dmims 448. Alternative Purpose
448. Alternative Purpose
Naturally, Xiao Yan wouldn't go to this meeting alone; he brought Little Fairy Doctor with him before meeting the two in black robes. Xiao Yan frankly admitted that Little Fairy Doctor was often more thoughtful than he was.
Xuan Yi was also waiting in the alchemy room. Upon meeting, her gaze swept over Xiao Yan and his companion. Although she had already known Xiao Yan's condition beforehand using her soul power, seeing with her own eyes that he was unharmed put her at ease. Xuan Yi then introduced him to Xiao Yan: "Xiao Yan, this is the person in charge of the Pill Tower, the head of the three giants—Xuan Kongzi!"
Xuan Kongzi stepped half a step ahead of Xuan Yi, subtly highlighting the difference in their status. Among the three giants of the Pill Tower, Xuan Yi and Xuan Leizi were of equal standing, while Xuan Kongzi was clearly the leader. This was common knowledge within the Pill Tower, and Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor were already aware of it.
Xuan Kongzi's hair and beard were completely white, and his face was covered with fine wrinkles, making his eyes appear somewhat narrow due to the accumulated wrinkles. He wore a simple alchemist's robe, the only difference from other alchemist robes being the absence of the insignia representing an alchemist's rank. Xiao Yan scanned the area with his soul power but found nothing; the area seemed completely blank, as if nothing existed there.
"Xiao Yan greets Senior," Xiao Yan replied indifferently. Xuan Kongzi was a senior from the same era as Yao Lao, and he had almost been defeated by Yao Lao back then. However, Xiao Yan was naturally angry because he had just been attacked by a mysterious Dou Sheng powerhouse last night.
Xuan Kongzi clearly knew why Xiao Yan was in this state, so he sincerely apologized, saying, "It is indeed the Pill Tower's fault that a Dou Sheng attacked you, and the Pill Tower is willing to make compensation to you."
Little Fairy Doctor's eyebrows furrowed, her anger evident: "Compensation? A Dou Sheng can casually attack contestants of the Pill Gathering in Saint Pill City, doesn't the Pill Tower have any countermeasures?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yi remained noncommittal. After all, she had been anxious upon hearing the news of Xiao Yan and his companions' attack. However, as a prominent figure in the Pill Tower, she couldn't possibly criticize Xuan Kongzi under such circumstances.
"Young lady, please don't be hasty." Xuan Kongzi's weathered voice slowly rang out: "I was actually already here during the night battle."
After speaking, Xuan Kongzi glanced at Xiao Yan. Among the four, Xiao Yan's soul perception was the most acute due to his identity as an alchemist. Xiao Yan nodded frankly; he could discern that the aura in the starry sky belonged to Xuan Kongzi, though it wasn't his true form at the time. After advancing to the Soul Spirit Realm, Xiao Yan's soul power could manifest as another soul clone in his mind. At Xuan Kongzi's level, the power of his soul clone was probably no weaker than that of an ordinary high-star Dou Zun.
"When that Dou Sheng attacked, I was ready to take action immediately, and my true form was already prepared to come to your aid. However, that person did not intend to kill you; he only wanted to rescue Elder Mu Gu, so in the end, I did not make a move."
"Anyone can say nice things, but the undeniable fact is that we encountered danger in Saint Pill City and our people were injured!" Little Fairy Doctor said angrily.
Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback by Little Fairy Doctor's behavior. Compared to her usual demeanor, she seemed rather aggressive today. However, Little Fairy Doctor was ultimately protecting the interests of her group, and Xiao Yan was indeed dissatisfied with the Dou Sheng's sudden intervention, so he silently expressed his agreement.
"This matter is indeed the responsibility of the Pill Tower. How about this, if you are still worried, you can come with us into the Pill Tower headquarters. We will also take care of treating the injured." Xuan Kongzi did not lose his composure because of Xiao Yixian's targeting. On the contrary, he remained quite calm.
For the Pill Tower, someone getting injured is not a big problem. As long as the injured person still has a breath left, the Pill Tower is confident that it can heal them. This is the confidence of the number one alchemist force in the Central Plains!
"I have one more crucial question," Xiao Yan added finally, "I want to know who exactly attacked us!"
"You already know Mu Gu's identity," Xuan Kongzi said, stroking his long beard. "That Dou Sheng belongs to the Spirit Clan. Based on the information we have, he is most likely the Sixth Elder of the Spirit Clan—Dou Sheng Ling He."
"Elder of the Spirit Clan, why is she here?" Xiao Yan asked, frowning. No one wants to provoke a Dou Sheng expert for no reason, not even Xiao Yan himself.
Upon hearing this, both Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi showed a hint of helplessness on their faces: "We do not yet know their specific purpose, but it seems that the Spirit Clan has taken advantage of the situation to recruit many experts and forces. They are probably trying to recruit talents from the Central Plains through this Pill Gathering."
Little Fairy Doctor indeed realized the most important point at this moment, and asked, "The Spirit Clan has already sent out even a Battle Saint, there must be quite a few people who are tempted, right?"
"That's right. Because of the appearance of the Dou Sheng, many people who were originally unwavering have begun to hesitate, including the elders of the Dan Tower."
At this point, Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor both thought about it more deeply. It seemed that only the elders of the Pill Tower were interested, but who knew if an elder of the Pill Tower might actually join the Spirit Clan? As long as the Spirit Clan showed enough strength, anything was possible.
"Moreover, the Spirit Clan wants to recruit us as well," Xuan Yi added at the end.
Upon hearing this, both Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor's expressions changed drastically; the news was simply too astonishing! The Spirit Clan's desire to recruit the three giants of the Pill Tower represented an incredibly formidable determination and ambition. As the leaders of the Pill Tower, the leading power in the Central Continent, the three giants wielded immense power. For the Spirit Clan to recruit such figures, even if it was just a formality, would require an astronomical price.
While Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor were still processing this news, Xuan Kongzi explained again: "So we originally thought that Ling He's arrival was just to provide cover, but we didn't expect her to suddenly make a move last night, and it was aimed at you."
At this point, both Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor's anger subsided considerably. Little Fairy Doctor, being astute, combined Xuan Kongzi's explanation with the events that had transpired during Xiao Yan's seclusion, and asked, "The two guild leaders have come here today not just for last night's events, have they?"
Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi exchanged a glance, and then Xuan Kongzi slowly said, "This young lady is indeed exceptionally intelligent. We are here today mainly to invite our young friend Xiao Yan to join the Pill Tower and win the championship in this Pill Gathering!"