Fantasy, starting with a treasure bowl

"A disciple of the Pill Alliance?"

Lu Feng's expression sharpened, as if he had remembered something. "Brother Gu, are you perhaps referring to the Central Continent Pill Alliance?"

"Eh! Fellow Daoist Lu, I didn't expect that even you know about the origins of the Central Continent Pill Alliance. Could it be that you have also dealt with these Pill Alliance disciples?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Juji was also somewhat surprised.

After all, the Central Continent Pill Alliance is located in the very center of the Misty Continent, not in a remote and harsh place like the Eastern Xuan Domain and the Four Kingdoms of Lingnan. Ordinary martial artists are not even worthy of carrying shoes for the Pill Alliance disciples, let alone having any contact with them!

"I've only heard about it briefly."

Shaking his head, Lu Feng asked again, "Brother Gu, why would the disciples of the Pill Alliance suddenly visit the Alchemist Guild? With the standards of these chosen ones, they probably wouldn't bother dealing with us low-level martial artists from the Eastern Xuan Region..."

"Could it be that your Alchemist Guild is subject to the jurisdiction of the Central Continent Pill Alliance?"

"That's not it."

Faced with Lu Feng's question, Gu Juji shrugged and then grinned, "Our Alchemist Guild does not belong to any force on the continent. It is a group of alchemists from the four kingdoms of Lingnan who spontaneously banded together. Even the guild leader was elected by everyone through a vote."

"However, the Central Continent Pill Alliance is renowned throughout the continent, and in addition, President Xu once said that we should communicate more with other alchemists outside the continent, so we specially gave them some face."

"After all, when it comes to alchemy skills, these disciples of the Pill Alliance far surpass most of the alchemists in our four Lingnan kingdoms. It's always good to exchange ideas with them more often."

"I see...."

Hearing this, Lu Feng roughly understood what Gu Juji and the others were thinking. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Brother Gu, although the treasures on the fifth floor are quite good, they still don't suit my taste. Let's go up and take another look."

"Do we need to go up again?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Juji's expression froze, seemingly somewhat surprised.

"Brother Gu, what's wrong?"

Seeing the other party's expression and reaction, Lu Feng also felt puzzled.

"No, no, no! It's nothing! It's just..."

He shook his head repeatedly to indicate that he was fine. The next moment, Gu Juji looked at Lu Feng beside him again, and his tone became somewhat hesitant.

"Brother Gu, please speak freely."

Seeing the other person's troubled expression, as if they were constipated, Lu Feng frowned slightly and then got straight to the point.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, to be honest with you, the floors above the sixth floor have been booked out by the Pill Alliance disciples. They say they're investigating something, and unless you have permission from the two vice presidents, no unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter..."

Seeing this, Gu Juji also laid his cards on the table, shrugging his shoulders.

"A private event? Does that mean even you, Brother Gu, can't go up?"

"Oh dear, Fellow Daoist Lu, you flatter me. I am merely a lowly steward, and even in terms of alchemy skills, I am at most a third-grade alchemist. How can I compare to these esteemed disciples of the Pill Alliance..."

With his hands outstretched, Gu Juji smiled helplessly, "If Fellow Daoist Lu takes a fancy to any treasures later, or needs a discount or anything like that, feel free to come to me anytime. I can make decisions on these small matters."

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Lu, if it's not anything serious, try to stay away from these Pill Alliance disciples, and absolutely do not trespass on the sixth floor. Otherwise, if you anger these Pill Alliance disciples, even I won't be able to protect you..."

Seemingly remembering something, Gu Juji turned back and reminded him again, then immediately turned and left, clearly not wanting to cause any more trouble.

"I understand, thank you for reminding me, Brother Gu."

Seeing this, Lu Feng didn't ask any further questions, but simply bowed and thanked him.

"The Dan Alliance disciples have booked the entire sixth floor and above, and unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter..."

After Gu Juji left, Lu Feng's gaze returned to the sixth-floor entrance, now shimmering with a faint light. "I'm going to see what you guys are up to...!"

