The Central Plains.
The Pill Tower.
As the Central Plains' foremost organization of alchemists, the Pill Tower naturally had ample reason for pride. At its peak, it had even had a nine-star Dou Saint late stage expert presiding over it.
Unfortunately, times had changed, and the Pill Tower had long since lost its former glory.
At that moment, Old Monster Lin, the grand elder of the Little Pill Tower, and several Half-Saints were confronting a group of experts in the void.
Just moments earlier, Ling Ya, the Spirit Clan's patriarch, had arrived with two one-star Dou Shengs and dozens of Peak Dou Zuns, blocking the sky above the Little Pill Tower's barrier.
The Spirit Clan's strength certainly went far beyond this, but even the forces before them were already more than the Pill Tower could withstand.
Ling Ya, the Spirit Clan's patriarch, was an Early Six-Star Dou Sheng. In the entire Pill Tower, no one except the Pill Tower Ancestor could contend with him.
"Patriarch Ling Ya, what happened to Young Patriarch Ling Feng had nothing to do with our Pill Tower. You've come to the wrong people."
Clad in white robes, his face covered in wrinkles, Ling Ya remained expressionless, yet inwardly, he could not calm down.
These pill-obsessed fools from the Pill Tower were indeed unlikely to have attacked his Spirit Clan.
But who else could it have been?
Who possessed both the ability and the nerve?
Over the years, members of the Spirit Clan had frequently vanished without explanation. Even Dou Sheng Experts had fallen. Ling Ya had been investigating in secret all this time, yet he had found not a single clue.
Now even his own son, the Spirit Clan's young patriarch, had been blasted to death away from home.
In the thousand years since the Soul Xiao War ended, no clan's young patriarch had ever met a sudden, violent death while traveling. If he did not get to the bottom of this, how could the Spirit Clan hold its head high among the Eight Clans in the future?
"Lin Mo, our Spirit Clan's young patriarch came to your Pill Tower's territory to train. He had been training in your Pill Tower's territory for less than half a year, and now he's dead. Unless you give us an explanation today, we'll slaughter Sacred Pill City outright," one of the Spirit Clan's one-star Dou Shengs declared.
"What? You wouldn't dare!"
"Just watch whether I dare!"
The Pill Tower and Spirit Clan experts met needlepoint with needlepoint, neither side yielding. The Spirit Clan had lost its young patriarch and burned with towering fury, while the Pill Tower, unjustly wronged for no reason, was equally seething.
"Our Pill Tower has stood in the Central Plains for so many years. We aren't something anyone can squeeze and twist at will. If you have evidence, Patriarch Ling Ya, then present it." Lin Mo, the Little Pill Tower's grand elder, forced himself to speak.
"Exactly! You say our Pill Tower did it, but I say the Hall of Souls did it. If you're so capable, go confront the Hall of Souls!"
A High-Rank Half-Saint from the Pill Tower shouted indignantly as well.
At those words, the Spirit Clan members actually found themselves speechless for a moment.
"Our clan's secret art revealed that the young patriarch died not far from Sacred Pill City. To seal space perfectly and cut off a Spatial Scroll's spatial power would require at least a Half-Saint, unless the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan's secret art was used."
A Dou Zun from the Spirit Clan spoke with a chill in his eyes.
"A Half-Saint attacked our clan's prodigy near Sacred Pill City, and your Pill Tower claims to know nothing?"
"Well..." Lin Mo was dumbfounded too. He had to admit that the Spirit Clan's reasoning made sense. Only a Half-Saint could seal space perfectly, but if an expert of that level had acted, he should not have been completely unaware.
"Three days. I'll give you three days. I hope your Pill Tower can provide me with a satisfactory answer. Our Spirit Clan will also send people to investigate the city thoroughly. I expect your cooperation."
"Otherwise, even if that Xuan Dan Ancestor of your Pill Tower is still alive, your Pill Tower will suffer consequences it cannot bear."
The surrounding air seemed to freeze for an instant. Ling Ya stroked his beard, apparently contemplating something.
"Your Ancient Races agreed that experts above five-star Dou Sheng must not act indiscriminately. Patriarch Ling Ya, aren't you afraid of breaking the rules by mobilizing such a force today?"
Ling Ya looked at Lin Mo and sneered.
"The rules? So what if I break the rules today?"
