Chapter 1166 - 1164: She Has Arrived

Both Dong Tianlei and Xuan Yu wanted to continue the conversation, but seeing the Sword Spirit’s resolute attitude, they could only nod and refrain from saying more.

As long as everyone does their part, it’s fine. Besides, what the Sword Spirit said makes some sense; with so many experts around Wang Zhan, they are hardly lacking.

In an instant, Sword Spirit had already arranged everything, leaving behind a trace of his presence here to deter surrounding factions, preventing them from attacking the Sky Pavilion while he is away.

When Wang Zhan and the others left, they had implored Sword Spirit time and again not to let anything happen to Sky Pavilion.

The urgent task is to stabilize the rear first.

But Sword Spirit is also concerned about potential issues within the Sky Pavilion, since several factions nearby are eyeing it. Hence, he requires a comprehensive strategy, even if the approach seems childish and ineffective against true experts, it should provide some assistance.

After watching Sword Spirit leave, Dong Tianlei and Xuan Yu remained in the Great Hall without parting.

Xuan Yu sipped his tea, his expression somewhat grim, and slowly spoke, "Seeing Sword Spirit so anxious makes me think something tricky must have happened with Wang Zhan. However, we need not worry too much, as Wang Zhan is incredibly resilient, and there are many capable people around him, which reassures us."

"The priority is to handle the nearby situation properly. Those factions always aim to strike at us, which complicates matters. Once Wang Zhan returns, having the Hexagonal Golden Snake around might simplify things."

Dong Tianlei responded casually but kept his gaze fixed in the direction Sword Spirit had left, remaining silent.

They exchanged a few casual words before returning to their rooms.

Meanwhile, in the back mountain.

Zuo Linglong was refining elixirs, accompanied by a child, Li Xiaomei.

Lately, Li Xiaomei had become familiar with the residents inside Sky Pavilion, receiving care wherever he went. However, not understanding cultivation, he mostly indulged in eating, drinking, and playing.

Growing tired of such days, he came early to the back mountain, seeking companionship with Zuo Linglong, who was a few years older.

Zuo Linglong glanced at him and calmly said, "Let me remind you, I have no time to play today. The most important thing is to refine the elixir. If there are any mistakes, my mood will sour, and I might lose my temper and take it out on you!"

Though Li Xiaomei felt scared, he instinctively backed away a few steps, but stubbornly clenched his teeth, resembling Luo Xue.

He spoke firmly, "Big brother said you are kind and can provide me medicines to increase my height quickly. So surely you won’t harm me; knowing your relationship with big brother, if you hurt me, he won’t let you off!"

Xuan Yu was taken aback upon hearing this.

He approached Li Xiaomei, scrutinizing him with a stern expression that intimidated the child.

The elixir is inside the furnace, everything is ready; just wait patiently for the elixir to be properly refined for extraction.

If successful, it would be extremely beneficial; otherwise, complications will arise.

Seeing Zuo Linglong’s constant gaze stirred Li Xiaomei’s fear further; he hesitated before timidly saying, "Can you stop staring at me? It makes me uneasy and scared..."

"But let me remind you again, don’t have any bad intentions or harm me, otherwise I’ll cry..."

Zuo Linglong almost laughed hearing this.

His reaction resembled his past self.

Back when he was with Wang Zhan, he never cried, understanding that Wang Zhan would never really harm him.

And he hadn’t planned to hurt Li Xiaomei either.

Zuo Linglong grinned, ruffling Li Xiaomei’s hair as he said, "I don’t mean to trouble you, nor oppose anyone. We’re age mates and should care for each other. But I worry the heat and boredom here might be too much for you."

Zuo Linglong sensed changes in his emotions due to the elixir refining process.

This cave had a unique environment; constant furnace heat raised the temperature, causing impatience, even for Zuo Linglong, let alone Li Xiaomei.

Spending time in this space was unpleasant.

Li Xiaomei’s presence was welcomed, but Zuo Linglong feared the hardships might cause unwanted trouble.

Li Xiaomei gave Zuo Linglong a sideways glance before sulking, "People from Sky Pavilion said there’s no big age gap between us; don’t act like an adult, we’re both kids!"

Zuo Linglong laughed at his antics, acknowledging subtle differences despite their shared youth.

One should know, despite being a child, Zuo Linglong is highly regarded in Sky Pavilion due to his alchemy talent, drawing everyone’s attention to his work, which could accelerate their cultivation.

And his success with the elixir might bring him fame!

Thus, Zuo Linglong focused entirely on refining.

Li Xiaomei chimed in, "I’ll stay here regardless, your place is fun with many intriguing items. You could teach me their purposes; my learning ability is excellent, I surely can assist!"

"If I help you someday and you hadn’t kept me around, you’d regret it!"

Li Xiaomei was indeed clever, while Zuo Linglong hesitated before shaking his head and smiling, "If you wish to stay, follow my instructions; don’t touch anything here. It’s not stinginess, but many things contain medicinal ingredients and could harm you if broken."

"Consuming them could be fatal..."

Li Xiaomei, being a curious child, needed Zuo Linglong’s explanation to avoid trouble, reassuring him for Wang Zhan’s sake.

Li Xiaomei obediently nodded, smiling broadly, "Don’t worry, I won’t cause trouble or touch anything. I’ll follow your orders without hesitation. Is that fine?"

Zuo Linglong nodded and refrained from further words.

Being close in age helped them relate, allowing the child to share interests with Zuo Linglong, especially in alchemy.

Zuo Linglong pondered training Li Xiaomei, who showed great interest and could be a valuable aide.

Meanwhile, Sword Spirit sped toward Ten Thousand Sword City at an impressive pace.

His solitary journey granted swift travel, swiftly reaching the city.

As he arrived, Wang Zhan, who was recuperating, slowly opened his eyes, sensing Sword Spirit’s presence.

With a longstanding bond, Wang Zhan immediately recognized the arrival.

He sighed helplessly, shaking his head and muttered, "The protectors must have informed Sword Spirit; it’s truly troublesome..."

"Seems I’ll need to explain everything properly again."