168: Chapter 168: We've come to ask about elixirs.

"Is Junior Nephew Xiao inside..." she muttered softly, her hand raising and dropping, then dropping and raising again, behaving like a thief.

Hiding behind a tree, Yun Qingwan was fuming as she watched.

Well played, Liu Yunyan! Usually acting like a silent bumpkin, yet running faster than anyone else!

Just as she was grumbling inwardly, another aura landed.

"Senior Sister Liu?"

A crisp voice sounded. The newcomer was another Elder—Murong Qiu, at the Peak of the Early Golden Core stage. Lively by nature, she loved joining in on the excitement.

Liu Yunyan was startled and hurriedly pulled her hand back, her face flushing slightly. "Mu... Junior Sister Murong? Why are you here?"

"Me?" Murong Qiu blinked. "I came to ask Junior Nephew Xiao if he has researched any Medicinal Pills to raise cultivation. What about you, Senior Sister Liu?"

"Me too!" Liu Yunyan nodded hastily.

The two exchanged a look of tacit understanding.

Both were thousand-year-old foxes; who was trying to fool whom?

Right then, a third aura descended.

"Oh, everyone is here?" Dressed in green robes, the newcomer smiled warmly. It was the third Elder—Su Yunshang, at the Peak of the Mid Golden Core Stage. She loved to smile, looking like a blooming flower whenever she did.

"Senior Sister Su came too?" Murong Qiu said in surprise.

Su Yunshang said as if it were obvious, "To ask Junior Nephew Xiao about Medicinal Pills, of course. Are you two here for that as well?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Liu Yunyan and Murong Qiu chimed in unison.

The three looked at one another, each wearing an expression that said, "I'm strictly here to ask about Medicinal Pills, absolutely no other motives."

Su Yunshang proposed, "Since we're all here to ask about Medicinal Pills, let's knock on the door together."

"Great idea!" The other two quickly agreed.

Thus, the three Golden Core Elders lined up side by side, simultaneously raising their hands to tap on the Formation Restriction.

*Dong...*

Under the moonlight, three beautiful Elders stood at the entrance of the Immortal Cave, dignified and graceful, with proper smiles. Anyone seeing them would praise how elegant the Dan Peak Elders were.

Yet only they knew that their internal calculations were already tied up in knots.

The Restriction was tapped.

They waited.

Waited some more.

Continued waiting.

Inside the Immortal Cave, there was zero response.

Inside, Xiao Yuan was engaged in the grand cause of Dual Cultivation. Leng Youyue and Lin Zhirou had long since set up a layer of Restrictions outside the inner chamber, so the commotion outside couldn't disturb them at all!

Meanwhile, the three outside the Immortal Cave looked at each other in confusion.

"Is Junior Nephew Xiao not around?" Liu Yunyan asked, puzzled.

Murong Qiu frowned. "Impossible. It's the middle of the night—where could he go?"

Su Yunshang was also perplexed and tapped the Restriction again.

Still no response.

The three exchanged glances, each seeing anxiety in the others' eyes.

"Could he... have suffered Qi Deviation?" Murong Qiu whispered.

Naturally, she wasn't actually worried about Xiao Yuan suffering Qi Deviation—after all, suffering Qi Deviation so easily? Was that even possible?! She was merely worried that someone had beaten them to him!

Liu Yunyan's face changed. "Then we must go in and check!"

She had also thought of the possibility that someone had beaten them to the punch!

"But..." Su Yunshang hesitated, "forcing open the Immortal Cave's Restriction wouldn't be good, right? It's too rude."

Although she had also thought of this possibility, she considered that if they just barged in, wouldn't it...

If they angered Xiao Yuan, the loss would outweigh the gain!

The three fell silent.

Indeed, what if they went in and saw something they shouldn't...

"Forget it. Since Junior Nephew Xiao isn't here, let's come back next time," Su Yunshang spoke up first.

"Yes, yes, yes, next time," Liu Yunyan quickly chimed in.

"Then we'll take our leave first." Murong Qiu nodded too.

