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**
"Peak Dou Huang, barely a Tier 7 Alchemist..."
Hearing this, Yao Lao frowned slightly.
This was indeed troublesome.
If it were in the past, as a revered alchemist, he wouldn't have even spared such a small figure a glance.
But now, things weren't so simple.
To directly storm in and seize a Heavenly Flame from the hands of a barely Tier 7 Alchemist without at least Dou Zong strength was almost impossible.
Even if the opponent was only barely at the Tier 7 level, their influence was no joke.
One wrong move, and they'd face an onslaught of retaliation.
But for Xiao Yan's future, he needed at least three Heavenly Flames to refine his body.
Since Yao Lao had no intention of handing over his Bone Chilling Flame for Xiao Yan to refine—
Green Lotus Core Flame, Fallen Heart Flame...
Now, just one more!
This third Heavenly Flame was absolutely not to be missed!
In an instant, Yao Lao made his decision.
The Bone Chilling Flame had long since been fused with his soul. Even in his current spiritual form, it was entirely stable, and he had no need for a Soul-Suppressing Vessel to contain it.
He didn't even fear the backlash of the Heavenly Flame.
Because this flame had already become one with him—his life bound flame, deeply intertwined with his very existence.
Unless there was truly no other choice, Yao Lao would never consider giving it up for Xiao Yan to devour.
To forcefully extract his life bound flame from his soul would be a devastating blow to his vitality.
And besides, he was unwilling.
After all, the Bone Chilling Flame was ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame List.
A rare flame that combined extreme cold and extreme heat, appearing only once a century, when the sun and moon alternated in a land of extreme yin and extreme cold.
Such a rare and extraordinary flame—
How could he possibly let it go?
…
Countless thoughts flashed through Yao Lao's mind.
But he quickly regained his composure.
Either way, he had already paid the price.
And acquiring a Heavenly Flame was never easy—
Difficult was normal.
Upon hearing Wei Yang willingly owe him a favor, Yao Lao felt somewhat satisfied, a flicker of appreciation flashing in his eyes.
A young man who knew how to navigate power dynamics—good.
"Brat Wei, tell me, which Heavenly Flame is it? And whose hands is it in?"
Yao Lao stroked his beard and asked indifferently.
This unknown Heavenly Flame—
Would belong to the Xiao family.
Because Yao Chen had decided so.
"Ranked fifteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking—Sea Heart Flame!"
Wei Yang spoke solemnly:
"The owner of the flame is Han Feng, the so-called 'Medicine Emperor.' He is a major force in the Black-Corner Region, well known throughout the area..."
The temperature at the mountaintop suddenly dropped.
Yao Lao's hand, which had been stroking his beard, unknowingly froze mid-motion.
At that moment, his expression became incredibly complex—
A chilling light erupted from his eyes, sharp enough to sting.
Wei Yang fell silent, pretending to furrow his brows in confusion.
The atmosphere became heavy.
On Yao Lao's face—
There was bitterness, anger, self-mockery... and deep pain.
A long time passed.
His figure seemed to stoop slightly.
At the corner of his lips, a strange smile appeared, his voice eerie and unreadable:
"Ha... 'Medicine Emperor'? Him? He dares? Ha..."
At this moment, Yao Lao seemed far older.
A pitiful old man.
Wei Yang sighed inwardly.
To raise someone from childhood, to pour everything into them, to treat them as his own son—
Only to be betrayed.
Betrayed by his own disciple, who conspired with the Hall of Souls, nearly causing his downfall.
Stripped of his body.
Now, he was nothing more than a drifting wandering soul, trapped inside a ring...
It was like a knife ruthlessly stabbed into the old man's heart.
How could it not hurt?
…
After a long while, Yao Lao's face gradually returned to calmness, betraying no emotions.
Seeing this, Wei Yang finally spoke again.
"From what I know, that 'Medicine Emperor'—ahem, Han Feng—also suspects that there is a Heavenly Flame within the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy. It seems like he has his eyes on the Fallen Heart Flame as well… So, if you plan carefully, perhaps you could be the one to reap the benefits?"
