Battle Through the Heavens: It turns out I'm actually the patriarch of the Xiao family!

Chapter 50 Strange Fire Isn't That Valuable to Me

Xiao Chen stared silently at the bloody and abrupt scene, his deep eyes revealing no emotion whatsoever.

You Kang was covered in his junior brother's warm blood, and the blood-stained longsword was still in his hand, trembling slightly, whether from exerting too much force or from an unspeakable fear deep in his heart.

He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving, and his gaze toward Xiao Chen was filled with groveling pleading and an extreme desire to survive.

"My lord, I, Zhang Yan, am willing to be your most loyal servant. I only beg for your mercy and to spare my life!"

Upon seeing this, the burly man with a face full of scars hurriedly shouted loudly.

Xiao Chen slowly shifted his gaze away from Ying Ming's miserable state on the ground, and instead looked at You Kang, who was pleading for mercy.

He didn't say anything, but simply flicked his fingers, and two streams of fighting spirit shot out, finally piercing through the two men's abdomens like arrows.

The two of them froze, their expressions instantly solidifying.

"I've crippled their cultivation. You can deal with these two however you like. I don't need any followers like this." Slowly turning around, Xiao Chen walked into the house, leaving the young man with these nonchalant words.

The young man nodded slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

A moment after entering the room, Xiao Chen heard two muffled sounds coming from outside the door.

Then came a polite knock on the door.

"Enter.

"

"Crunch."

The young man pushed open the door and entered; he smelled slightly of blood.

Seeing Xiao Chen looking over, the young man cupped his hands and smiled, "Senior, I kicked them down."

"Hmm." Nodding casually, Xiao Chen looked out the window at the golden expanse appearing on the distant horizon and said with a smile, "We're almost there in the Tagor Desert."

"I suppose you're going there too?"

The young man nodded and said, "This junior does indeed intend to go to Mo City."

"Let's go—I'll lead the rest of the way, so that the birds won't cause any unnecessary commotion when they land because of the disappearance of the five alchemists. What do you think?"

The young man looked slightly taken aback, a look of hesitation on his face.

"Don't worry, I only decided to take you with me because I admire you. With my strength, you don't need to think too much," Xiao Chen said with a light laugh.

Upon hearing this, the young man understood that Xiao Chen's words made sense, so he didn't stand on ceremony and immediately cupped his hands in thanks.

So Xiao Chen led the young man out of the room, grabbed his arm, and took a step, arriving at a height of a thousand meters away.

The young man was stunned to find nothing beneath him.

Walking on air?

A Dou Zong level expert!

He glanced at Xiao Chen beside him subconsciously and swallowed hard.

Xiao Chen raised his head and looked at the flying magical beast with huge wings flapping in the distance, and smiled faintly.

"Are you ready?"

The young man nodded subconsciously, his voice slightly hoarse: "Ready—ready."

Even with his calm demeanor, his body still instinctively tensed up when faced with empty space beneath his feet and thousands of meters in the air.

"Don't be afraid, you'll get used to it."

The moment Xiao Chen finished speaking, the two of them vanished from their spot without warning.

The young man felt a blur before his eyes, and before he could even cry out in surprise, he felt a gentle yet irresistible force enveloping him and supporting him firmly.

The next moment, the scene around him blurred, stretched, and then suddenly froze.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already on the ground.

No, to be precise, it's Shamian.

Before he could react, Xiao Chen looked directly at him and asked, "What's your name?"

The young man quickly cupped his hands and said, "Leng Chenxuan."

"Leng Chenxuan?"

Xiao Chen nodded slightly and smiled, "I see you have an upright character. Would you be willing to work for me from now on?"

Leng Chenxuan was stunned.

Xiao Chen's voice was calm, yet it struck him like a heavy hammer, echoing through the silent, dust-filled landscape.

This statement came too suddenly, and it carried too much weight.

"To work for you?"

Leng Chenxuan repeated it subconsciously, his voice dry and incredulous.

He even subconsciously took a half step back, the sand beneath his feet making a soft sound, as if reminding him that this was not an illusion.

