Chapter 456 A surprising glimpse

Xiao Ling, Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan slowly walked out of the palace and walked through the corridor inside the Dan Tower.

They passed by a row of transparent glass windows and looked out, with the prosperous scene of the city of Saint-Dan in full view.

The Danta Assessment Square in the North City was especially lively, with voices surging like the tide. The sounds of heated discussions and conversations could be clearly heard by their ears even from a distance.

"Is this the Dan Conference held by Dan Tower? It's so lively beyond imagination." Xiong Zhan was amazed at the scene he witnessed for the first time. He swept his eyes over the dense crowd and was filled with emotion. "The whole city is almost occupied by the crowd. There is no vacant space in every street and corner."

"Dan Tower has always enjoyed an outstanding reputation in the Douqi Continent, and this grand Dan Conference held every thirty years has attracted countless heroes to gather together. If there is a chance, who would not want to witness such a glorious event in person?" Xiao Ling smiled lightly, revealing confidence and expectation in his words.
"When the Alchemy Competition begins, I will definitely go all out and strive for the top spot. Brother Xiong Zhan, don't forget to cheer me on."

"Haha, don't worry! As long as Brother Xiao Ling can win the crown of this alchemy conference, I will definitely be the one cheering the loudest." Xiong Zhan said as he patted his broad chest hard, making a few solid sounds. His laughter was hearty and loud, full of support and expectations for Xiao Ling.

"Since Brother Xiong Zhan values ​​it so much, how could I let you down?" Xiao Ling responded with a smile and then turned his gaze towards the direction of the square where the alchemy meeting was held.

It's a bit regrettable that with just such a casual glance, I didn't find any trace of Xun'er and others.

I don’t know whether they were not near the square or because their vision was blocked, so I couldn’t see clearly.

However, for some unknown reason, Xiao Ling's gaze seemed to be attracted by something inexplicably, and he unconsciously looked towards an attic near the square where the alchemy meeting was held.

The attic towers into the sky like a sharp spear piercing the sky. Its architectural style is unique, and every brick and tile reveals the exquisite craftsmanship.

The eaves of the attic are upturned and decorated with exquisite carvings. The auspicious patterns of dragons and phoenixes sparkle in the sun.

The paintings on the walls are delicate and vivid, telling some strange and interesting stories circulating on the mainland.

The windows of the attic are in the shape of slender willow leaves and are inlaid with transparent colored glaze. Whenever light shines on them, they refract colorful light, like a dreamlike fairyland.

The whole attic looks both solemn and grand, yet exquisite and delicate, which makes people admire it.

Just from the appearance, one can see at a glance how much care and effort was put into the construction of this attic.

It stands proudly in the center of Saint-Denis City. The height of the attic reaches the sky. Its prominent location and magnificent architecture all demonstrate the extraordinary identity and status of the attic owner.

Even if its owner is not a core figure within Danta, he definitely has a deep relationship with Danta's top management, otherwise how could he have such an iconic building here.

My eyes continued to follow the inexplicable feeling and looked up at the attic, where I saw an extremely exquisite windowsill.

Through the gauze curtain as thin as a cicada's wing, Xiao Ling seemed to see the graceful figure of a woman in a trance.

The breeze blew gently, and the gauze swayed in the wind. Her outline was looming in the interweaving of light and shadow, like a flowing ink painting, full of poetry.

That graceful figure, under the soft light, appears even more graceful, as if every ray of light is adding a mysterious halo to her, making people intoxicated in this hazy beauty and unwilling to look away.

Staring at the hazy figure, Xiao Ling blinked gently, and an indescribable sense of familiarity surged in his heart, as if the figure had left a deep trace in some corner of his memory, making him feel like déjà vu.

However, because everything behind the gauze curtain was too blurry, with light and shadow interweaving, the graceful figure seemed as ethereal as a dream, making it difficult for Xiao Ling to capture the exact memory for a moment, unable to recall exactly where and when he had seen this graceful figure.

