Han Yu was still hesitating outside the city when a sudden stab of pain hit his mind.
He backed away from the city gate, found a place to close his eyes and check, and the stabbing sensation grew even stronger.
In his mind, the Glazed Bottle shook constantly, as if urging him.
Every time Han Yu moved further away from the gate, the Glazed Bottle trembled more violently, and when he tried to distance himself, a surge of pain nearly made him faint, exploding in his mind.
The Glazed Bottle was truly urging him to go in, with a very strong desire.
This was the first time the Glazed Bottle had responded outside of midnight, and also the first time it had actively contacted him.
"What's inside?"
Han Yu muttered to himself.
"If I don't go in, will you shake me to death?"
He asked tentatively, trying to see the Glazed Bottle's reaction.
The Glazed Bottle still only kept shaking and vibrating.
The Xiao Family in Minzhou City was considered a distinguished family, having engaged in business throughout generations, accumulating a vast network of connections and performing many charitable acts, thus they were quite reputable in the area.
Today, however, Patriarch Xiao's face was terrifyingly grim as he sat in the main hall, with an already opened letter placed on the table beside him.
Other than him, a group of Clan Elders were also summoned to the main hall for discussion.
"It's outrageous, a little girl truly thinks she's someone important, trying to call off the engagement with just a letter."
An elder couldn't help but voice his displeasure.
"Back then when the Qiu Family shamelessly insisted on setting up the engagement, I opposed it. We are unsuitable matches; the small Qiu Family merely wants to cling to the big tree that is the Xiao Family."
"Over these years, the Qiu Family hasn't been short of benefits."
"I heard this girl has joined the Celestial Water Sect, her ambition has grown, and now she thinks our Xiao Family is beneath her."
The hall erupted into a buzz of discussions.
Bang!
A pitch-black dragon-headed cane was forcefully struck against the ground, and the noisy room instantly fell silent.
An elderly man, well advanced in years, staggered in, the skin on his face already sagging to his mouth, but even such an elderly person commanded respect without any trace of disrespect from others.
Because he was the former patriarch.
"Does Shui'Er know?"
The old man's clouded eyes looked at Patriarch Xiao and asked.
Patriarch Xiao smiled bitterly and nodded, "He knew right away; because they grew up together, he felt a little..."
The old man interrupted him and continued asking, "Is he going to let it go?"
Patriarch Xiao nodded and said, "Shui'Er said that everyone has their own aspirations."
The old man remained silent for a long while and then slowly said, "Alright, I understand, then let the parents from the Qiu Family personally come to me for the annulment."
In the hall, the numerous Clan Elders were silent as cicadas in winter, knowing the calmer the old man appeared, the angrier he was inside.
This matter was unlikely to end peacefully.
"Senior Brother, they are making me have my family come to cancel it myself."
Today, Qiu Susu was dressed in a green silk dress, looking charming and lovely, now holding the reply with an aggrieved expression that made her seem pitiful.
Wang Xuannan, of course, found his heart racing at the sight of her, and after hearing her, he snorted coldly, "Since we've already tried a courteous approach, and they do not appreciate it, I'll take you to cancel the engagement in person now."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Qiu Susu immediately smiled brightly, giving him a sweet look.
Han Yu sneaked into the city, afraid that a group of people in red clothes would suddenly come rushing out from somewhere.
If a red-loving big shot appeared, he might just have to run for it.
Suddenly, the Glazed Bottle started shaking again, and a stabbing pain surged in his mind.
"What do you want? Can't you use another method? Why do you always mess with my mind?"
Han Yu looked painfully sad, patting his head as he spoke.
After several attempts, the Glazed Bottle finally calmed down after going in the direction of a main street.
Han Yu followed the main road, searching all the way, but found a crowd gathered ahead, pointing at a mansion on the side.
"I heard the Qiu Family girl came to our city to ask the Xiao Family for an annulment."
