Weren't You Looking for Me to Settle the Score? (Thanks to Qing_Ba for the 588 book coins reward! Thanks, boss!)

"What?! I... I only went out for a trip, how... how has the Misty Cloud Sect changed hands?!"

At the foot of Misty Cloud Mountain!

Gu He, having returned from his travels, stared at the massive boulder at the mountain gate with an expression of utter disbelief!

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him!

It wasn't until the Mu Clan guards explained it to him again that he finally realized!

The Misty Cloud Sect had truly changed hands!

He could not fathom it; Yun Shan was a peak Dou Emperor powerhouse!

Who could possibly seize the Misty Cloud Sect from his grasp?

"Master Gu He, to tell you the truth, every influential power in the Jia Ma Empire has joined the Xiao Clan! With your alchemy skills, joining the Alchemy Hall of the Xiao Clan would not be difficult at all..."

Mu Chen, dressed as a patrol captain, stepped out and urged him with earnest sincerity.

Yun Shan did it voluntarily?

Gu He stared at Mu Chen with an expression that screamed, 'I may be bookish, but don't try to fool me.'

This information was simply too shocking for him.

Guided by Mu Chen, Gu He arrived at the summit and saw Yun Shan!

Gu He: "Sect Master Yun Shan..."

Yun Shan immediately waved his hand to interrupt: "Gu He, I am merely an ordinary elder of the Xiao Clan; do not mention the title of Sect Master ever again."

Gu He: ...

He found it strange—what kind of person could make Yun Shan so fearful?

To the point that he wouldn't even allow the title of Sect Master to be spoken!

Yun Shan stood with his hands behind his back: "Gu He, for the sake of our past acquaintance, I offer you this advice: join the Xiao Clan, and your future will be limitless!"

"Gu He, I also have a premonition that by following the Xiao Clan, our future path will be far more magnificent than anything we could achieve on our own!"

Fa Ma also walked over to persuade him.

At the beginning of this year, Gu He had just advanced to a sixth-tier alchemist!

He was the only sixth-tier alchemist in the entire Jia Ma Empire and was revered as the Pill King!

"If you are willing to come, the position of Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall will be yours!"

"I have no interest in being any Hall Master; it's just that... I have stayed on Misty Cloud Mountain for several years, and I don't want to leave."

Gu He had originally intended to refuse, but upon seeing Yun Yun, he decisively changed his tune.

Yun Shan had long known that Gu He harbored fantasies about Yun Yun; he patted his shoulder and whispered: "Gu He, stop thinking about Yun Yun; choose someone else!"

"?" Gu He was full of question marks.

Yun Shan continued: "Yun Yun is not suitable for you; I have already gifted her to that lord."

Gu He immediately bristled.

"What?! Yun Shan, you... how could you do this? Yun Yun is a living person, not a commodity! How could you do this!"

Yun Shan did not want to explain further.

"Hehe, once you meet that lord, you will realize just how correct my decision was!"

Several days later.

Xiao Xuan returned.

Looking at the Xiao Clan, which was now on the right track, Xiao Xuan was quite satisfied.

Yun Shan and the others also let out long sighs of relief.

"Next, I will introduce to you all an alchemy grandmaster; from now on, he will be in charge of our Alchemy Hall."

As soon as Xiao Xuan's voice fell.

Fa Ma's expression froze!

Yun Shan's expression also became quite unnatural.

Xiao Xuan frowned: "What? Do the two of you have objections to my arrangement?"

Yun Shan hurriedly shook his head: "Yun Shan dares not."

Fa Ma bit the bullet and said:

"My Lord, the only sixth-tier alchemist in our Jia Ma Empire, Gu He, has returned, and I... I have already promised him the position of Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall."

"That was your promise; what does it have to do with me? Besides, with Gu He's strength, he is not qualified to be the Hall Master of our Alchemy Hall!"

Gu He was a sixth-tier alchemist!

