The autumn sun rose in the east.
The Pill King, Zhao Xiao, walked through the Academy with his attendants. His five-clawed python robe gleamed in the autumn sunlight, while a trace of sorrow showed between his brows.
Zhang Zihu, superintendent of the Alchemy Medicine Institute, walked behind him, explaining the general situation:
"The strange poison severely depleted their blood and vital essence. Had we been fifteen minutes later, even immortals could not have saved them. That we managed to snatch more than three hundred people from the King of Hell's hands was entirely thanks to Young Master Xie braving danger alone and interrupting the Blood-Sacrificing Demon Curse..."
Behind them, Zhu Wenyuan, Commandery Princess Changning, Steward Hou, and the others followed along.
With a great calamity having just occurred, Commandery Princess Changning had dressed much more plainly. Listening to Director Zhang's account, she sighed softly:
"If I had been the first to arrive last night, even if I'd had the courage to charge into the enemy alone, I wouldn't have had the ability to kill Taishu Dan. Courage and martial prowess alone would be one thing, but Xie Jinhuan's character and literary talent are beyond reproach too. He's also humble and doesn't compete for fame or fortune. I wonder what sort of master could teach a disciple like him."
Steward Hou walked along fanning himself and nodded in agreement:
"That lad and my younger self were practically cast from the same mold. When one hero meets another, there's quite a sense of mutual appreciation."
Everyone stumbled.
The outstanding students from the various institutes following behind wore peculiar expressions. Had the occasion allowed it, they would probably have clutched their stomachs with laughter.
The Pill King was not annoyed, however. Seeing the young people's varied expressions, he even interjected:
"Old Hou isn't