calling out to him. Hun Changqing was so startled that he almost threw the jade slip of Dou Qi in his hand at him.
Seeing that it was Yao Chen, Hun Changqing was speechless and said irritably,
"Don't you know that scaring someone can kill them? Especially since you're a ghost now, you're even scarier, so what?"
Seeing Hun Changqing so frightened, Yao Chen found it very amusing and teased,
"You used to be a member of the Soul Palace, dealing with ghosts every day. How could you be afraid of ghosts? It should be the ghosts being afraid of you, hahaha."
Hun Changqing was speechless at Yao Chen's words.
"Alright, alright, let's get down to business."
Yao Chen suddenly changed his playful expression and said to Hun Changqing with a serious face.