Zhou Xuan didn't linger. He steadied his breathing, firmly suppressing his cultivation to the Ninth Layer of Body Forging, then set off straight for Pill Peak, where the Inner Sect Disciples lived.
Pill Peak was steeped in a rich medicinal fragrance all year round. But the higher one climbed, the more strange odors mingled with it.
When Zhou Xuan reached Zhang Ling's secluded alchemy courtyard with practiced ease, the pungent stench of something burnt had nearly drowned out the medicinal fragrance.
Several fresh holes, their edges charred black, had appeared in the courtyard wall, as if something had blasted straight through it.
The ornamental spirit plants originally growing in the courtyard were now bent and scattered, their leaves withered and yellow—a pitiful sight, as though they'd been repeatedly ravaged by scorching heat and some unknown fumes.
"It seems Fairy Danhuo's skills have improved again over the past month or so."
Zhou Xuan muttered to himself, but didn't dare let a hint of it show on his face.
He stepped forward and gently knocked on the courtyard gate, which was still more or less intact.
Knock, knock, knock.
He waited for a long while, but there was no response.
Just as Zhou Xuan was about to knock again, a passing Pill Peak disciple spotted him and gave him a knowing look.
He asked, "You're here to clean Senior Sister Zhang's Pill Room, right?"
Zhou Xuan froze, then nodded, putting on an honest, guileless expression. "That's right, Senior Brother."
The disciple pursed his lips, his face bearing a strange mix of sympathy and schadenfreude. "Then you came at a bad time. Senior Sister Zhang seems to have a friend visiting today. She went down the mountain early this morning to meet her, and probably hasn't come back yet."
"You can go in