Ambush and Old Friends Arrive

Just as Old Wang had expected, not long after he and Xiao Li left, several groups of people gradually followed after them.

Once Xiao Li and Old Wang had traveled far from Xuan Ye City, Old Wang suddenly stopped, and a strange axe appeared in his hand.

"Teacher, have they come?" Xiao Li naturally understood what his teacher's actions meant. A large red-and-white sword appeared in his hand as well. Its Sword Body was bright and translucent, carved with flame patterns.

The sword's guard was exceptionally broad and could be opened, with space inside for Fire Attribute Magical Cores.

This sword, Heavenly Fierce, was presumably an outstanding work of an ancient Weapon Refiner. Unfortunately, the inheritance of Weapon Refiners on the Dou Qi Continent was not as complete as that of Alchemists.

"Li'er, they've arrived. Two Dou Emperors, one two-star and one Three-Star Dou Ling, eight Dou Wangs, over a dozen Dou Lings. There's no need to count the Da Dou Shis." Old Wang's Soul Force had already sensed the enemy's numbers.

"Uh, that many? Teacher, two Dou Emperors alone would already keep you busy. Won't the rest chop me into minced meat?" Xiao Li said with a bitter face.

"Not that much meat!" Old Wang was still in the mood to joke. "Ahem, enough joking. Everyone ahead is an enemy, but since I stopped, it naturally means our Friendly Forces have arrived. Old Su, shouldn't you show yourself?"

Kacha—

A small crack suddenly opened in the void.

"Hehe, Old Wang, I didn't expect your Soul Perception to still be so astonishing." An aged voice came from the void. A Black Robe elder emerged from it with a Black-Clothed Middle-Aged Man.

The Black-Clothed Middle-Aged Man had a pair of Dou Qi Wings behind him, while the elder at the front stood upon the void, slowly walking toward Old Wang.

"Stepping on the Void, a Dou Ancestor Expert!"

This was also Xiao Li's first time seeing a Dou Ancestor Expert. On the Northwest Continent, a Dou Zong stood at the very peak. Dou Zongs were the dividing line between ordinary cultivators and true powerhouses; only upon entering the Dou Zong realm could one be considered a powerhouse of the continent.

"You old fellow, you really broke through to the Dou Zong realm? Good. Help this old man wipe out every last one of these invaders." Old Wang's tone was rather confrontational. It was obvious that he was angry.

"You old fellow, you actually want this old man to be your thug? You're the first Dou Emperor who has dared to order around a Dou Zong!" Su Qian said irritably.

Seeing the two speak this way, they clearly shared a deep friendship. Wu Tianlang had not expected the Great Elder to be acquainted with this mysterious Alchemist.

Xiao Li, meanwhile, had not expected his teacher to know people everywhere he went. Hopefully, Teacher doesn't have acquaintances even in the Central Continent.

"We can chat later. Let's cut off these tails and discuss matters once we reach Peace Town. While we're at it, introduce this young and promising little fellow to me. His Bone Age is only around sixteen or seventeen, yet his cultivation has reached Three-Star Dou Ling. He's even more monstrous than the little fellows in the Inner Academy!"

Su Qian's gaze fell upon Xiao Li, his eyes gleaming as though he were examining some priceless treasure.

"Uh, Senior, don't look at me like that. Your gaze is making me a little scared." Goosebumps rose all over Xiao Li's body. Being stared at by an old man like this was rather unsettling.

"Ahem, Old Su, deal with these tails first. This old man also has important matters to discuss with you." Old Wang coughed.

"Hand over the pills and Storage Rings, and This Seat can spare your—"

Splat—

The Dou Emperor who had spoken had his head split open like a smashed watermelon.

Splat, splat, splat, splat—

In only a few breaths, Su Qian had dealt with every invading enemy. Two low-level Dou Emperors and a few Dou Wangs were not even enough to serve as a warm-up for him.

"So this is a Dou Zong? Truly formidable." Old Wang sighed.

