Chapter 150: One More Ruthless Than the Other
Cough cough~
With a few sharp coughs, Hu Qian stared in shock at his old friend Su Qian. At this moment, he didn't even bother to put down his teacup, incredulously asking, "What did you just say? Can you say that again? I didn't hear it clearly!"
He suspected that there was something wrong with his ears or perhaps he was hallucinating. How could he have heard such an outrageous statement from Su Qian?
An 18-year-old fifth-grade alchemist was already a monstrous talent, but Su Qian had just told him that the kid had been holding back. His real alchemy skills had already reached the seventh grade.
A seventh-grade alchemist before the age of 18—what kind of concept was that?!
Hu Qian couldn't even grasp that concept because he had never thought about it. After all, alchemy was far more difficult to cultivate than Dou Qi, especially at the seventh-grade level. It was said to be even harder than breaking through to Dou Zong. Countless alchemists spent their whole lives stuck at the sixth-grade level.
This was evident from Han Feng's case. Han Feng, the only disciple of the renowned Alchemist Zun, was still only at the sixth-grade level.
And now, out of nowhere, a kid named Yao Yan appeared, claiming to be a seventh-grade alchemist. It was truly too exaggerated. It made Hu Qian feel like his worldview had been shattered. Could there really be someone so monstrous in the world?
"Do you remember the Emperor's Peak Pill and the Broken Sect Pill that were auctioned off in Hei Yin City?"
Su Qian, looking at Hu Qian's astonished expression, didn't make fun of him. Instead, he fully understood because when he first heard about these matters, he had been just as surprised.
At this point, Hu Qian couldn't stay seated. He immediately stood up, his teacup falling to the ground, but he didn't care about the cup. He stared at Su Qian with wide eyes and said with more intensity, "... Don't tell me those pills also came from his hands!"
Su Qian didn't say anything but calmly nodded.
At this moment, there was a sense of unspoken understanding. Hu Qian's face visibly reddened, not sure whether it was from excitement or something else. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but as a teacher, he held back, stopping himself from swearing.
He was no longer a young man, and he controlled his emotions well, though his breathing was somewhat rapid.
"Shocked?"
Su Qian let out a bitter laugh and said.
Hu Qian rolled his eyes, speaking with some sarcasm, "You're no better. This kind of talent, I've never seen before in my life. Not only have I never seen it, I've never even heard of it. What's most curious is this little monster's family. How could they bear to let such a prodigy go? Are the old folks in their clan out of their minds?"
"I don't know, but according to that kid, his family values bloodline density more than individual talent," Su Qian said after a moment of contemplation, his gaze flickering slightly as he spoke quietly.
Hu Qian sneered, clearly mocking, "Bloodline density? Could they be from a Dou Emperor family or something, talking about such things?"
Su Qian furrowed his brows at Hu Qian's casual remark. He knew a bit of the inside story and realized that Hu Qian's assumption wasn't entirely impossible. Only a real Dou Emperor family might behave that arrogantly, but there was no need to delve deeper into this. He was more concerned about something else at the moment.
He then explained what Yao Yan had previously told him, hoping to gauge Hu Qian's thoughts.
Hu Qian, upon hearing this, seemed somewhat expectant and said, "What's the big deal? If he agrees, then that's it. Jia Nan Academy is a place to nurture talents, we only cultivate them, and as for how they choose their future, that's their own business. Honestly, if I were a few decades younger, I'd probably follow him. Heh, perhaps we'll really witness the birth of a superpower!"
"You're right, that's what I told him as well, but judging from his words, it seems like he wants a deeper connection with Jia Nan Academy. I didn't agree to that, and I won't. Jia Nan Academy won't participate in any factional disputes. That's our bottom line!"
Su Qian's expression became serious, and he spoke in a low voice.
Hu Qian nodded in agreement, supporting Su Qian's view. Jia Nan Academy indeed had no need to get involved in these matters. Regardless of whether Yao Yan succeeded, Jia Nan Academy only needed to be an observer, quietly watching his growth. As for how far he would grow or what kind of trouble he might stir up, it had nothing to do with Jia Nan Academy.
