[A/N: Happy Reading!]
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"What happened?"
"I heard that Shen Yue and Xiang Yun had a conflict over Goddess Ning'er. Apparently, they had a fight."
"Who is this Xiang Yun? To dare offend Shen Yue... Doesn't he know Shen Yue is a member of the Sacred Family?!"
"Idiot. How do you not know him? Besides being the son of the Xiang Family Patriarch, Xiang Yun is the student with the greatest potential in the entire Institute! It can only be said that Shen Yue kicked a steel plate this time."
The noise and discussion from the crowd immediately attracted Shen Yue's lackeys, who hurriedly appeared. When they saw the young master collapsed and pale from pain, they quickly lifted him and carried him away, out of sight, like a run-over dog.
Although Xiang Yun's strength had been restrained, he still struck Shen Yue with the power of a Bronze rank Demon Warrior. At the very least, Shen Yue would need to spend the day in bed recovering.
The scene of humiliation quickly dispersed, leaving tension hanging in the air.
Ye Ziyun quickly composed herself, forgetting Shen Yue, and then approached Xiao Ning'er, trying to speak:
"Ning'er...", she began, trying to break the ice between the two. "Are you... are you okay?"
Xiao Ning'er turned to Ye Ziyun.
A short nod and an evasive look were her only response. Ye Ziyun was coldly ignored, which made her heart ache, feeling the distance between them growing even more.
Xiang Yun noticed the situation. He gave a discreet nod to Ye Ziyun, as an apology, and gestured toward the Institute.
"Let's go, Ning'er," he said, his voice calm, without a trace of concern for the Sacred Family or the looks cast his way.
Xiao Ning'er nodded, grateful for it. She turned away from Ye Ziyun and followed Xiang Yun, the two heading to the Institute, leaving Ye Ziyun behind.
Ye Ziyun stood still, watching Xiao Ning'er and Xiang Yun walk away. A pang of pain, mixed with strange nostalgia, hit her chest.
Ye Ziyun felt a lump in her throat. Her eyes became misty as she watched, remembering the fun moments she had shared with Xiao Ning'er.
However, due to the decline of Xiao Ning'er's family, the Forced Engagement, and the gap between them, the two girls had stopped interacting. Since then, Ye Ziyun had never made another true friend.
She had enrolled in the same class as Ning'er at the Holy Orchid Institute with one hope: to rekindle that friendship. She wanted things to go back to the way they were, for them to laugh and share secrets again. But Ning'er seemed distant, and the cold look she had just received made her heart shiver.
Ye Ziyun looked at Xiang Yun. At that moment, she felt a deep curiosity about him, who seemed to be melting the ice in Xiao Ning'er's heart.
As she walked beside Xiang Yun, Xiao Ning'er had a slightly troubled look. "Xiang Yun, you... you did that to Shen Yue, so you need to be careful. The Sacred Family isn't easy to deal with. I'm afraid they'll try to do something against you."
Xiang Yun chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Ning'er. That was just a lesson. I didn't even use my soul force, it was just physical strength. At most, that was a scuffle between two teenagers."
"Besides," he continued, "even if they come, they won't act openly in Glory City. There are rules. If they do something public, they'll be exposing how hypocritical they are. They might try something from the shadows, but I'm prepared. A coward like Shen Yue won't intimidate me."
Xiao Ning'er listened, feeling a weight lift from her chest. The confidence in his voice calmed her. He was strong, smart, and confident. The worry she felt for him turned into admiration and, without realizing it, she began to trust him. If he said there would be no problems, then so it would be.
After a few minutes, the two arrived at the gates of the Sacred Orchid Institute. Xiang Yun said goodbye to Xiao Ning'er and decided to head to the library, uninterested in confronting Shen Xiu. Meanwhile, Xiao Ning'er went to class.
The day passed quickly. When the bell rang, reverberating throughout Glory City, Xiang Yun got up and prepared to go to the Alchemist Association.
He had already prepared some new recipes, in addition to the ones Nie Li would present in the future. Moreover. A smile flickered on his lips. He had prepared a special formula for the pills that would be sold to the Sacred Family.
