Two days had passed since Xiao Yi Xian's breakthrough incident.
During these two days, Xiao Feng had been quietly waiting near the cultivation area.
Today was the day.
The day Lin Xiuya, Han Yue, Bai Cheng, and Jia Yun would complete the medicinal tempering process.
Although he appeared calm on the surface, Xiao Feng was somewhat nervous inside.
After all, the Dou King realm was an important turning point for every cultivator.
Once one stepped into the Dou King realm, they would gain the ability to manifest Dou Qi Wings and truly fly through the skies. Their status, strength, and lifespan would all increase significantly.
Xiao Feng naturally hoped that all four of his friends would successfully break through.
As he waited, several powerful auras suddenly appeared in the distance.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Four figures shot through the sky.
Behind each of them was a pair of magnificent Dou Qi Wings of different colors.
One silver.
One icy blue.
One earthy yellow.
One emerald green.
Their powerful auras caused many Fire Faction members below to look up in surprise.
"They succeeded!"
"They've all become Dou Kings!"
"Four Dou Kings at once!"
Excited voices erupted throughout the courtyard.
A smile finally appeared on Xiao Feng's face.
Soon, the four figures landed in front of him.
They were none other than Lin Xiuya, Han Yue, Bai Cheng, and Jia Yun.
All four had successfully stepped into the Dou King realm.
Just as Xiao Feng was about to congratulate them, he noticed something strange.
Han Yue's expression was calm.
Lin Xiuya looked somewhat helpless.
Bai Cheng seemed rather depressed.
Only Jia Yun looked extremely excited.
Before Xiao Feng could ask anything—
"Xiao Feng!"
Jia Yun suddenly rushed forward.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, she directly hugged him tightly.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you so much!"
The usually energetic girl was smiling brighter than the sun.
Xiao Feng was momentarily caught off guard.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough."
Jia Yun immediately raised her head proudly.
"Hmph!"
"Not only did I break through to Dou King, I'm also the strongest among the four of us now!"
The moment she said that, the expressions of Lin Xiuya, Han Yue, and Bai Cheng became even stranger.
Xiao Feng blinked.
"The strongest?"
Jia Yun immediately puffed out her chest.
"That's right!"
"I'm a Two-Star Dou King now!"
As soon as those words were spoken, Xiao Feng finally understood why the other three looked so gloomy.
Han Yue was a One-Star Dou King.
Lin Xiuya was also a One-Star Dou King.
Bai Cheng had similarly advanced to One-Star Dou King.
Only Jia Yun had directly broken through to the Two-Star Dou King realm.
Seeing their expressions, Xiao Feng almost laughed.
For years, Jia Yun had always been the weakest among their small group.
Whenever they trained, sparred, or entered competitions, she was usually the last one.
Now, for the first time in her life, she had surpassed all of them.
No wonder she looked so proud.
"Hahaha!"
Jia Yun laughed triumphantly.
"Who's the strongest now?"
Lin Xiuya rubbed his forehead.
"Just luck."
Han Yue calmly crossed her arms.
"Temporary."
Bai Cheng looked as though he had suffered a major blow.
"I cultivated so hard..."
"And she still surpassed me..."
Jia Yun immediately became even happier.
"Hahaha! That's because I'm talented!"
"From today onward, you all have to call me Senior Sister Jia Yun!"
The three immediately rolled their eyes.
Even Xiao Feng couldn't help but chuckle.
Watching Jia Yun happily celebrate her achievement, he felt genuinely pleased.
Strength brought confidence.
And confidence was exactly what Jia Yun had lacked compared to the others.
Now that she had finally caught up—and even surpassed them for the moment—the cheerful girl seemed to have regained a new level of confidence.
As for the future?
Jia Yun didn't care at all.
Right now, she was a Two-Star Dou King.
The other three were only One-Star Dou Kings.
That fact alone was enough to make her happy for months.
Looking at her triumphant expression, Lin Xiuya finally sighed helplessly.
"Fine."
"For today, you're the strongest."
Jia Yun immediately raised her chin.
"Hmph."
"Only for today?"
"Maybe forever."
The entire courtyard instantly erupted into laughter.
This outcome was actually within Xiao Feng's expectations.
The reason Jia Yun had managed to break through to the Two-Star Dou King realm while the others remained at the One-Star Dou King level was mainly due to her attribute compatibility.
Among the four, Jia Yun was a pure Fire Attribute cultivator.
Lin Xiuya cultivated Wind Attribute Dou Qi.
Han Yue cultivated Ice Attribute Dou Qi.
Bai Cheng cultivated Earth Attribute Dou Qi.
Meanwhile, the medicinal pills refined by Xiao Feng contained traces of purified fire energy due to the influence of his Strange Flames during refinement. Although the effect was subtle, it still benefited Fire Attribute cultivators the most.
Because of this, Jia Yun had gained slightly more from the tempering process than the other three.
As Jia Yun celebrated her achievement, she directly took out several jars of wine from her storage ring.
"Hahaha! Today is my day!"
"You all have to drink with me!"
Without waiting for their agreement, she tossed bottles toward everyone.
