The Pang Family's Catastrophe

While Qian Renxue and Ah Yin cultivated, Jiang Nian didn't sit idle either.

He took the opportunity to refine the mature Immortal Herbs into pills. He also studied the conditions they needed to grow and tried planting some.

The whole process left Dugu Bo staring in amazement.

Whenever he used one of these Immortal Herbs, he had one fewer. He had tried growing them too, but had never managed to discover their growing habits.

Even when he planted seeds from the same kind of Immortal Herb in the same spot, he hadn't managed to keep them alive.

Considering that Dugu Bo would be managing this herb garden in the future, Jiang Nian taught him some basics about growing medicinal herbs.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was mysterious to begin with. Herbs with opposing attributes needed to be planted in corresponding positions to balance the well's ice and fire Qi.

After teaching Dugu Bo, Jiang Nian picked a few leaves from the Aromatic Silk Beauty and began refining a pill.

Once the pill was complete, he called over Dugu Bo, who had been turning the soil. "I really don't know whether you truly enjoy tending these flowers and plants or you're showing your loyalty in front of me. You had to plant a few even in this short time."

Dugu Bo smiled. "You see clearly, senior. I really do love growing flowers and plants. It was precisely because these medicinal herbs grew in the Yin Yang Well that I chose this place for my seclusion."

Jiang Nian nodded and took out a jade bottle. "Take this pill. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is close to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, so you can give it to Ning Fengzhi."

Dugu Bo pulled out the stopper in puzzlement. Looking at the pill inside, which shimmered with a faint nine-colored halo, he asked, "Senior, may I ask what pill this is?"

Jiang Nian went back to tending to his two disciples and said casually, "Hmm... I refined it on a whim. For now, let's call it the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pill. Give it to Ning Fengzhi. If he wants more later, I need a loyal force."

Dugu Bo shook his head. "There's something you don't know, senior. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is very proud. I'm afraid a single pill won't be enough to make them pay attention."

Jiang Nian first helped Ah Yin straighten out her meridians, then tidied up her troublesome long hair. "Don't worry. As long as the people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect aren't fools, they'll understand its value."

Dugu Bo nodded and watched Jiang Nian finish tending to the Soul Beast, then help Qian Renxue stabilize her spirit. "You truly devote yourself to these two disciples, senior. On the Douluo Continent, I've never seen a teacher go to such lengths for their students."

Jiang Nian saw nothing strange about it. "If I don't cherish my own disciples, am I supposed to let some yellow-haired brat from outside carry them off?"

With that, he stood up. "Dugu Bo, do a good job too. I've always been generous to my own people. Perhaps I'll even raise the grade of your Jade Phosphorus Snake someday."

"I'll be sure to do my best!" Dugu Bo cupped his fists. "Do you have any other instructions, senior? If there's nothing else, I'll return to the Star Dou Empire. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will be visiting the Heaven Dou Empire soon, so I can take the opportunity to give the pill to Ning Fengzhi."

"Mm, go ahead. There's nothing else for you to do here."

Jiang Nian still had to refine a pill to improve the quality of the Pang Family's Martial Soul. Judging by Qian Renxue and Ah Yin's condition, he certainly wouldn't be able to return anytime soon. Once Dugu Bo came back, he would send him to Suotuo City.

In Suotuo City.

Pang Dun kept his head lowered.

He had expected Spirit City to send people to Suotuo City to investigate, and had guessed that a Titled Douluo would most likely lead them.

But he had never imagined that His Holiness the Pope would come to Suotuo City in person.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he carefully dealt with the Pope.

Qian Xunji took charge of the branch hall and sat in the bishop's chair, staring at Pang Dun. "You're the bishop here?"

Pang Dun bowed. "In answer to Your Holiness, I am."

Qian Xunji nodded. "Where's Xue'er? Tell her to come see me. I heard from Ling Yuan that she came here and spent every day training her body, giving up on herself. It's time I did something about her!"

Beside him, Bibi Dong's face was cold. Though she loathed Qian Xunji, she still glanced toward the entrance at the mention of Qian Renxue.

