A flicker of surprise crossed Liu Xi's eyes. 'This Xuan Kongzi really has that much faith in me?'
True, he was ninety percent confident in seizing the Pill Gathering championship—but he still left that one-tenth chance of failure, just to give the tens of thousands of other alchemists a shred of dignity.
He neither admitted nor denied it, only chuckled softly. "I'll borrow Senior's good words then. This junior will certainly do his best to return with the champion's title."
Before Xuan Kongzi could respond, the charming and alluring Cao Ying stepped forward with a playful pout. "Teacher, you're really that confident in him? Although I lost to Master Liu in the Five Great Clans' assessment, when it comes to alchemy, Ying'er may not lose again. You shouldn't just boost someone else's prestige and diminish your disciple's."
Not only Cao Ying, but even Dan Chen lifted her head proudly, her eyes filled with confidence. Alchemy was the source of her greatest pride. "Dan Chen won't lose either," she said softly, her voice clear and melodious.
The handsome man in black standing nearby looked at Liu Xi with jealousy in his eyes, quickly masking it as he closed them briefly.
'No, Cao Ying is mine. How could this lucky bumpkin ever compare to someone as noble as me…'
Opening his eyes again, he stepped forward, wearing a righteous expression as he cupped his hands. "Master Liu, though your name echoes far and wide, and your performance at the Five Great Clans' assessment was impressive, I ask that you not underestimate the heroes of the world. We are all elites of the Pill Tower—our alchemy will never fall beneath another's."
Liu Xi merely smiled faintly and said nothing. When the pills were refined, results would speak for themselves. 'There's no point arguing with fools—that's the only way to live peacefully.'
Turning to Xuan Kongzi, he shifted the subject. "Senior, what do you think of the Hall of Souls? Their movements this time are quite aggressive. If not for the protection of the experts by my side, I might not have escaped unscathed."
Of course, that was an exaggeration. Even if Xiao Yixian wasn't around, Liu Xi still had two Heavenly Demon Puppets sealed in his ring—and as a 1-Star Dou Zun himself, defeating Mu Gu might be difficult, but escaping was certainly not.
The real reason he said this was simple: 'Since I rejected the Hall of Souls for the Pill Tower's sake and nearly suffered for it, surely the Pill Tower ought to show some appreciation!'
At the mention of the Hall of Souls, Xuan Kongzi's expression darkened. Their arrogance this time had gone too far—daring to infiltrate Holy Pill City and attack a Pill Gathering participant was tantamount to a direct provocation. Were it not for the unfathomable depths of their organization, the Pill Tower would have retaliated already.
Hearing this, the attention of Cao Ying and the others shifted completely. As alchemists—especially those of the Pill Tower—they already harbored a deep disgust toward the Hall of Souls, known for its vile practice of harvesting souls. Now that the Hall had targeted Liu Xi, it raised a chilling thought: Would they come for us next?
The sense of unease spread like a cold wind. Even friendly rivals now shared a rare unity.
The handsome young man, perhaps eager to show off before Cao Ying, stepped forward boldly. "Elder Xuan, since the Hall of Souls sent a Dou Zun to attack Master Liu, why not take this chance to slay him? It would both elevate the Pill Tower's standing and deter those behind the Hall of Souls."
Xuan Kongzi, however, ignored the suggestion. The Hall of Souls was far too dangerous—striking them would shake the entire Central Plains. Dou Zun powerhouses were apex existences; to injure one was difficult enough, to kill one even harder. Now was not the time for open war.
Noticing that Liu Xi didn't recognize the young man, Xuan Kongzi gestured toward him and introduced, "You've already met Cao Ying and Dan Chen during the clan assessment. This is Song Qing, disciple of the Pill Tower's First Elder, a High-Level 7th Tier Alchemist—and one of our Tower's top talents."
He paused, his tone softening. "This time, it was indeed our Pill Tower's oversight that allowed the Hall of Souls to endanger you. To make amends… I will give you some of my personal notes on the usage of Soul Techniques, along with my insights into 8th Tier alchemy. I hope they'll be of some use to you."
Liu Xi's eyes lit up. He could hardly contain his excitement. The Soul Technique notes were one thing—but insights into 8th Tier alchemy were precisely what he needed most right now.
He clasped his hands and said sincerely, "In that case, I'll gladly accept. My thanks to Senior for this generous gift."
Xuan Kongzi laughed softly and waved his hand. "No need to be so polite. All alchemists under heaven are one family—there's no need for formality. From now on, just call me Elder Xuan like the others do."
Liu Xi accepted with a bright smile. Forming a closer bond with one of the Pill Tower's Giants could only benefit him. "Elder Xuan."
"Mm." Xuan Kongzi smiled in approval, then his expression turned grave as he returned to the main issue.
"The Hall of Souls is a monstrous power—one that cannot be provoked lightly. Their true target this time is clearly the Three Thousand Burning Flame. We've already promised that the top ten of the Pill Gathering will each have one chance to subdue it, and the Pill Tower cannot go back on its word."
Cao Ying frowned slightly and interjected, "Teacher, since the Hall of Souls harbors such malicious intent, why not ban them from participating altogether? If they manage to subdue the Three Thousand Burning Flame, wouldn't that be a disaster for us?"
Xuan Kongzi sighed deeply. "How could I not know? But the Pill Gathering's greatest principle is fairness—open, just, and impartial. Even if the contestant hails from the Hall of Souls, we cannot deny them participation."
A trace of unease crossed his features as he continued in a low voice, "Because of the prolonged seal, the Three Thousand Burning Flame harbors resentment toward the Pill Tower. Once released, it may retaliate against the Pill Region itself, causing immeasurable loss."
"Over countless years, it has gained formidable intelligence, yet its wild nature remains untamed. Despite every effort, we've failed to make it submit. Worse still, it has been absorbing the power of the stars, and our seals can no longer restrain it for long. This must be resolved soon."
At the mention of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, everyone's eyes lit up. For any alchemist, a Heavenly Flame was an object of supreme desire.
Once they had digested this revelation, Xuan Kongzi's tone grew heavy. "The Hall of Souls' goal is to obtain the Three Thousand Burning Flame. If they fail to subdue it, they may destroy the seal altogether to release it—plunging the Pill Tower into chaos and giving them a chance to harvest countless souls."
"The Three Thousand Burning Flame's power is immense. Though it ranks below the top five on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, its abilities easily rival them."
His expression darkened further. "Because it was born of starfire, it possesses a near-immortal nature. Even we can only seal it, not destroy it. If someone manages to subdue it, they would essentially gain an undying body. We must not allow the Hall of Souls to succeed."
He looked deeply at the young alchemists before him—though his gaze lingered longest on Liu Xi. "That is why I called you here. I hope the champion of this Pill Gathering will emerge from among you—and that you will be the ones to stop the Hall of Souls' scheme."
Indeed, Xuan Kongzi had to admit: this young man before him was even more exceptional than his own disciple, Cao Ying.
(End of Chapter)
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This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on P4 treon, For those who want to read 2 chapters ahead for free, you can find me on P4 treon by searching for my username: Fallen_Archangel_.
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