Chapter 322: Guiding Tang Huo'er
"But that's all in the past now, so it doesn't matter anymore," Xiao Yuan said with a smile, shifting the topic. "After all, I'm already with Sister Yun. Her disciple is now my disciple too. Of course I no longer hold a grudge about what happened back then."
"What a complicated web of relationships," Cai Lin said, shaking her head helplessly.
"It's a pity I wasn't by your side at the time… I couldn't go through it with you," Xiao Yi Xiang said with a faint pout.
"Heh, it wasn't long after that that I went to the Magical Beast Mountain Range and met you. Although our initial encounters weren't exactly pleasant, the result turned out well."
Xiao Yuan laughed and pulled Xiao Yi Xiang closer by the shoulders.
Cai Lin suddenly felt like she didn't belong there. Maybe she should be underwater instead.
"After leaving the Magical Beast Mountain Range, I went to the Tagor Desert. That's where I met Cai Lin—she was at a critical stage of her evolution. Good thing she didn't slap me to death back then. Otherwise, there'd be no 'me' today."
Naturally, Xiao Yuan wasn't about to leave Cai Lin out and playfully teased her.
"Hmph. Speaking of that, I just remembered—back then, you little pervert saw my entire body!" Cai Lin narrowed her eyes dangerously, her charm flaring, but bit down on her words in frustration.
Out of all of Xiao Yuan's women, she was probably the only one who had genuinely tried to kill him in the past.
"Hehe, which is why I never gave you the chance!"
Xiao Yuan chuckled mischievously.
Back then, he had rarely used the Heaven Swallowing Python's form in battle precisely because he didn't want to confront the fearsome Snake Queen while still weak.
Even now, looking back, he realized how lucky he'd been. If she had been willing to injure her soul to strike, he wouldn't have survived.
At least now, Cai Lin wasn't thinking about killing him anymore.
…Maybe just spanking their future kids.
"Hmph. I'll make sure to get even one day," Cai Lin muttered coldly.
Her words left both Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yi Xiang speechless.
"Cai Lin-sis, it's still daytime…" Xiao Yi Xiang blushed, unsure what she'd just imagined.
"You've already been completely devoured and still have the nerve to say that?" Cai Lin rolled her eyes at Xiao Yuan, then sighed at Xiao Yi Xian.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with it," Xiao Yi Xiang murmured quietly.
"…She's a lost cause," Cai Lin sighed again, stuffing the prepared ingredients into Xiao Yuan's arms before turning toward the cooking station.
"Is Cai Lin angry?" Xiao Yi Xiang glanced at her and asked.
"No, she's just mad that you spoil me too much," Xiao Yuan laughed.
"What's wrong with that?" Xiao Yi Xiang blinked, resting her chin on her hand in mock contemplation.
She didn't think she was wrong at all.
She liked Xiao Yuan. She wanted to be with him. He needed her—so she gave herself to him.
What else was she supposed to do? Let him go dig around in the Sunfire Altar's Earth Eye while she watched?
Oh no—what did I just imagine!?
Her face flushed red, and she covered her cheeks in embarrassment.
Too embarrassing.
Why were her thoughts getting weirder by the day?
"Anyway, it's fine now. You're amazing, Xiao Yi Xian," Xiao Yuan said cheerfully, kissing her cheek before turning to the stove to cook.
He hadn't cooked in a while, but his skills hadn't faded.
In less than half an hour, the aroma of mountain delicacies filled the entire valley. Yun Yun, deep in her cultivation, didn't notice—but Tang Huo'er, sensing the fragrance through the lingering scent of medicine, came rushing out.
"Dinner time?!"
She ran out excitedly, eyes glowing at the sight of the dishes already served. She reached out to grab a piece with her fingers.
Xiao Yuan grabbed her hand, looking stern.
"Wash your hands."
"Oh!" Tang Huo'er responded quickly and summoned her Nine Dragon Thunder Flame to cleanse her entire palm.
???
Xiao Yuan was speechless but quickly waved her down.
"We'll eat together once Sister Yun comes out."
He gently reminded her, then approached the cabin and tapped gently at Yun Yun's soul barrier.
"Come eat first, you can train more afterward," his voice echoed in her mind.
Yun Yun opened her eyes and exited her meditative state. Getting up, she opened the door and saw Xiao Yuan smiling at her.
"Thanks for the meal."
She returned the smile and gave him a warm hug. It made her heart feel calm.
"It was nothing. Come eat."
Xiao Yuan led her to the wooden table.
Tang Huo'er stood and held her arms open.
"Hmm?" Xiao Yuan blinked.
"I want a hug too!" she pouted.
Xiao Yuan chuckled and pulled her into his arms.
Then, without needing prompting, he hugged Xiao Yi Xiang and Cai Lin as well.
Xiao Yi Xiang smiled like a gentle first love.
Cai Lin's ears turned red, her gaze wandering. Being held like this was one thing in private—but with three other women watching?
"Let's eat before it gets cold."
