Yao Chen waited for the return of his chief disciple with a face full of smiles. However, when he saw Xuan Yi following beside Han Feng, his face instantly changed, secretly saying things were not good.
Han Feng had already played this trick over at the Flower Sect with Hua Yu last time.
But Yao Chen truly didn't have this intention.
Not to mention, now is the time to handle major events, how could he focus his mind on romantic feelings?
Yao Chen's mind turned rapidly, thinking about how to deal with Xuan Yi.
However, when the two walked up to him, Xuan Yi didn't pay attention to Yao Chen, but instead placed her gaze on Lin Xian'er.
"This is..."
Xuan Yi asked.
"This is my disciple, Lin Xian'er. Xian'er, this is Aunt Xuan Yi. You can call her Great-Aunt."
"Great-Aunt."
"Aye!"
Xuan Yi responded with a smile.
"Didn't expect your disciple to be this big already!"
Xuan Yi took out a treasure box and handed it to Lin Xian'er.
"Come, this is a greeting gift from Great-Aunt."
Lin Xian'er accepted the gift under Han Feng's signal.
Subsequently, Xuan Yi also gave gifts to Xiao Yan and Mu Qingluan.
She recognized these two. One is also Yao Chen's disciple, but seems younger. The other is Feng Xian's disciple, whose fame of defeating the Sky Demon Phoenix at the Four Pavilions Grand Competition has also spread out.
"Let's go, we'll go directly inside the Pill Tower. It will be convenient to set off from there later."
Xuan Yi said with a smile.
A group of people had all received benefits and decisively nodded. Only Yao Chen was confused. What's the situation? Bribed so quickly?
Before setting off, Han Feng sent soul letters to a few friends he knew at the venue.
"Don't wander around casually. I'll come find you later."
After receiving Han Feng's message, a hint of joy appeared on the face of Tang Zhen, the Master of the Burning Flame Valley.
Mr. Han Feng refined a Rank 9 pill. Even if he didn't actively come to find him, Tang Zhen was thinking of going to interact with the other party more.
For the Burning Flame Valley, a connection with a Rank 9 Alchemist is too important!
The Chen sisters also showed smiles after receiving Han Feng's message.
They don't have any prominent background. Being able to connect with a super powerhouse like Han Feng is entirely due to a fateful encounter Chen Xiaoyu had at Canaan College back then.
It was exactly such an insignificant fateful encounter that allowed their Chen family to make a connection that even the Five Great Families of the Pill Region failed to make.
If the Chen family truly has Han Feng backing them up, even if he does nothing, the Chen family will definitely enter a period of rapid growth.
Although the Pill Gathering ended, there were still some activities in the Holy Pill City, not rushing to let the visiting tourists leave in a hurry.
This is a customary practice of the Pill Gathering, to demonstrate the demeanor of a major force and allow these travelers from afar to have more harvests and memories. After all, the Pill Gathering is held only once every thirty years, and in ordinary times, the Holy Pill City does not welcome outside guests.
Han Feng followed Xuan Yi to the interior of the Pill Tower.
This huge black tower leading straight to the sky contains a massive amount of alchemy inheritance and is a holy land that alchemists have always yearned for.
Yao Chen came to this place again, a nostalgic expression appearing on his face.
Xuan Yi looked back at this old fellow, a touch of tenderness emerging in her eyes.
An unromantic fellow...
But why can't I forget him.
These years, Xuan Yi rarely went out. The only time she left the Pill Tower was to investigate the reason for Yao Chen's disappearance.
As a giant of the Pill Tower, her background, strength, and appearance are all top-notch. Yet such a person as her is still alone up to now.
Yao Chen noticed Xuan Yi's gaze and paused for half a second. By the time he looked over, Xuan Yi had already moved her gaze away.
After sending Han Feng to a quiet room, Xuan Yi left.
Han Feng looked at Yao Chen, who caught up half a beat late, and said helplessly: "Teacher, why are you walking so slowly?"
Yao Chen glared at Han Feng and said displeasedly: "Who told you to bring her here?"
Han Feng blinked, looking up and down at this rarely angry teacher.
According to his understanding of Yao Chen for many years, this gentle gentleman would definitely not be angry because of this matter.
"Teacher, could it be you're angry because Aunt Xuan ignored you just now?"
Yao Chen widened his eyes, his fists clenching slightly.
"Where are your thoughts going?"
I was afraid that Aunt Xuan of yours would inadvertently say bold words again!
Now without you as an excuse, wouldn't I seem very ungracious if I refused again?
Yao Chen didn't want to admit that missing Xuan Yi's gaze just now made him feel both glad and a tiny bit disappointed.
Seeing that Teacher didn't want to tell the truth, Han Feng didn't make things difficult.
"Teacher, then I'll go rest first?"
"Go, go!"
Yao Chen waved his hand, then turned around depressingly himself, walked to the side, and started thinking in isolation.