But compared to all this, Hu Qian was more concerned about something else. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Should we verify his words?"
"You want him to make a Broken Sect Pill for you?"
Su Qian immediately saw through his old friend's thoughts. He knew exactly what Hu Qian wanted.
"Yes."
Hu Qian, having been caught, didn't feel embarrassed at all. He calmly responded, "It's just about pursuing strength. There's nothing shameful about it. I wouldn't mind asking a junior for help, and if it means I have to do something for him in return, I'll gladly do it. Of course, if simply kneeling down could get me a Broken Sect Pill, I'm sure the Dou Huang experts at the peak would be lining up to kneel."
Su Qian reminded, "You can talk to him privately, but remember, don't involve Jia Nan Academy."
"Don't worry, I'm not that foolish."
Hu Qian laughed heartily. His eyes were sparkling, eager to run over to Yao Yan and ask for the pill. He couldn't help it; he had been stuck at the peak of Dou Huang for too long. If things continued this way, his strength would be left behind by Su Qian, and that was unacceptable.
There's a saying: you fear your brothers living in hardship, but you also fear them driving a Range Rover.
Humans are always complicated beings.
...
...
Hei Yin City.
Several days had passed since Yao Yan left, and during this time, the city had returned to its usual calm. Thanks to Yao Lao's actions before the auction, there were no longer any fools coming to stir up trouble in the Eight Gates' territory. With the addition of the Gold and Silver Elders, the name of the Eight Gates had become even more resounding than before.
At this moment, in the backyard, Cai Lin, dressed in a red dress, elegantly leaned against a soft couch. Her alluring purple snake tail lazily swayed, exuding a sense of languor. Her deep, phoenix-like eyes held a hint of indifference as she coldly stared at the respectful Yuan Yi below her. Her red lips parted slightly, and a voice that could make any man lose control came out.
"How has everything been handled?"
Yuan Yi didn't dare to look directly at the snake woman before him. Not to mention her relationship with that individual, her own reputation was enough. The disciples of the Eight Gates had been beaten into a mist of blood by her just for gossiping. Her ruthlessness was on par with those who had lived in the Black Corner Region for years.
He lowered his head and respectfully reported, "The message has been sent out, but I'm not sure how many will believe it. After all, the Demon Flame Valley is an old force in the Black Corner Region, and not many would dare to act against them."
Cai Lin, living up to the name of Medusa Queen, exuded a powerful aura. Her voice, soft and seductive, carried an extreme indifference as she said, "You don't need me to teach you how to stir the pot. Handle this matter well, and you'll be rewarded. If you don't... well, I don't keep useless people around."
A strong murderous intent emanated from her, nearly tangible. Even Yuan Yi, a veteran of the Black Corner Region, couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.
Perhaps, in her eyes, only a few people could be considered worthy of life. Clearly, Yuan Yi and others like him were not among them.
"I understand!" Yuan Yi raised his voice a bit and responded firmly.
Cai Lin calmly continued, "And as for the Gold and Silver Elders, have them handle it. The Broken Sect Pill is not something that can be easily acquired."
Yuan Yi nodded, then bowed before turning to leave.
Not long after Yuan Yi departed, Yao Lao's figure slowly appeared from the side. He stroked his beard, his eyes filled with appreciation as he looked at Cai Lin. With his extremely discerning eye, he couldn't find any flaws in her. She was indeed a perfect match for Yao Yan, perhaps even more so than his own sister.
The only issue was her strong-willed nature. If she wanted to get together with Yao Yan, it would probably require quite a bit of effort.
Facing Yao Lao, Cai Lin's expression was somewhat restrained because he was Yao Yan's elder. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly spoke, "Are we just going to wait like this? When will that guy send the news back?"
"For now, that's all we can do. Let the boy do whatever he wants. We can't control him." Yao Lao stroked his beard and chuckled lightly.
