If you say that Esteemed Huai Yu was serious about teaching, then running his mouth dry to impart so much knowledge could be considered serious. But if you say that he wasn’t serious about teaching, which ordinary person could memorize so many things in one go?
However, Yan Tianhen could.
Yan Tianhen cleared his throat and confidently said, “This flower has twelve petals and eighty-eight pieces of spiritual grass named White Snow Orchid. It favors Yang energy and expels Yin energy, and it belongs to the dual nature of water and soil. It’s a Level Three native spiritual plant and its effects are clearing away heat and toxic materials, relieving the toxicity of pills, and neutralizing the strong fire nature of spiritual plants. It can also be used to refine antidote pills such as fire-breaking pills, and can be used alone in the process of refining pills to improve the success rate. As for planting precautions… “
Yan Tianhen looked at the blooming spiritual plant, “Although they like water, they can’t be watered too often. Otherwise, their roots will fester and weeds will easily appear around to compete for nutrients. So, I don’t have to pay too much attention to weeding. However, these White Snow Orchids can’t get too close to each other, or they will devour each other. All in all, this kind of spiritual plant is easy to keep, but its growth period is slow. It takes ten years to blossom and use, depending on whether the spiritual Qi is sufficient.”
Esteemed Huai Yu nodded, “Not bad, not too bad.”
Although Yan Tianhen had just been here for two days, these two days had given him a first taste of Esteemed Huai Yu’s temperament. He knew that it wasn’t easy to hear a single word of praise from Esteemed Huai Yu’s mouth, so he knew that Esteemed Huai Yu was satisfied with his answer.
Esteemed Huai Yu also pointed to several other spiritual plants with small amounts of cultivation and slightly higher ones, hearing Yan Tianhen distinguish them. Yan Tianhen answered one by one, which was no different from what Esteemed Huai Yu explained to him.
Although on the surface Esteemed Huai Yu didn’t reveal anything, inwardly he was very surprised. He explained all these spiritual plants to Yan Tianhen and didn’t give him any time to digest and absorb them, only because he wanted to test Yan Tianhen’s level.
The result was beyond his expectations.
After Yan Tianhen recited the basic knowledge of the 10th spiritual plant exactly, Esteemed Huai Yu did not waste any more time testing.
Esteemed Huai Yu stared at this very special-looking teenager and asked, “Do you have the talent to never forget anything?”
Yan Tianhen scratched his head, “Maybe? I remember clearly all of the books my dad used to let me read and it wasn’t easy to forget.”
Esteemed Huai Yu said, “Even if you have this talent, you shouldn’t be too self-righteous. Most people with high cultivations in the world will never forget anything. You’re nothing special.”
Yan Tianhen nodded dismissively, “Master is right. This disciple will not be arrogant and self-righteous.”
“As long as you understand.” Esteemed Huai Yu nodded with satisfaction, then added, “In front of your master, it is good to have self-awareness. However, when you go out, if you dare to be so humble, don’t come back to see me.”
Yan Tianhen, “…Ah?”
“Ah? What ‘Ah’?” Esteemed Huai Yu clicked his tongue, “Go think it over yourself. Is this Venerbale’s level something you can understand right now?”
Yan Tianhen was deeply ashamed and nodded repeatedly.
He didn’t discover much, but Yan Tianhen did personally experience Esteemed Huai Yu’s narcissistic and conceited nature.
Esteemed Huai Yu didn’t know what the boy was thinking and suddenly asked, “What techniques did you use when you practiced alchemy?”
Yan Tianhen paused for a moment and said with some embarrassment, “It’s not very easy for me to say. If the cultivation manual was mine, I’d tell you what it is without another word, but it was given to me by someone else, and they didn’t say I could tell people… Master, as an esteemed elder, you’re very tolerant, so please don’t ask.”
Esteemed Huai Yu squinted at him, “If you don’t want me to ask then I won’t ask. You little rabbit, I didn’t realize you were very righteous.”
