"If you want a fully-formed Heavenly Flame, Senior, you'll have to come with me to retrieve it. I can't take it on my own."
Hearing Xiao Bai's condition, a trace of disbelief flashed through Yao Lao's eyes. He couldn't help but complain, "Xiao Bai, were you planning to just give me a map and have me find it myself from the very start?"
Xiao Bai felt a little awkward at Yao Lao's surprised tone and scratched his nose.
Seeing his reaction, Yao Lao instantly understood that his guess was correct, and he was speechless.
Damn it… This little rascal looks all serious on the surface, but deep down, he's full of cunning tricks. Good thing I was cautious and added my own condition in time.
"You're not just assuming there's a Heavenly Flame based on a map, are you? What if it's not there? Or if someone else took it first? Or worse, if it's just a juvenile flame? Then what will you trade with?
I need to see the Heavenly Flame with my own eyes before I hand over what you want, boy. Don't even think about scamming me!"
Yao Lao gave Xiao Bai a serious look.
"Rest assured, Senior. At first, I was planning to give you just the location. But I can guarantee that the Heavenly Flame is real—and it's fully mature. However, I need your assistance to retrieve it; I can't do it alone."
"Why can't you retrieve it alone? Does it belong to someone? If so, I'm not going!"
If someone already owned it, that would mean a conflict. And anyone capable of possessing a Heavenly Flame either had immense power or strong backing. Yao Lao wasn't ready to provoke either of those right now.
Seeing Yao Lao hesitate, Xiao Bai decided to sweeten the bait and make the situation seem more urgent. Otherwise, this fish might slip away.
"It's unclaimed and undiscovered, so there won't be any conflicts. However, it's deep within an underground magma pool, which is why I need your help. We also have to act fast—if we wait too long, someone else might find it first."
Yao Lao pondered for a moment before agreeing.
For one, he had been watching over these kids for a while and knew their personalities well. Among them, Xiao Bai stood out the most—unfortunately, his affinity was with Lightning Dou Qi.
Secondly, a Heavenly Flame was simply too tempting. He needed one for his resurrection. If they succeeded, he would have two flames, leaving only one more to go. That would make things much easier.
"I'll need some time before we can set off. That's not a problem, is it?"
Yao Lao stroked his beard and looked at Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai nodded. "No problem. We'll leave in three months."
He knew Yao Lao needed time to make arrangements for Xiao Yan, so he gave him three months.
According to the original timeline, Queen Medusa wouldn't obtain the Green Lotus Core Flame for another year and a half, so there was no rush.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, feeling a little bored, suddenly noticed two pairs of eyes staring at him in an eerie silence.
Feeling uneasy, he swallowed hard and asked, "Bai-ge… What's going on? Why are you both looking at me like that?"
At this point, he no longer dared to curse at the old man inside the ring. Before, he had been ignorant and fearless. But now that he knew the old man was an eighth-tier alchemist, continuing to insult him would just be stupid.
Even though he still felt somewhat frustrated inside, he had to bow his head under the circumstances.
"Youth, would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Yao Lao floated in front of Xiao Yan, his face warm and kind, one hand gently stroking his beard while the other was clasped behind his back—a perfect image of an enlightened master.
"Dis-...Disciple?"
Xiao Yan looked around, making sure the question was directed at him.
For a moment, he was completely dumbfounded.
After his initial confusion, Xiao Yan found himself torn, as if two little figures in his mind were arguing:
Xiao Yan A: Become his disciple? Hell no! This old man's background is unclear, and he drained my Dou Qi for three years! I haven't even settled that score with him yet!
Xiao Yan B: Do it! Hurry up! Didn't you hear Bai-ge? This old man is an eighth-tier alchemist—he's definitely a powerhouse! If you become his disciple, Yun Lan Sect will be nothing to you!
Xiao Yan A: So you're just gonna let him off for absorbing your Dou Qi for three years? And now you have to call him 'Master'? No way—I can't bring myself to say it!
Xiao Yan B: Hmph! Being born into humble circumstances isn't shameful. A real man knows when to endure humiliation for the sake of the bigger picture! What's the big deal about calling him 'Master'? It's not like you're calling him 'Father'!
…
Xiao Yan's expression shifted between struggle and hesitation. In his mind, the two little figures had already started fighting.
Suddenly, he thought of Xiao Bai. Right now, he had complete trust in him.
Desperately seeking guidance, Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at Xiao Bai like a lost child.
"Bai-ge…"
Xiao Bai was speechless. In the original story, Yao Lao had used the lure of being an alchemist to hook him as a disciple. But now, because of his interference, Xiao Yan actually knew more—so why was he hesitating even more?
For a moment, Xiao Bai wondered if his presence had made Xiao Yan softer—less decisive than he had been in the original timeline.
Sighing, he rubbed his temples in exhaustion and said: "Do you want to get stronger? Just earlier today, you were shouting, 'Don't underestimate the youth just because they're poor!' But if you don't take this chance now, are you planning to shout, 'Don't underestimate the middle-aged just because they're poor'… or 'Don't underestimate the elderly just because they're poor' in the future?"
"Pfft—!" A charming laugh came from Xiao Xun'er, who had been watching from the side.
Yao Lao also felt the urge to burst into laughter, but he forced himself to hold back. Right now, he had to maintain the dignity of a master!
But damn… This kid Xiao Bai really has a way with words. Hahaha…
Xiao Yan, hearing this, finally saw things clearly. Strength was what mattered most. If he had been stronger, he wouldn't have suffered the humiliation of being rejected in public today.
Casting aside his hesitation, he knelt before Yao Lao, respectfully bowing three times and formally addressing him:
"Master!"
Seeing Xiao Yan's proper etiquette, Yao Lao nodded in satisfaction, his gaze becoming much more affectionate.
"Good… good… good…"
Yao Lao was pleased. Because of his past betrayal by a former disciple, he had been much more cautious in choosing this time.
And Xiao Yan was someone he had observed for nearly ten years before making his decision. This time, he thought, I refuse to believe I'll end up with another heartless traitor!
"Master, can you help me reach the seventh stage of Dou Disciple within a year?"
Xiao Yan asked, clearly troubled. This was his biggest concern at the moment.
By next year, he would turn sixteen—an official coming-of-age in the Dou Qi Continent.
In the Xiao Clan, anyone who failed to reach the Seventh stage of Dou Disciple by sixteen would be sent to manage various family businesses. Even as the Clan Leader's son, he wouldn't be exempt from this rule.
So right now, his biggest problem wasn't the Yun Lan Sect—it was his coming-of-age ceremony next year.
"For most people, jumping from the Third stage to the Seventh in a year would be extremely difficult. But you're different. Three years ago, you had already built a solid foundation. And despite your setback, you trained every single day without giving up.
For you, reaching the seventh stage isn't impossible. It just requires some… special methods."
Xiao Yan's eyes flickered. Considering Yao Lao's identity, he asked curiously,
"Do you mean using external assistance, like alchemy pills?"
Yao Lao replied calmly, "Something like that. But with the current toughness of your meridians, your body wouldn't be able to handle the impact of ordinary pills—not even the lowest-grade Qi Gathering Powder."
"The lowest-grade Qi Gathering Powder?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. As expected of an eighth-tier alchemist—what an arrogant statement!
That pill had been inflated to sky-high prices in the Jia Ma Empire, yet Yao Lao called it "lowest-grade"…
If Bai-ge hadn't confirmed that Yao Lao was truly an eighth-tier alchemist, Xiao Yan would have thought this old man was insane.
"Then, Master, what's your solution?" Xiao Yan took a deep breath and asked, furrowing his brows.