In his previous life, after Xiao Yan lost all his Dou Qi, his heart was filled only with anxious panic. Especially after multiple failed attempts to cultivate Dou Qi, his heart was left with nothing but endless despair.
In the following three years, as his cultivation remained stagnant at the third Duan of Dou Qi, the gazes of his clansmen gradually changed from enthusiastic awe to indifferent disdain. At that time, Xiao Yan felt that life was worse than death, and there was no meaning in living.
However, it was these three years that allowed him to taste all the vicissitudes of life, smoothed out his former youthful arrogance, and thereafter, he approached matters with a more ordinary heart. It also made him cherish every opportunity and every bit of human warmth immensely.
Only after losing something does one learn to cherish it.
It could be said that although these three years brought no growth to his cultivation, they greatly tempered his state of mind, planting a solid cornerstone for his heart of a strong person.
Of course, the starting point of everything actually originated from the black ring on his finger.
Without the three years of hardship brought by Yao Lao, Xiao Yan's character would inevitably have become somewhat arrogant. Perhaps on a certain day after he became strong, it would have been the day of his demise.
And if it weren't for Yao Lao's guidance after awakening and the opportunity of bestowing the Flame Mantra, the highest achievement of his, Xiao Yan's, life might have stopped at Dou Huang.
With a bit of luck, becoming a Dou Zong might not have been impossible, but becoming a Dou Zun was probably already an extremely slim chance. How could he have become the later Emperor Yan?
Looking back, Yao Lao played an extremely important role in Xiao Yan's path of growth.
Reborn into this life, Xiao Yan's knowledge was countless levels higher than Yao Lao's, but of course, he would not abandon this old man who had shown him such great kindness.
Moreover, the current Xiao Yan, who only had three Duan of Dou Qi, despite possessing an endless treasure trove of memories, couldn't even refine the most basic first-grade medicinal pill.
Therefore... Xiao Yan gently caressed the pitch-black ring in his hand, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes.
"Teacher, whether this is a new life or a fleeting illusion, let us, master and disciple, join hands once more and carve out a vast world!"
As his emotions brewed to this point, even Xiao Yan's state of mind couldn't help but become somewhat turbulent. He immediately couldn't help but let out a low shout.
"Teacher, awaken!"
After a roar that was like an emperor's, the black ring remained motionless, as if it were just an inconspicuous, ancient ornament.
Looking at the motionless black ring, Xiao Yan's face stiffened for a full moment before he gently exhaled.
"You've absorbed so much of my Dou Qi. Even if you can't recover much of your strength, you should have at least regained some consciousness. Besides, if you hadn't regained some consciousness, how could you actively absorb my Dou Qi?"
Xiao Yan looked at the black, ancient ring and couldn't help but shake it again.
"Teacher, Yao Lao... Yao Chen, old fellow?"
Although his strength had fallen to only the third Duan of Dou Qi, the powerful consciousness cultivated over tens of thousands of years in his previous life was incredibly strong.
Even though his current soul power was only comparable to a first-grade alchemist, Xiao Yan could vaguely sense the ancient soul within this ring watching him.
After several useless calls, Xiao Yan suddenly grinned, a somewhat sly smile appearing on his lips.
"Since you old fellow won't give me face, then don't blame your disciple for being unfilial."
Thinking this, Xiao Yan forcibly dragged his weak body slowly out of bed and then laboriously walked to the chamber pot in his side room.
"Teacher, if you don't show yourself soon, I'm going to have to wake you up with urine."
Speaking of which, the smile on Xiao Yan's lips became even more playful. He had already grasped the black ring on his finger, letting out a strange, cackling laugh.
"Venerable Yao, you wouldn't want to soak in this cesspool forever, would you?"
As his voice fell, Xiao Yan was already trying to pull off the pitch-black ring. It was at this moment that a white glint suddenly flashed on the pitch-black ring.
Xiao Yan felt as if the ring had firmly grown onto his finger. Unless he cut off this finger, even if Xiao Zhan himself tried, it would probably be difficult to remove.
An immense soul pressure assaulted him. Xiao Yan's face immediately turned paler, and his soul felt on the verge of collapse, as if he would faint at any moment. Fortunately, his willpower was countless times stronger than in his previous life. Under the support of this willpower, he managed not to be knocked unconscious by that terrifying soul impact.
The next moment, the room became windless and still. An old, illusory figure slowly floated out from the black ring. If an ordinary person saw it, they would probably be terrified and mistake it for a ghost-like, eerie entity.
Only Xiao Yan, upon seeing this old figure, had a dazed look of reminiscence on his face.
"You little rascal, so malicious! At such a young age, you actually came up with such a wicked idea. Also, how do you know information about me?"
An old voice sounded, but a pair of pupils burning with ghastly white flames stared intently at Xiao Yan. The terrifying killing intent seemed to materialize, causing a layer of frost to faintly form in the room.
"Achoo!"
Under this terrifying chill, Xiao Yan's body, already extremely weak, couldn't help but sneeze.
"Teacher, I am your disciple."
Xiao Yan couldn't help but explain. It was clear that the current Yao Lao was extremely vigilant, and his killing intent was very strong.
Xiao Yan was afraid that this old man would get agitated and directly kill him on the spot. If that happened, the story would probably be snuffed out before it even began.
"Disciple? I don't remember having a disciple like you."
Yao Lao's eyes remained vigilant. This little brat in front of him was only about ten years old. His physical body had perished for hundreds of years. How could a disciple suddenly appear?
Seeing Yao Lao still vigilant, Xiao Yan, however, returned to normal. A calmness that surprised even Yao Lao suddenly appeared in his pitch-black eyes.
"Teacher, there's no need to be so vigilant. I can't explain the reasons clearly in a short time. You just need to know that I know everything about you. I will not harm you. On the contrary, I will help you recover your physical body and take revenge."
Seeing Yao Lao still vigilant, Xiao Yan couldn't help but mention a few more keywords.
"Falling Star Pavilion, Soul Hall, Han Feng, Venerable Feng, Xuan Yi."
The moment his voice fell, the soul fluctuations in the room suddenly became like a storm on a turbulent sea, making Xiao Yan's soul feel like a small boat caught in it, on the verge of capsizing at any moment.
"Who on earth are you? How do you know so much!"
The ghastly white flames in Yao Lao's eyes had dissipated, revealing a pair of pupils filled with shock.
"Who am I? I am your disciple."
Xiao Yan gave a wry smile. After pondering for a moment, he slowly explained many reasons to Yao Lao.
After a long while, Yao Lao's expression became incredibly strange and complicated. However, his gaze towards Xiao Yan no longer carried killing intent but had softened considerably.
"Whether what you said is true or false, I, this old man, don't have many other choices now. Little fellow, if you can help me recover my physical body, Yao Chen will naturally repay you with his life."
Yao Lao gave Xiao Yan one last look and once again transformed into a white light, returning to the black ring.
If what this child said was true, then it was truly seeing a ghost. Then he, this ghost-like old fellow, had really seen a ghost.
For a mere child of over ten years to know his, Venerable Yao's, past so clearly, and even be able to speak of some unfounded future, made Yao Lao dumbfounded, but also finally made him believe Xiao Yan's words to some extent.
Looking at the black ring that had once again become calm, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, but couldn't help but whisper softly.
"Teacher, this time, I will definitely not let you suffer the torment of the Soul Hall. In this life, I will let you lie down and win comfortably!"
(End of this chapter)