Jiang Yan returned to the courtyard with his purchases.
As soon as he entered, he saw Zhang Yunhong leaning against the doorway of the room on the left.
She held a red handkerchief, looking toward the courtyard gate.
Her eyes lit up when she saw Jiang Yan enter, and she turned to call into the room.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, your younger cousin is back. Aren't you coming out?"
A disheveled figure appeared behind her.
Jiang Yan looked over. Who else could the figure emerging from the room be but Jiang Chi?
Jiang Chi stepped through the doorway and saw Jiang Yan looking his usual self, his complexion rosy.
His brow furrowed, and a look of surprise flashed across his face.
"You're back, Yan? Did you register for ordination today?"
Jiang Yan did not answer, instead leading him into his room.
Bang!
The door closed. Outside, Zhang Yunhong rolled her eyes and swayed back into her room.
Inside Jiang Yan's room, the two had barely sat down.
Jiang Chi eagerly leaned forward and asked in a concerned tone:
"Yan, did your ordination registration go smoothly today? I thought you should be back by now, so I came to see you."
Having said this, he asked another question, seemingly offhandedly.
"Oh, right, you haven't been to Spring Breeze Tower to see Yunyao today, have you?
"It's my fault for only telling you the name. You've only just arrived, so you probably had trouble finding it.
"Spring Breeze Tower is on Flower Street in town. It deals in the flesh trade. If you go looking for Yunyao, remember-"
"I've already been to Spring Breeze Tower."
Before Jiang Chi could finish, Jiang Yan interrupted him.
Jiang Yan watched Jiang Chi's expression and movements closely.
Interrupted midsentence, Jiang Chi first froze, then noticed Jiang Yan's gaze.
"Well, you've seen her? Did she say anything to you? I'm telling you, don't-"
"She told me everything."
Interrupted again, Jiang Chi could no longer maintain his smile, and his expression slowly became impassive.
His features clearly had not changed, yet they gave off a gloomy feeling.
Then he actually sneered.
"Heh, seems you had a good chat with that bitch? She didn't attack you?"
Only upon seeing Jiang Chi's transformation did Jiang Yan fully believe Jiang Yunyao's words.
"That's right. Sorry to disappoint you."
"Disappointed? No, I'm not disappointed."
Jiang Chi looked at Jiang Yan, speaking earnestly.
"Yan, the Desire Corpse Daoist I've attached myself to is at the upper stage of the seventh grade!
"And he's an immortal citizen of the East River Realm, ineligible to enter the Dao Realm!
"He has no descendants or disciples, either, just a few concubines.
"I told him about you long ago. The Desire Corpse Daoist is very interested in you and has asked about you repeatedly.
"As long as we brothers work together with one heart and win his favor together, once we gain his resources, why would we fear a difficult Dao Path?"
Looking at Jiang Chi's display of deep affection and loyalty, Jiang Yan felt faintly sick.
He tried his best to restrain his tone, but it still carried a note of mockery.
"Work together with one heart? To become an old man's 'concubines' together?
"Your ambitions truly are 'lofty,' cousin. Unfortunately, my aspirations lie elsewhere, so spare me your kindness!"
Having it spelled out so bluntly, Jiang Chi's expression turned ugly as well.
"Hmph, what do you know? How abundant would the resources left behind by an upper-stage seventh-grade Daoist be?
"All you have to give up is this paltry skin of yours. What does it matter?"
As he spoke, Jiang Chi seemed to already be imagining himself inheriting the Desire Corpse Daoist's estate, and his tone grew excited.
"So what if that bitch Jiang Yunyao gets harvested for cultivation?
"She only needs to cultivate for another few years. How is it any different from her being at Spring Breeze Tower?"
"And you! Yan, the Jiang Household's strength is limited, after all. It can't help much. Do you really not want this wealth and status?"
"I went to meet you as soon as you arrived at the Dao Academy, and even helped you rent a room.
"Why would I harm you, Yan? You only need to endure it for a while!"
Jiang Yan no longer wanted to listen to Jiang Chi. The man was already possessed by his obsession.
He stood, opened the door, and stepped aside to clear the doorway. His meaning was obvious.
