People in Doupo: The beginning of the game intercepts the rich woman Xun'er

Xuan Kongzi's startled cry, which shook the quiet room slightly, revealed the identity of the newcomer. Who else could it be but Yao Chen?
The ins and outs of this matter were actually foreshadowed long ago. Previously, when Xiao Ling set off from the ancient clan and was on his way to the Pill Tower, he deliberately took a break to have a detailed conversation with Yao Chen, who was in the Starfall Pavilion.

He made no attempt to conceal his intentions, revealing his plans to cooperate with the Pill Tower and first establish the cultivation methods of talisman masters within the Pill Tower. Once the time was right, he would then plan for their further dissemination.

After listening to Xiao Ling's idea, Yao Chen only thought for a moment before agreeing to the proposal. He also promised Xiao Ling that he would help and take full responsibility for the management of the spread of the Talisman Master's Method in the future.

After all, since recovering his physical body and breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm, Yao Chen's days in the Starfall Pavilion were quite leisurely. He spent his days drinking tea, refining pills, or calmly studying the mysteries of alchemy. He was not burdened with too many complicated matters in his cultivation of the talisman master path.

Now that there's something interesting that can actually help Xiao Ling, he's naturally very willing to do it, so it's not a waste of his free time.

Yao Chen gazed at Xuan Kongzi's shocked expression—his pupils constricting and his silver beard trembling—and couldn't help but smile slightly. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes, and his tone, tinged with teasing yet also containing a touch of the wisdom accumulated over the years, slowly began to speak:
"What, Xuan Kongzi? After all these years, you don't recognize me?"

He took two steps forward, his moon-white robe fluttering lightly with each step. He scrutinized Xuan Kongzi's face for a moment, then shook his head, his tone becoming increasingly teasing: "But speaking of which, now that we meet again, you old fellow have aged quite a bit, the vicissitudes between your brows are much heavier than before."

"That makes sense. As one of the three giants of the Pill Tower, you have to worry about all the big and small matters in the tower every day. You bear the expectations of alchemists on the continent and oversee the cultivation of thousands of disciples in the tower. How can you not be haggard with such hard work day and night?"

At this point, Yao Chen's smile deepened, tinged with a self-deprecating sense of relief: "Looking at it this way, it was indeed a wise decision for me to decline the invitation from the Pill Tower and not join you back then. At least I didn't have to be like you, entangled in worldly affairs and covered in the frost."

Hearing that familiar, ingrained teasing tone, Xuan Kongzi's shock and elation finally subsided slightly.

He opened his mouth slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart. His gaze was fixed intently on Yao Chen, his tone carrying a hint of reproach, yet also an undeniable familiarity: "You rascal, after all these years, you're still the same glib-tongued person!"

He then changed the subject and retorted, "But you're wrong! Although I'm entangled in the complicated affairs of the Pill Tower and toil day and night, isn't the Pill Tower, as the holy land of alchemists on the continent, my strongest protection? Looking across the Central Plains, who dares to easily provoke me?"

When the past was mentioned, Xuan Kongzi's tone became a bit somber, with a hint of sigh and regret: "Unlike you back then, you were first tricked by those rats in the gutter of the Soul Palace, and then betrayed by your own good disciple whom you valued so much, ending up in a miserable state where your fate was unknown. When this matter spread back then, many old friends sighed with regret for you."

At this point, his pent-up doubts, like a burst dam, could no longer be contained. Xuan Kongzi took half a step forward, his silver beard swaying slightly with urgency, and a barrage of questions poured out of his mouth, his speech so rapid that he barely paused:
"But what exactly happened to you? What was the truth behind that incident back then? Even though my Pill Tower sent many people to investigate your whereabouts, we ultimately found nothing! As for your current appearance, have you regained your physical body? And your cultivation level—how could you appear silently without me noticing? What realm have you reached now?!"

A barrage of questions came out like a machine gun, each word revealing his long-suppressed curiosity and concern, and his eyes were filled with an eagerness to know the answers.

Upon hearing Xuan Kongzi inquire about the past, Yao Chen's casual smile gradually faded, a faint gloom settling between his brows. He sighed softly, his voice deepening as he slowly recounted that long-buried past.

"What happened back then was a calamity caused by the unpredictability of human nature. My disciple Han Feng was originally a person of exceptional talent. I devoted all my efforts to teaching him, wishing I could pass on all the knowledge I had learned in my life. But in the end, he was blinded by fame and fortune and was secretly bewitched by Elder Mu Gu of the Soul Palace."

