Hearing this, Zhang Changsheng blanked for a moment before overwhelming joy washed over him.
He felt deeply honored and utterly humbled.
“Thank you, Grand Elder!
Thank you, Grand Elder!”
Being able to work in the Divine Pill Pavilion Cabinet was an opportunity countless people dreamed of.
The Divine Pill Pavilion Cabinet was the most authoritative place in the Divine Pill Pavilion.
It represented not only an elevation in status but also an unimaginable level of authority.
A Cultivator who spent their days accompanying the Pill Masters of the Divine Pill Pavilion, even if they were not an Alchemy Master themselves, would be considered the absolute elite in the Xingyue City Earth Realm.
Zhang Changsheng never dreamed that he would one day enter the Divine Pill Pavilion Cabinet and become one of its core members.
“There’s no need to thank this old man.
If you want to thank someone, thank Jiang Xiaoyou.
You did well in guiding the way; you’re a promising prospect,” Gai He said calmly.
Obviously, Gai He was intentionally doing Jiang Hao a favor.
It was a subtle attempt to win over this Alchemy Master, who seemed to possess world-shocking talent in the Alchemy Dao.
Hearing this, Zhang Changsheng’s face flushed with excitement and thrill.
This stroke of fortune had come so suddenly.
He immediately bowed to Jiang Hao in repeated gratitude.
“Thank you, My Lord!
Thank you, My Lord!”
Jiang Hao furrowed his brows slightly but didn’t say much.
After all, he was currently asking them for a favor.
Not long after, the group disappeared from the Pill Assessment Department, heading toward the Divine Pill Pavilion Inner Cabinet Hall.
Along the way, Ye Tiannan still hadn’t fully recovered from his shock.
“Hao’Er, what…
what exactly is going on?”
Jiang Hao smiled at his words.
“Uncle Ye, Hao’Er will explain everything in detail when we get back.”
Ye Tiannan nodded repeatedly, but his heart was surging with endless ripples of astonishment.
Jiang Hao had actually caused a sensation throughout the entire Divine Pill Pavilion with just three Fusion Pills, and now there was hope of meeting Bai Wufeng.
Ye Tiannan felt as if he were walking in a dream; it all seemed a bit too surreal.
Meanwhile, the departure of Jiang Hao and the others was like a massive boulder crashing into the ocean, setting off monstrous waves within the Divine Pill Pavilion’s Pill Assessment Department.
“Who is that kid?
To be treated like this by the Divine Pill Pavilion?
He’s even going to be received by the Pavilion Master?”
“It’s a fantasy, an absolute fantasy!
Looking at the entire Xingyue City, who else could receive such treatment from the Divine Pill Pavilion?
What kind of background does that kid have?”
“The three Fusion Pills being worth eight hundred thousand silver must be a front.
In all likelihood, it’s his identity that matters.”
“When did such a figure appear in Xingyue City?
To think I knew absolutely nothing about him.”
Countless Cultivators of Xingyue City were utterly astounded, unable to believe what they had seen and heard today.
They were all second-guessing the young man’s true identity.
However, no matter how hard everyone racked their brains, they couldn’t figure out who he was.
That youthful face was simply far too unfamiliar.
Nevertheless, a Cultivator with a terrifying memory looked bewildered, his eyes full of confusion as he muttered, “Strange, he’s looking more and more familiar.
I feel like I’ve really seen this kid somewhere before…
But where was it?”
Regardless, none of the crowd would ever link this scene to the martial soul awakening ceremony from three years ago.
As the Pill Assessment Department buzzed with an uproar of voices, outside the Inner Cabinet Hall, Gai He and the others paused.
“Jiang Xiaoyou, please wait a moment.
Allow us to announce your arrival first,” Gai He said after leading Jiang Hao and Ye Tiannan to the entrance.
At the same time, inside the grand hall, a naturally imposing middle-aged man sat conversing with a young woman of extraordinary elegance.
“Young Master possesses such a noble status, why would you come to such a barren land?” The middle-aged man looked at the young woman, his expression carrying a mix of deep respect and humility.
If anyone from Xingyue City were to witness this scene, they would undoubtedly turn pale with shock.
Because the middle-aged man was none other than the Pavilion Master of the Xingyue City Divine Pill Pavilion, Bai Wufeng.
And right now, the high and mighty Pavilion Master Bai was showing such immense reverence toward a young woman.
Hearing this, the young woman smiled brightly.
“Qingyan was ordered by the main pavilion’s Elder Council to head to the Eastern Domain’s Celestial City Earth Realm.
Passing through this area and remembering that Uncle Bai was here, I decided to drop by and visit you.”
“To have Young Master keep me in your thoughts, Wufeng has no more regrets in this life,” Bai Wufeng replied, his face beaming with a wide smile.
The person sitting in the seat of honor above him was none other than the daughter of the Divine Pill Pavilion’s ‘Pill Master’—the Young Master of the Divine Pill Pavilion, Gu Qingyan.
The Divine Pill Pavilion was not a local Pill Master faction of Xingyue City, but a massive alchemical merchant guild spread throughout the entire Sword Dynasty.
Sub-Pavilion Masters like Bai Wufeng were innumerable within the Divine Pill Pavilion.
Therefore, compared to this Young Master, his status as a Sub-Pavilion Master was not even worth mentioning.
“Thinking back to when your subordinate left the main pavilion, the Pill Master personally saw me off.
Wufeng has engraved that kindness into his heart.” Bai Wufeng seemed to sink into fond memories.
After speaking, he instinctively looked at the young woman.
“Young Master, I wonder how the Pill Master has been lately?
Is all well at the main pavilion?”
