Along the way, they encountered many people from the Pill King Palace, each of them staring at Ye Xiruo with fervor, as if she were some rare species. Their gazes, however, were filled with the utmost respect when they fell upon Si Hao.

"Greetings, Young Master. Greetings, Senior Brother."

Ye Xiruo smiled and nodded, while Si Hao nodded slightly.

Throughout the journey, Ye Xiruo's face was practically frozen from smiling.

"You'll get used to it." Si Hao patted Ye Xiruo on the shoulder.

Ye Xiruo nodded. She could already see the majestic and solemn Pill King Palace, but the oppressive aura emanating from it made her face turn pale.

"Senior brother, I'm a little nervous." Ye Xiruo suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Si Hao turned around and looked at Ye Xiruo's youthful face. He sighed, "Your master and I are your greatest support." No matter what, Ye Xiruo was the next successor of the Pill King Palace and his junior sister. It was his responsibility.

From the day his secret was exposed to the world, he was already in grave danger. If only he had known, he would have restrained those people, preventing them from maliciously slandering and harming his junior sister. Alas, there are no "what ifs." Now, all he can do is stand before his junior sister, shielding her from the storm, allowing her to grow safely until she no longer needs the protection of the Pill King's Palace, until she reaches a height that the entire world must look up to.

"Thank you, senior brother, for not minding that I'm a burden." In the Pill King Hall, a seven or eight-year-old child is probably already a first-level alchemist. She is already thirteen years old and still a third-rate alchemist, bearing the title of young hall master. It's truly embarrassing.

“In the entire Pill King Palace, and even the entire continent, no one has the right to laugh at you. They are just jealous of you, or rather, they revere you and fear you,” Si Hao said earnestly, looking directly into Ye Xiruo’s eyes.

"If you hear anything unpleasant, don't take it to heart. You are destined to become a divine master, and your life and time should not be wasted on these boring people and things."

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I will definitely work hard." It seems there are good people in the Pill King Palace after all! Although most people aren't very friendly to her, judging from her Second Senior Brother's tone and expression, he is genuinely kind to her.

"What you lack now is time. I'm afraid some people won't give you time to grow. You must grow up quickly. Before you truly grow up, my senior brother and I will definitely stand in front of you and protect you from the wind and rain."

If Ye Xiruo felt the aura of the Pill King Palace again, the awe and oppression he felt had disappeared.

As I walked to the door of the side hall behind the main hall, I heard my master's voice.

"Little Yezi, Little Sisi, come in quickly, the boss is back." It was clear that the master was in a great mood.

Si Hao's serious face softened with a smile, clearly showing his genuine respect for his senior brother.

Ye Xiruo and Si Hao pushed open the door and entered, finding a gray-clad figure inside besides their master and grandmaster. His face appeared somewhat plain; compared to the extraordinary talents of their master and Brother Xiu Qi, he was utterly unremarkable, even compared to Hua Rong, Ye Liusha, and Si Hao. His adorable, doll-like face was adorned with two deep dimples, a delicate, rosy nose, and eyes of pristine purity, like clear spring water, capable of cleansing even the soul.

"A pure heart." These four words came to Ye Xiruo's mind.