"I know, my uncle is a gatekeeper for the Xiao Family. It's said that because the Qiu Family girl became a cultivator, she thinks Young Master Xiao isn't good enough for her."
"Wasn't the engagement something the Qiu Family shamelessly begged for back then?"
The noisy crowd talked over each other about what they knew, making Han Yu understand the situation.
The Glazed Bottle again stirred trouble in his mind.
Is it telling me to go in?
This grand mansion isn't so easy to enter, Han Yu thought as he surveyed the high walls, suddenly coming up with an idea.
Inside the Xiao Family's main hall.
At this moment, it was tense and confrontational, with Qiu Susu standing behind Wang Xuannan, and Zhang Kui alongside them.
Besides Patriarch Xiao and the Clan Elders, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth also stood there; dressed in brocade satin and handsome, with a gentle demeanor.
Xiao Shui looked at the girl below the hall with a complex expression, as if he were seeing a stranger.
"Susu, you shouldn't have let things come to this point."
"Young Master Xiao, I just want to annul the engagement," Qiu Susu spoke weakly from behind.
Xiao Shui's face turned pale; she once called him Brother Xiao Shui, and now it's just Young Master Xiao.
Above, Patriarch Xiao had a gloomy expression, and he said sternly, "I've said it before, if you want to annul, have your family come to do it. Doing it like this truly shows no regard for the Xiao Family's dignity, doesn't it?"
Qiu Susu shrank back, looking up at the tall figure of Patriarch Xiao, feeling somewhat fearful, yet she still straightened her neck and said, "I've grown up now, I want to make my own decisions."
"You can't decide."
Patriarch Xiao shouted angrily.
"If she can't decide, I'll decide for her."
Wang Xuannan stepped forward then, calmly gazing at the Xiao Family members.
"I am Wang Xuannan, the chief disciple of the Celestial Water Sect."
The faces of the Xiao Family members in the hall all turned grim, bringing a cultivator here to confront them was openly stepping on the Xiao Family's face.
Xiao Shui looked at Qiu Susu's affectionate gazes toward another man, and his heart turned completely cold.
At that moment, his rage boiled over, and he couldn't help standing out, "So what if you're a cultivator? This is my family affair, on what authority are you getting involved?"
Wang Xuannan sneered indifferently and flicked his sleeve, sending a surge of True Essence that blasted him away.
"Because I'm stronger than you."
Xiao Shui was slammed against the wall and fell down, blood spurting from his mouth, staining his brocade clothes red, yet he stubbornly climbed back up.
He walked back, enunciating each word, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; no man is always strong."
What a melodramatic scene!
As I peered over the wall, I saw a love triangle breakup fight plus abuse drama.
Han Yu crouched atop the wall, enjoying the show to its fullest.
At that moment, the glazed bottle suddenly shook, and Han Yu hurried to check it.
Hah~ Ptoo~
A pill was spat out from it.
Han Yu felt like he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, and it was indeed quite the same.
Today, the glazed bottle was too active and had broken many precedents.
Even though it was not yet midnight, it still spat out a pill.
West River Pill (Xiao Shui exclusive): Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a poor young man. Consume this pill and you will reach the Other Shore. Side effect: Consumes three years of Qi Fortune.
Hiss!
Han Yu gasped; this pill was so domineering that consuming it would instantly take someone to the Other Shore Realm.
No, based on the ratio of benefit to side effect, three years of Qi Fortune, wouldn't that mean that this kid needs less than three years from start to the Other Shore Realm?
This cultivation speed is simply shockingly fast.
"You've really outdone it; the pill for me can only be hard as a rock, while for others, it's enough to upgrade their realm," Han Yu said jealously.
In his mind, the glazed bottle began urging him, shaking continuously.
Moreover, it was eager to send the pill off.
Han Yu shook his head helplessly and sighed, then flipped down and laughed aloud.
"Young Master Xiao, why need thirty years east of the river, you can go to the west of the river right now if you wish."
