Xuan Yi, One of the Pill Tower's Three Giants!

After hearing Song Qing say, "Come on! You think I'm afraid of you?" Jiang Yuan held nothing back.

Once he reached the square below, he narrowed his eyes, and the Dou Qi inside him began surging wildly. A second later, he was already in front of Song Qing.

This time, however, Jiang Yuan did not throw a punch.

Instead, he raised his right hand and slapped Song Qing hard across the face, without holding back in the slightest.

Smack!

The sound of the slap left every disciple in the Pill Tower square stunned.

Then they saw Song Qing knocked flat on the ground, half his face swollen and bleeding heavily.

The entire square fell deathly silent once again.

Every Pill Tower disciple present stared at the scene, dumbfounded. Quite a few even instinctively sucked in a sharp breath.

Holy shit!

They had never imagined Jiang Yuan would be this bold. He had actually slapped Elder Song Qing right across the face. That was absolutely brutal!

Song Qing was a Dou Zong expert, after all. A distinguished Pill Tower Elder had just been slapped in public by an ordinary disciple?

What outrageous nerve!

"My god... has Jiang Yuan gone mad? He actually dared to hit Elder Song Qing in the face?"

"This is insane. How did he even dare?"

"That slap was vicious! Isn't Jiang Yuan afraid Elder Song Qing will take revenge?"

"Elder Song Qing's face is swollen, and there's blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He really didn't hold back."

Every disciple watching from the sidelines was utterly shocked, their faces blank with disbelief at what they had witnessed.

Even in a fight, you did not strike someone in the face. That was the most basic rule.

Yet Jiang Yuan had deliberately slapped Song Qing across the face, in front of all these people, without sparing him an ounce of dignity.

After that vicious slap, Song Qing climbed to his feet in a towering rage. Fury burned in his eyes, and his composure shattered.

He was a distinguished Pill Tower Elder, a Dou Zong expert, yet an ordinary disciple had slapped him in public?

If word got out, or everyone in the Pill Tower heard about it, wouldn't he lose every shred of dignity?

"You're courting death!" Song Qing roared. The Dou Qi inside him erupted instantly, sending a powerful aura crashing toward Jiang Yuan.

Although he had promised to let Jiang Yuan strike three times, he could no longer care about that. No one could endure being slapped in public, much less an elder like him.

Then he raised his hand and struck toward Jiang Yuan, clearly intending to kill him.

Just then, Dan Chen suddenly called out from beside them, "Elder Song Qing! You said you would let Senior Brother Jiang Yuan punch you three times. That was only the second strike, and you're already fighting back?"

Dan Chen's words brought quite a few of the nearby disciples to their senses.

"That's right. He clearly promised to let him strike three times. Is he going back on his word after just two?"

"A distinguished elder breaking his word? What a sore loser."

"Exactly. If an elder can't keep his word, how is he supposed to command anyone's respect?"

"Elder Song Qing has really embarrassed himself. Not only did a disciple slap him, but now he's going back on his word in public."

Hearing the discussions of the surrounding disciples, Song Qing's expression turned hideous, and resentment churned inside him.

He knew he was in the wrong. After all, he had just promised in front of everyone to let Jiang Yuan strike three times. Openly breaking that promise now was indefensible.

But he simply could not swallow the humiliation of being struck in the face and stand there to take a third blow.

Yet in that instant of hesitation, Jiang Yuan gave him no chance to go back on his word.

The corners of Jiang Yuan's mouth lifted slightly. Using Wind Shadow Step once more, he instantly appeared at Song Qing's side.

Then he raised his right leg and kicked Song Qing in the face.

Bang!

A second later, Song Qing went flying and slammed straight into a pillar.

He landed face-first on the ground, looking utterly wretched, his face swollen like a pig's.

The scene sent another uproar through the disciples present.

"The third strike, and he hit his face again!"

"Jiang Yuan really has it in for Elder Song Qing's face."

"That kick was vicious, though. Look, Elder Song Qing's face is all crooked."

"Now that Jiang Yuan has finished his three strikes and left Elder Song Qing looking like that, does that count as a win?"

"Of course it does. How could it not? He obviously won."

When Song Qing climbed to his feet, his composure had completely shattered, and killing intent flashed in his eyes.

How could he endure being slapped in public by an ordinary disciple? More than anything, he felt as though his dignity had been thrown to the ground and ground underfoot.

For a petty man like him, that was especially unbearable. He roared, "I'll kill you today, no matter what!"

After those words, the Dou Qi inside Song Qing surged wildly. The terrifying pressure of a Dou Zong expert spread out in an instant. He was clearly getting serious now, ready to kill Jiang Yuan.

Quite a few disciples felt that Dou Zong expert's pressure and instinctively took several steps back.

Jiang Yuan, on the other hand, remained where he stood without moving at all. There was even the faintest trace of a smile on his lips.

Yet just as Song Qing was about to attack, a cool voice suddenly rang out from beyond the crowd.

"All of you, stop!"

As that cool voice rang out, the surrounding disciples froze in bewilderment and turned to look.

The watching disciples parted to make a path, and a figure slowly walked in from beyond the crowd.

It was a woman who looked very young, with long, flowing black hair, exquisitely beautiful features, and a cool, otherworldly bearing. She wore a long blue-green dress, and an air of nobility radiated from her that made others afraid to look directly at her.

Upon seeing the woman before them, every disciple present immediately bowed in greeting, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

"Elder Xuan Yi!"

Hearing the name Xuan Yi, Jiang Yuan was briefly startled. He immediately looked at the woman approaching them.

Xuan Yi.

One of the Pill Tower's Three Giants, and the target of "Xuan Yi's Affection at One Hundred Percent," one of the five cheats he had chosen.

Honestly, Xuan Yi looked much younger than Jiang Yuan had imagined. She appeared to be only in her twenties, but her bearing was remarkably composed and restrained. One glance was enough to tell that her strength was unfathomable.

After Xuan Yi reached the center of the square and learned what had happened, she instinctively glanced at Jiang Yuan. For some reason, her cheeks flushed slightly.

Then she turned to Song Qing and said, "Song Qing, you're an elder, yet you attacked a disciple in public. This is utterly unacceptable."

Song Qing had wanted to offer an explanation, but Xuan Yi gave him no chance at all.

She continued, "Go into seclusion and reflect on your mistakes immediately. You are not to come out without my permission."

After being reprimanded in public, Song Qing's expression turned absolutely ugly. He had never expected to be publicly sentenced to confinement while Jiang Yuan received no punishment at all!

But he dared not disobey Elder Xuan Yi's command. He could only grit his teeth and nod. "Yes... as you command."

After saying that, Song Qing shot Jiang Yuan a vicious glare, the hatred in his eyes almost overflowing. Then he turned and strode quickly out of the square.

Only after Song Qing left did Xuan Yi glance at Jiang Yuan again, a thoughtful look in her eyes. In the end, however, she said nothing more and turned to leave the square as well.

Watching Xuan Yi's retreating figure a short distance ahead, Jiang Yuan felt thoroughly pleased. After all, her affection for him was at one hundred percent.

Dan Chen hurried over to Jiang Yuan, staring at him in astonishment. "Senior Brother, are you all right? Just now... how are you so strong?"

Jiang Yuan smiled. "I'm not bad."