Terrifying Indeed!?

Xiao Yan and Dan Chen walked one behind the other along the narrow path. There was no danger here, not even a mosquito in sight, yet Dan Chen still clutched tightly at the hem of Xiao Yan's robes, too afraid to even open her eyes.

Xiao Yan spoke up. "Junior Sister Dan Chen, why don't you hold my hand? We'll be able to walk faster that way."

It was not as though Xiao Yan had any improper thoughts toward the child. It was simply that Dan Chen tugging on his clothes made walking extremely awkward.

Startled by Xiao Yan's sudden voice, Dan Chen let go, but quickly reached out and grabbed him again.

"N-No!"

Afraid that Xiao Yan might misunderstand, she hurriedly added:

"My... my body is strange. I can't... touch other people."

Xiao Yan was surprised. He had not expected Dan Chen to say such a thing. "You can't touch people?"

Xiao Yan immediately recalled Dan Chen's strange behavior earlier and became even more certain that she was hiding some secret. Still, he had no intention of asking further. Whatever secrets others had were none of his business, just as Xiao Yan would never tell anyone that the cultivation technique he practiced had been obtained by living off a woman.

The distance was not great. After bringing Dan Chen to the area assigned to her, Xiao Yan's token also indicated that other disciples' residences lay ahead. "All right, Junior Sister Dan Chen, we're here. Just go inside."

But Dan Chen cautiously peeked out from behind Xiao Yan and glanced at the pitch-black house. Fear still showed in her eyes. "Senior Brother Xiao... there's no one here. I'm still scared..."

Xiao Yan had a headache. The Pill Tower was naturally not stingy toward Formal Disciples. This place might look somewhat desolate, but who would complain that their territory was too large?

It was called a cave residence, but in truth it covered an area of more than ten miles. The living quarters, pill-refining room, cultivation chamber, medicinal fields... all belonged to one person. Even Xiao Yan could not help wanting to go back and inspect his own place, yet this little girl was actually frightened!

Xiao Yan patiently explained, "Junior Sister Dan Chen, this is the cave residence the Pill Tower gave you. There absolutely won't be anything dangerous inside."

Encouraged by Xiao Yan, Dan Chen took out her token. A flash of silver light flickered across it, and she could no longer feel this place rejecting her.

Meeting Xiao Yan's encouraging gaze, she seemed to draw some strength from it. Only then did Dan Chen close her eyes and force herself to step forward.

When the courage she had mustered finally ran out, Dan Chen opened her eyes and discovered that she had already walked quite far. When she turned back, Xiao Yan was still standing there watching her.

"How was it? Nothing happened, right?"

Dan Chen looked delighted. "Mm!"

"Then I'll be going. Get some good rest."

Dan Chen nodded obediently.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Xiao."

When she looked up again, Xiao Yan had already vanished.

Only after Xiao Yan returned to his own cave residence did he take off the "mask" he had worn all day. With an excited expression, he touched this and examined that. One moment, he was sensing the dense natural energy in the cultivation chamber; the next, he was inspecting the mature, high-quality medicinal ingredients in the pill-refining room. Soon after, he went to the martial arts hall to test his Dou Skills against the puppet dummies...

It had to be said that the treatment afforded to Pill Tower disciples was truly lavish! Comparing people only made one miserable, and comparing goods only made one throw things away. The conditions of this cave residence far surpassed every place Xiao Yan had ever stayed!

If he had not wanted to attend the elders' lectures at the Pill Tower the next day, Xiao Yan absolutely would not have rested that night.

The next day, Xiao Yan rose early and arrived at the prearranged location to wait for the "school bus" to the Pill Tower headquarters. There, he saw Cao Ying again. Her complexion had improved, but the moment she saw Xiao Yan, she turned her head away. Clearly, she was still angry.

Xiao Yan was happy to have some peace and naturally did not take the initiative to greet her. Before long, Dan Chen arrived as well. After giving Xiao Yan a slight nod, she did not speak to him.

When the Spirit-Nurturing Ark carrying everyone arrived, it released an indescribable radiance that enveloped the three of them, then drew them aboard.

As Xiao Yan carefully examined the Spirit-Nurturing Ark, he could not help sighing softly. Naturally, it was not because he had spotted some flaw, but because everything was simply too perfect.

