C3 College

"Eh?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao was taken aback by Faang Yao's remark.

At that moment, Ye Han approached Jiang Xiaoxiao and spoke, "Shopkeeper, I've already coached the newcomers as you directed. She now realizes your strength and wouldn't dare challenge you."

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao was momentarily perplexed.

Since when had she instructed Ye Han to coach anyone?

Her gaze shifted to the group and the gray-robed elder.

They hadn't contradicted Ye Han's claim?

Particularly the gray-robed elder, who had given her a friendly smile?

The elder, seasoned and shrewd, paused before addressing Jiang Xiaoxiao, "Might I inquire if Shopkeeper Jiang has some free time today? There were intriguing aspects to this young man's pill refining earlier. Perhaps we could find a place to discuss further? After all, refining in isolation isn't ideal. It's better to exchange ideas and progress together."

Jiang Xiaoxiao was taken aback once more. This naive girl still hadn't grasped the situation!

Yet, she felt intrigued by the gray-robed elder's proposition, as he spoke the truth: one cannot solely rely on solitary refining!

"If Shopkeeper Jiang is available, joining us at the Scarlet Sun Academy would offer more opportunities for collaboration. It would be easier to have discussions there. This young man could also benefit from studying at the academy."

Seeing Jiang Xiaoxiao's interest, the gray-robed elder spoke with a warm smile.

"What?! An elder from the Scarlet Sun Academy has invited Jiang Xiaoxiao to join them?!"

"How dare you speak her name so casually? Manager Jiang is not someone to be discussed lightly!"

"Yes, yes, my apologies. Manager Jiang is on the path to great success!"

The elder's words set off a buzz of conversation among the onlookers.

The Scarlet Sun Academy was the premier institution in the entire Sloryn Dynasty!

With endless resources and a multitude of experts, anyone who graduated from the Scarlet Sun Academy was destined to make their mark in the Sloryn Dynasty.

Moreover, the experts who reigned supreme in the Sloryn Dynasty were actually the least accomplished within the Scarlet Sun Academy. The truly powerful sought out even greater worlds beyond.

The Scarlet Sun Academy's admissions process was notoriously stringent. With nearly ten million people in the Sloryn Dynasty, the Academy admitted fewer than three hundred students annually. Furthermore, about a third of these students gained entry through various Academy policies.

In essence, the Scarlet Sun Academy only accepted two hundred students each year!

This meant that only one in every fifty thousand individuals had the chance to distinguish themselves and gain admission to the Scarlet Sun Academy!

Jiang Xiaoxiao was so astonished that she was at a loss for words.

She stood there, dumbfounded, her mind racing with thoughts.

The gray-robed elder watched Jiang Xiaoxiao with a slight smile playing on his lips. Who in the Sloryn Dynasty didn't know of the Scarlet Sun Academy?

And who didn't dream of being accepted into its hallowed halls?

As an elder of the Scarlet Sun Academy, he took immense pride in his affiliation with such a prestigious institution.

"I'm sorry, our shopkeeper is wholly devoted to alchemy and has no current interest in joining the Scarlet Sun Academy. Naturally, I intend to stay by his side," Ye Han interjected, sensing the tension.

Simultaneously, Ye Han subtly nudged Jiang Xiaoxiao, who was still stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

"Ah, um, Ye Han is right," Jiang Xiaoxiao managed to say, still somewhat dazed, echoing Ye Han's sentiment.

The crowd fell into a stunned silence. Whether it was the gray-robed elder, his seven Scarlet Sun Academy disciples, or the hundreds of young people in the square, their faces were a picture of disbelief!

The gray-robed elder struggled to regain his composure. In his many years at the Scarlet Sun Academy, he had never encountered such a rebuff.

Who wouldn't eagerly ingratiate themselves to secure a place at the Academy?

The young people in the square were beside themselves. They could hardly believe that anyone would turn down an invitation from an elder of the Scarlet Sun Academy!

Yet the retreating figures of Ye Han and Jiang Xiaoxiao confirmed the unbelievable truth: someone had indeed declined the elder's offer!

As the scene descended into chaos, Ye Han had already escorted Jiang Xiaoxiao back to the safety of their apothecary.

Ye Han ushered Jiang Xiaoxiao into a room within the medicine shop and swiftly closed the door behind them. Only then did he let go of her hand and released the block on her acupoints, restoring her ability to speak.

"Ye Han, what on earth are you doing?!"

"I'm aiming to get us into the Scarlet Sun Academy!"

Almost immediately, Jiang Xiaoxiao's voice erupted at a decibel level that nearly burst Ye Han's eardrums.

Ye Han's face broke into a wide grin. "My dear Miss Jiang, you're not quite grasping the situation. I bluffed them into thinking our medicine store is top-notch, which is why they're keen on sending us to the Scarlet Sun Academy. But if we show up there with our current abilities, we'll blow our cover, won't we?"

"Hmm?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao paused, momentarily taken aback, then questioned, "Exactly how did you manage to bluff them? I can't believe a simple trick would fool them, especially not that gray-robed old man. He's a three-star elder at the Scarlet Sun Academy, not someone you can easily deceive!"

She laughed slyly, a look of mischief spreading across her face.

"How do you know he's a three-star elder?"

Instead of answering Jiang Xiaoxiao's question, Ye Han posed one of his own.

The Scarlet Sun Academy's elders were ranked across five levels, from one-star to five-star.

The higher the star level, the more power the elder wielded. A three-star elder held a position of considerable influence.

Ye Han had only learned these details after rising in rank and joining the Scarlet Sun Academy in his previous life.

The gray-robed elder hadn't shown any badge indicating his rank. So how did Jiang Xiaoxiao know he was a three-star elder?

Wasn't she the daughter of a merchant family, here in Medicine City for solo training?

In a world that valued alchemy and cultivation above all else, merchants like her family were hardly influential. How then could she have any knowledge of the academy's elders?

"Oh, never mind that. Just tell me how you managed to bluff them. I want to learn too!" Jiang Xiaoxiao pressed, her cheeks flushing with excitement and a touch of nervousness.

Ye Han regarded Jiang Xiaoxiao with a knowing look, sensing there was more to her than she had let on.

Ye Han wasn't bothered by Jiang Xiaoxiao keeping secrets from him. She was the type of girl who was simply guileless. If she was concealing anything, it was surely a matter of personal privacy. She wasn't one to have ulterior motives.

As a result, Ye Han chose not to pry. With a smile, he said, "I'll tell you, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself."

Jiang Xiaoxiao, eager to hear more, urged him on with her sparkling eyes twinkling charmingly.