Blood Demon Sect

"Dean! A pack of demonized Wind Wolves has appeared again in the valley three li east!"

An instructor in a green robe hurried over, his face grave.

Lei Tian, the Dean of the Outer Court, stood with his hands behind his back, his purple-gold robe snapping in the wind. At the news, he let out a cold snort.

"Hmph, the Blood Demon Sect's evil contamination is indeed troublesome!"

Beside him, a stern-faced vice dean frowned.

"These magical beasts were originally only first- or second-tier, yet after being demonized, they could reach the third tier. If this continued, the Trial Area would likely be completely ruined."

"Then let it be ruined!"

Another hot-tempered vice dean snapped.

"The priority is to find the source! These beasts are impossible to kill off completely. Someone must be pulling strings behind the scenes!"

Lei Tian's gaze flashed like lightning as he said in a deep voice.

"Keep advancing and clear out every demonized magical beast. I'd like to see who dares cause trouble on Jia Nan Academy's territory!"

Before his words had faded, he swept his sleeve. A bolt of purple lightning descended from the sky, instantly reducing several demonized giant apes charging from afar to charred husks.

At the sight, the instructors' morale surged, and they unleashed their respective Dou Skills.

For a time, flames, frost, and sword qi crisscrossed the dense forest, while the howls of demonized magical beasts rose and fell without end.

Two hours later, the battle finally neared its end.

"Report!"

A young instructor flew out of the depths of the forest, his face deathly pale.

"Dean, an... an eerie corpse has been discovered ahead!"

Lei Tian frowned and vanished from where he stood in a flash.

The vice deans exchanged glances and hurried after him.

When they arrived before a concealed cave, a nauseating stench of blood assailed them.

"What is this?"

By the dim light, they saw a shriveled corpse leaning against the stone wall.

The corpse was an unnatural dark red from head to toe, its skin covered in strange black patterns. Though it had been dead for some time, it still exuded a chillingly evil aura.

"The Blood Demon Sect!"

A cold gleam flashed through Lei Tian's eyes.

"So they were behind this after all!"

An elderly vice dean crouched down and examined it closely before speaking gravely.

"Judging by this aura, it was at least a three-star Dou Emperor while alive. Strange, how did such an expert die here?"

"What is even stranger is that when members of the Blood Demon Sect die, the evil qi in their bodies contaminates the living creatures around them. This corpse has clearly been dead for several days. No wonder so many demonized magical beasts have appeared in the Trial Area."

Another female vice dean frowned.

The hot-tempered vice dean said angrily.

"These damned pests! Dean, should we notify the Inner Academy?"

Lei Tian pondered for a moment, then suddenly gave a cold laugh.

"No need. Since they dared make trouble on the Outer Court's territory, they should be prepared to be blasted to death by lightning!"

He turned and issued an order to the instructors.

"Pass down my order. The Outer Court is under martial lockdown. No student is to leave the academy without permission. Also, dispatch the Enforcement Team to thoroughly investigate all suspicious individuals within a hundred li!"

"Yes!"

The instructors answered in unison.

The elderly vice dean stroked his beard and said gravely.

"Dean, this matter is strange. The Blood Demon Sect has always acted in secret. They could not possibly remain unaware of a three-star Dou Emperor dying here."

"Exactly!"

The hot-tempered vice dean slammed his hand on the table and rose.

"Those sinister scoundrels are fiercely protective of their own. How could they allow the corpse of a Dou Emperor expert to remain exposed outside? This is obviously a trap!"

The female vice dean looked thoughtful.

"Could someone have deliberately placed the corpse here to frame Jia Nan Academy?"

Lei Tian stood with his hands behind his back, faint lightning flickering around him.

"It is already no easy task to uncover so many clues in a single day."

A fierce glint suddenly flashed in his eyes.

"One corpse alone is not enough to alarm those old fellows in the Inner Academy."

He turned to survey everyone, his voice booming like thunder.

"Have you considered this? Every Dou Emperor expert in the Blood Demon Sect has a Soul Tablet. When a person dies, the tablet shatters. How could they not know? And how could they simply ignore it?"

Everyone's expressions tightened at his words.

Lei Tian's gaze was sharp as lightning, faint arcs of electricity flickering around him. His voice was low and commanding.

"The Blood Demon Sect's ancestor... hmph, that old monster is indeed troublesome."

"A Peak Dou Zong is truly frightening."

A vice dean spoke softly, a trace of apprehension flashing through his eyes.

"But so what?"

The hot-tempered vice dean snorted coldly, his fists clenched as Dou Qi surged around him.

"Jia Nan Academy has stood for a thousand years, with deep foundations. How could a mere Blood Demon Sect shake it?"

The corners of Lei Tian's lips lifted into a cold smile.

"What he wants, we will not give him, and we never will!"

"If he truly dares use this chance to provoke a war—"

He suddenly raised his hand. Lightning exploded in his palm, and a bolt of purple thunder shot into the sky, instantly tearing apart the clouds and illuminating the entire forest!

"Then let him see just how terrifying Jia Nan Academy's wrath can be!"

Fighting spirit rose in the instructors' eyes as they shouted in unison.

