The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

The guards at Dan Tower all seemed to avoid them upon seeing them. Old Zhao, the usually cheerful gatekeeper, saw Xiao Fan from afar but didn't greet him, turning and running inside. Han Fei scratched his head, wondering if Old Zhao had taken the wrong medicine.

Xiao Fan said nothing and walked straight into the front hall. The closer he got to Jiang Yuanji's courtyard, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. When he lifted the bamboo curtain and saw the person sitting in the hall, he paused.

Jiang Yuan sat at the head of the table, his expression unchanged, only his grip on the teacup tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white. Opposite him sat three people, two men and one woman, each radiating a powerful aura, the lowest of whom was at least a third-grade Tribulation Realm cultivator.

Each of the three had a golden alchemical cauldron pattern on their chest, with the Samadhi Flame pattern inside the furnace clearly visible; this was the symbol of the Pill Tower Alliance.

The Danta Alliance is the highest authority of the Danta in the Daqing Empire. Its headquarters is located north of the capital and is called Yuncang Mountain. Under normal circumstances, it will not interfere in the affairs of any of the towers, but once it sends people out, it is not an easy task.

Xiao Fan entered the main hall, clasped his hands in greeting to Jiang Yuanji, and said, "Senior Jiang, this junior greets you."

Upon seeing him, Jiang Yuanji's face showed a hint of relief, but this was quickly replaced by worry. Before he could finish speaking, the eldest of the three men in black robes spoke up, his voice neither cold nor indifferent: "Your name is Xiao Fan?"

"good."

The man pulled a yellowed booklet from his sleeve, spread it on the table, and pushed it in front of him: "The Alliance received a report that you opened the Nine Towers seal without authorization and used the Strange Fire to exchange for the items of the South China Sea's sinful descendants, causing the spiritual power of the Nine Towers' core array to become unstable, which led to this incident."

The Alliance Elders have decided that, starting today, you must hand over all the scriptures, jade slips, and seeds of strange fire from the Nine Towers for review by the Alliance. During the assessment, you are not permitted to leave the area within a hundred miles of the Pill Tower.

The hall was silent.

Gu Yuan had been following Xiao Fan, but upon hearing this, his face turned ashen. Just as he was about to lash out, Xiao Fan grabbed his shoulder.

Xiao Fan glanced at the files on the table, then at the three men in black robes, his expression perfectly calm.

"May I ask who reported this?"

The man frowned. "I cannot reveal the whistleblower's identity. All you have to do is cooperate with the Alliance's investigation."

Xiao Fan nodded and continued, "In that case, I'll ask the seniors of the Alliance first. The Nine Towers Formation was personally set up by the Grand Void Pill Saint, and hundreds of years have passed. The Alliance has never inquired about the status of the Nine Towers Formation."

"Now, I have repaired the damaged seals on eight pagodas for the Grandmaster of the Void, and extended the lifespan of the nine pagodas in the South Sea by three years. Can you tell me how the Grand Alliance has been doing this for the past few hundred years?"

The three men in black robes froze.

Xiao Fan continued, "Among the Nine Towers, the jade slip left by the Grandmaster of the Void clearly states that the right to maintain the seal of the Nine Towers belongs to the person who possesses the Creation Cauldron."

If the three seniors wish to investigate my faults, they might as well first investigate why the Danta Alliance has not sent anyone to patrol for hundreds of years.

From the North Sea to the Western Regions, from the Southern Frontier to the South Sea, everywhere they went was damaged, some even largely destroyed by evil cultivators. If the Grand Alliance truly has a duty to oversee this, what have they been doing all these years?

Silence fell once more in the hall. The three black-robed figures exchanged glances. The arrogance on the first man's face had vanished, and his voice softened: "You... possess the Creation Cauldron?"

Within Xiao Fan's sea of ​​consciousness, the illusory image of the Creation Cauldron trembled slightly, and then a powerful pressure emanated from his body. He didn't summon the cauldron; instead, he simply opened his palm, and a ball of crimson-gold Creation Flame quietly appeared in his hand.

Although it was only the size of an egg, the aura it emitted made all the cultivators present tremble. This was the most primordial flame since the creation of the world, far superior to any acquired spiritual fire.

The three men in black robes all sharpened their gazes. The youngest female cultivator unconsciously leaned back, as if she had been burned by that aura.

The Creation Fire surpasses any other spiritual fire in the Pill Tower Alliance by a significant margin. Those who possess it, regardless of their cultivation level, enjoy an unparalleled advantage in the art of alchemy. This fact has been undeniable for millennia of alchemy tradition.

After a long while, the oldest man in black slowly put down the memorial in his hand, cleared his throat, and said, "This matter... Alliance Leader Rong has already discussed it again. However, you cannot leave the Pill Tower before you make a decision."

Xiao Fan extinguished the flames, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes. The courtyard of the Pill Tower is spacious and quiet, and it's very comfortable to stay there. We can talk slowly; I'm not in a hurry."

Without further ado, the three of them got up and took their leave.

Jiang Yuanji watched everyone leave, then returned to the hall, sighed deeply, looked at Xiao Fan, and shook his head, saying, "Your return this time has really caused me a lot of trouble. The investigation report from the main alliance has already been sent."

Xiao Fan sat down opposite him, picked up his teacup and took a sip, then felt relieved: "The person who reported me should be Wei Huoshou from the Earth Fire Hall."

Although the Earth Fire Hall isn't directly under the Grand Alliance's jurisdiction, Wei Huoshou's senior brother is a guest elder of Cloud Cang Mountain, so sending messages is quite easy. I'm not afraid of the Grand Alliance's investigation, because without the Creation Cauldron, the Nine Towers can't turn the tide. However, senior…”

He glanced at Jiang Yuanji and said seriously, "I may stay at the Pill Tower for a while. I'll have to trouble you to help me withstand the pressure from headquarters."

Jiang Yuanji snorted coldly, picked up his teacup, and blew on it: "I have been in charge of the Pill Tower for more than forty years. What storms haven't I seen?"

"Just mind your own business. Let headquarters investigate on their own. They won't have any results by the end of the year anyway."

Xiao Fan felt a warmth in his heart, picked up his wine glass, and toasted the old man.

That evening, he returned to his lodgings, opened the incomplete scroll of "The Immaculate Fire Grafting Technique" that Liu Changgeng had given him, and carefully studied it by candlelight.

Yun Ruoxi sat in Jiang Yuanji's study, holding an old travelogue in her hand. She would occasionally look up at him, and the light shone on her face, making her look exceptionally gentle.

In the courtyard, Han Fei lay on the stone table, fast asleep.

Gu Yuan was drinking in the kitchen, coughing occasionally.

Xiao Fan closed the scroll, rubbed his forehead, and looked out the window. Moonlight shone on the green tiles, and the wind chimes hanging from the eaves of the pagoda rang crisply, adding to the tranquility of the night.

He knew that there would definitely be a protracted battle with the Danta Alliance, and that Master Wei of the Earth Fire Hall would not give up easily.

However, all of that is for tomorrow. Tonight, he just needs to master the last two steps.