Thousand Hundred Elders

"Please wait a moment, sir. This junior will arrange for the Elders to bring out all the herbs in the academy."

Hu Gan immediately gathered the remaining herbs from the academy as well. If the Thousand Hundred Elders in the Library Pavilion disagreed, he would tell them about the matter. Surely they would personally help handle it.

Jiang Cheng did not like owing others favors. He directly took a special azure wooden box from his Storage Ring. As the box appeared, Vice Dean Hu Gan's gaze was drawn to it.

"Th-This is..."

As the wooden box was slowly opened, a brilliant, dazzling light burst forth, filling the otherwise plain room with strange colors.

Vice Dean Hu Gan was shaken to the core. His gaze locked firmly onto the box, where a pill the size of a dragon's eye lay quietly within. Its surface was exceptionally smooth, with several differently colored markings engraved upon it.

"This is... an Eighth-Grade Pill with Nine-Colored Heavenly Thunder!"

As the Eighth-Grade Pill appeared, Thunderclouds Rolling instantly gathered above Jia Nan Academy. The powerful pressure of heaven and earth left everyone dumbfounded. Why had a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

Jiang Cheng's fingers Slightly Moved, and the medicinal power Emitting from the pill was directly suppressed. The previously violent energy of heaven and earth also vanished.

The Dark Clouds receded, the thunderstorm ceased, and Jia Nan Academy returned to its clear, boundless skies.

"Sir, this is...?"

Hu Gan swallowed, his eyes constantly circling the box. This was his first time seeing an Eighth-Grade Pill, and one with Nine-Colored Heavenly Thunder at that. No matter who it was, they would find it hard to believe.

Black Corner Region.

An ordinary bamboo cottage stood amid a mountain range. The scenery here was beautiful, immortal mist lingered in the air, and winding streams surrounded the cottage entirely, adding several more touches of elegance to the place.

The man seated on a meditation cushion slowly opened his eyes.

The man had rather handsome features and looked to be only around thirty. His somewhat thin lips were pressed tightly together, carrying a cold, stern air. Yet it was precisely this that gave him an unusual charm.

His long black hair fell to his shoulders. His body seemed to carry a peculiar medicinal fragrance at all times, making people unable to resist feeling close to him.

An ancient pill cauldron emblem was embroidered on the chest of his green Alchemist robes. Six golden lines adorned the cauldron, signifying his status as a Sixth-Grade Alchemist. An exquisitely crafted character for "Feng" was embroidered on the back of his robes.

As a breeze swept past, the bell hanging from the beam gave off a crisp and pleasant chime.

Han Feng frowned. "That fluctuation is the Aura of an Eighth-Grade Pill... It came from Jia Nan Academy's direction. Old Man Guo is only a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, so how could he possess an Eighth-Grade Pill? It even seems to be a top-grade pill."

Han Feng could not help rising to his feet. "This is not the Aura formed by refining a pill, but the oppressive force caused by the pill's medicinal effects. That is what stirred the energy of heaven and earth into turmoil. What kind of pill could produce such power?"

"It seems I must find an opportunity to visit Jia Nan Academy. Some great figure must have arrived."

"Medicine Emperor, did you sense it as well?"

At that moment, an Old Man dressed in tattered robes slowly approached. He held a cane and had a short, small frame. His gloomy face was filled with ferocity.

This man was Elder Ban, the sect master of the Earth Flame Sect, whose strength was at the Seven-Star Dou Emperor realm.

He had come here today at the Medicine Emperor's invitation to discuss the Heavenly Flames. Before he had even arrived, he had already sensed the terrifying power Emitting from Jia Nan Academy. From this, he concluded that a top Expert had appeared there.

Han Feng cupped his hands. "I did indeed sense it. It seems Experts have truly appeared in Jia Nan Academy."

"Could Jia Nan Academy's Dean, Mang Tianchi, have returned?"

Elder Ban asked grimly. If it truly was that Expert, then forget seizing the Heavenly Flames—even the moment they stepped through Jia Nan Academy's gates, they would be mercilessly killed.

Han Feng, however, shook his head. He knew many Eighth-Grade Alchemists in the world and had once met some of those old immortals. Jia Nan Academy's Dean, Mang Tianchi, was not an alchemist.

There was no need to fear him.

What concerned him was not Mang Tianchi, but the Experts from other factions.

"Elder Ban, help me notify the other Dou Emperors in the Black Corner Region. If they are willing to assist Han, Han will provide generous rewards."

Upon hearing this, Elder Ban's expression changed slightly. He asked in astonishment, "You want to attack Jia Nan Academy at a time like this? Isn't that just walking into death?!"

"I have my own plans. I have a feeling this person came for that thing. We should seize the initiative."

"What?" Elder Ban's Pupils suddenly contracted. "The Heavenly Flames? Who would dare make a move in Jia Nan Academy..."

"Whether that is the case or not, the plan needs to be moved forward."

Seeing Han Feng's insistence, Elder Ban could not say anything further. He arranged for his subordinates to report the matter to the Dou Emperors of the Black Corner Region. However, the Blood Sect had already been destroyed, so there was no need to contact its remaining Experts.

Under this astonishing pressure, countless students wondered what had happened and why it had caused heaven and earth to resonate.

The Elders of Jia Nan Academy all rushed over. Even the Thousand Hundred Elders, who had not involved themselves in the academy's internal affairs for many years, appeared at the Dean's Guest Courtyard.

Respect filled Hu Gan's face as he cupped his hands and bowed. "Two Elders, this is Mister Confucian Sage, an old friend of the Dean's."

The gray-robed Thousand Hundred Elders froze. Their gazes fell upon Jiang Cheng almost simultaneously, and their expressions changed drastically. A Dou Saint Expert?!

"This junior, Qian Mu and Bai Lie, greets Mister Confucian Sage."

Jiang Cheng waved his sleeves. "Enough, enough. Get up. I'm a rather easygoing person, so there is no need for such courtesy."

The Thousand Hundred Elders only felt a stream of Dou Qi rise from the ground, forcibly lifting them upright. With such terrifying power, few would believe he was not a Dou Saint.

"I know of you." Jiang Cheng said softly, "When I was with your Dean back then, I heard him mention Qian Mu and Bai Lie, the two peak Dou Zong Experts of the academy."

Upon hearing this, the two revealed faint smiles. This left Vice Dean Hu Gan utterly astonished; he had never expected the usually stern-faced two Elders to smile as well.

"You two need not be so polite in the future. Since I know your Dean, I can be considered half a close friend."

When Jiang Cheng had still been at the Dou Venerate realm, he had encountered Mang Tianchi while the latter was traveling across the Dou Qi Continent. Mang Tianchi was an upright man who enjoyed wandering the world, but he had never believed that Jiang Cheng's true age was only in his teens.