"The Huazong and Burned Flame Valley both agree to join the alliance?" In the grand hall of Xingyin Pavilion, upon hearing the report from the two senior elders before him, Xiao Yin suddenly stood up, his face glowing with excitement. "Indeed, both Huazong and Burned Flame Valley have given us clear commitments—only awaiting the Master and the Junior Master to decide when to officially announce this news," said one of the elders, smiling warmly. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yin and the others beside him, including Cai Lin, quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Starting off successfully was no small feat—this solid beginning would greatly ease the path ahead. Both Huazong and Burned Flame Valley were well-respected in the Central Region, and their joining would significantly amplify the alliance's stature, far surpassing the initial momentum of the Yinhe Alliance when it was first formed. "Actually, the smooth progress of this matter has come as a bit of a surprise to me," said Yao Lao, stroking his beard with a smile. After all, the Hündian was no ordinary power—standing directly opposed to them required considerable courage. "When should we meet with the two sects to discuss the details of the alliance?" Cailei asked. "The timing doesn't have to be urgent, though we've resolved the Huazong and Fenyan Valley matters. Still, this isn't enough. To stand a chance against the Hundi Palace, we must bring in Dantala. Otherwise, the path will remain difficult." The old pharmacist slowly shook his head. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his initial enthusiasm gradually fading. He understood that among the three major powers, Dantala was the most crucial—one with immense influence across Zhongzhou. If they joined the alliance, its strength would soar to its peak, making it capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Hundi Palace. Yet he also knew that securing Dantala's participation would not be an easy task. Dantan has always remained neutral since its founding, never officially aligning itself with either side—despite sharing the same deep resentment toward the Hunsen Palace. Clearly, convincing them to join the Alliance will not be an easy task. "Shouldn't we send a preliminary letter to gauge their response?" suggested Xiao Yixian. The Elder of Medicine shook his head. "This cannot be treated lightly. To persuade them to join the Alliance, I myself and Xiao Yan will have to personally visit Dantan. Sending anyone else would likely yield the same result." "Agreed." Xiao Yan nodded as well. Dantan is no match for Huazong or Fenyan Valley; to achieve this alliance, they must personally engage. "Then so be it. I'll oversee the Xingyin Pavilion. With all matters now settled, things should run smoothly. When do you intend to depart?" "The colorful scales nodded slightly, expressing strong support. The final decision of Dan Ta holds crucial significance for the Alliance, so it must be handled with care." "Let's not delay any further—let's leave today," Xiao Yan and Yao Lao exchanged glances and said simultaneously. This matter must be resolved promptly. Upon returning to Shentan City, Xiao Yan felt a sense of nostalgia. This was where he first gained recognition in the Central Plains—during the Dan Conference, he single-handedly turned the tide, defeating a strong contender from the Hun Palace and securing the championship title for himself, thus preventing the Huns from claiming it. In a way, the Dan Tower owed Xiao Yan a personal debt. If the championship had fallen to the Huns, it would have been a significant blow to the Tower's prestige. "These three have certainly grown quite imposing these days..." The herbal elder lifted the tea cup from beside him, took a light sip, and chuckled. On this journey, he and Xiao Yan had indeed endured quite a bit, but fortunately, both of them were no ordinary strong ones, which allowed them to endure the journey without much strain. Xiao Yan smiled, knowing that the herbal elder had good relations with the three leaders, so he said nothing about it. Silence in the hall lasted for a moment before being broken by a sudden flurry of footsteps. The heavy door swung open swiftly, and a hearty laugh followed. "Hah! Truly a rare visit indeed—Mr. Herbal Elder, I never thought I'd actually get to see you today!" The door opened, and Xuankongzi, dressed in a pale robe, entered with a broad smile, stepping quickly into the hall. Behind him came Tianlei and Xuanyi, both of whom looked at the herbal elder, who was calmly holding his tea cup, with expressions of genuine excitement. "Long time no see! I hope you've been well." The herbal elder set down his teacup, gazing at the three of them with a warm smile. The three of Xuan Kong swiftly entered the hall and approached the elder, gazing at the familiar face. After a moment of silence, they sighed softly. Xuan Kong firmly patted the elder on the