The three said goodbye to each other and flew away in different directions.

Under the moonlight, quiet descended once more outside the Immortal Cave.

Behind the tree, Yun Qingwan breathed a sigh of relief.

But before she could fully exhale, her Divine Sense swept out, and her mouth twitched.

Not a single one of those three who claimed they were leaving had actually left!

Liu Yunyan was hiding behind the rockery to the east.

Murong Qiu was hiding in the flower patch to the west.

Su Yunshang was squatting directly in the tree canopy to the south.

Three people, three directions, all lurking there without anyone truly leaving. And none of them bothered the others—obviously, they had a tacit understanding!

Yun Qingwan: "..."

She took a deep breath, realizing she had been far too naive.

If she had known, she wouldn't have mentioned the Dual Cultivation Technique!

Now look at this—every woman on Dan Peak had rushed over to compete with her for her disciple!

She bit her lip, resolving inwardly: *No, I must strike first! Before they realize it, I'll cook the rice to completion!*

Just as she was thinking this, another question suddenly occurred to her...

What in the world was that kid Xiao Yuan doing inside the Immortal Cave?

He didn't open the door despite the Restriction being tapped so many times. Could it be...

Her expression shifted slightly as she stared intently at the stone door.

...

At the same time, in the Peak Master's Immortal Cave.

Peak Master Yun Ruowei sat on a prayer mat, the flush on her face not yet fully faded.

She stared at the teacup on the table, her mind filled entirely with what Xiao Yuan had said.

"Thirty percent... fifty percent... eighty percent..."

She muttered to herself, her finger mindlessly tapping against the tabletop.

A thirty percent success rate was far too low.

She had been stuck at Golden Core Peak for years; having finally seen a ray of hope for a Breakthrough, how could she gamble on just thirty percent?

Yet pushing her cultivation infinitely close to Nascent Soul was easier said than done.

Then the only option left was...

Her face flushed red again.

"Harmony of Yin and Yang... Mutual generation of the Five Elements..."

She bit her lip, a trace of resolve flashing in her eyes.

If all else failed, then...

Use force?

She hurriedly shook her head, casting away that absurd thought.

Drugged him?

Even more absurd!

As the grand Dan Peak Master and a Golden Core Peak powerhouse, to drug a junior at Early Foundation Establishment? How could she face anyone if word got out?

Yet besides these options, what else could she do?

She couldn't possibly walk up to him and directly say, "Junior Nephew Xiao, let's engage in Dual Cultivation," could she?

Just picturing that scene made her feel hot all over.

"So annoying!" She slapped the table, stood up, and paced back and forth inside the Immortal Cave.

After pacing for a while, she sat back down.

After sitting for a bit, she stood up again.

Iterating like this repeatedly, she resembled a cat trapped in a cage.

Finally, she paused, looked out at the moonlight beyond the window, and let out a long sigh.

"Tomorrow... I'll think about it tomorrow."

She lay down and closed her eyes.

Yet her mind was filled entirely with that kid's grinning face.

...

Outside the Immortal Cave, the three Golden Core Elders harbored their own thoughts, none willing to leave. Yun Qingwan didn't leave either... at this moment, she felt as if ten thousand ants were biting at her heart! It was excruciatingly uncomfortable!

Inside the Immortal Cave, Xiao Yuan was completely unaware of the "grand spectacle" outside. Having just finished Dual Cultivation, he was thoroughly refreshed, and the energy within the creation cauldron had surged more than several times over.

Moreover, the creation cauldron seemed to have advanced in rank once again; as for what specific improvements or changes had occurred, it was not yet discernible.

However, what was worth anticipating was that if things continued like this, by engaging in Dual Cultivation with high-level female cultivators, he could not only activate the Witch Clan Bloodline within his body, but even trigger a qualitative transformation in the creation cauldron!

At this thought, his heart swelled with anticipation as he organized Pill Formulas in his Cultivation Room.

He couldn't just take benefits for himself without giving them any! If he didn't raise their cultivation levels, how could he activate his Witch Clan Bloodline?