"Sect Leader Senior Brother, could there be some misunderstanding?" Xuan Hu found it hard to imagine anyone plotting against others with their own life. If Xiao Man were truly a demon spy, it would be truly terrifying.
"I wish it were a misunderstanding!" the Sect Leader said worriedly. "But besides her, who else do you think our Martial Uncle would protect? Moreover, Junior Sister also said that Xiao Qin gave something to Martial Uncle, so it's highly likely Martial Uncle is covering for her."
"Sect Leader Senior Brother, I think you've misunderstood. Xiao Qin blew up Martial Uncle's alchemy room and his cave dwelling. How could Martial Uncle possibly protect her?" Xuan Hu shook his head repeatedly.
"I also wish the person Martial Uncle protected wasn't her, but Martial Uncle hasn't left his abode for so many years, yet he came out repeatedly because of her." The Sect Leader's brow was deeply furrowed. He spoke slowly, "Martial Uncle thinks highly of her, and Junior Sister also thinks highly of her... Xuan Hu, send Shi Lan to see me."
The Sect Leader took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Shi Lan had the most contact with Xiao Man, and perhaps some information could be gleaned from her. However, Shi Lan also deeply admired Xiao Man, and might not be willing to tell the truth.
"Yes, Sect Leader Senior Brother."
The Sect Leader met Shi Lan and asked some questions about Xiao Man's deeds in the Land of No Return. Upon learning that Xiao Man indeed hailed from the Eight Tribes, he let out a sigh of relief. Since she came from the Eight Tribes, she wouldn't be a demon. Then, who could have stolen the Divine Farmer's Cauldron?
Could it be that Xiao Man wasn't a demon, but she was the one who stole the Divine Farmer's Cauldron? But why would Xiao Man steal the Divine Farmer's Cauldron? Could it be a coincidence?
"No, I have to go and confirm this with that brat myself." The Sect Leader immediately left. Since she was about to participate in the trial, she must be not far from the trial grounds. If he wanted to find her, he would surely find her near the trial grounds! He could not rest until this matter was clarified.
As the Sect Leader, Zhu Qing, was searching for Xiao Man, he unexpectedly discovered that Jun Fei'er was also looking for Xiao Man.
Zhu Qing did not reveal himself but quietly followed behind Jun Fei'er.
"Yue Zhao, can you find my good disciple?" Jun Fei'er glanced sideways at the small bear cub standing on her shoulder. Jun Fei'er had named it Yue Zhao.
Yue Zhao nodded incessantly, its small paws pointing towards the east.
Jun Fei'er hurried eastward. After traveling about two li, she saw a wine shop. There weren't many people in the shop, but she immediately spotted Xiao Man sitting by the entrance, drinking.
Jun Fei'er chuckled and shook her head, walking towards Xiao Man. "You brat, you're hiding here."
"Master, you've wrongly accused me. I'm not hiding here; I'm waiting here for the trial grounds to open." Xiao Man's gaze swept past Jun Fei'er's back. "Master, why have you come to find me?"
"Martial Uncle has left the Hundred Herbs Hall."
"Mm, I know."
"The one he's covering for, it's you, isn't it?" Jun Fei'er snatched the wine bowl from Xiao Man's hand and drank it in one gulp.
"Master, you're really..."
"Don't give me evasive answers. I understand Martial Uncle very well, and it's not just me; Sect Leader Senior Brother also understands him very well." Jun Fei'er interrupted Xiao Man. "Tell me honestly, what have you done?"
Xiao Man picked up another bowl, poured some wine, and looked into the distance. "Sect Leader Senior Uncle, the weather is hot outside. Why don't you come over for a bowl of wine and cool down?"
Jun Fei'er was startled and quickly looked behind her. Indeed, she saw the Sect Leader Zhu Qing emerge from his hiding spot and walk towards them. He then sat down at the table, picked up a wine bowl, and drank it all down.
"Did you take the Divine Farmer's Cauldron?"
