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**
Wei Yang's face showed a helpless smile. Xiao Yan, after his initial joy, was instead full of shock, even a little unable to believe his eyes.
After all, the only ones who could enter the Pill Realm were the alchemists participating in this session of the Pill Gathering, and Zi Yan was clearly not among them. So how did she sneak in?
Could it be that she used her innate ability to shuttle through spatial barriers, and secretly slipped in?
Even the membrane of a small world couldn't stop her anymore?
Seeing the looks on their faces, Zi Yan giggled, then with a flash appeared in front of them and made a silly face. That lively and cute appearance was enough to stir affection.
"Zi Yan, how are you here?"
The shock in Xiao Yan's eyes lingered for quite a while before it finally faded. He pulled the little girl, who had disappeared for a long time, to his side and carefully looked her over.
Zi Yan didn't resist, letting Xiao Yan inspect her obediently, even blinking playfully at Wei Yang from time to time. That carved-jade, doll-like appearance was still as adorable as ever, like a porcelain doll.
Seeing her making faces, Wei Yang rolled his eyes at her and scolded, "I heard from Xiao Yan that when you arrived in the Pill Region, you went off on your own?"
"Yeah, didn't you say you were going home?" Xiao Yan quickly asked with concern.
"I did go back, but hehe, I escaped again."
Zi Yan smiled slyly like a little fox that had just stolen food, her eyes curved into crescents. "I knew you were coming to join the Pill Gathering, so I came here to wait for you."
"You don't know how pitiful I was, ever since I went back I didn't get to eat any tasty pills. Every day those hateful old geezers stuffed me with disgusting things that tasted awful."
As she spoke, Zi Yan grabbed Xiao Yan's robe, her big watery eyes instantly filling with tears, as if she were tattling.
To her, the life she had since returning was simply unbearable, compared to before it was like living in hell. So the moment she had a chance, she slipped away without hesitation.
"Your clansmen?" Xiao Yan was startled, then seemed to realize something and asked in surprise.
Zi Yan nodded hard, clearly deeply resentful toward her clan's treatment of her. But if her clansmen ever heard this, they'd probably be so furious they'd cough blood on the spot. Those so-called disgusting and awful things weren't something just anyone had the privilege to consume.
Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward Wei Yang. Wei Yang rolled his eyes again, too lazy to comment. Xiao Yan could only shake his head helplessly.
When it came to Zi Yan's personality, he knew her even better than Wei Yang. Whatever she said was always exaggerated by several times. So her words couldn't really be taken at face value.
As for what she had been "forced" to take, judging from her current condition—full of vigor, far healthier than when she'd left—there was no doubt it had done her good.
While they were talking—
Boom!
From afar, the mountaintop shook violently as the massive Dragon Bear crashed heavily to the ground. Its body collapsed limply, unable to get up again, its tail twitching weakly.
Now, the Dragon Bear was no longer the ferocious, battle-hungry beast from before. Its aura had withered to the extreme, and its once blood-red eyes were now dim, holding even a faint trace of fear as they looked at Ah Da.
"Ah, that cold-faced guy beat the big one down." Zi Yan cried out in surprise, glancing at Ah Da.
"You know that bear?" Xiao Yan asked, astonished.
"Mm, I just met him not long ago. His name is Xiong Zhan, but I call him Big Guy. He's the boss of the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range. Hehe, all the heavenly treasures here are under his care." Zi Yan giggled, a glimmer of greedy desire flashing in her bright eyes.
Xiao Yan's heart trembled. He hadn't expected Zi Yan not only to sneak into the Pill Realm, but even to be hanging around with such a terrifying beast.
And knowing her nature best, he was certain that in front of the Dragon Bear's collection of treasures, she would never be able to resist taking some. Yet this Dragon Bear didn't seem to have taken offense at her?