He didn't want to stand out too much. His body was still in a soul form, and his strength was at its current level. To continue improving, drugs alone wouldn't suffice. He would need to find a body, as being a soul body meant he was rootless. Once he engaged in combat, his power would only continue to weaken without replenishment. This was a flaw of being in a soul form.
He had always been a target of interest for the Soul Palace. If those people found out that he was still alive, it would bring a lot of trouble. He didn't want to cause any trouble for Yao Yan.
As for Han Feng, he wasn't in a hurry. Some things were hard to accept at first, but as time passed, he had gradually come to terms with them. Every Dou Zong-level expert was someone with a strong will, or they wouldn't have made it this far.
Cai Lin frowned slightly. She wasn't used to situations where things were out of her control. But for now, she had no choice but to wait.
...
...
Meanwhile, in a remote canyon in the Black Corner Region, waves of flames suddenly surged, and the flame, like blue sea water, flooded out, one wave after another, sweeping toward the center of the canyon. Within it, black mist rose, and as the two forces collided, they emitted a sizzling sound, like cold water touching a hot pan.
Han Feng stood in the midst of the firestorm, like a flame emperor, controlling the surging Sea Heart Flame, sending waves after waves toward the two figures in the canyon. With a cold, arrogant gaze, he threatened, "Do you two really think that Han Feng is someone you can easily manipulate?"
"As expected of the renowned Alchemist King of the Black Corner Region. Heh, we were too bold. How about we stop here?"
Accompanied by a strange laugh, a figure emerged from the swirling black mist. His crimson eyes glowed with a sinister light as he looked at Han Feng, and beside him, another figure could be seen, their aura subtle but clearly not weak.
The Soul Palace members were always too strange. If I didn't control the Sea Heart Flame, I might be in for a real disaster... Han Feng thought to himself. He didn't dare underestimate them, and with a smile, he said, "Well then, it's for the best. In fact, you and I are not enemies. I was able to come to the Black Corner Region because of an elder from your Soul Palace."
"Elder?!"
At those words, the black mist roiled, and the crimson-eyed figure appeared slightly taken aback. After a brief silence, he slowly spoke, "I've heard of your situation. I didn't expect it to be true... I'm curious though. That renowned Alchemist Zun from Central State, is he really dead?"
"...Knowing too much won't do you any good. This matter involves an elder from the Soul Palace. Are you sure you want to probe into it?"
Han Feng clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes, cold light flickering deep within them. His voice grew cold, and he spoke slowly. At the same time, he quietly swore to himself that if one day he broke through to Dou Zong, he would make these two understand that some things should never be taken lightly.
The things that happened back then were also a thorn in his heart.
As his cultivation speed slowed down, he had to admit that some things he had done in the past were wrong. He could admit his mistakes, but no one else could criticize him. He even hated Yao Lao. If it weren't for him always hiding things, he wouldn't have ended up on this path.
How could the young him resist the temptation of Old Mu Gu!
"I was just mentioning it offhand. It's not that I'm really interested. Heh~" The black mist around the figure gradually calmed, and with a light laugh, he brushed aside the topic. Then, looking at Han Feng, he continued, "I wonder what the Alchemist King wants here. Are you looking to cooperate with us?"
"Naturally. You want souls, and I want to expand the influence of Feng City. We can cooperate."
Han Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes gleaming with intelligence, and he spoke in a deep voice.
"How would we cooperate?"
The figure beside the black mist spoke, his voice hoarse and low.
"Isn't it too slow to harvest one by one? I'll give you an opportunity. We can directly annihilate the cities of several forces, take everything in one go. All their souls, you can take them. How about it?" Han Feng said, a faint smile on his lips, speaking coldly.
He was offering them several cities, and as for the innocent people... did the Black Corner Region even have innocent people?
Death, whether early or late, was still death. They were nothing more than weaklings, like livestock.
"You truly are ruthless... Fine, we have no reason to refuse."
The figure in the black mist sneered and immediately agreed.
(END CHAPTER)
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