After obtaining the Life Spirit Flame, Xiao Yan didn't immediately leave Ye City. Instead, he chose to remain in the small medicinal shop, continuing to conscientiously guide Ye Lingyu in her cultivation. What brought him some comfort was that while Ye Lingyu lacked focus in alchemy, her cultivation in Dou Qi had progressed steadily, and she demonstrated a surprising aptitude for Dou Techniques.
In truth, Xiao Yan had already noticed this talent in his past life. However, back then, he had no interest in training a disciple. This time around, he made a real effort—passing down some cultivation methods and Dou Techniques to her. Within just a few days, she had already brought several of those techniques to the minor accomplishment level. That level of talent could rank among the top three even in Starfall Pavilion.
Unfortunately, Ye City was too small and narrow a stage to allow her potential to truly shine. If she were properly cultivated and given a broader platform, she would certainly become a top-tier expert in time.
Of course, her biggest flaw remained unchanged—her lazy, half-hearted attitude. The moment things got even slightly difficult, she would start slacking off. It was a blatant waste of her natural gifts. The Ye Lingyu Xiao Yan had encountered in his previous life was not like this—on the contrary, she had been extremely diligent and disciplined.
Thinking back carefully, he realized that when they met in his past life, she had already experienced a great deal and was much older than she was now. Her personality must have changed through those life experiences. But the Ye Lingyu of this life was still a pampered, carefree noble lady who had never faced real hardship. Naturally, she wouldn't have the same determined personality.
Because of that, Xiao Yan had—briefly—entertained the thought of wiping out her entire family to give her a life of tragedy and force her to mature. The idea lingered in his mind for some time and had nearly been acted upon, until a sudden spark of insight gave him a much better plan. One that was both quicker and more efficient.
…
As Xiao Yan sat behind the counter organizing herbs, Ye Lingyu munched on a meat bun, carelessly asking, "Teacher, what are we training today?"
"Today, no training," Xiao Yan replied with a smile as he glanced at her relaxed posture. "Cultivation needs a balance between work and rest. You've been working hard lately—it's time to relax and recover a bit. Take the day off."
"Master, you're spoiling her! That lazy brat, working hard?" Xiao Yao's voice rang out in his mind, sounding thoroughly indignant. "If it were me, I'd throw her in a dark room, cut off her food and water, and tell her she couldn't come out until she made a breakthrough!"
"Really?" Ye Lingyu clearly didn't expect such a generous gesture and blinked in surprise. After a moment of hesitation, she looked hopeful. "Then… do you have plans for today, Teacher?"
"Nothing at all. I'm taking the day to rest too." Xiao Yan maintained his usual warm smile. With his refined appearance and gentle temperament, it was hard for anyone—especially young girls—not to feel drawn to him.
"Then… why don't we go out and explore the city?" Ye Lingyu's eyes lit up. "You're not from Ye City, right? Let me show you around! There are some really fun places here—I'll be your guide."
"Sure," Xiao Yan chuckled softly. He had no objections—after all, they would be parting ways after today. Whatever she wanted to do, he'd go along with it. Ye Lingyu was thrilled by his agreement. She quickly ran back to her room, changed into a beautiful outfit, and then dragged Xiao Yan around Ye City on a full tour.
As a guide, Ye Lingyu was surprisingly competent. She enthusiastically explained each scenic spot, local tale, and favorite snack. Although Xiao Yan wasn't genuinely interested, he still played along with great patience, wearing an expression of rapt attention and occasionally asking questions to keep the conversation going. This gave Ye Lingyu a deep sense of fulfillment and joy.
The day passed quickly. That evening, the two returned to the herb shop. Just as Ye Lingyu was about to head off to bed, Xiao Yan stopped her.
"Wait a moment."
"Hmm? What is it, Teacher?"
"You're my disciple now, so I prepared a gift for you," Xiao Yan said with a gentle flick of his finger. A flash of light emerged from his storage ring, revealing a beautifully crafted blue jade ruler. Unlike the heavy, practical Xuan Heavy Ruler that Xiao Yan himself used, this one was elegant in form, embedded with a shimmering white magic core. It looked more like an exquisite piece of art than a weapon.
"This ruler is something I had specially crafted for you. It's called 'Hanlian,'" he explained. "Inlaid within it is the magic core of a Skybone Python. It's not just for show—within the core, I've sealed a beast flame known as the Sky Cold Flame. It'll give your attacks a freezing attribute, perfect for catching enemies off guard."
This Hanlian Ruler had been commissioned by Xiao Yan from Elder Feng, the renowned artifact craftsman of Starfall Pavilion—the same person who had forged the ring Yao Lao resided in. The materials used were all top-tier, and Xiao Yan had even infused a portion of his own Bone-Chilling Flame into it to elevate its power even further.
If Zi Yan and the others found out about this, they'd be green with envy. None of them had ever received such a carefully crafted and personalized weapon from Xiao Yan.
"This… this is for me?" Ye Lingyu had fallen in love with the weapon at first sight. She caressed the ruler's cool, smooth surface, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Of course," Xiao Yan smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Just remember to imprint it with your soul signature when you get back. Otherwise, the chilling energy within Hanlian might hurt you instead of your enemy when you use it."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Ye Lingyu beamed with joy, nearly jumping on the spot. If it weren't for the boundaries of their teacher-disciple relationship, she might've leapt up and kissed him in excitement.
Xiao Yan shook his head with a laugh at her exuberance. "No need to be so formal. Besides, today is your birthday. A gift is the least I could offer."
"My birthday? How did you know?" Ye Lingyu asked curiously.
"I'm your teacher. I contacted your family, and they told me," Xiao Yan replied calmly. He was about to suggest she get some rest when he suddenly sensed several unfamiliar auras swiftly approaching from outside the shop. Ye Lingyu noticed the change in atmosphere too and instinctively looked toward the door, her expression turning serious.
"They've finally arrived…" Xiao Yan murmured to himself.
The show he'd been meticulously preparing was about to begin.
(End of Chapter)
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