Cao Ying Regretted It?

Not long after leaving the Pill Tower square, Xuan Yi returned to her quarters. She pushed open the door, went inside, and sat at the table, her cheeks still flushed.

The thought made Xuan Yi frown. Why had she felt so strange when she saw that disciple named Jiang Yuan?

She could hardly describe it. She had lived through so much, so why had she lost her composure in front of an ordinary disciple?

Nothing like that had ever happened before. Even Yao Chen had never stirred such strong emotions in her.

What intrigued her even more was that Jiang Yuan had defeated Song Qing. Song Qing might have been a poor excuse for a person, but he was still a Dou Zong. The fact that Jiang Yuan had beaten him into that state meant he was no weakling.

A disciple who had once been unremarkable and barely noticed within the Pill Tower had suddenly displayed astonishing talent and strength. It was hard to believe.

After sitting silently at the table for a long while, Xuan Yi had a thought. Since Jiang Yuan had such strength and potential, should she take him as her disciple?

The thought had barely surfaced when Xuan Yi froze. Then her cheeks flushed again.

She pushed the idea aside for now. I should watch him a little longer first.

Back at the Pill Tower square, once Elder Xuan Yi had left, the disciples watching the scene no longer held back. The whole crowd erupted.

"Did you see that? Who knew Jiang Yuan was so strong? He didn't give Elder Song Qing an ounce of respect!"

"Elder Song Qing is a Dou Zong, but he didn't even get a chance to fight back. That's ridiculous!"

"Wasn't Jiang Yuan pretty ordinary before? How did he suddenly get so powerful?"

"I'm convinced he was hiding his strength all along. How else could he have gotten this strong overnight?"

"And that movement Dou Technique was so fast! I didn't even see him move before Elder Song Qing went flying."

"So what level do you think he really is? There's no way he's just a Dou Ling."

The disciples crowded together, talking over one another. Every face was stunned, every mouth hanging open. What they had seen today had shaken them to the core.

Dan Chen was stunned too. She had been closest when Jiang Yuan fought Song Qing, and the speed and power he had shown were far beyond anything a Dou Ling possessed.

Unable to hold back, Dan Chen asked, "Senior Brother, when did you get so strong? Those moves were incredible! You even beat Elder Song Qing like that."

Seeing her curiosity, Jiang Yuan merely shrugged. "It was nothing. I was just testing myself."

Dan Chen was floored. That was just a test? What would happen if he got serious?

She did not press him, though. Everyone had secrets, and she could tell Jiang Yuan did not want to say more.

Jiang Yuan glanced up at the sky and saw how late it was. He waved a hand. "All right, I'm heading back. Don't dwell on what happened today."

Dan Chen nodded at once. "Okay, Senior Brother. Get some rest."

Before long, Jiang Yuan set off toward his quarters, considering what he would do next.

The day had brought a few twists, but he had gained plenty from it. He had refined an Eighth-Tier Pill in front of Cao Ying and made a fool of her, beaten Song Qing in public, and even drawn Xuan Yi out. Things had gone better than expected.

Most important, though, was his cultivation speed. He now had the Dou Di Bloodline as his secret advantage. Being a One-Star Dou Emperor was only the beginning. At this rate, reaching Dou Zong or even Dou Zun should not be difficult.

Jiang Yuan could not help smiling. He was in an excellent mood.

Not long after he left, Dan Chen headed in another direction, still thinking about what he had said.

The more she thought about it, the less she understood. Senior Brother Jiang Yuan was so talented at alchemy and so strong he could defeat a Dou Zong elder. Why had Cao Ying wanted to break off their engagement?

Dan Chen could not make sense of it. After hesitating for a while, she went to Cao Ying's quarters.

She soon arrived at Cao Ying's door and knocked.

Cao Ying opened the door a moment later and invited her in.

"Dan Chen, what brings you here?"

Dan Chen followed Cao Ying inside and sat down. After a brief hesitation, she told her what had just happened.

"Cao Ying, you have no idea. Senior Brother Jiang Yuan fought Elder Song Qing in the square. He slapped him in front of everyone and even kicked him away..."

Dan Chen recounted the whole affair in detail, leaving Cao Ying with a clear picture of everything that had happened in the Pill Tower square.

When Cao Ying finished listening, she sat frozen, shock written across her face.

Jiang Yuan defeated Song Qing?

And slapped him in front of all those people?

Song Qing was a Dou Zong. How could Jiang Yuan have beaten him so badly?

Cao Ying's thoughts churned. She could scarcely believe it.

What is going on with him? Just a few days ago, he couldn't even refine a Third-Tier Pill. How did he suddenly become so strong?

He could refine an Eighth-Tier Pill, master an Earth-Rank intermediate Dou Technique in an instant, and even defeat a Dou Zong elder.

It had all happened so quickly that Cao Ying could barely take it in.

She could not help wondering whether he had stumbled upon some extraordinary opportunity. How else could he have become so powerful overnight?

Strength took time to build. No matter how gifted someone was, they could not undergo such a drastic change in just a few days.

Unless...

A possibility struck Cao Ying. Could he have been hiding his strength all along?

Whatever the truth, Dan Chen's news had shaken Cao Ying deeply.

After sitting in silence for a while, Cao Ying remembered how confidently she had declared that she wanted to break off their engagement. Had he been laughing at me then?

And in truth, Cao Ying did regret it now.

If she had not impulsively called off the engagement, she would still be Jiang Yuan's fiancée. With the talent and strength he had shown, he might one day become a Dou Zun, perhaps even a Dou Sheng.

She had personally pushed away such an outstanding fiancé.

A tangle of emotions rose in Cao Ying's chest, and she pressed her lips together.

Seeing how lost Cao Ying looked, Dan Chen wisely said no more.

After Dan Chen left, Cao Ying sat alone at the table, staring out the window. Regret and conflicting emotions filled her heart.

She regretted it.

She truly regretted it!