Chapter 159: The Alchemist Once Begged Me on His Knees
"Kill him? Really kill him?" Shi Tian's face twisted with disbelief and terror as his voice trembled.
"You can't kill me, you can't "
Before he could finish, Xiao Wu's hand turned into a blade and slashed across Shi Tian's neck.
"Thud!"
A fountain of blood sprayed into the air as Shi Tian's decapitated head fell to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring wide open.
A Missed Opportunity
"Oh no!" Xiao Yan suddenly slapped his forehead in frustration.
"This corpse is too damaged! I was hoping to use it to craft a body for Yun Potian!"
"Why fret, Young Master? We've still got two more here," Xiao Wu said with a helpless shrug.
"That's true." Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the remaining two Dou Zun. Both shuddered instinctively, their earlier bravado completely gone.
As they stood frozen in terror, a shadow darted out of Shi Tian's corpse a fragment of his soul attempting to flee at lightning speed.
"Trying to escape?!" Xiao Wu sneered, flicking his sleeve. Two jet black chains snaked out, extending thousands of feet in an instant to pierce and bind the fleeing soul.
"Ahhh!" Shi Tian's soul wailed, completely restrained by the chains.
"Young Master, how should we deal with this soul?" Xiao Wu dragged the struggling spirit back, awaiting Xiao Yan's decision.
"It's worthless. Send it to the soul nurturing grounds as fertilizer," Xiao Yan replied dismissively, sparing it only a fleeting glance.
"As you command." Xiao Wu extracted a black jade bottle and sealed Shi Tian's soul within.
Waste Not
"Collect the body too," Xiao Yan added nonchalantly.
"Don't waste a drop of blood. The essence from a Dou Zun's blood can still be used for alchemy. Every part of a Dou Zun is a treasure."
The casual tone with which Xiao Yan spoke left the Heavenly Serpent Manor Master and Fu Ding shuddering. To them, his words sounded like the whispers of a demon.
With Shi Tian's matter resolved, Xiao Yan turned his attention to Fu Ding, scrutinizing him like one might a plump dumpling.
A Surprising Proposal
"You're not bad. I'll spare your life." Xiao Yan's words made Fu Ding's round face light up with gratitude.
"Thank you, Young Master, for sparing me!" Fu Ding said hurriedly.
"But..." Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, his tone suddenly laced with disdain.
"You thought to take me as your disciple? You're so... ordinary. Why are you so confident?"
"I " Fu Ding opened his mouth but couldn't find the words.
In any other circumstance, a four star Dou Zun and near eight tier alchemist offering mentorship would be an unparalleled opportunity for a Dou Huang. Yet this young man had the audacity to look down on him.
"I'll give you a choice," Xiao Yan continued, his tone casual yet commanding.
"Serve me as my subordinate, and I'll make you an eight tier alchemist."
Fu Ding hesitated. It wasn't that the offer wasn't tempting it was but for someone used to freedom, becoming a subordinate was a difficult pill to swallow.
His hesitation earned a sharp glare from Xiao Wu, who raised his hand, poised to strike.
"Wu Lao, don't be so impulsive," Xiao Yan said, waving him off. Turning back to Fu Ding, he added with a sly smile,
"Old man, have you heard of Yao Zun Zhe Yao Chen?"
Hearing the name, Fu Ding's eyes lit up.
"Of course! The Alchemist Sovereign, Yao Chen! His skills are unrivaled across the Dou Qi continent. Every alchemist reveres him!"
"Well," Xiao Yan said, smirking, "that old man once knelt and begged me to accept him as a disciple. I reluctantly agreed. If you join me, I might let you call me Senior Brother."
A Shocking Revelation
Fu Ding was stunned.
"What? Yao Chen... begged him for mentorship?"
At first, he wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but the two Half Saints standing behind Xiao Yan made him rethink. If this young man could command two such terrifying figures, perhaps the story wasn't so far fetched after all.
"S Senior Brother, from today onward, I'll follow your lead!" Fu Ding declared, bowing deeply.
"Well done." Xiao Yan nodded in satisfaction.
He understood that it was easy to kill someone like Fu Ding one strike from Xiao Wu would suffice. But cultivating talent like this took centuries. A Dou Zun level alchemist was a valuable asset, even for the Xiao Clan.
The Heavenly Serpent Manor Master's Submission
With Fu Ding subdued, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to the Heavenly Serpent Manor Master.
"What about you? Do you believe me now?"
"I do! I do!" The Manor Master nodded like a pecking chicken, abandoning all pretense of dignity.
"And will you serve under me?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone light but firm.
"Yes! I'm willing!" The Manor Master answered quickly. To him, life was far more valuable than pride.
"Good." Xiao Yan gestured to Xiao Wu, who promptly released the two from their seals.
The Heavenly Serpent Manor Master and Fu Ding exchanged relieved glances as they flexed their regained strength. Looking down at the blood soaked ground where Shi Tian had fallen, they couldn't help but feel as though they'd been reborn.
Moving On
"You two can leave for now," Xiao Yan said, tossing them each a communication talisman.
"When I need you, I'll call."
The two Dou Zun didn't dare linger. They bowed deeply to Xiao Yan, then vanished into the distance.
Aftermath
As Xiao Yan spread his wings and flew after the rainbow colored snake guiding him, Fu Ding and the Heavenly Serpent Manor Master exchanged awkward glances.
"... At least we're alive," Fu Ding muttered.
"Yes. Being alive is good," the Manor Master agreed, forcing a wry smile.
They both disappeared, leaving behind a battlefield littered with shaken strongmen.
The Legend Spreads
In the aftermath, the spectators murmured among themselves, their disbelief giving way to awe.
"Who is that kid?"
"No idea, but he's not someone we can afford to offend. Didn't you see? A Dou Zun just died here, and his body is going to be used for alchemy."
"Yeah, and those two Dou Zun submitted to him willingly. The entire northwest continent will hear about this soon."
"Let's go. This isn't a place for us small fry. That kid was just using us for practice anyway."
"I never thought I'd say this, but... being defeated by him almost feels like an honor."
As the strongmen dispersed, Xiao Yan's legend began to spread across the northwest continent a young prodigy, feared and revered, who could make even the mightiest Dou Zun kneel.
(Chapter End)
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