Yes, Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yan were from the same hometown, both transmigrators from Earth.
Fifteen years ago, after the Xiao Clan encountered a series of upheavals and its strength suffered severe losses, they were forced to move from the imperial capital to settle in the relatively remote ancestral grounds of the Xiao Clan in Wu Tan City. However, on the way back to Wu Tan City, the Xiao Clan was ambushed by a group of people of unknown origin, resulting in the complete annihilation of all Dou Ling experts within the clan, with only a handful of Da Dou Shi surviving.
Zhang Yuan's parents also died in that battle. Xiao Yan's mother, in order to protect Zhang Yuan, who was just over one year old at the time, forcibly used Dou Qi and injured her womb. Several years after giving birth to Xiao Yan, she fell gravely ill and passed away.
When Zhang Yuan learned that he had transmigrated into the world of Battle Through the Heavens and discovered his blood relationship with Xiao Yan, he was ecstatic for a long time.
As the saying goes, better to be Xiao Yan's little brother than Tang San's sworn brother.
The Endless Fire Territory had Yao Lao, while the Divine Realm had no Yu Xiaogang.
As Xiao Yan's cousin, sharing the same grandparents on both sides, all he needed to do was show care during Xiao Yan's years as a waste, and Xiao Yan would surely remember it for life.
When Xiao Yan began to rise, he could find a place to lie low in advance, avoiding being caught in the crossfire when the Hall of Souls targeted the Xiao Clan. Then, after Xiao Yan became a Dou Di and awakened the Dou Di bloodline, he could come back out. At that point, Xiao Yan would definitely have pills in abundance. Following him to the Endless Fire Territory would absolutely guarantee a Dou Di position, even if it was only a crippled Earth Sovereign.
He also knew all the opportunities in the Great Thousand World. He could even snatch them before the Child of Destiny Mu Chen was born and achieve dominion in advance.
However, such thoughts did not linger long in his mind.
Having lost his parents, he was essentially raised by Xiao Zhan. This uncle treated him no differently from his own son Xiao Yan, and Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were also extremely good to him.
In the Xiao Clan, his food, clothing, shelter, travel, and cultivation treatment were all at the level of a direct-line young master. Especially after he revealed his cultivation talent, Xiao Zhan even persuaded the clan's upper echelon to allocate a large amount of resources to nurture him.
Perhaps the Xiao Clan had invested in him with expectations, but actions mattered more than intentions. Judging intentions alone, no one in this world was perfect.
He had genuinely benefited from the Xiao Clan and felt the familial affection of Xiao Zhan and the others. This debt had to be repaid, otherwise what difference would there be between him and a certain someone named Tang?
Thinking of what the Xiao Clan would later suffer, he began cultivating diligently, hoping to possess enough strength when the time came.
During this period, it was not as though he had never coveted the ring on Xiao Yan's finger.
People were selfish. Knowing full well that there was a broad road leading to Dou Di, who could refuse it?
But perhaps because they were fellow Earth natives, Xiao Yan, who had matured early, had always been extremely close to him. Even when Zhang Yuan stopped him from experimenting with Dou Qi on Xun'er or interrupted his shameless peeping in the back mountain, there had never been any resentment between them.
He struggled internally for a long time, until he became a Dou Zhe at the age of twelve, learned that his Dou Qi attribute was lightning, the same as Xiao Li's, and activated his own cheat.
Xiao Yan's cheat was of no use to him, and now that he had his own, he was finally able to face Xiao Yan with complete openness.
As for accidentally flirting with Xun'er and the others.
He could only say that first come, first-served. Matters of the heart could not be forced.
However, this secret and the truth of his transmigration would forever remain buried in the deepest part of Zhang Yuan's heart.
"Xiao Yan, why are you still standing there like an idiot?"
Zhang Yuan suddenly turned around and pushed Xiao Yan forward.
Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, but quickly reacted. He smoothly dropped to one knee and said, "Master above, please accept this disciple's bow."
Zhang Yuan had already said that the other party was the number one alchemist on the continent, an 8th Tier high-level alchemist. Meanwhile, the strongest alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, Pill King Gu He, was only 6th Tier yet already enjoyed tremendous fame.
There were only a handful of people on the entire continent with thighs thicker than Yao Lao's. Now that the other party owed him a favor and had said he possessed alchemist talent, how could he not immediately acknowledge him as a master?
Yao Chen: "..."
As the dignified Medicine Sovereign, he had seen countless people in his life and had only truly misjudged Han Feng.
But scoundrels as refreshingly shameless as Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yan were something he had never encountered before.
"Forget it. Since this old man owes you a favor, I will temporarily accept you as a registered disciple. If your performance in the future satisfies me, I will formally take you in as a true disciple." Yao Chen put on airs.
Xiao Yan had no complaints. After all, this old man had been a Dou Zun and an 8th Tier Nine-Color Alchemist at his peak. Being a registered disciple was hardly a loss.
"Teacher, is there a meeting gift?" Xiao Yan stretched out his hand.
Yao Lao was momentarily speechless and suddenly began to doubt his own judgment.
Had these three years of observation really allowed him to understand Xiao Yan?
Seeing that he did not respond, Xiao Yan added, "You absorbed this disciple's Dou Qi for three years. Let that count as my apprenticeship gift, no problem, right?"
Yao Lao: "..."
Even when he had been ambushed by Han Feng back then, he had not felt this speechless.
"Take it." Yao Lao took out a scroll from the Bone Flame Ring.
