North of Shenglong City stood Shenxiao Peak. Among the dozen or so peaks encircling the city, Shenxiao Peak was the largest and tallest, long serving as the residence for the Sect Master of the Danxian Sect and several Supreme Elders.

“Chaos Skyfire?”

On the mountainside, within an ancient, elegantly furnished room, the white-robed, long-bearded middle-aged man drew a breath, carefully inserting three sticks of burning incense into the censer before him. When he raised his brow, the shock on his face was skillfully concealed. He looked across at Luan Yexin and asked, “Junior Sister Luan, is your intuition truly reliable?”

This white-robed middle-aged man possessed a handsome face and a tall, lean physique; he was none other than Taishu Yan, the Sect Master of the Danxian Sect. Though he appeared scholarly and refined, his cultivation base was astonishing; it was rumored he had already endured the Second Spirit Tribulation.

“There is absolutely no mistake.”

Luan Yexin affirmed with sharp finality.

Taishu Yan let out a soft sound. “What is the strength of his sister, Qin Yan?”

“She is an ordinary person, showing no trace of having cultivated Faxiang,” Luan Yexin replied.

“A brother who is a Ninth-Tier expert, yet his sister is an ordinary person with no talent for cultivation—this is rather strange,” Taishu Yan murmured. “The fire power emanating from Tai Shuang contains the aura of the ‘Chaos Skyfire.’ Though it is not yet that true Divine Fire, given time, it is certain to successfully evolve. Junior Sister Luan, deliver the invitation to him personally tomorrow morning. Also, arrange for the siblings to stay at the ‘Zao Hua Mountain Villa.’”

“Understood!”

Luan Yexin quickly agreed, though hesitation followed. “Senior Brother Taishu, the origins of Tai Shuang and Tai Yan are still unclear. We…”

“Naturally, we must investigate,” Taishu Yan replied slowly and deliberately. “However, that must wait until after I have seen him with my own eyes at the ‘Dan Gong Immortal Assembly.’ If his background proves clean, then this person is a once-in-a-millennium medicinal Dao genius who must be recruited into the Danxian Sect. We might even offer him a portion of Divine Fire to see if he can cultivate the true ‘Chaos Skyfire.’”

Luan Yexin nodded, then asked, “And if there is an issue?”

“If there is an issue…”

Taishu Yan slowly closed his eyes.

He did not speak the rest, but Luan Yexin understood instantly, causing a slight tremor in her heart.

“Do not leak any information about this for the time being.”

“I know.”

Luan Yexin quietly withdrew from the room.

Nearly an hour after the assessment concluded, Nie Kong and Tai Yan finally returned to the inn.

“Those fellows truly spared no expense—‘Eight Formations Diagram of the Heavenly Dragon’ and ‘Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Art’ both,” recalling the enthusiastic apothecaries who had tried to recruit him, Nie Kong couldn't help but chuckle. Of course, it was understandable; which sect wouldn't desire a Ninth-Grade Medicine King who could proficiently deploy the ‘Hundred Layers of Flowers’?

“They were so annoying.”

Tai Yan pouted, huffing crossly about the scene in the hall where saliva flew everywhere. “We would never go to some Huangji Dao or Haotian Sect.”

After a brief pause, Tai Yan leaned in curiously, lowering her voice. “Brother, that Luan Yexin also wanted to recruit you. Why didn’t you just agree?”

Nie Kong shook his head. “Hers was merely a test. If I had agreed too quickly, it would have inevitably raised her suspicion. It’s better to keep the Danxian Sect dangling for now. Besides, all I needed was an invitation to the ‘Dan Gong Immortal Assembly’; there is no immediate need to accept the Danxian Sect’s recruitment.”

Seeing Tai Yan’s slightly confused expression, Nie Kong smiled. “For a Ninth-Grade Medicine King like me to appear suddenly with an unknown background, even if the Danxian Sect recruits me, they won't feel at ease and will certainly investigate my background thoroughly. Joining the Danxian Sect right now would likely lead to unnecessary complications.”

“Oh.”

Tai Yan suddenly understood.

