Chapter 20 - 20: Old Man Lao

"...She's a friend of mine." Xiao Yan said with slight hesitation.

Honestly speaking, he didn't know what she is to him. Xun Er, after their battle that ended in a draw with some small burns and cuts, decided to follow him because she was curious of the outside world, though mostly at him but Xiao Yan didn't know that.

Although she didn't said it out loud, Xiao Yan knew that she was a hundred thousand year old spirit beast reincarnated into a human, cause, what kind of parents or any sane person leaves a genius nine year old with two purple rings and a heavenly flame spirit essence in a spirit beast infested forest? Or better yet, how did she survive and communicate with him properly at the moment? If she lived in this forest for all her life then doesn't that mean she hadn't received any knowledge of the world? Which includes language and communication.

Xiao Yan wanted to refuse her as it's obvious that she would be trouble in the future when Xun Er opened her mouth and said.

"Decide later, first, we need to go now. Ten thousand year old spirit beasts are coming here."

Xiao Yan froze at that moment and silently cursed. Of course spirit beasts would notice their battle of flames. Even if he didn't trusted her, it was just obvious that there would be someone or something to investigate a battle that had involved large amount of spirit power and powerful flames gathered in one area.

Staring at Xun Er, he knew that they had only came at this moment because they were being vigilant and fearful at the lord of the forest territory at the start. They didn't dare to take a step until one of them decided to be smart and took a sniff.

Which they immediately smelled was not one spirit beast against a human in their lord's territory. But TWO humans in a now vacant territory.

Even an idiot would know that staying still would result in them being slaughtered by dozens of ten thousand year old spirit beasts.

His only hope of escape was Xun Er, someone who was very knowledgeable about the forest's routes for escape.

And so, after eating what remaining pills he had and given some of the rest to Xun Er to recover their strength, the two of them escape the forest unscratched and Xiao Yan couldn't deny the request of having her tag along with him cause she did help him escape.

'Also...' Taking a small glance at Xun Er, who was sipping tea once more, he thought to himself, '... I'm also quite curious about you Xun Er. Your one of the many anomalies that I have found in this world since I was reborn. I wonder, will you be an ally of mine in the future, perhaps even more? or an enemy?' Xiao Yan then took a sip of tea as well.

"This is really nice tea."

"By the way Xiao Yan-gege." Xiao Wu turned towards him as she mysteriously took out a carrot out of nowhere and took a bite out of its tip.

"Hmm?" Xiao Yan arched an eyebrow towards Xiao Wu as he continued to sip on his tea.

"Have you already tell your grandpa that your alive–"

"PFFT---!!" Xiao Wu didn't even get to finish asking as she, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang who were just inspecting the refined purification fruits, were completely doused in warm tea.

The trio with deadpanned and bemused expressions blinked their eyes as they stare at roughly coughing of Xiao Yan who was getting back pats from a rather concerned Xun Er who immediately put down her tea cup to the wooden table.

"Xiao Yan are you alright?" Xun Er asked with a slight frown.

"Cough! T-Thank you Xun Er–Cough! Y-Yeah–Cough! I-I think I'm fine now..." Xiao Yan thanked Xun Er for her concern and help for him before waving her that he was now fine.

Turning towards his two sworn siblings and teacher, with a grim expression set on his face and the light in his eyes turned a little dim, he took a deep breath and with serious voice he said.

"No."

Tang San wiped the tea from his face with an irritated expression and said.

"Well, you're dead. May you rest in peace."

"Yeah! You've seen the state we were in when we thought that you were missing. Although we looked better than yesterday, except for teacher as he still looks like an undead, think about the state of your grandpa would be in right now? Fortunately for us that we know and see that your alive and well. But for him? Think about it Xiao Yan-gege."

Yu Xiaogang nodded to everything Xiao Wu had said as he wiped the tea out of his face, including looking like an undead part as he truly did looked like one and besides he had heard worse before, and turned towards Xiao Yan with a sharp and serious expression. Making Xiao Yan guilty and ashamed.

He opened his mouth and only said one word.

"Go."

Xiao Yan nodded. Finishing his tea he stood up and turned towards the door to walked out before noticing a set of footsteps behind him.

Looking behind him, he stare at a very curious and concerned Xun Er.

He first thought of asking her to stay but thought otherwise as he would be leaving her in the company of three strangers to her. Even though he trusts them, Xiao Yan doesn't have the heart to leave a, maybe, socially inept girl in the company of others.

Without saying he continued walking towards the door alongside Xun Er.

"I hope the old man's okay..." Walking down the halls of the academy Xiao Yan couldn't help but mutter in concern.

"I'm sure he is fine Xiao Yan. Let's just visit him and find out shall we?" Xun Er replied to him, hoping to calm him down.

He turned to her and with a small smile he said.

"Yeah. I bet his just relaxing in his store and doing absolutely nothing."

<Scene Break>

"ACHOO! Ah, is someone talking about me?" A late twenty or early thirties aged man with long white hair suddenly sneezed out of nowhere and looked around in confusion as if searching for the one who was talking about him.

He wore white robes the same color as his hair, with purple accents, he had a pair of red eyes that seemed to hold numerous secrets and knowledge but buried them deep. (AN: It's been a while since I read the novel of BTTH and since I like the art from the manhwa I decided to go with it.)

He sat down on the floor of the second floor of his store and house. A pharmacy store that only had two floors with no bas.e.m.e.nt. On the first floor was a front room where he sells medicine, herbs, pills and treats patients. And a back door where he concocts medicine and pills.

On the second floor was where he lived and his... grandson.

He turned to the side as an incense and a picture of a nine year old was set up on the floor front door of it's owner's room.

With tears forming on his eyes he dabbed a tissue to his eyes and sneezed into it.

"Oh, my disciple! Oh how I have failed you! How can this teacher of yours face you when I also meet my end? Should I be happy at the reunion? Sad? Angered? Or ashamed as I have used some of your savings to buy ingredients for my pills? Nah. I didn't regret doing it. Oh why did you leave me so soon?!" The white haired man tried to keep it together with himself but alas he couldn't. Tears streaming down his face he wailed out in sadness.

Unknown to the white haired man. Two small figures appeared behind him with differing expressions.

Xun Er stared in disbelief and great amount of amus.e.m.e.nt as she tried to withheld the coming blown out laughter at the man who was supposed to be worried sick and concerned for his grandson and not already written him off dead and 'borrowed' some of his savings. Which by the way was standing besides her with a deadpanned and disdainful expression looking at his grandpa.

Xiao Yan slowly walked towards his grandpa's back. He clenched and unclenched his fist as if he were deciding on something but was having doubts.

"Old man..." The white haired man froze and slowly he turned to see a sight he never thought he would get to see once more.

"YAN-ER!!"

His gloomy and pathetic face instantly turned a one-eighty as it became bright and sunny. He spread his arms wide and stood up to meet his alive grandson.

"Come and hug your grandpa Lao!"

Xiao Yan didn't comply to his request as his shadowed eyes turned to stare at his grandfather's brightly red eyes and asked with a somewhat deep and serious tone.

"How much?"

"Hm? Spend what?"

"How. Much. Did. You. Spend?"

"..."

"..."

"... All of it?"

Xiao Yan cracked his knuckles and started a brawl with his grandpa.

Xun Er couldn't hold it and laughed hard at the antics of this grandson and grandpa duo.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Author's Note: I'm not gonna post any chapters this weekend, probably. Cause I need to refresh myself with the Douluo Dalu part 1 series as I only have manhwa level knowledge about it now.

Also: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!! WOOO!!!