"I regret it now. Hand over the reward," Xuan Yi said as she walked.
"So eager?" Xiao Jietian raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin. "Fine… then you pick the place. You're familiar with the inns around here."
Xuan Yi froze, full of questions. "What do you mean?"
"Aren't you trying to keep me? Of course I'll pay with my body. You're getting quite the bargain," Xiao Jietian said playfully, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Scram~!" Xuan Yi pinched him hard and quickly walked ahead toward Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng.
...
It took them a full half day, but the group finally stepped into the inner domain of Holy Pill City.
Compared to the bustling outer domain, the inner domain was noticeably quieter and more refined.
Only forces directly connected to the Pill Tower or high-level alchemists were allowed to reside here, so the quality and atmosphere of the inner domain far surpassed the outer region.
What drew the most attention was the enormous black tower that soared nearly a hundred zhang into the clouds, standing like a majestic peak and radiating an overwhelming sense of grandeur.
Looking up, the top of the tower disappeared into the mist, giving it an air of profound mystery.
"Wow, is this the Pill Tower? It's so tall…" Xiao Ling's eyes widened as she stared intently at the giant structure.
Xiao Meng, on the other hand, grabbed Xiao Jietian's hand and said excitedly, "Daddy, let's build a giant tower like this too! Then we can touch the clouds from the top floor anytime we want."
Xiao Jietian naturally understood she was talking about the Eternal Heaven World. He smiled and replied, "Alright, I'll build one for you. You can live on the very top floor."
"Great! Then Ling Ling and I will live on the top floor. When we wake up every morning, we can reach out and touch the clouds!" Xiao Meng's eyes curved into happy crescents, clearly delighted by the idea.
"You don't have to wait until later," Xuan Yi said softly, gently stroking the heads of the two little girls. "I can take you to experience it right now."
She then turned to Xiao Jietian. "If you're a seventh-grade alchemist, you can usually be assessed at any branch tower. But for eighth-grade and above, the assessment can only be done here at the main tower."
"No problem. It doesn't matter where I get assessed."
"In that case, let's go inside. I'll have someone arrange everything."
Xuan Yi nodded. After all, she was only demonstrating part of her alchemical strength this time, so there was no chance of failure.
"Then let's go quickly!" Xiao Ling tugged excitedly at Xuan Yi's skirt the moment she heard they were entering the Pill Tower.
"Okay~"
...
Entering the Pill Tower required strict inspection, but with Xuan Yi leading the way and showing her token, no checks were needed. They walked straight in under a green light all the way.
Once inside, the space was far more vast than it appeared from the outside—clearly expanded by a Dou Saint, resembling a small independent world.
The entire tower was filled with a rich, refreshing fragrance of medicinal pills.
Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng stayed close to Xuan Yi, no longer exclaiming loudly. Instead, they looked around with quiet curiosity, showing the graceful manners of well-bred young ladies.
Although the two girls loved to play, they were always well-behaved and polite on important occasions.
Xuan Yi led them directly toward the upper floors. Just as they reached the top level, two old men suddenly appeared out of thin air not far ahead.
One of them, standing slightly in front, wore white robes and had a full head of white hair. His face was as rosy as a baby's, and not a trace of aura leaked from his body, making him look like an ordinary elderly man.
The other old man had dark skin, a taut face, and sharp, lightning-like eyes that gave off a stern, unsmiling impression.
"Who are you?" Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng immediately stepped in front of Xuan Yi, staring vigilantly at the two newcomers. They could clearly sense the powerful strength radiating from them.
Noticing their protective actions, Xuan Yi smiled warmly, secretly pleased. They weren't raised in vain. She reached out and picked them both up. "It's okay, nothing to worry about. They're our own people."
"Mother Xuan Yi, who are they?" The two little girls still watched the old men with caution.
The two elders were visibly startled by Xiao Ling's words. The white-robed old man's calm expression shifted slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
His gaze moved from Xuan Yi to the two little girls in her arms. He raised an eyebrow and spoke with a half-smile, his voice old yet gentle:
"Mother Xuan Yi?"
His tone carried a trace of barely concealed astonishment.
"Yes~ Good~ Haha," Xuan Yi replied playfully, naturally continuing the old man's words.
The white-robed elder's face darkened for a moment, as if he had been taken advantage of. Yet he wasn't angry—in fact, a flicker of joy appeared in his eyes.
Xuan Yi's current relaxed and cheerful demeanor reminded him of her younger days. After that, she had become melancholic and lost her former liveliness. Now, her state of mind and temperament had clearly returned to how they once were.
The dark-skinned, stern-faced old man, however, raised his eyebrows sharply. His gaze suddenly became piercing as he stared intently at Xuan Yi.
After a long pause, he finally spoke in a deep, incredulous voice:
"You… when did you have children? And they're already this old??"
Xuan Yi smiled faintly, completely unconcerned by their shock. She gently patted the two girls in her arms and said softly, "What? Is it not allowed?"
The white-robed old man's eyes darted back and forth between Xuan Yi and the little girls, his doubt growing. He stepped forward slowly, his tone carrying both curiosity and inquiry:
"Your primal yin is still intact, so they clearly aren't your biological children. You haven't gotten involved in child trafficking, have you? Still… the talent of these two little girls is truly extraordinary."
He had already sensed the Dou Emperor aura emanating from Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng, which left him genuinely shocked. To reach Dou Emperor strength at less than four years old—what terrifying talent that must be.
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Let me introduce you properly."
Xuan Yi pointed at Xiao Jietian, who stood quietly to the side. Her eyes filled with deep, infinite affection as she looked at him. "This is Xiao Jietian. He saved me this time. Without him, I might not have been able to return."
The white-robed old man was shrewd and excellent at reading people. He immediately noticed the love in Xuan Yi's eyes and the subtle joy in her voice when she introduced him. His expression turned slightly strange, as if he had discovered something incredible.
Xuan Yi then looked at the two little girls in her arms. "These are Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng—Xiao Jietian's biological daughters."
Hearing this, the old man narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze toward Xiao Jietian.
If his daughters possessed such monstrous talent, then their father certainly couldn't be ordinary either.