The pill room beside it was much smaller than Valley Master Nie's, with only a single pill furnace available for use. Yet wonderfully, this pill room actually had a bed and other furnishings. Though Zhang Xiaohua had no use for such things, they gave him an excellent excuse.
Zhang Xiaohua had been somewhat unwilling to stay in that pavilion amid the peach grove. Over these past dozens of days, quite a few idle and busy people alike had come over to curry favor with him, whether they had business or not. Through his divine sense, he had also discovered some people watching him. Flies might not do much harm, but they were irritating all the same. Now that he saw the bed in this pill room, Zhang Xiaohua immediately slapped a "good character" label onto his own forehead.
Hearing that Zhang Xiaohua wanted to move into the pill room, Valley Master Nie was speechless. I've seen diligent people before, but never one as diligent as you. I'm not even your master; there's no need to put on such a display, is there? I had you stay in the pavilion so it would be convenient for you to communicate more with my Xiao Yu. Yet here you are—rather than advancing when urged onward, you're retreating instead. You truly make this old man furious.
Valley Master Nie looked at Nie Qianyu. She too was stunned upon hearing this, and felt extremely uncomfortable inside. But he was, after all, openly and properly seeking to learn the art of pill refinement. She had every reason to encourage him and none to stop him. Then, with another turn of thought, she recalled, *When Brother Ren was studying the art of healing some time ago, he was always running to Eldest Senior Brother's place. No matter