"Xiao Ling, what are you looking at? Why are you so engrossed? I'm almost stunned." Zi Yan saw Xiao Ling suddenly stop and gently tugged at his sleeve. She pouted her lips slightly and asked in a tender voice with a hint of curiosity.

"Hehe, it's nothing, I was just a little absent-minded just now. Let's go." Xiao Ling came back to his senses from his reverie after being gently pulled by Zi Yan. He gently rubbed Zi Yan's soft hair, revealed a faint smile, shook his head gently, and then continued to lead them towards the road ahead.

With a hint of doubt, Zi Yan stretched out her jade-white right index finger and gently tapped her delicate chin, then glanced curiously in the direction Xiao Ling had just been staring at.

But she looked around and found nothing unusual except the ordinary attic and windowsill.

Shrugging slightly, not finding anything that could arouse her curiosity, Zi Yan gently shook her head to dispel those wandering thoughts from her mind.

Then, she took brisk steps forward a few steps and naturally took Xiao Ling's hand.

As the sound of brisk footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, the figures of three people disappeared without a trace in the corridor in the blink of an eye.

Soon, everything here returned to silence, with only the faint sound of the wind and the faint echo at the end of the corridor, which seemed to whisper what had just happened.

Just as Xiao Ling and the other two were leaving the corridor by the window, a hand as delicate as jade reached out from behind the exquisite curtains and slowly lifted up a corner of the curtains that were as thin as a cicada's wing.

As the curtains trembled slightly, a delicate and flawless face was revealed, which was breathtakingly beautiful. Her eyebrows were as dark as distant black, her eyes were as clear as autumn water, her skin was whiter than snow, and her lips were red without any makeup.

It was as if that was not the face of a mortal being, but a fairy from heaven, who inadvertently revealed her true appearance in the world.

"Grand Elder, what are you doing?"

At this time, Su Li walked over lightly with a plate of exquisite tea set in her hand, and gently placed the tea set on the wooden carved round table in front of Chu Wanting.

Seeing that her own Grand Elder looked a little absent-minded, she couldn't help but open her red lips and ask.

"Nothing else happened. It's just that some past events came to my mind by chance, causing me to lose my mind for a moment."

Chu Wanqing slowly withdrew her gaze from the window, and the inexplicable look in her eyes gradually disappeared as she turned back. Her tone was calm and she still had the same expression as before, responding to Su Li's question indifferently.

When Su Li heard this, the indifference in the tone of her own Grand Elder made her put away her curiosity and stop asking further questions.

However, her careful observation of the Grand Elder during this period of time allowed her to vaguely detect some subtle changes.

Although she had some doubts in her heart, she knew her limits and did not dare to explore these hidden emotional changes.

"The portal to the Dan World has been open for several days. In a few days, the third round of the Dan Conference will kick off. Such a grand event has not been seen for several decades. Compared to the grand occasion of the last Dan Conference, the atmosphere this time seems to be even more enthusiastic."

Su Li sat on a chair beside the wooden table, took a sip of the tea in her hand, and spoke slowly with a hint of emotion in her tone:
"However, in my opinion, the winner of this Alchemy Contest has already been decided. With Master Xiao Ling's extraordinary alchemy skills, it is unlikely that other contestants will pose any threat to his winning the championship."

"You really have great respect for this kid named Xiao Ling. There are not many people who can receive such high praise from you in these years."

Chu Wanqing's eyes swept lightly over Su Li's face, and with an indescribable subtlety in her tone, she spoke slowly.

"Indeed, Master Xiao Ling is extremely talented. He can refine top-grade eighth-grade elixirs by himself at the age of just over 20. If I had not witnessed it with my own eyes in Yin Valley, I would not have believed it even if I had heard the news. After all, it is too far-fetched." Su Li shook her head slightly, her tone revealing deep emotion.

As she spoke, her mind couldn't help but echo the scene that day in Yin Valley when Xiao Ling, amid many astonished gazes, successfully refined a pill in one furnace, producing an eighth-grade top-grade pill that far exceeded everyone's expectations.