"Fight!"

Their voices boomed like thunder, shaking the heavens!

The female vice dean's eyes flickered as she said softly.

"Dean, the Blood Demon Sect's ancestor is full of schemes. This matter is probably not so simple."

Lei Tian stood with his hands behind his back, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

"No matter. We will deal with whatever comes our way."

"Jia Nan Academy has never feared battle!"

He turned, his purple-gold robe snapping in the wind, his voice echoing in everyone's ears like a great bell.

"Pass down the order. Activate the Guardian Array. All elders and instructors are to remain on standby at all times!"

"If the Blood Demon Sect dares to come—"

"Kill without mercy!"

The movements of such major figures were not something ordinary students like them could know about.

Feeling as though they had gained something yet gained nothing at all, Jiang Donghua and the other two could only leave the trial grounds dejectedly.

They had not gained any benefits. At most, they had gotten to know a few people.

Yet it was obvious that several people's eyes suddenly seemed to glow green.

Liu Shiqing, Chu Feibai, and Chen Xiao—the men who had been looking for the Liu siblings—immediately wanted to teach Jiang Donghua and the others a lesson when they saw them appear.

So they could vent the fury they had built up over dozens of hours of searching.

"You bastard, you hid for quite a while. Now that we've caught you, you're in for it."

"Last time, we only exchanged one move. Don't blame us for having three against one this time."

Chu Feibai immediately made his move.

Bang!

With a muffled impact, Jiang Donghua vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already right before Chen Xiao like a ghost!

"A difference in cultivation level?"

A cold smile curled across his lips as the fingers of his right hand clamped around Chen Xiao's throat. Crimson Dou Qi erupted like blazing flames!

"Then you three pieces of trash can experience it properly!"

Boom!

Chen Xiao did not even have time to react before violent Dou Qi blasted him away. He crashed heavily into a wall ten meters away, and the wall instantly cracked apart!

Pfft!

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale and his eyes filled with disbelief.

"You... you aren't a Two-star Dou Master?!"

Jiang Donghua did not answer. He merely slowly turned his head, his icy gaze sweeping toward Chu Feibai and Liu Shiqing.

"Now it's your turn."

Chu Feibai's expression changed drastically. He abruptly drew his sword, and the alcohol haze instantly vanished from his mind.

"Damn it, get him together!"

With an angry roar, Dou Qi gathered along his blade as he thrust straight toward Jiang Donghua's throat!

Liu Shiqing swiftly snapped his folding fan shut as well. Poison needles hidden within its ribs shot out, viciously flying toward Jiang Donghua's eyes!

"Too slow."

Jiang Donghua's body swayed, dodging the blade like a phantom. At the same time, he raised his right hand, and crimson Dou Qi transformed into a wall of fire, incinerating the poison needles into ash!

The next instant, his left hand formed a claw and fiercely gripped Chu Feibai's sword-wielding wrist.

Crack!

The sound of breaking bones was crystal clear!

"Ahhh—!"

Chu Feibai let out a miserable scream. His sword clattered to the ground, and he dropped to his knees, cold sweat instantly soaking his back!

Seeing this, Liu Shiqing's face turned deathly pale, and he spun around to flee.

"Trying to run?"

Jiang Donghua sneered and stomped the ground with his right foot. A wave of flames instantly swept out, directly knocking Liu Shiqing to the ground!

Thud!

Liu Shiqing rolled several times in a miserable heap. His folding fan had broken, his clothes were scorched black, and there was no trace left of his elegant young master appearance.

"No... impossible..."

He trembled as he raised his head, his eyes filled with terror.

"You... what realm are you really in?!"

Jiang Donghua strode forward, looking down at the three from above. His voice was as cold as a blade.

"Now you know fear?"

"Too bad. It's too late."

Dou Qi gathered in his palm, crimson flames churning as killing intent radiated from him!

"Stop!"

Suddenly, a commanding shout rang out as Instructor Lin rushed over with several members of the Enforcement Team!

Her expression changed sharply when she saw the wreckage all around and the three severely injured men.

"Jiang Donghua! The academy forbids private fighting. How dare you strike so viciously?!"

Jiang Donghua retracted his Dou Qi and spoke calmly.

"Instructor Lin, they attacked first."

Liu Mingyu hurried forward to explain as well.

"That's right! Those three have been harassing my sister all along. Just now, they even tried to ambush us!"

Instructor Lin frowned deeply, her gaze sweeping toward Chen Xiao and the other two.

Chen Xiao clutched his chest and gritted out a lie.

"Nonsense! We were merely passing by when Jiang Donghua suddenly attacked and injured us!"

"You—!" Liu Yuting's eyes reddened with anger.

Instructor Lin pondered for a moment before finally speaking coldly.

"I will investigate this matter thoroughly. But Jiang Donghua, you struck too heavily. You must accept punishment!"

Jiang Donghua remained calm and merely nodded.

"Fine."

He turned toward the Liu siblings and said quietly.

"Let's go."

After the three left, Chen Xiao stared fixedly at Jiang Donghua's back, the resentment in his eyes nearly taking physical form!

"Jiang Donghua, just you wait!"

"This isn't over!"