Song Qing's Harassment

After greeting Xuan Kongzi, Jiang Yuan prepared to leave immediately. Before going, he put the Eighth-Tier Pill into his robe and nodded at Xuan Kongzi. "Elder, I'll be leaving first."

Xuan Kongzi did not stop him. He nodded and watched him leave.

Only after Jiang Yuan's figure disappeared through the doorway did Xuan Kongzi withdraw his gaze. He turned to look at Cao Ying, who was still standing there in a daze, and sighed inwardly.

To be honest, he still had not fully recovered from the shock. An ordinary disciple who had previously been unable to refine even a Third-Tier Pill had actually refined an Eighth-Tier Pill in front of them within half an hour, easily avoided the pill tribulation, and then grasped a high-grade Earth-tier Dou Technique within the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, cultivating it to the perfected stage.

In all his years of living and working in the Pill Tower, this was the first time Xuan Kongzi had seen such heaven-defying talent in a disciple.

Thus, Xuan Kongzi began praising Jiang Yuan inwardly. He had never expected that their Pill Tower would have such an outstanding disciple hidden away. He had never shown off, but the moment he made a move, he shocked everyone.

It seemed that their Pill Tower truly was full of hidden talents. If not for today, no one would ever have imagined that an ordinary little disciple could possess such astonishing talent.

Thinking of this, Xuan Kongzi looked at Cao Ying again. Seeing her standing there without saying a word, her expression extremely complicated, he spoke. "What else do you have to say now? He's so outstanding. Do you still want to break off the engagement with him?"

After being questioned by her teacher face-to-face, Cao Ying became awkward as well. At this moment, she truly did not know what to say.

Break off the engagement?

Cao Ying had indeed been determined to break off the engagement before. She had felt that Jiang Yuan was completely unworthy of her and had been set on dissolving their engagement.

But now?

Not only had he refined high-grade pills in front of her, but he had also grasped the Dou Technique at an astonishing speed. The talent and strength he had displayed, including his pill-refining talent, had far exceeded her imagination.

What qualifications did she have to ask him to break off the engagement?

At this moment, Cao Ying fell silent on the spot. She lowered her head and could not utter a word, but her heart was filled with curiosity and shock toward Jiang Yuan.

What made Cao Ying even more curious, however, was how this guy had suddenly become so powerful.

Had he been hiding his strength all along? Or had he encountered some fortuitous opportunity recently?

Regardless, Jiang Yuan's performance today had completely surpassed Cao Ying's understanding. It had also crushed the last bit of superiority she possessed.

After remaining silent for a long while, Cao Ying finally said in a low voice, "Teacher, I... I'll go back first."

After saying this, Cao Ying walked straight out of the inner hall, looking somewhat lost.

Watching his disciple leave, Xuan Kongzi shook his head and thought that this girl ought to receive a lesson. She was usually so arrogant, always thinking herself the best under heaven. This time, she had finally run into an immovable obstacle.

As for Jiang Yuan, not long after leaving Xuan Kongzi's hall, he arrived at the Pill Tower's plaza.

People came and went across the plaza. Many Pill Tower disciples were busy hurrying back and forth. Some discussed their pill-refining insights, while others exchanged cultivation experiences. The atmosphere was quite lively.

After passing through the Pill Tower's plaza, he was about to head toward his residence when a voice suddenly rang out beside him.

"Senior Brother Jiang Yuan!"

He had just stopped walking when he saw a young girl approaching.

The girl looked quite young, around sixteen or seventeen. She had a sweet, lovely appearance, a pair of large, watery eyes, and a concerned expression on her face.

After searching through his mind, Jiang Yuan immediately understood and quickly recalled her name.

Dan Chen.

She was a disciple of a Pill Tower Elder. Although she was young, her talent in pill refining was astonishing. She was also gentle and kind—an absolute genius.

Dan Chen hurried to Jiang Yuan's side and first looked him up and down. When she saw that he was still injured, the concern on her face deepened.

"Senior Brother Jiang Yuan, I heard that Elder Song Qing injured you. Are you all right?" Dan Chen asked, her voice full of worry. "Elder Song Qing was far too heavy-handed. How could he treat you like that?"

Seeing the girl before him, her face filled with concern for him, Jiang Yuan felt rather warm inside. He had transmigrated only recently, and everyone he had encountered had either mocked him or deliberately made things difficult for him. Dan Chen was the first person to show genuine concern for him.

Thus, he smiled and replied, "I'm fine. I already took some medicine, and I've mostly recovered."

Only after hearing this did Dan Chen let out a sigh of relief. However, she still took a pill from her Storage Ring.

"This is a healing pill I refined a few days ago. Although its grade isn't very high, it should still help with your injuries." Dan Chen stuffed the pill into Jiang Yuan's hand, her cheeks faintly flushed. "Take it, Senior Brother. You can use it if your injuries flare up again."

Looking at the pill in his hand and Dan Chen's expression before him, Jiang Yuan had to admit that this girl was truly adorable. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I trained her into my wife in the future?

Thus, he did not refuse. He put the pill into his robe, nodded, and thanked her. "Thank you, Junior Sister Dan Chen. I'll accept the pill."

Seeing him accept the pill without hesitation, Dan Chen's face lit up with a smile. Before she could speak, however, his gaze was drawn to the commotion not far away.

A middle-aged man in a blue-green robe was walking toward them, a cold, gloomy smile on his face.

When Jiang Yuan looked up, he immediately recognized the man and recalled some information and memories related to his predecessor.

Song Qing.

He was the one who had injured Jiang Yuan's predecessor. He was also one of the Pill Tower Elders and had always been pursuing Cao Ying.

When Song Qing reached the two of them, a contemptuous and disdainful expression appeared on his face.

"Oh, isn't this Jiang Yuan?" Song Qing sneered. "Your injuries recovered pretty quickly. What, did you run to Elder Xuan Kongzi to complain?"

"You're quite skilled at pretending to be pitiful and winning sympathy. But let me tell you, Junior Sister Cao Ying won't be fooled by a trick like yours."

As he said this, a mocking smile appeared on Cao Ying's face, clearly meant to ridicule and provoke him.

Before Jiang Yuan could speak, Dan Chen could no longer hold back. She frowned and said, "Elder Song Qing, that's going too far. You were the one who injured Senior Brother Jiang Yuan first, and now you're still standing here making sarcastic remarks. Don't you think you're being excessive?"

Song Qing had not expected Dan Chen to speak up for him. He was an Elder, yet Dan Chen was actually helping an ordinary disciple speak against him? This fellow really did have quite the way with women.

"Junior Sister Dan Chen, this has nothing to do with you. I advise you not to meddle in other people's business." Song Qing's tone turned displeased. "You're young and inexperienced. Don't let some people fool you with their feigned pitiful appearance."

Dan Chen, however, did not back down at all. She continued, "I haven't been fooled. I know very well what kind of person Senior Brother Jiang Yuan is. As for you, Elder Song Qing, you're an Elder, yet you attacked an ordinary disciple. If word of this reaches the other Elders, I'm afraid it won't reflect well on you either."

After being rebuked by Dan Chen, Song Qing's expression became unpleasant as well. After all, so many fellow disciples were watching them. He felt that he had lost face.

Thus, he shifted his gaze to Jiang Yuan before him, preparing to give him a harshly difficult time.