Three-year agreement? Break off the engagement on the spot!

The night was as dark as ink, quietly enveloping Qingyang Town. Sparse stars twinkled in the sky, casting a cold, clear radiance, but it couldn't penetrate the dense shade of Lin Chen's small courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, Lin Chen was not resting.

The excitement from his recent cultivation breakthrough and the surging power within him left him mentally exhilarated, with no desire for sleep. More importantly, he was eager to test a bold conjecture in his heart – could this mysterious "Myriad Dao Furnace" truly refine things other than spiritual energy?

His gaze finally fell upon the mountain of discarded medicinal dregs piled in a corner of the courtyard wall.

These dregs were the residue left by the Lin Family's alchemy room after refining pills. Most of them were charred black and dry, emitting a peculiar smell of burnt vegetation mixed with medicinal ingredients. In the eyes of ordinary people, these dregs were no different from dirt, true "waste." However, to save on disposal costs, or perhaps because they simply didn't pay attention to this remote corner, the Lin Family allowed these dregs to accumulate here. Over time, they had formed a small "dreg mountain."

For Lin Chen, who had desperately yearned to cultivate but couldn't, even a trace of residual medicinal power in these discarded dregs had once been an unattainable luxury. But now... they might become the first stepping stone for him to test the furnace and embark on the path of the strong!

Lin Chen took a deep breath, calming his excited emotions. He walked to the pile of dregs, bent down, and picked up a piece about the size of a fist, completely charred black, with a few residual grass roots still attached.

It felt cool to the touch, its texture hard, emitting a faint burnt smell.

He sat down cross-legged, holding the piece of dreg in his palm. Then, he carefully sank his consciousness, attempting to communicate with the "Myriad Dao Furnace" suspended above his dantian's sea of qi.

The moment his intent touched that mysterious black iron piece—

Buzz!

A familiar suction force emanated from the furnace once again!

Unlike the previous absorption of spiritual energy, this time, the suction force precisely targeted the piece of medicinal dreg in Lin Chen's hand!

The surface of the charred black dreg began to become drier and more withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if the last bit of essence within it was being forcibly extracted!

Strands of gray-black airflow, carrying impurities, were forcibly drawn through Lin Chen's arm meridians into the Myriad Dao Furnace in his dantian!

"It really works!" Lin Chen was ecstatic!

He could clearly "see" that once the dreg essence, containing mixed energies and numerous useless impurities, entered the furnace, it was instantly enveloped, decomposed, and forged by an invisible, scorching force!

Hiss, hiss, hiss—

As if invisible flames were burning, those gray-black impurity streams churned violently and twisted within the furnace. Various waste components, toxins, and burnt energies were completely incinerated and refined in a very short time, dissipating into the purest wisps of smoke (actually processed in some unknown way by the furnace). Only a wisp of extremely weak, yet incredibly pure, pale green energy remained!

This energy, though small in quantity, carried the pure essence of grass and medicinal power!

The next moment, this wisp of pure medicinal energy flowed out of the furnace and directly merged into Lin Chen's meridians!

Boom!

A warm, nourishing sensation instantly spread through his limbs and bones!

Lin Chen felt a comforting warmth all over his body, as if he were soaking in a warm medicinal bath. His recently breakthrough to the second level of the Body Tempering Realm, which was still somewhat unstable, was rapidly stabilizing under the nourishment of this pure medicinal energy! Not only that, but his physical body also seemed to have received a subtle reinforcement. His blood circulation became smoother, and even his spirit was invigorated!

"Good! This is great!" Lin Chen was so excited he almost wanted to jump up!

A piece of discarded medicinal dreg, considered trash by everyone, could produce such an effect after being refined and purified by the Myriad Dao Furnace! Although the improvement was not significant, it undoubtedly proved his conjecture – the Myriad Dao Furnace could indeed refine all things, turning decay into the miraculous!

Did that mean...

Lin Chen's gaze became incredibly fervent as he looked at the mountain of medicinal dregs, as if seeing not waste, but a vast treasure waiting for him to excavate!

If one piece of dreg had a weak effect, what about ten pieces? A hundred pieces? A thousand pieces?

The medicinal dregs piled here amounted to at least tens of thousands of pounds! If he were to refine them all...

Lin Chen couldn't imagine!

He suppressed the urge to "devour" all the dregs immediately, knowing that too much of anything was bad. He had just broken through, his realm was not yet stable, and refining the medicinal dregs also seemed to consume some mental energy. He couldn't rush it.

