"You appear to know that 'witch' a lot," the little girl replied, placing special emphasis on one particular word.
"If only. She was only rarely mentioned."
Eren scratched the back of his head. Great Elder Zia was a character of importance, but still she was rarely mentioned in the novel.
She was so rare that her looks weren't even described in the novel, as if the author did not care about her at all. Only her name was mentioned a few times.
"Rarely mentioned?" The girl frowned, as if trying to remember something. However, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't seem to get an answer.
"Who even are you?" she asked.
"Little girl, did you forget what I said? Now isn't the time for you to talk. Go down the mountain and approach the Alchemy Hall if you need something. That witch won't help you even if you begged her."
Eren kept looking back and forth between the girl and the courtyard. She had come here to take help from the Great Elder, but he also didn't want the little girl to get in trouble, especially since it could affect him.
Great Elder Zia was a moody person. If her mood was soiled because of this little girl, she could reject him as well. Hence, he had to send this girl away.
"If the Alchemy Hall gives you trouble, tell them that Elder Ren sent you. They should help you as much as they can."
"Elder Ren, huh." The girl observed Eren from top to bottom. "I seem to have heard about you. The newest addition to the sect that Feng Yu brought with her."
"Cough, what did you say?"
Hearing the girl, Eren couldn't help but cough as he swallowed his previous words. The little girl was calling the Sect Master by her name? Was this girl a little slow?
As a disciple, not only was she in a place where she was not supposed to be, but she was also talking about the Sect Master like that? Did she not realize what danger she was in?
He opened his mouth to tell the girl to be careful with his words. However, before he could utter a single word, he heard the sound of the door opening.
"If you tell him anything, he won't get my help."
"Why didn't you tell him your real identity?" Xiu Ying used a mental transmission to ask the girl in return.
She did not want to hide anything from Eren, as it felt like she was fooling him. But he needed her help. For his own benefit, she could only listen to the girl as even she could not force her to do things.
Both of them had the same position as the Great Elder, and none of them could force the other.
She did not understand why this girl was hiding her identity from Eren.
Although she looked like a little girl, she was actually even older than Xiu Ying. She was the person that Eren was looking for. She was the greatest Alchemist in the sect, as well as a beastmaster.
She was also a member of the Intercontinental Alchemist Organization, and her position was not lower either.
If one looked from the point of importance, Zia was more important than Xiu Ying.
"Should I ask you why you brought someone to my house without my permission? Also, if I'm not wrong, weren't you supposed to be under house arrest because of him?"
"This has nothing to do with you. I came to you for help, and if you help me, I will give you what you have been after for a long time."
Xiu Ying and Zia kept talking amongst each other through their thoughts.
"Spirit herb? I don't need it anymore. I already found it," Zia replied in her thoughts. However, as soon as she finished, she felt someone's hand on her head.
"Where are your manners? Pay respect to a Great Elder."
Before she could even react, Eren pushed her head down, making her lower her head to Xiu Ying.
Xiu Ying's jaws almost dropped.