You Don't Even Take Me, the Pill King, Seriously? What? Dou Huang? Am I Farting?

Just as Xiao Ze and Xiao Yan were both immersed in the joy of their rising cultivation levels.

Within another residence of the Xiao Clan.

A girl of peerless beauty sat upright on a wooden chair, her brows furrowed in deep thought.

"Xiao Clan ancestor, Xiao Clan ancestor..."

"Where on earth did this ancestor pop out from?"

"No, I still cannot let my guard down; I must investigate this thoroughly."

The more Xiao Xun'er thought about it, the more suspicious she found the appearance of this Xiao Clan ancestor, Xiao Ze. With the influence of her Ancient Clan, she had not managed to gather a single piece of information about him beforehand.

This was impossible!

One had to know that ever since the Xiao Clan ancestor, Xiao Xuan, failed in his attempt to break through to that realm a thousand years ago, he had struck a deal with her father, the current patriarch of the Ancient Clan.

The content of the deal was simple: he hoped the Ancient Clan would look after the Xiao Tribe.

A thousand years had passed since then.

Although the Xiao Tribe had gradually declined and even migrated from the Central Plains to the Northwest region.

The Ancient Clan's surveillance of the Xiao Tribe had never ceased; almost every member of the Xiao Clan was under the Ancient Clan's monitoring.

So the question remained: what exactly was the deal with this so-called Xiao Clan ancestor named Xiao Ze?

Why was there no information about him in the Ancient Clan's records?

Thinking of this.

Xiao Xun'er did not hesitate and immediately called out to the empty room: "Ling Ying!"

Swish—

The lights in the room flickered.

A figure suddenly appeared before Xiao Xun'er. He was draped in a black robe and knelt on one knee, his voice low and hoarse, revealing deep respect: "What are your orders, Miss!"

"Go and investigate whether there is a person named Xiao Ze among the ancestors of the Xiao Clan."

"If there is, bring his information to me!"

Xiao Xun'er commanded with a serious expression.

"Yes, Miss!"

Ling Ying came quickly and left just as fast.

As a practitioner of dark-attribute Dou Qi, he was a master of concealment by nature.

Not to mention that he was a genuine Dou Huang powerhouse.

In the current Xiao Clan, he could move as if he were in an empty land.

After receiving Xiao Xun'er's orders, he immediately slipped into the shadows and sped away from the Xiao Clan, heading toward a stronghold the Ancient Clan had secretly planted nearby.

As Ling Ying vanished.

Xiao Xun'er furrowed her delicate brows, staring at the flickering candlelight, and fell into deep thought.

"I hope I am just overthinking things..."

"Hm?"

"This aura..."

"It is coming from Xiao Xun'er's residence."

"Could it be that Dou Huang guard of hers?"

In his room.

Xiao Ze, who was in the middle of cultivation, suddenly sensed a ripple emerge over the Xiao Clan.

He immediately opened his eyes and looked toward the residence where Xiao Xun'er lived.

As someone who knew the plot, he instantly guessed the culprit behind it all.

However, he did not intervene, nor did he make a scene. He merely curled the corners of his lips before closing his eyes once more, returning his focus to his cultivation.

Misty Cloud Sect.

"This is bullying! The Xiao Clan is simply going too far!"

"Twenty Qi Gathering Pills, one fifth-grade medicinal pill..."

"And they actually demand they be delivered within a month!"

"Why don't they just go and rob someone?"

"Sect Leader Yun Yun, what do you say we should do about this? The Xiao Clan's actions show they have absolutely no regard for our Misty Cloud Sect!"

Inside the main hall of the main peak.

Pill King Gu He had shed his usual dashing and debonair demeanor, standing in the white jade hall and cursing like a common street hag.

Twenty Qi Gathering Pills and one Tier 5 medicinal pill every month.

What kind of joke was this!

He might as well be killed outright!

This was preposterous!

