Let me Touch your Tail

Chapter 52

The little fox completely ignored Yan Zhao. It jumped down from Yan Zhao's arms, sat on another chair, turned its head away, and wrapped its small body in its fluffy tail, presenting its back to Yan Zhao.

Yan Zhao was angry with the fox as well. The fox ignored her, and she ignored the fox. Yan Zhao channeled her frustration into her appetite, swiftly devouring the food on the table. Bi Lan kindly asked, "Junior Sister Yan, is your hand alright?" As she spoke, she took out a bottle of medicinal ointment.

Yan Zhao, with a large pork knuckle in her mouth, looked up when she heard this, "Huh?" Unable to speak, she extended her hand for Bi Lan to see. There were two bruised marks where the fox had bitten her, but they were visibly fading.

"Your recovery is remarkably fast," Bi Lan mused. As they spoke, several cultivators gradually entered the dining hall, filling the space with chatter and liveliness.

"We've arrived just in time! I heard that the great Apothecary Elder will be coming out of seclusion soon. Not only will there be a grand feast to welcome immortals from all walks of life, but half of the coveted Suiyang Pills will also be auctioned off!"

"Your news is old! Let me tell you something that'll really shock you!" someone said, clearly eager to share a secret. The group urged, "Hurry up, don't keep us in suspense!"

As the crowd's attention turned to him, the man proudly declared, "I saw it with my own eyes yesterday—Xuan Yuanmu, that rebellious young master of the Xuan Yuan clan, is here at the inn! He must be attending the Apothecary Convention too!"

The group fell silent, then erupted into laughter. "Stop exaggerating! Everyone knows that Xuan Yuanmu and the Apothecary Sect are at odds. Why would he attend the convention?"

Annoyed at being doubted, the man huffed, "Just you wait and see!"

Clatter. Bi Lan's chopsticks slipped from her hand, splashing cold soup onto her face. Yan Zhao glanced up at the sound, noticing Bi Lan's distracted expression. Bi Lan quickly picked up her fallen chopsticks and, in her absent-mindedness, forgot to use a spell to clean them, continuing to eat with the dirty utensils. Yan Zhao blinked, finding nothing unusual, and returned to her meal. The little fox's ears twitched, and it cast a glance at Bi Lan's strange behavior, seeming thoughtful. Meanwhile, Bi Lan kept her head down, eating without tasting the food.

At the entrance of the Apothecary Sect, a man and a woman approached. The man, dressed in elegant green robes, walked with grace, while the woman, dressed like a scholar, looked more relaxed. The woman, Tu Shan Yu, played with a fan in her hand, gently fanning herself to stay cool as they approached the mountain gate.

Two disciples guarding the gate stepped forward, "Do you have an invitation?"

Tu Shan Yu flipped her wrist, revealing a dark golden invitation card in her palm. "Tu Shan Yu of Qingqiu, here on behalf of my father to attend the Apothecary Convention. This is my cousin, Bai Jin."

"Ah, it's Young Master Tu Shan and Miss Bai!" The disciples quickly escorted them inside, leading them toward the sect. Along the way, Bai Jin glanced around, transmitting her thoughts to Tu Shan Yu. "This place's spiritual energy is lacking compared to Qingqiu."

Tu Shan Yu responded in kind, "Few sects in Tianchen are as skilled in alchemy as this one, so its spiritual energy naturally can't compare to Qingqiu. However, the Apothecary Elder once traveled to Qingqiu to learn medicine from my grandmother. After mastering it, he returned to Tianchen to establish his sect, so this lineage is still connected to Qingqiu."

This history piqued Bai Jin's interest. "So, the Apothecary Elder and Lord Fox Emperor share the same teacher? Who's better at alchemy?"

Tu Shan Yu shook his head. "They've been rivals for thousands of years without ever determining who's superior. Unfortunately, three hundred years ago, my father was injured by the Sky Blue Arrow Demon and hasn't refined medicine since. If the Apothecary Elder successfully refines the Suiyang Pill after coming out of seclusion, he might be considered slightly superior."