50: Chapter 50 Tempting Me, He's Tempting Me!

"It's nothing!"

Xiao Yan composed his expression and smiled at Nalan Yanyun. "Sister Yanyun, my mother once left behind an item, and my father instructed me that it was meant for her future daughter-in-law. I will go and retrieve it for you now."

Having developed the ability to read the room back at the Nalan Family, Nalan Yanyun could tell that Xiao Yan had something to attend to and didn't want her to know, so she didn't pry. She nodded obediently, "Go ahead, Brother Xiao Yan. I'll be fine here by myself."

"I will be back before dinner." Xiao Yan promised, then turned and walked away quickly.

Gu Han caught this scene out of the corner of his eye, a glint of light flashing in his gaze. "It seems Yao Chen has awakened and is about to have a showdown with Xiao Yan."

He did not follow to join the excitement, but instead continued answering the questions raised by the younger generation of the Xiao Family.

During his limited time in the Xiao Family, he wanted to become the white moonlight to the younger generation.

On the other side, Xiao Yan hurried back to his courtyard, entered his room, and closed the door. He looked down at the ring on his hand, his expression grave. "Who are you!?"

"Why are you in my mother's keepsake?"

"Do you know why my cultivation regressed?"

A wisp of illusory energy surged from the ring, forming the phantom figure of an old man.

"Little fellow, don't be impatient. Questions must be asked one by one." Yao Chen stroked his beard and spoke with a faint smile. "As for my identity, so much time has passed that I've almost forgotten it. You may call me Yao Lao."

"As for why I am in your mother's keepsake, if you are referring to this ring, it was crafted for me by a close friend who searched for countless rare treasures to create it. Due to some reasons, I am residing within it. That is quite normal, is it not?"

"As for the reason for your cultivation regression, I must thank you for your contributions over these past three years."

Contributions!? Despite all that Yao Chen had said, only these two words remained in Xiao Yan's mind, striking him like a bolt of lightning.

"My cultivation regression, the inexplicable disappearance of my Dou Zhi Qi, it was all your doing!?" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, his tone ice-cold, his anger burning.

"Kid, I did not intend for it to be this way." Yao Lao's eyes flashed with a hint of embarrassment. "This ring is special; it allows a soul to reside within it. I could not recover on my own while in a deep slumber unless someone with a certain level of Soul Power wore it."

"When I was recovering from my injuries, I merely consumed your Dou Zhi Qi unconsciously."

This statement was actually half-truth and half-false.

To recover his Soul Power, what he needed was not Dou Qi, but the spiritual energy contained within heaven and earth. (When Xiao Yan's soul broke through to the Spirit Realm, it was mentioned that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is likely not the same as that in the Major Thousand Worlds.)

While in a deep slumber, he could not autonomously consume the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to recover; he needed the ring wearer as a bridge.

If the Soul Power was insufficient, the wearer could not become a conduit for absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Xiao Yan's Dou Zhi Qi disappeared because he became the vessel for absorbing that spiritual energy.

However, he had already awakened and could recover on his own after the first year. The reason he continued to consume Xiao Yan's Dou Zhi Qi was that he had been blinded once before. This time, he was betting everything and had to carefully examine Xiao Yan's character.

But these details were clearly not suitable to tell Xiao Yan.

"Screw you!"

Xiao Yan didn't think too much; Yao Lao's words were tantamount to an admission, and his mind was now occupied by rage.

Instinctively, he took off the ring and threw it. It hit the wall with a crisp sound, but instead of falling to the ground after rebounding, it hovered in mid-air.

Seeing this bizarre scene, having lived two lifetimes and experienced three years of cold treatment to temper his character, Xiao Yan instantly calmed down, breaking into a cold sweat.

Ten years ago, the Xiao Family was still a Dou Wang family. Although it had declined, some knowledge remained. As far as he knew, only rare and noble beings like Alchemists used Soul Power when refining pills.

Even for a figure like Pill King Gu He, he had never heard of anyone having the ability of "soul projection."

Xiao Yan couldn't help but think of some cultivation novels he had read in his past life; only the strong could "project their primordial spirit."

A Nascent Soul old monster possessing someone to be reborn... No, this old man wouldn't want to possess him, otherwise, he could have just done it directly. Even if he wanted to possess him, he had no ability to resist. It would be better to understand the situation first.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan asked, "Old guy, you should know how much disdain and ridicule I've faced over the past three years, right? This is all thanks to you."

"Hehe." Yao Lao didn't seem to feel guilty, squinting his eyes with a smile. "Haven't these three years also tempered your patience and mental fortitude?"

"Those with outstanding talent are common, but those with firm character are few. Especially on the path of cultivation, if you want to climb to the heights, character is more important."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan released his clenched fists.

He knew his own situation; he was a transmigrator, carrying memories of his past life, although many had become blurred by now.

But initially, he always felt out of place in this world, and after his cultivation talent was revealed, he felt superior to others, harboring an inexplicable sense of superiority.

After becoming a useless person, he truly grasped the law of the jungle in this world, knew which people around him were worth valuing, and accepted his father and two brothers from the bottom of his heart.

From this perspective, he could indeed thank this old man.

Regardless, now that he had clarified the reason for his cultivation regression, his cultivation talent would certainly return. He could finally shed the title of useless and step onto the path of cultivation once again.

"Old man, you won't consume my Dou Zhi Qi anymore, will you?" Xiao Yan looked at Yao Lao vigilantly. "If you keep absorbing it, you should find another host; I can't afford to support you."

"Rest assured, since I have awakened, I can recover on my own and will not affect your cultivation anymore." Seeing Xiao Yan control his emotions in such a short time, Yao Lao was even more satisfied.

"Is that so?" Xiao Yan was noncommittal, his eyes turning as he said, "Then you should leave."

Yao Lao twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "Do you want to become a peerless expert?"

"Do you want to become a respected Alchemist?"

"Do you want to..."

The old fox and the young fox began a conversation filled with probing. By the end of the chat, Xiao Yan admitted that he was shamefully tempted.

Just as Yao Lao said, even if his talent recovered, it would take a few years for him to break through to a Dou Practitioner. By then, he would be twenty years old. Even with Nalan Yanyun's help and not being entangled in family worldly affairs, a slow start meant falling behind at every step.

Thinking of that Gu Han outside, who was several months younger than him and already a Five-star Dou Zhe.

Besides that, there was the Alchemist path; since he had the chance to become one, he certainly didn't want to let it pass.

As for dealing with the devil... he simply couldn't shake off this old man. Just like that saying—if you can't refuse, then enjoy it?

"Are you really stronger than Pill King Gu He?" Xiao Yan confirmed again. He actually had the answer in his heart; Gu He couldn't achieve "soul projection."

"He isn't even qualified to be my disciple." Yao Chen's tone was disdainful. This attitude actually made Xiao Yan trust him more.

At this moment, Yao Chen added, "For example, your fiancée—if a Seventh-Rank Alchemist came, they wouldn't be able to find the problem, but I know what's going on. And by using just one fourth-grade pill that I created, I can detoxify her and allow her to start cultivating again."

Xiao Yan: !!!

"Is this true?" Xiao Yan's tone was eager.

Although today was only their first meeting, Nalan Yanyun had already left a deep impression on his heart.

Huddling together for warmth, sharing the same plight, the stubbornness in the young girl's eyes, and everything she promised to sacrifice for him—all of it moved him.

Otherwise, he would not have made such an oath to the young girl.

If Yao Lao could help Nalan Yanyun recover her talent, then they could become stronger together. Together, they could pursue the scenery at the heights!