There must have been a mistake somewhere just now.
I should have talked to Xuan Yi, and then gently and peacefully maintained this relationship.
But why did she ignore me?
In the room, Han Feng meditated and adjusted his breathing for a moment. His mind moved slightly, controlling the puppets in various places in the Holy Pill City to begin secret investigations.
Sure enough, the people of the Hall of Souls had already consciously begun to blockade the city.
Although they hadn't taken actual interception actions, the manpower surrounding the Holy Pill City was gradually increasing.
This meant the other party's time to execute the plan was getting closer and closer.
Han Feng switched his perspective to the Hall of Souls Dou Venerate from before.
The surrounding scene was a quiet courtyard, where some Hall of Souls people were discussing something.
With the Pill Gathering ended, this Hall of Souls Dou Venerate successfully entered the top ten and also gained the authority to know the next step of the plan.
It turned out that the spatial mark he controlled was a spatial gate that could lead directly to the base camp of the Heaven Hall.
As long as it was opened, a continuous stream of armies from the Heaven Hall of the Hall of Souls could be summoned.
There are some top-tier formations laid down by ancient Pill Tower powerhouses in the Holy Pill City, possessing both offense and defense, so it might not be possible to breach them in a short time.
But the Star Domain is different. There is the Three Thousand Burning Flame inside the Star Domain. The environment there is not suitable for ordinary people to stay for long, so there won't be some perfect formation layouts.
As long as the seal is broken, they can enter the Pill Tower directly, becoming a sharp sword stabbed into the opponent's heart.
It has to be said that the Hall of Souls' plan this time is very crude and also very direct.
If the other party truly succeeds, with the Pill Tower's current strength, it would be very difficult to resist.
At the very least, they would have to shed a layer of skin severely, and it's even possible that all three giants of the Pill Tower would fall in battle.
Because the Heaven Hall is involved, it is truly uncertain whether the Hall of Souls Master, Hun Miesheng, will take action.
One must prepare for the worst.
Han Feng opened his eyes, deciding to discuss it properly with the three giants of the Pill Tower.
Although he could solve it alone, this is the Pill Tower after all, with numerous personnel. If not handled properly, casualties would be very high.
Although the Pill Tower is conservative, it is also a force with a long inheritance. As long as preparations are made, they can still resist the Hall of Souls.
Han Feng went out and first told the situation to Yao Chen. The other party looked serious after hearing it, agreeing with Han Feng's idea of informing the three giants of the Pill Tower to discuss the matter.
"This kind of thing still requires the Pill Tower's cooperation. After all, our original intention is not to let the Hall of Souls hurt more people, isn't it?"
Han Feng nodded.
To make Han Feng's words more convincing, Yao Chen also chose to actively visit and have a good exchange with his two old friends.
The master and disciple walked towards the top of the Pill Tower.
Han Feng had just obtained the title of Pill Gathering Champion. His fame was very high, and everyone inside the Pill Tower knew him.
So there was no obstruction. After the Pill Tower management personnel simply reported, they immediately respectfully led the way for Han Feng.
On the top floor of the Pill Tower, the door to Xuan Kongzi's office was wide open. He actively walked out, warmly entertaining the two.
"Yao Chen, long time no see."
Seeing Yao Chen, Xuan Kongzi smiled and nodded in greeting.
"Xuan Kongzi, after so many years, you are still the same as before."
Yao Chen said with a smile.
Xuan Kongzi's alchemy talent was very strong, and his cultivation strength was also very strong. He was a formidable rival to Yao Chen back then.
The two became friends after fighting. Through repeated contests, a rather profound friendship also developed.
"In the Pill Tower, nothing else can be said except that it is stable. Unlike you, going out and experiencing many storms, you feel like you've aged quite a bit."
"Do I?"
Yao Chen touched his smooth chin; he didn't grow a beard either.
"I can see it in your eyes."
Xuan Kongzi said.
Yao Chen smiled.
"That's true. Your whole face is glowing with health. It seems the treatment at the Pill Tower is indeed very good. I regret it, I regret it!"
If he had chosen to join the Pill Tower back then and had a stable position, perhaps his future path would indeed be quite different.
Venturing outside, one always encounters various unexpected setbacks.
Xuan Kongzi shook his head.
"Alright, let's stop bickering and let the juniors see a joke."
Xuan Kongzi said, his gaze looking towards Han Feng.
"The student surpasses the master; this saying is truly not wrong. Yao Chen, your disciple has probably already surpassed you, right?"
"Of course, don't look at who taught him?"
Yao Chen was quite proud, showing off fiercely in front of his old rival.
"Your disciple is not bad either. Becoming a Rank 8 Alchemist at such a young age, his future prospects are limitless."
Upholding the rule of friendliness, Yao Chen quickly praised back.
Xuan Kongzi smiled gently and leaned in slightly.
