“Hehe, Pill Fairy, why would you come here?” said Long Chen awkwardly. It seemed that she had heard everything he had said to Wan Qing.

In other words, she had heard his bragging about how she even came to him for pointers. He had truly embarrassed himself this time.

However, what made his heart shake was the fact that the Pill Fairy’s cultivation base was absolutely terrifying. He hadn’t sensed her existence at all.

It had to be known that within Pill Valley, his nerves were always stretched taut because he couldn’t expose any holes. His spiritual perception was pushed to its peak constantly, but he still couldn’t sense her.

It was like the Pill Fairy had merged with heaven and earth. Standing there, she was like an ordinary mortal. He wasn’t even able to sense her spiritual fluctuations or Heavenly Dao energy.

“Long San, don’t be nervous. I just have a few things I want to discuss with you. I heard that you came here to the inner sect, so I also came. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop on you.” The Pill Fairy smiled. The smile was like a lily blooming, making him feel like a spring breeze was blowing by.

“Cough, that’s fine. I still have to thank you for what you did last time, or I’d probably have been expelled from Pill Valley. There’s a pavilion nearby, we can go and sit there.” Long Chen pointed toward a distant pavilion.

The Pill Fairy nodded and walked beside him. She gently pulled back some stray hair that had blown over her forehead.

Her gentle movements contained a grace that moved Long Chen. Even though he had seen plenty of beauties, he still felt a unique aura from the Pill Fairy.

The pavilion was situated at the peak of a hill. From here, they could overlook the river below them. The scenery was not bad.

“You don’t need to be so courteous. Even if I didn’t interfere, you would have been fine. Furthermore, you have such a powerful backer. No one would be able to expel you just for killing Qu Chunsheng.” The Pill Fairy looked at the scenery, her eyes shining like stars in the night, yet also like gems in a deep sea.

“No matter how you put it, I still have to thank you.” Long Chen smiled.

“I should be the one thanking you. When you killed Qu Chunsheng, you gave me an excuse to vent my dissatisfaction. I’ve been feeling much better since that day,” said the Pill Fairy.

“Oh? Then if you want to thank me, you can just treat me to a meal,” joked Long Chen.

The Pill Fairy smiled. She changed the subject. “The methods you taught that girl were very marvelous. I didn’t expect you to be such a master of the Pill Dao.”

“I can’t accept such praise,” said Long Chen modestly. But he knew she had more to say.

“With your Spiritual Strength, talent, and comprehension skills, you can walk even further on the Pill Dao. In fact, your accomplishments wouldn’t be any lower than my own. Transforming into a flame cultivator is digging your own grave.” As expected, the Pill Fairy only got to her point now.

Long Chen sighed, “A person can’t always do what they want. I’m just a country bumpkin with no background. Even you, the Pill Fairy who is worshipped by countless disciples, a god-like existence, also have a similar helpless expression. Some things are just out of our control.”

Long Chen had figured out the rough situation in Pill Valley. And through their few encounters, he also had a basic understanding of this Pill Fairy, which was why he said what he said.

A glimmer of sadness appeared in her beautiful eyes. She sighed, “Long San, they’re using you. Can you not tell?”

“I can tell. But at least I have some value this way. That’s a good thing. Now, I get whatever I want. What’s so bad about it?” Long Chen acted like he didn’t understand.

The Pill Fairy turned to stare into his eyes. Her eyes were completely calm, like the surface of a lake that could reflect anything.

“Uh, Pill Fairy, you shouldn’t stare at me like this, or I’ll be embarrassed.”

“Long San, you’re a curious person. I can’t see through you, but I know you’re smart. They’re using you now, but once you’re no longer valuable to them, they’ll toss you aside without a second thought. I won’t ask you to join the Divine Shield Alliance, but I hope you can join the neutral faction and not help either side,” said the Pill Fairy.

“It’s not possible. Protector Zhuo supported me, and I swore I would repay him. Before repaying him, I can’t leave him.” In truth, when Long Chen said he had to ‘repay’ him, he was thinking of something completely different. But the Pill Fairy didn’t know this.

She was silent for a moment before bitterly smiling. “It seems I’m not good at persuading people. My first attempt is a failure.”

“I know you’re being kind, and I’ll remember this. Ah, speaking of which, can I ask you a few things?”

“Asking is harmless.”

“Then I want to ask, why is your conservative faction so stubborn? Pill Valley clearly has the ability to grow even stronger, so why do they still cower?” asked Long Chen.

“You really know how to ask questions. Your first one is the most difficult one and the reason why Pill Valley is split into two factions. In truth, it’s not that we’re conservative, but that certain people have forgotten the meaning behind Pill Valley’s existence.