With a smile, Yan Tianhen flattered him, “That’s necessary. Otherwise, how could I be a disciple of Master?”
Esteemed Huai Yu very much agreed with Yan Tianhen’s words, “That’s true.”
Yan Tianhen rolled his eyes slightly, “Master, what kind of technique are you going to let me practice?”
Esteemed Huai Yu replied, “Why are you in such a hurry? It’s not too late to learn alchemy after learning how to serve these spiritual plant ancestors here.”
“But….” Yan Tianhen was indeed a little anxious, “There’s no relationship between planting spiritual herbs and alchemy. Alchemy is alchemy, and planting is planting. When I was at the Lin family’s house, there were people specially assigned to handle the spiritual plants. The alchemist would never plant it himself.”
Esteemed Huai Yu just shrugged off his words, “Brat, what do you know? The knowledge about planting is great and profound. Open your eyes for me and have a good look!”
After that, Esteemed Huai Yu came to a Level One spiritual plant field and there were many weeds that hadn’t been taken care of for a long time. His lazy eyes opened and with a broad wave of his sleeves, he used a secret technique that suddenly enveloped the spiritual plant field with a warm but powerful Qi. A moment later, Esteemed Huai Yu lifted his hands and Yan Tianhen saw more than a hundred weeds were all incredibly uprooted while the spiritual plants unexpectedly stayed motionless, as if not affected by the effects of the spiritual Qi!
Yan Tianhen looked so stunned that his entire person seemed unable to speak.
He couldn’t help but rub his eyes, doubting reality. He must be dreaming.
“Boy, what’s the matter? Have you seen it clearly?” Esteemed Huai Yu folded his hands, “Don’t think that I asked you to pull weeds for this Master because I was trying to embarrass you on purpose. You’re not good enough for me to embarrass.”
Yan Tianhen ran over and squatted on the field of the spiritual plants, reaching out to test the roots of one of them.
Flawless and perfect.
He tried it again.
It was still intact.
“How is this possible?” Yan Tianhen murmured incredulously.
“How is this impossible?” Esteemed Huai Yu asked, “If it’s impossible, it only shows that your efforts are not enough and your cultivation isn’t enough. In the aristocratic families of the Upper Realm, disciples have learned to use this method of weeding since they were your age. It’s nothing rare.”
Yan Tianhen came back to himself and repeated, “Upper Realm?”
Esteemed Huai Yu pursed his lips, “It’s also known as the Nine Lands.”
Yan Tianhen stood up, “Are all those elites in the Nine Lands really so powerful?”
“What reason do I have to lie to you?” Esteemed Huai Yu glared at Yan Tianhen, “You’re like a frog at the bottom of a well, just sitting in it and only able to watch the sky. If I don’t give you some color to see, you’d never know how bad you are. Don’t think that if you can make several foundation pills once in a while that you’re good at it. When you reach the Nine Lands, you can make the most excellent foundation pill, but it will only be at best entry-level. If you don’t know how to reach their standards, you’ll be a disgrace and a laughingstock. “
Yan Tianhen came over and watched Esteemed Huai Yu anxiously, pestering him, “Master, please tell me more about the Nine Lands. Are all the people there particularly fierce ah?”
“Nonsense. How can it be called the Upper Realm if it is not fierce?” Esteemed Huai Yu was probably in a good mood as he said a few more words, “The younger generation of the Celestial Clans in the Upper Realm are endowed with unique gifts. Since birth, their cultivations have been at least in the Fifth Layer of the Refining Qi Stage. Some of them even directly built their Foundations in their mother’s womb. Even at your age, most of them were already at the Hardened Body stage, and those who took a stab at the Primary Realm were not in the minority.”
Yan Tianhen’s eyes widened. A thirteen- or fourteen-year-old cultivator in the Hardened Body stage. He absolutely believed it because his Dage had reached the Hardened Body stage at about this age, so he must have built his Foundation in his mother’s womb too which was unheard of and never before seen.
This was too incredible!
