Leisurely Return to the Academy

After Sun Hao searched the black ape's body, Xia Mo and the other three left directly.

On the way, they ran into Wu Hao and the others, who had come to support them. After exchanging information, they returned to Peace Town together.

After Sun Hao completed the handover with the newly arrived patrol team, the group rode flying magical beasts back to Jia Nan Academy and headed to the Enforcement Team hall to turn in their mission.

Xia Mo and the others who had participated in this enforcement mission waited in the hall while Sun Hao went to the counter to hand over the mission and explain the situation to Sister Li.

Before long, Sun Hao returned. After distributing everyone's contribution points for this mission, he dismissed them.

"Xia Mo, thank you for this time," Sun Hao said as he walked out of the Enforcement Team hall with Xia Mo.

"No need. I'm a member of the Enforcement Team too. It was what I should have done," Xia Mo said. "Besides, I received a reward as well."

"Alright, then let's do missions together again when we have the chance," Sun Hao said.

"Mm," Xia Mo replied.

Xia Mo checked the sky, then returned straight to the dormitory building. Xiao Yi Xian and the others had not returned yet.

So, he made a trip to the Alchemy Department and found Elder Huo. Offering a Profound-tier high-grade cultivation technique as payment, he asked him to refine a Blood Lotus Pill. It was better to prepare such a thing in advance; it might come in handy at any time. After they reached an agreement, Elder Huo told him to come to the Alchemy Department to collect it tomorrow, and Xia Mo returned to the dormitory.

After returning, he took out some medicinal herbs and refined them, extracting their pure energy. He added saccharin and made them all into energy pills, which he stored in jade bottles. He had found that this made them tastier and more convenient.

Afterward, Xia Mo walked to the open space in front of the building, took out his Heavy Saber, and began practicing his saber technique. Considering the weight of his weapon, he decided to practice the principles of "cleaving" more.

The single word "cleave" could be divided into heavy cleaves, side cleaves, straight cleaves, sweeping cleaves, sinking cleaves... and so on. Every movement targeted the enemy's vital points, precise and ruthless.

The blade in Xia Mo's hand danced about. At times, it was nimble as a butterfly in flight; at times, heavy and unassuming as a mountain. At times, it was like a mountain collapse or a tidal wave, crushing everything in its path; at times, like sparks and lightning.

From beginning to end, there was not a single superfluous movement. Even his killing moves appeared seasoned and skillful.

Ever since he had begun practicing with the saber, his technique had become increasingly proficient and condensed. Faintly, it had begun to carry an edge that could not be concealed, with profound mysteries revealing themselves naturally.

The sky gradually dimmed. When Xiao Yi Xian and the other two entered his field of vision, Xia Mo stopped and watched them approach.

"Xiao Mo, you're back!" Xiao Yi Xian said delightedly.

"Mm, I'm back. I'm resting for a day tomorrow," Xia Mo said.

"Xiao Mo, are you alright?" Xiao Xun'er asked.

"I'm fine."

"Xiao Mo, is the Enforcement Team fun? How about I join too?" Hu Jia asked.

"It's not fun. It's tiring and boring," Xia Mo said. He did not dare let Hu Jia join the Enforcement Team.

"I'll make you something tasty. What do you want to eat, Xiao Mo?" Xiao Yi Xian asked.

"Braised pork ribs,"

"Red-braised fish,"

"Vinegar-shredded potatoes,"

Xia Mo, Hu Jia, and Xiao Xun'er all named the dishes they wanted at the same time.

After a sumptuous dinner, Xia Mo lay on a wooden bench outside the building, admiring the star-filled sky as he leisurely ate the "pills" he had refined today. The three girls sat on another bench nearby, whispering among themselves.

As the night deepened, the four returned to their respective rooms to rest...

After returning to his room, Xia Mo took out the Storage Ring he had found on the Seven-Star Dou Shi, intending to see what was inside.

Xia Mo took out the items and sorted them. There was no need to mention the gold coins, Monster Cores, and medicinal herbs, and there were no fourth-tier items or above. There was a gold-attributed Profound-tier high-grade cultivation technique, the "Golden Flower Technique," and a Profound-tier mid-grade Dou Technique, the "Arrow Art." No wonder—that Da Dou Shi had cultivated this Dou Technique.

He picked out the miscellaneous items he did not need and set them aside, planning to throw them away tomorrow. While sorting through them, a very small scroll fell out.

Xia Mo put down what he was holding, picked up the small scroll, and opened it. He found that it appeared to be a map of a primeval forest.

Several lines were written beneath the map: After my analysis, the place marked on this map is a volcano in the primeval forest outside Jia Nan Academy. I haven't told anyone, but once I become stronger, I'll go search for the treasure myself~ Huang Shan, disciple of the Earth Flame Sect.

Xia Mo felt that this Earth Flame Sect disciple was quite strange, scribbling nonsense about some treasure.

