3984

Chapter 3984: 4.1584 Indifference

That night, Mo Lian emerged from a side room in the Winter Forest Garden. He gently closed the door behind him, his gaze sweeping coolly over Yun Cong and the others standing in the courtyard.

"Let Qiaoqiao rest well," Mo Lian's voice was exceedingly faint. The little girl had just completed a cross-level refinement of the Soul Revival Pill, then rushed back to the Academy, utterly exhausted, only to receive such a devastating blow. She needed time to recover.

Yun Cong opened his mouth. "Ah Xun's..."

"Peak Master Murong's ice crystal coffin will be handled by us," Mo Lian interrupted Yun Cong, his expression utterly indifferent.

"But..."

"Dean Yun, I know you meant well," Mo Lian interrupted him again. "But you cannot deny that this self-serving decision cost us the best opportunity to save Peak Master Murong."

"If you had been willing to wait, or trusted Qiaoqiao a little more, perhaps... things wouldn't have become so troublesome as they are now."

"Young friend," Grand Elder He Wen, who had been silent and trailing behind the others, couldn't help but ask, "Did that young lady truly refine a Soul Revival Pill, cross-level, at the standard of a Heaven-level alchemist?" How could that be possible? That was a Saint-grade elixir! Even a Divine-level alchemist, when refining a Saint-grade elixir, even with the addition of Phoenix Flower to boost the success rate to one hundred percent, the resulting pill would still be of inferior quality. A Heaven-level alchemist refining cross-level, capable of completely outperforming a Divine-level alchemist? It seemed highly unlikely.

Mo Lian swept his gaze over Grand Elder He Wen, his voice cold. "In this world, what is least lacking are geniuses."

"What you cannot achieve does not mean Qiaoqiao cannot achieve it."

Everyone fell silent. However, Mo Lian's blatant disregard for Grand Elder He Wen's status infuriated his disciple, Ni Hanzhi.

"You, how dare you speak like that?" Ni Hanzhi couldn't help but say angrily. Earlier, on the Royal Academy's back mountain, this man had already swept her with a cold, terrifying gaze. Such a dismissive attitude towards her and her master made Ni Hanzhi grit her teeth in anger.

"Hanzhi," Grand Elder He Wen sighed softly, stopping his disciple from speaking further. "This old man previously thought of a method of remedy. I hope to discuss it carefully with the young lady tomorrow once she awakens."

"Gentlemen, please return," Mo Lian said, nodding coolly. Under the distant twilight, Yun Piaomiao and the others felt that the young man before them possessed a clear, cold demeanor, like frost on snow. He seemed enveloped in a faint, smoke-like mist, aloof, noble, and unapproachable...

Knowing the intense anger in his heart, Yun Cong and Yun Piaomiao couldn't help but close their eyes, nodded, and dejectedly left the courtyard.

Yun Cong didn't know how he returned to his own courtyard. He sat blankly at the small table, staring at a cup of cold tea, his heart filled with an unbearable bitterness.

Qiao Mu slept until noon the next day. She pushed off the thin satin blanket, then sat emotionlessly by the bed, lost in thought. Yesterday's events were vivid in her mind. After four years, she had seen Murong Xun again, but it was inside that cold coffin, seeing her lifeless, lying still. She didn't know if that truly counted as "seeing" her.

The door to the side room creaked open from outside. Mo Lian's tall figure stood framed in the doorway, silhouetted against the light. Seeing her sitting by the bed, lost in thought, he smiled. "Are you awake?"

Qiao Mu suddenly stood up, took a few steps, and lunged into his embrace.