"Yao Chen, when should we find some time, I'll let Yinger come over and get to know your disciple more?"
Yao Chen widened his eyes.
Didn't expect you, an old fellow with thick eyebrows and big eyes, also have this kind of thought?
Without thinking, Yao Chen nodded directly in agreement.
"Okay!"
Didn't expect the opportunity for revenge to come so quickly!
Thinking of Han Feng's previous action of bringing Xuan Yi, Yao Chen decided to return the favor.
Following behind, Han Feng looked at the two conspiring loudly with a helpless face.
Is it really okay for you guys to be masters like this?
However, thinking that the disciple Yao Chen referred to might not only be him, but could be his little Junior Brother, Han Feng didn't say much.
"Alright, coming to find you this time is for another important matter."
Yao Chen returned to the main topic, his expression becoming serious.
"The Hall of Souls Master, Hun Miesheng, you should still remember him, right?"
Hearing this, Xuan Kongzi's expression paused, and then his expression also became serious.
"Hun Miesheng..."
This name is very distant.
Back then, the three giants of the Pill Tower fought with this Hall of Souls Master. Although it was just fighting against a separated soul of the other party, and they also relied on the power of the Pill Tower's Rank 9 formation, they still almost died.
Xuan Kongzi knew that Hun Miesheng was a powerhouse at the Dou Saint rank. If the other party truly took action, they, the three giants of the Pill Tower, simply couldn't stop him.
Only by asking the seniors of the Small Pill Tower to take action might they be able to resist slightly. And if they want to ensure the safety of the Pill Tower, they can only let the Pill Tower Ancestor come forward.
But the key problem is that their Pill Tower Ancestor rarely stays in the Pill Tower.
Even the seniors of the Small Pill Tower cannot find the whereabouts of the Ancestor for a while.
Only when the Pill Tower falls into a crisis of life and death might that Ancestor appear.
"Why bring him up?"
Xuan Kongzi asked.
"I received reliable intelligence that the Hall of Souls is preparing to take action against the Pill Tower this time."
"What?!"
Xuan Kongzi's face changed drastically. He immediately raised his hand and waved, isolating the surrounding space.
He looked at Yao Chen and said seriously:
"I know there are people from the Hall of Souls among the alchemists participating in the Pill Gathering this time, but how can you be sure they will take action against the Pill Tower?"
This is a very important matter, so Xuan Kongzi cannot afford not to treat it seriously.
"We discovered a large number of Hall of Souls people appearing outside the Holy Pill City. They have now begun to surround this city. Has your Pill Tower really not noticed anything at all?"
Yao Chen asked back.
The look in Xuan Kongzi's eyes flickered, and he murmured in his mouth: "Impossible, impossible..."
If the people of the Hall of Souls surrounded the Holy Pill City and the guards failed to notice, there can only be one reason!
There are traitors in the Pill Tower! And more than one!
He took advantage of the Pill Gathering, when everyone's attention was focused on the Pill Gathering, to let those Hall of Souls people secretly enter the Holy Pill City.
It was also exactly because of the Pill Gathering that the vetting of outsiders was not so strict, which allowed this loophole to not be noticed in time.
"Don't send people to search carefully now, so as not to alert the enemy."
Yao Chen said.
"Feng'er, just show him the scenes directly monitored by the puppets."
Han Feng nodded, synchronized the vision of the puppets arranged in the Holy Pill City, and projected the scenes.
"Senior Xuan Kongzi, these are the people of the Hall of Souls. They hide very well. From the outside, ordinary people simply cannot notice."
Only a Hall of Souls bane like Han Feng could know the people in the Hall of Souls like the back of his hand.
Han Feng pointed with his finger and stated the suspicious points he discovered.
Although Xuan Kongzi is a giant of the Pill Tower, when it comes to understanding the Hall of Souls, he is truly not as good as Han Feng.
He listened carefully and increasingly believed Yao Chen's words in his heart.
The Hall of Souls really plans to take action against the Pill Tower!
"Don't feel surprised. Hasn't this kind of thing already happened a long time ago?"
Yao Chen said faintly.
Hearing this, Xuan Kongzi's face sank.
Many years ago, a great war broke out between the Pill Tower and the Hall of Souls. That battle severely injured the Pill Tower. It was also exactly since then that the Pill Tower became more conservative and wouldn't easily interfere with other matters.
The cause of this great war was the alchemy genius in the Soul Clan, Hun Xuzi.
Back then, he entered the Pill Tower and learned under the Tower Master at that time. In just forty years, he surpassed many seniors of the Pill Tower and was once considered a candidate leader of the Pill Tower.
Unfortunately, due to an accident, his identity as a Soul Clan member was exposed. Therefore, the plan to usurp power and take the throne had to change. He chose to join forces with the Soul Clan to murder the Tower Master at that time, who was also his teacher.