C1 I Am Doing Quite Well!

In the bustling capital of the Aibruba Kingdom, within a lively tavern, a storyteller was captivating the crowd with his tale: "Let's delve into the story of the Aibruba Kingdom's premier alchemist, Yao Ling. A man who emerged from obscurity, he was known for his unyielding spirit, choosing only to save the virtuous and those he favored!"

"Recall the time when the Rani of Aibruba, notorious for her ill manners, was gravely afflicted by poison. She pleaded with Master Yao Ling to concoct a life-saving elixir, yet he remained unmoved by her plight!"

"Not even the royal consort could compel Master Yao Ling to compromise his principles!"

...

The storyteller's words painted vivid images, eliciting thunderous applause and cheers from the tavern's patrons.

"Damn, how did that little apothecary brat rise to become the chief alchemist?"

"He once assured me that with the right price, he'd even snatch souls from the clutches of the King of Hell! What a hypocrite!"

Tucked away in a corner by the window sat a dashing young man—Xuan Yi. As he cracked melon seeds and sipped on his spirit wine, he couldn't resist scoffing at the storyteller's portrayal of Yao Ling.

Unbelievable!

If his memory served him right, Yao Ling was once a mere medicine boy under his wing, who had knelt for seven days and nights before being accepted as a disciple—and only nominally at that!

Xuan Yi had once inquired why he was so eager to learn alchemy.

Yao Ling's candid response? Alchemy was lucrative, and with enough money, he'd dare to save anyone.

After shadowing Xuan Yi and picking up a few tricks, Yao Ling departed just a year later.

Who would have thought he'd end up as the chief alchemist of the Aibruba Kingdom, even earning a reputation for high moral standing?

Absolutely preposterous!

...

Xuan Yi's commentary was relentless.

Nearby, a young lady clad in an exquisite brocade robe furrowed her brows and snapped, "What are you saying?! How dare you publicly defame the chief alchemist!"

Her name was Chu Qiushui, the third princess of Aibruba.

Witnessing Xuan Yi's irreverent remarks about Yao Ling, she felt compelled to intervene and rebuke him.

Xuan Yi, unfazed, simply rolled his eyes and continued to enjoy his melon seeds.

He didn't even give a second thought to the royal family's stature.

Chu Qiushui was livid at his nonchalance.

Taking a deep breath, she sarcastically quipped, "You talk a big game. Are you implying that your alchemy surpasses even Master Yao Ling's?"

"Indeed, I am," Xuan Yi responded earnestly. "Whatever alchemy skills Yao Ling possesses, he pilfered from me. I never formally taught him; I merely accepted him as a nominal disciple and permitted him to watch me practice alchemy."

Chu Qiushui burst into laughter.

What?

The man before her might have the looks of a heartthrob, but his words were pure nonsense!

Claiming he mentored Yao Ling!

Merely allowing Yao Ling to witness his alchemy!

Absurd!

With Yao Ling's beard now gray, how could this young man brazenly make such a claim?

With a sneer, Chu Qiushui retorted, "Are you even aware of Master Yao Ling's stature within the Aibruba Kingdom?"

"He's a ninth-grade Alchemist!"

"In the Aibruba Kingdom, and across the entire Northern Realm of Spirits, Master Yao Ling is unparalleled!"

"In any circle of power, Master Yao Ling is esteemed as an honored guest!"

Xuan Yi, taken aback, exclaimed, "Is that kid really faring so well now?!"

He had only recently descended from Ghost Valley in the Aibruba Kingdom, having been detached from worldly affairs for a century.

He had never imagined that the once talentless medicine boy could have risen to prominence.

"Fine, so he's made a name for himself. But why are you getting so worked up over my disciple?" Xuan Yi said, exasperated.

Chu Qiushui, half amused and half infuriated, shot back, "Just made a name for himself? Is that all you think? You really must be out of your mind!"

Chu Qiushui was about to continue when a stern-faced man approached.

He turned to her and chastised, "Qiushui, your lack of decorum is a disgrace to the royal family's dignity!"

