Huan Xinyan

"Following me?"

"I never expected Stellar Tower, renowned for its credibility, to stoop to this." Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

How keen were his senses? He had achieved 'Internal Vision' barely a month after awakening. What he relied on was not mere mental strength, but the 'Spiritual Perception' he had cultivated in his previous life.

He easily sensed someone watching him the entire time.

With several quick shifts, Wu Yuan casually accelerated, turning into several secluded alleys in succession and vanishing without a trace.

"Where did he go?" An ordinary-looking young man, unremarkable in both face and build, hurried after him and stared at the dead end before him.

He could only return and report helplessly.

... On the sixth floor of Stellar Tower, within a spacious room decorated in a grand yet simple style, only one wall held a bookshelf packed with books.

"You lost him?" asked the silver-robed middle-aged woman seated on a cushion on the floor.

"Yes. This subordinate had men follow him, but never expected that he seemed to have noticed us already. Not long after leaving, he swiftly shook them off." The Black Robed Man shook his head. "He is no simple man. I misjudged him. I thought he was merely some insignificant Martial Warrior."

"He managed to make your men lose him. He truly is unusual." The silver-robed middle-aged woman said softly, "By rights, Stellar Tower only concerns itself with selling goods, regardless of a customer's identity."

"A few hundred taels of silver is only a small transaction, but buying so many discarded pills at once is rather suspicious after all."

"Perhaps some bandits are trying to expand their forces? Or some gangs are recruiting ordinary members?" the Black Robed Man asked doubtfully.

"Enough!"

The silver-robed middle-aged woman waved a hand. "Let this matter end here. However, if this customer comes again to purchase discarded pills, inform me immediately."

"Yes, Tower Master," the Black Robed Man replied hurriedly.

Having shaken off the pursuit.

Wu Yuan swiftly changed back into his original clothes in a secluded alley, then discarded the fine brocade robes he had bought less than an hour ago.

"Crack, crack~" His muscles and bones gave soft pops as Wu Yuan returned to his normal build.

"I never expected the grand Stellar Tower not to even have a thousand Low-grade Body Tempering Pills." Wu Yuan frowned.

This was the one place where he had miscalculated.

"It is unsuitable to use Body Tempering Pills while staying at the Martial Academy during the day. I will wait until night." Wu Yuan made his decision.

Before long, carrying a bundle on his back, he entered the Martial Academy through a side gate.

"Senior Brother!"

"It is Senior Brother Wu." Wu Yuan heard the calls all along the way. Within the Martial Academy, he was a man of the hour, so naturally he drew attention.

Continuing onward, Wu Yuan arrived at the 'Cultivation Tower' deep within the Martial Academy.

The Martial Academy's cultivation rooms were divided into large public rooms and small cultivation rooms.

At the Martial Academy Minor Competition held once every half month, only the top thirty disciples were entitled to individual small cultivation rooms, all located within the Cultivation Tower.

It was very quiet here.

Two figures emerged from the main doors.

"Brother Yuan." A burly figure called out in delight. It was Wu Sheng.

He hurriedly said, "You finally came back. 'Master Huan' has been looking for you. She is still waiting in your cultivation room."

"Master Huan?" Wu Yuan was slightly startled, then nodded. "All right. Wu Sheng, Luo He, I will go see Master Huan first. We can talk later."

"Go on, then." The tall, thin young man at the side smiled.

Wu Sheng was his childhood friend, his brother.

Luo He was likewise a good friend.

He swiftly reached the cultivation room, pushed open the door, and a graceful figure in purple robes appeared in Wu Yuan's sight.

Her long black hair cascaded down as she leaned by the window. Her fingers were slender, and her loose robes could not conceal her exquisite figure. Her face, around twenty years old, still carried a trace of youthfulness, yet possessed an indescribable cool aloofness.

"Master Huan." Wu Yuan bowed slightly.

Huan Xinyan was the youngest 'teacher' of the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy. Just over twenty years old, she was exceptionally powerful already, a Proficient Expert.

Rumor had it that she was a core disciple of the Hengyun Sect. For some unknown reason, she had been sent away to tiny Li City.

However.

To Wu Yuan, she was merely his 'personal instructor.'

More accurately, she had been his former body's 'personal instructor.'

The Prefectural Sect Martial Academy had a rule: anyone who reached the level of an 'Eighth-Rank Martial Artist' could choose a teacher as their 'personal instructor.'

"Wu Yuan, I heard from the Dean that you intend to give up this year's Martial Academy Grand Competition?" Huan Xinyan's voice was cool.

"Yes." Wu Yuan nodded.

He had not expected that after only one night, the Dean had already gone to find his personal instructor, Huan Xinyan.

"I do not agree!" Huan Xinyan frowned.

"Master Huan, I merely wanted to..." Wu Yuan had just begun to explain.

"Do not give me those high-sounding excuses." Huan Xinyan said coldly. "You want to fight for first place in next year's 'Four Academies Competition'? Do you take me for a fool?"

Wu Yuan was speechless.

