Battle Through the Heavens: Purple Heaven Thunder Emperor

Chapter 24 Becoming an Apprentice

"If there's a different kind of fire readily available, you'll need to go with me to retrieve it, senior. It's not easy for me to carry it alone!"

Upon hearing Xiao Bai's conditions, a look of disbelief flashed in Yao Lao's eyes, and he retorted:

"Xiao Bai, you weren't planning on just giving me a map from the start and having me find it myself, were you?"

Hearing his surprised words, Xiao Bai touched his nose somewhat awkwardly.

Seeing his current state, the old apothecary instantly realized that his guess was correct, and he was speechless.

Damn it, this little rascal seems so serious on the surface, but he's really full of bad intentions. Luckily, he took precautions and added a condition in time.

"You can't be sure there's a different kind of fire just because you have a map of different fires, right? What if there isn't one, or someone else has it first, or it's just a nascent different kind of fire? What will you use to trade?"

"I'll only give you what you want after I see the strange fire. Don't even think about getting something for nothing!"

The old doctor said with a serious look in his eyes.

"Don't worry, senior. I did initially intend to give you the location of the Strange Fire, but the Strange Fire does exist, and it's in its mature form. I can guarantee that. However, you and I will need to go together, otherwise it will be difficult to retrieve!"

"Why is it so difficult to take? Does this strange fire already have an owner? If so, I'm not going!"

Having an owner means there will be conflict, and those who can possess a different kind of fire either have a powerful background or are very strong, neither of which he wants to provoke right now.

Seeing that Yao Lao seemed about to give up, Xiao Bai decided to make the bait more fragrant and the situation more urgent, otherwise Yao Lao would get away.

"It's unclaimed and hasn't been discovered yet, so it won't cause any conflict. However, it's in underground magma and needs your help, senior. But we need to hurry, otherwise someone might beat us to it!"

After pondering for a moment, the old doctor agreed.

On the one hand, he had watched these children grow up, and he understood and approved of their character. Among them, Xiao Bai was the best, but unfortunately, he was of the lightning attribute.

Secondly, the strange fire is really tempting. He needs a strange fire to revive. This time he has two kinds, and he is only one away from three kinds, which will make things much easier.

"I need some time and can't leave immediately, is that alright?"

The old doctor stroked his beard and said to Xiao Bai.

Xiao Bai nodded and said:

"No problem, we'll set off in three months!"

Knowing that Yao Lao needed to make arrangements for Xiao Yan first, he gave him three months.

Based on the timeline in the original work, Queen Medusa will not obtain the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame for another year and a half, so he is not in a hurry.

Xiao Yan was feeling a bit bored when he suddenly noticed two pairs of eyes staring intently at him, making him uneasy. He swallowed hard and said:

"Brother Bai, what's wrong with you guys? Why are you suddenly looking at me?"

Now he doesn't dare to curse the old man in the ring anymore. He was just ignorant and fearless before, but now that he knows the old man is an eighth-grade alchemist, it would be stupid to still curse him.

Although I still felt a bit aggrieved, I had no choice but to bow my head when I was under someone else's roof.

"Young man, would you be willing to become my disciple?"

This is when Yao Lao floated in front of Xiao Yan, a kind smile on his face. He gently stroked his beard with one hand and put the other behind his back, looking like a wise and enlightened master.

"Become...become...become an apprentice?"

Xiao Yan looked around, confirming that the words were directed at him, and was momentarily bewildered.

After feeling lost, I was also conflicted, as if two little people were arguing inside me:

Xiao Yan A: Become a disciple? Become a disciple my ass! This old guy has an unknown background and he absorbed my Dou Qi for three years. I haven't even settled accounts with him yet!

Xiao Yan B: Bow down! Hurry up and bow down! Didn't you hear what Brother Bai said? This old man is an eighth-grade alchemist. He must be a powerful expert. After we become his disciples, the Yunlan Sect will be nothing!

Xiao Yan A: So he just lets me absorb his essence for three years and that's it? I still have to call him teacher from now on, but I... I can't bring myself to do it!

Xiao Yan B: Hmph! Being born into poverty is not a disgrace. Being able to bend and stretch is what makes a man. What's wrong with calling me teacher? It's not like I'm calling him godfather!

……

Xiao Yan's expression was conflicted, while two little voices were already fighting inside his head.

Suddenly, he thought of Xiao Bai, and now he trusted Xiao Bai without reservation.

Xiao Yan hurriedly turned his head and looked at Xiao Bai for help.

"Brother Bai..."

Xiao Bai was speechless. In the original story, the old alchemist used alchemists as bait to lure him into becoming his disciple. Now, because of him, this guy knows more, so why is he becoming hesitant?

He wondered if his appearance had made Xiao Yan much weaker and less decisive than before.

Rubbing his temples, Xiao Bai felt a little tired and said:

"Want to become stronger? Today you told people not to underestimate a young person's potential, and if you don't become an apprentice now, are you going to tell people not to underestimate a middle-aged person's potential... or an old person's potential later?"

"Pfft...!" Xiao Xun'er's charming laughter rang out from the side.

The old doctor also had an urge to burst out laughing, but he held it back. Now that he was a teacher, he couldn't laugh!

But Xiao Bai is really funny, hahaha...

After being told what Xiao Bai said, Xiao Yan also understood that becoming stronger was the right thing to do. If he were strong enough, how could he have suffered the humiliation of being publicly rejected in his engagement?

Setting aside his affectation, Xiao Yan knelt before Yao Lao, bowed respectfully three times, and formally addressed him as "Teacher!"

Looking at Xiao Yan's impeccable manners and etiquette, Yao Lao nodded in satisfaction, his eyes showing a touch more warmth.

"Okay, okay, okay..."

Yao Lao was satisfied with Xiao Yan, because his past experience of being betrayed by his disciple made him more cautious in choosing a candidate this time.

Xiao Yan was a candidate he had observed for nearly ten years before deciding on. This time, he didn't believe that Yao Chen would accept a heartless disciple again.

"Teacher, can you help me break through to the seventh level of Battle Qi within a year?"

Xiao Yan said with a troubled expression. This was his biggest concern right now. He would be sixteen next year, which was considered adulthood in the Dou Qi Continent.

In the Xiao family, if someone cannot reach the seventh level of Dou Qi by the age of sixteen, they will be assigned to various industries. Even though his father is the clan leader, he cannot avoid this.

Therefore, his most urgent matter right now is not the Yunlan Sect, but his coming-of-age ceremony a year from now.

"It's difficult for others to go from dan to dan in a year, but you're different; your foundation was already very solid three years ago."

Furthermore, given your resolute character and the fact that you haven't missed a single day of training in the past three years, reaching the seventh dan is not impossible for you; it just requires some special methods!

Xiao Yan's eyes darted around, and thinking of Yao Lao's identity, he asked curiously:

"Could we use external force, like elixirs?"

The old doctor said calmly, "More or less! However, given the current resilience of your meridians, your body can't withstand the impact of ordinary pills, even the lowest-grade Qi Gathering Powder!"

"The lowest grade Qi Gathering Powder?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. As expected of an eighth-grade alchemist, he really had a big mouth!

He described the pills that were sold at exorbitant prices in the Jia Ma Empire as the lowest grade. If Brother Bai hadn't confirmed that the old man was indeed an eighth-grade alchemist, he would have thought the old man had gone mad.

"Then, teacher, what's your solution...?" Xiao Yan asked, his brows furrowing slightly as he calmed himself down.

(End of this chapter)