Inside the alchemy room, Ling'er poured a cup of tea for the Divine Pill Elder. "Elder, alchemy is so arduous. This tea is brewed by me for you. Drinking three cups daily will not only help you recuperate but also strengthen your body."
The Divine Pill Elder smiled faintly. "My old bones won't last much longer, so what's the point of strengthening my body?" He continued, "However, I am quite pleased with your filial piety. Rest assured, even if Xiao Fan becomes the Divine Pill Elder, I will ensure he treats you well and doesn't bully you."
"Thank you, Elder!" Ling'er nodded slightly, her face showing understanding. Lu Fan would soon be gone, and the entire Divine Pill Hall would inevitably fall under his control. He naturally wouldn't dwell on these matters.
A short while later, Lu Fan returned from outside, holding an alchemy furnace, appearing quite casual. Upon seeing Lu Fan, Ling'er was slightly surprised. "Why are you back?"
"What, shouldn't I be back?" Lu Fan smiled.
"Of course not, I didn't mean that!" Ling'er chuckled awkwardly. "I mean, why did you return so quickly?"
"It's been most of the day, not that fast," Lu Fan said with a light laugh. "After all, that city isn't far."
After speaking, Lu Fan approached the Divine Pill Elder. "What do you think of this alchemy furnace?"
The Divine Pill Elder took a look and was quite satisfied. "This alchemy furnace is good. You're very thoughtful!"
"As long as Elder likes it, then it's no matter!" Lu Fan smiled faintly. Ling'er stood by, her brow furrowed slightly. She never expected Lu Fan to return alive. Qi Hao had already gone out, and under normal circumstances, things should not have turned out this way.
"Junior Sister Ling'er, you don't seem happy to see me return?" Lu Fan chuckled. "Could it be you have something on your mind? Or perhaps I shouldn't have returned."
"Of course not, you speak as if..." Ling'er quickly smiled. "Did you encounter anyone after leaving Tianhuo Pavilion?"
"No!" Lu Fan shook his head. "I didn't encounter anyone. Was I supposed to meet someone?"
"Of course not!" Ling'er smiled again. "I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
After Ling'er left, Lu Fan's expression turned indifferent, not taking it to heart. However, at this moment, the Divine Pill Elder poured out the nearby tea. "Did you encounter an ambush when you went out?"
"Elder, you jest. Nothing of the sort happened!" Lu Fan shook his head. He didn't understand what the Divine Pill Elder meant but sensed he might have an inkling.
"This tea has been laced with poison, a slow-acting one. If I drink a few cups daily, it will be fatal," the Divine Pill Elder stated directly. "Since Ling'er intends to harm me, she must have a foolproof plan, and you are undoubtedly part of it. If she didn't act against you this time, she certainly will next. You should leave Tianhuo Pavilion as soon as possible!"
"So ruthless!" Lu Fan gazed at the tea, his eyes growing colder. He despised people like Ling'er, who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
"Don't blame her. She is still young and doesn't understand many things," the Divine Pill Elder waved his hand. "However, she is indeed not suitable to be the steward of the Divine Pill Hall. It's a pity she doesn't realize it!"
"Keeping someone like this will ultimately be a disaster," Lu Fan said indifferently, revealing a killing intent. Sudancalligraphy.com.
The Divine Pill Elder looked helpless, unsure how to respond.
In the following days, Ling'er tried to enter the Second Heaven but did not see Qi Hao. News even spread within the Second Heaven that Qi Hao had never returned after leaving Tianhuo Pavilion. Ling'er was perplexed by this. She even suspected Lu Fan. Under normal circumstances, things should not have unfolded this way. Qi Hao was a Grand Spirit Master and an inner disciple, far surpassing Lu Fan in strength and talent. Why had Lu Fan returned safely while Qi Hao disappeared without a trace?
With this thought, Ling'er did not hesitate and went directly to Lu Fan's residence. "Junior Brother Ling'er, what happened to Senior Brother Qi Hao? What did you do to him?"
"Junior Sister Ling'er, did you barge in just to ask about this?" Lu Fan said with a wry smile. "I truly don't know what you're talking about. Who is this Qi Hao you speak of?"
"Stop pretending. It must be you. You must have dealt with Senior Brother Qi Hao, otherwise, why would he be missing!" Ling'er's expression turned cold, her gaze fixed on Lu Fan with hostility.
At these words, Lu Fan smiled faintly. "You're mistaken with that statement. I don't know him."
"That's impossible. Senior Brother Qi Hao was outside Tianhuo Pavilion that day to deal with you. How could you not have met him!" Ling'er stated directly. "You must have killed Senior Brother Qi Hao. You murderer! I will report this to the Second Heaven and have their elders deal with you."
"Do you think you can still get out?" Lu Fan's palm instantly produced the White Lotus Holy Fire, burning with an eerie glow that could instantly kill someone.
"It really is you!" Ling'er trembled, never imagining Lu Fan possessed such power.
"I didn't want to reveal my identity or make things difficult for you, but you've forced my hand," Lu Fan said coldly. "You are not qualified to kill me."
"As an outer disciple, you could never possess such strength. You are not from Tianhuo Pavilion at all!" Ling'er said again. "Could you be the expert Tianhuo Pavilion has been looking for?"
"You guessed correctly!" Lu Fan nodded slightly. "Therefore, everything you've done is futile. I came to Tianhuo Pavilion not for the outer elder, but for the Green Lotus Holy Fire, and I have no interest in competing with you for the position of Divine Pill Elder!"
Ling'er took a few steps back, her face ashen. If Lu Fan's words were true, she had indeed done a lot of useless work and even caused Qi Hao to lose his life in vain.
"Why? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Ling'er retreated, becoming extremely agitated. She never imagined things would turn out this way, losing not only the one she loved but also facing her own demise.
"How could I tell you?" Lu Fan said coldly. "If you hadn't harbored ill intentions, none of this would have happened." Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "The Divine Pill Elder cared for you greatly, yet you poisoned his tea. Even though he knew, he did not intend to punish you. How could you bring yourself to do it?"
"This is impossible, absolutely impossible." Ling'er retreated, her mind in disarray. Suddenly, Lu Fan's divine sense invaded Ling'er's mind, forcibly dispelling her spiritual consciousness. Ling'er instantly fell into a deep sleep.
"You are still too kind, my boy!" The Hongmeng elder spoke out. "Ultimately, you cannot bring yourself to kill!"