Lin Xiuya caught one helplessly.
Bai Cheng sighed and accepted his fate.
Even Han Yue accepted a cup after being repeatedly persuaded.
Soon, the atmosphere became lively.
Everyone began drinking while discussing their breakthroughs and future plans.
Naturally, Xiao Feng was also dragged into the celebration.
However, remembering his previous two disastrous drinking incidents, he had already learned his lesson.
Although he accepted a cup, he continuously circulated his Dou Qi through his body, quietly neutralizing most of the alcohol before it could affect him.
This time, he absolutely refused to get drunk.
Just as everyone was laughing and drinking—
A powerful aura suddenly approached from the sky.
Whoosh!
A pair of dark-blue Dou Qi Wings streaked across the horizon like lightning.
The pressure emitted by the newcomer instantly attracted everyone's attention.
A figure descended rapidly toward the Fire Faction courtyard.
The moment Xiao Feng saw the person, he blinked.
Then blinked again.
For a brief second, he even wondered whether the alcohol had somehow affected him despite his precautions.
He immediately circulated his Green Lotus Core Flame through his body.
His mind became clear.
Yet the figure was still there.
Xiao Feng's expression instantly changed.
"Second Brother?"
The person standing before him was none other than Xiao Li.
However, his current appearance shocked everyone present.
His face was covered in dried blood.
Several wounds covered his body.
His aura was unstable.
Most importantly—
A head of snow-white hair fluttered behind him.
Behind Xiao Li stood another familiar figure.
Xiao Ding.
His condition was even worse.
His clothes were torn.
His face was pale.
His aura fluctuated weakly.
The moment they landed, Xiao Feng disappeared from his seat and appeared beside them.
"Second Brother!"
"Eldest Brother!"
Without hesitation, he immediately grabbed their wrists and began examining their conditions.
The surrounding celebration instantly vanished.
Everyone's expressions turned serious.
As Xiao Feng's soul strength swept through their bodies, his expression became increasingly grave.
Their external injuries were serious but not fatal.
Xiao Ding's condition was slightly worse.
Xiao Li was somewhat better.
But none of that was what shocked him most.
What truly shocked him was their cultivation.
Dou King.
Both of them had actually reached the Dou King realm.
According to his calculations, they should have been around the Sixth to Eighth Star Dou Grand Master level at most.
Yet now they had crossed an entire realm.
Even stranger—
Their life force was abnormal.
Although their bodies appeared youthful, their vitality felt withered.
It was similar to elderly people whose lifespans were nearing their end.
And their snow-white hair...
It reminded him immediately of Xiao Yi Xian's previous transformation.
Without hesitation, Xiao Feng took out two Fifth-Rank Healing Pills.
"Take these."
Xiao Li swallowed his pill immediately.
Xiao Ding also managed to consume his before losing consciousness.
The medicinal effects rapidly spread through their bodies.
Their injuries visibly began recovering.
Around them, Jia Yun, Han Yue, Bai Cheng, and Lin Xiuya stared in shock.
Nobody understood what had happened.
As the healing process continued, Xiao Feng turned toward Han Yue.
"Han Yue."
"Go find Xiao Yi Xian."
"Immediately."
Seeing the seriousness in his voice, Han Yue did not hesitate.
Within minutes, Xiao Yi Xian arrived.
The moment she entered the courtyard, her eyes landed on the two white-haired brothers.
She froze.
The scene felt strangely familiar.
Confusion appeared on her face.
"What happened?"
Xiao Feng shook his head.
"I'll explain later."
"For now, check whether there's any poison involved."
Xiao Yi Xian nodded.
She stepped forward and gently placed her hand above Xiao Li's head.
A wave of poison affinity perception spread outward.
After scanning once, she frowned.
Then scanned again.
Several moments later, she withdrew her hand.
"There are traces of toxins."
"But they're extremely weak."
"Nothing life-threatening."
"I can't find any major poison contamination."
Hearing this, Xiao Feng became even more puzzled.
By now, the healing pills had restored roughly seventy percent of their injuries.
Seeing their exhausted conditions, he decided not to question them immediately.
Instead, he prepared several calming medicinal pills and a mild spirit-nourishing wine.
After helping them consume the medicine, he personally arranged guest rooms for both brothers.
Soon, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li fell into a deep sleep.
Only after confirming they were stable did Xiao Feng finally relax slightly.
Not long afterward, another group arrived.
Leading them was Su Qian himself.
An academy elder followed behind him.
Seeing Su Qian's appearance, Xiao Feng understood that the matter had already reached the academy's upper levels.
The elder quickly explained.
"When they arrived at the academy checkpoint, we originally intended to stop them for inspection."
"However, Xiao Li possessed a special identity token."
"He also carries a Strange Flame."
"Considering his situation, we treated him as a special case similar to Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian."
The elder paused before continuing.
"Still, their condition was unusual."
"For safety reasons, I immediately informed Great Elder Su Qian."
Su Qian nodded.
His gaze lingered on the room where the two brothers rested.
"I've already checked."
"Their injuries are not the real problem."
