Outside the Su family gates.
"Master, is it possible to... call off the duel with Great Master Pharmacist Ning Wuchen?"
Lu Fan, his expression neutral, was walking away from the Su family estate, accompanied by Li Hong. Li Ruoyun had caught up to them, hoping to put a stop to this medicinal contest. Caught between her friend’s master and her own, she found herself in an impossible dilemma.
In truth, there was a third reason for her worry. She was genuinely concerned for Lu Fan; what if he lost to the mysterious Great Master Pharmacist Ning Wuchen? After all, she had witnessed with her own eyes the heaven-defying scene of Su Xiaoqing consuming the Dragon Transformation Pill. Since that Great Master Pharmacist Ning could refine the legendary Dragon Transformation Pill, he would clearly crush Lu Fan in every respect.
Lu Fan clasped his hands behind his back. "The Lu family is a lineage of alchemists, and I am a legitimate, peerless pharmacist. How could I allow some unconventional rogue pharmacist to run wild?"
"Qing’er, you don’t understand these matters." Li Hong’s face darkened slightly. He suddenly felt that Li Ruoyun was not yet mature enough. Perhaps she wasn’t ready to stand on her own two feet just yet.
Li Ruoyun realized the two elders had misunderstood her and her expression shifted drastically. "Grandfather, that Ning Wuchen is no simple man."
"Tell me why you say that," Li Hong replied sternly.
"I..." Li Ruoyun was suddenly struck dumb. She couldn’t say it! Last time, her loose tongue had brought suffering upon Su Xiaoqing. If word got out that Su Xiaoqing had consumed a Dragon Transformation Pill, not only would Su Xiaoqing face a miserable end, but the entire Su family would be slaughtered.
Seeing her silence, Li Hong felt relieved. A rogue alchemist who popped out of nowhere—how could he possibly be a match for the established Great Master Pharmacist Lu Fan?
Lu Fan shook his head and said earnestly, "Qing’er, compared to your senior fellow apprentices, you are still too kind. Do not let me down again."
"Qing’er still requires much guidance from you, Brother Lu." Upon hearing this, Li Hong’s heart hung in the balance; he had no choice but to keep up a flattering smile. If Lu Fan were to get angry, he feared the man would stop passing on his expertise to Li Ruoyun.
"The prejudices in people’s hearts are mountains that can never be climbed." Li Ruoyun bit her lip, her heart filled with disappointment. She had never expected her respected master to be so narrow-minded, nor had she expected her beloved grandfather to doubt her judgment. Without further hesitation, she turned back toward the Su family estate.
***
In the living room, a surge of bloody energy erupted from Chen Tiange, causing everything in the room to tremble.
"The King-grade Qi Refining Liquid is truly extraordinary. Breaking through to the 9th Layer of Qi Refining was so effortless." Chen Tiange had been unable to wait to consume the liquid, and its potency was astounding. Anything gifted by a genuine master-level pharmacist was clearly the real deal.
Su Xi sat nearby, smiling with delight, her heart racing. "Tiange, do you have the confidence to break through to the Spirit Boat Realm?"
"Within a few days, I shall reach the Spirit Boat Realm." Chen Tiange nodded, his eyes fixed intently. As he spoke, he handed a portion of the King-grade Qi Refining Liquid to Su Xi.
"Today, Lin Fan humiliated my mother. I cannot forgive him." Su Xi was both angry and indignant.
Chen Tiange let out a loud laugh. "A mere clown, not worth mentioning. However, if the opportunity arises, I will use some methods to teach him a lesson."
Hearing this, Su Xi felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey. "Dragons with dragons, phoenixes with phoenixes, rats with rats, and cockroaches with vermin." She imagined the scene of Su Xiaoqing huddled in a dark, damp corner, clinging to Lin Fan and trembling. The thought made her feel as if she had consumed a whole vat of honey; she began to feel somewhat intoxicated.
