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"Huh?"
Yao Lao had initially wanted to continue speaking with Xiao Yan, but suddenly, his gaze locked onto Wei Yang.
Just now, he had sensed a peculiar fluctuation.
A moment later, Yao Lao gave Wei Yang a deep look and spoke in an inexplicable tone, "The aura of a Heavenly Flame… Brat Wei, have you come into contact with a Heavenly Flame before? And not too long ago at that?"
Though phrased as a question, his tone carried certainty.
"Senior is correct. I did come into contact with a Heavenly Flame not long ago." Wei Yang nodded in acknowledgment.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, looked somewhat bewildered, having no idea what a Heavenly Flame was.
"Where?" Yao Lao's eyes lit up, and he pressed for an answer.
Wei Yang merely smiled ambiguously, his tone indifferent. "Senior, that question is rather difficult for me to answer."
Yao Lao narrowed his eyes, staring at Wei Yang.
Wei Yang met his gaze with a calm smile, his expression unperturbed.
The old and the young simply stared at each other in silence.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Xiao Yan quietly shifted his steps backward, ready to bolt at any moment.
The air atop the mountain suddenly felt heavy and stifling.
Yao Lao slowly stroked his white beard, his eyes flickering as if deep in thought.
Just moments ago, the Bone Chilling Flame within him had stirred unexpectedly. Following that subtle fluctuation to its source, he quickly and keenly detected a faint and obscure presence on Wei Yang.
But almost instantly, that aura had faded into obscurity.
Even so, Yao Lao was certain—he had sensed a Heavenly Flame!
When Heavenly Flames are in close proximity, they can instinctively sense each other.
This young man before him must have recently come into contact with a Heavenly Flame, which was why he carried its lingering aura… No, more than that—he might even have a Heavenly Flame on him right now!
That was Yao Lao's judgment, and he could not help but feel tempted.
His gaze briefly swept over Xiao Yan, who was tense all over, looking like he was ready to flee at any second.
Then, he turned back to Wei Yang, who remained composed and indifferent.
This was tricky.
The situation was complicated.
First of all, Wei Yang seemed to have a close relationship with Xiao Yan—or at least, he had a good relationship with the Xiao Clan.
And since Yao Lao intended to take Xiao Yan as his disciple, if he were to make a move against his friend right in front of him…
Xiao Yan already had a poor impression of him because he had absorbed his Dou Qi for three years. If he acted against Wei Yang now…
First impressions were important.
Secondly, though the boy in front of him was only at the peak of Dou Ling, he gave off an inexplicable sense of difficulty.
It was a gut feeling.
Looking at Wei Yang's calm demeanor, Yao Lao felt uncertain.
If it were just an ordinary peak Dou Ling expert, Yao Lao wouldn't be concerned.
But this kid… was unusual!
And his soul power was incredibly powerful—strong enough to rival a mid-to-high-rank Dou Zong.
That was what made Yao Lao wary.
His current condition wasn't great. If he rashly made a move and failed to subdue Wei Yang in a short time, it would lead to an extended confrontation. If that happened, he wouldn't just expose himself—he might even fall back into dormancy!
And if he fell into dormancy again, he would be at someone else's mercy.
Wei Yang observed Yao Lao's flickering gaze. Though he appeared calm, his heart was tense.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He wasn't too afraid of Yao Lao himself. What he truly feared was the Bone Chilling Flame!
At this moment, he was using his soul power to envelop the spatial ring hidden in his robes, layering it with multiple seals to block any fluctuations.
Inside that spatial ring… was the Green Lotus Core Flame.
He had already wrapped the Green Colored Lotus Platform with several layers of soul power, constructing thick sealing barriers. Yet, it had still been detected by the Bone Chilling Flame.
For just a split second, the usually dormant Green Lotus Core Flame had stirred, nearly burning through his soul barrier.
Fortunately, Wei Yang reacted quickly, reinforcing the barriers with additional layers of soul power to completely suppress any fluctuations.
An unrefined Heavenly Flame—what a hassle.
Wei Yang frowned slightly as he looked at Yao Lao.