The shock was still fresh in her memory. Even after the passage of time, the unforgettable scene was still difficult to erase from her memory. "Grand Elder, don't you think Master Xiao Ling is very outstanding? Whenever we mention him, you always seem to be ambiguous, as if you are deliberately keeping a distance from him." Su Li's words were full of confusion. She paused for a moment and looked at Chu Wanqing again, her eyes full of inquiry.

During these days, Xiao Ling's name was mentioned repeatedly in their conversations with Chu Wanqing. After all, the mark he left in their hearts was too deep and often appeared in their minds inadvertently.

However, during the conversation, Su Li clearly felt that the attitude of her elder towards Xiao Ling was quite subtle. That attitude was not disgusting, but seemed to carry a hint of indescribable deliberate difficulty.

Logically speaking, Xiao Ling is not only the savior of the Supreme Elder, but also the key figure who helped her break through to the legendary realm of the Fighting Saint.

Such a favor should make the Supreme Elder feel even deeper gratitude towards Xiao Ling, and at least should not have any resistance.

But the reality was contrary to expectations. Whenever the topic of Xiao Ling was mentioned, the supreme elder seemed very resistant.

Su Li couldn't help but guess that there might be some unknown entanglement between the two of them, but no matter how hard she racked her brains to think about this issue, she couldn't figure out what the story behind it was.

An inexplicable light flashed in Chu Wanqing's eyes, and then she sighed deeply, with a bit of emotion and relief in her tone: "Yes, Xiao Ling is indeed talented. I was indeed too stubborn before, perhaps, I do need to make some changes..."

After hearing the confusing words of her own Grand Elder, which were a little difficult to understand for a moment, Su Li suddenly felt confused. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and a look of confusion was clearly revealed on her face.

However, Chu Wanqing did not explain further, nor did she pay attention to Su Li's confused expression. She gently stroked her cheek, her eyes drifted out the window again, and fell on the bustling street scene of Shengdan City.

I couldn't help but whisper to myself, "Perhaps, it's time to have a good talk with him face to face. Those emotions hidden deep in my heart, perhaps, really shouldn't be resisted and suppressed like this..."

……

In order not to reveal their identities in front of these outsiders and avoid unnecessary trouble and disputes, Xiao Ling and the other two naturally had no plans to show up openly in Shengdan City.

Zi Yan just waved her hand lightly and used some space power to open a space channel. Then, she took Xiao Ling and Xiong Zhan with her, and the three of them passed through the temporarily opened space channel and returned quietly to the secluded courtyard where they lived in Shengdan City.

At this time, a tranquil and elegant atmosphere permeated the courtyard. The sunlight shone through the sparse leaves, casting mottled shadows on the bluestone path, appearing particularly soft.

In a corner of the courtyard, a clear stream gurgles, and beside the stream, a pavilion stands quietly, as if blending into the surrounding natural scenery.

Xiao Xun'er, Medusa and Qing Lin were sitting on the stone benches in the pavilion. Their figures looked particularly leisurely in the afternoon sun.

Xun'er held the teacup, took a sip of the fragrant tea, a satisfied smile appeared on her face, then she stretched out her slender hand, and a black piece fell onto the chessboard with a crisp sound.

Medusa was concentrating on playing chess with Xun'er. Compared with Xun'er's leisurely and relaxed attitude, she seemed more nervous and focused. After all, as a snake-man, Medusa was not as proficient as Xun'er in the elegant arts of playing chess, calligraphy and painting.

As the noble eldest daughter of the ancient clan, Xun'er naturally put a certain amount of energy into practicing these elegant things. Although she did not devote too much time and effort to this, she only dabbled in it occasionally in her spare time.

But with Xun'er's innate extraordinary talent, she can easily handle anything she is involved in. In these fields, she has undoubtedly reached the master level.

Qinglin watched the game quietly on the side. Occasionally, she would bring a cup of freshly brewed tea to the two players, her movements gentle and skillful.

