Seeing Cao Ying Again

For Xiao Ming, this Five Great Clans Examination was truly a piece of cake; with his status and strength, he was more than capable of presiding over the assessment.

If the Pill Tower hadn't been so strict about rules and made it impossible to waive the assessment, Xiao Ming would have directly asked to waive the Ye Family's assessment, and his visit would have just been a formality.

When Xiao Ming and his group followed Ye Zhong to the vast and magnificent Assessment Hall, they found it already packed with a sea of people. Every now and then, waves of people who seemed to be of considerable importance would pass through the tight security at the hall's entrance and successfully enter the hall.

"There are just as many people here as there were when I took the Elder Selection exam!" Xiao Ming said softly, looking at the scene before him.

"The Ye Family's situation hasn't been good these past few years; they're probably just here to watch the show."

Ye Zhong sighed softly. The position of the Five Great Clans was coveted by countless people at all times, but among the Five Great Clans, only their Ye Family was facing a shortage of successors.

"Although Xin Lan's talent isn't as good as Cao Ying's or the others, it's still quite good. She should be able to handle your Ye Family in the next assessment without any problems," Xiao Ming said, glancing at Xin Lan who seemed a little downcast.

Xiao Ming wasn't lying; Xin Lan's talent was indeed quite good. It just seemed that the Ye Family's educational level was limited, which resulted in Xin Lan's low level. Under his tutelage, Xin Lan's progress was very encouraging.

Xin Lan greatly admired Xiao Ming, who had already achieved extraordinary things at such a young age and was still willing to help them. Hearing Xiao Ming praise her, her disappointment vanished, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Ye Zhong smiled happily upon hearing this.

"Elder Xiao Ming, please!"

The sudden appearance of Xiao Ming and his group naturally attracted the attention of the surrounding crowd. They first looked at the Ye Family crest on Ye Zhong's chest, and then a mocking voice rang out.

"Look, the Ye Family is here again. If they fail twice more, they'll be kicked out of the ranks of the Five Great Clans."

"Heh heh, the Ye Family was once so glorious, but now they've fallen to this state. Without their status as Five Great Clans, they'll be completely forgotten in the future."

"..."

"Wait, who is this?!"

Finally, some sharp-eyed people spotted Xiao Ming in the Ye Family's group, an Alchemy Grandmaster who had become famous Central Plains in recent years.

Even though many people have never seen him in person, they have seen his portrait. Regardless of their mindset, one of the Eight Great Elders of Pill Tower should recognize Xiao Ming if he is in the Pill Region.

"Hiss! How come this person is in the Ye Family? Could it be... that he's in charge of this assessment?"

"Well, judging from the confident expressions on the Ye Family, Elder Xiao Ming is probably taking the assessment in the Ye Family place. I've heard rumors of a personal relationship between the Ye Family and Xiao Ming, but I didn't expect it to be true..."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! How could the impoverished Ye Family possibly get this person to step in? This is cheating, blatant cheating!"

"You idiot, would the Pill Tower cheat in something like this? It's said that when Elder Xiao Ming participated in the Elder Assessment, the Ye Family vouched for him!"

"..."

Hearing these voices, Ye Zhong was both annoyed and amused. These people were just waiting for the Ye Family to fall from grace so they could take their place.

Now that Xiao Ming has appeared, as long as Xiao Ming takes action, their ulterior motives and their covetous eyes will all vanish into thin air.

Xiao Ming calmly accepted the various gazes around him; it was just a minor scene.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Xiao Ming and his group arrived outside the main hall. The guards all looked at Xiao Ming with respect, not at Ye Zhong.

As guards of the Pill Tower, they were naturally familiar with Xiao Ming, one of the Eight Great Elders, and immediately bowed respectfully.

Elder Xiao Ming!

Seeing Xiao Ming nod, they immediately made way and shouted into the main hall:

"The Ye Family has arrived!"

Ye Zhong let out a soft breath. In the past, when he came to participate in the assessment, the guards did not have this kind of attitude.

Although it wasn't exactly difficult, the contempt and disdain contained in that face and eyes deeply stung Ye Zhong's heart.

This time, everything changed because Xiao Ming was now part of the Ye Family; the gazes were filled with genuine respect.

However, Ye Zhong knew that this was not out of respect for the Ye Family, but out of respect for Xiao Ming.

"To gain respect, one must possess strength. Fortunately, I have already arranged for Xin Lan to learn from Elder Xiao Ming. In the future, my Ye Family will surely be revitalized, return to its peak, and earn the genuine respect of the Ye Family!"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ye Zhong and Xiao Ming disappeared outside the main hall, leaving behind only pairs of regretful, angry, and dejected gazes.

Upon entering the main hall, soft lighting bathed Xiao Ming, who could feel countless gazes, each carrying a different meaning, directed at him.

With a slight lift of his eyes, Xiao Ming scanned the hall and discovered that the people sitting in these seats all possessed considerable Aura, clearly coming from sects or families of decent strength.

Gradually, the meaning in these gazes became more and more hesitant and uncertain. Some Dou Zong powerhouses even raised their hands to rub their eyes, as if they could not believe their own eyes.

What did they see? Among the Ye Family's group, there was a young man whose face looked somewhat familiar.

This is... Xiao Ming, one of the Eight Great Elders and the number one Alchemist among the younger generation!

Ye Zhong smiled and introduced to Xiao Ming, "These people are just like those during the Elder Selection assessment; they're here to watch. Ignore them. Let's go to the front and take our seats."

Xiao Ming looked in the direction of the sound and found that there were indeed five seats at the front. Perhaps because it was still early in the morning, only one seat was occupied, and the other four were empty.

Let it go.

The group sat down to wait, and afterwards, Ye Zhong didn't say anything more to Xiao Ming about the assessment.

It wasn't that Ye Zhong didn't want to say it, but considering Xiao Ming's terrifying strength, the Ye Family was certain to pass the test no matter what, and the championship was already in their grasp. Why bother saying so much?

Moreover, Xiao Ming is also Pill Tower Elder, so he should know about the assessment.

Ye Zhong silent, and Xiao Ming, enjoying the peace and quiet, closed his eyes to rest.

Only after hearing a charming laugh did she slowly open her eyes, and what she saw was a woman in a black dress, with a cool temperament and a charming and alluring face.

Cao Ying.

"Didn't I tell you last time that Mr. Xiao Ming can just call me Ying'er?" Cao Ying's lips curled into a slight smile.

Xiao Ming just smiled at these words. During the year or so he spent in the Pill Tower, he had become quite familiar with Cao Ying because of her initiative.

Seeing that Xiao Ming did not respond, Cao Ying was not discouraged. Instead, she smiled and asked, "Mr. Xiao Ming, are you representing the Ye Family? It seems that the championship this time belongs to the Ye Family. We are nothing compared to them."