"I... I... I don't know..."
Facing Long Hai's violent rage, Lu Qianqian turned pale with fright and couldn't manage to say a word.
"It's not her fault. Sima Xuan was attacked and shaken into an idiot by the Soul Power pressure inside the Small Alchemy Tower. No matter how skilled this little girl is, she couldn't possibly control the tower's Soul Power pressure." Huangfu Sheng shook his head.
"That's right. Sima Xuan was indeed attacked by the tower's Soul Power pressure. That's what caused this." Another Yuan Foundation Realm expert also nodded in agreement.
The insight and experience of Yuan Foundation Realm experts were astoundingly sharp and rich—they could tell at a glance.
"Damn it! What on earth happened?! With Sima Xuan's strength, ascending to the second floor should have been relatively easy. An accident shouldn't have been possible! Why would the Soul Power pressure inside the Small Alchemy Tower attack him?" Long Hai stared at the now-idiotic Sima Xuan, his anger with nowhere to vent.
"Lu Qianqian, tell me, what exactly happened here just now. Don't be afraid, speak slowly." Huangfu Sheng's gaze fell upon Lu Qianqian, his tone gentle.
The three Yuan Foundation Realm experts all focused their attention on Lu Qianqian.
The Small Alchemy Tower was a treasure left behind by the Tongsheng Gate's founding ancestor. It held extremely special significance for the sect. Now that such a sudden incident had occurred, they naturally had to understand what had transpired.
"Don't be afraid. Tell them everything you saw just now, exactly as it happened."
Just as Lu Qianqian was stuttering and at a loss, Ye Yunfei's Sound Transmission voice suddenly echoed within her Soul Sea.
Hearing Ye Yunfei's voice, Lu Qianqian's spirits suddenly lifted, feeling much more confident.
Thus, Lu Qianqian mustered her courage and recounted everything that had just happened.
After hearing Lu Qianqian's account, Huangfu Sheng swept his gaze around and quickly spotted the small black iron bell on the ground beside Sima Xuan.
"Was Sima Xuan using this iron bell to attack you just now?" Huangfu Sheng made a grasping motion from afar, bringing the small iron bell to his hand, then asked.
"Yes, that's the one!" Lu Qianqian nodded.
"Elder Long, this is your treasure artifact. It seems there's only one explanation. Sima Xuan must have attempted to use this Soul Power artifact against Lu Qianqian, but inadvertently triggered some of the Small Alchemy Tower's restrictive formations and suffered an attack from the tower itself." Huangfu Sheng shook his head again, then handed the small black iron bell to Long Hai.
"That indeed seems the only explanation. Sima Xuan brought this upon himself." The other Yuan Foundation Realm expert also nodded.
Long Hai's face was ashen as he took the small iron bell, remaining silent.
This artifact was a gift he had given Sima Xuan upon meeting him. Never did he imagine Sima Xuan would lose his wits because of it.
"From now on, no one is to use any Soul Power artifacts inside the Small Alchemy Tower. The tower was left by our founding ancestor; nothing must go wrong." Huangfu Sheng said gravely.
"Alright. The test will continue. Lu Qianqian, you've successfully passed. Come with me out of the tower." After speaking, Huangfu Sheng waved his sleeve, enveloping Lu Qianqian, and instantly exited the Small Alchemy Tower.
Long Hai and the other Yuan Foundation Realm expert also walked out.
Long Hai was brimming with fury, yet had no outlet for it.
Because, from all signs, Sima Xuan truly had brought it upon himself.
Witnessing all this, Ye Yunfei gave a faint smile.
These three Yuan Foundation Realm experts of Tongsheng Gate could never have imagined that the Small Alchemy Tower had already been refined by Ye Yunfei.
Sima Xuan was actually killed by Ye Yunfei.
Subsequently, the test continued. Young people struggled arduously one after another to ascend to the second floor.
Only a full day later did the test finally conclude.
Including Lu Qianqian, fifteen young people in total successfully passed, becoming disciples of Tongsheng Gate.
Tongsheng Gate always valued quality over quantity in recruiting disciples. Because truly talented young alchemists were indeed few and far between.
"Alright, everyone. Our Tongsheng Gate's disciple recruitment test for this session has concluded." In the plaza, an elder of Tongsheng Gate loudly announced.
The surrounding crowd then dispersed reluctantly, their interest not fully satisfied.
Huangfu Sheng formed hand seals, murmuring incantations, then pointed forcefully towards the Small Alchemy Tower.
*Rumble…*
The majestic tower standing tall in the air above the plaza suddenly began to tremble, continuously shrinking until it was the size of a fist.
Then, transforming into a streak of light, it instantly left the plaza, flying back towards Tongsheng Gate's headquarters.
"The opportunity has come!"
Watching the Small Alchemy Tower rapidly flying back towards Tongsheng Gate's headquarters, Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
Ye Yunfei pointed a finger, and the Small Alchemy Tower immediately halted in the distant sky.
Then, activating his Shadow Shuttle Robe, Ye Yunfei vanished into space, arriving beside the Small Alchemy Tower in an instant. With a wave of his hand, he stowed the tower away.
Because Ye Yunfei's speed was incredibly fast,
the three Yuan Foundation Realm experts of Tongsheng Gate didn't notice for a moment.
They assumed the Small Alchemy Tower had already flown back to the headquarters!
"Where is Big Brother? Why has he disappeared?
Has he left already?"
At this moment, Lu Qianqian anxiously searched the plaza for Ye Yunfei, almost on the verge of tears.
Now, Ye Yunfei occupied an immensely important place in her heart.
"Hahaha, Qianqian! You performed splendidly! You've brought glory to our Lu Family!" Lu Qianqian's grandfather arrived beside her, laughing heartily, extremely satisfied.
"Big Brother... has he really gone?
Why is he so heartless? He didn't even speak to me before leaving like this!"
Lu Qianqian didn't pay any heed to her grandfather at all, continuing to frantically search the plaza for any sign of Ye Yunfei.
"Qianqian, there's no need to look for me."
Just as Lu Qianqian was getting so anxious that tears were streaming down her face, a familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.
"Big Brother, is that you?
Where are you?!
Qianqian wants to see you!"
Lu Qianqian shivered with delight, overjoyed to the extreme.
"Qianqian, I have matters to attend to. I must go.
Once you enter Tongsheng Gate, work hard." Ye Yunfei said.
"Big Brother, you're leaving?!
I… when can I see you again?
Will you come back to find me?" Upon hearing Ye Yunfei's words, Lu Qianqian became frantic.
"I will."
After a moment of silence, Ye Yunfei replied.
In truth, Ye Yunfei knew that upon parting this time, there might never be an opportunity to meet Lu Qianqian again in this lifetime.
Moreover, since Ye Yunfei had taken the Small Alchemy Tower, soon enough, Tongsheng Gate's upper echelons would surely conduct a frantic investigation.
Therefore, Ye Yunfei didn't want to associate too closely with Lu Qianqian anymore, otherwise, it would inevitably implicate her.
"Really?!
Big Brother, you promised!
Once you finish your business, you must come back to find me!
Remember that, okay?" Hearing Ye Yunfei's answer, Lu Qianqian exclaimed delightedly.
However, after waiting for a long time, she didn't hear Ye Yunfei's reply again.
"He's gone…"
Standing where she was, Lu Qianqian gazed out beyond the plaza, looking as if her soul had left her body.
Half a day later.
"Damn it!
The Small Alchemy Tower is gone!"
"Find it!
We must find the Small Alchemy Tower!"
…
From within Tongsheng Gate's headquarters, roars could be heard.
The entire headquarters erupted in commotion.