Battle Through the Heavens: The Road to Rise Begins at Jia Nan Academy

Ya Fei, standing nearby, was equally astonished. Had she misjudged him? Was this man really a madman?

"You're not injured now, but you soon will be!"

Before his words had even faded, Qin Chen's robe flared outward as he lunged forward. His tough boot tore through the air and viciously kicked Lei Le square in his arrogant face.

The kick was immensely powerful. Lei Le flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily onto the stone road in the distance.

"Cough, cough..."

His dry coughing drowned out his screams. Blood mixed with broken teeth spilled from Lei Le's mouth, leaving him in a miserable state.

Looking at Lei Le sprawled on the ground like a dead dog, Qin Chen sneered. Against someone like this, even punching him felt disgusting.

The guards who had been enjoying the show all sucked in a sharp breath, contributing to the birth of Heavenly Flames on the Battle Qi Continent.

Only after a moment did they snap back to their senses. They gripped their weapons tightly and surrounded Qin Chen, intending to capture him.

Little Trouble

Qin Chen did not even spare the guards a glance. He lightly stomped his foot, shaking the blood from his boot soles as an invisible wave of air swept out and knocked every advancing guard to the ground.

Ya Fei stared at the calm and unruffled Qin Chen, the surprise in her beautiful eyes instantly turning into shock.

"Get lost!"

Qin Chen's voice carried unquestionable authority, piercing the guards' hearts like a sharp blade.

The guards struggled to their feet, retreated to Lei Le's side, helped him up, and fled into the Mite'er Family estate in a miserable scramble.

Even as the guards carried away the limp Lei Le, he did not forget to spit out a threat. "You little bastard, so you came here to cause trouble! Just wait if you've got the guts!"

To his surprise, Qin Chen stood there quietly, like some reckless fool.

Coming back to her senses, Ya Fei's delicate body trembled. She hurried to Qin Chen's side, her almond-shaped eyes full of anxiety. "Sir, you should leave quickly. Lei Le's grandfather, Lei Ou, is a Dou Ling expert. He won't let you go."

Although Ya Fei wanted to thank Qin Chen for helping her resolve this trouble, she knew that what he had done could no longer be settled as a private grudge. He had challenged the Mite'er Family's dignity.

After all, even if someone in the family had done wrong, it was not an outsider's place to discipline them, much less at the gates of the Mite'er estate.

Hearing this, Qin Chen secretly glanced at Ya Fei's full chest rising and falling with tension, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.

"He's only a mere Dou Ling. I don't think much of him. If you aren't afraid, you can wait here with me. You might even gain some good fortune from it."

Watching Qin Chen's words and actions, Ya Fei furrowed her slender brows, her lips pressed into a straight line. After thinking for a moment and looking into his deep eyes, she ultimately decided to stay.

However, the way her delicate hand clenched tightly within her sleeve revealed her unease.

Elsewhere, inside a spacious and brightly lit room at the Mite'er Family headquarters.

Mittel Tengshan, formerly the Mite'er Family's First Elder and now its clan leader, stood respectfully before a gray-haired old man.

"Elder Hai, we have leads on the remaining medicinal ingredients from the list. We should be able to gather them all soon."

Upon hearing this, a trace of joy finally appeared on Hai Bodong's usually indifferent face. "Very good, Tengshan..."

!!!

Before he could finish speaking, Hai Bodong abruptly rose to his feet.

"What is it, Elder Hai?" Mittel Tengshan asked in confusion as he watched Hai Bodong's frightened expression.

He had followed Hai Bodong for decades. No matter whom they encountered, he had never seen the man reveal such an expression.

That aura... it must be the Medusa Queen. It seems he has arrived! The thought flashed through Hai Bodong's mind, and his expression quickly calmed again.

Looking at Mittel Tengshan beside him, Hai Bodong said calmly, "An honored guest has arrived. Come, Tengshan. Go welcome him with me."

Mittel Tengshan's expression shifted slightly, his confusion deepening. Hai Bodong had mentioned this honored guest before, but his tone had been calm then. Why had he become so agitated today?

His aged eyelids fluttered, and Mittel Tengshan respectfully acknowledged him before following Hai Bodong outside.

Outside the gates of the Mite'er estate.

"Ya Fei, you've certainly grown bold. You actually dared to collude with an outsider and injure a member of the family. When the Elders' Council convenes next time, I will formally propose to the other elders that you be stripped of your position!"