"Slowly, no rush," Lin Chen murmured, his eyes flashing with unprecedented brilliance. "With the Myriad Dao Furnace in hand, my future will absolutely not be confined to this small Qingyang Town, nor will I be bound by the so-called Family Test!"

He picked up another piece of dreg, immersing himself in the wondrous feeling of refining and the joy of steadily increasing his strength.

Time passed unknowingly. The night deepened, and the surroundings were silent, with only the occasional chirping of insects.

Lin Chen was completely engrossed in his cultivation, lost in the moment.

However, just as he had refined about a dozen pieces of dreg and felt that his second level of the Body Tempering Realm had completely stabilized, even showing signs of progressing towards the mid-second level—

A clear sound of footsteps, accompanied by a deliberately raised female voice filled with obvious arrogance and impatience, abruptly shattered the tranquility of the small courtyard.

"Is this the place? Hmph, as expected, it's rundown and shabby, not even as good as a servant's quarters! I really don't know how I ever got involved with a place like this!"

The voice was clear and pleasant, like a warbler singing in a valley, but the undisguised disdain and disgust in her tone were like a cold needle, instantly piercing the peace of the night.

Lin Chen's brow furrowed sharply, and his refining motion paused. He slowly opened his eyes and looked towards the courtyard entrance.

Under the moonlight, two figures stood at the entrance of the small courtyard.

The first person was a young girl dressed in a light blue dress. She was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a graceful figure and a face of exquisite beauty. Her skin was as fair as jade under the moonlight, like a budding lotus, pure and ethereal.

However, at this moment, her face, which should have been captivating, was filled with frosty indifference and undisguised disgust. Her delicate brows were tightly knit, and her eyes swept over the dilapidated courtyard as if looking at something dirty and foul.

Lin Chen recognized this girl, and the memory was etched into his bones.

She was the jewel of the Su Family, one of the three major families in Qingyang Town, known as the most beautiful woman in Qingyang Town, and also—Lin Chen's former fiancée, Su! Qing! Yao!

Beside Su Qingyao stood a tall, imposing young man in luxurious clothing. This young man was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a handsome face and a faint, arrogant smile on his lips. His gaze towards Su Qingyao was filled with undisguised possessiveness and adoration, while his eyes looking towards Lin Chen's side were full of contempt and disdain, as if looking at an ant he could crush with a flick of his wrist.

Lin Chen also recognized this young man. He was the young master of the Wang Family, another major family in Qingyang Town, Wang Teng! He was also the master of Lin Bao and others whom Lin Chen had previously taught a lesson. Wang Teng had considerable talent and was rumored to have already broken through to the fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm, making him a standout among the younger generation in Qingyang Town. He had been relentlessly pursuing Su Qingyao.

At this moment, the two stood side by side, the man handsome and the woman beautiful, appearing quite "well-matched." However, their appearance here, especially at this late hour, was no coincidence.

A thought flashed through Lin Chen's mind, and his eyes instantly turned cold.

He slowly stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and calmly met the gazes of the two people at the courtyard entrance without speaking.

Three years of cold stares and mockery had long since taught him to remain impassive. Moreover, his state of mind was entirely different now.

"Lin Chen, you are indeed here," Su Qingyao spoke first, her voice icy and carrying a condescending indifference. "I thought, after today's 'feat,' you'd hide and not dare to show your face."

She had clearly heard about Lin Chen disciplining Lin Bao and the other two earlier, but her tone held no surprise or admiration, only mockery. It seemed she found Lin Chen's actions foolish and overconfident.

A subtle curve tugged at the corner of Lin Chen's lips. He said indifferently, "This is my courtyard. If I'm not here, where else would I be? Rather, Miss Su and Young Master Wang visit so late at night, may I ask the reason for your esteemed presence?"

His tone was so calm it didn't stir a single ripple, as if he were addressing two unrelated strangers.

This calmness, however, caused both Su Qingyao and Wang Teng to pause slightly.

In their impression, although Lin Chen had a resilient personality, facing various oppressions over the past three years, he was mostly enduring and silent. When had he ever displayed such a detached, even distant attitude?

Especially Su Qingyao, she had expected that upon meeting Lin Chen again, he would either be flustered by inferiority or harbor fantasies due to her arrival, perhaps even with a hint of resentment. She had never anticipated this kind of calm, a calmness that made her feel somewhat... uncomfortable.