The atmosphere in the pavilion is harmonious. The occasional whispers and laughter, interweaving with the gurgling sound of the stream, create a tranquil and elegant picture.

Around the pavilion, the fragrance of flowers and plants wafts lightly, mixing with the aroma of tea, adding a touch of poetry.

However, just as a space fluctuation suddenly surged in the courtyard, everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes towards the direction where the noise came from.

Medusa and Qinglin couldn't help but show a hint of vigilance on their faces. Before this sudden situation became clear, this vigilance was an innate reaction of the magical blood in their bodies.

Compared with the slightly vigilant expressions of Medusa and Qinglin, Xun'er seemed particularly indifferent and calm.

Being a person of great strength and keen perception, she had already sensed a familiar aura when the fluctuations in the space channel first appeared.

At the same time, the jade pendant on her forehead began to flicker with a soft light. The halo was gentle and kind, as if responding to an old friend who had come from afar.

All of this made Xun'er understand who the person who was about to show up was.

As the light in the silver passage flickered slightly, three figures jumped out one after another. The combination of two men and one woman was obviously Xiao Ling and his group who had just returned from Danta.

"Master, what happened? Why did you and Sister Zi Yan come back so suddenly? The gate to the Dan Realm has just been opened. Logically, there is still some time before the third round of assessment."

When Zi Yan and Xiao Ling came into view, the vigilance that had just appeared on Medusa and Qing Lin's faces quickly disappeared, and was replaced by unconcealable joy.

However, compared to Qinglin's expressive joy, Medusa's emotions were much more restrained. If you didn't look closely, her joy was almost imperceptible, and it only flashed slightly in the depths of her eyes.

Xun'er's eyes were fixed on Xiao Ling. Her usually cold and indifferent face now silently blossomed into a sincere and sweet smile, like a flower quietly blooming in spring, gentle and moving.

Qing Lin blinked her eyes that sparkled like purple gems, and looked at Xiao Ling and Zi Yan with doubt. Her voice revealed her confusion as she asked softly.

According to the tradition of the Alchemy Association over the years, once the Alchemy Association is launched and the Alchemy World Assessment begins, all participants must stay until the assessment is completed before they can leave together.

It was also based on this iron rule that after Zi Yan quietly sneaked into the Dan Realm, they returned to their temporary residence in Shengdan City, planning to go and watch the battle when the Dan Realm assessment was nearing its end.

"Indeed, some unexpected circumstances occurred, forcing us to leave Dan Realm early. But it is difficult to explain it to you all right now. I will tell you in detail later."

Xiao Ling smiled, his eyes naturally met Xun'er's gaze, and he gave her a gentle smile, then turned his head and answered Qinglin.

"Let me introduce him to you. This is Xiong Zhan. He is the overlord of the Wanyao Mountain Range in the Dan Realm. During Zi Yan and I's journey in the Dan Realm, we were fortunate to become friends with him. Therefore, we took this opportunity to have him leave the Dan Realm with us. Now, he has become an elder of our Xingyun Pavilion."

As Xiao Ling spoke, he pointed to Xiong Zhan beside him and began to introduce them to the three women.

"Haha, everyone, this is our first meeting. My true form is an ancient dragon bear, so you can just call me Xiong Zhan. I hope you can give me your advice as we get along in the future." Xiong Zhan touched his head gently, his tone revealing a natural boldness and casualness, and he greeted everyone in a friendly manner with a smile.

The three girls also greeted Xiong Zhan very politely, so they knew each other.

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Ling arranged a spacious room for Xiong Zhan on the outskirts of the courtyard, which would serve as his residence for the time being.

After all, the inner courtyard of this courtyard is a private resting place for Xiao Ling and others. Except for Xiao Ling himself, other men are strictly prohibited from entering. Even those responsible for daily cleaning are all maids.

Although Xiong Zhan is a demon beast, he is also a male creature. Although Xiao Ling expected that he would not dare to have any bad intentions, Xiao Ling still did not want to let him stay in the inner courtyard to avoid inconvenience. (End of this chapter)