Below, the Dragon Bear called Xiong Zhan lay there, gasping heavily, its massive chest rising and falling. In its blood-red eyes, as it looked toward Zi Yan, there was actually a faint trace of grievance and sorrow.
He himself was beaten half to death, yet this little auntie was just fine, having eaten so many of his medicinal herbs, and now she was busy chatting away without even speaking a word to help him out.
Thinking of those rare herbs that had been treated like snacks by this little auntie, he was filled with even more resentment. This little brat was nothing but a prodigal who wasted treasures.
Ah Da slowly descended, eyes overlooking, and asked with a chilling smile, "Big guy, do you submit now?"
Hearing this, Xiong Zhan couldn't help but shiver.
At this point, he had figured it out. The other side was much stronger than him, and had even held back, otherwise he might already be dead. But he was stubborn and didn't say a word.
"Let's go, down." Wei Yang's figure dropped to the ground, standing firmly.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan and Zi Yan followed down as well.
"Master." Ah Da slightly bowed.
"Mm." Wei Yang nodded.
"Wow, Wei Yang, this cold guy is your subordinate? When did you take such a powerful subordinate?" Zi Yan hopped over, grabbed Wei Yang's sleeve, blinked her eyes, and looked up curiously.
"I recruited him back in Black-Corner Region." Wei Yang smiled.
"Oh." Zi Yan's eyes turned, her gaze filled with curiosity as she stared at Ah Da.
"..." Ah Da.
At this moment, Xiong Zhan's enormous form began to shrink rapidly. Within just a few breaths, he returned to the form of a burly man, sitting up with his head drooping.
"Hey, big guy, weren't you bragging to me about running rampant for years, acting all powerful? But now, seems like you're not much after all." Zi Yan walked over and lightly kicked the dejected Xiong Zhan, pouting her lips.
Hearing that, Xiong Zhan rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Indeed, it's because my strength is lacking."
"How long have you been a Dou Zun?" Wei Yang asked calmly, hands behind his back.
"Big guy only advanced to Dou Zun a few years ago." Zi Yan interjected.
Wei Yang cast her a sidelong glance, raised his hand and rubbed her little head with slight annoyance, "I was asking him, stop interrupting."
Zi Yan shook her head in dissatisfaction, then turned pitifully toward Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, look, Wei Yang is bullying me."
Xiao Yan found it a little funny, pulled her over, and Zi Yan immediately snuggled into his arms, then turned her head smugly at Wei Yang, baring her teeth.
Wei Yang ignored her, his eyes fixed on Xiong Zhan. In just this short while, the chaotic aura inside him seemed to have stabilized somewhat, making Wei Yang secretly nod. Worthy of an ancient bloodline, the recovery ability was indeed impressive.
"You befriended this girl Zi Yan, hoping she would take you out of the Pill Realm?" Wei Yang asked.
Xiong Zhan raised his head and glanced at Wei Yang, then nodded.
"Become my subordinate, and I can take you out. How about it?" Wei Yang smiled.
"Hmph, dream on!" Hearing this, Xiong Zhan snorted, twin streams of air blowing from his nostrils, glaring angrily at Wei Yang.
With his pride, how could he ever serve as someone's subordinate?
And worse, to a human, a Dou Zong!
His nature was fierce and violent, and upon hearing this, his eyes almost flared with fire. This was simply an insult to him, worse than death.
Old Bear had run rampant in the Pill Realm for many years—when had he ever been anyone's subordinate?
If it weren't for his current weakness, he'd have already swallowed this human's heart whole.
"Hey, big guy, this arrogant guy… he's my good friend, you know. And he's also a Tier 8 alchemist. He letting you be his subordinate is really giving you face.
If you follow him, you'll definitely benefit—just a random pill he refines would be a huge gain for you. Plenty of people beg and still can't get one. Look at that cold guy who just beat you, isn't he also his subordinate?"
Zi Yan poked her little head forward, showing two small tiger teeth, and bared them at Xiong Zhan while speaking.
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