Xiao Yuan sat down and, playing the attentive host, served each woman a helping of food before digging in himself.
Tang Huo'er didn't wait—this was her first time tasting such wild mountain fare. Brushing her hair aside, she devoured the food happily.
Xiao Yi Xiang gently ate while occasionally adding food to Xiao Yuan's bowl.
Yun Yun did the same. The two of them together made it so that no matter how much Xiao Yuan ate, his bowl never emptied.
As for Cai Lin, she quietly refilled another bowl of rice and placed it by Xiao Yuan.
"Eh? Why aren't you all eating? It's really good!"
Tang Huo'er had already finished one bowl and, spotting the one next to Xiao Yuan, immediately snatched it up and started eating again.
Cai Lin could only shake her head helplessly. This girl became completely silly when food was involved.
Sighing, she served another bowl for Huo'er and began eating at her own pace.
In contrast to her bold appearance and fierce demeanor, Cai Lin's eating habits were elegant—like a true queen, exuding nobility.
Xiao Yuan couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised by that.
As for Huo'er—so long as she was happy eating, that was enough.
Since they still had cultivation to do, everyone quickly finished their meals, cleaned up, and returned to their rooms to train.
Xiao Yuan, however, didn't go to his own room. He went to Tang Huo'er's.
"Xiao Yuan! Look at this potion I refined—how is it?"
She beamed proudly.
"It's… alright."
Xiao Yuan gave a diplomatic answer, though his expression said otherwise.
To his expert eye, her potion was full of flaws. If it weren't for the fact she was using Heavenly Flame, it wouldn't even qualify as medicine—it'd be waste.
"Next, I'll refine a simple potion. Watch how I control the flame."
He sat down on the ground with her and exhaled a wave of dark-golden fire.
This was a simple potion called Burning Blood, useful for improving fire-attribute energy absorption. Back when Xiao Yan was in the desert, he'd used it often.
At Xiao Yuan's current level, even fifth-tier pills were child's play. His every motion carried the poise of a master alchemist.
Tang Huo'er watched, her eyes glowing.
Most of the alchemists she had seen were old men—some well-kept, others not so much.
But Xiao Yuan had both the skill and the looks. She could stare at him forever.
And with his focused expression and refined demeanor, he looked even more attractive.
Though he had originally crafted that lifesaving pill for her during a desperate moment, she had never forgotten how moved she'd felt.
Now, seeing him refine medicine with such precision, her heart overflowed with affection.
If her father, Tang Zhen, saw her now, he'd probably bang his head against the wall. His precious daughter had been completely enchanted.
"Pay attention. Watch how I control the flame. Learn this well, and I'll reward you."
Xiao Yuan smiled gently.
"Okay!" Huo'er's eyes lit up and she focused intently.
Xiao Yuan's flame was far stronger than her Nine Dragon Thunder Flame. Yet, he manipulated the temperature with exquisite control.
Even the slightest miscalculation could incinerate low-grade ingredients, but he never faltered.
His mastery of flame control left Huo'er stunned.
Among her peers, her control was already impressive.
But next to Xiao Yuan—he was on a whole different level.
Part of this was due to her inexperience with her newly acquired Heavenly Flame.
She was still adapting.
With ordinary Dou Qi or beast flame, she was quite skilled—on par with a fifth-tier alchemist.
But the Nine Dragon Thunder Flame, being a fierce combat-oriented flame, made control far harder.
She needed time to adjust.
Fortunately, Xiao Yuan understood this and had his own methods to help.
He added the ingredients one by one, blending them into a crimson pill.
"This is a modified version of Burning Blood—I call it Flameburn Pill. It increases your affinity with flame. The stronger your flame, the more effective it becomes. For someone with a Heavenly Flame like you, it's perfect."
He handed it to her with a smile.
"Flameburn Pill? Sounds like it was made just for me."
Huo'er beamed, examining the pill.
"You can give the recipe to Uncle Tang. It'll help future Valley Masters bond faster with Heavenly Flames."
Xiao Yuan nodded.
"Then I won't be polite. I belong to you anyway!"
She grinned and kissed his cheek.
"A reward for your efforts!"
Xiao Yuan chuckled. "Then I guess I should thank you?"
He then summoned the Black Demon Cauldron, his expression turning serious.
"Huo'er, I'm going to refine some training-enhancement pills. Watch my fire control closely!"
With a flick, herbs flew from his storage ring, suspended mid-air by soul power. His other hand tossed the flame into the cauldron, rapidly heating it.
As the heat stabilized, he drew the herbs in—each falling to a different spot in the cauldron to be refined at varying temperatures.
Such multitasking fire control stunned Tang Huo'er.
It reminded her of when he refined the Fire Bodhi Pill—surpassing even her father in mastery.
Want to win a girl's heart? Easy. Just be stronger than the man she's always admired.
"To control flame like this, you need to fully understand it. You must know exactly what temperature you want—and be able to make it happen!"
Xiao Yuan explained as he refined.
(END CHAPTER)
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