Hearing the elderly laughter, Xiao Yan also raised his head slightly, just in time to see the white-robed elder slowly turning around. His hair and beard were all white, his face covered with deep wrinkles. His eyes, under the fold of the skin, seemed small and narrow. In those unfathomable, deep eyes, there was a hint of gentle warmth.
“Senior is joking…” Bowing respectfully, Xiao Yan said.
“Haha, I’m not jesting. To reach the level of a high-grade alchemist of the 7th Rank at such a young age — across the entire continent, only a few can achieve this.”
The white-robed elder’s gaze swept back and forth over Xiao Yan, and he spoke warmly, “I am Xuan Kongzi. If you don’t find it too presumptuous, you may call me Elder Xuan. I used to have a close friendship with your teacher, Yao Chen. Calling me that would not be out of place.”
“Since that’s the case… then I shall gladly follow your instruction,” Xiao Yan responded with a smile, bowing again.
Xuan Kongzi smiled, placing the scroll in his hand back into the bookshelf. Then, he turned back to the desk and said, “Regarding the matter of the Xuanming Sect, you shouldn’t let it bother you. The Holy Pill City is now in a state of chaos and tension due to the Pill Assembly. If things go wrong, it might delay the Assembly.”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly.
“The person from last night concealed both his aura and appearance. I wasn’t there, so I couldn’t identify which elder of the Hall of Souls he was.”
Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment before saying, “It should be the Elder Mud Bone…”
“Oh?” Xuan Kongzi was slightly surprised, but not overly so. He nodded slowly, “No wonder he went after you. This old man, indeed, these people from the Hall of Souls are always causing trouble.”
“Is Yao Chen now in the hands of the Hall of Souls?” Xuan Kongzi rubbed the dry table surface with his hand, asking.
Xiao Yan pursed his lips and then nodded.
“Ai… This old fellow has always been free-spirited and disdains forming alliances. If he had listened to me back then and become a giant of the Pill Tower, he wouldn’t have been targeted by the Hall of Souls.”
Xuan Kongzi sighed, “I will have people keep an eye out. If there’s any news about Yao Chen, I will inform you.”
“Thank you, Elder Xuan.” Xiao Yan quickly expressed his gratitude, recognizing the far-reaching influence of the Pill Tower. If they could help search, it would undoubtedly save him a lot of trouble.
Xuan Kongzi waved his hand, “The Hall of Souls can be considered a hidden enemy of our Pill Tower. Every year, they capture countless alchemists, but due to certain reasons, we cannot openly declare war on them. Their strength is far beyond your imagination.”
Xiao Yan nodded silently. The Hall of Souls could have lasted so long in the Central Region if they didn’t possess immense power. He did not expect that even the Pill Tower would be wary of this mysterious force.
“Creak…” As Xiao Yan was musing, the door of the hall creaked open. Three figures walked in. Looking over, Xiao Yan’s eyes showed a flash of surprise. The two figures leading were Cao Ying and Dan Chen, the young girl from the Dan Clan.
Behind Cao Ying and Dan Chen was a well-dressed man in black. His features were handsome. As he entered the room, he was still softly chatting and laughing with the two girls. On his chest, there was a badge with seven sparkling stars — a sign of a high-rank alchemist.
Seeing the two, Cao Ying and Dan Chen also noticed Xiao Yan, and their faces showed some surprise. They had not expected to see him here.
“Master…” Cao Ying stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Xuan Kongzi.
“Chairman Xuan Kong.”
“Haha, you three have also come…” Xuan Kongzi looked up and smiled at the three, then turned to Xiao Yan and said, “This is Xiao Yan, the champion of the Five Great Clans’ assessment. I’m sure you are already familiar with him.”
“Of course, how could we not know? Xiao Yan’s name has been echoing through the Holy Pill City recently…” Cao Ying covered her mouth and laughed charmingly, her allure causing the eyes of the black-robed man to flicker with a barely noticeable heat.
Xiao Yan paid no mind to Cao Ying’s words and simply smiled politely at the trio.
“Song Qing… I’ve heard much about Mr. Xiao Yan’s performance at the Five Great Clans’ assessment. It is indeed a well-deserved reputation.”
The black-robed man stepped forward, extending his hand to Xiao Yan with a smile.
