“It’s not a human?” Xiao Yan’s scalp tingled all at once. The corner of his mouth twitched, and after a moment, he lowered his voice and mumbled, “Is it the legendary Emperor-grade medicinal pill?”
Most medicinal pills, after experiencing the Nine-Colored Pill Lightning, would gain a certain degree of intelligence. However, at this time, most of them would transform into beast forms. Even though they had gained some intelligence, they could not truly match up to humans. Some of the more fabled Ninth-Grade Pills, however, were able to take on a human form, and even engage in cultivation. But for such things, even Xiao Yan had merely read about them in ancient texts.
“Heh heh, an Emperor-grade Pill—it’s an extremely rare existence even in the ancient times. Who could possibly have the capacity to concoct one now?” Xuan Kongzi was used to seeing Xiao Yan’s shock, as he too had been dumbfounded for a long while when he first heard about the origin of the ancestor.
“The elder who refined the ancestor was also one of the founders of the Pill Tower. But that elder had long since passed away. In the year before his death, he used all his energy to concoct one last pill. During this process of refining the pill, the elder exhausted himself and died with sorrow, but a shred of his soul fused into the Ninth-Grade Pill through a strange means, causing a mutation in this Ninth-Grade Profound Pill…”
“Later, this medicinal pill took on a human form, but didn’t leave the Pill Tower; instead, it remained as a guardian. In a way, you could say the ancestor was an alternative incarnation of that elder—though the complexity of their connection isn’t simple,” Xuan Kongzi explained with a smile.
“With the passage of time, the ancestor saved the Pill Tower from destruction several times. His status became unparalleled, but he showed no interest in it. Once the Pill Tower stabilized, he disappeared, leaving no trace behind,” Xuan Kongzi said.
Xiao Yan wiped a cold sweat from his brow. He never expected the background of the Pill Tower’s ancestor to be so bizarre—a mutated Ninth-Grade Profound Pill. Xiao Yan was aware of the classifications of the Ninth-Grade Pills. There were three stages: Ninth-Grade Treasure Pill, Ninth-Grade Profound Pill, and Ninth-Grade Golden Pill. In the present world, most of the appearing Ninth-Grade Pills were at the Treasure Pill stage, while the Profound Pill had almost become non-existent. As for the even rarer Ninth-Grade Golden Pill, it probably only appeared in the distant past. After the Golden Pill came the Emperor Pill, which existed in legend.
Such a pill, no one on the current continent likely had the capability to refine it. “For that elder to refine a Ninth-Grade Profound Pill and then cause it to mutate, his strength must have been at least a five-star or six-star Dou Sheng,” Xiao Yan thought, feeling a wave of awe for the Pill Tower’s former might.
“Never mind, I won’t say more about the ancestor. He’s been missing for years, and we don’t know when he’ll reappear. Perhaps he’s become an infant again, experiencing what they call ‘life,'” Xuan Kongzi waved his hand, his tone resigned. The last time he saw the ancestor, he was a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth, and who knew what he looked like now.
“What about the alliance?” Xiao Yan asked, his shock gradually subsiding.
“Without the ancestor, the important matters of the Pill Tower are decided by the vote of the Great Elder Hall,” Xuan Kongzi answered.
“A vote? That’s going to be difficult. The old fogies there are rigid, and persuading them to vote for the alliance will be tough,” the Medicine Ancestor frowned.
“The Great Elder Hall has ten seats, and the three of us, as the tri-leaders of the Pill Tower, occupy three of them. But even so, we only have three votes. And the other seven old ones have much more seniority, so our words carry little weight with them,” the Dark-Garbed Elder said, somewhat resigned.
“Only three votes? That’s not enough,” the Medicine Ancestor shook his head. Though the Great Elder Hall was democratic, many of the old members were incredibly inflexible. For such an alliance matter, opposition was likely, and with just one opposing vote, the decision would be set in stone.
“There is, however, a chance. Two of the elders have a deep grudge with the Soul Palace. If we can persuade them, our votes will increase to five, bringing us on equal footing,” Xuan Kongzi pondered.
“Oh? Is this certain?” The Medicine Ancestor’s eyes lit up. A tie vote of five against five would give them a significant chance.
