Chapter 119: Transaction
Burning Decision.
This was the name Yao Lao gave to the nameless technique. It was also because of this technique that his beloved disciple had betrayed him, joining forces with his former junior disciple to severely injure him, leaving him in this current half-dead state. The past events surged in his mind, causing a deep sadness he couldn't express.
The child he had raised since childhood, the one he had treated like his own, had stabbed him in the back for the sake of a technique. Perhaps, as his friend Feng Xian had said, his overprotective love had blinded him to Han Feng's true nature.
After thinking for a while.
Yao Lao's grim expression turned into a bitter smile. He looked at Yao Yan with a complex gaze and softly said, "I never expected someone to actually practice the Burning Decision… Since I obtained this technique, I've felt it was too dangerous, even a technique designed to deceive people. Attempting to refine a heavenly flame with a yellow-rank low-level technique is ridiculous. Let alone devouring and evolving."
Heavenly flames were incredibly violent; even a Dou Zun-level expert couldn't guarantee a hundred percent success in refining them. To start refining the Burning Decision with a low-level technique at the Dou Qi level, it was likely the practitioner would never break through to Dou Wang. Trying to capture a heavenly flame beneath Dou Wang's level was undoubtedly a gamble with one's life, a near-death experience, relying purely on luck to see if the heavenly flame would be compatible and willing to be refined.
"It was a stroke of luck."
Yao Yan smiled at the comment and humbly added, "If I hadn't known the plot of the original story, I probably wouldn't have chosen to practice the Burning Decision, as only a few madmen or greedy people would consider it."
"I've never believed in luck," Yao Lao said, with a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "If you can do it, it means you have the strength, but I am curious. With your talent, you should be from a major family in the Central Plains. How did you end up in such a remote place and even practice the Burning Decision?"
Yao Lao gently stroked his beard and observed Yao Yan, clearly impressed.
Yao Yan looked like he was under twenty, and yet he had the soul power of a spiritual realm practitioner and the Dou Wang-level Dou Qi. His talent was monstrous. Even in his own family, this level of talent was extraordinary. Normally, such a genius wouldn't venture out on their own, let alone practice such a dangerous technique. Elders in a family weren't mere decorations.
Even when going out to train, they would have strong protectors, and their cultivation paths would be mapped out. Everything from foundation building to techniques and fighting skills would be prepared. No one would let a young one do as they pleased.
This was exactly how he had trained Han Feng in the beginning, almost exhausting himself to help build a perfect foundation. Too bad...
"As it happens, I also have some blood ties with Yao Zun," Yao Yan suddenly said, looking at Yao Lao.
"?!"
Yao Lao paused as he stroked his beard, looking at Yao Yan in surprise.
Before Yao Lao could ask, Yao Yan continued, "My name is also Yao. My full name is Yao Yan, and I am from the Yao clan. However, I am not a direct descendant of the Yao family. My parents died when I was young, and I entered the Dan Ding City clan school to study. Later, I was accepted by an elder from the clan school to learn. After completing my studies, I accidentally learned the truth about my parents, and in a fit of rage, I slaughtered their entire family. With my teacher's help, I escaped from the alchemy world, intending to go to the Black Corner Region, but I was caught in a space storm and fell into the Jia Ma Empire. That's where I found the ring from Yao Zun…"
In a few words, he shared his past, though omitting some key information, like Soul Voidzi.
"…"
Yao Lao tugged at his soul beard, but it didn't feel real, as the soul beard couldn't provide the sensation of pain. Nonetheless, hearing Yao Yan's words felt like listening to a legendary tale.
Yao Yan, however, ignored whether Yao Lao was shocked. Smiling, he said, "It turns out, I also have a connection to you. Without family help growing up and having heard the story of Yao Zun's rise, I chose the Three Flowers Gathered Fire technique when selecting my clan school's method."
After speaking, Yao Yan raised his hand and gathered three flames—each distinct from the others, circulating and transforming. This was a sign of mastery in the Three Flowers Gathered Fire technique.
"No wonder you can switch to the Burning Decision. The Three Flowers Gathered Fire technique is special. Once perfected, it can perfectly transform any fire-related technique, without any side effects!"
Yao Lao suppressed his shock and slowly said, looking at the three flames circulating and merging in Yao Yan's palm.
At this moment, he believed Yao Yan. Other things could be faked, but the Three Flowers Gathered Fire was one of the Yao clan's core techniques—it couldn't be a lie. Moreover, Yao Lao had practiced it since childhood and was extremely familiar with it.
But truth be told, Yao Yan's talent was astonishing. At such a young age, he had perfected the Three Flowers Gathered Fire technique to this degree. Yao Lao could only barely form three flames when he was young; he certainly hadn't reached Yao Yan's level, where the three flames could be freely transformed.
To do that, one's essence, energy, and spirit must reach a certain level. When Yao Lao was younger, his vital force was a little too weak.
