Battle Through the Heavens: The Holy Sun Immortal Venerable

Chapter 262 The Small Pill Tower

"Lin Ran?"

Upon hearing Xuan Yi's words, Xuan Kongzi and the others were slightly taken aback, and their gazes suddenly fell on Lin Ran.

"Although Old Monster Hou's seniority is far higher than Sect Master Lin's, Sect Master Lin's strength and alchemy skills completely surpass that old guy, so there is no problem with that."

"But, Sect Master Lin, would you be willing to become an elder of my Pill Tower?"

"Since your Pill Tower is going to cooperate with my Starfall Pavilion and become a member of my Holy Sect, what's wrong with me hanging an elder's title in the Pill Tower?" Lin Ran said with a smile.

"If that's the case, Old Monster Hou's face will probably turn green," Tian Lei Zi laughed loudly.

Seeing that the three giants of the Pill Tower had already completely agreed with just a few words and their faces were full of joy, Yao Chen couldn't help but smile as well.

Lin Ran's value and alchemy skills are currently comparable only to the missing ancestor in the Pill Tower. If Lin Ran were to express his intention to join the Pill Tower, the Pill Tower would not let go of such a terrifying genius.

"Wait, what level of pills can that so-called Old Monster Hou refine?" Lin Ran pondered for a moment, not fully exaggerating.

"It's been many years since I've seen that old monster go all out. The last time I saw him refine pills with all his might was probably twenty years ago. Back then, he successfully attracted eight-colored pill lightning. I suppose he can attract nine-colored pill lightning now," Xuan Kongzi said after thinking for a moment.

"Nine-Colored Thunderclap".

Lin Ran nodded slightly. In the original story, Xiao Yan refined a ninth-grade treasure pill, which was an eighth-grade pill that defeated Hou Laoguai's nine-colored pill lightning.

"That old fellow has made rapid progress. If the sect leader hadn't broken through to the ninth-grade alchemist, we might not have been so confident," Yao Chen said with a smile, stroking his white beard.

Even the lowest-grade ninth-rank pill is far superior to an eighth-rank pill.

The difference between the two is like heaven and earth, therefore, everyone present has full confidence in Lin Ran!

"Then let's decide on that. As for how to get Sect Leader Lin to participate in the competition, we will arrange it. With his current popularity and strength, there shouldn't be any major problems."

"Yes." Yao Chen and Lin Ran both nodded.

"Hehe, you can stay here for the next three days. The environment here is quite suitable for alchemists." Xuan Kongzi also stood up, chuckled, and then quickly left with Xuan Yi and the other two. They still needed to make arrangements for Lin Ran's participation in the elder selection.

Even if Lin Ran's strength surpasses others and his reputation is illustrious, it's still a bit troublesome that someone like him suddenly appears in the mix.

……

For the next three days, Lin Ran and Yao Chen temporarily stayed in Danta Mountain. During those three days, quite a few older alchemists came here. Of course, this was because of Yao Chen. Most of these old guys knew Yao Chen. Now that they hadn't seen each other for many years, they naturally wanted to come and pay their respects.

Yao Chen made a point of introducing Lin Ran to these veteran alchemists who once enjoyed great renown in Zhongzhou, and extended invitations to them.

If these old guys could be brought closer to the Holy Sect, that would be a great help!

Lin Ran was also aware of Yao Chen's intentions, so he was quite polite when meeting these seniors.

This pleased the old guys quite a bit, and when they learned that Yao Chen's alchemy skills were comparable to Yao Chen's, they became even more enthusiastic towards him. No matter where you are, having strength will always make it easier to gain the recognition of others.

In this lively environment, the three days passed in the blink of an eye.

As the morning of the fourth day enveloped Mount Danta, this usually quiet mountain suddenly became much more lively. Inside the small Danta, there was not much noise on weekdays. Everyone would exchange and discuss alchemy techniques and manage their own herb gardens. Life was peaceful, but it was extremely suitable for those old men who were tired of the conflicts on the continent.

At the summit of Danta Mountain, there is a natural plaza.

The square was shrouded in mist, the thick clouds resembling cotton, giving one the urge to walk on them.

