Chapter 11: Shocking Everyone

“Qi Condensation First Stage! It’s the First Stage of Qi Condensation! Xiaofan, you… you’ve broken through!!”

Xu Youran’s previously somber face lit up like a spring field in full bloom, radiant beyond compare. She covered her mouth, letting out a surprised, disbelieving gasp.

Xu Yining’s eyes widened, and she murmured in disbelief, “He has a spiritual root?”

The female clan members who had been defending Lu Zheng were also dumbfounded. Lu Zheng’s eyes widened, unable to believe what he was witnessing. The ‘waste’ he had always scorned had actually broken through to the First Stage of Qi Condensation and defeated him?

“How is that possible?” He couldn’t accept that he, a proud genius with a Ninth-Grade spiritual root, would lose to a mere ‘waste’.

Jiang Fan smiled, then picked up his brush and wrote: “If my Jiang family ancestors knew I defeated someone with a Ninth-Grade spiritual root, they would be even more proud.” Lu Zheng’s previous mockery now felt like a harsh slap to his own face. He involuntarily clenched his fists, seething with anger.

Wang Yingfeng also felt her pride stung. She coldly retorted, “It’s just the First Stage of Qi Condensation. Look at you, acting like a common upstart! Is there any comparison between breaking through to the First Stage of Qi Condensation and breaking through to the Sixth Stage? The latter is five times more difficult than the former!”

The female clan members defending Lu Zheng chimed in with scornful remarks. “Exactly! As long as you have a spiritual root, even a dog could break through to that level.”

“In the same three days, reaching the complete Fifth Stage of Qi Condensation is much harder than just the First Stage.”

“I don’t know where he gets the nerve to be so proud!”

Jiang Fan merely smiled. He raised his hand and punched again, a faint popping sound rippling through the air. He raised his brush, a faint smile on his face, and wrote: “And then?”

Xu Youran was so stunned her mouth hung open. “The Second Stage of Qi Condensation! Xiaofan, you actually broke through to the Second Stage of Qi Condensation in just three days?”

At this point, even Xu Yining couldn’t remain seated. Her beautiful face showed astonishment. “Even I can’t break through to the Second Stage of Qi Condensation in three days! Jiang Fan, were you truly without a spiritual root before?” But she quickly realized her question was pointless. Jiang Fan had, after all, visited the testing tower three times under the watchful eyes of the Xu family. If he had possessed a spiritual root previously, it would have been impossible to conceal.

The female clan members defending Lu Zheng felt as though they had been slapped hard, and they could only stammer, unable to form coherent words. Lu Zheng’s pupils constricted in shock, his eyes filled with vexation. Breaking through to the First Stage had already surpassed him; reaching the Second Stage of Qi Condensation was simply an utter crushing defeat.

Wang Yingfeng was also greatly surprised, but she still stubbornly argued, “The Second Stage of Qi Condensation isn’t difficult. One could say he’s barely caught up to Lu Zheng’s progress.”

However.

No sooner had she spoken.

Jiang Fan threw another punch into the air. The crisp pop resonated like a harsh slap across everyone’s faces.

“What about now?” Jiang Fan gave a cold smile, then picked up his brush and wrote the question.

Thump!

Xu Yining gasped and shot upright, oblivious to the stool she had knocked over behind her. Her beautiful face was etched with profound shock. “The Third Stage of Qi Condensation! Impossible! Breaking through to the Third Stage of Qi Condensation in three days? Not even someone with a Ninth-Grade spiritual root could do that! Jiang Fan, what in the world is going on with you?”

The female clan members, who had initially been so eager to defend Lu Zheng, were now utterly speechless with shock. They themselves had cultivated for several years and had only just barely reached the Third Stage of Qi Condensation. But Jiang Fan had done it in only three days!

Lu Zheng and Wang Yingfeng also looked at Jiang Fan with profound horror and disbelief. Three days, Third Stage of Qi Condensation. This wasn’t merely defeating Lu Zheng; it was utterly humiliating him, grinding him into the dirt!

The entire hall fell silent. Everyone stared at the young man who had been labeled a ‘waste’ for ten years, now with entirely new, awestruck eyes.