Vast, powerful Dou Qi filled the air as Ling Ya unleashed his Six-Star Dou Sheng aura without restraint. Some of the Pill Tower's Half-Saints could barely breathe, and even the circulation of their Dou Qi slowed considerably.
"If you believe the Hall of Souls did it, then obtain the evidence and prove it to me."
With a sweep of Ling Ya's hand, a pitch-black spatial rift thousands of zhang long appeared. He then led the Spirit Clan members into it and vanished.
After killing Ling Feng, Fan Tian had already anticipated that the Spirit Clan would fly into a rage. After all, it was their own young patriarch who had died. Thus, he had wiped away every trace of his mess, except for this Soul Infant Fruit.
But he had never expected the Spirit Clan to come straight to Sacred Pill City and demand the Pill Tower's cooperation in the investigation, or to discover that Ling Feng had frequently visited Yao Ling's shop while alive.
Truly, human plans were no match for heaven's calculations.
"Seniors, I can vouch that Miss Yao Ling has remained in her medicine shop these past few days and hasn't gone anywhere. Your clan's young patriarch's death should have nothing to do with her." Fan Tian approached Ling Yi, clasped his hands, and bowed.
"You? What gives you the right to vouch for her?"
A Dou Zun from the Spirit Clan snorted coldly.
"Because Miss Yao Ling and I have been together these past few days. We drank tea and wine and discussed our cultivation experiences. We never parted for even a moment."
Fan Tian gently took Yao Ling's hand and spoke calmly.
Ling Yi looked at Yao Ling, then at Fan Tian.
For a moment, he could not quite determine their relationship.
Yao Ling's cheeks grew slightly hot, and she froze. Fan Tian had clearly only just arrived, yet he was lying that he had been with her all along.
This damned man definitely has something up his sleeve.
She saw Fan Tian repeatedly signaling to her with his eyes.
She collected herself.
"That's right. I've been with this fellow the whole time and haven't gone anywhere. If you keep pestering us with this nonsense, I'll have no choice but to ask my clan's elders to settle the matter."
Puffing out her cheeks and planting one hand on her hip, Yao Ling shouted at the Spirit Clan members.
Ling Yi had intended to insist on searching Yao Ling's Storage Ring, but the Dou Zun behind him stopped him.
Forcibly searching the Yao Clan's young lady's Storage Ring without evidence was no trivial matter. Every Emperor Clan had its own secrets. If word got out, the Yao Clan would have every reason to believe that the Spirit Clan was trying to seize the opportunity to steal its Dou Di inheritance.
More importantly, compared with the Yao Clan, the Spirit Clan's strength fell somewhat short.
At that thought, Ling Yi gave a slight nod.
"Very well. Over the next few days, the Pill Tower will cooperate with us in investigating suspicious individuals and leads within Sacred Pill City. Little girl, you were acquainted with Ling Feng. If you learn anything, please inform us promptly."
With that, Ling Yi led the others away at a brisk pace.
"Whew!"
Watching the Spirit Clan members leave, Fan Tian and Yao Ling both let out a breath at the same time.
Yao Ling was not afraid of the Spirit Clan. It was simply that she had never lied in her life, and with that Soul Infant Fruit in her Storage Ring, she could not help feeling a little guilty.
Fan Tian's back, meanwhile, was already drenched in sweat. If Yao Ling had suddenly said, "The Soul Infant Fruit? You mean this? This fellow just gave it to me!"
Then everything would have been over. Even Luo Linglong could not have saved him.
"Let go of my hand!" Yao Ling shook Fan Tian off. "Tell me, did you do it?"
Yao Ling's expression turned serious. Killing the Spirit Clan's young patriarch was no laughing matter. She was not someone who failed to grasp what mattered, and she had to get a clear answer.
Fan Tian abruptly steadied his gaze and said quietly, "My dear lady, even if I had the desire, I wouldn't have the ability. Who knows how many trump cards the Spirit Clan's young patriarch carried? I was no match for him. Besides, he could call in reinforcements at the slightest disagreement. You think far too highly of me."
Yao Ling blinked, half convinced and half doubtful.
Fan Tian's gaze sharpened.
"What, scared now? If you don't want the Soul Infant Fruit, forget it. Give it back."
"Soul Infant Fruit? What Soul Infant Fruit? How come I haven't seen it?"
Yao Ling looked at Fan Tian with wide eyes and a face full of confusion.
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