Chapter 764 The Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower
"This matter is of great importance. I imagine even those old fogies in the Little Pill Tower who have been out of the public eye for so long will be getting restless. I haven't been there for many years, so this is a good opportunity to go and meet them again."
Yao Chen lightly twirled his fingers, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes, before nodding in agreement. His smile was warm and gentle as he glanced at Xiao Ling and the other two.
"The Little Pill Tower is filled with grandmasters who were once renowned in the alchemy world of Zhongzhou. This trip will be a good opportunity for you young people to broaden your horizons."
"Hehe, Yao Chen, that's a very tactful way of putting it. I bet you're just trying to show off in front of your old friends now that you've broken through to the Dou Sheng realm.
With a slight smile and a hint of mischief in her eyes, she said bluntly, "Besides, with Xiao Ling's current abilities, perhaps it's time to open the eyes of those old guys."
Faced with Xuan Yi's teasing, Yao Chen simply smiled and shook his head, offering no explanation. However, the undisguised arrogance in his eyes and brows confirmed Xuan Yi's suspicions, clearly indicating that he had hit the nail on the head.
Seeing this, Xuan Kongzi laughed loudly, stood up and walked towards the end of the hall. He lightly pressed his palm on the smooth, jade-like wall, and a powerful energy wave emanated from his palm.
With everyone's gaze focused on it, they saw that the originally flat wall slowly undulated, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a slowly rotating spatial passage. Within the passage, faint wisps of light could be seen, exuding a mysterious and unpredictable aura.
"Let's go."
Before Xuan Kongzi's laughter had even faded, he had already taken the lead, his figure stepping directly into the misty, flowing spatial passage. Xiao Ling, Cao Ying, and Dan Chen exchanged a glance, then followed suit with Yao Chen, Xuan Yi, Tian Leizi, and the others, their figures merging one after another into the flowing light of the passage.
As the last person stepped in, the slowly rotating spatial passage receded like the tide, the radiance gradually faded, and the walls returned to their smooth, jade-like appearance, as if the spatial anomaly had never occurred. Only a trace of spatial fluctuation remained, quietly dissipating in the hall before gradually returning to silence.
……
The teleportation through the spatial channel was instantaneous; in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the light before Xiao Ling's eyes suddenly intensified.
When he opened his eyes after his eyes had adjusted to the light, he found himself standing atop a towering green peak. Clouds and mist swirled around the mountains like a light veil, and the peaks appeared and disappeared in the misty fog, like a secret fairyland.
"Such a rich medicinal aroma." Xiao Ling's nostrils twitched slightly as he scanned his surroundings, his attention instantly drawn to the scene before him.
The entire Qingfeng Peak and even the surrounding connected peaks were completely covered by well-organized medicinal gardens. Rare medicinal herbs that were hard to find elsewhere grew here in large patches, with dew-laden green leaves and a fragrant aroma that caught his eye.
"Tsk tsk, this place is practically another realm of pills within the Pill Tower." He sighed inwardly, quietly releasing his soul power to scan the surrounding mountains. With just a preliminary exploration, he discovered several top-grade medicinal herbs that he had never collected before.
"Once the meeting is over, I'll have to find a way to trade some medicine to replenish my pharmacy."
“These medicinal gardens each have their own owners, and they are the lifeblood of those old guys.” Xuan Kongzi said with a smile when he saw his gaze lingering. “If you want to take advantage of these rare and precious herbs, you’ll probably have to pay a considerable price.”
After saying that, he took the lead and started walking towards the top of the mountain. Xiao Ling and the others immediately followed him.
As you travel along the lush sea of medicinal herbs, you can often see some elderly figures dressed in coarse cloth. They are either bending over to tend to the seedlings or sitting cross-legged on the ridges of the fields, looking no different from ordinary medicinal herb farmers.
However, Xiao Ling's soul power had already keenly sensed that these old men were all surrounded by powerful soul fluctuations, and even the weakest one had soul power that had reached the late stage of the Spirit Realm.
"As expected of the true core of the Pill Tower." Xiao Ling murmured to himself. The Little Pill Tower is full of hidden talents. These seemingly ordinary "herb farmers" are all alchemy masters with extremely high spiritual attainments. This is the deepest foundation of the Pill Tower.
Although this was Xiao Ling's first time visiting the Little Pill Tower, he had already been granted the position of elder of the Little Pill Tower by special distinction. These masters who lived in seclusion here had seen his portrait before and had heard bits and pieces about his deeds of refining an eighth-grade peak pill at the Pill Gathering at a young age, winning the Pill Gathering championship, and even stirring up the winds and clouds in the Central Plains.
However, they belonged to different eras from Xiao Ling and had no interaction with each other. Even if they bumped into each other, they would only cast a few curious glances with inquisitive eyes, nod slightly in acknowledgment, and then walk away without lingering to talk.