This Master Huan truly handled matters with striking directness.

In truth, since awakening a month ago, Wu Yuan had not dealt with her much. Yet in his memories, she had treated him well.

Especially during the hazy months just after his transmigration, Huan Xinyan had visited twice, specifically leaving medicine behind.

It had not helped much, but the thought alone was already rare.

After all, Wu Yuan had been unremarkable then. A so-called 'personal instructor' was not truly the same as master and disciple!

Thus, Wu Yuan treated Huan Xinyan with great respect.

"Since recovering from your illness, you have attained Martial Dao Enlightenment, and your strength has advanced rapidly. You have every hope of taking first place in this grand competition! If you enter Cloud Martial Hall, becoming a Fifth-Rank or even Fourth-Rank Martial Artist in the future will be no empty dream." Huan Xinyan said, "This is not only for yourself, but for the strength of the sect as well."

Wu Yuan listened, unable to refute her.

In his memories, this Master Huan had an extremely strong sense of belonging to the sect. She genuinely wished for the sect to grow powerful with all her heart.

"Was it Xu Yuanhan? Did his father force you?" Huan Xinyan suddenly asked.

Wu Yuan's expression did not change, though his heart stirred slightly.

He remained silent.

"Do you not dare to say it?" Huan Xinyan frowned. "Wu Yuan, one who walks the Martial Dao must possess a heart that charges forward without hesitation. If they forced you, forced you to give up and clear the way for Xu Yuanhan, tell me. You are the first disciple I have taught. I will naturally seek justice for you."

Huan Xinyan had only been at the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy for a year.

"Thank you for your concern, Master Huan, but this disciple gave up willingly. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I am only fourteen this year; I can still enter Cloud Martial Hall next year," Wu Yuan said.

"Next year?"

At last, Huan Xinyan could no longer suppress the anger in her heart. A trace of fury entered her voice. "Entering Cloud Martial Hall at fourteen and entering at fifteen—do you not know the difference?"

"This disciple understands. But during this year, this disciple can likewise cultivate at the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy." Wu Yuan neither bowed nor yielded.

Huan Xinyan fell silent.

She was not skilled with words to begin with. If not for the fact that it was truly a pity, and because Wu Yuan was her first disciple, her temperament would never have allowed her to meddle so much.

"Fine!"

"If you are unwilling to speak, I will not force you. If you change your mind before the grand competition, you may come find me." Huan Xinyan said softly.

"Thank you, Master Huan," Wu Yuan said.

... Wu Yuan watched Huan Xinyan leave the cultivation room.

After closing the door again, Wu Yuan sat cross-legged on the floor.

"It is much as I guessed. Master Huan is not simply an ordinary Martial Academy teacher. The rumors may be true." Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Martial Academy teachers had to be Proficient Experts, and most were over forty years old. Only a very few were in their thirties.

One had to know that becoming a Sixth-Rank Martial Master in one's twenties was already exceedingly rare.

A Proficient Expert barely past twenty?

Wu Yuan believed that even within the Hengyun Sect, she was likely highly valued, absolutely one of the elite among the younger generation.

Yet she had been sent to Li City?

"Was she pushed out? Did she make some mistake? Or was she training in the martial world?" Several possibilities flashed through Wu Yuan's mind. "No matter which it is, she should have a way to directly contact the sect's higher-ups."

The Hengyun Sect was called a sect, but upon this land, it was essentially like a dynasty.

Generally speaking, what kind of person most frightened local officials?

Naturally, those whose words could reach the ears of heaven.

"If I had truly been forced to give up, perhaps I really would have sought out Master Huan and fought for it, after all, the Hengyun Sect places the greatest importance on such matters." Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. "Unfortunately, I gave up willingly."

"Once I enter Cloud Martial Hall, not only will I be watched, I will also be bound by the sect." Having once been a Martial Dao Grandmaster, how could Wu Yuan willingly accept restraints?

"Besides, General Xu offered far too much."

"One must not break one's word." Wu Yuan gently closed his eyes, controlling the muscles and bones throughout his body as they began to tremble faintly.

Martial Dao cultivation required a balance between tension and relaxation.

Tempering the body did not mean blindly practicing fist techniques and saber techniques at high intensity. By controlling the muscles throughout one's body and making the bones tremble and resonate, one could likewise achieve the effect of 'Strength Training.'

Of course.

The prerequisite for this was an extremely high degree of control over one's body. First, one had to be capable of 'Internal Vision'!

Time flowed on until deep into the night.

On an empty, silent riverbank.

"It is time to test the effects of these Body Tempering Pills." Wu Yuan looked expectantly at the several pills in his hand, their clear fragrance laced with a faint stench of blood.

He opened his mouth and swallowed them all!

If some powerful martial artists had witnessed this scene, they would likely have stared wide-eyed in shock.

One had to know that even with extremely pure High-grade Body Tempering Pills, few dared to swallow several at once.

Let alone Low-grade Body Tempering Pills, which could practically be called 'poison pills'?