Esteemed Huai Yu looked at Yan Tianhen’s expression and thought that the boy was frightened. He pinched his face and said, “What, do you think you’re weak as heck? Can’t wait to smash yourself to death with a piece of tofu?”
Yan Tianhen suddenly stared at Esteemed Huai Yu with burning eyes and said excitedly, “Even the people of the Upper Realm can reach the Hardened Body stage at my age. It seems that my Dage can be considered extremely powerful in the Upper Realm?”
Esteemed Huai Yu, “….”
This kid’s brain circuit was full of Lin Xuanzhi, right?
Esteemed Huai Yu originally wanted to hit him, but Yan Tianhen’s sparkling and expectant eyes made him feel a little sorry.
As a result, Esteemed Huai Yu said, “Your Dage, this freak, is in a unique position.”
Even if placed in the Nine Lands, Lin Xuanzhi would also be the best, but it probably had something to do with his blood.
Families and lineages were especially respected among the Nine Lands because the higher the lineages, the stronger the talent of future generations, which was a gift given by the heavens.
If Yan Tianhen had not been sealed by the array, his cultivation at this time would not have been any lower than Lin Xuanzhi’s.
“I knew it, hahahahaha!” Yan Tianhen cheered and was too happy to do anything else, “I knew my Dage was the most powerful. No matter where my Dage is, he is the best!”
Esteemed Huai Yu, “….”
He didn’t want to talk to this boy anymore.
Anyway, no matter what he said, this rabbit would always turn to his Dage. He shouldn’t have any pity for this brat!
Esteemed Huai Yu slapped Yan Tianhen on the head and said coolly, “All right, stop hooting. It’s your Dage, not you. What are you so proud of?”
Yan Tianhen smiled, “My Dage is more powerful than me. Of course, I am proud of him. He is my Dage!”
When Esteemed Huai Yu heard this, he couldn’t help sneering, “Don’t be naive, you idiot. You must become more powerful than him. At least, you mustn’t be beaten by him so easily.”
Yan Tianhen nodded, “In fact, I think so too. Otherwise, how could I talk about protecting my Dage?”
Esteemed Huai Yu, “….”
Your mother! This Venerable’s only care is whether you can slap Lin Xuanzhi to death in the future. Who cares if you protect him?
Esteemed Huai Yu almost exploded in anger. He rolled his eyes, turned around, and left. He was too lazy to pay attention to Yan Tianhen, this deadwood that could not be saved. In the evening, Yan Tianhen identified some spiritual plants before he remembered to roast the snake meat.
He scraped the snake’s skin beside the stream. Yan Tianhen felt distressed for the dagger given to him by his Dage. After wiping it with a towel cloth, he carefully put it away.
He folded some dead branches and found some hay. Yan Tianhen skillfully put the snake meat on a branch and placed it on a homemade shelf. He lit the branches and hay with flint, then squatted beside the fire, waiting for the snake meat to cook.
Before long, Esteemed Huai Yu followed the scent.
He was casually clothed in a long robe, with a large area of his chest bare. His long hair was draped behind him, almost dragging on the ground.
“It smells delicious.” Esteemed Huai Yu came over and squatted down beside Yan Tianhen. He sniffed then ordered, “Pick it up for me and have a taste.”
Yan Tianhen said, “It’s not cooked yet.”
He watched helplessly as Esteemed Huai Yu’s long hair was on the ground and felt as if there was a crawling itch in his heart.
“What are you looking at?” Esteemed Huai Yu noticed Yan Tianhen’s eyes constantly glancing at him and staring, “You’re not my type. Don’t get any ideas about your Master.”
Yan Tianhen didn’t understand the meaning of Esteemed Huai Yu’s words but when he did, his face turned red.
“I didn’t think of you that way. You’re my Master. How can you have such dirty thoughts!” Yan Tianhen shouted.
Esteemed Huai Yu kneaded his little face and gloated, “Aiya, so innocent. Your eyes just now looked like you wanted to rip off my clothes.”
—