Dragon War was seething after his loss. It was a humiliation he couldn’t swallow. He had wanted to corner that Wang Meng fellow but never got the chance. Instead, he heard that Fan Hong was always at the Alchemy Institute.

Dragon War took Chan Jing straight to the Alchemy Institute to cause trouble. A Steward at the Alchemy Institute was, to put it bluntly, just a handyman—a job only the weakest Cultivators would take. This was the perfect chance to show Chan Jing how wise she was to follow him.

Dragon War swaggered into the Alchemy Institute and immediately spotted Fan Hong sweeping the entrance. Fan Hong saw Dragon War too—and his eyes widened when he saw Chan Jing. The smile on his face vanished. ’He had told himself he’d figured it out and let her go, but it was all a lie. He had just buried the pain. He didn’t want to cause any more trouble, but that didn’t mean others would leave him alone.’

"Welcome to the Alchemy Pavilion. How can I help you?" Fan Hong forced a smile.

Dragon War slung his arm around Chan Jing. "Oh, I have *plenty* of needs. What to do, what to do... How about you get me the best Alchemy Room? I’m going to make some Joy Pills."

From the lecherous look on Dragon War’s face, it was clear he had no intention of performing Alchemy.

Fan Hong’s face grew a shade paler. He gritted his teeth, pushed to the brink of exploding. ’This is going too far!’

"Who’s causing such a ruckus here?" Mi Dao walked in with a confident swagger.

Dragon War glanced at Mi Dao. "Dean Mi Dao, it’s nothing. I’m just settling a small matter with this kid. Do me a favor and look the other way."

Mi Dao squinted at them. "Who the hell are you to ask me for favors? You adulterous pair, get the hell out of here. If I ever see you bothering Younger Brother Fan again, don’t blame me for what happens!"

Anyone who could become a Dean at the Cultivation Academy possessed formidable strength, a far cry from a mere Steward. Dragon War’s face paled, then flushed with anger, while Chan Jing was utterly dumbfounded.

Humiliated in front of his woman, Dragon War couldn’t just take it lying down. "Mi Dao, I have no quarrel with you! But are you aware that I’m a member of the Demon Flame Faction?"

A cold sneer touched Mi Dao’s lips. "Oh, how terrifying. But do you have any idea whose man Younger Brother Fan is?"

Mi Dao stuck out his thumb and jabbed it upwards three times.

Dragon War was floored. "That... That’s impossible! Him?!"

SLAP!

Dragon War staggered backward, clutching his cheek. Mi Dao casually dusted off his hands. "Who gave you the nerve to question that great personage?"

Still holding his face, Dragon War’s eyes went bloodshot. "I—I didn’t! I didn’t mean it like that! He... Fine, I give up!"

Dragon War tried to leave, still covering his face. No one dared to speak carelessly about the person Mi Dao had alluded to. If this escalated, not even the Demon Flame Faction could save him.

"Who said you could leave?" Mi Dao said coldly. "Did Younger Brother Fan say you could?"

Dragon War froze mid-step. He turned back to Fan Hong, gritting his teeth so hard they might crack. After a long moment, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fan Hong, there’s no real hatred between us. Besides, I already lost to you once. It was this woman! She seduced me! She’s the one who told me to come cause you trouble! From now on, I’m cutting all ties with her. How about we call it even?"

In truth, Dragon War was infatuated with Chan Jing’s body, which was still a fresh novelty. But he knew exactly who he was up against. If that power truly targeted him, his future would be finished. Even the Demon Flame Faction would abandon him. He shuddered, thinking about the person he had offended. It wasn’t worth risking his life over a woman.

Chan Jing was completely stunned. Just moments ago, this man had been so full of promises, but in the blink of an eye, he had turned on her.

Fan Hong waved a dismissive hand. Dragon War looked immensely relieved. "Brother Fan, you are a man of great character! This woman’s skills in bed are pretty good, you’ll know once you give her a try."

"Get out!"

Fan Hong roared. Dragon War’s expression flickered for a moment, but he quickly put on a smile and scurried away.

Mi Dao chuckled, glancing at the woman. She was somewhat attractive, but her type was a dime a dozen.

"You’re Chan Jing, right? Truly a case of having eyes but failing to see the treasure right in front of you. You’d better make Younger Brother Fan happy, or else... Heh heh. Hahaha."

Mi Dao strode away, laughing heartily. Clearly, his part in this was over.

Only Fan Hong and Chan Jing were left in the Alchemy Institute. Chan Jing’s demeanor shifted, her expression becoming fragile and pitiful. She bit her lip gently, her hands clasped tightly as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Senior Brother Fan, I was wrong," she sobbed. "He forced me, he really did! I was just afraid of getting you into trouble. I know how hard it is for us to survive here."

Fan Hong gazed at the woman he had once placed on a pedestal, worshipping her like a Goddess. He had catered to her every whim, so careful that even holding her hand felt like he was handling a priceless treasure.

’After everything I did for her, even helping her get to the Great Yuan Realm, is this how it ends?’ Fan Hong felt an urge to laugh hysterically.

Thinking of the humiliation he had endured, Fan Hong smiled. "Little Jing, how could I possibly be mad at you?"

Fan Hong led Chan Jing into an Alchemy Room and roughly tore her clothes. Chan Jing flinched for a moment but then became very cooperative.

Fan Hong stared blankly. The woman he once saw as a Fairy was now acting like a common whore. He had wanted revenge, but he realized the Chan Jing he once knew was dead. The woman before him was just a sullied creature, not the Chan Jing of his dreams.

He tossed the scraps of her clothing aside and looked at Chan Jing with an empty gaze. "I finally see you for who you really are."