***
In a cramped side room, Su Xiaoqing had changed into simple green robes. She sat cross-legged on her bed with her hands pressed together. Spiritual energy gathered in the surrounding air, flowing toward her. When she stepped off the bed and took her iron sword from the wall, she slashed through the air, creating streaks of leaf-shadow sword light. She was practicing the Su family’s technique, the *Su Family Falling Leaf Sword*.
Not far away, Lin Fan leaned against the wall, taking a sip of tea with a smile. Su Xiaoqing’s long hair draped over her shoulders, and her face, free of any makeup, was as exquisite as carefully carved porcelain; her features were pure yet imposing. From her face to her figure, from her chest to her hips, the lines of every angle appeared nearly perfect.
"Brother Fan, I cannot let the Su family hurt you anymore. I must cultivate."
Lin Fan recalled the way Su Xiaoqing had looked while angry earlier; the tea in his cup felt like the most priceless nectar in the world. He never thought there would be a woman who would stand up to protect him like that in public.
"Am I... just shamelessly living off a woman?" He gave a wry smile. Thinking of the gossiping servants he had heard on his way back, he sighed in irritation. "From now on, I can’t leave this silly girl alone for so long." His brow tightened. His time away at the Xia Pool for alchemy had been too long, which was why Su Xiaoqing had come to harm. That would not happen again.
*Boom!*
Su Xiaoqing broke through at that very moment, officially stepping into the 1st Layer of Qi Refining.
"She broke through?" As luck would have it, Li Ruoyun, who had returned, witnessed this scene. The shock on her face was impossible to hide. She knew Su Xiaoqing better than anyone else. Growing up in the Su family, Su Xiaoqing had lived a life worse than the servants. Cultivate? That was something she wouldn't have even dared to dream of. All of the Su family’s resources were monopolized by Su Xi and Su Ming. Who would have thought that someone who knew nothing of cultivation could break through to the 1st Layer of Qi Refining in under an hour?
Lin Fan sensed something. He stepped outside and gestured for Li Ruoyun not to disturb Su Xiaoqing’s cultivation. Li Ruoyun stood there, her mind a whirlwind of complex emotions; she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
Neither spoke. Finally, Li Ruoyun broke the awkward silence. "I want to see Senior Ning Wuchen." Even as she spoke, her gaze remained haughty.
Lin Fan frowned. "He is a very busy man. I can pass a message along for you."
"Are you even capable of that?" Li Ruoyun, holding the "kept man" in utter contempt, said sharply, "I wish to apologize to the senior. Furthermore, I want to discuss collaborating on medicine with him again."
"Very well." Lin Fan nodded without hesitation. It just so happened that he was looking for a secluded place to conduct long-term alchemy, especially for refining the *Youth Retention Pill*. Li Ruoyun was a local power, so arranging this would be no problem. He suddenly grew serious. "There is one thing I don’t understand. Lu Fan is your master. If you associate with Senior Ning in private, wouldn't that be a betrayal of your master and ancestors?"
"Blind to the truth!" Whether she was referring to Lin Fan or something else entirely, Li Ruoyun sat down to the side to wait for Su Xiaoqing to finish her cultivation.
***
At the Yang family estate, Yang Tai was covered in medicinal plasters like a mummy, and one of his arms was completely ruined.
"Patriarch, avenge me..." he pleaded with Yang Xiong.
At that moment, a thick, murderous intent radiated from Yang Xiong and the surrounding Yang family experts.
Yang Xiong’s expression was murderous. "The Su family’s daughter, Su Xi, is already betrothed to Chen Tiange. With the two families joined in marriage, now is not the time to strike the Su family. But Lin Fan—a cast-off from an imperial clan—killing him is nothing."
"I want to drink Lin Fan’s blood and eat his flesh!" Yang Tai roared, causing his wounds to rip open.
"Oh?" Yang Xiong looked enlightened, as if the entire world had frozen for a moment.
"Patriarch, I shall set out tonight to claim Lin Fan’s head," an elder said with a cold bow.
"Lin Fan married into the three great families because he possesses the bloodline of an imperial clan," Yang Xiong said, his eyes narrowing as he pondered. "Killing him casually would be a waste of his life. Do not kill him. I want him alive."