Battle Through the Heavens: Rising Through Canaan Academy, Part 31

Medusa sighed softly as she gazed at the tightly shut stone door. With a jade hand, she tucked the loose strands of hair hanging before her forehead behind her ear and murmured, "I hope everything goes smoothly for you."

Glancing at the storage ring on her pale jade finger, Medusa swiftly regained her cold, imposing demeanor and turned toward the Holy City's council hall.

She had been away from the Snake-People Tribe for several months, and the clan's affairs had long piled up like mountains. They had to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Once she finished handling those matters, she would also need to enter seclusion and make a breakthrough quickly.

After Qin Chen's careful treatment and feeding over this period, she was already within reach of becoming a two-star Dou Zong.

Inside the cultivation chamber, Qin Chen sat cross-legged atop the Green Lotus Seat, looking at the Earth Core Pearl in his palm with some reluctance.

"Forget it. They're all resources anyway. What's there to be reluctant about? Once I'm strong enough, I won't have to worry about finding good things."

"Two months should be enough for me to advance to Dou Huang."

Qin Chen took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. Then, his hands formed several strange seals as he rapidly entered a cultivation state.

If he relied solely on absorbing the surrounding natural energy to advance to Dou Huang, Qin Chen conservatively estimated that it would take at least a year.

Yet less than a year remained before the three-year agreement began, not to mention that he still needed to head to the imperial capital in advance to make preparations.

Chapter 53: Gu Xun'er Receives News

As his mind sank into cultivation, waves of pure, vast energy continuously surged from the Earth Core Pearl and wildly gathered within Qin Chen's body.

Qin Chen changed his hand seals, and his soul power spread out like a tide, guiding the Green Lotus Core Flame to temper and compress the energy entering his body before finally refining it through his cultivation technique.

Time passed second by second, while the aura Qin Chen emitted climbed at an astonishing pace.

The Northwestern Continent was vast, home to countless nations and tribes. The Jia Ma Empire was merely one of them.

However, if one traveled east from the Jia Ma Empire, then farther east, and farther east still, they would witness an entirely different sight.

There was no order and no restraint. There existed only the law of the jungle, where the strong preyed on the weak, along with endless plunder.

The Black-Corner Region was a chaotic land steeped in slaughter, violence, and bloodshed. Due to its special geographical location, countless desperadoes had gathered there.

Here, human lives were worth less than grass, and strength was the only passport. Even a Dou Wang expert could easily end up dead beyond redemption with one careless mistake.

Over countless years, the Black-Corner Region had devoured an unknown number of renowned figures. Even if one had already secured a foothold in this land, they still had to face the covetous eyes and challenges of powers from every side.

Yet nothing was absolute. At the heart of this chaotic region stood a colossal existence utterly different from the surrounding disorder—Canaan Academy.

Even the most unruly desperadoes did not dare act recklessly within the academy's territory.

Within the ancient academy, atop a lush green mountain peak, a young girl in a cyan dress stood gracefully.

Her figure was slender and graceful, while her long dark hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall. As the breeze drifted past, her sleeves fluttered gently, making her seem like a solitary green lotus untouched by the world.

Mist and clouds coiled around the mountain peak. From afar, the girl resembled a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world, mysterious and noble.

"Come out."

The girl's cool voice was like jade striking jade, ethereal and clear.

As her words fell, the large tree behind her distorted slightly. A green figure slowly detached from the trunk, then dropped to one knee. "Miss!"

If Qin Chen had been here, he would certainly have recognized the girl's identity. Though he had never met her, her unique bearing and expression belonged to only one person in all of Canaan Academy.

The Gu Clan's eldest young lady, Gu Yuan's daughter—Gu Xun'er.

Gu Xun'er slowly turned around, and a gentle smile appeared on her usually indifferent face. "Tell me. What news has Elder Ling brought this time?"

"Master Ling has identified the mysterious powerful soul within Young Master Xiao Yan. He is Yao Chen, Venerable Yao, the eighth-tier alchemist renowned across the continent."

"Venerable Yao was harmed by Soul Hall back then. For some unknown reason, he ended up with Young Master Xiao Yan, who has already taken Venerable Yao as his master."

"The bond between master and disciple is as close as that between father and son. To help Young Master Xiao Yan, Venerable Yao has paid quite a price."

The green figure knew his young lady's feelings well and knew exactly how to deliver his report "cleanly and efficiently."

"Venerable Yao?" Gu Xun'er's delicate brows furrowed slightly.

She had heard of Venerable Yao's name, not only because he was hailed as the continent's greatest alchemist, but more importantly, because he was a member of the Yao Clan.

Gu Xun'er lowered her eyes in thought. After a moment, a warm smile appeared on her face. "As expected of Brother Xiao Yan. He actually managed to take Venerable Yao as his teacher. With such an expert guiding him, Brother Xiao Yan's future achievements will surely be limitless."

"..."

The green figure's heart twitched slightly. This Xiao Yan was truly both enviable and infuriating. He would always hold a special place in his young lady's heart.

However, if he learned the truth, he would probably be unable to contain his anger and slap that brat who had secretly entered a girl's room to death.

After secretly laughing bitterly for a moment, the green figure spoke again. "Miss, Master Ling discovered traces of those people in the Jia Ma Empire."

"You mean Soul Hall?"

Gu Xun'er's expression darkened at first, then her beautiful eyes widened. "Could they have set their sights on Brother Xiao Yan?"

"Miss, it's like this..."

The green figure then carefully recounted the news Ling Ying had sent, including how Xiao Yan had met Qin Chen, their transaction, and finally their agreement to head to the Misty Cloud Sect together.

"Qin Chen, the Misty Cloud Sect, Soul Hall Protectors..." After hearing everything, Gu Xun'er's brows drew tightly together.

