951: Chapter 952 Su Xiaoxiao's Bewilderment

After handling all this, Pavilion Master Danchenzi's expression softened slightly. He turned around, his gaze falling upon the small, thin figure in the center of the competition arena, his tone as calm as if nothing had just happened:

"Su Xiaoxiao."

Su Xiaoxiao was slightly startled, raising her head to meet Pavilion Master Danchenzi's gaze.

"Your Medicinal Pill has been personally inspected by this seat. Six pill patterns, ninety-eight percent medicinal purity, and a top-grade Dao Rhyme. Every single piece of data matches the records on the rankings."

He paused, his voice deepening slightly: "There are no traces of cheating. Ranking tenth is well-deserved."

Su Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment before realizing she should express her gratitude. She hurriedly bowed: "Junior... thanks the Pavilion Master for upholding justice."

Pavilion Master Danchenzi looked at her, his tone softer than before:

"There is no need to thank me. Being able to stand here relies on your own ability. This seat merely spoke the truth."

Su Xiaoxiao froze. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, only to find that she didn't know what to say.

Of course she knew she hadn't cheated, but she hadn't expected Pavilion Master Danchenzi to personally endorse her, and to do so in front of everyone.

She had no acquaintance with Pavilion Master Danchenzi. As the noble Pavilion Master of Tiandan Pavilion, why would he stand up for a nobody like her?

Deep in Su Xiaoxiao's heart, she vaguely felt something was amiss, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Afterwards, Pavilion Master Danchenzi said nothing more, turned around to sit back in the main seat, and nodded slightly toward the Elder beside him.

That Elder understood, stepped forward, and loudly proclaimed: "The awards ceremony continues!"

Yet everyone could hear that his word "continues" carried a trace of lingering tremor.

Soon, the awards ceremony ended hastily amidst an eerie silence.

Holding the medal engraved with the number ten and a pile of generous rewards—Medicinal Pills, Spirit Stones, and Pill Formula classics—Su Xiaoxiao stood in the crowd, not yet having time to examine them closely before she was surrounded by a group of Elders.

"Little Friend Su, congratulations! This old man has long seen that you are not one to stay in a pool for long. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary!"

A white-haired Elder smiled so widely his face wrinkled up, stuffing a bottle of Medicinal Pills into her hands. Su Xiaoxiao recognized him; he was precisely one of the nine previously silent Elders upon the high platform.

"Xiaoxiao, if you have free time in the future, feel free to visit Danxia Peak anytime. This old man has a few ancient Pill Formulas there; if you are interested, feel free to come and browse them."

Another Elder from the high platform said with a beaming smile, his tone as affectionate as if he were looking at his own biological granddaughter.

"Miss Su, this is a one-hundred-thousand-year Snow Ginseng this old man obtained during his travels in his early years. Keeping it in my hands would be a waste of a heavenly treasure, so I shall gift it to you, hoping you will make further progress on the Dao of alchemy!"

Another Elder squeezed forward, unceremoniously stuffing a jade box into her arms.

Su Xiaoxiao was surrounded tightly by this group of overly enthusiastic Elders, and in the blink of an eye, she had seven or eight more items in her hands—Medicinal Pills, Spiritual Plants, Jade Slips—every single one of them extraordinary items.

Her entire person was dazed, and she could only mechanically express gratitude: "Thank you, Elder... Thank you, Senior... This is too precious, Junior dares not accept it..."

"Accept it, accept it! What are you standing on ceremony with this old man for!"

"Precisely, if Little Friend does not accept it, then you look down on this old man!"

Su Xiaoxiao: "..."

She completely failed to understand what kind of situation this was.

These people had been silent and speechless on the high platform half an hour ago, but now they were each smiling like blooming flowers, wishing they could lift her up to the heavens.

What baffled her even more was that they had showered her with praise, given gifts, and provided ample smiling faces, and then... there was no then.

After every Elder finished their polite remarks and delivered their gifts, they would pat her shoulder, say a sentence of "Work hard," and then turn and walk in other directions.

Su Xiaoxiao looked along their retreating backs and discovered that those Elders were walking one after another toward the top nine winners.

"Nephew Zhao, would you be willing to enter my sect and practice the Dao of alchemy with me?"

"Nephew Qian, this old man sees that your Foundation in the Dao of alchemy is solid. If you do not scorn it, this old man is willing to take you as a Personal Disciple."