There were many such fragmented maps on the Dou Qi Continent. Cases of people finding a genuine map by chance, following it to obtain treasures left behind by powerful experts, or acquiring some heavenly treasure and soaring to greatness were everywhere on the Dou Qi Continent.

It was precisely because there were so many successful examples that, despite the countless fakes, quite a few people were still willing to spend vast sums on fragmented maps, hoping that one day they too might obtain the inheritance of a powerful expert.

There were also quite a few maps for rare medicinal herbs and mineral deposits, but those precious herbs and ore caves were mostly located in places with complex environments, numerous magical beasts, and grave danger.

If there really had been treasure, would it still be his turn? Huang Shan's map would probably have become common knowledge long ago. Still, Xia Mo could take a look when he had nothing better to do.

With that thought, Xia Mo put away the map, tossed it into his Storage Ring, and continued dealing with the junk.

Early the next morning, Xia Mo sat lazily sunbathing at the entrance of the dormitory building when Hu Jia suddenly walked over and blocked all the sunlight.

"By the way, Xiao Mo, we have nothing to do today, so practice Dou Techniques with us. But your strength is too high. How about you suppress your strength to the Dou Zhe level too, and we have a match?" Hu Jia said.

"Sure," Xia Mo said.

"Please!"

Hu Jia held her whip horizontally before her chest and gave Xia Mo a perfunctory salute, saying solemnly.

"Please!"

Seeing the serious look on Hu Jia's face, Xia Mo finally wiped the smile from his face. He drew his "large saber" and returned her salute with equal seriousness.

"Take this!"

With a sharp cry, Hu Jia raised her whip, stepped through a set of footwork, and charged swiftly at Xia Mo.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

The force carried by their weapons continually intertwined, then separated, only to reappear elsewhere and clash again, sending sparks flying through the air.

Facing Hu Jia's unbroken, dense barrage, Xia Mo chose to follow her momentum and lead her along. After several attempts, Hu Jia had failed to even touch the corner of Xia Mo's clothes, while she herself had been left panting heavily.

Watching Hu Jia's stamina steadily drain and her strength gradually fail, Xiao Xun'er could not help but sigh inwardly. "Xiao Mo is so cunning. He actually wants to win this way."

Seeing that Hu Jia was about to lose, Xiao Yi Xian finally could not help speaking. "Hu Jia, use that move you just learned."

Upon hearing Xiao Yi Xian's words while she was struggling to keep up, determination flashed across Hu Jia's delicate face. Her whip suddenly trembled before lashing swiftly toward Xia Mo.

"Swallow Return Strike!"

Hu Jia cried out sharply.

Mm, it was about time to end this game, Xia Mo thought upon hearing Xiao Yi Xian's words.

Then, the "large saber" in Xia Mo's hand turned. With a forward thrust from a bow stance, the "large saber" became a glint of cold light that shot toward Hu Jia's wrist.

Having just unleashed a high-powered Dou Skill, Hu Jia's face was somewhat pale. Just as she was about to control her whip and strike Xia Mo again, a flash of cold light suddenly entered her vision.

Before Hu Jia could react, there was a sharp "Bang!" as their force collided. Her arm went numb, her wrist weakened, and the whip in her hand flew from her grasp.

Standing to the side, Xiao Yi Xian watched Hu Jia with complete focus and prompted, "Hit his... uh."

Xiao Yi Xian stopped midway through her words. She watched as the whip abruptly slipped from Hu Jia's hand, tracing a graceful arc through the air before finally landing in the grass nearby.

Hu Jia stood rooted to the spot without saying a word, as though she had been dealt a blow. Seeing her like this, Xiao Yi Xian shot Xia Mo a glare before walking over to Hu Jia's side. "Are you alright, Hu Jia?"

"I'm fine. I just didn't expect myself to be this weak," Hu Jia said.

"You're still very strong. Even I can't beat you. Xiao Mo is a freak; you can't compare yourself to him," Xiao Yi Xian comforted her.

"That's right, you can't compare yourself to Xiao Mo," Xiao Xun'er said with a smile as well.

Hearing Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Xun'er's words, Xia Mo rolled his eyes and said to Hu Jia, "Hu Jia, even if I suppress my strength, my physical body is still beyond your comparison. Besides, you haven't had much real combat experience. You can spar more with Sister Xiao Yi Xian and Sister Xun'er. Then you'll understand where your shortcomings lie."

"I know. I just didn't expect the gap between us to be so great. You're actually that strong," Hu Jia said.

"We're different. Don't compare yourself to me, or you'll be sad," Xia Mo teased.

"Get lost. I definitely can't compare myself to you. I'll compare myself with Xiao Yi Xian and Xun'er instead," Hu Jia said.

Xia Mo did not say anything upon hearing that. He merely grumbled inwardly, Good luck. I just hope you won't be crushed too badly in the future.

"Let's go shopping this afternoon. Any objections?" Hu Jia suggested again.

"I'm not going," Xia Mo said.

"Objection overruled. Three against one," Hu Jia said.

A miserable afternoon for Xia Mo...