Xiao Li, meanwhile, ran over to loot the bodies. These people were more or less powerhouses from the Black Horn Region, so they surely had some assets. There was no reason not to take them.

After Xiao Li collected all the Storage Rings, he returned to Old Wang's side.

"Let's go."

The four of them departed, heading toward Peace Town of Jia Nan Academy.

Not long afterward,

Several more groups of powerhouses arrived, but all they found was a complete mess.

"My heavens, two Dou Emperors and several Dou Wangs are all dead. Even their Storage Rings are gone. Just what faction did this?"

After flying for an entire day, Xiao Li saw a faintly visible small town in the gap between two majestic mountains in the distance.

"Alright, we've reached Peace Town. We'll walk in from here," Su Qian said with a smile.

Jia Nan Academy had an unwritten rule: within a hundred li of the academy, no one was allowed to fly by force. Otherwise, they would draw an attack!

As the Great Elder of the Inner Academy, Su Qian naturally had to set an example. Peace Town was very safe, after all. Anyone who dared to make a move here... hehe, would soon get to see one of Jia Nan Academy's famous sights.

The moment Xiao Li stood at the entrance of Peace Town, a strange sight filled his vision!

It was a bizarre giant tree, black in color. Its canopy spread in every direction, clawing outward like monstrous talons, yet beneath the sunlight, it carried a faint chill.

Between the branches, corpses had been directly impaled and hung there. When the breeze blew, they swayed back and forth, producing terrifying creaking sounds.

"Hiss—That's a little creepy!" Xiao Li sucked in a breath. This bizarre scene had somewhat exceeded the limits of what he could endure, and he felt like vomiting.

This tree was called the Death Spirit Tree!

The sinister aura emitted by this strange Death Spirit Tree made everyone standing at the town entrance feel a chill deep in their bones.

Within the Black Horn Region, the reputation of the Death Spirit Tree was enough to make people tremble. More than a decade ago, one faction in the Black Horn Region had fought a bloody battle with Jia Nan Academy.

No one knew why the battle had begun. They only knew that after that bloody battle, the old tree in Peace Town bore the corpses of two Dou Wangs and one Dou Emperor.

Thus, the tree came to be known as the Death Spirit Tree.

From that point onward, the area surrounding Jia Nan Academy became a peaceful zone utterly out of place with the Outside World. No powerhouse from the Black Horn Region dared to enter these towns with murderous intent anymore. Even during the occasional disturbances, those responsible would become corpses impaled upon the Death Spirit Tree within less than an hour.

At this moment, Xiao Li looked at the corpses swaying in the wind upon the Death Spirit Tree like little weather dolls, and his heart turned cold.

"Li'er, do you know why Jia Nan Academy can cultivate geniuses in the chaotic land of the Black Horn Region? It relies on overwhelming strength! Only a place like this can nurture geniuses!"

Old Wang said with a chuckle. He had visited Jia Nan Academy many times and seen many geniuses. Now, he had brought forth the little genius he had raised to compete with the geniuses from across the continent!

"Oh? Old Wang, could it be that you want this little fellow to join Jia Nan Academy?" Su Qian suddenly asked with interest.

"Of course. My disciple is naturally gifted. At sixteen, he already reached Three-Star Dou Ling. Tell me, when has Jia Nan Academy ever had such a genius?

"However, some people are unremarkable in their early years, only to mature late and soar into the sky afterward. There are also those whose early lives go smoothly, only to die young in the end.

"Li'er, remember this: never look down on anyone in the world. There are always people stronger than you, and skies beyond the sky."

Old Wang's tone was extremely serious. Perhaps he had once been this kind of person himself—his early life had gone smoothly, and he had displayed extraordinary talent, only for his entire family to be destroyed.

"This disciple understands!" Xiao Li nodded heavily. Everyone has their moment of glory; don't mistake a single moment for eternity. Wasn't the Xiao Tribe the same back then?