"Pill King, don't overthink it. I didn't do this today out of consideration for Sect Master Yun, but entirely because of our meeting today and everything I'd previously heard about your deeds."
Seeing that his little maneuver had left Gu He on the verge of a breakdown, Xiao Yan coughed and added a few words.
"I'm actually offering this heavenly flame to invite you to join my Heavenly Mansion and take charge of the Pill Hall."
"Heavenly Mansion?"
Gu He frowned, his thoughts pulled away from his earlier conflict as he carefully searched his memory for a faction by that name.
But after searching for a long while, all he could recall were either scattered records left in ancient texts or groups that could hardly be called factions.
So it's some great hidden power?
Thinking of Xiao Yan's earlier performance, Gu He couldn't help placing the Heavenly Mansion on an extremely high pedestal.
It must be stronger than dozens, even hundreds of Misty Cloud Sects, right?
And Xiao Yan was inviting me to oversee a division of an organization like that?
Gu He looked rather overwhelmed by the honor.
"I'm merely a sixth-tier Alchemist. Isn't that a little..."
"Oh, Pill King, there's no need to sell yourself short. Reaching this level in such a remote backwater is enough to prove that your future extends far beyond this."
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, sounding thoroughly high-minded.
"Well..."
By now, Gu He thought he had figured it out. The Heavenly Mansion was most likely a subordinate faction of the power backing Xiao Yan, perhaps even one directly under Xiao Yan himself.
Xiao Yan was setting up his own establishment.
But considering how terrifying the power behind Xiao Yan was, this Pill Hall would surely be anything but ordinary. There might be a