Han Yu's sudden appearance left everyone stunned.
He quickly walked to Xiao Shui's side and waved at the three people opposite, "We meet again."
"It's you!"
Wang Xuannan recognized him as well, the person who rode an ox down the cliff that morning.
"Who are you?"
Patriarch Xiao asked sternly.
Han Yu clasped his fists and grinned, "In the Cultivator Realm, they call me the timely rain, known as the enthusiastic pill giver, the little pharmacist, that's me."
Unfortunately, the news from Yu Jin and Quantai hadn't arrived here yet, Han Yu's self-promotion was like playing a lute to a cow, unheard.
"Noisy."
Wang Xuannan saw that Han Yu was nothing special, launched a True Essence attack, intending to knock him down.
Han Yu neither dodged nor avoided, smiling as the True Essence hit his chest, merely stepping back half a step, and nonchalantly patted his chest.
"Soft and tender, this cultivation must have been taught by your master's wife."
Wang Xuannan's face changed, and he angrily said, "How dare you insult me!"
With his sword unsheathed, he slashed at Han Yu first, yet Han Yu still did not dodge but rather raised his fist to counterattack.
After several bouts, Han Yu's shirt was torn in places on his chest, while Wang Xuannan was blasted ten meters away.
"How about it? Young Master Xiao, do you want to possess such power?"
Han Yu turned to look at Xiao Shui, asking with a smile.
"I do, but I'm just an ordinary person..."
Ever since Xiao Shui saw Han Yu so effortlessly blow away a high-tier cultivator, he naturally felt envious.
Han Yu smilingly took out the West River Pill, "Consume this pill, it'll cost you three years of Qi Fortune, and you can be more powerful than me."
"Impossible! How could such a pill exist in this world?"
No one would believe such an absurd pill matter.
Wang Xuannan, clutching his chest, returned with a slightly pale face, sneering, "So you're here to fool him."
Han Yu quietly watched Xiao Shui, calmly saying, "Young Master Xiao, a dragon among men, should have his own decisions."
This kind of matter was too absurd, Xiao Shui kept reminding himself, yet his hand involuntarily took the pill.
"Shui'Er, you mustn't, that pill has an unknown origin..."
Patriarch Xiao urgently tried to stop him.
"Father, I want to try,"
Xiao Shui said lightly, his expression calm.
Just as he was about to swallow it, Han Yu stopped him, solemnly saying, "Swallowing the pill comes with no regrets, three years of Qi Fortune."
Xiao Shui, who was originally a bit apprehensive, felt inexplicably reassured, seeing Han Yu's serious expression, he firmly nodded, "Three years it is."
As a pill went into his stomach, everyone watched Xiao Shui silently.
He stood with his eyes closed in everyone's sight, his body gradually warming up.
"Why is it a bit hot?"
A clan elder wiped the fine sweat that appeared on his forehead.
"Indeed! Our house's never been this hot,"
another clan elder concurred, constantly wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.
Bang!
Xiao Shui, waiting silently, suddenly changed, a surge of fire spewed from his body, the intense heat forcing everyone to retreat continually.
As the flames flickered, they gradually converged, finally forming a red fire lotus around Xiao Shui.
"Innate Fire Series Divine Technique!"
Wang Xuannan was shocked, retreating several steps.
After Xiao Shui successfully condensed the fire lotus, Han Yu felt a mystical aura continuously extracted from him, and then it endlessly gathered on himself.
No, it was gathering into the glazed bottle; he felt the glazed bottle collecting these.
Could it be the consumed three years of Qi Fortune?
If so, doesn't the side effect actually nurture it?
After absorbing enough aura, the glazed bottle shook again, seemingly urging.
This time Han Yu understood without needing feedback; whenever gifting pills, he always remained unsung, so while everyone was still surprised by Xiao Shui's transformation, he sneaked away...
That day, the Xiao Family mansion's flame burned away the clouds in the sky, and a shrill shout echoed...