Chapter 173: Creation and Spirituality

Wei Yang smiled. This action by Xian'er proved that she had successfully explored and even deduced the complete formula for the pill. Otherwise, she wouldn't dare to boldly choose to refine all six medicinal ingredients at once.

In Wei Yang's eyes, this was not difficult. He only needed a glance at the formula to understand what was going on; he could even slightly improve it in his own way. After all, it was just a lowly second-grade formula, and among second-grade formulas, it was relatively simple. How difficult could it be?

And for Xian'er to reach this level in such a short time was quite commendable. Besides having a solid foundation and sufficient knowledge reserves, she possessed something more crucial: creativity and intuition. The latter was undoubtedly what Wei Yang most hoped to see and valued greatly, hence his smile. He was very pleased.

Time, accumulation, depth, experience — these didn't matter much. Any alchemist, given enough time and detailed inheritance, could achieve them. But creativity and intuition were the most precious things. The same nine years of compulsory education, the same teachers, yet the students taught were vastly different, worlds apart. The same knowledge reserves, writing on the same topic, produced vastly different articles by different people.

For Wei Yang, who knew Xian'er inside out, a mere glance revealed her general idea and thought process, including her next steps, about seventy to eighty percent accurate. From Xian'er, he seemed to vaguely see a trace of that intuition resembling Xiao Yan's. Of course, Wei Yang also possessed the same kind of intuition.

As for the fire control technique and methods used by Xian'er, they naturally were from Wei Yang's newest version. Derived from the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique, it was improved into the Ten Directions Fire Control Art. Of course, this wasn't to say that the Ten Directions Fire Control Art was better than the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique. After all, if the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique were paired with the Nine Dragons Thunder Fury Fire, it could rival a quasi-heaven level. It was already perfect in itself.

Wei Yang personally felt that the improved Ten Directions Fire Control Art was just more handy for him to use than the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique. It was a matter of personal habit and alchemical method and style, unrelated to the fire control technique itself.

Due to the short time, just a few days, Xian'er had only learned about thirty percent. Fortunately, she had the foundation of the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique, allowing her to quickly pick up the Ten Directions Fire Control Art.

"Young Wei, the fire control technique this girl is using?!" Yao Lao's voice suddenly sounded in Wei Yang's ear, filled with surprise and even shock. "Does it feel familiar, Senior?" Wei Yang replied with a smile, "It's called the Ten Directions Fire Control Art, and its predecessor is the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique. It's just a slightly improved version of the original, more suited to my style and easier to use, nothing to laugh at."

"You said, improvement?!" Yao Lao exclaimed, his voice becoming sharp and distorted. It was the first time Wei Yang saw Yao Lao so out of composure, even sensing a trace of fretfulness and fear. "What is it, Senior?" Wei Yang asked, confused, "I merely made some minor improvements based on it. Is there something wrong or a mistake?"

Wei Yang's voice turned somewhat serious toward the end, as he straightened his posture, ready to accept criticism and guidance. "You..." Yao Lao was speechless, suddenly at a loss for words.

Improved the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique? And merely so? Why not just reach for the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun?! Do you know that it was advanced earth level! Advanced earth level!!! Paired with the Nine Dragons Thunder Fury Fire, its power could directly surge to a quasi-heaven level!

Quasi-heaven level! What kind of concept is that? Anything that can be associated with the heavenly level is already on the verge of perfection. And you, merely a twenty-one-year-old child, a sixth-grade alchemist, a one-star Dou Huang. You tell me you've improved the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique into a style more suited to yourself, a more handy Ten Directions Fire Control Art! And merely so? What in the world. Yao Lao felt his mindset almost collapse. Such a thing was too defiant of convention! No, it was simply outrageous! Saying it out loud, no one would dare believe it.

Not to mention Wei Yang, a mere Dou Huang, sixth-grade alchemist, even Yao Lao himself couldn't achieve this. Improving a quasi-heaven level? What a joke! Advanced earth level, even things associated with the heavenly level. How many of them weren't created by the lifetime efforts of high-level Dou Zuns and even Half-Saints, after God knows how many years? You directly started improving? If advanced earth levels, quasi-heaven levels, were that simple, the Dou Qi Continent would already be filled with them.

At this moment, Yao Lao didn't want to speak; he just wanted to stay quiet. It was too outrageous for him to accept for a moment. He even began to doubt life. 

"Teacher, is there something wrong or inappropriate?" Wei Yang asked when Yao Lao hadn't spoken for a long time. Even addressing him formally as 'teacher' now. This was an attitude of sincerely asking for guidance as a student. He was getting a bit anxious. After all, no matter what, it was a prestigious fire control technique: the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique. He feared he was on the wrong path or had gone too far and pulled a muscle.

"..." Yao Lao. The more Yao Lao remained silent, the more anxious Wei Yang became. "Teacher..." Wei Yang said, "Can you at least say something?" After a long pause, Yao Lao's faint voice finally sounded, his tone inexplicable, "You're not wrong, nor is there anything inappropriate, just follow the path you have in mind... you, as long as you don't fall, your future achievements will be extraordinary!"

Indeed, you are not wrong; the mistake is with me, with this world! How can there be such a vast difference between people? It turns out that effort in the face of talent is sometimes entirely worthless. Xiao Yan was the same. This one was even bolder! Young as they were, merely a one-star Dou Shi, dared to play with flame fusion, eventually creating a terrifying fire lotus, almost blowing themselves up. Compared to these two kids, Yao Lao felt like he'd lived all these years in vain.

But at the same time, he felt gratified. He didn't selfishly think of correcting or misleading them but chose to encourage and go with the flow, letting them freely exhibit their abilities. How could he stop and destroy such terrifying creativity and intuition? Rash intervention, delivering incorrect guidance, would confine their thinking and ideas, wasting their creative talents. Not being able to achieve something doesn't mean others can't either. Many great works often originate from a small spark of inspiration.

Yao Lao knew very well. Rash intervention would instead be a shackle, harming them. Of course, Yao Lao wouldn't do so because it would be an extremely selfish act.