It was as if they didn't hold him, the Pill King of the Gama Empire, one of the top ten powerhouses and a peak Dou Wang, in any regard at all!

Above the hall.

Yun Yun sat upright on the Sect Master's throne.

Her plain white dress outlined her graceful and exquisite figure; with her picturesque features, skin like ice and bones like jade, she radiated an air of elegance and nobility.

Her delicate, flawless face was marred by a deep frown.

She looked down at Ge Ye and said softly, "Ge Ye, according to your account, what is the strength of this ancestor who suddenly appeared in the Xiao Clan?"

"Does he truly have the confidence to set himself against my Misty Cloud Sect?"

Elder Ge Ye recalled the scene from that day, his body trembling slightly as he turned pale. "Reporting to the Sect Master, the strength of that Xiao Clan ancestor is unfathomable."

"Based on my own personal experience, I fear he has already reached the Dou Huang realm!"

As these words fell.

The few people in the hall fell into silence.

Especially Pill King Gu He, who had been clamoring incessantly, shut his mouth tight.

Damn it!

He had thought it was some nobody who dared to threaten a Tier 6 alchemist and peak Dou Wang like himself.

He hadn't expected it to be a Dou Huang powerhouse.

Well, that changed things...

Just pretend everything he said a moment ago was nothing but hot air!

What were twenty Qi Gathering Pills, anyway?

He would refine them!

He would refine them, wouldn't he?

"A Dou Huang, you say..." Yun Yun murmured to herself, a flicker of surprise flashing in her clear, beautiful eyes. She, too, had not expected the Xiao Clan to possess such a powerhouse.

In that case, perhaps the relationship between her Misty Cloud Sect and the Xiao Clan needed to be eased somewhat.

"Enough, let us leave this matter at that for now."

"Did that Xiao Clan ancestor not set a three-year agreement with my Misty Cloud Sect?"

"We shall discuss this again in three years' time."

"Ge Ye, go down and instruct Yanran. Tell her that in the competition three years from now, she must not bring shame upon my Misty Cloud Sect..."

"Yes, Sect Master." Elder Ge Ye accepted the order with relief, then turned and left the hall.

"Elder Gu He, do you have any other business?" Yun Yun's gaze fell upon Pill King Gu He, her voice sounding somewhat cold.

"No..." Pill King Gu He had originally intended to ask Yun Yun if she could intervene and help him smooth things over with that Dou Huang powerhouse.

But seeing her cold expression, he abandoned the thought.

He offered a bitter smile and cupped his hands toward Yun Yun. "Yun... Sect Master, I shall take my leave."

As Pill King Gu He also departed the hall.

The entire hall returned to silence once more.

Yun Yun sat on the Sect Master's throne, her gaze seemingly piercing through the void toward the direction of Wutan City, while she whispered to herself.

"The Gama Empire is only so large; the birth of every Dou Huang powerhouse stirs up the winds and clouds."

"I wonder what this Xiao Clan ancestor intends to do next..."

"The Xiao Clan originated in the Imperial Capital; I wonder if he wishes to lead the Xiao Clan back there."

"If he truly has such thoughts, those old fogies in the Imperial Capital will likely find it hard to sleep..."

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

During these two weeks, the Xiao Clan had gone about its business as usual.

There had not been the slightest ripple caused by the appearance of Xiao Ze.

Although the entire Xiao Clan remained calm and steady, there was one person who had changed the most.

That's right, it was Xiao Yan.

Ever since he had been able to resume his cultivation, his progress had been nothing short of meteoric with the help of Elder Yao, leaping from the third stage of Dou Qi to the fifth in a mere half-month.

At this rate, perhaps it would take less than a year.

He would be able to reach the ninth stage of Dou Qi, or even return to being a Dou Zhe!

However, these changes in him were quite inconspicuous, and only Xiao Ze, who had been keeping a constant eye on him, could notice.

Even his father, Xiao Zhan, was completely unaware that his son had already shed the title of "trash" and was sprinting headlong down the path of cultivation!