“I can’t say for sure, but we should try. Why don’t you and Xiao Yan come with us to the Lesser Pill Tower? This information will surely shake those old ones,” Xuan Kongzi suggested with a smile.
“Alright, I agree. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there,” the Medicine Ancestor nodded, hesitantly. He looked at Xiao Yan and smiled, “The Lesser Pill Tower gathers masters of alchemy, whose names resonate throughout the Central Continent. You could use this as an opportunity to broaden your horizons.”
“Indeed, Xiao Yan’s current skills are impressive. He might be the one broadening the horizons of those old ones,” the Dark-Garbed Elder chuckled.
Xuan Kongzi rose and walked to the end of the hall. He placed his palm on the smooth wall, and a ripple spread out from his palm. The wall began to twist and turn, forming a slowly rotating spatial passageway. “It’s a self-contained space, so the Lesser Pill Tower does exist in a separate dimension,” Xiao Yan murmured.
“Let’s go,” Xuan Kongzi opened the spatial passageway and led the way. Xiao Yan and the others followed, and as the last person entered, the passageway faded back into a solid wall.
After a brief transfer through the spatial passageway, Xiao Yan found himself on a lofty peak, with mist swirling around, giving a sense of ethereality. “The aroma of herbs is so strong,” he sniffed, looking around. To his surprise, the entire mountain was covered with herb gardens, filled with rare medicinal herbs growing abundantly.
“This place is a different world for alchemists,” Xiao Yan marveled.
“These gardens belong to the elders, they are their prized possessions,” Xuan Kongzi explained, leading the way to the peak. Behind him, Xiao Yan and the others quickly followed. Along the way, they saw aged figures tending to the herb gardens. Though they looked like ordinary farmers, Xiao Yan sensed powerful soul fluctuations from them—clearly, these seemingly simple growers had profound expertise in soul power.
No one paid much attention to Xiao Yan, but the Medicine Ancestor drew many curious glances. Familiar elders approached and greeted him, clearly old acquaintances. They walked along mountain paths, finally stopping at the peak. Xuan Kongzi and the others arranged for the Medicine Ancestor and Xiao Yan to stay in a modest, tidy stone house, then hurried off to inform the others about the potential alliance.
Knowing that patience was key, Xiao Yan and the Medicine Ancestor waited in the house, resting in silence for a few hours. Eventually, Xuan Kongzi and the others returned. “There are two pieces of news, one good and one bad,” Xuan Kongzi sighed, looking at Xiao Yan and the Medicine Ancestor. “The good news is we have five votes in favor of the alliance…”
Xiao Yan and the Medicine Ancestor perked up, though five votes were not a majority, it offered some hope.
“The bad news is, in three days, the Great Elder Hall will welcome a new elder, who will have one voting right. Unfortunately, the prime candidate for the new elder position is also stubborn, and you know him well,” Xuan Kongzi’s gaze turned to the Medicine Ancestor.
The Medicine Ancestor frowned. “Old Freak Hou?”
“Yes, that old guy who never got along with you. Considering his rigid personality, if he becomes the new elder, he will definitely vote against us. He’s been holding a grudge ever since you defeated him at the Pill Competition…”
“If you hadn’t left the Lesser Pill Tower, you would have already been a Great Elder, and this wouldn’t be a problem,” the Dark-Garbed Elder added, glancing at the Medicine Ancestor.
The Medicine Ancestor could only chuckle bitterly. “What do we do now? If that old guy votes against us, the alliance is doomed.”
“True, but if we prevent Old Monkey FREAK from becoming the elder, the problem is solved,” the Dark-Garbed Elder said, gazing at Xiao Yan.
“Easy to say, but in the Pill Tower, who can compete with Old Freak Hou? The Medicine Ancestor could, but he voluntarily left and, by the rules, can’t compete.” Xuan Kongzi shook his head.
The Dark-Garbed Elder moved a strand of hair from her forehead, a strange smile on her face. “The Medicine Ancestor may not qualify, but Xiao Yan does. As the champion of the Pill Competition and a potential future leader of the Pill Tower, he qualifies. The question is, can he outdo Old Freak Hou, who nearly beat Medusa Dust in the competition?”
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