227: As expected, it arrived.

“Revered Master, why have you come?”

“Greetings, Sect Master!”

Xie Xingyao quickly turned around and respectfully bowed to Chen Xuan, not daring to show the slightest neglect. Her slightly immature face was lowered tightly; she didn't even dare to look Chen Xuan directly in the eye.

She was grateful from the bottom of her heart for her brother's Revered Master.

If it weren't for that chance encounter at the Central Continent Auction previously, she truly couldn't imagine what her current situation would be like; her brother would probably have been killed by the people from the Medicine Pavilion long ago.

Although Xie Xingchen had never gone into detail about his past of being used as bait by the Medicine Pavilion, the scattered information Xie Xingyao pieced together from Xu Mo had already made her heart pound with fear, and the thought still gave her lingering apprehension.

Chen Xuan’s expression was calm and his tone gentle: "Xingyao, since your brother is my Disciple, you don't need to be so restrained in front of me." After speaking, his gaze swept around, falling on the scattered piles of Spirit Medicine, and he slowly began, "These Spirit Medicines..."

Before he finished speaking, Shu Shichan heard him, furrowed her delicate brows, quickly turned her head to glance at the haphazardly placed medicinal ingredients inside the room, and a trace of awkwardness instantly appeared on her beautiful face.

She quickly walked up to Chen Xuan, crossed her hands slightly in front of her, and said urgently, "Revered Master, since you have graced us with your presence, you must have important matters to discuss, right? Let's go to the room next door to talk in detail."

As she spoke, she secretly nudged the Xie Xingyao beside her with her elbow, then added, "Junior Sister just started learning Alchemy and doesn't yet know how to categorize and organize ingredients. I will certainly teach her properly later."

Chen Xuan glanced at his Sixth Disciple, feeling somewhat speechless.

This is so typical of you! You even dared to drag soft-natured Xie Xingyao in to take the blame.

Actually, he had originally wanted to say, "Don't waste these Spirit Medicines," but he was an amateur when it came to the Dao of Alchemy, so how could he possibly criticize? Furthermore, given Shu Shichan's unconventional way of thinking, perhaps this was simply how she was accustomed to refining medicine.

Xie Xingyao froze in place, her small face instantly drooping into a bitter gourd expression.

She had wanted to open her mouth to argue, but facing the frequent glances Sixth Senior Sister was giving her, the words that reached her lips were forcibly swallowed back down.

"Sect Master, Disciple will definitely pay attention next time."

Chen Xuan lightly coughed twice, breaking the subtle atmosphere: "There's no need to go next door. I came to Danyun Hall this time because I have something I need you to handle."

Shu Shichan froze upon hearing this, and before Chen Xuan could finish speaking, she immediately slumped her shoulders.

Clutching the corners of her clothes, her eyes slightly red, she looked utterly pitiful: "Revered Master, Disciple has only just reached the Golden Core Realm, and besides Alchemy, I truly have no other special skills. It's not that Disciple is unwilling to share your burdens, but I worry that my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. If I were to ruin Revered Master's important affairs, Disciple would truly die a hundred deaths without regret!"

Changing her tone, she quickly said, "If Eldest Senior Sister isn't suitable, there's also Fourth Senior Sister and Fifth Senior Brother! Revered Master doesn't need to trouble yourself personally; Disciple will go and relay the message for you."

Chen Xuan flicked his finger, and a gentle yet forceful stream of Qi struck Shu Shichan right on the forehead.

"Ouch!" The little girl cried out, immediately squatting down and covering her forehead with both hands. A faint finger imprint clearly appeared on her fair, jade-like skin, and a subtle sob escaped her throat.

"When are you going to use this cleverness for something proper? Leave your Eldest Senior Sister alone!"

Chen Xuan shook his head helplessly, "I came this time to ask you to refine two bowls... two soul refining primordial pills."

Hearing this, Shu Shichan instantly stood up, her previous aggrieved look completely gone, replaced by a hint of surprise on her face.

