Me? Getting close to Xiao Xun'er?

Yang Hao interrupted Shen Wen's unfinished sentence, his face darkening and his voice cold, carrying unconcealed warning and contempt: "Shen Wen, is it? I know you, the so-called Genius from the Pill Tower."

He took a half-step forward, and the pressure of a Peak Dou Zong faintly radiated out, attempting to suppress Shen Wen.

"I don't care what reputation you have outside or what fortuitous encounters you've had."

"But I want to remind you that some people are not for you to approach, let alone for you to have delusions about."

"Young Miss Xiao Xun Er is a daughter of my Gu Clan, her status is incredibly noble. You, a mere Pill Tower Disciple, even if you have some talent in alchemy, in the eyes of my Gu Clan, are nothing more than..."

He paused, his lips curling into a mean arc as he spat out four words:

"Utterly worthless."

"If you know what's good for you, stay away from Young Miss Xun'er. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the threat was already clear for all to see.

After listening, the light smile on Shen Wen's face gradually faded, replaced by an extremely strange expression.

Has this guy found the wrong person?

He blinked, looking at Yang Hao, who had a face full of the expression "you're a toad thinking of eating swan meat."

He was silent for two seconds, then pointed at his own nose, his tone filled with utter confusion and a bit of absurdity:

"Me? Approaching Xiao Xun Er?"

Hearing this, the sneer on Yang Hao's face deepened.

His sharp gaze pierced toward Shen Wen, as if to completely tear away the other's layer of calm disguise.

"A Pill Tower Genius, rising to fame in the Central Plains, yet you specifically ran to this remote place."

His speech wasn't fast, but every word carried sarcasm, "Isn't it just because you heard from somewhere that the Young Miss was cultivating here and specifically ran over to approach her? Who could such intentions be hidden from?"

After Shen Wen heard this, he was actually speechless for a moment. He opened his mouth, but it eventually turned into a barely audible sigh.

Where is this even coming from?

He came here to refine the Fallen Heart Flame, resolve the academy's hidden dangers, refine Medicinal Pills, and deduce Soul Skills... which single one of those had even the slightest relation to Xiao Xun Er?

His contact with Xiao Xun Er was merely a transaction, purely each taking what they needed, clean and simple.

How did it become a drama of calculated schemes and clinging to the Gu Clan in this person's eyes?

This was a truly unjust accusation to bear.

It was simply a giant black pot falling from the sky and slamming onto his head with a 'clank'.

Shen Wen looked at Yang Hao's face, which was written all over with "I've already seen through you," and the slight displeasure from being disturbed was gradually replaced by a sense of absurdity.

He twitched the corner of his mouth; his voice was still somewhat peaceful, but there was no longer any hint of a smile:

"I think you've got it wrong.

I don't have the slightest extra thought toward your family's Young Miss Xun'er. I came to Jia Nan Academy because I have my own business to attend to."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group of murderous Black Annihilation Army soldiers behind Yang Hao, and his tone cooled down:

"As for your Gu Clan, I've certainly seen your style of conduct today.

Without asking for the truth, you come to the door with malicious words, and relying on your background, you think everyone must follow your whims?"

Even a clay man has a bit of temper, let alone Shen Wen, who was never one to be easily manipulated.

He didn't want to offend a behemoth like the Gu Clan for no reason because he disliked trouble, not because he was afraid.

If any random person relying on the Gu Clan's name could casually step on his face, then what was the point of his years of bitter cultivation to increase his level and training to improve his strength?

He might as well have stayed hidden in the Pill Tower back then.

Hearing the unconcealed bluntness in Shen Wen's words, Yang Hao's face instantly turned as dark as water.

As an outstanding member of the Gu Clan's Black Annihilation Army and a Prodigy of the younger generation, no matter where he went...

What he faced was awe and flattery.

When had he ever been spoken to in such a near-scolding tone?

In his view, Shen Wen's words were nothing more than a cover-up, the anger of someone whose intentions had been exposed.

"Lies!" Yang Hao's voice was cold and hard, carrying an unquestionable certainty. "The Central Plains is vast and rich in resources. With your talent...

