"Yawn!"
The short-haired disciple on duty, dressed in short robes, yawned, took a sip of the iced tea in his hand, then lazily leaned back in his wooden chair.
"Ah, this damned place is getting hotter and hotter. The sect doesn't know how to spare a thought for us—why not build a cooling formation?" the short-haired disciple muttered.
Danxia Peak was not naturally formed, but had been created through the great power of the sect's Golden Core Patriarch.
Not only was there a second-rank spirit vein beneath the ground, it was also connected to the earthfire. There were even rumors that deep within the lava lay the birthplace of the sect's foundational spirit plant, the Unquenchable Wood.
All these factors combined made this place exceptionally hot. The disciples stationed here had it terribly hard. If not for the high pay, hardly anyone would be willing to come here.
There was no helping it. A harsh environment could still be endured, but poverty could not.
"Speaking of which, why have so few senior brothers come to refine pills lately?" the short-haired disciple wondered.
"Open an alchemy room for me."
"Who?!"
The sudden voice startled the short-haired disciple so badly that he sprang straight out of his chair.
"It's me." He followed the sound and saw that, at some unknown moment, a young man had appeared before him.
He wore a plain white robe, his hair tied up with nothing but a simple greenwood hairpin. His broad sleeves were spotless, untouched by dust, and his entire bearing carried an indescribable steadiness and deep calm.
The short-haired disciple blanked out for a moment before recovering. He asked incoherently, "Y-you... how come you didn't make any sound when you walked?"
Lin Chen was briefly taken aback by the question, then smiled at himself. "I'm