From the very beginning, he had been unable to sense any aura or soul strength from Xiao Tian, yet it was clear to him that the young man was no ordinary person, but a powerful existence. He had also felt a deadly sense of threat from him.
Xuan Yi did not rush to introduce the two old men. She looked at Xiao Tian. "Care to guess?"
Xiao Tian smiled slightly. The two men before him, one with kind eyes and a benevolent face, the other stern and unsmiling, stood together, and Xiao Tian felt they were like the two Vajra guardians at a temple gate. He sensed a powerful aura from both of them, both at the peak of Nine-Turn Dou Zun. But the white-robed old man's aura was clearly several times stronger than the dark-skinned old man's, which meant he had stood in this realm for a very long time. Xiao Tian had a rough idea who they were. To appear on this floor with that level of cultivation, it could only be them.
"I presume these two are two of the Pill Tower's Three Giants. This senior's aura is deeper, so he must be President Xuan Kongzi, the head of the Three Giants, and this senior must be President Tian Leizi."
Xuan Kongzi looked up at Xiao Tian, his eyes slightly narrowed. He looked him over carefully once more and cupped his hands to him lightly. "To be able to perceive the extent of our strength, it seems that you, young friend, are far from ordinary. Thank you, young friend Xiao Tian, for saving Xuan Yi's life. You will forever be a friend of our Pill Tower. Please speak up if you need anything."
Xuan Kongzi, Tian Leizi, and Xuan Yi were the Three Giants of the Pill Tower, so their friendship was naturally very close, and the two men treated Xuan Yi like their own younger sister. Xiao Tian and the others had met people sent by the Pill Tower before, but Xuan Yi had sent them all away.
In the original story, when Yao Lao was being rescued, almost no one from the Pill Tower acted. Besides a slight cowardice and fear of the Soul Clan, it was mostly because Yao Chen was not a member of the Pill Tower. But now one of the Pill Tower's Three Giants had been ambushed, so they naturally had to send support of every kind. Otherwise, where would they put their face?
For Xuan Kongzi, with his standing, to show such courtesy was not only because Xiao Tian had saved Xuan Yi. It was also because he could not sense any trace of Xiao Tian's cultivation or soul strength, yet felt a deadly threat from him. Everything pointed to the young man either carrying some deadly treasure for self-defense or being tremendously powerful. Out of respect for the strong and for talent, he naturally had to treat him with the deference due to a powerful individual.
And though he could not make out any of Xiao Tian's true background, he did not sense any dark aura on him. There was only a grand, even explosive feeling. That was enough to prove that the young man did not belong to the Soul Hall or the Soul Clan. Anyone who was not from the Soul Hall was a friend of the Pill Tower.
"Xuan Yi has already repaid me!" Xiao Tian winked secretly at Xuan Yi.
Xuan Yi pretended not to hear. She had not only repaid him but had given herself away besides, and she did not know whether she had gained or lost. Thinking of it, she also recalled what had happened in the wormhole. Remembering it, her face burned, and she could not help glaring fiercely at Xiao Tian.
He pretended not to see, and looked at the two little darlings in Xuan Yi's arms. "Xiao Ling, Xiao Meng, these two are your Mother Xuan Yi's fellow Giants of the Three Giants. You can think of them as her senior brothers."
When Xuan Kongzi and Tian Leizi heard that, the relationship between Xiao Tian and Xuan Yi was confirmed in an instant. Looking at the two of them, though, they seemed a little strange together, like an old ox eating tender grass. This had been Xuan Yi's own arrangement. She was a woman who dared to love and to hate, and their relationship was nothing that had to be hidden, so it was better to make it clear early. An old ox eating tender grass was fine. Others could not even get at this grass.
"Senior Uncle Xuan Kongzi, Senior Uncle Tian Leizi." Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng bowed obediently and called out together.
"Oh, little junior nieces."
Hearing the two tender childish voices, and seeing their adorable, obedient faces, even the usually stern Tian Leizi managed a smile. The two old men took out their Storage Rings and each gave the girls a meeting gift. Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng looked at Xuan Yi, and when she nodded, they accepted. In an instant they had become the best-connected individuals in the Pill Tower.
"All right, this isn't a place for chatting. I still need to arrange their lodgings. Everything else can wait."
Xuan Yi looked at the few of them standing in the corridor. The sky was gradually darkening, and it was no longer suitable for an Alchemist assessment. Besides, they had just traveled, and she did not want Xiao Tian to be so tired, since refining pills consumed soul and spirit.
"All right, then you arrange it. Everything at the highest guest specifications!" Xuan Kongzi nodded and said with a smile.
Normally, by the Pill Tower's rules of hospitality, guests were housed in the guest quarters below the top floor. But he had just understood their relationship, so Xuan Yi's arrangement would naturally be her own residence.
Xuan Yi gave a soft hum of assent and led Xiao Tian further into the top floor. The residences of the Three Giants were all on this top floor. As they walked, Xiao Tian looked over the floor, and saw that the entrance to the Little Pill Tower lay in a large hall up here as well. The Little Pill Tower was the core of the Pill Tower. The Three Giants were only among the Little Pill Tower's elders and the public administrators of the Pill Tower.
Xuan Yi reached her residence, pushed open a door, and went into a room. "Xiao Ling, Xiao Meng, this room is yours."
The two jumped down from her arms and ran straight to a large balcony in the room. Looking at the clouds before them, both laughed happily. The sight reminded them of the Sky City that Xiao Tian had built for them in the Boundless Heaven Divine Palace. Seeing the girls playing so joyfully, Xuan Yi and Xiao Tian walked out of the room and left them to it. They had no worries about their safety at all.
"Are you taking me to your room? Are we going to live together?" Xiao Tian looked at her, smiling.
Xuan Yi rolled her beautiful eyes at him. "You wish." She reached out and pushed open another door. "This is where you'll stay."
She could guarantee that if the two of them shared a room, she would certainly not be intact the next day. She had already tasted his "sugar-coated bullets," the barrage of sweet words, and last time she had felt them deeply.
Then Xuan Yi left him with a lovely view of her back, pushed open the next door, and walked in. She turned her head and gave him a warning look. "Don't even think about sneaking over, or you'll be a beast."
Xiao Tian watched her close the door, shrugged, and walked into his own room.
Late at night, Xiao Tian stood on the balcony. He turned his head and saw a faint light still burning in the room next door. In a flash he was on the neighboring balcony.
As soon as he stopped, Xuan Yi's calm voice sounded. "Little thief, why aren't you resting properly at night? What are you doing in my room?"