"Nephew Sun, your talent in the Dao of alchemy is hard to encounter in ten thousand years. Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

Surrounding the top nine winners were Elders who had come to take Disciples. Some even had two or three Elders fighting over the exact same Disciple, making the scene exceptionally lively.

As for Su Xiaoxiao's side, after the gifts were delivered, there was no longer any follow-up.

She lowered her head to look at the pile of precious gifts cradled in her arms, then looked up at the top nine not far away who were being vied for by the Elders to become Disciples, and a giant question mark popped up in her mind.

Therefore, do they think highly of me, or do they not think highly of me?

Su Xiaoxiao was completely confused.

Recalling everything that had happened before, Ling Xuan had jumped out to question her, Ling Yuan seconded it, and a host of deacons followed along in agreement. Then, the high platform fell silent, Pavilion Master Danchenzi grew angry, Ling Xuan was stripped of his qualifications, and Ling Yuan was dismissed from his post and investigated.

The entire process was as fast as if someone had pressed the fast-forward button, and she stood at the center of the storm, having done nothing at all before the matter ended.

There were also those Elders on the high platform welcoming her with smiles, stuffing Medicinal Pills, sending Spiritual Plants, and speaking pleasant words, being so enthusiastic as if they were seeing their long-lost biological daughter.

Yet they left right after speaking, turning to take the top nine as Disciples without a single one staying behind, as if they had made a special trip just to deliver a wave of items and farm a wave of favorability.

Su Xiaoxiao clenched her medal tightly, her brows furrowing slightly. She was no fool; she knew things weren't that simple.

She did not know Ling Xuan, nor did she know how much influence the Ling family had in Tiandan Pavilion. But she could tell that today's matter was definitely not because her, Su Xiaoxiao's, talent was so extraordinary that it caused the Pavilion Master to personally step forward to back her up.

Let alone her being tenth place, even the number one on the rankings might not necessarily have this special honor.

There must be a reason she did not know.

But she racked her brains and still couldn't figure out what that reason was.

Just at this moment, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear: "Su Xiaoxiao, come with this seat for a trip."

It was Pavilion Master Danchenzi's voice transmission.

Su Xiaoxiao abruptly raised her head, looking toward the main seat of the high platform. Pavilion Master Danchenzi had already risen, walking with his hands behind his back toward the inner hall.

Su Xiaoxiao was slightly startled, her heart somewhat apprehensive. She didn't know why the Pavilion Master wanted to see her alone; could it be because of the matter just now?

Since the Pavilion Master had spoken, she could not refuse to go. She took a deep breath and quickly followed behind.

She followed Pavilion Master Danchenzi through several corridors, bypassed several palaces, and finally arrived in front of a tranquil side hall.

Pavilion Master Danchenzi stopped his steps, raised his hand to knock on the door, his tone so respectful that Su Xiaoxiao doubted whether she had heard wrong:

"Young Master, the person has been brought."

Su Xiaoxiao froze.

"Young Master?"

Pavilion Master Danchenzi was the Pavilion Master; who else in this Tiandan Pavilion could make him personally lead the way, personally knock on the door, and use a designation like "Young Master"?

The doubts in her heart reached their peak at this very moment, but she didn't ask too much. She simply nodded, pushed open the hall doors, and walked in.

The interior furnishings of the hall were elegant, and the fragrance of tea curled in the air. A figure in white robes stood with hands behind the back before the window, with their back facing her.

The hall doors silently closed behind her, completely isolating the clamor of the outside world.

Su Xiaoxiao stood at the doorway, her line of sight falling upon that slender back in white robes, her heartbeat inexplicably missing a beat.

She could not clearly see the other person's countenance, yet she could clearly perceive an indescribable aura—not an intentionally released coercion, but a natural poise that seemed to merge as one with this heaven and earth.

She had witnessed Pavilion Master Danchenzi's majesty, which was the aura of a high-ranking person overlooking all living beings. But the person before her eyes was different; standing there, he was like still water in the mountains, concealing a heart-palpitating profundity within his blandness.

Yet, confusion arose in her heart once more; this figure seemed inexplicably somewhat familiar.

She suppressed the shock and suspicion in her heart, performing a bow in a proper manner. Her voice was not loud, yet it was clear enough.

"Junior Su Xiaoxiao pays respects to Senior."

The figure in white robes before the window slowly turned around. The instant their eyes met, Su Xiaoxiao's pupils abruptly shrank.

This face, she had seen it before.