"The two colluded in secret and launched a sudden attack when I was not prepared. Their methods were insidious and ruthless. If I hadn't risked my life to save a wisp of my soul and escape, I would have been completely annihilated by the world."

As soon as Yao Chen finished speaking, the air in the quiet room seemed to freeze.

Xuan Kongzi's eyes widened, his hands clenched tightly until his knuckles turned white, and his eyes burned with fury; his tone was filled with barely concealed indignation.
"What a heartless bastard! I never imagined Han Feng would be such a treacherous and ungrateful person!"

"Back then, you devoted yourself to teaching him to be successful, and you even rejected Xuan Yi's heartfelt love without hesitation. You poured all your energy into him and nurtured him as if he were your own son. But what did he do? He turned around and conspired with foreign enemies to harm you. He's worse than a pig or a dog!"

His chest heaved violently, and he grew increasingly furious as he spoke; even his silver beard trembled slightly with rage.
"If he hadn't given vague answers after the incident and taken advantage of our chaotic investigation to flee Zhongzhou and hide in the Black Corner Region, that no-man's-land, I would have personally captured him and brought him back to the Pill Tower for severe interrogation!"

"Alright, Xuan Kongzi, there's no need to dwell on the past." Yao Chen raised his hand and waved it lightly, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable sense of relief. "It's all ancient history. Besides, that traitor Han Feng has already been dealt with by my own hands; even the old man Mu Gu who instigated him behind the scenes died at the hands of that brat Xiao Ling, his bones crushed and scattered to the winds, leaving no future trouble. This matter has already been settled satisfactorily."

His tone shifted, the gloom between his brows vanished, replaced by a carefree smile, and his voice became much lighter: "Speaking of which, this can be considered a turn of fortune. If it weren't for that incident back then, which left me with a wandering soul, I wouldn't have met such a peerless gem as Xiao Ling, a true prodigy, in that remote Northwest Continent."

"I am very gratified to have been able to contribute my meager efforts to his cultivation and growth, and to have seen him grow from a promising young man to a figure who now commands respect throughout the Central Plains. My alchemy skills have finally found a worthy successor and have not been wasted."

At this point, a hint of pride flashed in Yao Chen's eyes. He abruptly changed the subject, perfectly addressing Xuan Kongzi's earlier question: "Besides, I am no longer the same as before. I have shed my flawed body and been reborn. Weren't you curious about my current cultivation level? Well, let me tell you, I am now a genuine three-star Dou Sheng!" When he said "three-star Dou Sheng," he deliberately emphasized the words, and an invisible aura emanated from his body. Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, it caused faint ripples in the entire quiet room.

He then burst into laughter, his tone full of mockery: "Haha, Xuan Kongzi, is this answer surprising? Unexpected?"

This joke was something Yao Chen had overheard Little Fairy Doctor and Xiao Ling joking around, and he'd picked it up from Xiao Ling's mouth. For some reason, it just slipped out now, but he had to admit, it felt really good.

As Yao Chen finished speaking, Xuan Kongzi felt a surge of emotion. Looking at the satisfaction in Yao Chen's eyes, he nodded to himself. No wonder Xiao Ling was able to rise from that remote place in the Northwest Continent to now be awe-inspiring in the Central Plains; it turned out that Yao Chen had devoted himself to cultivating him.

To have such a brilliant successor who has passed on all his alchemy skills is a great relief for Yao Chen, making up for his regrets from back then.

Before he could even utter these words, Yao Chen's next words struck Xuan Kongzi like a thunderbolt. Upon hearing the words "Three-Star Dou Sheng," he trembled violently. His previously calm expression was instantly replaced by extreme shock, his pupils shrank to pinpoints, and his silver beard swayed wildly from the sudden impact.

"W-What?! A three-star Dou Sheng?!" Xuan Kongzi exclaimed in shock, his voice filled with disbelief and astonishment, even his words were punctuated with a stutter, "What...what on earth is going on?!"

He leaned forward abruptly, his gaze fixed on Yao Chen, as if trying to discern something from the other's face: "I clearly remember that you said back then that your cultivation was stuck at the peak of Dou Zun and could not advance any further because your origin was damaged in your childhood, and your physique has an irreparable defect!"

