As they were talking, the two had already entered the small garden where the pill refining room was located. Yang Tiancai suddenly sniffed and a scent of medicine rushed into his nostrils – it was the smell given off by newly refined pills. It was a scent he was familiar with.


    “Is someone refining pills here?” he asked Xiao Shun excitedly.


    “Oh, my disciple.”


    “Can you take me to see?” Yang Tiancai asked earnestly.


    “Sure.”Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Xiao Shun led him towards the pill refining room.


    When he pushed open the door, Yang Tiancai saw over ten brownish pellets on the stone counter next to the three exquisite pill furnaces. His eyes lit up as he looked at them.


    The consolidation pellets were just basic medicinal pills that could help cultivators practice qi absorption and emission more smoothly. Even these basic pills were something Yang Tiancai had not sessfully refined in over ten years.


    Xiao Shun had told him the energy pellet he gave him was refined by himself, but Yang Tiancai was actually half believing.


    Now, seeing with his own eyes those more than ten pellets with perfect appearance, color and aroma, he had no choice but to believe it.


    Thud!


    He suddenly knelt down, startling Xiao Shun and Song Linger.


    “Mr. Yang, what are you doing? Get up quickly,” Xiao Shun hurried over to help him up.


    “Master Xiao, no, Grandmaster Xiao, please ept me as your disciple. Yang Tiancai is willing to be an ox or a horse and follow you for life.” Yang Tiancai kowtowed three times.


    “What are you doing? Get up first and let’s talk,” Xiao Shun said helplessly.


    “I dare not get up unless you agree,” Yang Tiancai said.


    “We’ve only known each other for a short time. If you were me, would you rashly ept someone you’re unfamiliar with and don’t understand as a disciple?” Xiao Shun asked.


    “This…” Yang Tiancai was rendered speechless.


    “Get up first, then we’ll talk,” Xiao Shun said.


    Xiao Shun didn’t expect Yang Tiancai to react so strongly and directly kneel down to apprentice.


    Xiao Shun’s cultivation path could be described as smooth sailing. After being brought back to the mountain by the old monk, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to imparting all his knowledge. Combined with Xiao Shun’s outstanding talents and extremely highprehension ability, he rarely encountered setbacks.


    Yang Tiancai was different. He had devoted himself to the pill refining arts since over ten years ago.


    In a sh, more than ten years had passed, yet he had no aplishments. Not being able to put food on the table and drifting around weremon urrences. The failures he had encountered were too numerous to count.


    To Yang Tiancai, each batch of pills that came out of the furnace represented a failure.


    So Xiao Shun found it hard to understand Yang Tiancai’s urgent mood at this moment.


    Hearing Xiao Shun’s words, Yang Tiancai knew he was indeed a bit rash. In these past ten-odd years, it was not like he had not gone to seek out famous pill refiners, hoping to apprentice under them, only to be sternly rejected every time. After all, pill forms were the foundation of a pill refiner’s livelihood, how could they be casually imparted?


    “Grandmaster Xiao is right. Taking a master cannot be done so recklessly. I will prepare generous gifts another day and formallye to your door to earnestly beseech Grandmaster Xiao to ept me as a disciple,” Yang Tiancai said sincerely as he stood up.


    “Let’s talk about the apprenticeshipter,” Xiao Shun waved his hand. This guy really had thick skin. When did I say that I agreed?


    Yang Tiancai saw that Xiao Shun had not directly rejected him, so there was still room to maneuver.


    He was immediately overjoyed and grinned, “Starting today, I will follow Grandmaster Xiao. If you have any tasks that need aplishing, just order me. I will spare no effort to fulfill them to the best of my abilities.”


    “Let’s go to the side room. Tell me the details about the auction,” Xiao Shun said.


    “Alright!” Yang Tiancai replied.


    The matter of almost missing the entry pass made Xiao Shun realize his understanding of the Hero Cup was far toocking. It was a good chance to have Yang Tiancai give him a lesson.


    …


    7pm that night.


    Harrow International Airport. A small passenger ne slowlynded on the runway like a soaring eagle.


    The cabin door opened and Zhou Tianheng walked out first. He had snowy white hair, a ruddyplexion, and was full of energy. He wore a grey silk mandarin jacket and held a string of prayer beads in one hand and a brass handled walking stick in the other. He had quite the aura of an immortal.


    Behind him, apart from Haitang, were twenty to thirty high level cultivators. Each carried a small ck suitcase and filed out one by one.


    Over ten luxury cars were parked in a row at the special passageway exit, very eye catching. After the group walked out of the passageway, they got into the cars and headed towards the Oars Old School Society headquarters.


    “Miss Yang is busy overseeing all matters regarding the auction at headquarters day after tomorrow, so she specially sent me as her representative to wee you and Mr. Zhou. Please pardon her inability to greet you in person,” said Oars Old School Society Elder Wan Yushan, who Yang Zinu had newly appointed. He spoke to Haitang deferentially in one of the ck Rolls Royces.


    “It’s fine. The auction going smoothly is the priority. It’s quite difficult for Miss Yang to take on such heavy responsibilities right after bing branch head. Everything is going well so far?” Haitang asked.


    “So far so good. Miss Yang is capable andpetent beyond her years. She handles matters steadily and prudently. With the White Tiger Envoy overseeing things, we are even more confident that this grand event will be a great sess, adding glory to our Middlnd Old School Society,” Wan Yushan said with a smiling face, speaking words of ttery.


    “Xiao Shun hasn’t been acting out of line recently?” Haitang asked expressionlessly.


    “No… but today the people monitoring him were injured by his disciple and sent to the police station…” Elder Wan said somewhat awkwardly.


    “Where is Envoy Gu?” Haitang remained silent briefly before continuing to ask.


    “Envoy Gu arrived this morning and is staying at Elfheim House,” Wan Yushan replied.


    Elfheim House was the ce Oars Old School Society used to amodate distinguished guests.


    “Have the others escort Mr. Zhou to headquarters. You take me to Elfheim House first. I want to see Gu Baiyi,” Haitang said.


    “Understood.” Wan Yushan was slightly taken aback, but immediately acknowledged.


    Half an hourter, the car slowly drove into a courtyard with an ancient style and zen feel – this was Elfheim House where Gu Baiyi was staying.


    Gravel, artificial mountains, ponds, deer… lush greenery was condensed into a small natural wonder, quiet and profound.


    A light evening breeze caressed the scene.


    Beneath a pavilion, Gu Baiyi was drinking tea alone.


    “What elegance.”


    Haitang arrived uninvited, but Gu Baiyi’s expression did not fluctuate at all, as if he had already known in advance.


    “Youing at this time surely isn’t to appreciate tea with me? Please sit,” Gu Baiyi gestured for her to sit and had a barely discernible smile on his face.


    Haitang sat down across from him and smiled, “Astute observation.”


    “Please speak inly,” Gu Baiyi poured her a cup of premium Longjing tea before the rain, ncing at her.


    “Might Envoy Gu postpone settling your grievances with Xiao Shun until after the Hero Cup?” Haitang asked after taking a sip of tea.


    “Give me a reason to convince me,” Gu Baiyi said lightly.