Chapter 140 The Grand Pill Gathering Begins!

Mr. Gu He turned around and saw the stooped figure of Elder Sheng. He was hunched over, looking at Mr. Gu He; it was he who had called out just now.

"Is there something you need?" Mr. Gu He asked directly.

He was still busy with taking Zi Yan home to eat.

Zi Yan was never full and complained of hunger every day.

She was currently eating grapes again, having already finished five or six bowls, yet she didn't seem to get bloated.

Elder Sheng coughed and said, "Mr. Gu He, if you have any free time in the future, you are welcome to come to the Pill Academy in the inner region of Holy Pill City. We can have a drink together."

Mr. Gu He neither nodded nor shook his head, but said indifferently, "I will participate in the Pill Gathering. As for other things, we shall meet again if fate allows."

Elder Sheng was stunned. He heard Mr. Gu He had not finished speaking, and his voice turned cold, "The Pill Gathering involves the Three Thousand Burning Flame. The Hall of Souls will certainly not sit idly by. I hope the order at the Pill Gathering is better than I imagine."

Elder Sheng's face turned black and white. Mr. Gu He had pointed out the matter of the Hall of Souls, but what he said was the truth. The Pill Tower and the Hall of Souls had always been mortal enemies; the Hall of Souls would never let such a good opportunity slip by.

Elder Sheng said in a deep voice, "We will certainly not let anyone from the Hall of Souls sneak in."

Mr. Gu He did not reply to him, turned around coldly, and went to find Zi Yan.

As for the security of the Pill Tower? Mr. Gu He was just saying that; he did not really expect the Pill Tower to be able to stop the Hall of Souls. After all, if the Pill Tower had that ability, it wouldn't be stuck in the current stalemate.

...

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, the day of the Pill Gathering's opening arrived.

On this day, the sun rose from the east, and the morning light was beautiful. Inside Holy Pill City, long lines of people followed the streets, moving toward the same destination.

The sound of commotion instantly filled the entire morning, making it incredibly lively.

Mr. Gu He and his group were in the crowd, moving with the flow of people toward the venue of the Pill Gathering.

Feng Qing'er asked Mr. Gu He with a hint of curiosity, "Are you here for that Heavenly Flame?"

Mr. Gu He nodded, "A Heavenly Flame is the pursuit of every Alchemist."

Feng Qing'er was thoughtful, "Actually... when I was young, I also had the idea of becoming an Alchemist, but who knew my attributes didn't match. Later, I found the path of Wind and Thunder was not bad, so I got used to it."

"If I had tested for Wood and Fire attributes back then, I definitely wouldn't have gone to the Wind and Thunder Pavilion. Instead, I would have apprenticed under a powerful Alchemist as my Master, and perhaps..."

Feng Qing'er's voice suddenly stopped, and she didn't finish her sentence. Mr. Gu He knew what the second half of her sentence was.

"Perhaps... I could have become your disciple." This was what Feng Qing'er had not finished saying.

Mr. Gu He's back of the hand brushed against Feng Qing'er's fingertips. Mr. Gu He's hand was very hot, and the momentary temperature on the back of her hand made Feng Qing'er daze for a second, before she smiled.

She didn't say anything else, but her smile carried a trace of imperceptible satisfaction. Actually, being able to accompany each other in peace was not bad either, she thought.

...

Soon, they arrived at a huge plaza. Above the plaza, thousands of huge stone platforms were floating!

Without a doubt, this was the examination site for the Pill Gathering. And behind the plaza, there was a huge Pill Tower towering into the clouds.

For thousands of years, this tower had always stood with a majestic image in the clouds of every Alchemist's heart, never having collapsed. It symbolized the highest and most sacred hall in the hearts of Alchemists!

Alchemists everywhere felt proud to be able to join the Pill Tower!

Outside the plaza, it was already a sea of people, bustling and very noisy.

"Dong—!" Just at this moment, a loud bell rang out like thunder, instantly spreading all around, making everyone immediately quiet down.

