Undercurrents Stir, Black Market Bounty

While Qin Mo was busy with internal development, talent cultivation, and treating Dugu Bo, the turmoil surrounding Myriad Manifestations Academy showed no signs of subsiding. Instead, an even greater vortex was brewing in the shadows.

Heaven Dou City, a secret underground information exchange.

The lighting was dim, and the air was murky. People of all kinds moved through the place, speaking in low voices as they traded information and commissions that could not bear the light of day.

A hooded figure with their face concealed silently approached a secluded counter and tapped the tabletop with bent fingers.

Behind the counter, a shrewd-looking old man raised his eyelids and drawled, "Buying information or selling it?"

A deliberately lowered voice, impossible to identify as male or female, came from beneath the hood. "A bounty."

The old man perked up slightly. "Oh? A bounty on what? A life? A treasure? Or..."

"Information. Any valuable inside information about Myriad Manifestations Academy." The hooded figure's voice was icy. "Especially information concerning its dean, Qin Mo—his martial soul, cultivation methods, the academy's internal layout, defensive weaknesses... Any information will be rewarded according to its value, from ten thousand to one million Gold Soul Coins. Anyone who can provide a way to enter the academy or breach its defenses will receive a bounty starting at ten million, plus a soul bone!"

The old man sucked in a sharp breath. His dim yellow eyes flew wide open, and all traces of sleepiness vanished. Ten million Gold Soul Coins! And a soul bone! The offer was enormous! What secrets could Myriad Manifestations Academy possibly be hiding to warrant such an astronomical bounty?

"This... sir, Myriad Manifestations Academy is in the limelight right now, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is clearly backing them. This bounty may be..." The old man hesitated. This was not a hot potato he could take lightly.

"What? Is even the Obsidian Exchange afraid?" The hooded figure's tone carried a trace of mockery. "Relax. The bounty will be issued through anonymous channels. No one will know where it came from. All you need to do is spread the news, and desperate men will naturally try their luck. You'll still take your commission. What is there to fear?"

The old man's gaze flickered for a moment before greed finally overcame caution. With such an exorbitant bounty, even the commission would be an astronomical sum!

"Fine! We'll take this bounty!" The old man gritted his teeth. "But you'll need to pay thirty percent upfront."

The hooded figure seemed prepared. They placed a heavy money pouch and a small box emitting waves of Soul Power onto the counter. The pouch was filled with Gold Soul Coins, while the box contained a decent thousand-year Left Leg Bone.

After inspecting the goods, the old man revealed a greedy smile. "You're refreshingly straightforward, sir! By tomorrow night at the latest, the bounty notice will appear where it needs to!"

The hooded figure said nothing more, turning and melting into the shadows until they vanished from sight.

Similar scenes played out simultaneously in several black markets and assassin organizations renowned across the continent. An astronomical bounty targeting Myriad Manifestations Academy and its dean, Qin Mo, spread rapidly through the dark world like a virus.

Where there was a heavy reward, there would be brave men.

For a time, countless greedy eyes once again focused on that mysterious academy. Thieves, assassins, information brokers, and even some desperate soul masters began gathering in Heaven Dou City like sharks drawn by the scent of blood.

The spying around Myriad Manifestations Academy's perimeter suddenly became more frequent and bolder. There were even minor probing attacks, such as bombarding the barrier with long-range Soul Tools or attempting to dig tunnels to sneak inside. Though all were easily dealt with, they created the sense that a storm was about to break.

Within the academy, the atmosphere grew tense once more.

The patrolling guards added more shifts, their gazes becoming sharper. Though the students did not know exactly what had happened, they could still feel the invisible pressure and trained even harder.

Central Tower, Dean's Office.

Qin Mo stared coldly at the noticeably more numerous and active red dots on the light screen around the academy's perimeter, each representing hostile intent.

"It seems some people still refuse to give up," he said softly.

Bing'er stood nearby, her expression cool. "Should we take the initiative and eliminate some of them?"

"No need." Qin Mo shook his head. "Petty clowns are impossible to kill off completely. Doing so would only make us look guilty. Strengthen the guard and hold the gates. This is a good chance to put the inner array to work and test its effectiveness."

After a pause, he asked, "How has Mr. Dugu been lately?"

"Senior Dugu has remained behind closed doors these past few days. He seems to be absorbing the effects of your last treatment, Dean. Suspicious people have occasionally been watching him outside the academy, but the guards have driven them away," Bing'er replied.

"Mm." Qin Mo nodded. "He is a key figure now. Nothing can happen to him. Send an additional squad of guards to protect him in secret."

"Yes."

"How is the body-tempering progress of Huo Yun and the other two?"

"According to the records they submit each day, all of their strength has increased significantly. Their physical toughness has risen by roughly twenty percent, and their Soul Power circulation seems to have become somewhat smoother. No obvious adverse reactions have been observed. Huo Yun reported that his bottleneck at level thirty-one seems to have loosened."

"Very good." A hint of satisfaction appeared in Qin Mo's eyes. "Continue monitoring them. Also, have Lingling examine them regularly to ensure they have no hidden injuries."

"Understood."

Bing'er accepted the order and left.

Qin Mo stood alone before the light screen, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

He was not overly concerned about the bounties and probes outside. The academy's defensive system had been strengthened and was more than enough to deal with such riffraff. What concerned him more was the mastermind behind the bounty and whether... that strange abyssal shadow had anything to do with all this.

"You want to pry into my secrets?" A cold curve lifted at the corner of Qin Mo's mouth. "Then be prepared to pay a painful price."

With a thought, he connected to the core of the inner array deep underground.

"Pure Heart Evil Cleansing Talisman Array, increase activation to thirty percent. Raise sensitivity to external hostile intent to the maximum. Upon detecting evil energy reactions or high-intensity attacks, authorization granted to... retaliate automatically!"

Beneath the academy, the invisible purification field rippled slightly, becoming sharper and... more aggressive.

An invisible net had already been cast. All that remained was for the prey to deliver itself to the trap.