And he wasn't qualified?

Fa Ma's expression turned somewhat awkward, yet he dared not say a word.

At this moment, a figure appeared before Yun Shan and Fa Ma like a ghost.

Yun Shan could sense that the owner of this figure was a powerful soul entity that made even him feel a sense of dread!

As for Fa Ma, his expression froze as a figure hidden deep within his memories surged to the surface.

His eyes instantly blurred.

"You... are you the master who guided me back then?"

"Heh heh, after all these years, I didn't expect you to still remember."

Yao Chen chuckled.

Yun Shan was startled: "Fa Ma, you know him?"

Fa Ma nodded heavily: "I owe my achievements today to this old gentleman."

As he spoke, Fa Ma knelt directly before Yao Chen: "Thank you, Master, for your guidance back then."

"No matter, no matter. In the days to come, let us work hard together. Under the leadership of this lord, we will surely make a name for ourselves across the Dou Qi Continent!"

Yao Chen said with a beaming smile.

Not long ago, his two enemies, Mu Gu and Zhaixing, had been dealt with—one dead and one injured—so half of his great vengeance was fulfilled!

He was in a very good mood.

"This secret manual for cultivating soul power was given by this lord. Cultivate it well; never mind advancing to a Tier 6 Alchemist, even Tier 7 or Tier 8 is possible!"

"Many thanks, Master, many thanks... many thanks, Alliance Leader."

Fa Ma bowed respectfully to Xiao Xuan and Yao Chen.

"Very good. From now on, serve Venerable Yao well in refining pills, and the benefits will naturally be plentiful. Should anyone dare to betray..."

BOOM!

Xiao Xuan merely moved his palm slightly, and the ground let out a thunderous roar. A palm print several zhang wide and several zhang deep appeared right before their eyes!

Yun Shan and Fa Ma shuddered.

If that had landed on them, they would have been flattened into meat patties on the street!

They hurriedly pledged their loyalty, declaring that for the future of the Xiao Clan, they were willing to give their all!

At the same time, they realized belatedly that the old soul entity before them, addressed as a Venerable, must be a Dou Zun!

Even such a legendary figure was willing to submit to Xiao Xuan!

How terrifying must his strength be?

Xiao Xuan was satisfied with their reaction and was just about to have Yao Chen take Fa Ma away, incidentally having him refine more high-grade pills.

At this moment, Gu He hurried over.

His complexion was very unsightly.

Fa Ma and Yun Shan knew his intentions and quickly stepped forward to stop him.

Fa Ma lowered his voice: "Gu He, what are you doing here?"

Gu He held his head high, fearless: "Naturally, I am here to settle things with him!"

Yun Shan pointed to the palm print on the side: "If you want to die, go right ahead!"

"I..." Gu He turned his head, and upon seeing the deep pit, his scalp went numb.

Fa Ma opened his palm.

"Don't you want to become a higher-tier alchemist? Look at this—a soul cultivation manual, given by that lord!"

In an instant, Gu He's gaze became fervent.

Entering the legendary Pill Tower was his lifelong dream!

To improve his alchemy, he had to increase his soul power!

And the soul cultivation manual before him was undoubtedly the best aid!

"You must be Gu He! You came here looking for me?" Xiao Xuan moved, appearing before Gu He, and asked indifferently.

Gu He's expression stiffened, then he hurriedly said: "This Humble One heard that the lord had returned and came specifically to pay respects, and incidentally, to boldly ask if there is anything I can do to serve."

Fa Ma and Yun Shan breathed a sigh of relief.

Yao Chen also watched Gu He with a smile.

Xiao Xuan said calmly: "You didn't come to settle accounts with me?"

"Uh..."

Gu He broke out in a cold sweat: "Actually, actually I did intend to come and settle accounts with the lord, regarding how many pills it is reasonable for us to refine in a month."

"For such matters, you should follow the arrangements of Venerable Yao."

"Understood, my lord."