"Father... He's gone too far!" Chu Qiushui protested.

This man was none other than the Emperor of the Aibruba Kingdom!

After reprimanding the third princess, the Emperor of Aibruba addressed Xuan Yi, "Young Master, even if you hold no regard for the chief Alchemist of the Aibruba Kingdom, there's no need for such discourtesy."

"Come on, Qiushui, it's time to head back and delve into your alchemy studies. Today, Father specifically requested Master Yao Ling to enlighten you in the art of alchemy."

"…"

With those words, they paid no mind to Xuan Yi and departed.

Xuan Yi let out a wry smile.

Why does no one ever believe him when he tells the truth?

Sigh.

Oh well.

Time to get back to the drink!

The Aibruba Kingdom's spirit wine remained as delectably sweet as ever.

The storyteller went on with his captivating tales, even recounting the saga of Chu Xiaotian, the founding monarch of the Aibruba Kingdom from a century ago.

"Chu Xiaotian, the venerable ancestor of Aibruba, was born with a rare double set of pupils, his might unparalleled, now a cultivator in the Heavenly Origin Holy Land. They say he's a wild one, undefeated in all his days!"

Xuan Yi's mouth quirked in amusement.

What a joke!

Chu Xiaotian was nothing but a big scaredy-cat back in the day!

But this time, Xuan Yi held back his scoffs, wary of being overheard once more.

It was such a hassle,

trying to explain when no one would take his word for it.

He took stock of the years.

It had been over one hundred and twenty years since Xuan Yi had arrived in this world.

In the beginning,

he committed twenty years to learning and amassed an endless array of secret arts, divine powers, treasured teachings, imperial scriptures, and mastery in music, chess, calligraphy, pill refining, and artifact crafting—all pointing him toward the Great Dao.

Xuan Yi felt unstoppable.

Ready to take on the world.

But the system had other plans, demanding he mentor a hundred disciples before he could leave Ghost Valley and truly immerse himself in the mortal realm.

And so,

after more than a century, Xuan Yi had taken on a hundred disciples, dedicating a year to each one's instruction.

Since he had committed to teaching, Xuan Yi had done so wholeheartedly.

Yet, the innate talent of these disciples left much to be desired; they were disciples in name only.

The only clear truth was his own birth with double pupils.

Now, Xuan Yi descended the mountain.

Roaming the mortal realm was secondary.

His primary goal was to oversee the progress of his disciples' cultivation.

Upon taking disciples, Xuan Yi was certainly committed to teaching them with care. However, the talents of these students were nothing to write home about; they were merely disciples in name. The only one who showed promise was the one born with double pupils.

When Xuan Yi descended the mountain this time, his travels through the mortal world were secondary. His primary goal was to assess the cultivation levels of his disciples.

In the third year, Xuan Yi took on Chu Xiaotian as a disciple. Gifted with double pupils, Chu Xiaotian learned Xuan Yi's Qilin Treasure Technique and the Black Tortoise Treasure Technique. But he was a bundle of nerves, terrified of death. As he left the mountain, he wailed for three days and nights, fearing that without his master's protection, he would soon meet his end and felt compelled to find a place to hide. Astonishingly, this very man seemed to have become the first Emperor of the Aibruba Kingdom. Astounding!

The fourth disciple was Yao Ling, whose talent was lackluster and who had an insatiable love for wealth. Yet, he now bore the honorable title of a virtuous healer, aiding those in need. Astonishing!

In total, there were a hundred disciples. Despite their modest abilities, under Xuan Yi's tutelage, they all achieved remarkable feats. In this fantasy realm, they became legends in their own right!

"Forget it, forget it. He is my disciple, after all. I'll start by checking on little miser Yao Ling's cultivation first!" Xuan Yi declared, finishing his spirit wine in one swig. Rising from his seat, he stepped out of the tavern, ready to meander through the capital of the Aibruba Kingdom and indulge in some leisure. He would seek out Yao Ling tomorrow.

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