148: Returning to the Pill Domain, the undercurrents remain.

The sensation of solid ground came, and the Heaven and Earth energy permeating the air, though not as ancient and wild as the Dragon Domain, carried the unique vibrancy and vigor of Central State. Looking around, below were rolling mountains, and in the distance, the outlines of human cities were vaguely visible.

This was still the Northern Region of Central State, but it was already not far from the Pill Domain where the Pill Tower was located.

Li Ao took a deep breath, feeling the surging power within his body and the wisp of Nirvana Origin deep in his Soul that he could command at will. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. The trip to the Dragon Domain not only greatly increased his strength but also gained him crucial allies and bonds.

Medusa stood silently to the side, her purple eyes scanning the surroundings. Her powerful Soul perception spread out like mercury, confirming the environment and potential dangers. Her aura was restrained, yet she possessed a queenly majesty that made people dare not look directly at her.

Xiao Yi Xian stood on Li Ao's other side. The blush on her cheeks had not completely faded, but her eyes were firmer and brighter than before. Having expressed her feelings and received a response, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted, making her entire person radiate a new kind of brilliance. She gently held Li Ao's arm, feeling a sense of peace.

The relationship between the three had already been clarified within the spatial passage. Without many words, a subtle understanding and warmth flowed between them.

"This place should be 'Ten Thousand Mountain Ridge' in the Northern Region, still several days' journey from the Pill Domain," Li Ao identified the direction and said in a deep voice. Before leaving the Dragon Domain, he had already learned about the latest situation map of Central State from Elder Zhu Li and Xiao Yan.

"Are we going straight back to the Pill Tower?" Medusa asked.

Li Ao nodded, then shook his head: "We must return to the Pill Tower, but it's not advisable to do so with much fanfare. The Hall of Souls' spies have probably already spread throughout the Pill Domain. We need to first understand the current situation."

With a thought, his Soul Power, like invisible tentacles, silently covered an area of several tens of miles. His Spirit Realm Mid Stage Soul Realm allowed his perception of the surroundings to reach an extremely precise level.

A moment later, he frowned slightly: "There are a few sneaky fellows nearby, with a cold aura and that nauseating smell of the Hall of Souls. They should be outer scouts. However, their strength is not strong, at most only the Dou Huang level."

Clearly, the Hall of Souls had not given up monitoring the Pill Tower and its related forces, especially with the possible return of Li Ao, the "Half-Saint slayer."

"Should we eliminate them?" A cold light flashed in Medusa's purple eyes.

"No need to alert them," Li Ao waved his hand, "They're just a few small fries. Killing them would only let the Hall of Souls know we're back. We'll conceal our auras, bypass them, and go directly to Pill City."

With the current strength of the three of them, if they were determined to conceal themselves, it would be extremely difficult to discover them unless a Dou Saint personally arrived.

Li Ao used his Soul Power to completely conceal their auras. With a movement, their figures transformed into three almost imperceptible streaks of light, silently heading towards the Pill Domain.

Several days later, the majestic and grand Pill City was already in sight.

From a distance, Pill City was still bustling, with a constant flow of people. The towering Pill Tower emitted powerful energy fluctuations. But upon closer inspection, some differences could be found. The number of patrolling guards on the city walls had significantly increased, and their strength was considerable. The atmosphere exuded a sense of outward relaxation but inner tension. The protective light screen above the city was also more solid than before, and a powerful Soul Power subtly swept through the Void Realm.

Evidently, after the major incident of the Hall of Souls' army pressing down and the Half-Saint Heavenly Venerate's fall, the Pill Tower had also entered a state of high alert.

Li Ao and the other two did not enter the city directly but landed in a dense forest several tens of miles outside the city.

"The city defenses are much stricter, and the inspections are very thorough," Medusa said coolly, perceiving the situation at the distant city gate.

"It seems the Pill Tower is afraid of retaliation from the Hall of Souls and has strengthened its defenses," Xiao Yi Xian said softly.

Li Ao's gaze was profound: "This is inevitable. The Hall of Souls has lost so much Face, they will never let it go. I just don't know the current situation inside the Pill Tower, and whether the Pill Tower Master and the others are safe."

He pondered for a moment, then took out an ancient token from his storage ring. It was the Guest Elder token that the Pill Tower Master had given him that day. He infused a trace of Soul Power into the token.

A moment later, the token warmed slightly, sending back a subtle fluctuation that pointed towards a direction within Pill City.

"The Pill Tower Master is in the Tower and has sensed my token," Li Ao breathed a sigh of relief, "We'll go directly to the Pill Tower headquarters, and the Pill Tower Master will meet us."

The three once again concealed their figures, avoiding main roads and crowds, and like three wisps of smoke, silently made their way towards the majestic Pill Tower headquarters.

With their strength, avoiding ordinary guards and Formation detection was not difficult. Soon, the three arrived at the outer perimeter of the Pill Tower headquarters.

Just as they were about to follow the token's guidance to find an entrance, the space in front of them rippled slightly, and an aged yet familiar figure quietly emerged – it was the Pill Tower Master!

The Pill Tower Master looked largely unchanged from before, but deep in his eyes, there was a hint of weariness and solemnity that was hard to conceal. When he saw Li Ao, especially when he sensed the profound aura on Li Ao that even he found somewhat unfathomable, and the Medusa by his side, whose temperament was even better than before, and an unfamiliar but equally extraordinary woman in a plain dress, his eyes immediately burst with joy.