Jun Fei'er looked at the Sect Leader in shock, then at Xiao Man. The Divine Farmer's Cauldron was the treasure of the Hundred Herbs Hall. Xiao Man had privately taken it, which was why the Sect Leader was so angry?
"Sect Leader, don't slander my disciple. My disciple wouldn't do such a thing..."
"I took it."
"What?" Jun Fei'er's expression twisted for a moment. She wished she could grab Xiao Man by the neck and shake her vigorously. If you took it, you took it, why admit it? It's just a broken cauldron! As long as you don't admit it, the Sect Leader can't do anything to you!
The Sect Leader's expression also twisted for a moment before returning to normal. "Why did you take the Divine Farmer's Cauldron?"
"As a direct disciple, I am qualified to enter the forbidden grounds to choose my own alchemy furnace. Coincidentally, I had a connection with it. Sect Leader Senior Uncle wants to take it back?" Su Dan Novel Network
"So, Martial Uncle was indeed covering for you?"
"Great Martial Uncle wanted me to take the Divine Farmer's Cauldron, but I didn't think much of that broken cauldron. I chose the alchemy cauldron I picked from the ruins. Great Martial Uncle thought it wasn't suitable and told me to take the Divine Farmer's Cauldron from the restricted area. But I didn't like it, so I left."
The Sect Leader immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as you're not a demon spy, that's all that matters."
"Sect Leader Senior Uncle, you are too insulting!" Xiao Man angrily slammed the table, complaining to Jun Fei'er with a wronged look. "Master, Sect Leader Senior Uncle insulted me!"
"Sect Leader Senior Brother, insulting my disciple is insulting me!"
The Sect Leader choked. "This is not my fault. It's your disciple's fault. You took it, but you couldn't even tell me? You made me worry incessantly, fearing it was stolen by the demons!"
"I asked Great Martial Uncle to inform Sect Leader Senior Uncle. Didn't Great Martial Uncle say anything?"
The Sect Leader shook his head and couldn't help but curse Lu Qing as an idiot. Lu Qing knew that Xiao Man had taken the real Divine Farmer's Cauldron, so he covered for Xiao Man, deceiving him for fear that he would trouble Xiao Man. But upon careful consideration, he suddenly felt that the Divine Farmer's Cauldron would be safer with Xiao Man. Who would have thought he would give the Divine Farmer's Cauldron to a disciple to carry around?
"Let me see it." The Sect Leader was silent for a moment and then slowly said.
Xiao Man summoned the Divine Farmer's Cauldron. A simple, unassuming small cauldron appeared before the two of them.
Jun Fei'er took it and examined it back and forth. "This is the Divine Farmer's Cauldron?"
Xiao Man nodded. "I've caused many furnace explosions, and it hasn't been damaged at all."
The Sect Leader's hand trembled. If Xiao Man had managed to blow up the Divine Farmer's Cauldron, would the ancestors of the Hundred Herbs Hall be so angry that they would crawl out of their graves and smash her with their coffin lids?
"Did you find the reason for the furnace explosions?" The Sect Leader took the Divine Farmer's Cauldron from Jun Fei'er's hand. No one would have guessed that the Divine Farmer's Cauldron was such an unremarkable small cauldron.
"I found it."
"It's good that you found it. Great Martial Uncle praises you highly. You must not disappoint us." The Sect Leader handed the Divine Farmer's Cauldron back to Xiao Man. "What are your plans now?"
"To enter the trial grounds and find a way to form a core."
"Mm, that's acceptable. If you become a core formation cultivator, it will be nothing but beneficial for our Hundred Herbs Hall." The Sect Leader nodded incessantly. Martial Uncle has left, and Xiao Man reaching the core formation stage is also a good thing. "After successfully forming your core, when will you return to the Hundred Herbs Hall?"
"I won't be back for a while." Xiao Man poured them both more wine. "I'm going to the Four Great Sects."