"Hmph! Lin Chen, stop putting on an act!" Wang Teng snorted, stepping forward and partially shielding Su Qingyao behind him, adopting a protective stance. He scrutinized Lin Chen from head to toe with a mocking gaze and sneered, "I heard you beat up those blind fools, Lin Bao and the others today? What, after three years as a good-for-nothing, you've gotten stronger? Or is it a cornered dog will bite, a broken pot just smashing itself further?"

His words were filled with insult, and he looked at Lin Chen as if he were watching a clown.

A cold glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes, but his expression remained calm. "What happens between Lin Bao and me doesn't seem to concern you, Young Master Wang. Rather, you, Young Master Wang, bringing my... ex-fiancée here to my residence late at night, doesn't that seem a bit improper?"

He deliberately emphasized the words "ex-fiancée," with a hint of subtle mockery.

"You!" Wang Teng's face darkened, anger flashing in his eyes. He was most sensitive about anyone mentioning the past engagement between Lin Chen and Su Qingyao!

Su Qingyao's expression instantly turned even colder and more displeased. She stepped forward, her voice sharpening slightly, "Lin Chen! Watch your words! I have absolutely no relationship with you anymore!"

She paused, taking a deep breath, seemingly trying to suppress the disgust and impatience in her heart. She said coldly, "We are not here to waste words with you today. Lin Chen, three years ago, your meridians were destroyed, and you became a cripple. Considering the past goodwill between our families, and that we knew each other since we were young, my Su family gave you three years, and the Lin family three years. This is the so-called 'Three-Year Agreement'!"

"During these three years, if you could achieve a miracle, even recovering to the first level of Body Tempering Realm, I, Su Qingyao, remembering our past affection, might have considered..." She paused here, then her tone shifted, filled with disdain and finality, "But now, it seems you are still a complete waste! You've even degenerated, getting into fights with those low-class disciples of the Lin family! You've truly disgraced yourself!"

"Therefore," Su Qingyao raised her fair chin, like a proud swan, and said in a condescending tone, "Today, I am officially informing you, and also the Lin family – I, Su Qingyao, hereby completely dissolve my engagement with you, Lin Chen, effective immediately! From this day forward, you and I, man and woman, go our separate ways!"

Breaking the engagement!

These two words, like the expected thunderclap, finally fell.

Although he had a premonition, hearing Su Qingyao say it so coldly and heartlessly still felt like a sharp stab to Lin Chen's heart.

It wasn't because he still held any affection for Su Qingyao, but because of this public humiliation, and the other party's self-righteous, condescending demeanor!

He recalled three years ago, when he was still that spirited, talented young prodigy, and the two families had set the engagement. Su Qingyao's shy, adoring gaze when she looked at him.

He also remembered how the Su family's attitude towards him had shifted over the past three years, from initial pity and observation, to indifference and distance, and now to contempt and eagerness to distance themselves.

Truly, the world is fickle, and people's hearts change easily!

Around the small courtyard, it seemed that due to the commotion here, more onlookers had gathered. Lin family servants, and even some gossipy, late-returning Lin family disciples, were hiding in the shadows, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

"Did you hear? Miss Su is here to break off the engagement!" "She should have done it long ago! How could a cripple be worthy of a celestial beauty like Miss Su?" "Exactly! This Lin Chen, he's like a toad wanting to eat swan meat, he should at least pee and look at himself!" "This is good, the engagement is broken, and in seven days he'll probably be kicked out of the Lin family. How miserable..."

Various voices of schadenfreude, contempt, and mockery surged like a tide, attempting to drown Lin Chen.

Seeing Lin Chen's silence, Wang Teng wore a triumphant smile. He put his arm around Su Qingyao's slender waist and said provocatively, "Lin Chen, did you hear that? Qingyao is my woman now! A good-for-nothing like you isn't even fit to carry her shoes! Be sensible and hand over the betrothal gifts from back then, then scram! Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Su Qingyao struggled symbolically, but didn't truly push Wang Teng's hand away. Instead, she leaned closer to him slightly, as if seeking protection, while coldly watching Lin Chen, waiting for his response, or rather, waiting to see his dejected and utterly humiliated state.

However, they were destined to be disappointed.

Lin Chen slowly raised his head. His face showed none of the expected pain, anger, or pleading.

There was only an extreme coldness, and a hint of... faint mockery.

"Break the engagement?" he repeated softly, his voice not loud but clearly reaching throughout the small courtyard. "Miss Su, have you perhaps misunderstood something?"

Su Qingyao blinked, "What do you mean?"