If Qian Renxue had been a genius, she might have loathed her intensely.

But Qian Renxue just happened to be a good-for-nothing instead. That eased the pent-up desire in her heart to take revenge on the Qian Family, and in turn made her resistance toward Qian Renxue less intense.

Pang Dun's Adam's apple bobbed. "Your Holiness... the young lady isn't at the branch hall. She went with her teacher to hunt for a Soul Ring."

Before Qian Xunji could lose his temper, Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who had accompanied him, stepped forward.

Yue Guan scolded him. "Bastard! When the young lady arrived, her Innate Soul Power was only rank three. How long has it been? How could it already be time for her to hunt for a Soul Ring?"

Gui Mei said coldly, "How dare you mistreat the young lady? You're courting death!"

Pang Dun was startled. "Your Holiness, please see clearly! The young lady really did go with her teacher to hunt for a Soul Ring. I wouldn't dare deceive you about something like this!"

Qian Xunji stared at him, then waved a hand after a moment. "Forget it. In a few days, I'll take the Saintess to see for myself. The important business concerning the Soul Condensing Pill comes first!"

Pang Dun sighed inwardly. The Qian Family truly was heartless. Even their own flesh and blood couldn't compare to important information about a pill.

Yue Guan understood at once and asked, "Bishop Pang, I hear the Soul Condensing Pill was sold by your Pang Family. Is that true or not?"

Spirit Hall's intelligence network was vast, so Pang Dun wasn't surprised they had uncovered that much.

He could only brace himself and nod. "To tell Your Holiness the truth, the Pang Family did handle the sales."

Gui Mei shouted, "How dare you! Have you forgotten who you are? You belong to Spirit Hall, yet instead of offering such a rare treasure to Spirit Hall, you sold it to others!"

The two Titled Douluo released their Soul Rings at once, and the atmosphere in the hall became suffocating.

Though Pang Dun was afraid, perhaps because he had seen Jiang Nian's Soul Rings, he couldn't muster much fear of the Soul Rings of the two Titled Douluo before him.

The atmosphere was as tense as drawn swords and bent bows when Qian Xunji finally spoke. "Dong'er, what do you think?"

Bibi Dong's face was cold. "I don't think much of it, and I'm not interested in any of this. I'm going out for a walk."

Qian Xunji frowned and gave Yue Guan a meaningful look. Yue Guan understood immediately. "Your Highness, I'll go with you. Suotuo City is a small place, after all, and there's no shortage of blind fools."

Bibi Dong sneered but didn't refuse. She knew she had no right to refuse.

After Bibi Dong left, Qian Xunji's face darkened completely. "Pang Dun, tell me, how should I deal with you? You sold such a priceless treasure to outsiders. It wouldn't be going too far to say you betrayed Spirit Hall. You should understand that traitors are what Spirit Hall forbids most!"

Pang Dun panicked and gave the answer he had prepared long ago. "Your Holiness, please see clearly! I've always been utterly loyal to Spirit Hall. I only happened to find those pills in some ruins. They're only of some use to Soul Elders, and there weren't many of them. I just wanted to make a little money!"

Qian Xunji laughed and clapped his hands lightly. "Bring him in."

Then a voice Pang Dun knew well came from outside the hall. "Your Holiness, I can testify that those pills were refined by someone Pang Dun knows, and that they can be supplied over the long term!"

Pang Dun's heart shook violently. He turned around in disbelief. "Elder brother... why?!"

Pang Ting wore a mocking smile. "Why? Because I'm the one who's truly loyal to Spirit Hall. I'm the one who should be bishop!"

"It's over..." Pang Dun slumped to the floor, distraught. "The entire Pang Family is finished!"

At that thought, Pang Dun steeled his heart and raised a hand to smash the crown of his own skull and end his life.

But under the noses of two Titled Douluo, even dying was difficult.

Qian Xunji spoke. "Gui Mei, take this man away and interrogate him! Find out who this pill refiner is. He must be captured!"