"Sacred Family, you'd better not be so arrogant, otherwise..." He smiled coldly.
In the silent and grand main hall of the Sacred Family, a tense atmosphere hung in the air.
Shen Hong, the family patriarch, was seated in his main chair, his expression serious as he listened to a report. In front of him, a few family elders were gathered, their faces ranging from contained anger to concern.
One of the elders, with a voice full of indignation, said: "Patriarch, Shen Yue was humiliated in public! This Xiang Yun needs to be taught a harsh lesson for such audacity!"
"Yes, patriarch, we must take revenge." Another member stood up, prompting others to speak in agreement.
Shen Hong raised a hand, silencing the noise from the elders and members. His eyes, usually shrewd, seemed to weigh the words. "I understand your frustration. Our family's honor is of utmost importance." He paused, then continued in a graver tone. "However, we must be cautious. Acting impulsively could cost us greatly."
Shen Ming, more composed, added: "The Xiang Family is not to be underestimated. They are strong on their own and, more importantly, have the firm backing of the City Lord. Furthermore, they are one of the main suppliers of weapons and armor for Glory City. Messing with them openly would be like messing with the City Lord himself."
Shen Hong nodded. "Precisely. And there's another point. Our informant reported that Xiang Yun didn't use a trace of his soul force in the fight. It was only his physical strength. That means there's no legal way to act against him in the city because of a simple street scuffle. Legally, we can't do anything to him over this."
"But Shen Yue was injured!", exclaimed one elder.
"Yes, I know, but he wasn't seriously hurt physically—it was more his pride. Any attempt to use this against Xiang Yun publicly would be seen as a form of oppression and would only bring us more trouble," Shen Hong replied, his voice firm.
"If we want to do something," Shen Hong continued, his eyes narrowing, "it must be done covertly, leaving no traces, or very well planned." He said, before continuing. "But frankly, I believe this matter doesn't need to escalate. We don't want to draw the City Lord's unwanted attention to us, especially now."
A heavy silence fell over the hall as the elders pondered Shen Hong's words. Their plans, which involved manipulating the city's politics and consolidating their power, could be undone by reckless retaliation.
"For now at least," Shen Hong concluded, his voice a veiled warning, "Xiang Yun is a problem we must monitor closely, but not one we should face openly." He then looked coldly toward where Shen Yue was. "However, soon they'll learn they can't humiliate my descendant at will and still walk away unscathed."
The Alchemist Association is an enormous building. Just the courtyard pavilion alone took up considerable space. In the front hall, many alchemists, wearing robes of different colors, came and went.
Although the Alchemist Association had declined somewhat, one could still see how glorious it used to be based on the magnificent construction. Its size, if measured, would not be smaller than the grounds of the Sacred Family or the City Lord. In fact, it might even be slightly larger.
Alchemists are divided into Apprentice, Master, and Grandmaster. Each level is then subdivided into Primary, Intermediate, and Senior levels.
Apprentices wear gray robes, Masters wear white robes, and Grandmasters wear silver robes. Most of the alchemists coming and going were apprentice level. As for the master level, they were rarely seen. Usually, only one or two are spotted.
Due to the decline of the Alchemist Association, geniuses are reluctant to dedicate their time to alchemy. They focus more on cultivation, so the number of alchemists and novices is decreasing.
When he entered the reception hall, he noticed that only a young woman, with the name "Xiao Lan" on her chest, was handling the reception.
Xiang Yun briefly observed the hall, then walked up to the young woman, who also approached upon noticing him.
"Customer, my name is Xiao Lan. May I ask if you wish to post a task, collect medicinal pills, or take the Alchemist test?"
Ordinary people could post tasks at the Alchemist Association by paying money and entrust the association with the task of refining the required medicinal pill.
Xiao Lan had an ordinary appearance, but she was very cheerful. She also had a pair of big, lively eyes.
"Yes. I want to register as a Master Alchemist." Xiang Yun smiled lightly, as he finally proclaimed the reason for his arrival.