“My father is doing very well.
He is currently preparing to break through to the Pill Saint realm.
If he succeeds, the Divine Pill Pavilion will rise to an even higher level,” Gu Qingyan said, her face full of smiles.
“Hss—the Pill Saint realm?” Bai Wufeng gasped, drawing a sharp breath of cold air.
However, Gu Qingyan’s joy quickly shifted into worry.
“As for the main pavilion, things are falling short of expectations.”
“Young Master, what do you mean by that?” Bai Wufeng asked, visibly taken aback.
Gu Qingyan sighed deeply, her expression filled with helplessness.
“The Pill Pavilion lacks worthy successors, while the Miaodan Square is soaring in prominence like the midday sun.
Uncle Bai, do you know why Qingyan came to the Eastern Domain?”
“Why?”
“To seek talent.”
As if guessing something, Bai Wufeng pondered in surprise, “Seek talent?”
“Yes,” Gu Qingyan nodded slightly.
“Rumor has it that a peerless new genius of the Alchemy Dao has appeared in the Eastern Domain’s Celestial City.
The main pavilion’s Elder Council sent me here to recruit this person, using them to contend against Miaodan Square.”
Bai Wufeng fell into deep thought.
After a long moment, he suddenly raised his eyes, catching the underlying implication in Gu Qingyan’s words.
He asked gravely, “Young Master, could it be that Miaodan Square has produced an unprecedented talent?”
Seeing Gu Qingyan nod, Bai Wufeng frowned deeply.
Looking across the entire Sword Dynasty, the Alchemist Realm was divided into a trifecta of power.
First was the Imperial Race’s Alchemy Master Association, second was the Divine Pill Pavilion, and next was Miaodan Square.
The relationship between the Divine Pill Pavilion and Miaodan Square was incredibly delicate.
The intertwining interests were complicated and cumbersome, even involving the distribution of benefits for the Imperial Race.
With Miaodan Square birthing an unprecedented genius in the Alchemy Dao, the impact on the Divine Pill Pavilion could easily be imagined.
“What kind of alchemy prodigy is it?” Bai Wufeng asked, his pupils narrowing slightly.
Gu Qingyan gently raised her beautiful eyes, looking directly at Bai Wufeng as she enunciated every word, “Herbal Condensation Pill!”
BOOM!
Those few short words struck Bai Wufeng like a bolt of lightning, filling his eyes with absolute horror.
With their attainments in the Alchemy Dao reaching such heights, just the phrase ‘Herbal Condensation Pill’ was enough to reveal an utterly terrifying level of talent.
“A future Pill Saint.” Bai Wufeng’s breathing grew rapid as he sighed in deep emotion.
It took him a long time to finally calm down.
“Young Master, how does that peerless Alchemy Dao genius from Celestial City compare to this person?”
Gu Qingyan lightly shook her head, the answer painfully obvious.
Seeing this, Bai Wufeng also sighed, offering a bitter smile.
“Looking through all of history, a talent capable of the Herbal Condensation Pill is rarely seen in ten thousand years.
How could two of them possibly be born at the same time?
I was overthinking it.”
Gu Qingyan took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she said, “Our only strategy now is to widely recruit exceptional talents and use a numbers advantage to compete against them.
Otherwise, even if my father reaches the Pill Saint realm, the Imperial Race’s resources will likely still lean toward Miaodan Square.”
After speaking, both of them fell into heavy-hearted silence.
But soon, Gu Qingyan adjusted her mood, beaming brightly.
“Uncle Bai, let’s not talk about these unhappy things anymore.
It’s been ten years since we last met.
Don’t you have anything you’d like to share with Qingyan?”
At these words, they both relaxed, beginning to chat about everyday matters and occasionally exchanging insights on the Alchemy Dao.
Just as the two were catching up, a Daoist Child walked in with quiet, light steps.
“Young Master, Pavilion Master.
The five Pill Pavilion Elders are requesting an audience outside.
They say they have an urgent matter to report.”
The Daoist Child’s words interrupted their conversation.
Bai Wufeng instantly furrowed his brow.
“Didn’t I already say that our Pill Pavilion is hosting an esteemed guest today?
Do not bother me with anything.”
“Pavilion Master, I told them exactly that, but the five Elders said someone is asking to see you, and they hope you’ll meet with this person.”
Hearing this, Bai Wufeng’s frown deepened.
In this Xingyue City Earth Realm, there was no one qualified enough to warrant his reception—let alone at a time like this.
Yet, just as Bai Wufeng was about to dismiss them, the Daoist Child presented a delicate small box, speaking slowly, “The Grand Elder also said that if the Pavilion Master sees this item, you will definitely meet with this person.”
“Oh?” A faint smirk crept onto Bai Wufeng’s lips upon hearing this.
“What arrogance.
Tell the Grand Elder to wait.”
“Uncle Bai, since it’s the Grand Elder of the sub-pavilion making the request, you might as well take a look.
There’s no need to worry about Qingyan,” Gu Qingyan said with a smile.
Since the young woman had spoken, Bai Wufeng found it hard to refuse.
He relented with a sigh of resignation.
“Since Young Master has spoken, bring it here.”
He took the box from the Daoist Child’s hands.
With an expression devoid of any joy or sorrow, he slowly opened it.
However, the moment his eyes landed on the three flawless, pristine white Fusion Pills, Bai Wufeng’s entire body violently shuddered.
He shot up to his feet, absolutely horrified.
“Uncle Bai, what’s wrong?”
This scene naturally fell into Gu Qingyan’s eyes.
Her beautiful eyes brimmed with profound confusion, prompting her to instinctively ask.