16: Bickering, the angry Huncang

Chapter 16: Bickering, Soul Cang's Fury

"Second Brother," Soul Cang looked at Xiao Yan, "Do you want to become an Alchemist?"

"Yes, Big Brother," Xiao Yan replied without hesitation.

If Dou Qi Continent's Dou Practitioners were considered a powerful profession, respected and admired, then Alchemists were an even more coveted and sought-after profession than Dou Practitioners.

Alchemists, as the name suggests, could refine all sorts of miraculous elixirs that boosted strength.

This almost magical ability made them highly sought after by any faction, granting them extremely prominent status and position.

If people were asked to choose between killing a Dou King and a Grade 4 Alchemist, ninety-nine percent would choose to eliminate the Dou King.

This was simply because Alchemists, through their refining skills, could gather a complex network of connections.

If one were to kill an Alchemist, success would be fine, but failure would lead to relentless pursuit by those who had received favors from the Alchemist.

"But..." Xiao Yan's initial excitement faded as he faced reality, "Big Brother, the conditions to become an Alchemist are very strict. I might not meet the requirements."

Soul Cang smiled faintly: "Second Brother, have you ever known me to speak of unfounded things?"

Xiao Yan was startled, then overjoyed: "Big Brother, do you mean I meet the conditions?"

"Exactly," Soul Cang nodded, "If you're willing, I'll even find you a teacher to guide you personally. The prerequisite is that you must study hard and not be lazy!"

"No problem, Big Brother, I'm more than willing! You might not know, but when I was in high school, I used to wake up at six in the morning for morning reading and stay up until two in the morning with a lamp," Xiao Yan said, so excited he was a bit incoherent.

Sleeping four hours a day? Cultivating immortality, huh... Soul Cang was speechless and subconsciously said, "Second Brother is so diligent, he must have gotten into a good university, right?"

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and said sheepishly, "Not really. I was reading novels."

..." Soul Cang was speechless. "What novels? I used to like them too. Tell me the names, I'll listen."

"Like 'Golden Scales Are Not Things in a Pond', 'Fragrant Wildflowers in the Field', 'Young A-Bin'..." Xiao Yan frowned in thought, the time was too long ago, and he couldn't remember clearly.

Soul Cang's eyes widened: "Rainy Night with a Knife but No Umbrella?"

"Holy cow, Big Brother, so you're one of us too!" Xiao Yan revealed a wicked smile.

"What are these books? How come this old man has never heard of them?" Inside the ring, Yao Chen couldn't help but emerge.

"Cough, cough..." Soul Cang glared at Xiao Yan. "It's normal that you don't know. These are books from my hometown."

He pointed at Xiao Yan, warning him slightly: "Don't ever mention them again. I read the Spring and Autumn Annals; how could I discuss such things with you?"

Towards the end, Soul Cang sighed.

Xiao Yan chuckled, feeling an even deeper sense of closeness to Soul Cang.

As expected of an Fellow Countryman, everyone's interests are quite similar.

Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly looked at Yao Chen: "Old geezer, why are you here? And eavesdropping?! Is eavesdropping a habit now? Disgraceful for an elder!"

"What?! You brat, how dare you insult this old man?" Yao Chen, who was still pondering the conversation between Soul Cang and Xiao Yan, immediately bristled like an enraged lion when he heard Xiao Yan speak.

Xiao Yan put his hands on his hips and said proudly, "Am I wrong? You stole my Dou Qi for three years, making me a laughingstock for three years. Now, every time I see you, I get annoyed. If it weren't for you being a soul, I'd smash your skull!"

With Soul Cang present, Xiao Yan fully demonstrated what it meant to 'borrow a tiger's might to scare a fox'.

Soul Cang raised his hand to gesture for quiet: "Alright, stop bickering for now."

"Hmph!"

Two cold snorts came out almost simultaneously.

Yao Chen grumpily turned his head in another direction, and Xiao Yan, seeing this, also looked in the opposite direction.

Soul Cang looked at Xiao Yan, thinking to himself, "Second Brother, don't blame me, your elder brother. The path still needs to be followed according to the original plan. You'll just have to endure a bit more hardship."

He said in a deep voice, "Second Brother, about the Alchemist I just mentioned to you..."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at Yao Chen, "This is the teacher I told you about. His alchemy skills are very high; you won't have any problems learning from him."

Seeing Xiao Yan's gaze sweep over, Yao Chen crossed his arms and raised his head.

Xiao Yan grumbled, "Big Brother, can this old geezer really do it? If he truly had ability, how could he end up as a remnant soul? Don't let him fool you."

..." Soul Cang was speechless.

What Xiao Yan said wasn't wrong; Yao Chen's current state did look a bit pathetic.

Who would have thought that Yao Chen, in his lifetime, was a respectable person, a Dou Venerate expert, and an Eighth Grade Alchemist?

"You brat, you're literally 'shrimp-ing a pig's heart' (a Chinese idiom meaning to hit where it hurts)!" Yao Chen, who was trying to maintain his air of superiority, couldn't hold it any longer, and his expression twisted.

Don't hit a person in the face, don't expose their shortcomings when scolding them.

Yao Chen said angrily, "Hmph, if you don't want to learn, that's fine. This old man doesn't want to teach either. Fifteen years old and still at the third stage of Dou Qi strength? Such a good-for-nothing, in all my long life, I've never seen one before. He must be utterly stupid and unteachable."

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"You old geezer, how dare you even bring that up? Who caused this, don't you have any idea in your heart?!" Xiao Yan rushed in front of Yao Chen and unleashed a flurry of punches.

Unfortunately, Yao Chen was currently in a soul state, so Xiao Yan couldn't hit him; his fists all passed through.

Yao Chen looked content, and seeing Xiao Yan stop, panting, he laughed, "So young and already weak? You've only been punching for a little while. Go on."

"Hey, I, I... Big Brother, look at this rotten old man bullying me. Help me out." Xiao Yan turned his head to find Soul Cang.

In the past, it was fine if you bullied me, but now I have a Big Brother. How can I let you, this old geezer, be so arrogant?

Soul Cang put a hand to his forehead.

It was unbearable to watch. How did things get to this point? Where was the nice master-disciple scene?

As the culprit, Soul Cang actually started complaining.

"Enough! You're annoying me!"

Composing himself, Soul Cang let out a low growl, his expression instantly turning serious.

Immediately, Yao Chen and Xiao Yan stood obediently in front of Soul Cang like two misbehaving elementary school students, not daring to move.

"Second Brother..."

"Big Brother, I'm here."

"We haven't spent much time together, so you might not know me well, but I despise people who don't keep their promises.

As the saying goes, 'a word spoken is a nail driven'. Since you've promised me, follow Yao Chen and learn well. If you truly master the Alchemist profession, no matter where you go in the future, you won't be looked down upon."

Soul Cang advised earnestly, with a hint of anger in his tone.

As soon as he finished speaking, he himself was momentarily stunned.

Why did that sound so much like a New Oriental (a famous Chinese educational institution) lecture...

"Big Brother, I'll listen. Don't worry, I will definitely study hard and strive to become an Alchemist as soon as possible," Xiao Yan said seriously.

Soul Cang nodded in satisfaction: "After this, let Yao Chen stay by your side. If you have any cultivation problems, you can also consult him. Don't worry about Dou Qi; I used a special medicinal liquid, so he no longer needs to draw your Dou Qi."

"Thank you, Big Brother," Xiao Yan felt a surge of emotion.

A medicinal liquid that can restore a soul must not be cheap...

Big Brother has really worried himself sick for me. I must work hard and not disappoint him.