She walked halfway around Chen Xuan, reached out and lightly poked his sleeve, examining him closely: "Why does Revered Master need this Medicinal Pill? Could someone have injured Revered Master's Divine Soul?"

Chen Xuan explained casually, "Since I stepped onto the path of cultivation, no one has ever been able to harm me in the slightest. These two Medicinal Pills are meant as gifts."

Thinking of Number Four's two heaven-rank magic treasures, he added, his tone serious, "Remember to put effort into the refinement."

He certainly didn't want to be remembered by that Number Four because of the quality of the Medicinal Pills.

"Yes, Revered Master!" Shu Shichan patted her already sizable chest, straightened her back, and guaranteed solemnly.

Immediately, she took small, quick steps forward, looked at the nine bowls... nine azure nether pills placed on a nearby table, and said softly, "Revered Master, there are also nine bowls... nine azure nether pills here. The medicinal ingredients used to refine these Medicinal Pills were all extremely rare treasures."

She had always had one characteristic: she never wasted a single bit when performing Alchemy.

Even when she was in Biyun City back then, she would have the butlers and servants in the manor take the Medicinal Pills she refined.

Chen Xuan hesitated for a moment and slowly said, "Hand them over to Elder Xiao Yun. Have him distribute them to the Sect Disciples with the most... the most negligent cultivation bases."

...Rain God Continent!

Pingquan Village was situated deep within a vast mountain range. Around two hundred households lived along the mountainside, their blue-tiled wooden houses scattered picturesquely. With wisps of cooking smoke curling up, it possessed a sense of secluded tranquility.

“Li Er, hurry up and come inside to eat!”

Outside the courtyard gate, a white-haired old woman leaned on the door frame, her aged voice calling toward the yard.

The young man chopping wood in the yard responded to the call. The axe in his hand fell onto the wooden block with the momentum, kicking up some wood chips. He symbolically wiped his brow; he was Li Pingan, operating under the alias "Li Er," and he turned and stepped inside the house.

After Ye Hao and Li Pingan left Yunxi City, they traveled all the way to Pingquan Village to lie low. At Li Pingan's suggestion, the two pretended to be displaced travelers and temporarily settled in the home of the elderly woman who lived alone.

After spending two days together, they gradually learned about the old woman's circumstances.

Her son had been quite lucky in his early years, Awakening a decent cultivation Aptitude. He was noticed by a passing Cultivator and taken onto the immortal path. However, that departure was nearly thirty years ago. He had sent no word and never returned home, leaving the old woman to guard the empty courtyard alone.

After a simple lunch, Li Pingan helped clear the table and returned to the courtyard.

“Junior Brother, we have already been waiting here for three days.”

Ye Hao looked up at the clouds rolling and unfurling across the horizon. The mountain village remained so quiet that not a single ripple could be seen.

He withdrew his gaze and slowly said, "Let's wait a bit longer. If there is still no movement after five days, we will set off for the Demon Suppressing Tower to ask that Senior for information. We can also check if Fellow Daoist Zhao from the Chusheng Sect has sent a reply."

With that, he turned his head to look toward the west side of the village. The mountains there were majestic and the woods lush. The few Cultivators from the Tianque Sect were currently concealed somewhere in those mountains.

Just then, the eastern sky suddenly erupted with ripples of Spiritual Qi visible to the naked eye!

Around ten streaks of light cut across the sky, instantly stopping steadily above the village. The pressure of the Cultivators' auras caused the vegetation below to bend slightly.

Ye Hao and Li Pingan felt a chill in their hearts. Looking up, they saw that the faces of the leading Cultivators were quite familiar.

They were precisely the Disciples of the Chusheng Sect whom they had encountered previously on their journey!

That Heroic Woman and her Senior Brother were both among them, but Zhao Xu, whom they had seen before, was not present in the group.

Ye Hao muttered to himself, "They really came."