A mocking curve formed on Lin Chen's lips. "I mean, the one who needs to dissolve this so-called engagement has never been you, Su Qingyao, but me, Lin Chen!"

What?!

This statement not only stunned Su Qingyao and Wang Teng, but even the Lin family members eavesdropping around them were so shocked they almost dropped their jaws!

Has this cripple Lin Chen gone mad?

Miss Su coming to break the engagement herself was already a great favor, and he still dared to say such a thing? He wanted to break the engagement? On what grounds? What qualifications did he have?

"Lin Chen! How dare you!" Su Qingyao was both ashamed and angry, her pretty face flushing red. "You, a cripple who can't even draw in qi, what right do you have to say such things? Do you think you're still the genius you were three years ago? Stop humiliating yourself!"

"Whether I'm a genius or not has nothing to do with you," Lin Chen's gaze swept indifferently over Su Qingyao's pretty face, distorted with anger, his tone calm but his words piercing. "I just want to tell you, Miss Su, that your so-called 'Three-Year Agreement' is nothing but a joke in my eyes. Your Su family, including you, Su Qingyao, means nothing to me anymore."

"Three years ago, when I was in a slump, your Su family chose to stay out of it, watched coldly, and even kicked me while I was down. I, Lin Chen, remember it all."

"For the past three years, you, Su Qingyao, have avoided me like the plague, treating me as a disgrace. I've seen it all."

"Now, you bring another man, barge into my residence late at night, and 'break the engagement' with such a condescending attitude, wanting to flaunt your nobility and trample on my dignity?"

Lin Chen took a step forward, and an invisible, chilling aura emanated from his slender frame, causing both Su Qingyao and Wang Teng to subconsciously take half a step back!

"Su Qingyao, you think too highly of yourself!"

"This engagement," Lin Chen's voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute finality, "Today, it's not you breaking up with me, but me, Lin Chen – divorcing you!"

Divorce!

The word "divorce" struck like thunder!

In this world where men are revered and women are looked down upon, it's usually the man who discards the woman. When has it ever happened that a woman initiated a broken engagement, only to be publicly "discarded" by the man?

This was an utter humiliation!

Su Qingyao's face instantly turned deathly pale, her body swaying precariously. Pointing at Lin Chen, she trembled with rage, "You... you dare to humiliate me?!"

"Humiliate?" Lin Chen sneered. "I'm merely stating a fact. Between you and me, all ties have been severed. From this day forward, you are you, and I am I. We have no further connection! As for the token..."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small, exquisite jade pendant tied with a red string. The jade was smooth and warm to the touch, carved with a lifelike phoenix. It was the token given by the Su family when the two families were betrothed years ago.

Once, Lin Chen had cherished it like a treasure.

But now, in his eyes, this valuable jade pendant felt like a hot potato.

Without even glancing at Su Qingyao, he casually tossed the pendant to Wang Teng, as if throwing away trash.

"Take it! It belongs to you!"

Wang Teng instinctively caught the jade pendant, feeling a chill as it landed in his palm. He looked at Lin Chen's indifferent, even disdainful expression, then at Su Qingyao in his arms, pale and on the verge of fainting from anger. A surge of unnamable fury rushed to his head!

The woman he fancied, Wang Teng, was publicly "discarded" by this good-for-nothing? This was a direct slap in his face!

"Lin Chen! You're seeking death!" Wang Teng roared, his Body Tempering Realm fifth-layer aura erupting violently! A powerful gust of wind swept out from him, making the weeds in the courtyard sway wildly!

"How dare you humiliate Qingyao! Today, I'll cripple you!"

Before his words even finished, Wang Teng moved like a leopard, lunging at Lin Chen. His right hand formed a claw, carrying a sharp gust of wind, aiming straight for Lin Chen's throat!

He intended to defeat Lin Chen in one move, making this ignorant fool pay the most painful price!

Facing Wang Teng's enraged strike, Lin Chen's eyes instantly sharpened like knives!

Body Tempering Realm fifth layer?

If this were just a few hours ago, he might have truly been helpless.

But now...

The power of his Body Tempering Realm second layer coursed through him, his blood and qi surging! Although the gap in cultivation was still immense, he possessed the Myriad Dao Furnace, and his physical body had undergone preliminary tempering, making his reaction speed and strength far superior to those at the same level!

More importantly, his state of mind now was no longer that of a boy who constantly endured humiliation!

If others don't offend me, I won't offend them! If they offend me, I'll repay them a hundredfold!

In a flash, Lin Chen didn't retreat but advanced!

