In his previous life, after Xiao Yan lost all his Dou Qi, his heart was filled with anxious panic, especially after multiple failed attempts to Cultivate Dou Qi, leaving him with endless despair.
Over the next three years, as his cultivation remained at Dou Zhi Qi Level 3, the gazes of his clansmen gradually changed from enthusiastic reverence to cold disdain. At that time, Xiao Yan felt that life was worse than death, and there was no meaning in living.
However, these three years allowed him to experience all aspects of life, smoothing out his youthful arrogance. From then on, he approached things with a more normal mindset, and it made him cherish every Opportunity and every bit of human warmth immensely.
People only learn to cherish after losing something.
It can be said that although these three years brought no increase in his cultivation, they greatly tempered his state of mind, planting a solid foundation for his strong heart.
Of course, the starting point of everything was actually the black ring on his finger.
If not for the three years of hardship brought by Venerable Yao, Xiao Yan's character would inevitably have become somewhat arrogant, and perhaps one day after he became a strong person, it would have been the day of his downfall.
And if not for the guidance and the Opportunity of the Burning Art bestowed by Venerable Yao after his awakening, Xiao Yan's highest achievement in his life might have stopped at Dou Huang.
With a bit of luck, becoming a Dou Zong might not have been impossible, but becoming a Dou Zun would have been extremely slim, so how could he have become the later Flame Emperor?
Looking back, Venerable Yao played an extremely important role in Xiao Yan's growth Dao.
Having undergone Rebirth, Xiao Yan's knowledge was countless levels higher than Venerable Yao's, but of course, he would not abandon this old man who had shown him such immense kindness.
Moreover, the current Xiao Yan, with only Dou Zhi Qi Level 3, despite having an endless Treasure Trove of memories, couldn't even refine the most basic First Grade Pill.
Therefore...
Xiao Yan gently stroked the black ring in his hand, a hint of reminiscence appearing in his eyes.
"Teacher, whether this is a new life or an illusory bubble, let us, master and Disciple, join hands again and carve out a vast sky!"
With his emotions brewing to this point, even Xiao Yan's state of mind couldn't help but fluctuate, and he immediately couldn't help but let out a low roar.
"Teacher, awaken!"
After a roar of an Emperor, the black ring remained motionless, as if it were just an inconspicuous ancient ornament.
Looking at the motionless black ring, Xiao Yan's Face remained stiff for a full quarter of an hour before he gently let out a breath.
"You absorbed so much of my Dou Qi; even if you can't recover too much strength, you should have at least recovered some consciousness, right? What's more, if you hadn't recovered some consciousness, how could you have actively absorbed my Dou Qi?"
Xiao Yan looked at the black ancient ring and couldn't help but shake it again.
"Teacher, Venerable Yao... Yao Chen, old geezer?"
Although his strength had fallen to only Dou Zhi Qi Level 3, the powerful consciousness he had cultivated over tens of thousands of years in his previous life was incredibly strong.
Even though his current Soul Power could only rival a First Grade Alchemist, Xiao Yan could vaguely feel the ancient Soul within the ring watching him.
After multiple futile calls, Xiao Yan suddenly grinned, a mischievous smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Since you, Xiao Yan, won't give Face, then don't blame your Disciple for being unfilial."
Thinking this, Xiao Yan forcibly dragged his weak Physical Body out of bed, then laboriously walked to the commode in his side room.
"Teacher, if you don't show yourself again, I'm going to wake you up with pee."
At this point, the smile on Xiao Yan's lips became even more playful. He was already holding the black ring on his finger, letting out a series of cackling laughs.
"Venerable Yao, you don't want to stay soaked in this latrine, do you?"
As his words fell, Xiao Yan was already prying at the black ring. It was at this moment that a white ray of light suddenly flashed on the black ring.
Xiao Yan only felt that the ring was firmly attached to his finger. Unless he cut off his finger, even if Xiao Zhan made a move, it would probably be difficult to remove it.
A vast Soul pressure assailed him, and Xiao Yan's Face instantly turned even paler, his Soul swaying precariously, as if he would faint at any moment.
Fortunately, his will was countless times stronger than it had been back then. With the boost of this will, he managed not to be knocked unconscious by that terrifying Soul impact.
The next moment, the room moved without wind, and an old, ethereal figure slowly drifted out from the black ring. Any ordinary person seeing it would likely be greatly startled, mistaking it for a ghostly, eerie entity.
Only Xiao Yan, at the moment he saw this aged figure, showed a dazed, reminiscent look on his Face.
"You brat are so malicious. At such a young age, you came up with such a bad idea. Also, how do you know about my information?"
The aged voice sounded, but it was a pair of pupils burning with pale white flames staring intently at Xiao Yan. The terrifying killing intent seemed to materialize, causing a layer of frost to faintly form in the room.
"Achoo!"
Under this terrifying coldness, Xiao Yan's Physical Body had already become extremely weak, and he couldn't help but sneeze at that moment.
"Teacher, I am your Disciple."
Xiao Yan couldn't help but explain. It was clear that the current Venerable Yao was very wary, and his killing intent was very strong.
Xiao Yan was afraid that the old man, in a fit of excitement, would directly kill him on the spot. If that happened, the story would probably be nipped in the bud before it even began.
"Disciple? I don't remember having a Disciple like you."
Venerable Yao's eyes remained wary. This young child in front of him was only about ten years old. His Physical Body had been destroyed for over a hundred years, so how could a Disciple suddenly appear?
Seeing Venerable Yao still wary, Xiao Yan, however, returned to normal. A kind of calmness that even surprised Venerable Yao suddenly appeared in his dark eyes.
"Teacher, there's no need to be so wary. The reason for this is difficult for me to explain clearly at once. You just need to know that I know everything about you. I will not harm you; instead, I will help you recover your Physical Body and seek revenge."
Seeing Venerable Yao still wary, Xiao Yan couldn't help but utter a few more keywords.
"Starfall Pavilion, Soul Hall, Han Feng, Wind Venerable, Xuan Yi."
The moment the words fell, the Soul fluctuations in the room suddenly became like a storm on a turbulent sea, making Xiao Yan's Soul feel like a small boat caught within it, swaying precariously, always in danger of capsizing.
"Who exactly are you? How do you know so much!"
The pale flames in Venerable Yao's eyes had already dissipated, revealing a pair of pupils filled with shock.
"Who am I? I am your Disciple."
Xiao Yan gave a wry smile, and after a moment of thought, he slowly explained many reasons to Venerable Yao.
After a while, Venerable Yao's expression became incredibly strange and complex, but the look in his eyes towards Xiao Yan no longer carried killing intent; instead, it was much gentler.
"Regardless of whether what you say is true or false, I, this old man, have no other choice now. Little fellow, if you can help me recover my Physical Body, Yao Chen will surely repay you with his life."
Venerable Yao took one last look at Xiao Yan, then transformed into a white light again and returned to the black ring.
If what this child said was true, then it was truly unbelievable. Then he, this ghost-like old man, would truly have seen a ghost.
For a child of only a dozen years old to know so clearly about Venerable Yao's past, and even to speak of some unfounded future, while bewildering Venerable Yao, it also finally made him believe Xiao Yan's words to some extent.
Looking at the black ring that had returned to calmness, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, but couldn't help but murmur softly.
"Teacher, this time, I will definitely not let you suffer the hardships of the Soul Hall. In this life, I will let you comfortably lie down and win!"