Jiang Fan stood with one hand clasped behind his back, the other raising his brush to write:

“What if he’s a true dragon? What if he has a Ninth-Grade spiritual root? Give me time, and I’ll trample them all underfoot!”

After writing, he openly embraced Xu Youran, then with another flourish of his brush, added:

“Youran is my wife, Jiang Fan’s wife, and no one will take her from me!”

His firm words resonated, striking their eardrums.

Lu Zheng felt utterly humiliated. He roared, “Jiang, what are you so proud of? I’ll tell you something: people from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets are already on their way! When they arrive, I’ll enter the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets directly. And you? You’re nothing but a Third Stage Qi Condensation bug! Compare yourself to me? You’re not worthy!” With that, he flicked his sleeve and stormed out.

Jiang Fan shrugged. He had always been skeptical about Lu Zheng’s Ninth-Grade spiritual root. He himself, with only a transparent spiritual root, could reach the Fourth Stage of Qi Condensation in three days. It made no sense that a Ninth-Grade spiritual root couldn’t even break through a single stage. When the people from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets arrive, they’ll surely verify Lu Zheng’s spiritual root, won’t they? At that time, would he still be found to possess a Ninth-Grade spiritual root?

Wang Yingfeng’s reputation was thoroughly disgraced that day. Her fully supported nephew turned out to be inferior to a ‘waste’! She glared fiercely at Jiang Fan and snapped, “Fine, so you have a spiritual root, you’re not a waste, you’re amazing, aren’t you? I was originally going to let you marry Youran without a betrothal gift, out of pity for your pathetic situation. Since you’re so capable now, in ten days, make sure you have a substantial betrothal gift ready for me! If you can’t produce it, don’t blame me for breaking the agreement and marrying Xu Youran off to someone else! Humph!” She slammed her hand on the table and stormed off in a rage.

Xu Youran, whose joy had been so short-lived, felt worry resurface. She sighed, “Xiaofan, I’m afraid my meager savings won’t be nearly enough. If Aunt Wang is intent on making things difficult for you, she’ll find fault no matter how much you offer.”

In the past, Jiang Fan might have worried as well. But not anymore. Because he was a Soul Master, one who could refine costly elixirs! He suddenly remembered his promise to the manager of the Pavilion of Treasures yesterday: to participate in Lone Boat City’s exhibition fair. He had just refined a batch of high-grade Qi Condensation Elixir; surely it would fetch a good price?

“Youran, I’m going to cultivate. Please don’t go out by yourself unnecessarily, understood?” Jiang Fan wrote the instruction.

Xu Youran nodded obediently. “Yes, go. I won’t cause you any more trouble.” She watched Jiang Fan’s retreating figure with satisfaction, her eyes filled with hopeful anticipation. With such a diligent and ambitious husband, what reason was there for their future to be anything but bright?

“Sister, you missed your true love.” Xu Yining walked over to her side and said regretfully, “Breaking through to the Third Stage of Qi Condensation in three days is actually insignificant compared to a Ninth-Grade spiritual root. In the future, Lu Zheng will be so far above Jiang Fan that he won’t even be qualified to look up to him.”

But Xu Youran continued to gaze at Jiang Fan’s retreating back, her heart filled with contentment. “No matter how powerful Lu Zheng becomes, what does that have to do with me? Jiang Fan is the one truly worthy of my trust and devotion.”

“Is that so?” Xu Yining turned her head to look at Xu Youran, whose face was radiant with happiness and anticipation, finding the sight somewhat jarring. Could Jiang Fan really be that good?

***

In front of the City Lord’s Manor.

Stalls lined both sides of the wide street. Today was the city-wide Alchemist Guild’s exhibition fair, where alchemists of all ranks gathered to display their finest medicinal products. Many local martial artists and visiting merchants would frequent the exhibition. They would compare and select the best medicines for personal use or for resale elsewhere. For smaller alchemy families, this was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills. For top alchemy families like the Qin family, it presented a challenge as well.

Indeed, Qin Changsheng, the head of the Qin family, was showcasing their best-selling product, low-grade Qi Condensation Elixir, on the Qin family’s very spacious platform. Onlookers gathered in vast crowds. However, directly opposite, the equally spacious Chen family platform was deserted and remarkably quiet. The stark contrast left Chen Siling feeling unsettled. She murmured, “Will that senior really come?”