"What concerns me is whatever happened before they arrived."
His eyes turned toward Xiao Feng.
"I suspect your brothers have experienced something extremely dangerous."
"And once they wake up..."
"We may finally learn what it was."
The festive atmosphere from earlier had completely vanished.
Only moments ago, the Fire Faction courtyard had been filled with laughter, congratulations, and celebration over the four newly advanced Dou Kings.
Now, silence dominated the area.
The arrival of Xiao Li and Xiao Ding had changed everything.
Even Jia Yun, who had been proudly celebrating her advancement to the Two-Star Dou King realm, had put down her wine cup and remained quiet.
Han Yue, Bai Cheng, and Lin Xiuya stood nearby with solemn expressions.
Su Qian and the academy elders were also waiting patiently.
Before coming here, Su Qian had already ordered several academy intelligence members to investigate whether any major incidents had recently occurred in the Black-Corner Region.
The situation was simply too abnormal.
Not only had Xiao Li and Xiao Ding suddenly advanced to the Dou King realm, but their white hair and weakened life force suggested that they had paid an enormous price for that strength.
Nobody believed this had happened naturally.
As everyone waited, two academy intelligence members finally arrived.
Both immediately bowed to Su Qian.
"Great Elder."
"We have found some information."
The entire courtyard turned toward them.
Su Qian nodded.
"Speak."
The first intelligence member stepped forward.
"Over the past few months, Fire City has become increasingly influential throughout the Black-Corner Region."
"The medicinal pills refined by the Fire Faction, along with the medicinal herb auctions conducted through the Eight Gates Auction House, have attracted countless experts and merchants."
"The city's influence has expanded rapidly."
The second intelligence member continued.
"Because of this, several major powers have become dissatisfied."
"In particular, the higher-ups of Maple City and the Eight Gates Auction House's competitors have suffered considerable losses."
"Recently, there have been numerous reports of merchant caravans associated with Fire City being intercepted."
The moment Xiao Feng heard this, his eyes narrowed.
The first intelligence member hesitated briefly before continuing.
"Based on witness reports, the most likely people responsible are..."
"Han Feng."
"And Yuan Yi."
The moment those names were spoken, a chilling aura spread throughout the courtyard.
Crack.
The wine cup in Xiao Feng's hand shattered instantly.
Fragments fell onto the ground.
A frightening killing intent flashed through his eyes.
Han Feng.
The Black-Corner Region's renowned Medicine Emperor.
The traitorous disciple of Yao Chen.
The future collaborator of the Soul Hall.
For a brief moment, flames flickered within Xiao Feng's pupils.
If it were merely a conflict involving resources, he would not have reacted so strongly.
But this involved his family.
His brothers.
The people closest to him.
If Han Feng had truly been involved...
Then Xiao Feng would never let the matter rest.
However, after a few moments, he slowly forced himself to calm down.
He understood something others did not.
Behind Han Feng stood a Soul Hall Protector.
The current him possessed the strength to challenge Han Feng.
But he was not yet prepared to expose all of his cards.
If the Soul Hall discovered too much too early, many of his future plans would become significantly more difficult.
At minimum, he wanted to wait until reaching the Dou Zong realm—or at least the peak Dou Huang realm—before directly dealing with Han Feng and the forces behind him.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Feng suppressed the killing intent in his heart.
For now, anger would solve nothing.
The priority was understanding what had happened to Xiao Li and Xiao Ding.
After calming himself, Xiao Feng looked toward Su Qian and the elders.
"There is something all of you should know."
Everyone immediately focused on him.
Xiao Feng slowly explained the abnormalities he had discovered.
"Their external injuries are not serious."
"With the Fifth-Rank healing pills, most of those injuries have already recovered."
"However, their life force is extremely weak."
He paused.
"It doesn't match their actual age."
Su Qian's expression became serious.
"You mean..."
Xiao Feng nodded.
"Their bodies resemble those of people who have sacrificed a significant portion of their lifespan."
The surrounding elders immediately became alarmed.
"What?"
"Life-force depletion?"
"How is that possible?"
Xiao Feng continued.
"There is also the matter of their cultivation."
"Based on my previous calculations, both of them should have been around the Sixth to Eighth Star Dou Grand Master level."
"Yet they somehow crossed into the Dou King realm."
"That advancement was too fast."
"And their white hair appeared at the same time."
Xiao Yi Xian frowned slightly.
"The symptoms are somewhat similar to certain forbidden techniques."
"Methods that exchange lifespan for power."
Hearing this, the atmosphere became even heavier.
Lin Xiuya and the others looked toward the guest rooms where Xiao Ding and Xiao Li rested.
If that was true...
Then the price they had paid was terrifying.
Su Qian folded his arms and looked toward the closed door.
"Then we wait."
His voice was calm but carried undeniable authority.
"When they awaken, we will learn the truth."
Xiao Feng silently nodded.
However, inside his heart, a storm was already brewing.
If Han Feng and Yuan Yi had truly pushed his brothers to this point...
Then sooner or later—
No matter how powerful their backers were—
He would settle this debt personally.