“Your praise is undeserved,” Xiao Yan smiled. Despite the man’s concealment, Xiao Yan detected a faint hostility in his eyes. The source of this animosity seemed to be Cao Ying.
“This seductress, truly a troublemaker,” Xiao Yan inwardly sighed. He had done nothing, yet he had inadvertently drawn some hostility. It was somewhat speechless.
“Mr. Xiao Yan, Song Qing is the disciple of the Pill Tower’s Great Elder. He is also the youngest elder in the Pill Tower and may become one of its eight youngest elders in history. His abilities are no less than yours…”
Cao Ying’s eyes glimmered, and she smiled sweetly.
Listening to Cao Ying, Song Qing’s expression did not change, but a hint of satisfaction passed through his eyes. With his achievements, he indeed had reasons to be proud.
“Truly, a master cultivates a high disciple,” Xiao Yan smiled and did not say more. Cao Ying’s character was unpredictable, and carelessness could lead to being misled. However, he was not the type to get entangled with women, even if Cao Ying was exceptional.
“Alright, since you all are acquainted, let me tell you why I called you here.”
Xuan Kongzi smiled, his gaze sweeping over them. His eyes seemed to penetrate their hearts, even the mischievous Cao Ying behaved obediently in front of him.
“The Pill Assembly selection will begin in a few days. This year’s assembly has attracted many forces because of the Three Thousand Flame Fire. Among them are the Hall of Souls.”
“The Hall of Souls?” Cao Ying and the others frowned, whispering.
Xiao Yan’s eyes flickered but he did not respond.
“Yes, due to the long-term seal on the Three Thousand Flame Fire, it holds a grudge against the Pill Tower. If it is released, it will launch a retaliatory attack on the Pill Domain, causing great damage.”
Xuan Kongzi sighed, “Over the years, the Three Thousand Flame Fire has absorbed starry sky power, making it increasingly resistant to our seal. We must resolve this soon…”
“This mission of the Hall of Souls is to capture the Three Thousand Flame Fire. If they fail, they will likely destroy the seal, releasing the fire. The Pill Tower will suffer heavy losses, and the Hall of Souls will then easily collect souls.”
“The Three Thousand Flame Fire is extremely powerful. Although it ranks below the top five in the Heterogeneous Flame Rankings, its abilities are formidable. Due to the starry sky power, it is practically immortal. We can only seal it, not kill it. Whoever controls it will gain immense regenerative power. If it falls into the Hall of Souls, it will be a significant threat.”
“Because of this, I’ve called you here. I hope you can prevent the Hall of Souls from obtaining the Three Thousand Flame Fire.”
The serious look on Xuan Kongzi’s face caused the hall to fall silent. After a moment, Cao Ying asked, “Master, if you are so worried about the Hall of Souls, why not forbid their participation?”
“First, we don’t know who among the participating alchemists are from the Hall of Souls. Moreover, according to the Pill Tower’s tradition, any alchemist with the qualification to participate cannot be disqualified, even if they are from an enemy force. This tradition, while troublesome, is also what allowed the Pill Tower to grow to its current status. Therefore, some traditions must be respected.”
Xuan Kongzi answered with some regret.
Nodding slowly, the group understood. Xiao Yan was already at odds with the Hall of Souls, and the Three Thousand Flame Fire was something he needed. He had no objections to this task.
“There are seven days left until the Pill Assembly begins. Stay within the Pill Tower during this time. The Hall of Souls may use underhanded means to win, so be careful,” Xuan Kongzi advised.
Xiao Yan and the others nodded once more.
“That’s all. Now, you just need to wait for the Pill Assembly.”
Xuan Kongzi smiled, his gentle gaze turning to Xiao Yan. He picked up a scroll from the desk and handed it to Xiao Yan, saying, “I heard you are interested in Ying-er’s Soul Handprint. Take this and study it. Though it’s not a very advanced Soul Technique, it is quite rare outside.”
Taking the scroll, a gleam of joy appeared in Xiao Yan’s eyes. He bowed, “Thank you, Elder Xuan.”
“Haha, it’s nothing,” Xuan Kongzi smiled, then waved at everyone.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan and the others bid farewell and left the hall.
As they departed, Xuan Kongzi’s gentle smile remained. “Yao Chen, the wager we made all those years ago will be settled by whether Xiao Yan or Ying-er wins this Pill Assembly. I wonder if you can still best me this time.”
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