shoulder, saying, "I never thought in all my years I'd still get to see you again." Seeing their expressions, the elder's smile grew even more radiant. He patted Xuan Kong on the shoulder and then turned to the one in the dark blue robe, smiling, "It's been so long—yet you still look so radiant, far more so than any of us old fellows." Upon hearing this, the one in blue robe's cheeks flushed slightly, and a soft mistiness appeared in her eyes. This delicate, youthful demeanor caught Xiao Yan's quiet admiration. It was clear that the head of Dan Tower truly held a special affection for the elder—something even he could sense. The four of them got along well, chatting warmly, which left Xiao Yan with little opportunity to speak, and he could only stand by, serving as a quiet backdrop. "Ha ha, Master Yao, you've truly found a gifted disciple! At such a young age, he's already reached the level of Battle Saint, and what's more, he's deeply loyal and emotionally sincere. If anything were to happen to him, I'd actually be eager to claim him myself." After a while of lively conversation, the group finally turned their attention to Xiao Yan, who smiled warmly. "Master Xuankong, please don't make me feel so humble," Xiao Yan replied, a faint smile of embarrassment playing on his lips. "Hehe, I'm not sure I can still call myself a 'master' anymore. In both battle cultivation and herbal medicine, I suspect I may not measure up to you at all—after all, the very concept of 'master' seems to be earned by those who truly excel." Xuankong chuckled. He himself had only recently, a year ago, managed to reach the rank of half-Saint, yet in Xiao Yan's presence, he felt as though he were standing before an endless ocean—his own depth "Well, no matter how far one travels, one doesn't come to the Three Precious Treasures Pavilion for nothing. Master Yao, this visit must be about something significant." Xuan Kongzi smiled, then turned his gaze toward Master Yao. "Yes." Seeing that Master Yao had finally come to the point, the smile on his face softened slightly. After a brief pause, he began to recount the details of the alliance's affairs. "The alliance... this matter is quite troublesome. The stubbornness of those elders—you're well aware of that." Upon hearing Master Yao's account, the brows of Xuan Kongzi and his companions furrowed in concern. "I know it's difficult, but we must try. The Hún Palace's power is overwhelming. No single faction among us can stand against them alone. Without a united front, we'll surely fall under the Hún Palace's grasp. I myself have been captured by the Hún Palace, and thus I know they are not merely collecting souls—they are surely preparing for some grand scheme." Master Yao said seriously. Xuan Kongzi gave a slight nod. He could already guess that the Spirit Palace wouldn't have randomly seized so many soul bodies, but even with that, it still couldn't convince those elders to break from tradition and form alliances with others. "If the Elder were here, this matter would be much easier—he could simply speak, and his words would settle everything," Xuan Yi said, frowning. "That old man has vanished again, hasn't he?" Yao Lao asked, startled. Upon hearing this, the three of them all nodded with a wry smile. "He's been missing for years—no word from him at all. If it weren't for the fact that his soul scroll remains intact, we'd have thought he'd met with some untoward fate." "The Elder? What is that?" Xiang Yan, listening to their conversation, couldn't help but feel curious and asked, for he had never heard Yao Lao mention the existence of such an Elder within the Dan Tower. "This elder is one of the founders of Dantai and the most senior member of the order. His word carries weight in any decision made by Dantai. Should he agree to this alliance, there would be no obstacle at all; but should he decline, then this endeavor would have scarcely a chance of success." Xuan Kongzi paused, saying. "Yet this elder enjoys playing games, often appearing only when convenient, and even after all these years, we have only met him once. His favorite pastime is to seek out pregnant women—though his true interest lies not in the women themselves, but in the fetuses within them. Specifically, he targets fetuses that have lost their vital breath due to unforeseen circumstances and have thus died before birth." "After finding these unborn fetuses, he enters the pregnant woman's body in a special way, eventually becoming a ordinary infant, born, growing, and living the rest of his life in a different identity—until finally, when his body completely perishes, he departs... In his own words, this is the experience of life." Staring at Xuan Kongsi's wry expression, Xiao Yan was completely speechless, offering a dry smile. "Indeed, this elder is quite a unique individual." "Moreover, Elder Xuan is not human," Xuan Kongsi gently shook his head, fixing his gaze on Xiao Yan. "His true essence... is a pill."