"You're telling me to leave? Don't forget, I rented this room!"
"When we rented the room yesterday, it was my name on the paperwork.
"Don't forget, cousin, I'm a newcomer who has only just arrived at the Dao Academy!"
At these words, Jiang Chi's face turned an ugly, ashen shade, but he still stood and left the room.
Judging by his reaction, the rules laid down by the Prefecture Academy were indeed quite a deterrent.
Jiang Chi gritted his teeth fiercely. He had failed to achieve his goal; the wasted time was one thing.
The real problem was that he had lost twenty Spirit Stones as well!
The Desire Corpse Daoist was getting on in years and usually kept a tight grip on his Spirit Stones.
To get those twenty Spirit Stones from him, Jiang Chi had to expend considerable effort on his body.
The thought of that wrinkle-covered old face made the anger in Jiang Chi's heart swell further.
"Jiang Yan, I hope you'll think it over carefully. The Desire Corpse Daoist really is very interested in you. Don't let this opportunity slip away!"
After saying this, he left no threats behind, departing the courtyard without another word.
There was no need to feign any shame now. Summoning his pink-furred rabbit spirit beast, he left at once.
Jiang Yan stood in his room, watching his retreating figure coldly.
Naturally, he would not repay the twenty Spirit Stones for the room. After all, Jiang Chi had thoroughly sickened him this time.
Besides, he had just spent over three hundred Spirit Stones and was short of funds. He would take those twenty Spirit Stones as compensation.
He turned and shut the door again.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chi, who had left the courtyard, sat astride the pink-furred rabbit, his face still ashen.
"Jiang Yan! Very good. I don't believe that bitch could have thought of absolutely everything for you!
"Once you leave town and I catch you, I'll make you kneel and admit your mistake!"
He was still laying his plans, preparing to intercept Jiang Yan outside town.
Jiang Yan knew nothing of this idea, or he would certainly have mocked him again.
For Jiang Yan had already decided that, from now on, he would not take a single step outside town.
If he left town, would encountering either Jiang Chi or the Desire Corpse Daoist not be a calamity?
Now that they had torn off their masks, would he not be a fool to go out knowing someone might be lying in ambush?
He had made up his mind to stay in town and cultivate.
Besides, being unfamiliar with the surroundings did not necessarily mean he could not handle the Yearly Examination.
As long as he had enough methods and prepared thoroughly enough.
Then even if he encountered unfamiliar surroundings, he would have ways to withstand them.
Still, he certainly could not forget this grudge.
Besides Jiang Chi and the Desire Corpse Daoist, there was also that disciple named Li Shun.
Since he could not leave town now, he would have no opportunity to deal with Li Shun for the time being, either.
Shaking his head, Jiang Yan put them all out of his mind.
He took out the Fire-Element Pill Refining Method he had just bought, opened it, and began studying.
This Fire-Element Pill Refining Method was more or less like the kind of pill refining Jiang Yan had learned about in his previous life.
Before attempting to refine pills, a beginner should prepare a pill formula, a pill-refining fire, and a cauldron to hold the fire.
He had a Pill Cauldron, and for now, the Flame-Tending Talisman he had just bought could substitute for pill fire.
The Fire-Element Pill Refining Method also recorded formulas for two ordinary pills, Grain-Avoidance Pills and Qi and Blood Pills, for beginners to practice with.
But he did not rush. Instead, he first tried studying the pill-refining method with the Stone Book's assistance.
The result was no surprise. The Fire-Element Pill Refining Method deserved its price of three hundred Spirit Stones; an ordinary person would likely need a year or two of study just to gain an initial grasp.
Even with the Stone Book's help, Jiang Yan could not accomplish it in a short time.
At my current rate of progress, I should fully comprehend the Ingestion Method in another few days. Since the pill-refining method cannot be mastered overnight, I should cultivate the Ingestion Method first.
According to what this method says, successfully cultivating it will certainly greatly benefit my cultivation progress.
Then, when I study the pill-refining method, I should be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort.
With that thought, Jiang Yan stuffed the Fire-Element Pill Refining Method back into Jinbao's belly.
Then he turned to studying the Ingestion Method with the Stone Book's help.
Before you continue