Alchemist Guild, sixth floor entrance

"Sir, wait a moment!"

Seeing that Lu Feng was about to go to the sixth floor, the two gray-clad servants guarding the entrance to the stairs quickly approached him, then bowed and stopped him.

"What's up?"

Lu Feng glanced at the two gray-clad servants, but remained calm.

"Uh, I wouldn't dare disturb you, sir, but the two vice presidents have ordered that non-Dan Alliance disciples are not allowed to set foot on the sixth floor. Please forgive me!"

One of the servants in gray spoke timidly, his face showing some nervousness, as if afraid that the other party would not listen to his advice.

"You're very obedient and follow the rules, it's just a pity you lack discernment..."

Faced with the gray-robed servant's obstruction, Lu Feng was not angry. He merely grinned and said calmly, "If I'm not a disciple of the Pill Alliance, what else could I be?"

"Uh, this...!"

Faced with Lu Feng's reminder, the gray-clad servant was stunned for a moment, while his companion's pupils shrank slightly. When he saw the flowing cloud-shaped Bauhinia flower on the left side of the former's robe, he turned pale.

"Flowing, flowing clouds and bauhinia flowers?!"

"I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. Please forgive me!"

The gray-clad servant broke out in a cold sweat, while his companion beside him had already knelt on both knees, trembling uncontrollably, clearly terrified of his dereliction of duty for mistaking a disciple of the Pill Alliance.

"It's alright."

Seeing that the two were too frightened to speak, Lu Feng showed no sign of reprimand. He simply flicked his sleeve, signaling them to step back.

After all, these two servants in gray were just ordinary mortals. Bullying the weak was meaningless and not in Lu Feng's nature.

"Hehe, I never thought that the clothes I found in that nameless valley would actually come in handy now...!"

Lu Feng was secretly delighted to have successfully entered the sixth floor.

The flowing cloud alchemist robe he was wearing was a relic of Wang Fuling, a disciple of the Alchemy Alliance. Lu Feng had been leaving it to gather dust in his storage ring, but unexpectedly it would come in handy now. What a coincidence!

...

Sixth floor, lobby

"What are you good for?! I asked you to look up an ancient book, and you've been searching for a week with no results!"

"Senior Sister Song, actually I...!"

"What do you mean, 'you'? You didn't even get the job done, and you're trying to make excuses?! Did you ignore everything I said before I left?!"

"And you lot, what are you all laughing about? You're all a bunch of good-for-nothings. No dinner tonight, you're all going to write self-criticisms for this grandma!"

"Yes, Senior Sister Song...!"

As soon as Lu Feng stepped onto the sixth floor, he heard a clear, cold rebuke coming from afar, which immediately drew his attention.

A group of young men and women stood side by side, heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound, like children who had done something wrong. Opposite them stood a slender woman in a blue dress, arms crossed, her fair and delicate face slightly flushed, seemingly angry.

"Holy crap, what's going on now?"

Seeing this, Lu Feng scratched his head, somewhat surprised.

At first, he wondered why all the Danmeng disciples were hiding on the sixth floor, but it turned out they were just taking turns being scolded.

"You, stop right there!"

Lu Feng was about to turn and leave when Song Xin'er's gaze suddenly swept over him, as if an eagle had spotted its prey.

"What were you doing just now?"

Song Xin'er's tone remained cold, as if she were interrogating a criminal, making people afraid to resist.

"Uh, to answer Senior Sister Song's question, I suddenly felt unwell and went to relieve myself, which is why I'm late..."

Faced with Song Xin'er's sudden question, Lu Feng inwardly knew something was wrong and quickly bowed in response, trying his best not to give himself away.

"Need to relieve myself?"

A hint of suspicion flashed in Song Xin'er's beautiful eyes. She then scrutinized Lu Feng again, her pretty face gradually turning cold and stern. "Hmph, what a convenient excuse. Do you really think I'm a fool who's easy to fool?!"