This plaza, usually deserted, is now bustling with people. Most of them are white-haired and appear extremely old. Any one of them would be highly sought after by powerful forces in Zhongzhou. If a sect had an alchemist of this caliber, the benefits would be immense.

As the number of people on the plaza gradually increased, Yao Chen and Lin Ran, led by Xuan Kongzi and the other two, also stepped onto the plaza. As soon as Yao Chen appeared, many people gathered around, greeting him with smiles. It was clear that Yao Chen had a very good reputation in this small pill tower.

"Yao Chen, you old bastard, you're still alive after all."

As Yao Chen greeted his old friends with a smile, a slightly discordant voice suddenly rang out. Immediately, the crowd parted to make way for a rather thin old man in a gray robe, who slowly walked in.

"Hehe, Old Monster Hou, you're still alive, how could I possibly be ahead of you?" Yao Chen smiled slightly, looking at the gray-robed old man, and said.

Upon hearing Yao Chen's address, Lin Ran's gaze also turned to the gray-robed old man. The latter's physique was somewhat consistent with the homonym of his surname, and his aged face looked quite rigid, like a dead man's face.

"When you left the Little Pill Tower on your own back then, I thought you'd have the guts to never come back," the gray-robed old man said indifferently, his voice tinged with sarcasm. He and Yao Chen had always been at odds, and he had always tried his best to outdo Yao Chen, but this idea had never been realized, which had become a thorn in his side.

He was already at the peak of the eighth-grade alchemist realm, but who would have thought that not long ago, rumors came that Yao Chen had broken through to the ninth-grade alchemist realm, which was a huge blow to him!

Faced with Hou Laoguai's sarcastic remarks, Yao Chen smiled and did not argue with him, appearing to be a good-natured person.

"I heard you're planning to bring people to run for elder? It's one thing for you to make an exception and come back recently, but now you want to bring people in? What, do you think just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can come here in the Little Pill Tower Elder Council?!" Seeing that Yao Chen ignored him, the gray-robed old man frowned and said coldly.

Upon hearing this, Yao Chen couldn't help but smile, shook his head, and said, "To be honest, I don't want you to embarrass yourself. The sect leader's alchemy skills are above mine."

"metropolitan?"

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed elder turned his gaze to Lin Ran, and upon seeing the latter's age, his expression immediately darkened. He sneered, "This little brat is qualified to participate in the election? Yao Chen, even if you're going to use connections, this isn't the way you do it! This is the Lesser Pill Tower, not Central Continent!"

Some elderly people around who were unaware of the situation also cast surprised glances at Lin Ran, clearly wondering why the latter was able to participate in the election.

They were all reclusive old men who spent most of their time in seclusion researching elixirs, and knew very little about the rumors circulating outside.

"Old Monster Hou, even the three of us are impressed by Sect Master Lin's alchemy skills," Xuan Kongzi said, glancing at Old Monster Hou.

"What are you guys talking about? How old is he?!"

"Believe it or not, go to Zhongzhou and hear for yourself. Don't just shut yourself in and work on your own. That's not how alchemy skills improve," Xuan Yi said calmly.

"Even the three of you are impressed?!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding elders also showed surprise. The three in black robes were the face of the Pill Tower, and their alchemy skills were undoubtedly excellent. Among these old guys, they were among the best. Even the three of them had to admire them. How could this little guy have such strength?

Having suffered another setback, Old Monster Hou's face darkened further. These repeated rebuffs were infuriating him, and he was starting to lose his temper. With a flick of his sleeve, he coldly snorted, "Anyone can boast and talk big, but we'll see what they're really made of!"

"Since you want to join my Pill Tower Elder Council, then let's have a match!"

"Oh?"

Yao Chen smiled calmly: "Since you want to suffer for yourself, don't blame me for not warning you."

"Yao Chen, I know why you've come. Once I obtain the position of elder, I will ensure you leave empty-handed!"

Hou Laoguai could easily discern the mockery in Yao Chen's words. With a cold snort, he didn't linger any longer and angrily turned and left.

Yao Chen squinted at Hou Laoguai's departing figure and said softly, "It seems that this time, we must shatter that old monster's dream of becoming an elder."

