"What? All the herbs have been destroyed? Where's Elder Two? What about the others?" The roar of rage in the hall was so intense it seemed about to tear the roof off. A guard, trembling, knelt before Galibis, his face filled with fear, swallowing hard before stammering, "Elder Two was also killed by the very person who destroyed the herbs!" Galibis's face, already flushed with fury, suddenly went still. His feet gave way beneath him, and he sat down heavily into the chair behind him, expression stunned. Elder Galibis was one of only three Grand Duelists in the Galibis family. His death was a devastating blow to a family already in turmoil. Seeing Galibis's expression, the messenger guard also looked utterly dismayed. In his mind, the terrifying strength of that cloaked figure from earlier still echoed vividly—impossible to imagine that the second elder, a master at the three-star level, had been reduced to ashes mere moments after their first encounter with the mysterious man. The sheer intensity of that scene had nearly instilled fear in every person present. "What person killed the second elder?" Galibis finally regained his composure after sitting in silence for a while, his voice slightly hoarse—clearly deeply affected by the shock of his brother's death. "We don't know. At the time, the man wore a long black robe, and no one had seen his face. However, he controlled a dense, silvery flame, and the second elder perished in that very flame." The guard shook his head, speaking softly. "A black robe? Controlling a silvery flame?" "Silently, Galib's face slightly tightened. Controlling flames to injure opponents was undoubtedly the preferred method of a pharmacist, and a pharmacist who not only had a potential grudge against the Galib family but also possessed the ability to easily defeat Galib Nu—such a combination of circumstances—made Galib's mind immediately recall the black-robed pharmacist he had encountered unexpectedly at the auction hall that day. Remembering the respectful manner in which Yafu and Guini had treated that black-robed pharmacist, Galib suddenly felt a bitter taste in his mouth. It seemed they had been wrong from the very beginning. Back then, merely due to Liu Xi's words, they had assumed the Xue family had merely been fortunate enough to invite a mediocre pharmacist. Yet the current reality revealed that the pharmacist from the Xue family was, in fact, far superior to Liu Xi's rather average one." Shaking his head slowly, Galib's eyes flashed with resentment and fury. The herbs, now worth forty thousand gold coins, had been completely destroyed, and due to financial difficulties, the batch was already overdue by thirty thousand gold coins to the herbal family in Tranal City. Originally, Galib had planned to refine these herbs into healing potions, sell them off, and then settle the payment. But the current crisis had completely shattered all his plans. The herbal family he had partnered with held significant influence in Tranal City as well. Should they learn of the destruction, they would surely send representatives to demand payment. Yet at this moment, Galib's family's finances were nearly depleted—how could they possibly come up with such a substantial sum? If they couldn't, Galib's reputation would be ruined. "Damn it!" "Thinking of his growing frustration, Jialiebi slammed his palm hard against the table beside him. The sturdy black table instantly splintered, sending shards of wood striking the face of the attendant standing nearby. Yet the latter could only grit his teeth and endure. Taking a deep breath, Jialiebi forcibly suppressed his rising anger and resentment toward the Xiao family, then waved his hand, speaking calmly and composedly as though in control: "Distribute all remaining healing medicines from the warehouse to each of the markets. Also, ensure that everyone who knows about today's incident keeps quiet. Should the matter be leaked, strict disciplinary action according to clan regulations will be taken." "Yes," the attendant nodded slightly, then bowed respectfully before rising and quickly retreating. Gazing at the empty hall, Jia Li leaned wearily against the back of his chair. This time, even if the Jia Li family managed to survive, its influence would surely diminish significantly, making it difficult to challenge Xiao's family in the future. As he thought about this, Jia Li involuntarily exhaled a sigh—without knowing why, he now felt a quiet regret over his initial decision to deliberately provoke Xiao's family. Yet, this regret came too late. Several days after Xiao Yan destroyed the medicinal herbs of the Jiale family, although the city of Wutan appeared calm on the surface, those who paid close attention noticed that the Jiale clan members who used to stir up trouble near the Xiao family's market district had quietly withdrawn, their once-boastful demeanor now subdued. Everyone remained puzzled by this unexpected shift in the Jiale family's behavior. His gaze shifted, and Xiao Zhan looked at Xiao Yan, who was seated in his chair, nearly dozing off, and shook his head with a sigh. This young one seemed to show little interest in the family's affairs. "Yan, have you recently met with that old gentleman?" Xiao Zhan asked casually, lifting his teacup and taking a sip. Hearing Xiao Yan’s next words, Xiao Zhan’s hand, which had just lifted the teacup, suddenly froze. He looked up in a stammering manner, his face vividly focused on the young boy who had curled himself into the chair. He swallowed hard, still doubting: “You mean he wants to take you as his disciple?” With his eyes half-lidded, he glanced at Xiao Zhan, whose face was filled with joy and excitement, and at the three elders beside him, whose faces were twitching with astonishment. Xiao Yan nodded lazily. “Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!” With a flushed face, Xiao Zhan finished off the tea in one go, then stood up excitedly, pacing back and forth in the hall, his hands rubbing together with enthusiasm: “I always knew my son was no ordinary person. If anyone dares to call him a waste any more, I’ll knock them senseless right here!” Observing Xiao Zhan’s animated expression, Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation and spoke softly: “In another fifteen days, I’ll be leaving with my teacher to pursue cultivation. I may not return for a year—or even longer.” “Ah?” Xiao Zhan was taken aback, his smile gradually fading as his brows furrowed. He hesitated, asking, "You're not planning to apply to Gan Nan Academy? That's a renowned elite academy on the Continent of Dou Qi. If you get in, it would certainly be highly beneficial for you." "I will apply, though I might miss classes for one or two years," Xiao Yan said, brushing his nose with a calm smile. "Gan Nan Academy is indeed excellent, but they simply can't help me surpass Lan Lan Yanran within less than two years." Xiao Yan smiled, his gaze slowly sweeping across the hall—where, back then, that proud woman had once trampled upon his last remaining dignity. Hearing the name that held almost a taboo in Xiao Yan's heart, Xiao Zhan's face slightly flushed, remaining silent. Standing up, Xiao Yan lazily rested his head against his back, slowly walking toward the hall's entrance. The young man's gentle laughter lingered softly within the hall.