Instead of concentrating on cultivation in the Pill Tower or going to more prosperous places to train, you specifically ran to this remote corner, the chaotic Black-Corner Region, to join a Jia Nan Academy.

If you say there's no special purpose, who would believe it?"

He took a step forward, no longer restraining his Peak Dou Zong aura. It was like an invisible mountain range crushing down toward Shen Wen, attempting to use the absolute difference in strength to crush the other's unpleasant calm.

"The conduct of my Gu Clan is not for you to judge.

Today's words are a warning, and also the last time I'll be polite.

Stay away from Young Miss Xun'er. Otherwise, even if you have the background of the Pill Tower, on this continent, it would not be difficult for my Gu Clan to make it impossible for you to take a single step."

As his voice fell, the air in the courtyard seemed to freeze. Cao Ying, Cai Lin, and the others had icy expressions, anger gathering in their eyes.

Xiong Tao' burly frame leaned forward slightly, like a Vicious Beast ready to strike. Even the usually gentle Xiao Yi Xian furrowed her brows.

Shen Wen stood in place; the surging Dou Zong pressure fell on him, but it was like a breeze blowing over a mountain rock, failing to make his figure sway in the slightest.

He slowly raised his eyes and looked at Yang Hao. In those pitch-black eyes, the last trace of a smile had vanished.

"Are you finished?" he asked, his voice so calm that no emotion could be heard.

Yang Hao's brow twisted.

Shen Wen let out a soft breath, as if to exhale the absurdity and slight impatience in his chest.

"First, where I go and what I do has nothing to do with you, nor do I need to prove anything to you."

"Second, Xiao Xun Er and I are merely acquaintances. Other than that, there is no connection.

Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but I have no interest and no obligation to repeatedly clarify it to you."

"Third," Shen Wen's gaze finally became sharp, like the edge of an unsheathed sword, piercing straight at Yang Hao, "This is Jia Nan Academy, and this is my residence.

No matter how great the Gu Clan's name is, it doesn't mean you, Yang Hao, can run wild here, pointing at my nose and telling me what to do."

He tilted his head slightly and said indifferently to Xiong Tao, who was already nearly unable to restrain himself behind him: "See the guest out."

"If someone is tactless and insists on staying..."

Shen Wen's gaze fell back onto Yang Hao's ashen face:

"Then, beat them out."

Yang Hao's eyebrows shot up, the fire in his eyes nearly ready to spray out.

"Good! A fine 'beat them out'!" He laughed from extreme anger, but his voice was even colder, "Since you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin, then today I shall 'exchange martial arts' with you on behalf of the Gu Clan!"

He stared fixedly at Shen Wen, his chest rising and falling slightly.

During these years when Young Miss Xun'er left the clan to Cultivate and her whereabouts were a mystery, countless doubts and frustrations had already accumulated in his heart.

What made it even harder for him to accept was that before leaving, he had vaguely heard rumors within the clan that they were actually considering a marriage alliance between a young Alchemist from an outside clan and the Young Miss!

This was like a poisonous thorn stuck in his heart.

All the way here, his mind had been filled with various terrible scenarios: Why did the Young Miss stay here for so long?

Had she already known this Shen Wen for a long time?

Even... was there already some kind of entanglement?

The more he thought, the hotter that evil fire burned.

Seeing Shen Wen in person now and witnessing his composed demeanor caused the jealousy and inexplicable sense of humiliation in his heart to completely explode.

Shen Wen's phrase "beat them out" happened to give him an outlet for release; if he didn't act now, he felt he would truly burst from suppression.

"I won't bully you for your shallow cultivation," Yang Hao suppressed his churning blood and forced himself to be calm, though his tone carried a condescending arrogance as if giving charity, "I will suppress my cultivation to the same realm as yours, Three-Star Dou Zong. A fair fight!"

He took a step forward, his gaze like a hook: "If you lose, from now on, you must not have any more contact with Young Miss Xun'er, and immediately get out of Jia Nan Academy, never to appear before the Young Miss again!

How about it, do you dare to accept?"