Staying temporarily in Canaan, I first met Zi Yan.

Xiao Xun Er nodded gently, neither confirming nor denying.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "How did Young Master Shen know I was here?"

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow, a faint smile on his lips, "That is my own secret."

He did not elaborate, changing the subject, "However, I do have other business coming to Jia Nan Academy. I may be staying here for a while."

Xiao Xun Er looked at him, a faint glimmer shimmering in her clear eyes, as if she were pondering the deeper meaning of his words.

But ultimately, she did not ask further, only saying, "Since that is the case, I will not disturb Young Master Shen any further. If you need anything, you can have someone find me at the Outer Academy."

Shen Wen nodded, "Very well."

Xiao Xun Er said nothing more, bowed slightly to him, and turned to leave along the path she had come.

Her green skirt brushed against the stone steps, and her figure soon disappeared into the depths of the greenery.

Shen Wen stood where he was, watching the direction in which she had left.

The Sea Heart Flame might still be useful when refining the poison pill later.

As for whether Xiao Xun Er was at ease, he was not worried.

With her intelligence, she would naturally know how to weigh the pros and cons.

Standing there for a moment, Shen Wen turned and walked toward the main building.

Inside the hall, Cao Ying and Su Qian had finished their conversation; both wore smiles, clearly having enjoyed the talk.

Seeing Shen Wen return, Cao Ying rose to greet him and took his arm.

"Finished talking?" Her eyes curved into crescents.

"Yes." Shen Wen looked at Su Qian, "Elder Su, I am afraid I will be imposing on your academy for some time to come."

Su Qian was all smiles, saying repeatedly, "Young Friend Shen, what are you saying! It is our academy's good fortune that you and your companions are staying at Jia Nan Academy."

"Regarding your accommodation, I have already had it arranged properly in a quiet area of the Inner Academy. It will certainly satisfy you all."

...

Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy.

Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and Lin Yan were gathered in a stone pavilion outside one of the Cultivation Towers, their topic focused on the new information spreading like wildfire throughout the academy recently.

"Have you heard? Three new teachers have arrived at the Inner Academy. One went to the Alchemy Department, and the other two... became Elders directly." Lin Xiuya leaned against a stone pillar, his tone filled with curiosity.

Liu Qing crossed his arms and huffed, "That's not all. The commotion over at the Alchemy Department is even bigger. You all know Fire Elder, right? A Fifth-Rank Alchemist with Dou Wang cultivation—it's said he personally vacated the position of Alchemy Department Head, willingly stepping back to the second position."

"Vacated his position?" Lin Yan raised an eyebrow, his face full of disbelief, "With Old Man Huo's temper, he would willingly step down? What is the other party's background?"

Lin Xiuya lowered his voice, "I don't know the exact background, but I heard... they are very young. And it's not just the one in the Alchemy Department; the other two new Elders also seem extremely extraordinary. Even Grand Elder Su Qian personally accompanied them, and his attitude was very courteous."

"Young? How young?" Lin Yan pressed.

"I don't know, I haven't seen the actual person. But to be able to suppress Fire Elder and make the Grand Elder treat them with such courtesy... they must be at least a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, right?" Lin Xiuya speculated, "And the other two Elders, their auras are said to be unfathomable. Some have seen them walking on air."

"Dou Zong?" Liu Qing's eyes narrowed.

The three of them were silent for a moment.

Elders at the Dou Zong level are top-tier existences even in the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy. For two more to suddenly appear, and to be so young, it inevitably leads to wild speculation.

"It seems the Inner Academy is going to be lively for a while," Lin Xiuya concluded finally.

Just then, a petite purple figure suddenly hung upside down from a large tree nearby, her long purple hair dangling down, revealing a face carved from pink jade, yet carrying a hint of mischief.

"What are you all gossiping about?" Zi Yan blinked her large eyes, a blade of grass still dangling from her mouth.

Lin Xiuya and the other two were startled, only breathing a sigh of relief when they saw it was Zi Yan. This little ancestor was elusive, yet her strength was ridiculously high; no one in the Inner Academy dared to provoke her.

"We're talking about the new Department Head and teachers," Lin Yan answered casually.

"Department Head? Teachers?" Zi Yan flipped and landed lightly, leaning in closer, "Is there one for the Alchemy Department?"

"Yes," Liu Qing nodded, "I heard the new one in the Alchemy Department even made Fire Elder vacate his position."

Zi Yan's eyes lit up instantly.

The Alchemy Department! A newcomer! To be able to make Old Man Huo vacate his position... that person must be very powerful! Maybe there are lots of delicious Medicinal Pills!

She ignored the three of them, a purple shadow flashed, leaving only a breeze in her wake.

"What is she off to do now?" Lin Yan was stunned.

"Need you ask? She must have gone to the Alchemy Department," Lin Xiuya shook his head helplessly.

...

Alchemy Department Hall.

Usually a place filled with the fragrance of medicine, today it was exceptionally different.

A cool and pure medicinal fragrance spread from the center of the hall, seemingly able to penetrate into one's very limbs and bones. Just by smelling it, one felt the circulation of Dou Qi within their body speed up slightly.

Many instructors and students from the Alchemy Department gathered around the hall, but no one made a sound. Everyone held their breath, gazing with reverence at the figure in the center.

Shen Wen, dressed in black robes, stood quietly before a dark red Medicine Cauldron.

He did not use any Heavenly Flame; in his palm appeared a ball of Chaos-colored Dou Qi flame. The firelight was stable, wrapping around the Medicine Cauldron just right.

The lid of the cauldron was not closed, and one could vaguely see the essence of the medicinal ingredients slowly undergoing Fusion inside. It was from there that the alluring medicinal fragrance emanated.

Fire Elder stood at the very front of the crowd, his gray beard trembling slightly with excitement.

He was watching, mesmerized. Shen Wen's technique for controlling the flames and his precise control over the Fusion of medicinal power—every aspect far exceeded his understanding.

This is the true Alchemist Grandmaster!

Just then, a purple stream of light burst into the hall without warning, aimed straight at the Medicine Cauldron!

"So fragrant! Give it to me!"

A crisp, delicate voice rang out. Zi Yan's figure had already pounced in front of the Medicine Cauldron, her small hand reaching directly toward the medicinal mass about to form inside.

In her eyes, there was only that medicinal liquid exuding endless temptation; instinct drove her to want to swallow it immediately.

"No!" Fire Elder was shocked and hurriedly tried to intervene. But he was only at the Dou Wang level; how could he stop Zi Yan, who possessed spatial talent and unfathomable strength?

Zi Yan's hand was almost touching the medicinal liquid, her small face full of impatience.

At this very moment—

A Seven-Colored Dou Qi, like a flexible rope, arrived later but reached first, instantly wrapping around Zi Yan's wrist and forcibly halting her forward momentum.

Zi Yan was stunned and turned her head to look.

She saw that on one side of the hall, Cai Lin stood quietly, her cold and beautiful face completely calm. Only, those purple eyes were fixed on Zi Yan, a trace of very faint surprise flashing deep within them.

Just in the moment she moved to intervene, Cai Lin clearly felt from this seemingly young girl's figure an extremely subtle pressure that made even her own Bloodline tremble.

That was not pressure from strength, but something originating from the level of life, a resonance and palpitation stemming from an ancient Bloodline.

This little girl is not simple.

Zi Yan struggled for a moment, only to find that the Seven-Colored Dou Qi, while appearing soft, was incredibly sturdy. She couldn't break free for a moment, so she glared angrily at Cai Lin, "Why are you stopping me! I was just going to smell it!"