“Pill Valley is situated outside the rest of the world. It has its own mission. But some people are selfish and greedy and want to stretch their hands into this chaotic world. That’s not the meaning behind Pill Valley’s existence, and doing so would be very dangerous. It would influence the entire balance of the Martial Heaven Continent, and Pill Valley might even be drawn into a cataclysm because of it. But sometimes, people simply refuse to be reasonable and see the truth. So this world is fraught with struggle.”

“What could bring Pill Valley danger? Isn’t Pill Valley the strongest power in the Martial Heaven Continent?” asked Long Chen.

“Sorry, this relates to Pill Valley’s secrets, so forgive me for not being able to answer,” said the Pill Fairy.

Long Chen’s heart pounded. It seemed he still knew too little about the Martial Heaven Continent.

Something that could even threaten Pill Valley? What power was that? Or was it the danger zones?

“Many thanks. Although our standpoints aren’t the same, I sincerely wish that we can be friends,” said Long Chen.

Who cared about helping Zhuo Tianxiang? He had only come to get the Nirvana Scripture. He had no intention of being enemies with the Pill Fairy, who was a kind and beautiful person.

“To be friends with Master Long San is the fortune of three lifetimes.” The Pill Fairy found it funny to call him Master Long San.

“Cough, that name is just to intimidate some small fries,” said Long Chen awkwardly.

“It’s getting late. We should go back to the Divine Pill Hall together,” said the Pill Fairy.

Long Chen was startled. He immediately understood what she was intending. “Being able to walk with a fairy is my blessing.”

Long Chen knew that the Pill Fairy was doing this to give a warning to Zhuo Tianxiang and the others. By walking with him, it would make Zhuo Tianxiang and the others nervous.

It was also a kind of protection for him. It was telling Zhuo Tianxiang that if they did something to Long Chen, he would have a place on her side.

If it was someone else doing this, Long Chen would definitely think they were trying to sow dissension. But he knew the Pill Fairy wouldn’t do such a thing.

He walked alongside her, talking and laughing on the way. Long Chen’s mouth had plenty of tricks that could make a person laugh. Even the graceful and refined Pill Fairy couldn’t stop laughing.

“Long San!”

Long Chen and the Pill Fairy had only just arrived in the Divine Pill Hall and were about to part ways when a voice rang out.

It was Jiang Zijun. Flames were about to spit out of his eyes as he glared at Long Chen.

Long Chen shook his head, knowing that this fellow’s jealous nature was too strong. Long Chen hadn’t even thought of such things with the Pill Fairy. He already had too many beauties, and he knew when to be satisfied.

Long Chen didn’t even look at him and returned to his residence. He saw Elder Zhu was already waiting for him.

It was unknown if he was worried about Long Chen switching sides or not, but he directly requested Long Chen to go into seclusion and continue cultivating flame magical arts. He was actually in a greater rush than Long Chen to strengthen his body.

This delighted Long Chen, as it was a good thing. The Earth Flame essence he was absorbing to strengthen his body actually didn’t affect his body at all. The essence was all absorbed by Huo Long, while he gradually released the power of his original physical body. It just looked like he was getting stronger from the Earth Flame essence.

“Elder Zhu, this time, I want you to drown me with Earth Flame essence. I want to keep getting stronger so I can kill that bastard Jiang Zijun. I’ll make the name Master Long San shake Pill Valley!”

Long Chen directly lay in lava and let out a heaven-shaking roar. This lava was the Earth Flame essence, and was just what Huo Long needed.

Four holes opened on the sides of the lava pool, and Earth Flame essence gushed out, truly drowning Long Chen.

Flame runes revolved around Long Chen as he crazily absorbed the Earth Flame essence. Huo Long almost cried out in excitement.

Previously, Long Chen had been refusing to let it absorb it too quickly. But now Long Chen let it devour as much as possible, the more the better.

After three whole days, Long Chen had absorbed an ocean’s worth of Earth Flame essence, completely sucking up every bit of Zhuo Tianxiang’s stock.

What delighted Elder Zhu was that when Long Chen was enveloped by his flame energy, a punch from the latter could make even the former cough up blood.

Long Chen’s monstrous physical body delighted Zhuo Tianxiang and the others. Long Chen ended his seclusion, and the first thing he did was go to the inner sect to see that girl Wan Qing.

However, just as he walked out, he suddenly saw a group of people bringing a lanky old man into Zhuo Tianxiang’s room. An icy light flashed in Long Chen’s eyes.