Nie Kong said no more. With a flicker of thought, a dark red aura sealed the room. He then retrieved an exquisite, small medicine vial from his pet bag. He uncorked the stopper, and a small, gourd-shaped pill rolled out, rapidly expanding until it transformed into a plump little figure—it was the little fellow, Hulu.

“I was suffocating!”

Hulu floated angrily before Nie Kong, his eyes wide, his tiny mouth constantly opening and closing. “Nie Kong, you are truly mean, only letting me out now.”

Nie Kong was speechless. Hulu had been stored away back in the Continent Fragment Zone. The Divine Sky Realm was unlike the Heavenly Spirit Continent; there, Nie Kong could mostly walk unimpeded. Here, however, he needed to be extremely cautious. Hulu was the spirit born from the Ninth-Grade ‘Emperor Snow Gourd Pill.’ The Divine Sky Realm was practically the headquarters for medicinal pills; if his aura leaked out, it could easily cause a massive stir.

“Nie Kong, I’m telling you, I’m never staying in that dreadful place again. If it weren't for Xiangxiang’s inherent medicinal power, I probably would have turned into a dead gourd! You… what is that?” As Hulu spoke, his attention was captured by a red pill Nie Kong held between his fingers.

“Hibiscus Falling Petal Pill,” Nie Kong smiled. “I refined this today as compensation for you.”

“Wonderful!”

Hulu immediately forgot his anger, happily pouncing onto Nie Kong’s palm, snatching the “Hibiscus Falling Petal Pill” into his mouth. He was then promptly grabbed by the neck—a grip so light it was almost invisible—by Nie Kong and shoved back toward the medicine vial. Hulu had no time to savor the pill, screaming frantically, “I’m not going in! Sister Tai Yan, help!”

Tai Yan playfully winked her beautiful eyes. “Someone is coming. Don't you want to be caught and eaten?”

Before she finished speaking, Hulu’s body shriveled, and he rolled with a gulu sound back into the vial, being stowed away in Nie Kong’s pet bag once more. Immediately after he finished this, a knock sounded at the door.

Nie Kong retracted the surrounding Faxiang aura and quickly went to open the door.

“Brother Tai Shuang, it took quite an effort to find your lodging. Please forgive my intrusion.” Standing at the door was the plump old man. This was Elder Huang Peng of the Huangji Dao. Nie Kong hadn't expected him to rush over so quickly after they parted at the foot of Shenxiu Peak not long ago.

“What is this?” Nie Kong asked, bewildered, looking at the red parchment the elder presented.

“This is an invitation from our Dao Master to the Tai Shuang brothers. We are hosting a banquet at the Jinxiu Tower tomorrow morning. Brother Tai Shuang must grace us with his presence, you must attend!” Huang Peng didn't wait for Nie Kong’s acceptance, directly tucking the invitation into his robes before smiling and taking his leave.

“…”

After watching the fat figure depart, Nie Kong and Tai Yan exchanged glances.

“I didn’t expect the Dao Master of the ‘Huangji Dao’ to also be in Shenglong City. Brother, are you going to their banquet tomorrow?” Tai Yan closed the door.

“I have no such leisure,” Nie Kong tossed the invitation onto the table, feeling quite exasperated.

Knock, knock!

Less than two minutes later, the knocking sounded again. This time it was the Eighth-Grade Apothecary from the Qianyuan Dao, also delivering an invitation for Nie Kong to attend a banquet tomorrow.

Then followed a stream of visitors.

There were experts from various factions Nie Kong had previously met at the foot of Shenxiu Peak, such as those from the Haotian and Longhu Dao, as well as other sects that had somehow learned the results of today’s assessment. They either invited Nie Kong and Tai Yan to banquets or directly represented their sects to convey recruitment offers.

By the time dawn broke, Nie Kong and Tai Yan finally had some quiet. A thick stack of invitations, totaling over twenty, now lay on the table. It was no wonder these sects were so eager; the Danxian Sect had already hinted at their intention to recruit Nie Kong, leaving them with no choice but to act quickly if they wanted any chance.

However, their intense enthusiasm had utterly exhausted Nie Kong and Tai Yan.