"Really? Is there something unexpected?"

  "Yes, Master, it's not only unexpected, but also a bad thing. There might be a disaster that could lead to the downfall of our family."

  Dan Lao became even more curious and asked: "What's going on, it's so serious?"

  Ye Tianfan said, "Master, on the way we passed through a village and found that everyone in the village had been slaughtered, and it was not long after they died. So I and my sister chased after him and caught him, only to find out he was from the Demon Sect."

  "What? The Demon Sect's people have appeared. How can this be? Is another catastrophe going to befall us?" Dan Lao, who had never truly lost his composure before, was completely flustered this time.

  "Master, why are you so flustered? Is the Demon Gate really that terrifying?" Ye Tianfan asked curiously, while Xie Qianqiu also stared at Dan Lao, clearly wanting to know the reason.

  Master Dan looked up at the sky, seemingly thinking about something. Ye Tianfan didn't know what was wrong with his master, so he didn't disturb him either.

  A moment later, Dan Lao let out a sigh and said: "You haven't experienced the great war between good and evil, so you can't understand its cruelty."

  "Master, isn't it too cruel? We are all safe and sound now. Besides, can't the three of us defeat that insignificant Demon Gate with our combined strength?" Xie Qianqiu said nonchalantly.

  "You think Mo Men is an easy opponent, but his strength isn't that weak either. The last time the two major factions of Daoism and Demonism clashed was already hundreds of years ago, and now there aren't many people who remember that great war. At that time, I was just a young apprentice, my cultivation was only at the foundation building stage, whereas now I'm already at the middle stage of body merging." Dan Lao said with a sigh.

  "What a master, at that time you were only in the foundation-building period of your cultivation, it was indeed a very distant thing, I didn't know anything about it." Xie Qianqiu said.

  "Yes, it's indeed a very distant thing now, and at that time our three sects had quite a few scattered immortal cultivators, and the highest ones had already reached the fifth calamity scattered immortals, which was equivalent to the heavenly immortals' peak realm in the immortal world. Where is it like now with only two or three first or second calamity scattered immortals?" Dan Lao continued to say.

  "Master, why have the Dispersed Immortals become so scarce now?" Xie Qianqiu hastily asked.

  "They're all dead, and the cultivators in the sect are even more numerous in death and injury. The cultivators of the Tribulation Period and the cultivators of the Unity Stage have died almost equally, do you say it's tragic enough?" Dan Lao asked again.

  Qianqiu looked at Dan Lao with admiration and said, "Yes, Master is indeed very ruthless, but Master, you are so powerful, able to escape unscathed in such a situation."

  Dan Lao smiled bitterly and said, "It's not that I'm formidable, but rather I didn't even have the opportunity to participate in the battle. Moreover, my main focus is on alchemy, so my combat skills are very poor. That's why I hope you can participate in the trial, because I don't want you to end up like me."

  "It's not bad to be like you, at least you are the only alchemy master of our Tianqi Star!" Xie Qianqiu said, obviously envying the title of Alchemy Master.

  Dan Lao replied, "Before the great war, there were three or four alchemy masters in our sect, and even a grandmaster who could refine immortal pills. What's the big deal about my little achievement?"

  "What? The Great Alchemist Master, how is that possible? Where is the master now?" Xie Qianqiu asked hastily.

  "He also couldn't escape the fate of participating in the struggle, because at that time he was already a mid-term cultivator who had transcended tribulations, and he died in battle. After all, in the moment of life and death, who cares whether you are a great master or not? This is also why I hope you can have enough real strength." Dan Lao explained.

  "Master, rest assured, I will never repeat the mistakes of that great master," Xie Qianqiu guaranteed.

  Dan Lao said angrily: "That great master is your ancestor and also my master, how can you comment on him?"

  "What! Master, that great master is actually my master's senior, why haven't I heard you mention it before." Xie Qianqiu asked excitedly.

  Dan Lao's face turned slightly red with embarrassment as he said, "At that time, I was just his old man's medicine boy, how could I be considered his disciple? However, he had taught me the ways of the medical arts, and I have always regarded him as my teacher."

  Qian Qiu said disappointedly: "Oh, so that's how it is. I thought you were really a disciple of the great master."

  Dan Lao heard this and suddenly became a bit angry, but Xie Qiujiu was telling the truth. So Dan Lao said: "Alright, you've traveled such a long way, you must be very tired. Go back and rest well. Remember, alchemy practice can't be neglected. If there's a problem, come ask me in time, got it?"

  "Master, I understand. I will definitely work hard and practice all those top-grade elixirs." Ye Tianfan said respectfully.

  Dan Lao said: "I'm more at ease with you, and you're not only hardworking, but also very talented."

  Xie Qianqiu also said weakly: "Master, I know, I still need to prepare for the competition between Golden Dan period cultivators."

  Dan Lao said: "Of course, preparation for the trial should be made early, but alchemy cannot fall behind either. Otherwise, I will ask the sect master to cancel your trial qualification and let Tian Fan go alone."

  "Master, this is an abuse of power. If I speak out, you will be disgraced." Dan Lao's words immediately triggered a rebuttal from Xie Qiuqiu.

  Dan Lao also replied: "I won't let my own disciples participate in the competition, who else will say I'm wrong?"

  "But..." Xie Qiujiu wanted to say, but Ye Tianfan hastily pulled his own master sister, while leading her out the door, said: "Master, we'll withdraw now. If there's anything I don't understand about alchemy, I will come ask for your guidance."

  Dan Lao watched the two of them disappear into the distance, muttering to himself: "These two kids, one obedient and sensible, the other quirky and eccentric, actually made me feel younger too, not bad at all. Alright, back to alchemy."

  After dragging Xie Qianqiu outside the courtyard, Xie Qianqiu shook off Ye Tianfan and said angrily: "What were you doing just now? I haven't finished speaking yet."

  "Sister, don't you understand the situation? Not to mention that you're a disciple of Master, just talking about the difference in your cultivation and status, it's fundamentally incomparable. In the end, you'll be the one who suffers." Ye Tianfan carefully analyzed for his sister.

  Xie Qianqiu thought carefully for a moment, then said: "You're right, it's not wise to force Master, so I've made up my mind."

  "Has it been decided then? From now on, you won't argue with Master again?" Ye Tianfan asked.

  "Of course not," Qianqiu said matter-of-factly. "I plan to work hard, improve my cultivation, and focus on alchemy until I surpass Master. By then, we'll see if Master still has anything to say."

  After listening to his senior sister's bold words, Ye Tianfan was somewhat disappointed that his senior sister and master were still fighting, but he believed that his senior sister would make great progress in both her cultivation and alchemy skills with diligent study and hard practice.

  The two of them had nothing more to say, so they parted ways and each went back to their own homes.

  In the following days, Ye Tianfan did not deliberately cultivate himself, but instead practiced the art of alchemy diligently, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the balance of the five elements.

  Of course, during this period of time, Ye Tianfan also asked his master Dan Lao many questions. However, these questions were almost all not his own to ask, but rather on behalf of his senior sister, because she had already decided not to ask her master for advice, and could only have Ye Tianfan take care of it.

  Time passed in such leisure.