Soul Land: Xiao Yan Reincarnates as Huo Yuhao

"You're quite a sharp-tongued young man, aren't you? Clever too. It seems I'll need to show some sincerity if I want you to take me seriously." The elder sighed and, lowering himself to the ground, glanced over Xiao Yan thoughtfully before speaking, "You've heard of alchemists, haven't you?"

"Alchemists?"

Xiao Yan blinked in surprise, his curiosity piqued as he frowned. "You mean the alchemists everyone dreams of becoming on the Dou Qi Continent?"

The elder nodded, stroking his beard as he pondered for a moment, then said, "I drained your Dou Qi over two lives, so teaching you alchemy in this one can be seen as repaying my debt to you."

"You… you're an alchemist?" Xiao Yan was both surprised and skeptical, his eyes brightening as he looked at the elder.

"Yes, that's right. Back on the Dou Qi Continent, I was indeed an alchemist. For a person to become an alchemist, they generally need a teacher's personal guidance. Having you acknowledge me as your master shouldn't be too much of an ask, don't you think?" The elder chuckled, puffing out his chest with a hint of pride in his voice.

"With my alchemy skills, helping you regain your Dou Qi, and even cultivate your martial spirit, would be easy. And I could even teach you alchemy, if you wish."

Hearing this, a touch of respect appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes, and he asked, "Elder, may I ask what rank alchemist you are?"

"What rank? I can't quite remember. Just know that the so-called 'Pill King' Gu He of the Jia Ma Empire you knew is nothing to me." The elder smirked with supreme confidence. "And those so-called 'Mystic Water Pills' and 'Soul Enhancing Pills' nobles here speak of? In my eyes, they're nothing but dust."

"Sixth-tier Pill King is nothing?" Xiao Yan's mouth twitched as he looked at the elder with a new sense of awe, barely managing to suppress his shock.

"All right, I'll accept you as my master and allow you to remain in my ring. However, to prove your claims, I'll need you to help me reach the Dou Zhe rank within a year." Xiao Yan's eyes sparkled as he put forth his conditions.

"Fine, leave it to me." The elder chuckled, stroking his beard.

"Then today, I, Xiao Yan, formally take you as my master. I hope you can help me cultivate to the Dou Zhe rank soon." With that, Xiao Yan knelt down and respectfully performed the ritual of acknowledging a master.

"Master, may I know your name?"

Satisfied with Xiao Yan's respectful ceremony, the elder nodded approvingly, his tone warm. "My name is Yao Lao. I'll leave my background a mystery for now. Let's start by visiting an herbal shop to gather some ingredients. I'll help you refine a medicinal concoction to speed up your cultivation."

"Yes, Master." Xiao Yan nodded.

"There's one more thing I need you to understand: I drained your Dou Qi unintentionally. Besides, even without my interference, with your talent, you'd only have reached the Dou Zhe level by now, at best." Yao Lao's ghostly hand patted Xiao Yan's shoulder lightly. "With just Dou Zhe strength, you wouldn't be able to protect your mother, would you? I say this so you don't harbor any resentment against this old man…"

"Master… I am not a fool. I won't let hatred cloud my judgment, and I know exactly who my true enemies are." Xiao Yan smiled bitterly, clenching his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, sending sharp pain through his hand.

"If it weren't for you, my talent alone wouldn't have been enough to protect my mother. I won't be blinded by hatred."

Hearing Yao Lao's words, Xiao Yan was even more certain. Even without Yao Lao's interference, his talent would have barely made him a Dou Zhe, and without techniques or skills, he would have nothing to protect his mother with. He was very clear on who his true enemies were.

---

After his mother's passing, she had left Xiao Yan only a small sum of money—a modest bag of gold soul coins. With this, Xiao Yan accompanied Yao Lao to the herb shop in Star Luo City and bought a batch of necessary medicinal ingredients.

Returning to his room, Xiao Yan quickly shut the windows and doors, eagerly laying out the purchased ingredients.

"Master, it's all up to you now," Xiao Yan said softly, gazing at the ring on his finger with anticipation.

As his words faded, a transparent soul form drifted out from the ring, eyeing the herbs on the table with a slight frown. "The herbs in this world are far weaker than those on the Dou Qi Continent, but it's better than nothing."

"All right, I'll begin refining the medicine now. Watch carefully." In the quiet room, Yao Lao picked up a purple herb, his eyes narrowing as a pale white flame suddenly ignited in his palm. The room's temperature spiked immediately.

Xiao Yan watched Yao Lao's pale flame without blinking, feeling both shocked and intrigued. Though he knew little about alchemical refining, he understood that this flame—manifested from Dou Qi—required a fourth-tier alchemist's skills, deepening his respect for Yao Lao.

However, the reality was more complex than he knew; Yao Lao's flame was not simply a result of condensed Dou Qi.

With a calm expression, Yao Lao's hand closed slightly, and the pale flame instantly consumed the herb, transforming it into a pool of purple liquid within moments.

He then tossed several other herbs into the flame, where they dissolved and fused under the flame's subtle control.

Finally, a drop of jade-green liquid floated in Yao Lao's hand, its powerful energy distinctly perceptible to Xiao Yan's heightened senses.

"Master, should I consume it directly?" Xiao Yan asked eagerly, his eyes fixed on the liquid in Yao Lao's hand.

"With your current strength, consuming it directly would damage your meridians." With a flick of his finger, Yao Lao shot the jade liquid into a basin of prepared water, turning the entire basin a vibrant green.

"In this world, people hardly know how to utilize medicinal herbs properly. Most consume them directly without refining to remove harmful substances. Even those few who do practice medicine here are at best comparable to mere physicians on the Dou Qi Continent, not true alchemists." Yao Lao's gaze swept over the green water in the basin, his tone indifferent.

"This medicinal solution will expand and strengthen your meridians, enhancing your body and accelerating Dou Qi cultivation. Start training in the basin; if all goes well, you should reach the fifth stage soon."

Elated, Xiao Yan nodded enthusiastically.

The wooden basin, filled with the green liquid, shimmered with a faint glow, reflecting an otherworldly radiance.

As Xiao Yan began his training, his breathing steady, the green liquid emitted a faint mist. Wisps of green energy rose, following his breath and entering his body.

---

Two and a half months later.

Training passed by in a blur, days slipping by in relentless focus. The sunlight streaming through the window gradually waned, and the intense heat in the room slowly diminished.

Sitting in the wooden basin, Xiao Yan's hands remained in a steady seal as he concentrated, maintaining an optimal state for cultivation. With each steady breath, the room quieted.

The green medicinal solution seeped into his skin, nourishing his bones and purging his meridians.

Finally, Xiao Yan exhaled a puff of murky air, which dispersed as he opened his eyes, wearing a slightly frustrated expression. "Why did my Dou Qi cultivation stop at the fifth stage? It's been half a month with no progress. Could it be… Master's secretly absorbing my Dou Qi again? No, after all this time, I trust he

wouldn't do that."

"Could it be because this world is different from my original one?"