Within the depths of the heavily guarded Flame Alliance, a spatial wormhole connecting to Starfall Pavilion was set up. Xiao Yan and his companions did not intend to make it public, for although the transit fees for the wormhole were quite substantial, they thought it best to keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary trouble. After all, this was almost the only direct link to the Central State in the vast expanse of the northwest continent. Should the news spread, many covetous eyes would be drawn to it.
In the massive hall, the pitch-black spatial wormhole hovered in midair, slowly rotating and emanating shocking fluctuations of spatial energy that spread out as it turned.
“Is this the spatial wormhole?” Cai Lin and the others gazed at it with a touch of wonder. This was their first time witnessing such a thing, which was extremely rare in the remote reaches of the northwest continent.
Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. Beside him stood Little Healer Immortal, Heavenly Fire Venerable, and Qing Lin. As for the other invited powerhouses, they had already returned to the Central State after resolving the troubles with the Lion Ghost Sect.
“Elder Brother, Second Elder Brother, we will take our leave now. If there are any issues in the future, you can send someone directly to Starfall Pavilion; they will be well-received.” Xiao Yan turned his head to look at Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, a smile on his face.
Hearing this, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li also nodded. “Take care.”
Xiao Yan smiled again, gave a respectful bow to the people around him, and then stepped into the wormhole, disappearing quickly. Cai Lin, carrying Xiao Xiao, followed right after, and then the group including Little Healer Immortal…
Watching Xiao Yan and the others vanish into the spatial wormhole, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li sighed softly with a hint of melancholy before leaving with their entourage.
Starfall Pavilion, Inner Hall.
“Is this… your daughter?”
Pill Elder stared at the young girl in white, her large, black eyes fixed on him as she clung to Xiao Yan’s leg. The elder’s face was filled with astonishment.
Seeing Pill Elder’s reaction, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but smile and nod. He knew that when Cai Lin was suspected of being pregnant, Pill Elder had been captured by the Soul Temple, thus he was unaware of the situation. Xiao Yan then gave a brief account of what had happened.
“Heh, I didn’t expect this… I truly didn’t expect this…”
After hearing Xiao Yan’s story, even with Pill Elder’s composure, he couldn’t help but shake his head. His gaze swept over Cai Lin, and he chuckled, “Back then, your wife was fiercely resentful of you. If it weren’t for me, you would have long become a vengeful spirit under her command.”
Hearing this, Cai Lin’s coldly beautiful face slightly flushed. She had secretly dueled with the old man many times, but she never imagined that the old man, who seemed only a little stronger than her, would be such a formidable figure.
“Cai Jie, come and greet your great-teacher,” Cai Lin gently patted Xiao Xiao’s head and said softly.
Hearing this, Xiao Xiao blinked her big, black eyes, hesitated, and looked at Xiao Yan. When he nodded with a smile, she tentatively called out, “Great-teacher…”
“Ah!” Hearing Xiao Xiao’s soft voice, a genuine, delighted smile appeared on the old master’s weathered face. He had no children and had long regarded Xiao Yan as his own son. Thus, Xiao Yan’s daughter was like a granddaughter to him. For someone of his age, no matter how strong, there was always a special fondness for children.
Pill Elder walked over, his eyes full of joy, and tenderly touched Xiao Xiao. Then, he squeezed her small arm gently. After a moment, a look of pleasant surprise appeared in his eyes. “What a powerful soul force! She is fire-attribute, and there is also a trace of wood energy in her. She could definitely become an alchemist…”
Hearing Pill Elder’s words, Xiao Yan smiled. He had also noticed that Xiao Xiao’s constitution was highly suitable for becoming an alchemist. Her current conditions were likely far superior to his when he was young. With proper training, her potential would be extraordinary.
“Her soul force is even stronger than when I discovered you, and her physical constitution is several times better than yours. If she is properly trained, she might even surpass her father in the future.”
A heated gleam appeared in Pill Elder’s eyes, a look Xiao Yan had seen during their first encounter.
Smiling at the evaluation, Xiao Yan felt a sense of pride. Although innate talent was important, ultimate success relied on one’s perseverance. It was not his talent but the arduous blood battles between life and death that led to his breakthroughs… True peak power came from great determination!
Pill Elder continued massaging Xiao Xiao’s muscles, and his rather forceful hand made Xiao Xiao pout, causing muffled laughter from the onlookers.
“Shall I, the old man, train Xiao Xiao from now on?”
After massaging for a while, Pill Elder finally raised his head and looked straight at Xiao Yan, speaking without hesitation. Even he couldn’t resist the urge to train such a perfect gemstone.
Seeing Pill Elder’s eagerness, Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. He had brought Xiao Xiao to the Starfall Pavilion precisely for this purpose. No one he knew could surpass Pill Elder’s alchemy skills, and having him personally train Xiao Xiao was the best possible outcome.
Xiao Yan also understood that while Xiao Xiao’s talent was indeed captivating, it was not just her talent that compelled Pill Elder. The old man genuinely regarded Xiao Xiao as his granddaughter and wanted to mold her into perfection, which moved Xiao Yan deeply.
“This child has been through the wormhole travel for days. Let her rest first.”
Pill Elder patted Xiao Xiao’s head affectionately and handed her back to Cai Lin, instructing them to find accommodations for Cai Lin and Xiao Xiao.
“Go ahead and talk,” Cai Lin, understanding the need for a private conversation, told Xiao Yan softly before leading Xiao Xiao away.
Watching Cai Lin leave with Xiao Xiao, Pill Elder redirected his gaze and smiled, “Young man, you have a good daughter. Though I must say, I was quite surprised that you ended up with Medusa.”
Xiao Yan shrugged. The relationship between him and Cai Lin was indeed complex. Who could have imagined that the Medusa Queen, who had hunted him for years, would eventually become his wife?
“I heard about your recent ordeal. Sending two Celestial Elders shows that the Soul Temple is serious. However, they suffered significant losses this time. The Ninth Celestial Elder was killed on the spot, and even the Fourth Celestial Elder was severely wounded before escaping.”
Pill Elder stroked his beard and chuckled.
“But as for the true intentions of the Soul Temple, I must admit, I am not entirely clear. This race is always mysterious. Their collection of souls surely harbors a sinister plot. Their recent acceleration in gathering souls suggests that their plan is progressing rapidly. According to the information, there have been significant wars in other continents outside the Central State, and it’s likely the Soul Temple’s doing.”
Pill Elder pondered aloud.
“Really? Wars in other places?”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan’s expression changed slightly, feeling a bit uneasy. What were those people from the Soul Temple up to?
“Yes,” Pill Elder nodded gravely. After a short pause, he sighed and shifted the topic, “In half a month, the Spatial Bazaar will begin. We should prepare well. Those attending are top-tier powerhouses and incredibly strong forces. The Divine Lotus Flame is too attractive. If we have information about it, other forces must also know. Getting that last fragment of the map will require us to pay a hefty price.”
Xiao Yan nodded. The Divine Lotus Flame ranked third on the list of Mystic Flames, a testament to its immense power. Its allure was unquestionable. Even if it was just a fragment related to it, its value was terrifying. Gaining it amidst fierce competition would be extremely difficult.
“No matter what, we must get the Divine Lotus Flame. Three out of the four fragments are in your hands. We must secure the last one no matter what.”
Pill Elder emphasized that the top three Mystic Flames on the list each possessed world-destroying abilities. These flames were extremely rare, even over tens of thousands of years, only one additional flower could form. It was said that these three flames were so powerful that nature itself dared not produce many. Unless a particular flame completely disappeared, it might not reappear for tens of thousands of years.
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