Lin Ran smiled calmly and nodded slightly.

"Don't worry, I'm 100% sure."

……

As the brilliant and warm sunlight tore through the layers of clouds and shone upon the mountaintop, a melodious, ancient chime slowly resounded throughout the space.

As the chimes rang out, the space atop the mountain suddenly distorted slightly, and then seven aged figures appeared without warning on a stone platform in the plaza. Upon seeing these seven elders, many people in the plaza bowed and respectfully said, "Greetings, Seven Elders!"

Within the Little Pill Tower, the Grand Elder Council holds the highest decision-making position. These elders naturally hold extremely high status, and most of them are selected from within the Little Pill Tower. They are highly respected individuals, and therefore, the people within the Little Pill Tower have considerable faith in their words.

Lin Ran's gaze also fell upon the seven old men, his eyes slowly sweeping over them before finally settling on the four in the center. Among these seven, the aura of these four was exceptionally strong, especially that of the old man in the very center, dressed in hemp clothes with a calm and composed expression.

The strength of this old guy's aura is in no way inferior to Lin Ran's!

"Two mid-level half-saints, one high-level half-saint, and another who should be a Dou Sheng powerhouse who has reached the early stage of the second star... If you add that old ancestor of the Pill Tower, no wonder it can rival the Soul Palace."

Lin Ran's gaze lingered on the old man in hemp clothing.

"That old man in hemp robes is the Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower. He is the most senior person in the Little Pill Tower besides the Ancestor. Even I have to show him the respect due to a junior," Yao Chen said softly beside Lin Ran.

"Hmm, I can sense it. A two-star Dou Sheng cultivation level and a soul realm at the late stage of the Heaven Realm do indeed have some foundation."

As Lin Ran stared at the old man in hemp robes, the latter seemed to sense it as well. His pair of eyes, as deep as the starry sky, turned to Lin Ran, and then a few fluctuations flashed in them, clearly indicating that he had also discovered Lin Ran's true strength.

When the elder looked over, Lin Ran's brows twitched slightly. He could feel an invisible force pressing down on the surrounding space. This pressure was imperceptible to others, but only he, as the person involved, could clearly feel it.

Lin Ran smiled calmly and didn't stand on ceremony. A terrifying soul flashed between his brows, causing the elder's brows to furrow suddenly, his expression to change slightly, and he almost lost his color.

Lin Ran stopped causing trouble and smiled as he withdrew his Soul Realm cultivation. Only then did the old man in hemp robes show a look of surprise and uncertainty, and it took him a long time to calm down.

A moment later, his aged yet calm voice rang in everyone's ears: "Today is a rare lively day in my Little Pill Tower. This is not the first time everyone has experienced the elder selection. I won't go into the rules again. All the medicinal herbs on the mountain are available for the refiners to take. Whoever refines the best-grade pill in the end will naturally be the winner."

"If no one has any questions, those who have qualified to participate in the selection, please come forward." Although the elder was very old, he was quite decisive and efficient. Without any unnecessary words, he pointed to the square in front of him and said calmly.

"yes!"

Upon hearing the elder's words, some respectful voices rose from the crowd, and then figures emerged one after another, each finding an open space in the square.

"Then I'll go out too." Seeing what these people were doing, Lin Ran smiled.

"Go for it, Sect Leader Lin! We're just one vote away from making this happen!" Xuan Yi laughed.

Lin Ran nodded, then pushed through the crowd and found an open space amidst the astonished gazes of those around him.

Lin Ran's appearance undoubtedly attracted a lot of attention. Most of the older folks here were the kind of people who rarely went out, so they didn't know why such a young person had suddenly appeared in this selection.

"This young man is named Lin Ran. He was jointly recommended by the four elders of the Pill Tower. According to the rules, he is also qualified to participate in the elder selection." The First Elder glanced around the arena and said calmly.

At the same time, his gaze was fixed intently on Lin Ran.

"I see……"

"A joint recommendation from four elders?"

"But this elder selection is no ordinary game. Is this kid up to the task?"

"Wait a minute, why does the name Lin Ran sound so familiar...?"

(End of this chapter)