On the contrary, Yao Chen, standing beside him, attracted countless astonished glances along the way. Many elderly people tending their herb gardens or idly enjoying the scenery, upon seeing him, couldn't hide their surprise. They all put down their work, quickly stepped forward, bowed, and greeted him with familiarity in their words.
"Old man Yao Chen, you're still alive!"
"Back then, when you suddenly disappeared, we all thought..."
Yao Chen smiled and responded to each of them, exchanging a few simple pleasantries with his old friends. His words were full of the ease and composure that comes with the passage of time. Clearly, these old men were all old acquaintances of his when he was active in Zhongzhou.
The group flew through the air, their clothes fluttering as they cut through the swirling clouds, traveling at breakneck speed for nearly half an hour.
At first, the route was lined with herb gardens and scattered stone houses, the fragrance of herbs was so strong it was refreshing. But the further you flew, the more different the scenery became. The strong fragrance of herbs gradually faded away, replaced by a clear and pure spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Inhaling it made you feel comfortable all over, and your soul would tremble slightly.
The clouds and mist grew thicker and thicker, no longer the milky white commonly seen in the mountains, but with a faint silver glow, like a light veil wrapped around the peaks, shrouding the road ahead in a hazy mist.
The mountains below have lost their traces of human activity, with no sign of medicinal gardens. Only ancient pines and cypresses grow along the mountains, their trunks strong and upright, their branches adorned with glistening dew. Occasionally, a bird perches on a branch, its clear and ethereal song echoing through the valley for a long time.
What's even more amazing is that the solitary peak in front seems to float above the sea of clouds. The peak is shrouded in a light membrane. As the light membrane flows, you can vaguely see pavilions and towers built against the mountain. They are all carved from a single piece of white jade. There is no trace of artificial craftsmanship. Instead, they seem to be naturally formed and blend perfectly with the surrounding ethereal atmosphere.
Just then, Xuan Kongzi, who was in the lead, suddenly raised his hand to signal, and the three of them stopped flying at the same time.
Xuan Kongzi turned around, his gaze falling on Xiao Ling and Yao Chen. His tone was respectful yet solemn as he gestured towards the solitary peak floating above the sea of clouds.
"Xiao Ling, the residence of the Grand Elder is just ahead. The Ancestor of the Pill Tower travels the continent year-round and does not concern himself with the affairs of the Pill Tower. Now, the Grand Elder is the first person in charge of the Pill Tower. Although the cooperation on reopening the branch hall has been discussed in advance with the elders of the Pill Tower, the final decision still needs to be made by the Grand Elder himself."
Upon hearing this, Yao Chen and Xiao Ling both nodded slightly, their expressions remaining calm. Now that they knew the significance of this Grand Elder, they understood that this matter required his personal decision.
Seeing this, Xuan Kongzi said no more and turned to lead the group forward. The group climbed the steps along the path, the bluestone under their feet making a soft tapping sound, which was particularly clear in the ethereal mountain air.
As we moved on, the outline of the pavilion became clearer and clearer. The white jade pavilion, set against the backdrop of the sunset and clouds, appeared even more otherworldly.
When everyone had walked to within a hundred meters of the pavilion, they suddenly stopped in their tracks. A faint but powerful aura quietly spread out, not a deliberate release of power, but carrying a sense of weight and tranquility accumulated over the years.
Everyone subconsciously looked up and saw an old man dressed in plain linen clothes standing on the white jade platform in front of the pavilion.
He was slender, but his back was ramrod straight. His face was deeply lined, like an ancient pine tree weathered by time. His eyes, however, were as deep as an ancient well, calm and still, as if they could see through all things in the world.
The old man stood there quietly, surrounded by a faint aura of spiritual energy, blending seamlessly with the surrounding clouds and rosy light, inspiring an indescribable sense of awe.
Xiao Ling's gaze was precisely locked onto the old man in plain linen clothes. His soul power quietly spread out and instantly captured the heavy aura emanating from the other man. It was a powerful force that had been precipitated over the years, restrained and steady, without the slightest arrogance.
Based solely on this aura, he could roughly determine the old man's strength: early stage of a two-star Dou Sheng.
He immediately understood that the person before him must be the Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower who held real power.
The moment the group's gaze fell upon the old man, his calm, still eyes slowly turned in their direction.
His gaze did not linger on Xuan Kongzi, Xuan Yi, and the others, but swept over them directly, finally locking onto Yao Chen and Xiao Ling in the crowd. A glint seemed to flash in his deep eyes, making it difficult to discern his emotions.
The Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower naturally recognized Yao Chen and Xiao Ling. Yao Chen was originally a disciple of the Pill Tower in his early years. He was exceptionally talented and was once the most dazzling rising star of the Pill Tower. However, because of that incident, he later founded the Starfall Pavilion and became more independent. He gradually became estranged from the Pill Tower. Although he did not sever ties, he rarely interacted with the Pill Tower.
Xiao Ling was someone the Pill Tower Ancestor had personally instructed to pay close attention to. Back then, Xiao Ling had never stepped into the Lesser Pill Tower and had no Pill Tower experience whatsoever, yet he was able to be exceptionally granted the position of Elder of the Lesser Pill Tower, all thanks to a single word from the Ancestor.
Even if someone else has exceptional talent and extraordinary alchemy skills, they would still need to accumulate enough merit and experience in the Pill Tower to reach such a high position.
But at this moment, the turmoil in the Grand Elder's heart was not caused by the identities of the two. His deep eyes were fixed on Yao Chen and Xiao Ling, and sensing the faint pressure of the Saint Realm around them, he could tell that the two had actually stepped into the Dou Sheng realm.
Xiao Ling's aura still carried some of the clarity and brilliance of someone newly entering the Saint Realm. Although he was composed, he had not fully concealed his true nature. The Grand Elder could tell at a glance that he must have broken through to the Dou Sheng realm not long ago.
Considering Xiao Ling's age, this achievement is astonishing.
What surprised the Grand Elder even more was Yao Chen. He had previously heard that Yao Chen had been ambushed by the Soul Hall and had long since disappeared, with some even saying that he had perished. But he never expected that when he saw Yao Chen again today, he would not only be safe and sound, but would have even broken through to the Dou Sheng realm.
The oppressive aura emanating from him was heavy and overwhelming, far exceeding his own early-stage two-star Dou Sheng level. He was clearly already at the level of a three-star Dou Sheng, which was truly unbelievable.
Upon seeing this, Xuan Kongzi, Xuan Yi, and Tian Leizi immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to the old man in front of Lingxu Pavilion, their voices steady and solemn: "Greetings, Grand Elder."
Cao Ying and Dan Chen followed closely behind, curtsied, and chimed in sweet voices, "Greetings, Elder."
Xiao Ling and Yao Chen exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. Then they raised their hands, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and spoke in a humble but measured tone.
Xiao Ling looked directly at the old man and said loudly, "Greetings, Senior."
Yao Chen smiled faintly, his voice carrying the ease that comes with age: "It's been many years. Elder, you still have the same charm. I pay my respects."
The Grand Elder first nodded slightly to Xuan Kongzi and the others, his gaze calm and unwavering, as a response to their greeting.
Then, his gaze turned to Yao Chen, and a ripple finally crossed his deep eyes. When he spoke, his voice was old but powerful, carrying a weight of years, "Yao Chen, it has been decades since we last met."
"Back then, when I heard that you had been ambushed by the Soul Hall and your whereabouts were unknown, I secretly sent people to inquire about your whereabouts, but we never heard from you."
He paused, his gaze lingering on Yao Chen for a moment longer, his tone filled with undisguised emotion, "I never expected that our reunion today would be so shocking. Your cultivation as a three-star Dou Sheng is far superior to that of an old man like me guarding the Little Pill Tower."
As soon as he finished speaking, the First Elder turned his gaze to Xiao Ling, his usually calm eyes now showing a hint of scrutiny and approval.
“Young friend Xiao Ling, this should be our first formal meeting. The ancestor has mentioned you to me many times before, saying that you are a rare talent. I was a little confused before, wondering why the ancestor valued a junior so much.”
"Now that I see you, I realize I was blind. To have broken through to the Dou Sheng realm at such a young age is a rare talent, even in the thousands of years of Zhongzhou. Given time, you will surely have a place among the top experts on the continent."
Upon hearing this, Yao Chen simply smiled faintly and shook his head, offering no further response.
He knew in his heart that his breakthrough to the Dou Sheng realm was mostly due to Xiao Ling's help. While his own efforts certainly played a part, Xiao Ling's crucial assistance could not be ignored. Now, facing the praise, he didn't need to deliberately flaunt it.
Xiao Ling responded with a faint smile, nodding slightly in a humble yet respectful tone.
"Elder, you flatter me. I am still inexperienced and my cultivation has only just begun to grasp the basics of the Saint Realm. There is still much for me to learn."
Xuan Kongzi and the others were not surprised by the Grand Elder's emotional expression. They remembered how shocked they were when they first heard the news of Xiao Ling's breakthrough to Dou Sheng, unable to speak for a long time.
In contrast, the Grand Elder before them, though unable to hide his approval, possessed a far more composed and calm demeanor than they had displayed initially. He truly lived up to his reputation as a senior figure who had governed the Lesser Pill Tower for many years and weathered countless storms; such composure was indeed extraordinary. (End of Chapter)