He didn't choose to directly confront Wang Teng's claw. Instead, he slightly shifted his body and launched his right fist like a cannonball. His target wasn't Wang Teng's vital points, but the wrist of the hand that was clawing at him!

To capture the ringleader, first capture the king; to kill the snake, strike its seven inches!

Lin Chen's punch was fast, accurate, and fierce! It condensed all the strength of his Body Tempering Realm second layer, even carrying a hint of the scorching aura brought by the Furnace!

Wang Teng clearly hadn't expected Lin Chen to fight back, nor for him to be so fast! He had thought his claw would easily crush Lin Chen's throat. Caught off guard, he could only change his claw into a palm, attempting to block Lin Chen's fist.

"Bang!"

Fist and palm met with a dull thud!

A tremendous force was transmitted!

Wang Teng felt his wrist go numb, as if he had been violently hit by a mad bull! His entire arm ached terribly! He staggered back three steps before barely managing to stabilize himself!

Lin Chen wasn't unscathed either. The difference in cultivation was still there. He was sent sliding back several meters, his right arm trembling slightly, his blood and qi churning.

But!

He had managed to block it!

And he had forced the fifth-layer Body Tempering Realm Wang Teng back three steps!

This scene once again shocked everyone!

Wang Teng clutched his numb wrist, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror!

How could this be?!

Wasn't this good-for-nothing not even at Body Tempering Realm first layer? How could he possibly withstand his enraged strike? And that power... it actually made him feel threatened?!

Su Qingyao was also stunned, covering her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

The surrounding Lin family members who had come to watch were even more astonished, as if they had seen a ghost!

"He... he blocked Young Master Wang's attack?" "Did I see that right? Lin Chen forced Wang Teng back?" "This... how is this possible! Isn't he a cripple with blocked meridians?" "Could it be... he recovered his cultivation?!"

For a moment, all sorts of speculations and uncertain gazes focused on Lin Chen.

Lin Chen shook his slightly numb right arm, his eyes coldly fixed on the shocked and furious Wang Teng. He said calmly, "Young Master Wang, this is the Lin Family! If you want to fight here, are you trying to provoke a dispute between the Wang family and the Lin family?"

He deliberately mentioned the Lin family, trying to make Wang Teng hesitate.

Wang Teng's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. He truly hadn't expected Lin Chen to have hidden his strength! Although he hadn't used his full power in that strike, being forced back by a good-for-nothing at Body Tempering Realm second layer (as he guessed) was still a profound humiliation!

Normally, he would have torn Lin Chen to shreds! But now, with Su Qingyao by his side, and this being Lin Family territory, making too much of a scene would benefit neither him nor the Wang family.

"Hmph! Lin Chen, consider yourself lucky!" Wang Teng suppressed the killing intent in his heart and said coldly, "Today, for the sake of the Lin family, I'll spare you for now! However, I've noted your humiliation of Qingyao! I hope you'll show up for the Family Test in seven days! Otherwise, even if you hide to the ends of the earth, I, Wang Teng, will grind you into dust!"

After leaving his threat, Wang Teng no longer lingered. He pulled the still somewhat dazed Su Qingyao and turned to leave, quickly disappearing into the night.

Watching their retreating figures, Lin Chen's gaze was cold, devoid of fear.

Seven days later? The Family Test?

Very well, I'll be waiting!

At that time, I'll settle both old and new scores!

He retracted his gaze and surveyed the Lin family members around him, who were still in shock. He said coldly, "Had enough staring? If you've had enough, get lost!"

His icy words sent shivers down the spines of the Lin family members. Remembering how forcefully Lin Chen had repelled Wang Teng just moments ago, they dared not linger and scattered like startled birds.

Soon, the dilapidated courtyard returned to its quiet state.

Lin Chen stood in place, the moonlight falling upon him, casting a long shadow.

Breaking the engagement?

To him, this was not a setback, but rather a release!

From this moment on, he had no more attachments!

He had only one path – to continuously grow stronger!

Strong enough to control his own destiny! Strong enough to make everyone who had once looked down on or humiliated him tremble beneath his feet!

He lowered his head and looked at the pile of medicinal dregs in the corner, his eyes burning with an intense flame.

"Myriad Dao Furnace... my reliance..."

He sat down cross-legged once more, continuing to refine the medicinal dregs, stabilize his realm, and accumulate strength.

Tonight, he was destined to have no sleep.

The heavens of Qingyang Town seemed poised to begin a quiet transformation because of this young man who had been silent for three years.