The Great Chaos Approaches!

Zhang Xu has been expelled from the Martial Academy?!

This news struck the hearts of every disciple like a thunderbolt from the heavens.

Zhang Xu, that man born into wealth with superior talent, who had always been arrogant in the Inner Courtyard and regarded as a core disciple...

Had been personally expelled from the sect by the Master! Permanently struck from the rolls! He was even to be carved onto the Pillar of Shame!

After a brief moment of shock and deathly silence, a massive roar of uproar and discussion erupted like a volcano.

"Hiss... Senior Brother Zhang Xu has been permanently expelled..."

"Heavens! What on earth did Zhang Xu do? The Master spoke with such severity!"

"The Master has such backbone! He didn't even give the Zhang Family any face!"

"That is a true ruin of one's reputation!"

Shock, horror, speculation, excitement, and awe surged wildly through the crowd.

Everyone realized that this was no simple punishment.

It was the most severe ruling from Master Liu Qingshi, representing the Martial Academy's stance on the matter and signifying a complete break with the influential Zhang Family.

Among the Inner Courtyard disciples, those who were close to Zhang Xu wore ugly expressions and kept their eyes averted.

Those who had long been dissatisfied with him, however, could barely hide their glee.

The head disciple of the Martial Academy, Zhao Gang, stood at the very front of the disciples, his thick brows locked tight and his square face filled with gravity and deep thought.

He gazed at the Master's back on the platform, which stood as solemn as a mountain, his heart churning with waves:

That bastard Zhang Xu, what kind of unforgivable crime did he commit? It has driven the Master to go to such extreme lengths, even at the cost of a total rupture with the Zhang Family.

The Master has always been sentimental and nostalgic; he would never act this way unless his bottom line had been crossed...

He vaguely felt that behind this incident lay a storm far greater than what appeared on the surface.

Liu Yiyi and Su Yan stood side by side in the front ranks of the female disciples, already fully aware of the outcome.

Their expressions were as calm as water, as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with them.

However, the person with the most dramatic and unsightly expression—aside from Zhang Xu's two lackeys, who looked as if their parents had died and wished they could crawl into a hole—was Hu Tian, who stood slightly behind the crowd, his face flickering between pale and green.

"Ho... how could this be..."

Hu Tian felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him from head to toe. He stood frozen in place, his mind buzzing and blank.

He had only helped Zhang Xu bridge the gap last night, bringing Liu Yiyi and Su Yan to the banquet.

How could Zhang Xu be expelled from the Martial Academy today...

"Could it be... could it be that Senior Brother Zhang Xu and the two senior sisters... had a falling out? Did they get into a conflict?"

He swallowed hard, his throat dry and tight, trying to find a reasonable explanation for this earth-shattering turn of events.

"But... even if they had a falling out and argued, it shouldn't have escalated to the point of expulsion and being carved onto the Pillar of Shame! Just how much trouble could he have caused?!"

A chill crept up his spine.

He suddenly remembered that when he stepped into the Martial Academy this morning, he had vaguely felt two cold gazes land on him, though he had dismissed it as an illusion at the time.

At this moment, trembling with fear, he lifted his eyelids in an extremely subtle manner and cast a quick glance toward where Liu Yiyi and Su Yan were standing.

He happened to meet the peripheral vision of Liu Yiyi as she turned her gaze.

That look was as clear and cold as ice, devoid of any warmth, and even carried a trace of imperceptible... disgust and killing intent?

Hu Tian's heart sank, as if he had fallen into a bottomless abyss.

It's over... I have truly offended these two senior sisters to death!

Panic, like countless cold vines, instantly coiled around his heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Only now did he realize, with belated awareness, that what happened last night was likely not as simple as Zhang Xu had claimed.

"What am I going to do now?"

Hu Tian's mind was in chaos.

Having offended Liu Yiyi and Su Yan, could he even remain in the Martial Academy?

As the night deepened, the time for the academy to close drew near.

The first person to leave the Martial Academy today was not a disciple from the Outer Courtyard, but Hu Tian.

He had spent the entire day in a state of panic, and as soon as the academy closed, he slipped away in a hurry.

Jiang Ye watched his fleeing back, his eyes narrowing slightly, wondering what he was thinking.

The disciples left one after another, and the courtyard returned to silence.

Boom.

A soft sound echoed.