"Young Friend Li! You're finally back!" The Pill Tower Master's voice was filled with excitement. He quickly waved his hand to set up a soundproofing barrier. "Quick, follow this old man in! This is not the place to talk!"

He swept his sleeve, and a gentle spatial force enveloped the three. The next moment, they disappeared from their original spot and reappeared in a heavily guarded secret chamber on the top floor of the Pill Tower.

In the secret chamber, Elder Xuan Yi, Tian Leizi, and several other core high-ranking members of the Pill Tower were also present. Seeing Li Ao and the other two return safely, they were all surprised and delighted.

"Good lad! I knew you wouldn't get into trouble so easily!" Tian Leizi, with his fiery temper, stepped forward and vigorously patted Li Ao's shoulder. Feeling the profound, mountain-like strength, he couldn't help but exclaim in wonder, "It seems you've gained a lot from this trip!"

Elder Xuan Yi also smiled and nodded, her gaze lingering on Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Pill Tower Master, Elders, it's been a while," Li Ao cupped his hands in greeting and introduced, "This is Xiao Yi Xian, my friend."

Xiao Yi Xian quickly curtsied.

After the pleasantries, everyone's expressions became serious.

The Pill Tower Master sighed, his tone heavy: "Young Friend Li, it's truly a blessing that you all returned safely. Since the day you were chased by the Hall of Souls' Dou Saint and escaped into the Void Realm, the situation in Central State... has become increasingly tense."

He slowly narrated:

The fall of the Hall of Souls' Half-Saint Soul Mie Sheng shook the entire Central State. The Hall of Souls was enraged and issued the highest level of pursuit order against the Pill Tower. They also allied with some subservient forces, constantly harassing and attacking the Pill Tower's industries and personnel who ventured out. Although a full-scale war had not yet erupted, friction was constant, and the situation was precarious.

What was even more worrying was that the Hall of Souls seemed to be secretly planning a larger move, and the Hun Clan behind them had also started to show some unusual movements. The entire Central State was filled with a suffocating atmosphere, like a storm brewing.

"Currently, our Pill Tower is at the eye of the storm," the Pill Tower Master looked at Li Ao, his gaze complex, "Young Friend Li, now that you have returned, the Hall of Souls will surely get the news soon. By then, I'm afraid..."

His words were left unfinished, but the meaning was clear. Li Ao's return might become the fuse that ignites a greater conflict.

Li Ao's expression was calm, without any trace of fear. He had long anticipated such a situation.

"Pill Tower Master, the Hall of Souls and I are already irreconcilable. If they come, then so be it," Li Ao's tone was indifferent, yet it carried a captivating confidence and strength. "Moreover, we are not without allies."

"Allies?" The Pill Tower Master and the others were startled.

"The Ancient Void Dragon Clan, and... Starfall Pavilion, Xiao Yan," Li Ao slowly said.

"Ancient Void Dragon Clan?! Xiao Yan?!" Elder Xuan Yi exclaimed, "Is it that Xiao Yan, the Disciple of Yao Chen, who subdued the Three Thousand Burning Flame and is now at the peak of his fame?"

"Precisely," Li Ao nodded, "I have formed an Alliance with them to jointly confront the Hall of Souls."

Upon hearing this, the Pill Tower Master and the others' eyes immediately burst with surprised delight! The Ancient Void Dragon Clan was the Supreme of the Demonic Beast world, with unfathomable strength! And Xiao Yan and the forces behind him, such as Starfall Pavilion and Flower Sect, were also a power not to be underestimated! If they helped, the pressure on the Pill Tower would be greatly reduced!

"Good! Good!" The Pill Tower Master excitedly repeated "good" twice, and much of the gloom on his Face dissipated. "With the Dragon Clan and Starfall Pavilion as aid, our Pill Tower will have more confidence!"

However, Li Ao's next words made everyone's hearts tighten again.

"However, before that, I need to use the Pill Tower's resources to undergo a closed-door Cultivation," Li Ao's eyes were burning, "I feel that the opportunity to Breakthrough to Dou Zun has arrived."

Inside the secret chamber, there was a sudden silence.

Breakthrough to Dou Zun?!

The Pill Tower Master, Xuan Yi, Tian Leizi, and the others all looked at Li Ao with incredulous eyes. They remembered clearly that when Li Ao left, he was only a Seven-Star Dou Zong! How long had it been? At most, less than a year! And he was already about to impact the Dou Zun Realm?!

What kind of terrifying Cultivation speed was this?!

Moreover, with Li Ao's terrifying combat power that far surpassed those of the same Realm, once he Breakthrough to Dou Zun, to what extent would his strength skyrocket? Everyone simply couldn't imagine!

The Pill Tower Master took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and said decisively: "Good! Whatever you need, the Pill Tower will fully support it! This old man will personally act as your Protector!"

Li Ao's Breakthrough was crucial! This not only concerned his personal strength but also the future confidence of the Pill Tower and even the entire Alliance!

A Breakthrough concerning the future was about to quietly take place within this turbulent Pill Tower.

Meanwhile, outside the Pill Domain, a subtle piece of information had already been transmitted through special channels to the headquarters of the Hall of Souls.

The content of the message was simple:

"The target has appeared at the Pill Tower."

A greater storm was rapidly brewing.