Chapter 34: Corporate Culture
A child is still a child. Show them a little kindness and warmth, and they'll cling to you like a lifeline.
What they don't realize is that in this world, the only one you can truly rely on is yourself.
Hun Xuzi's heart remained cold. Not a single emotion stirred at Yao Yan's words. One doesn't become a seven-star Dou Saint in just a few centuries without seeing the truth of the world: everything is fake—only strength is real. Even truth itself only belongs to those strong enough to make others believe it.
Looking at the "naive and clueless" Yao Yan, Hun Xuzi smiled gently, his tone becoming even more amiable. "With your current strength, you're more than capable of taking revenge. But after you've had your revenge… have you thought about what comes next?"
"Didn't Teacher say… I should return to the Hun Clan?" Yao Yan replied with a confused expression.
A strange glint flickered in Hun Xuzi's eyes as he said slowly, "One of your enemies has a sixth-grade bloodline. You should've heard his name—Yao Ding. That genius who rose from Dan Ding City a few years ago… he was the one who consumed the Violet-Gold Spirit King Ginseng that was originally meant for you. If your father hadn't been killed and had managed to bring it back, perhaps the world would've known your name instead."
"..."
Yao Yan fell silent. His eyes grew cold and vicious, fists clenched tightly. His body trembled slightly from the intensity of his emotions.
Hatred is the sharpest weapon.
Hun Xuzi narrowed his eyes and continued, "Once you kill him, the entire Yao Clan will be alarmed. If the Hun Clan were to take you in at that moment, it would certainly provoke a conflict between the two clans. That's not in the Hun Clan's interest. We won't start a war over one person. But don't worry—I've already arranged everything to help you escape."
As he spoke, he waved his hand. Space twisted under the Void Devouring Flame, and from within it, he drew a small jade token. Silver light pulsed across its surface like gentle breathing.
"This is a teleportation talisman that only a Dou Zun can craft. I added a little something extra—it'll disrupt any attempt by the Yao Clan's elders to track you. You're interested in the Black-Corner Region, aren't you? After your revenge, crush it. It'll teleport you there."
"You can train in the Black-Corner Region for a few years. Once the storm settles, I'll bring you back to the Hun Clan."
Yao Yan reached out and took the token. Then, clasping his fists, he bowed deeply to Hun Xuzi. "Thank you, Teacher."
"You've called me Teacher, so of course I have to look after you."
Hun Xuzi raised his hand and made a gesture of lifting him up. His demeanor was that of a proper, noble teacher—though in his current soul form, he appeared more like a ghastly spirit than a virtuous elder.
Having said this, his gaze turned to the surrounding herbs and pills, and he chuckled,
"Let's set that aside. Since I'm free today, I'll teach you some high-level alchemy techniques. Watch carefully. Even if you don't understand, just memorize them for now. Once your soul finishes absorbing the spirit crystal and steps into the Spirit Realm, you'll naturally comprehend their purpose. High-tier pill refinement isn't about rigid formulas—it's about capturing the spirit of each herb…"
He waved his hand, summoning herbs from all around, and tossed them into the cauldron. Black flames erupted, instantly extracting the essence from hundreds of herbs.
Compared to Yao Yan's cautious approach, Hun Xuzi displayed the flair of a true alchemy grandmaster—bold and unrestrained.
With the Infernal Flame (Void Devouring Flame's earth fire) rolling within the cauldron, pill after pill of the five-tier Mi Ben Foundation-Forging Pill flew out like mass production. The rich medicinal fragrance spread out, while the energy ripples that normally accompanied high-grade refinement were completely devoured by the flame.
To Hun Xuzi, fifth-tier pills were no different from low-tier ones—like a college graduate solving elementary math problems.
Yao Yan watched, utterly entranced. Only another alchemist could understand the level of Hun Xuzi's skill. Regardless of his character, in terms of alchemy, Hun Xuzi was undoubtedly one of the peak figures on the Dou Qi Continent.
No wonder he was once a genius personally taught by the Tower Master of the Pill Tower.
At this moment, Yao Yan was like a sponge, clinging to Hun Xuzi and soaking up everything.
This one-on-one lesson continued for over half a month.
Eventually, Hun Xuzi withdrew his soul projection, seemingly having nothing more to teach. Anything beyond this level was beyond Yao Yan's current comprehension. What he had been force-feeding him was everything he had once learned from the Pill Tower Master—enough to support Yao Yan's growth to an eighth-tier alchemist. Beyond that, Yao Yan would have to find his own path.
No one is ever taught to become a ninth-tier alchemist. Every one of them walks a unique road.
Yao Yan respectfully saw Hun Xuzi off, then sat cross-legged with eyes closed, sorting through what he had gained over the past two weeks. In terms of teaching skill, Hun Xuzi was terrible. Fortunately, Yao Yan was gifted enough to survive the overwhelming flood of knowledge. Anyone else might have gone mad.
He sat quietly for half a day, organizing everything with the aid of his strong soul power. Without it, he wouldn't have remembered even half of it.
Ying ying~
Ling'er, who had been hiding in a corner for nearly two weeks, was now curled up in Yao Yan's arms, blinking her emerald eyes as she softly whimpered—as if to say, "Do you know what I've been through these past weeks?"
Facing Hun Xuzi's soul projection, she'd practically played dead the whole time.
"Little glutton."
Yao Yan popped a plant essence pill into her mouth, silencing her complaints. While stroking her soft fur, his mind turned toward what lay ahead.
Revenge was a must. Whether or not he truly had a grudge with Yao Ding, the man had to die.
If he didn't kill him, Hun Xuzi would become suspicious.
At the same time—
Killing Yao Ding would sever his ties with the Yao Clan completely. He might even be hunted by them. But with the Hun Clan backing him, that wasn't a big deal. And soon after, he'd escape to the Black-Corner Region. By the time he returned, years might have passed—perhaps no one in the Yao Clan would even remember him.
Still, the fact that Hun Xuzi respected his wishes was somewhat surprising. It turned out that mentioning his interest in the Black-Corner Region had been the right move.
The only thing he hadn't expected… was that Hun Xuzi hadn't forced him to the Hun Clan first.
That was hard to understand.
After all, Hun Xuzi had been obsessed with having him fuse with the Hun Clan's Dou Di bloodlines—along with those from other clans. Now it seemed something unexpected had happened. But that worked in Yao Yan's favor. The Black-Corner Region was a far more suitable place for him right now.
In fact, using his status as Hun Xuzi's top disciple, he might even be able to take control of the Soul Hall in the Northwest Region.
Jie jie~
A mischievous glint flickered in Yao Yan's eyes as he let out a sinister laugh, mimicking Hun Xuzi's signature chuckle. He'd have to deal with the Soul Hall eventually—might as well get some early practice.
This was, after all, the essence of the Soul Hall's corporate culture.
But that eerie laugh gave Ling'er a real scare. Her ears shot up in alarm.
(END CHAPTER)
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