She looked at the figure nearby and asked calmly, "Have you investigated Qin Chen? Do you think what he said is true?"

She had heard of this person's name shortly after arriving at the Outer Academy, but she had not paid much attention to it then.

A seventeen-year-old Dou Wang was all he was. Within her clan, there were countless Dou Wangs younger than him. He was not worth her attention at all.

In Gu Xun'er's eyes, no one in all of Canaan Academy—not even among her clan's peers—could compare to her Brother Xiao Yan.

"Yes. Qin Chen is known as Canaan Academy's number one genius. He reached the Dou Wang realm at only seventeen years old and is deeply trusted by the Inner Academy's elders. He requested leave and departed the academy roughly half a year ago."

"There truly is a Dou Zong-level combatant by his side, and he himself matches the information gathered from the academy. Based on that, there is a high chance his words are true," the green figure said with certainty.

Gu Xun'er's brows remained tightly furrowed. As things stood, this man was a friend rather than an enemy, but...

Who could guarantee that Qin Chen's information was absolutely reliable? Who could say for certain that there were no other Soul Hall members within the Misty Cloud Sect?

The three-year agreement was of utmost importance not only to Xiao Yan, but also to her, the Gu Clan's eldest young lady.

Xiao Yan had to go, and he had to win!

Otherwise, not only would the Xiao Clan lose all face, but her hope of being with Brother Xiao Yan would become even more distant.

In truth, Gu Xun'er was overthinking it. Given Soul Hall's usual behavior, how could Protector Wu possibly share such a tremendous opportunity with anyone else?

"Brother Xiao Yan, it truly hasn't been easy for you..."

Gu Xun'er let out a long sigh, then waved at the green figure kneeling on one knee. "Leave for now. If those old men discover you, it may cause unnecessary trouble."

"Remember, you must not let Brother Xiao Yan learn of this. He doesn't like being watched," Gu Xun'er reminded him calmly at the end.

"Yes!" The green figure respectfully bowed, then flashed away and swiftly vanished into the trees nearby.

Looking at the mountain peak, now empty once more, Gu Xun'er slowly turned around. Gazing in the direction of the Jia Ma Empire, her usually clear eyes were filled with killing intent.

"Soul Hall... Whether you are gathering souls or searching for the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade, do not let him suffer any harm."

"If Brother Xiao Yan is harmed because of this, then no matter what, I will make you pay a terrible price!"

As she spoke those final words, mottled golden light flashed through Gu Xun'er's eyes, and a scorching aura quietly spread from her body.

Under the shroud of that aura, the green vegetation on the mountain peak rapidly turned yellow and withered at a visible pace.

Chapter 54: Successful Advancement

Chu Yun Empire, atop a remote mountain peak.

A young girl dressed in pure white sat cross-legged. Though she looked delicate on the outside, the powerful aura radiating from her made it clear that she was a genuine Dou Wang expert.

She was none other than Xiao Yixian, who had parted ways with Qin Chen.

At this moment, Xiao Yixian's beautiful face was filled with tension as she stared fixedly at the medicinal cauldron before her.

She swallowed, then stretched out a trembling arm.

With a gentle wave of her jade hand, a round pearl the size of a longan slowly floated out of the medicinal cauldron and hovered before her.

Xiao Yixian placed the pill beneath her nose and took a light sniff. To her delight, it no longer emitted the pungent stench of the poison pills she had refined in the past. Instead, it carried wisps of faint fragrance.

Overjoyed, Xiao Yixian quickly took out a prepared jade bottle and placed the pill inside to prevent it from being contaminated by toxic gas. Then she tightly gripped the jade bottle in her palm.

"Qin Chen, it seems you didn't lie to me. Even as a poison master, I can still save people by refining pills."

By the end, Xiao Yixian's delicate nose had gradually reddened, and crystalline tears silently fell from her eyes.

This pill had been refined by Xiao Yixian according to the method Qin Chen had provided.

During the refinement process, Xiao Yixian had not used her own Dou Qi. Instead, she relied on soul power and the scattered natural energy around her to complete the pill refinement.

Xiao Yixian possessed the Woeful Poison Body, and her Dou Qi contained terrifyingly potent toxins.

It was precisely because of those toxins that no matter how she refined pills, they would ultimately become tainted with deadly poison.

As everyone knew, the necessary conditions for successfully refining pills were materials, a source of fire, and soul perception.

As long as these three conditions were met, even those without fire-and-wood attributes could refine pills, just like Tang Zhen, although they would only be low-tier pills...

Being unable to become an alchemist did not mean one could not refine pills.

Therefore, as long as the issue of poisonous Dou Qi was resolved, Xiao Yixian would also have a chance to refine low-tier pills.

That was why Qin Chen had said she could only attempt it after reaching Dou Wang.

The scroll he had given Xiao Yixian did not record ordinary alchemy techniques, but a special "method" he had modified.

For example, it would be almost impossible for a blind person to solve a Rubik's Cube independently. But if an expert guided them through every step, the blind person could still solve it in the end.

Days quietly passed, and half a month had already gone by since Qin Chen entered seclusion.

One day, within the Tagore Desert, endless fire-attributed energy churned violently and surged toward the secret chamber where Qin Chen was located.

As the energy gathered, the air around the chamber began to warp, and scorching waves of heat rolled like something tangible.

In the end, an enormous energy vortex several zhang wide formed in midair above the secret chamber.

Such a spectacular sight naturally alarmed the snake-people within the Holy City. Yet because Medusa Queen had given orders in advance, no one dared approach to investigate.

The vortex continued spinning while energy continued gathering, the two cycling over and over as vast energy continuously poured into Qin Chen's body.

"What a restless fellow..." Medusa languidly reclined against her throne, her slender fingers playing with the strands of hair hanging before her forehead.