In Xiao Yan's eyes, the treatment that the Pill Tower and the Five Great Families beneath it provided for alchemists had reached an unbelievable degree of perfection.

So perfect that Dou Master Peak cultivators had never participated in a single battle.

So perfect that Pill Tower disciples were actually afraid of the dark.

Take this Spirit-Nurturing Ark, for example. With these disciples' cultivation, even traveling to the Pill Tower on their own would take only an hour or two. Yet the Pill Tower would not even let them sweat that little bit more...

No matter how noble an alchemist's status was, they still needed Dou Qi cultivation as a foundation. Not to mention that forces such as the Soul Hall were watching the Pill Tower like tigers eyeing prey.

Would heirs like these, raised in such a manner, truly be a good thing, even without enemies like the Soul Hall?

Xiao Yan shook his head and laughed at himself. This was merely a passing thought. He was only a Dou Master; how could such matters possibly be his concern?

After boarding the Spirit-Nurturing Ark, Dan Chen quickly found Dan Xuan and hid behind him, while Cao Ying was surrounded by Cao Dan, Cao Xiu, and the people clustered behind them.

The descendants of the Five Great Families all had a few people following behind them now. Most wore ingratiating smiles, clearly having formed small groups in less than a day. The Cao Family's side was especially lively, with more than twenty people gathered around the three Cao Family members.

However, not all of them had been drawn by the Cao Family's power and background. Quite a few stared fervently at Cao Ying. Even though the young mistress of the Cao Family said nothing after entering the crowd, it did not dampen their enthusiasm in the slightest.

"I have long heard of Miss Cao Ying's great name. To think I would be fortunate enough to enter the Pill Tower in the same class as Miss Cao. This is truly Song's good fortune."

Most people, seeing Cao Ying's demeanor, did not dare strike up a conversation rashly. When someone suddenly became the first brave soul to speak, everyone immediately turned to see which thick-skinned fellow dared address her.

But after recognizing him, everyone came to a realization. The speaker was Song Qing. Based on his performance yesterday, he was almost second only to Miss Cao Ying herself. He indeed had the standing to converse with a Cao Family heir as an equal.

Cao Ying, however, was in a foul mood. Had yesterday's incident with Xiao Yan not happened, she might have been in the mood to toy with the boy before her. But now, Cao Ying had no interest whatsoever in playing the flirtatious little games she had once enjoyed most.

Cao Ying had no desire to pay Song Qing any attention. Then she suddenly spotted Xiao Yan standing alone in the distance, and a plan came to mind. Immediately, she spoke to Xiao Yan in a voice so sweet it was almost cloying.

"Senior Brother Xiao Yan, Ying'er acted rashly last night and offended Senior Brother. Might I invite Senior Brother to a simple meal when you are free, so Ying'er may offer a small apology?"

Song Qing had been somewhat embarrassed when Cao Ying ignored him for so long. Hearing her finally speak, he was naturally overjoyed, but when he heard what she actually said, he froze. He had not expected Cao Ying to ignore him outright and strike up a conversation with another boy.

Xiao Yan had not expected Cao Ying to call out to him so suddenly, much less bring up an apology. He was somewhat puzzled. He certainly did not believe Cao Ying had suddenly developed a kind heart.

After considering it, Xiao Yan figured that Cao Ying probably did not want others to know that he had beaten her up. This thought made him sigh in relief. After all, he had been worried that Cao Ying would use the matter to trouble him again. So he sparred with her verbally.

"There's no need to apologize. I didn't suffer any loss last night either. Please rest assured, Miss Cao, that I won't spread this matter around."

Everyone who heard their exchange froze on the spot. One spoke of being "rash," the other of not "suffering a loss." It was difficult not to let their imaginations wander in strange directions.

And from the sound of it, it seemed Cao Ying had been the one to do something to Xiao Yan...

Just as the atmosphere fell silent, another man pushed through the crowd and walked toward Xiao Yan. It was Dan Xuan of the Dan Family.

Ignoring the puzzled looks around him, Dan Xuan smiled and spoke to Xiao Yan.

"Little Brother Xiao Yan, I was negligent. My younger sister caused you trouble last night. I truly apologize deeply."

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this! They had not expected Xiao Yan's story from last night to be so exciting. Aside from Cao Ying, there had also been something involving the little girl from the Dan Family?

This fellow was truly terrifying indeed!?