"You were almost completely destroyed back then, but now you've died once and been resurrected. Not only have you broken through your lifelong shackles, but you've also directly stepped into the Dou Sheng realm, even reaching the three-star level?! This... this is too unreasonable! It's simply unbelievable, how did you manage to do this?!"

"Haha, I'll tell you the details of the twists and turns later when I have time." Yao Chen clapped his hands and laughed, his tone full of undisguised joy. "But speaking of which, I owe my current cultivation level to the great help of Xiao Ling. This is a blessing I deserve, so you don't need to be envious."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xuan Kongzi's gaze was instantly drawn to Xiao Ling as if by a magnet, his eyes filled with inquiry and eagerness, as if he wanted to see through the secret of resurrection and breakthrough in him.

Feeling somewhat helpless under that intense gaze, Xiao Ling scratched his head, a slightly resigned smile playing on his lips, and mumbled something vaguely.

"Hehe, actually there's nothing special about it. It's just that by chance, I managed to gather some high-quality resurrection materials, and with the profound foundation that Elder Yao has accumulated, the two complemented each other, which allowed Elder Yao to break through the shackles of many years after his resurrection and make rapid progress in his cultivation."

He spoke casually, but inwardly he was secretly thinking that he still had a perfectly intact body of a Dou Sheng. If Xuan Kongzi was really interested, he could let him "die" once first, and then use that body to revive him. That wouldn't be impossible, and he would definitely be able to experience the thrill of such a surge in cultivation.

However, Xiao Ling naturally wouldn't say these words directly. Firstly, it would be too shocking, and secondly, just like Yao Lao, if their old bodies didn't have incurable damage to their original essence, who would be willing to give up their physical bodies that had been with them for so many years? After all, one's own body is still the most convenient and suitable, something that is hard to replace with anything else.

Xuan Kongzi's gaze swept back and forth between Xiao Ling and Yao Chen, the surprise and doubt in his eyes gradually fading. Finally, he shook his head helplessly, but a relieved smile appeared on his face. His tone was somewhat teasing, yet also contained a hint of the frankness between old friends.

"Back then, you had a fundamental injury that kept your cultivation stuck at the peak of Dou Zun, unable to advance even an inch. I secretly thought that among us old friends, I would probably be the first to break through the Dou Zun barrier and reach a higher realm. I never expected that you would benefit from this misfortune and become a Dou Sheng ahead of everyone else. It's true that man proposes, God disposes."

He paused, looking at the gleam in Yao Chen's eyes, and sincerely sighed, "However, to be honest, such a blessing of dying once and being reborn with a surge in cultivation is indeed not something everyone can enjoy. The fact that you have come this far is ultimately due to both your own inherent strength and good fortune."

Upon hearing this, Yao Chen smiled with relief, his gaze falling on Xuan Kongzi with a hint of confident expectation.
"Haha, the past is like smoke, let's not talk about it. Now that we can meet again, it can be considered perfect. You old fellow, there's no need to be envious. In the future, I will teach you the method of talisman master cultivation. With this method to temper your soul power, and with the profound foundation you have accumulated over the years, it should not be difficult for you to break through the Dou Zun shackles and reach a higher realm."

Xuan Kongzi took two steps forward, gripped Yao Chen's arm tightly, his strength so firm that there was no room for escape, his eyes filled with undisguised eagerness and excitement, and his tone carried an unwavering certainty.
"Originally, I was in a hurry to take you to the Little Pill Tower to discuss the inheritance of the talisman master cultivation method with the elders. But now that I know you have returned to the world and have made a rare trip to the Pill Tower, I naturally have to let Xuan Yi, Tian Lei Zi and the others know this great news as well!"

Looking at his elated expression, Yao Chen couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had always harbored complicated feelings for Xuan Yi, and had originally intended to avoid him for the time being, waiting until his emotions had calmed down before meeting him again. However, Xuan Kongzi hadn't given him a chance to refuse at all, and it was clear that there was no way to avoid it now.

Xuan Kongzi was completely unaware of Yao Chen's thoughts. He turned his head and nodded slightly in the direction of Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan, his tone softening a bit: "This old man Yao Chen and I are going to see some old friends. You two youngsters can make your own arrangements."

"Dan Chen and Cao Ying, those two girls, are also in Saint Pill City now. They've probably already heard about your arrival at the Pill Tower and are probably looking for you everywhere right now. It's a good opportunity for you young people to get together, and for them to learn more about the mysteries of the talisman master's path." (End of Chapter)