"The Three Flowers Gathered Fire technique is indeed impressive," Yao Yan nodded in agreement with Yao Lao's words. He then shifted the topic, "Now that we've talked, let's discuss the matter of the transaction. Since you know the Burning Decision, you must also understand the importance of heavenly flames."
"Actually, I'm curious if the Burning Decision can be compatible with several kinds of heavenly flames. However, with your current Dou Qi cultivation, you still lack the strength to devour my Bone Spirit Cold Fire. This Bone Spirit Cold Fire has accompanied me for a hundred years, and its origin is even stronger than before. You'd need at least Dou Zong's strength to control it perfectly."
Yao Lao chuckled, gently suggesting, as if considering Yao Yan's future.
Yao Yan's gaze remained calm, not swayed by Yao Lao's words. His tone grew sharper, "I respect you, that's why I call you Yao Zun. But if you try any tricks, I'll call you 'old man' instead. Don't try to deceive me with those tricks. Even if I can't absorb the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, I can still refine it into my body. The real question is whether you're willing."
If he didn't know the original story, it wouldn't matter.
Before being captured by the Soul Hall's guardian, Yao Lao had placed the core fire of the Bone Spirit Cold Fire into Xiao Yan's body, so there was no reason it couldn't work here.
To summarize: Yao Lao was trying to play tricks!
"Haha, the little guy is hard to deceive now," Yao Lao chuckled, not feeling embarrassed by being caught, instead, he stroked his beard and sighed.
Yao Yan smiled, unflustered, and replied calmly, "Don't think of me as an ignorant boy. The reason I could cultivate to this level on my own is not because of naivety."
Yao Lao's smile faded as he glanced at the Bone Flame Ring on Yao Yan's finger. A flicker of pain passed through his eyes, and he slowly said, "True. Otherwise, you wouldn't have used Soul Devouring Grass to erase my soul mark on the Bone Flame Ring. This crafty move is something an ordinary youth could never pull off. I even suspect that if I hadn't had the Bone Spirit Cold Fire to protect me, you would have tried to refine my soul too."
Yao Yan said softly, "No grudges, no enmity, no conflicting interests. I wouldn't indiscriminately harm someone. I would've just thrown your soul into a cave."
Such a cruel young man!
Yao Lao's lips twitched. A soul in a coma, exposed like that—truly a death without knowing how it came! After a moment of thought, he sighed deeply, "Fine. I'll give you the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, but you need to prepare a shell for me to help me revive."
Yao Yan shook his head, looking at Yao Lao and said, "You were once a Dou Zong-level expert. Helping you revive, I can't guarantee that you won't turn hostile. But if you're willing to wait until I become Dou Zong, I can fulfill the promise. If not, I can transfer you to your friends."
Yao Lao smiled, "I can wait. And the condition for my resurrection is the Three Heavenly Flames. Only you can help me revive perfectly. No one else can."
At this, the smile on his face grew stronger. He felt lucky to have met Yao Yan so soon after waking up, especially since both of them had been exiled from the Yao clan. His gaze softened when he looked at Yao Yan.
But Yao Yan's audacity was truly shocking, to dare massacre an entire family in the Yao world and still successfully escape. He guessed that Yao Yan's teacher would be heavily punished by the clan.
"Good."
Yao Yan nodded, agreeing.
With Yao Yan's confirmation, Yao Lao's smile widened, floating beside the Black Demon Cauldron, watching Yao Yan with great interest. He asked, "Boy, how old are you now, and what rank as an alchemist have you reached?"
"Just turned seventeen, and I'm a Seven-Star Alchemist."
Yao Yan delivered a blow, and with a single sentence, Yao Lao doubted his life.
Yao Lao had seen many talents, especially in the Dan Tower, where many geniuses and monsters appeared. But someone like Yao Yan, this freak of nature, was truly unprecedented. He couldn't help but ask, "Who is your teacher from the clan?"
Whoever taught Yao Yan must be a powerhouse, at least an Eight-Star Alchemist.
Yao Yan smiled faintly, his handsome face turning innocently harmless, and said softly, "If there's an opportunity, I'll introduce you to them."
"I'll be waiting for that day."
Yao Lao nodded, fully aware of the status of an Eight-Star Alchemist. Even in the Alchemy World, Eight-Star Alchemists were rare and held a very high status. Letting Yao Yan go wasn't a big deal. They might punish him lightly, but when Yao Yan reaches his full potential, returning to the Yao clan would not be impossible.
The talent of this young man was extraordinary. If properly trained, he could possibly reach the Nine-Star level in the future!
Yao Lao was now quite eager, wanting to teach him.
"I'll help you restore your soul."
Yao Yan raised his hand, took out some herbs that could nourish the soul, and skillfully threw them into the Black Demon Cauldron, refining them with Qinglian Earth Core Fire.
Seeing this, Yao Lao understood that Yao Yan had purposely restored him to this state. If things didn't go well… However, Yao Lao didn't mind this and admired Yao Yan even more. Only such a cautious personality could go far in the Dou Qi continent!
(END CHAPTER)
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