After the last disciple stepped over the threshold, Jiang Ye rose slowly and pulled the two heavy, black-lacquered doors shut.

Jiang Ye returned to the gatehouse as usual and changed into a set of worn, nondescript, grey-brown clothes.

He stood silently in the room, his focus sinking inward, and the true intent of the Spirit Ape Thousand Changes began to circulate through his consciousness like flowing mercury.

Within his body, his two hundred and six bones and countless tendons and fascia emitted a series of faint, dense, raindrop-like popping sounds.

A moment later, the person standing in the room was no longer the decrepit old gatekeeper Jiang Ye, but a tall, thin, unfamiliar old man in plain clothing who would be impossible to pick out in a crowd.

He walked to the blurry bronze mirror in the corner, examined the completely unfamiliar reflection, and nodded slightly.

"Hm, this appearance will make things much easier."

Confirming his disguise was flawless, he reached into his robe and felt the five thousand taels of silver notes tucked securely against his body.

Without further delay, Jiang Ye moved like a spirit deer blending into the night, leaving the Martial Academy without a sound.

Anxi County, East District.

Jiang Ye stopped in front of a shop.

The storefront was wide, with two imposing lanterns hanging under the eaves, illuminating a plaque with gold characters on a black background—Treasure Medicine Hall.

The three large characters were written with iron-like strokes and silver hooks, vigorous and powerful, exuding a depth that could not be underestimated.

He had once heard Liu Qingshi mention in passing that Treasure Medicine Hall was the premier pharmacy in Anxi County. Not only was their stock of medicinal ingredients comprehensive, but they also sold high-quality finished pills. The owner behind the business had significant influence and even held connections in the prefectural city.

Jiang Ye stepped slowly into the medicine hall. The interior was brightly lit and spacious, with rows of tall ebony medicine cabinets emitting a calm luster. The air was filled with a complex, soothing fragrance composed of various medicinal herbs.

Behind the counter, several clerks were methodically processing herbs or wiping down equipment.

A middle-aged man of about forty, dressed in a navy blue silk shirt with a fair complexion and sharp, lively eyes, saw a customer enter. He immediately set down his ledger and walked over with a beaming smile.

His gaze swept over Jiang Ye. Although he saw the simple attire, the restrained, steady aura and the straightness of the man's spine made his heart skip a beat, and his attitude became even more courteous.

"Welcome to Treasure Medicine Hall, elder. This Humble One is Cui Yang, the manager here. May I ask what you need? Whatever we have in stock, I will ensure you are satisfied."

Cui Yang bowed with his hands cupped, his tone warm but not obsequious.

Jiang Ye nodded slightly and got straight to the point, his voice calm and ripple-free: "I want to buy Blood Replenishing Pills."

"Blood Replenishing Pills?" Cui Yang's smile did not waver as he immediately replied: "We have them, we have them. Our hall's Blood Replenishing Pills are made with solid ingredients and refined craftsmanship; their efficacy is a cut above the usual goods. However, as for the price..."

He paused slightly and held up two fingers: "They are currently twenty-one taels of silver per bottle. How many does the elder require?"

"Hm?"

Hearing this, Jiang Ye's brows furrowed slightly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Aren't Blood Replenishing Pills twenty taels a bottle? Why has the price gone up? Don't try to cheat this old man just because I don't get out much—are you price-gouging me!"

Having been at the Martial Academy for so many years, he naturally knew the price of Blood Replenishing Pills; they were almost always twenty taels a bottle, with very little fluctuation.

"Oh, elder, you are truly wronging This Humble One!"

Cui Yang quickly bowed, a bitter smile spreading across his face. He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and explained with a mix of helplessness and caution:

"It is not that This Humble One wishes to raise the price, but rather... the current situation is somewhat turbulent, and costs have soared. You must have heard, the neighboring Lushan County... it is not peaceful; they have suffered internal strife and locked down the city!"

"With the city locked down, the supply lines for many medicinal ingredients have been affected, and prices have skyrocketed."

"We are forced to raise the price of the pills as well."

Hearing this, Jiang Ye's expression shifted slightly.

Lushan County was right next door, not far from Anxi County.

To think they had fallen into internal strife and locked down the city...

Wouldn't it be only a matter of time before Anxi County was affected?

Coupled with the increasing number of refugees in the city, Jiang Ye had a premonition.

Great chaos was coming!