"Old Zhou? What happened to him?!"
Xiao Yan's expression changed, and he pressed for an answer.
He wasn't surprised that his father knew about Old Zhou. During the three years he'd lost his Dou Qi, he would often go to Old Zhou's small courtyard to drink and shoot the breeze, just to relieve his depression. His father had always doted on him, and with his cultivation stuck at the third stage of Dou Qi, he would never have been allowed to go out and interact with strangers alone. His father must have sent people to follow and protect him in secret, and they would have naturally investigated everyone he came into contact with.
Xiao Yan had been focused on his training for over half a year, and besides one trip out to auction the Foundation Elixir, he had paid little attention to the outside world. For his father to suddenly bring up Old Zhou out of the blue, how could he not be nervous? Old Zhou was his only good friend right now!
Seeing the concern on Xiao Yan's face, Xiao Zhan didn't keep him in suspense. He shook his head and sighed, "Young Friend Zhou is fine. It's just that his reputation in Wu Tan City has become incredibly well-known. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he's a household name."
Xiao Yan let out a breath of relief. As long as he was okay. If something had really happened, who would he drink and boast with in the future?
But then he grew curious. "Huh? Old Zhou hit the big time?"
"Hit the big time? What do you mean?"
Xiao Zhan was a little baffled by his youngest son's words. The boy had always loved using strange words he didn't understand, and it seemed that hadn't changed.
"Ahem, it's nothing."
Xiao Yan coughed twice to sidestep the topic, then asked with renewed curiosity, "Father, you said Old Zhou is famous now? What's going on?"
"To speak of that, we must first mention the term 'Iron-Slicing Armaments.' I believe you've heard of it, Yan'er."
"I know about that. It's a type of weapon that was all the rage a while back, said to be sharp enough to cut through a Dou Shi's Dou Qi Armor," Xiao Yan said with a nod. He'd heard the name from his clansmen a few months ago, back when he was still at the fifth stage of Dou Qi.
Xiao Zhan stroked his beard and nodded. "Some time ago, these armaments began appearing frequently, which caught the clan's attention. After all, if such sharp weapons were equipped on a large scale, they could form a terrifying fighting force."
"So, I sent men to investigate. We discovered that these weapons were coming from Young Friend Zhou."
"And if we could find that out, so could the other factions in the city."
"As a result, Young Friend Zhou attracted the covetous eyes of many powers. However, they were wary that he might have a powerful background or a strong expert supporting him, so the major factions held back, investigating him for a full month."
"But this afternoon, someone's patience ran out. They made a move to capture Young Friend Zhou…"
"What! Who was it!"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan shot to his feet, his eyes sharp and filled with killing intent. Though he was surprised that Old Zhou could create something like the Iron-Slicing Armaments, he was far more concerned about his friend's safety.
"Calm down. Did you forget what I said earlier?"
Seeing his son's reaction, Xiao Zhan smiled and shook his head slightly, gesturing for him to calm down and sit.
Xiao Yan remembered that his father had already said Old Zhou was fine, which meant the capture attempt must have failed. He sat back down and continued to listen.
"The one who tried to capture him was a five-star Dou Shi, but he did not succeed. Instead, Young Friend Zhou, with the strength of a high-level Dou Zhe, turned the tables and decisively killed him right there on the street."
"That is why I said Young Friend Zhou's name now echoes throughout Wu Tan City."
Speaking of this, even Xiao Zhan couldn't help but sigh with admiration. "Yan'er, this friend of yours is no simple character. At the age of fifteen, he not only has the skill to craft Iron-Slicing Armaments but also possesses the cultivation of a high-level Dou Zhe. Such a genius… aside from you in your prime, I have never seen another like him."
As expected, a genius's friend is bound to be a genius as well. With Yan'er's former talent, how could any friend he made be a nobody?
"Hiss…"
After hearing the news, Xiao Yan was stunned. He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes filled with utter shock.
When he first heard that the armaments came from Old Zhou, he was merely surprised. Compared to blacksmithing, a profession with little future, his path as an alchemist was far more promising. Why would he care about some weapons?
But this was different. Hearing that Old Zhou was a high-level Dou Zhe who had killed a Dou Shi… Xiao Yan was truly horrified.
The reason was simple.
Xiao Yan clearly remembered that it was only half a year ago that he had given his friend a cultivation method, allowing him to finally begin converting his Dou Qi.
And now you're telling me that in just six months, Old Zhou went from a one-star Dou Zhe to at least the seventh star?
And his combat prowess was so high he could kill an enemy a major realm above him?
Are you kidding me!
"Damn it! That guy's talent is so monstrous, and he kept it hidden from me all this time. He doesn't even see me as a friend."
After the shock wore off and he accepted the reality, Xiao Yan gave a wry smile, the corners of his mouth tinged with a bit of sourness.
His own talent was already exceptional, but he never would have imagined that his good buddy—the one who usually joked around with him, the one who had been stuck at the entry-level of a Dou Zhe because he lacked a cultivation method—was such a freak of nature!
Xiao Yan was confident that if he were a high-level Dou Zhe, he wouldn't stand a chance against a Dou Shi without his teacher's help. He couldn't do it, but his best friend had. The blow to his pride was considerable.
The feeling was like he was still digging in the mud while his good brother was already driving a Land Rover. It was hard to accept.
Xiao Yan's current mood perfectly matched the saying: You hate to see your brother suffer, but you're terrified he'll start driving a Land Rover.
"Old Zhou, you bastard! How dare you do so well for yourself!" Xiao Yan thought viciously, but a smile unknowingly crept onto his lips, and his eyes shone with happiness.
Seeing that Xiao Yan wasn't truly discouraged, Xiao Zhan nodded in satisfaction. He stood up, patted his son's shoulder, and offered encouragement, "Don't lose heart, Yan'er. While Young Friend Zhou is indeed brilliant, you are no less remarkable."
"I believe that in the future, my Yan'er will not be weaker than anyone!"
"Don't worry, Father. I survived the last three years; I won't be so easily defeated. At the coming-of-age ceremony, I will give you a huge surprise."
"Good, good! That's my son. I will be waiting for your surprise, then."
"It's getting late. Now that we've finished talking, I'll head back and not disturb your rest."
"Take care, Father. I'll see you out."
After sending Xiao Zhan off, Xiao Yan returned to his bedroom and sat on his bed, lost in thought.
Suddenly, he looked up and asked, "Teacher, that genius you mentioned earlier, the one far superior to me… it wasn't Old Zhou, was it?"
"Hehehe, what do you think?"
"Damn you, old man!"