Although he was an alchemist, he was only ranked second-grade.

The senior in front of me is not only able to refine fifth-grade pills, but is also a Dou Zong expert, or perhaps even above Dou Zong!

I am just an ordinary young man struggling to survive on the path of alchemy. Although I have some talent and perseverance, what have I done to deserve this?

He never expected that his act of chivalry, which came from the bottom of his heart, would lead this powerful man to extend an olive branch to him.

Xiao Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his deep black eyes calm and still, like an abyss, quietly watching the complex expressions of shock, hesitation, and struggle that flashed across Leng Chenxuan's face.

He didn't urge him, but the faint smile on his lips deepened slightly.

The wind whipped up fine sand, sweeping across the narrow space between the two, and time seemed to stand still for a moment.

Leng Chenxuan's breathing became somewhat heavy.

Is it because they value his potential?

Or is it his so-called "righteousness"?

Or perhaps both?

But don't you know your own potential?

Admittedly, he longed to go further in the path of alchemy and to become stronger.

But the senior before him possessed unfathomable strength, at least a Dou Zong level expert.

Why did the senior choose him?

Just because of his upright character?

Countless thoughts collided in a flash.

"senior----"

Leng Chenxuan took a deep breath, barely suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and tried his best to appear calm, but his voice still trembled slightly. "I am flattered by your appreciation! But—if I may be so bold as to ask, why did you choose me? I know that my strength is weak and my talent is mediocre. At such a young age, I am only a second-grade alchemist, insignificant in this Dou Qi Continent. I really can't understand how I could have caught your eye, senior."

"Low strength? Mediocre talent?"

Xiao Chen repeated the words in a low voice, with a hint of amusement, as if he were savoring them.

"If we're talking about people with extraordinary talent and exceptional abilities, I've certainly seen them."

"But those geniuses are often arrogant and disdainful of others, or they are pampered by various forces from an early age, and become tainted by too much gain and loss, and intrigue."

He paused, his gaze returning to Leng Chenxuan's slightly tense face, becoming deep and thoughtful.

"Just now, on that flying bird, knowing that the opponent was stronger, knowing that you might not be able to bear the price of standing up for yourself, you still chose to stand up and buy me time to refine medicine. This innate righteousness, this foolishness, is what I, Xiao Chen, truly value."

Leng Chenxuan's heart skipped a beat.

"The art of alchemy is profound and complex. While talent is important, one's character, resilience, and perseverance in the face of loneliness determine how far one can ultimately go."

Xiao Chen's tone became calm yet carried an undeniable power.

"I can teach you strength; I can help you improve your realm; as for alchemy, I have my own ways to make you a master."

But your mindset—that's your own foundation.

What I value is the authenticity and purity of this unpolished gem before it is carved.

"I am well aware of how attractive strange fire is to alchemists."

"To tell you the truth, strange fire is not that precious to me."

77

These words were like an electric current running through Leng Chenxuan's body.

The overwhelming sense of opportunity instantly overwhelmed my previous doubts and self-doubt.

Leng Chenxuan's heart was pounding in his chest, and his blood seemed to be boiling.

His breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved violently.

To follow such an unfathomable senior!

What does this mean?

This means he has a chance to reach the profound realm of alchemy he has always dreamed of, and even—to gain the powerful strength to change his own destiny!

An unprecedented burning desire overwhelmed all hesitation and apprehension!

"I----"

Leng Chenxuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, and suddenly looked up to meet Xiao Chen's gaze. The hesitation that remained in his eyes quickly faded away, replaced by an almost devout determination and an uncontrollable excitement.

He didn't say anything more polite or hesitant. Instead, he took a step back, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply to Xiao Chen amidst the swirling sandstorm.

Then, he slightly bent his left leg and touched the ground with one knee!

"Chenxuan is willing to follow you, sir!"

His voice no longer trembled; instead, it became exceptionally clear and powerful, each word seemingly etched into the howling wind.

"I am deeply grateful for your esteemed recommendation, sir! I will do my utmost to fulfill your expectations in the future!"