Chapter 295: The Great Elder of the Little Pill Tower
After a brief journey through space, Xiao Ze's vision brightened.
Before he could clearly see what lay ahead, an intense fragrance of medicinal herbs filled his nose.
Looking around, Xiao Ze realized he was in the midst of a green mountain with a thousand peaks.
The mountain was shrouded in mist, giving it an ethereal and celestial feel. Additionally, the fragrance of the medicinal herbs made this place seem like a paradise for alchemists.
"What an intense fragrance!"
Just from the scent, Xiao Ze could identify dozens of extremely rare and valuable medicinal herbs.
Looking more closely, he saw several herb fields scattered across the mountain.
In these fields, extremely rare medicinal herbs that were difficult to find in the outside world grew abundantly.
Xuan Kongzi noticed Xiao Ze's gaze and smiled slightly. "Don't get your hopes up about these herbs. They've been cultivated with much effort by those old men."
"For alchemists, sometimes obtaining a rare herb can require a great sacrifice. Growing their own herbs is not a bad option."
Xiao Ze nodded in acknowledgment. After all, rare herbs are scarce by nature.
Without the backing of a great force to collect the herbs, it would be difficult for an alchemist to prepare high-level elixirs.
That's why many high-level alchemists choose to become guest elders of great forces, benefiting mutually.
"Come, I'll take you to see the Great Elder of the Little Pill Tower. He's in charge of all the matters here."
Xuan Kongzi called to Xiao Ze, and he quickly followed. Along the way, Xiao Ze noticed several elderly figures in the herb fields.
Although these elders seemed like simple farmers cultivating herbs, the powerful energy of their souls was evident in each of their movements.
This matched what Xuan Kongzi had mentioned before: these fields belonged to the members of the Little Pill Tower.
Seeing these master alchemists, who were once very renowned throughout the Zhongzhou region, now working in the fields, seemed almost unreal to Xiao Ze.
As they advanced, these elders greeted Xuan Kongzi and looked at Xiao Ze with surprise.
After all, the Little Pill Tower didn't receive many visitors, and those who entered usually held a high position in the Pill Tower.
But Xiao Ze's youth surprised these elders.
Xuan Kongzi only made a brief introduction of Xiao Ze.
Since it wasn't officially decided yet, Xuan Kongzi didn't mention that Xiao Ze had already been accepted into the Little Pill Tower.
These old men were known for being conservative and stubborn. Some were even extremely obstinate, and it would be difficult for them to accept that someone so young had alchemical skills comparable to theirs.
It was better to wait until everything was decided before presenting him officially.
After passing through several paths, they finally reached the mountain's peak, where several stone huts stood, perfectly integrated with nature.
Xiao Ze followed Xuan Kongzi to one of the deepest huts in the cluster.
Xuan Kongzi adjusted his clothes, and Xiao Ze quickly imitated him.
Xuan Kongzi bowed and said, "Xuan Kongzi requests to see the Great Elder."
Xiao Ze also bowed, following the etiquette of a junior. According to what Xuan Kongzi had explained, the Great Elder of the Little Pill Tower held an extremely high position, and Xuan Kongzi himself had to show respect.
From inside the hut, an elderly voice was heard: "So it's Xuan Kongzi, come in."
The door of the hut slowly opened. The interior was simple and clean, and in the place of honor sat an elder dressed in linen clothes.
Although dressed simply, the powerful energy emanating from him was impressive.
Additionally, the soul pressure Xiao Ze felt was the strongest he had encountered on his entire journey.
The elder's power was like a bottomless abyss, impossible to measure.
According to the original novel, the elder was a two-star Dou Sheng, more powerful than any other spiritual saint Xiao Ze had met.
The elder's face was calm, and his eyes, deep as the cosmos, settled on Xiao Ze, showing a slight surprise.
Before Xuan Kongzi and Xiao Ze could speak, the Great Elder took the initiative. "Are you Xiao Ze, whom Xuan Kongzi has been talking about lately?"
"Yes, I am Xiao Ze. Greetings, Great Elder of the Pill Tower!"
"Your talent is worthy of being called unique in a generation. At your age, you already have this level of skill in alchemy."
The Great Elder's tone could not hide his amazement.
Hearing the Great Elder's praise, Xiao Ze was surprised. The elder had perceived his true skill level.
It turned out that the power of the Illusion Sea Pearl, which hid his true power, was not enough to deceive a master of such level.
The Great Elder, noticing Xiao Ze's surprise, smiled.
"Don't worry. It's good for the young to be cautious. I can see your true level because the difference between us is enormous."
The Great Elder reassured him and then turned his gaze to Xuan Kongzi.
Xuan Kongzi, very aware, explained the reason for their visit.
"Great Elder, I have come to recommend Xiao Ze to join the Little Pill Tower. He already has the skill to create eighth-grade elixirs with seven-colored lightning."
Xuan Kongzi handed over the elixir Xiao Ze had prepared. The Great Elder opened the bottle, and an intense spiritual energy emanated from it.
"It is true, it's an eighth-grade elixir with seven-colored lightning. Xiao Ze has the necessary skills to join the Little Pill Tower... From today, Xiao Ze is a member of the Little Pill Tower."
The Great Elder verified the elixir's level and, upon confirming that Xiao Ze had the required soul strength, nodded.
He quickly announced Xiao Ze's acceptance as a member of the Little Pill Tower.
Despite his advanced age, the Great Elder was known for his decisive and energetic style.
Hearing the Great Elder's words, Xiao Ze quickly thanked him with a bow.
"You've earned your place in the Little Pill Tower by your own skill."
"The Little Pill Tower is strict in its admission, but once inside, you can choose any hut on this mountain for yourself or decide where you want to be."
"My friends are outside the Pill Tower mountain, so I can't stay here for long," Xiao Ze explained.
"No matter, the young should venture out. You don't need to seek the tranquility that we old men long for," said the Great Elder, looking at Xiao Ze. Then, he remembered something and added.
"If you have doubts about alchemy, you can come to me. Although you've learned alchemy on your own, it's also good to learn from others."
"In your free time, you can talk with the other members of the Little Pill Tower. Although they are no longer as energetic as before, their accumulated experience in alchemy is not negligible."
The Great Elder's words left Xiao Ze and Xuan Kongzi surprised.
The Great Elder was offering Xiao Ze the opportunity to seek his advice whenever needed, a very valuable offer.
This showed that the Great Elder had high expectations for Xiao Ze.
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