Hearing this, a strange smile surfaced on Yao Lao's face.
"He also has his eyes on the Fallen Heart Flame?"
Wei Yang shrugged. "According to my secret investigations, that seems to be the case."
"Han Feng has been frequently inquiring about the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy."
"Though I don't know what past grievances exist between you and Han Feng, it seems that neither of you are satisfied with just one Heavenly Flame…"
Yao Lao raised his hand, cutting off Wei Yang's words. "This matter has nothing to do with you. No need to dig deeper."
Wei Yang shrugged nonchalantly. "Alright, I'm not that curious anyway."
"Wei brat, anything else? If not, let's end tonight's conversation here."
Yao Lao seemed a little weary as he waved his hand dismissively.
Just as he was about to turn and leave—
Wei Yang flipped his palm, and in his hand appeared a pair of black wings, about the size of a palm, resembling forged steel. Mysterious purple patterns adorned its surface.
Yao Lao's body paused. His gaze fell on the wings, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "This is…"
"High-Level Xuan Grade Flying Dou Technique—Eagle's Wings, also known as Purple Cloud Wings. The materials come from a Tier 5 Magical Beast, the Purple Cloud Black Fire Eagle…"
Wei Yang briefly explained its origins before smiling. "I'm already at the Dou Wang level now. While this flying technique is still useful to me, it's not as crucial anymore. So… I thought perhaps Brother Xiao Yan might need it."
Yao Lao extended his hand.
Seeing this, Wei Yang waved his hand lightly, and the wings floated toward Yao Lao, landing in his palm.
After examining them, Yao Lao nodded slightly. "A fine flying technique, its value is comparable to a Low-Level Earth Grade Dou Technique. I'll take it. What do you want in exchange?"
"A Low-Level Earth Grade Movement Technique. Fire attribute will do." Wei Yang grinned.
"'Will do'? You brat, you really know how to ask for things!" Yao Lao scolded with a smile.
Wei Yang chuckled.
"Fine." Yao Lao shook his head, storing away the wings. Then, with a flip of his hand, he retrieved a light red scroll, sighing.
"At this rate, you're going to clean me out, you brat. Take it."
He tossed the scroll over.
"Senior must be joking. What I've traded for is merely a fraction of your resources." Wei Yang caught the scroll, smiling.
Yao Lao said nothing in response.
Unrolling the scroll, Wei Yang infused it with his soul power.
"Flowing Fire Step, Low-Level Earth Grade Movement Technique… Body like a flowing flame, ever-changing and unpredictable…"
A moment later, Wei Yang opened his eyes, satisfied as he stored it away.
Seeing this, Yao Lao turned, his transparent, aged figure slightly hunched, drifting slowly down the mountain.
"Take care, Senior."
Wei Yang bowed slightly and cupped his hands.
Tonight's exchange had been highly rewarding for him.
What he had given up, truthfully, wasn't much.
Thus, deep inside, he felt genuine gratitude toward Yao Lao.
The old man… was still quite generous.
At that moment, Yao Lao's figure stopped.
Without turning around, he spoke.
"Brat Wei, earlier, you said you owe me a favor. Does that still count?"
Wei Yang was momentarily stunned, then immediately responded.
"Of course! Please speak, Senior. As long as it is within my abilities, I will not refuse."
"Good."
Yao Lao nodded in satisfaction.
"Xiao Yan has a Three-Year Agreement with Yun Lan Sect. You know about this, correct?"
"Yes." Wei Yang nodded.
"There are still two and a half years left until the deadline. When the time comes, I hope you will accompany us to Yun Lan Sect and help protect Xiao Yan as much as possible. How about it?"
"No problem." Wei Yang agreed without hesitation.
"Mm."
Yao Lao let out a soft hum of approval.
With that, his figure drifted away and vanished into the night.
In the dark forest, a faint sigh seemed to echo through the air.
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