To be honest, he didn't want to have any conflict with Yao Lao.
But if Yao Lao really intended to make a move, he wasn't afraid either.
At worst, he could just turn around and leave.
In the future, who would be the one seeking whom? That was still uncertain.
Either way, Wei Yang had a great mindset and plenty of confidence.
Both sides were rapidly weighing their options, considering the gains and losses, but in reality, only a few breaths had passed.
Before long, Yao Lao calmed his thoughts, his face returning to a smiling expression. Stroking his white beard, he chuckled, "Hehe, Xiao Wei, no need to be so tense. This old man wouldn't stoop so low as to bully a young one like you."
Old fox, like hell I'd believe you!
Wei Yang scoffed inwardly but maintained a warm smile on his face, following along with a flattering remark, "With Senior's status, naturally, you would not oppress the weak."
"Heh."
The two exchanged a glance and revealed sincere smiles.
Instantly, the previously tense atmosphere dissipated, turning light and relaxed, as if the prior confrontation had never happened.
"Old fox!" Wei Yang.
"Little fox!" Yao Lao.
Both thought the same thing at the same time.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan secretly let out a sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as he looked at the two of them speechlessly.
Just moments ago, they were on the verge of clashing, and now they had completely changed their tune…
Yao Lao twirled his long beard, feeling somewhat emotional.
If he hadn't met Xiao Yan but instead encountered Wei Yang first…
Well, it wouldn't have been impossible to consider.
Forget it. Since he had no intention of making a move, perhaps it would be worthwhile to befriend this young man.
After all, he was talented, and he seemed to have a decent relationship with Xiao Yan. In the future, he might even be beneficial to Xiao Yan's growth.
As these thoughts passed through his mind—
"Brat Wei, may I ask which Heavenly Flame it is?" Yao Lao inquired.
"Of course." Wei Yang nodded and didn't conceal it. "It's ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame List—the Green Lotus Core Flame."
"So it's that one!" Yao Lao nodded in understanding before asking again, "It seems like you haven't refined it yet?"
"It has already reached maturity, with power comparable to a Dou Huang. I am currently incapable of refining it." Wei Yang shrugged.
"That explains it. A mature form, comparable to a Dou Huang… its power is indeed…" Yao Lao nodded in realization but also frowned slightly.
He had been entertaining some thoughts about this Heavenly Flame. After all, as long as Wei Yang hadn't refined it, there would always be a chance to find a way to obtain it in the future.
But its power… was a bit terrifying!
Refining a Heavenly Flame meant swallowing it into one's body.
Even if there were ways to weaken the flame's power first…
Yao Lao glanced at Xiao Yan—Third Stage Dou Zhi Qi, …
In an instant, Yao Lao tossed all those thoughts aside. At least for now, it was out of the question.
Wei Yang feigned curiosity and asked, "Senior, don't you already possess a Heavenly Flame? Why are you still interested in mine?"
Just now, the Green Lotus Core Flame had fluctuated. The only thing that could cause such a reaction in a Heavenly Flame was another Heavenly Flame.
Thus, when Wei Yang openly mentioned that he knew Yao Lao had a Heavenly Flame, it didn't seem strange.
"Uh." Yao Lao was momentarily at a loss before vaguely replying, "Heavenly Flames are, after all, treasures of the heavens and earth. This old man was merely curious."
His gaze unintentionally swept over Xiao Yan.
This old man has it tough!
Seeing this, Wei Yang chuckled and decided not to pursue the topic further. Instead, he asked, "Senior's surname is Yao, and you possess a Heavenly Flame. You must also be an alchemist, correct?"
"An alchemist?" Xiao Yan was surprised upon hearing this and looked at Yao Lao in shock.
He didn't understand much about Heavenly Flames, but he certainly knew about alchemists.
They were incomparably noble existences.
Upon hearing this, Yao Lao's expression grew a little smug. Stroking his long beard, he spoke with a hint of pride, "In the field of alchemy, this old man can be considered to have achieved some success. In my homeland, I am fairly well-known."
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