Immediately after, the second and third rings... Three crisp bell tolls, like thunder, came from the Pill Tower, and the entire venue tacitly fell into silence.

Subsequently, figures quickly flew out from the high tower and hovered around the plaza—they were the Elders of the Pill Tower!

Each of them was dressed in an Alchemist's robe, stepping on the Void Realm with their hands behind their backs. Their full Aura was displayed, warning those who were restless.

Then, three more figures walked out onto the platform of the high tower. Taking a closer look, it was actually the three giants of the Pill Tower—Tian Leizi, Xuan Kongzi, and Xuan Yi!

These three were the top figures in alchemy in the entire Central Plains continent! It was just like the three major subjects of language, mathematics, and English in academia.

"This old man, Xuan Kongzi, represents the Pill Tower in welcoming everyone to participate in our Pill Gathering this time!"

Standing in the middle, Xuan Kongzi wore a white robe and had white hair, possessing the demeanor of an immortal. His hearty voice, filled with a smile, immediately triggered a burst of cheers.

Everyone below was excited. These were the three giants of the Pill Tower! Legendary figures!! Previously, they had only heard their names but never seen them in person. Now, seeing them with their own eyes, how fortunate!

Xuan Kongzi continued majestically, "In every Pill Gathering, our Pill Tower hopes that an outstanding talent will stand out, win the championship, and become a model for Alchemists worldwide!"

"This time, this old man hopes that all contestants can display absolute, super-strong strength to compete for the Pill Gathering championship!"

"The champion of this session will not only be able to obtain the quota for a candidate of the Pill Tower's giants, but also receive an ancient Soul Cultivation method. In the future, stepping into the eighth-tier... or even ninth-tier level, will be just around the corner!"

A Soul Cultivation method!! Whoa! The uproar was like a surging wave of jubilation. Everyone was shocked, one after another rubbing their hands, eager to try.

Mr. Gu He, with his arms crossed, watched indifferently and gave a few instructions to Xiao Yi Xian, who would be participating in the competition with him later.

After Mr. Gu He finished whispering the precautions to Xiao Yi Xian, Xuan Kongzi also raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. After the scene quieted down, his voice continued:

"Next, I will briefly introduce the rules of the Pill Gathering."

"This Pill Gathering is divided into three levels. The first level is called the Soul Illusion Realm. Contestants need to pass through the Soul Illusion Realm we created within the specified time, and then enter the entrance to our second level."

"The specific rules for the second level will be told to you one by one when you reach the entrance."

"The first two levels only have task requirements, not ranking requirements, so everyone just needs to complete the task within the specified time."

"The third level is our final test, which will determine the sole champion!" Xuan Kongzi said with an exceptionally solemn expression, forcefully and resonantly.

"So, without further ado, let us begin the first level of the trial—the Soul Illusion Realm!"

As Xuan Kongzi's voice fell, everyone surged toward the illusion realm, like a swarm of locusts.

Mr. Gu He gave a few instructions to Feng Qing'er and Zi Yan, who had curiously followed him, "You cannot eat things randomly, do you understand!"

"Qing'er, if she really can't help but take things from other people's stalls to eat, remember to pay secretly." Mr. Gu He handed her a full money bag.

"Okay." Feng Qing'er smiled and replied, "I will look after little sister Zi Yan."

Zi Yan pursed her lips in dissatisfaction and snorted. "You... good luck, bring me back lots of delicious food, okay~!" Zi Yan said in a tsundere and awkward manner, twisting the corner of her clothes.

Mr. Gu He rubbed Zi Yan's head, then took Xiao Yi Xian and entered the illusion realm with the crowd.

...

Inside the Soul Illusion Realm. Mr. Gu He and Xiao Yi Xian were separated, and the mysterious illusion realm created by the Pill Tower could suppress a person's Soul Power. Mr. Gu He could clearly feel that his Soul Power was subject to considerable restrictions.

Before his eyes was a mist; whether it was viewing with the naked eye or probing with Soul Power, he could not see clearly.

"Tsk... the Pill Tower still has some substance to it." Mr. Gu He muttered.