Chapter 446: Appointed as the Chief of the Pill Tower?
Xiao Ze led the Holy Spirit Saint back to the location of Little Fairy Doctor and Medusa. After a brief introduction, they all embarked on their journey back to the Pill Tower.
A few days later, within the black giant tower of Holy Pill City, Xiao Ze and the Holy Spirit Saint arrived to meet the three chiefs.
Upon seeing the Holy Spirit Saint, Xuan Kongzi felt a strange sense of familiarity. He lowered his eyelids, quickly sifting through his memories. A face that left such an impression must belong to someone of significant power or a notable leader of a major faction. It didn't take long for Xuan Kongzi to remember the source of this familiarity, but his face stiffened at the realization.
"Are you the Holy Spirit Saint?" Xuan Kongzi exclaimed in surprise. After the Great Elder returned from the Netherworld Sea, he had provided a detailed report, including an image of the Holy Spirit Saint. As a peak-level expert of the Dou Qi Continent, Xuan Kongzi had taken note of her appearance. Recognizing her now, he felt a strong sense of familiarity.
"Greetings, Chief of the Pill Tower," the Holy Spirit Saint courteously greeted, then turned to Xiao Ze, unsure of how to proceed.
"Cough, cough. Chiefs, here's the situation: the Holy Spirit Saint intends to become a guest elder of the Pill Tower."
"What?!" Xuan Yi looked at Xiao Ze in astonishment. Xiao Ze's return had brought an unexpected surprise—a Dou Saint-level guest elder.
"Wait a minute, Chiefs. Don't get too excited just yet. The Holy Spirit Saint has her reasons for this decision," Xiao Ze said. The joy on the three chiefs' faces faded as they braced themselves for the complications they knew must exist.
"...Later, with my intervention, the Grand Heavenly Master died at the Netherworld Sea. This incident also implicates the Holy Spirit Saint, and there is a possibility of retaliation from the Soul Hall. Hence, at my suggestion..."
After listening to Xiao Ze's explanation, the three chiefs' expressions turned serious. The Grand Heavenly Master of the Soul Hall was a bona fide One-Star Dou Saint. His death at the Netherworld Sea would surely provoke the Soul Hall's ire. Now, they had to consider whether it was worth fully antagonizing the Soul Hall for the sake of a Dou Saint-level guest elder.
Xuan Yi chewed over Xiao Ze's words and seemed to have an epiphany. He raised his head to look at Xiao Ze. "Wait a minute, Xiao Ze, you said that with your intervention, the Grand Heavenly Master died at the Netherworld Sea. Does that mean you were involved in this?"
Xuan Yi's question caught the attention of the other two chiefs. They had instinctively excluded Xiao Ze from their calculations, as it involved a battle between two Dou Saints. However, Xiao Ze wouldn't claim undue credit without reason.
"I recently had the good fortune to break through to the Dou Saint realm. I personally killed the Grand Heavenly Master. In fact, the Holy Spirit Saint is only worried about indiscriminate retaliation from the Soul Hall," Xiao Ze confessed.
Clang!
The three chiefs abruptly stood up, knocking their chairs over without noticing. They stared at Xiao Ze as if seeing him for the first time.
"A monster indeed..." After a long while, Xuan Yi finally exhaled a breath of air, muttering in awe. "A Dou Saint in his twenties, and immediately after his breakthrough, he killed an experienced Dou Saint..."
Tian Lei Zi, looking dazed, muttered, "Twenty years old, and he's already a Dou Saint... Killing an old Dou Saint right after breaking through..."
Xuan Kongzi finally regained his composure, understanding the situation. His eyes lit up. According to Xiao Ze, the Grand Heavenly Master was killed by him, which inevitably implicated the Pill Tower. The Soul Hall would undoubtedly seek the most intense revenge possible. Thus, whether they accepted the Holy Spirit Saint as a guest elder or not made no difference. In fact, Xiao Ze had brought a Dou Saint-level guest elder to the Pill Tower, significantly enhancing its strength.
"This is a serious matter. We should consult the Great Elder," Xuan Kongzi suggested. He decided to take Xiao Ze and the Holy Spirit Saint to the Little Pill Tower's secret realm.
The five of them appeared on the peak of a mountain within the Little Pill Tower. The dense fragrance of medicinal herbs filled the air, with few people around. The reclusive elders of the Little Pill Tower, seeing the group hurriedly heading towards the summit, were curious but quickly resumed their tasks, ignoring worldly affairs unless it significantly impacted the Little Pill Tower.
Before the stone house of the Great Elder, the three chiefs were about to speak when the Great Elder's voice came from inside.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened, revealing the figure of the Great Elder in his usual coarse clothes. His deep eyes seemed to hold the stars, and looking into them felt as if one's soul would be drawn in. The Great Elder glanced at the group, pausing briefly on Xiao Ze and the Holy Spirit Saint, clearly noting their strength.
Inside the stone house, Xuan Kongzi quickly reported the situation to the Great Elder. After hearing the report, the Great Elder looked at Xiao Ze with a trace of surprise in his eyes.
"You've grown much faster than I expected," the Great Elder said, pleased, then turned to the Holy Spirit Saint. "In that case, there's no need to hesitate. Welcome to the Pill Tower as a guest elder. The Pill Tower will provide you with the highest level of elder offerings."
"Thank you, Great Elder," the Holy Spirit Saint replied, her eyes showing a hint of joy.
"By the way, Xiao Ze, with your improved strength, your alchemy skills haven't fallen behind, right?" the Great Elder asked with interest. Given Xiao Ze's past performance, it was likely his alchemy skills were advancing alongside his combat abilities.
"Great Elder, before breaking through to Dou Saint, I successfully refined a Nine-Rank Treasure Pill," Xiao Ze replied.
The three chiefs exchanged complex glances. What other surprises did Xiao Ze have in store for them? Compared to his advancement in Dou Qi, the progress in his alchemy skills was more palatable, considering his prior mastery in alchemy. Further improvement seemed natural.
"Tian Lei Zi, you previously applied to step down as the Chief of the Pill Tower. Now, we have a suitable candidate," the Great Elder said. Tian Lei Zi's stiff face showed a rare smile. He had already applied to step down, but the Great Elder had believed Xiao Ze wasn't yet suitable for the position, fearing it would draw undue attention. Now, with Xiao Ze capable of refining Nine-Rank Treasure Pills and having reached the Dou Saint level, there were no such concerns.
"Xiao Ze, what are your thoughts on becoming the Chief of the Pill Tower? If you have no objections, let's remove the 'Deputy' from your title," the Great Elder suggested with a smile.
(End of chapter)