"What is this, a Tian Class Qi Method?" Xiao Yan excitedly opened the scroll.
Even Zhang Yuan could not stand it anymore. He smacked Xiao Yan on the head and said helplessly, "Do you think Tian Class Qi Methods grow on trees? Besides, you are not even a Dou Zhe right now. Even if I gave you a Qi Method, you could not cultivate it."
Yao Chen nodded lightly, feeling that Zhang Yuan was indeed reliable, though unfortunately unsuitable to become his disciple.
"This is the refining method for Foundation Elixir. Foundation Elixir is a special medicinal liquid personally developed by this old man. It can assist cultivators below the Dou Zhe realm in rapidly refining Dou Qi," Yao Chen explained.
Xiao Yan's pupils instantly contracted, and Zhang Yuan cooperated with a shocked expression as he exclaimed, "There is actually a medicinal liquid that can help those below the Dou Zhe realm cultivate?!"
Cultivation of Dou Zhi Qi could be considered the body-tempering stage. It mainly expanded the meridians and tempered the body, strengthening the channels to lay a foundation for condensing Dou Qi in the future.
This process had to be gradual and could not rely on any external force. Otherwise, when Dou Qi grew stronger later on, the meridians would rupture because they could not withstand the impact of more powerful Dou Qi.
And any kind of pill contained energy. Even the lowest-grade Qi Gathering Powder required someone at the 9th Stage Dou Zhi Qi to attempt using it.
"Heh heh~" Yao Chen stroked his beard, wearing the air of a lofty expert.
Zhang Yuan took a deep breath and cupped his fists toward Yao Chen. "Zhang Yuan thanks the senior on behalf of the Xiao Clan."
Xiao Yan: "?"
"You are truly very clever." Yao Chen narrowed his eyes.
"It is because the senior conducts himself openly and aboveboard," Zhang Yuan replied.
"If I did not show sincerity, you would probably not trust me," Yao Chen said meaningfully.
Zhang Yuan did not speak, but Xiao Yan, having lived two lives, quickly understood.
Yao Chen had given the Foundation Elixir refining method in front of Zhang Yuan. This medicinal liquid, which could help those in the body-tempering stage, would benefit the entire Xiao Clan. That was why Zhang Yuan had expressed thanks.
And by doing so, Yao Chen was also demonstrating one of his tokens of sincerity, showing that he harbored no ill intent toward Xiao Yan.
Both sides were establishing preliminary trust.
Zhang Yuan was standing at the forefront, negotiating between Yao Chen and the Xiao Clan on Xiao Yan's behalf.
Xiao Yan felt another surge of emotion in his heart.
'My cousin is really too good to me. I do not even know how I will repay him in the future.'
'Come to think of it, my cousin seems to like beautiful women. Maybe I should help him find more women later...'
Zhang Yuan had no idea what Xiao Yan was imagining. Otherwise, he would have laughed himself breathless.
"I will go prepare the materials needed for this. Then I will have to trouble the senior to make a move," Zhang Yuan said as he took the scroll from Xiao Yan's hands and cupped his fists toward Yao Chen again.
Yao Chen nodded slightly and reminded him, "Junior, only you and this cheap disciple of mine may know of my existence. You must not tell a third person, including your closest kin."
Zhang Yuan nodded. "Senior, rest assured. I have self-awareness."
After saying that, Zhang Yuan grabbed the scroll and left the secret chamber.
Yao Chen looked at his retreating figure and sighed, "Excessive genius breaks easily."
Xiao Yan frowned subconsciously and asked, "Teacher, what do you mean by that?"
Yao Chen looked at him and said indifferently, "You are too stupid. Think about it yourself."
This time, it was Xiao Yan's turn to be speechless.
He knew he was a bit slower than Zhang Yuan, but it was impossible to say he was stupid.
'Think it through myself then.' Yao Lao said not to expose his existence, and Zhang Yuan said he had self-awareness, not understanding.
Self-awareness!
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up as he said, "Teacher, you have a powerful enemy?"
That was right. The continent's number one alchemist, also a powerful Dou Zun, had ended up like this for no reason? Impossible. That meant he had enemies, and they were definitely not weak.
"You are not completely hopelessly stupid," Yao Chen said.
Xiao Yan clicked his tongue and then said, "Teacher, rest assured. When this disciple's strength is sufficient in the future, I will definitely avenge you."
The words were naive, yet they warmed Yao Chen's heart.
He had thought that once Xiao Yan figured it out, he would hesitate or feel afraid. After all, the enemy of a Dou Zun and the number one alchemist would not be easy to deal with. That was one of the reasons he had initially not wanted to reveal his identity.
But Xiao Yan, like Zhang Yuan, showed no hesitation or fear at all.
"Heh heh, good ambition. But relying on hot blood alone is not enough."
Yao Chen was very satisfied with Xiao Yan's attitude. Combined with his three years of observation, he decided to take a gamble.
If he won, he could be reborn and even reach a higher level.
If he lost, he would simply dissipate into nothingness. That was still better than lingering on in misery for decades.
"If you want to avenge me, walking the conventional path will not suffice," Yao Chen said. "I have a Qi Method here that is even more strange and special than Tian Class Qi Methods. I do not know if you dare to cultivate it."
"How is it strange and special?" Xiao Yan's eyes burned with excitement.
Yao Chen looked at him and said calmly, "This Qi Method is called the Flame Mantra, and it can evolve."
(End of Chapter)
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