Shock Among the Pill Tower's Three Giants

After Jiang Yuan left, Dan Chen walked beside him, still replaying what had just happened.

She had never imagined Jiang Yuan was so terrifyingly strong that he could seal even a Dou Zun expert's Dou Qi. She really had underestimated him.

She couldn't help glancing at Jiang Yuan. If Sister Cao Ying knew how powerful he was now, she'd probably regret breaking off their engagement.

But Dan Chen kept that thought to herself.

After they had walked side by side for a while, Dan Chen asked, "Jiang Yuan, what was that Forbidden Character Art you used? How come I've never seen you use it before?"

Seeing her puzzled expression, Jiang Yuan waved a hand. "Just learned it. Got lucky, that's all."

Dan Chen pursed her lips. She clearly didn't believe it was luck, but since Jiang Yuan didn't seem inclined to explain, she didn't press him.

They soon reached the Space Exchange, pushed open the door, and went inside.

Meanwhile, after thinking it over, the Thunder Venerable finally made a decision. He would go to the Pill Tower himself.

His Dou Qi was sealed, and the only way to undo it was probably to ask the Pill Tower for help. He could do nothing about Jiang Yuan on his own, but if he could find Jiang Yuan's master or appeal to the Three Elders, there might still be hope.

The Thunder Venerable turned toward Feng Qing'er, who was still sniffling beside him, and his anger flared again.

"Stop crying! What good will that do? If you hadn't caused all this trouble, would I have ended up like this? Come with me to the Pill Tower! We'll ask the Three Elders to help!"

Feng Qing'er flinched at his shout. She hurriedly wiped away her tears and nodded. "Yes, Master..."

The Thunder Venerable then set off for the Pill Tower with Feng Qing'er and several of his junior female disciples.

At that moment, Xuan Yi, Xuan Kongzi, and Tian Leizi were seated in a hall inside the Pill Tower, discussing the matter.

Xuan Kongzi spoke first. "Jiang Yuan hit Feng Qing'er last time. I doubt the Wind-Thunder Pavilion will let it go."

Tian Leizi nodded and considered it. The Thunder Venerable was known for defending his own. Now that his disciple had been beaten, he certainly wouldn't leave it at that. He might come demanding an explanation in a few days.

Xuan Yi frowned as well. That boy certainly had a talent for stirring up trouble. He had only been at the Pill Tower a few days and had already caused so much of it. Still, Feng Qing'er had been arrogant herself. So he had hit her. What was done was done.

Xuan Kongzi was troubled too. That was all true, but the Wind-Thunder Pavilion was a power in its own right. An open dispute would do the Pill Tower no good.

"Perhaps we should find a way to settle this peacefully."

As the Three Elders discussed how to reconcile with the Wind-Thunder Pavilion, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall.

A messenger disciple soon ran in. "Three Elders, someone outside requests an audience. They say they're from the Wind-Thunder Pavilion."

At the news, the three exchanged uneasy looks.

Xuan Kongzi muttered, "That was quick. Looks like they've come to make trouble."

Tian Leizi was surprised too. "Let's go see what they want."

"Whatever they want, we should meet them first."

The Three Elders straightened their robes and headed outside together. When they reached the Pill Tower's Disciple Square, they saw the Thunder Venerable and Feng Qing'er standing there with their group.

To the elders' surprise, however, they didn't look as though they had come to make trouble at all.

The Thunder Venerable looked pale and haggard. He even seemed to have trouble standing steady.

Feng Qing'er stood beside him with her head down, silent, tear tracks still visible on her face.

The other young women stood there timidly too, with none of the arrogance they had shown on their first visit to the Pill Tower.

Puzzled by the Thunder Venerable's appearance, Xuan Kongzi stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Thunder Venerable, to what do we owe this unexpected visit?"

At the sound of his voice, the Thunder Venerable quickly looked up, his expression anxious. He hurried over and bowed deeply to the Three Elders, his manner utterly humble.

"Three Elders! I've come to beg for your help! Please put in a word for me with young Jiang Yuan and ask him to lift the seal on me! If he'll undo it, I'll do anything!"

The Thunder Venerable's voice was full of urgency and pleading. He had set aside every trace of pride.

The Three Elders froze and looked at one another in disbelief. Xuan Kongzi blinked, thinking he must have misheard. "What did you say? Jiang Yuan put a seal on you?"

"Yes! Yes!" the Thunder Venerable said, nodding repeatedly. "He sealed all my Dou Qi! I'm no better than a cripple now. I can't even draw on it! Please, Three Elders, help me. Say a few good words for me!"

Tian Leizi was stunned. He turned to Xuan Yi and found the same disbelief on her face. All three were thinking the same thing: Jiang Yuan sealed a Dou Zun expert's Dou Qi? How was that possible?

Xuan Yi couldn't help asking, "Thunder Venerable, is this true? Jiang Yuan really sealed your Dou Qi?"

Seeing that none of them believed him, the Thunder Venerable gave a bitter smile. "Would I look like this if it weren't true? If I had any other choice, I wouldn't have swallowed my pride to beg you."

The Three Elders looked at one another, each more astonished than the last. They had expected the Wind-Thunder Pavilion to come looking for trouble. Instead, they had come to plead for help.

And they were pleading for Jiang Yuan to lift the seal. After a moment of silence, Xuan Kongzi said, "This... isn't our decision to make. Jiang Yuan is stubborn. If he refuses, nothing we say will change his mind."

The Thunder Venerable's face fell further, but he kept pleading. "Then please just pass along a message! If young Jiang Yuan will agree to see me, I'll beg him in person!"

Seeing the Thunder Venerable so humbled, the Three Elders found it almost absurd. He was the master of the Wind-Thunder Pavilion and a Dou Zun expert, yet a young disciple had frightened him into this state. No one would believe it.

Xuan Kongzi sighed. "Very well. We'll ask him for you, but we can't promise he'll agree to lift the seal."

The Thunder Venerable thanked them again and again, visibly relieved. "Thank you, Three Elders! Thank you!"

Feng Qing'er stood beside her master, watching him humble himself. She kept her head down and didn't dare say a word.

More than anything, she was afraid of Jiang Yuan.