The Small Pill Realm was arranged in perfect order. Aside from the narrow path beneath Liu Xi's feet, neat rows of medicinal fields stretched endlessly on both sides.
A gentle breeze swept past, carrying with it a thick, intoxicating fragrance of herbs.
The lush fields were so vibrant and well-tended that each plant seemed ready to be harvested and refined into medicine at any moment.
As Liu Xi walked among them, he felt the temptation to pick a few samples, but restrained himself. These herbs clearly belonged to someone; they weren't wild, freely grown in nature.
He moved quickly. Following the mountain path to its end, he reached the summit—where clusters of refined buildings stood, surrounding a vast square filled with swirling, ethereal auras.
"Up ahead is where the elders usually cultivate, rest, and discuss alchemy. This time, the elders, several senior experts, my teacher, and even Xiao Yan and Yao Chen are all here," Cao Ying explained as they approached.
Liu Xi smiled faintly. This was the true core of the Pill Tower's power. If the opportunity presented itself, he intended to edge Xiao Yan out of the circle.
There was no personal malice behind it—simply ambition. The Pill Tower stood as one of the mightiest forces beneath the ancient clans, far surpassing the likes of the Wind Lightning Pavilion, Burning Flame Valley, Sound Valley, or Flower Sect.
Compared to Xiao Yan's status as a descendant of the Xiao Clan, Liu Xi had no such background. That was precisely why this place mattered to him—it was his chance to secure a foothold in true power.
'As for Xiao Yan,' Liu Xi thought dryly, 'doesn't he still have Gu Xun'er? If the Hall of Souls hunts him down, he can go cling to her. The Pill Tower is definitely not something I'll hand over to him.'
As they neared the top, Liu Xi saw a crowd of white-haired elders gathered upon the square—each one a priceless treasure of the Pill Tower.
Any of these old men, when walking through the Central Plains, would be treated as honored guests by the greatest sects. Their names alone carried immense weight.
On the square stood seven seats, each occupied by an elder. Among them, four radiated an overwhelming aura—all Half Saints or stronger.
"Two Mid-Level Half Saints, one High-Level Half Saint, and one who's at least a 2-Star Dou Saint… and even the weaker old men are all Dou Zuns. The Pill Tower's foundation truly runs deep."
Liu Xi couldn't help but sigh in admiration. With the addition of a 6-Star Dou Saint ancestor, the Pill Tower's overall strength could probably rival that of the Shi Clan or the Ling Clan among the ancient clans.
Here gathered the continent's finest alchemists. While the ancient clans possessed talent by bloodline, countless geniuses were still born among ordinary humans—and the Pill Tower stood as their holy ground.
Before he reached sufficient strength, Liu Xi knew the ancient clans wouldn't take him seriously. But here—here, he could build his own reputation and influence.
'If I get too mixed up with Xiao Yan's affairs, I might as well return to the Beast Region,' he thought. 'With my current strength, meddling in his feud with the Hall of Souls would be suicide.'
Cao Ying giggled softly when she heard his casual remark earlier. Casting him a teasing glance, she said, "Only you would dare call these seniors 'old men.' Anyone else would've been scolded half to death. I really don't know how you do it. Even among these seniors, your Seven-Colored Pill Lightning 8th Tier Pills are extraordinary."
Liu Xi chuckled. "That's not too hard. Once your soul realm improves and you've learned the right techniques, alchemy is just… a matter of practice. Not that complicated."
Cao Ying pouted at his casual tone but said nothing.
In the center of the square, Yao Chen immediately drew attention. In his prime, his name had shaken the continent—he'd had friends everywhere… and enemies, too.
Now, seeing his frail and flickering soul form, some old acquaintances sighed at the cruelty of fate, while others couldn't resist sneering mockery.
When Liu Xi and Cao Ying appeared, many gazes turned toward them—filled with admiration and approval. Most were warm and friendly.
Reaching the square, Liu Xi immediately spotted Xuan Kongzi. The once-dignified Pill Tower Giant now looked frail and aged, shocking Liu Xi.
He also saw Xiao Yan and Yao Chen. Xiao Yan still appeared the same—his gaze calm on the surface, but beneath it flickered jealousy and yearning.
Yao Chen's body looked even more transparent than before; Liu Xi could tell at a glance that his time was running short. His Soul Essence had nearly been drained away—he was nothing but a dying ember.
Yet among all present, Yao Chen's eyes were the sharpest, filled with scrutiny and disbelief. How could a young man from such a humble background have climbed this high? The thought left him inwardly stunned.
Liu Xi ignored it all. His composure remained steady as he smiled and bowed slightly.
"Liu Xi greets the seniors. Recently, I borrowed many scrolls from the Pill Tower's library—each one filled with profound insights into the art of alchemy, most marked as authored by the Small Pill Tower's elders. The ideas within were truly enlightening. I benefited greatly and came today to express my gratitude."
"Hahaha! What a polite young man. Those were merely some casual notes I jotted down when encountering difficulties in refining pills—hardly anything worth praise."
An elder laughed heartily, his tone warm. Immediately, the expressions of the gathered elders softened, their eyes filled with approval.
They were old—and old men loved being respected.
A talented junior, speaking humbly and sincerely, praising their writings as "enlightening"—how could their favor not rise?
With just a few words, Liu Xi had won over nearly everyone present. Even Xiao Yan, standing nearby, felt a twinge of irritation.
Still, seeing Liu Xi so calm and cooperative, Xiao Yan unconsciously dismissed his earlier suspicions—Liu Xi had been in Holy Pill City the whole time; countless witnesses could attest to that.
"Silence!"
The command came from the center. The seven seated elders opened their eyes in unison, and the one with the greatest aura—a man whose presence dominated the space—swept his gaze across the crowd.
The instant his eyes brushed Liu Xi, it felt like being pierced by a divine force, as if his very soul had been scanned through.
'What powerful Spiritual Pressure… definitely above the Heaven Realm, at least mid-stage Heaven Realm or higher.'
Under that immense pressure, all the alchemists present—including Xuan Kongzi, Yao Chen, Xiao Yan, and Cao Ying—fell silent, waiting respectfully for the elder to speak.
"Since there are newcomers, I'll repeat myself," the elder said slowly. "I am the First Elder of the Small Pill Tower. Today, we have gathered here for one purpose—to elect a new Pill Tower Giant."
"Because of Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi's reckless actions, the Pill Tower suffered grievous losses. Many of our allied experts perished, and even Xuan Yi… has fallen!"
A shadow of pain crossed the First Elder's face. Given his seniority, every current Giant was technically his junior. The loss clearly grieved him deeply.
"For now, Xuan Kongzi's Giant position will remain but with his powers retracted. However, the Pill Tower cannot lack one of its Giants."
"Now…" His eyes swept over everyone present, his voice steady yet thunderous.
"Choose one."
(End of Chapter)
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