The conflict in his eyes vanished. "Wang Meng was right. Losing me is your loss, not mine."

Fan Hong strode out of the room. The moment he crossed the threshold, he felt a weight lift. From this day forward, whatever happened to Chan Jing was no longer his concern. Right now, he just wanted to get roaring drunk. ’Now, where’s Wang Meng? Where did that guy run off to?’

Chan Jing hadn’t expected Fan Hong to actually leave, to pass up on her beautiful body. Her eyes, filled with venom, were fixed on the doorway as she slowly picked up the remnants of her clothes. She couldn’t believe that the man who once worshipped her like a Goddess had just tossed her aside like garbage.

"Fan Hong... and that Wang Meng," she hissed. "This isn’t over. I’ll make you both..."

A sudden breeze swept through the room. Chan Jing felt a chill, followed by an overwhelming weakness as her body crumpled to the floor.

A figure cloaked in lavender stepped out of the shadows. ’If Fan Hong hadn’t left, there would have been two corpses. Since he did, there is only one.’

With a crisp snap of fingers, Chan Jing’s body was engulfed in white flames, turning to ash in an instant. All that remained on the floor was an indestructible Star Ring, which rolled a few times before coming to a stop.

There were always privileged people, no matter the world...

Fan Hong was at Ascension Tower, drinking himself into a stupor. Whether or not he’d go broke was the last thing on his mind.

It was a shame he hadn’t been able to make a move in the Sea Emperor’s Small Thousand World. Honestly, Wang Meng had enjoyed the feeling of fighting alongside Yan Yuyue and her group. He loved and craved battles like that. However, he knew Yan Yuyue had only given him an opportunity to repay a favor; he hadn’t played a significant role in the fight. Besides, as a Holy Hall Disciple, Wang Meng had zero interest in joining any faction.

Entering his Heart Spirit, Wang Meng sparred a round with Moo Shan as usual. It was obvious that when they both used the Curved Sword Skill, Wang Meng wasn’t losing as miserably as before. Still, Wang Meng knew it was nearly impossible to defeat the Godhood using the same technique. The Sword Technique unleashed by the Godhood wasn’t merely a technique; it was an embodiment of the Power of Laws. Simply put, all things being equal, it was an unsolvable puzzle. The only way to win was to reach the same level of comprehension, but then victory and defeat would depend on other factors entirely.

Wang Meng didn’t obsess over the intricacies of the Curved Sword Skill. Now was the time to practice the Double Arc Sword Technique.

The Quiet Chamber in his room was mainly for practicing Cultivation Techniques and contemplating Magic. As for general training, the Cultivation Academy had numerous specialized facilities. The allocation was very detailed, with no general-purpose sparring grounds—a stark contrast to how a Sect was run.

For instance, Sword Cultivators had special Arrays to test the power of their Sword Qi, Talisman Cultivators had their own dedicated testing formations, and Body Cultivators had specific Magical Artifacts for honing the power of their strikes.

But since Wang Meng had the best sparring partner imaginable in his Godhood, he rarely visited those places.

After practicing the Double Arc Sword Technique for a while, Wang Meng felt his movements were still clumsy. He couldn’t pinpoint the problem. The Godhood could only demonstrate the technique; it couldn’t communicate or directly impart the knowledge. In the end, he had to rely on himself.

Wang Meng withdrew from his Sea of Heart. He needed a change of pace, a way to clear his mind through combat.

He activated his Star Ring. Just as he was about to enter the Battle Space, he noticed several incoming messages. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The first message was from Fan Hong. The guy was obviously drunk, and his holographic image rambled on about how he had finally cut ties with Chan Jing. His youth, his first love—it was all water under the bridge now. He was determined to pull himself together and make everyone who looked down on him regret it!

Wang Meng smiled and shook his head. ’One should cultivate for oneself, not for others.’ But everyone was different, and it was a good thing that Fan Hong had found this new motivation.

The next message was from Ning Zhiquan. Looking at his image, Wang Meng couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Brother Ning had become more cautious since arriving in the Great Yuan Realm. He lacked his former imposing presence... it was as if he had aged a great deal.

"Wang Meng, the new disciples’ assessment begins in one month. Prepare yourself. This is important for all of us."

’How should I put it?’ Wang Meng thought. He didn’t know how Ning Zhiquan had been back in the Holy Hall, but here in the Great Yuan Realm, he truly acted the part of a proper Senior. His abilities might be limited, but he always made sure to pass on any important reminders.

"Wang Meng, everyone recognizes your capabilities. Are you interested in teaming up for some missions?"

It was from Yan Yuyue.

Wang Meng was genuinely surprised. While he didn’t underestimate his own abilities, he wasn’t so arrogant as to think the faction couldn’t function without him. Judging from the performance of Lv Buwei and the others last time, Wang Meng knew the Dragon King Faction’s strength was immeasurable. He was just a "new member," which was really just a nice way of saying he was on the periphery. The core experts must be on a whole other level.

’Even though Yan Yuyue sent the invitation,’ Wang Meng thought, ’it’s probably just a courtesy.’

"Wang Meng, let Fan Hong rest for a bit. The two of you can take turns on duty from now on."

It was from Mi Dao. ’What’s gotten into the Dean lately?’ Wang Meng wondered. ’He’s being so considerate. As the saying goes, uncalled-for courtesy is a sign of ill intent. But I can’t think of anything I have that he could possibly want. He’s probably just trying to curry favor with Fan Hong.’

To think that after more than a year in the Great Yuan Realm, he actually had people looking out for him. It was a nice feeling. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.)