An elderly man in luxurious robes, his face gloomy, glared venomously at the man and woman before him. His voice carried an undisguised threat.

Several guards stood behind him, their gazes equally cold.

As for Lei Le, two guards were supporting him. Qin Chen's attack had injured him so badly that he still could not stand.

Even so, his face remained full of smugness and cruelty.

Ya Fei's lovely face turned icy as she prepared to retort.

"Don't waste your breath on him. If a dog bites you, are you going to bite it back?" Qin Chen's casual voice came from the side at that moment.

"Brat, you're courting death!"

Qin Chen's words undoubtedly enraged Lei Ou. Battle Qi surged over his withered palm as he prepared to attack.

Whoosh!

A white figure flickered in and out of sight, appearing between Ya Fei and Lei Ou as if it had teleported.

Before anyone could react, a broad palm extended from the white figure. Carrying an icy, bone-chilling force, it lightly pressed against Lei Ou's chest.

The instant they made contact, Lei Ou's expression changed drastically. Then he felt an overwhelming force erupt from his chest, blasting him away.

Blood-red ice crystals fell to the ground alongside the old man, leaving everyone present dumbfounded.

"Grandfather!" After staring blankly for a moment at the pale-faced old man on the ground, Lei Le finally came to his senses and cried out in panic.

"This..." Watching the tyrannical old man get sent flying, Ya Fei felt a strange sense of familiarity for some reason.

Why did this scene feel so familiar?

"E-Elder Hai!" Shaking the shattered ice from his hair, Lei Ou trembled all over in fear after recognizing Hai Bodong's face in the distance.

"Elder Hai." Ya Fei stepped before Hai Bodong, cupped her hands, and greeted him sweetly.

"Mm."

Hai Bodong waved his hand and slowly walked over to Qin Chen. Cupping his hands, he smiled. "You finally came."

"It's been a year. Elder Hai seems to have become even more impressive than before." Qin Chen returned the salute.

Mittel Tengshan hurried over at that moment. Taking in the scene before him, the old fox's eyes shifted, and he quickly understood what had happened.

A shrewd smile appeared on his face as he hurriedly stepped forward and repeatedly cupped his hands toward Qin Chen. "You must be the honored guest Elder Hai spoke of. Your presence today truly brings glory to the Mite'er Family!"

"You flatter me, Clan Leader Tengshan. I apologize for disturbing you on this visit." Naturally, Qin Chen would not strike someone who greeted him with a smile.

Seeing this, Hai Bodong glanced at Lei Le and the others. "What happened just now?"

"Oh, it was like this."

Qin Chen smiled and pointed at the trembling Lei Le. "This man said he wanted to break my bones. I had no choice but to defend myself with everything I had. But who knew that after failing to beat me, he would summon a Dou Ling expert? If Miss Ya Fei hadn't argued on my behalf and allowed Elder Hai to arrive in time, I might not have made it out alive today."

"I see."

Hai Bodong nodded, then looked at Mittel Tengshan beside him. "Tengshan, did you hear what this young friend said?"

Mittel Tengshan's expression darkened slightly. How could he not understand Elder Hai's meaning? He immediately shouted, "Lei Ou!"

"C-Clan Leader." Ignoring the pain in his body, Lei Ou hurriedly got up and knelt on the ground.

With a cold snort, Mittel Tengshan said indifferently, "You offended an honored guest of the Mite'er Family. You should have been severely punished, but in consideration of your past service to the family, you are hereby stripped of your position as elder and assigned to manage a branch in a border city. You are not permitted to return to headquarters for three years!"

"Leave immediately today. There will be no delays!"

Invite the Lord into the Urn

Lei Ou's body trembled, and his heart instantly turned to ash. Yet he did not dare offer the slightest objection. He could only grit his teeth and bow his head. "Yes, Clan Leader!"

With that, Lei Ou called to the guards behind him and left in disgrace with his grandson.

After the pair disappeared from sight, Mittel Tengshan turned his gaze toward Ya Fei beside Qin Chen. His tone softened. "You did very well this time. When the Elders' Council convenes next, I will have you formally take over management of the Mite'er headquarters auction house."

"Thank you, Clan Leader." Ya Fei's delicate hand clenched within her sleeve as she nodded slightly.

Now she finally understood what Qin Chen had meant by good fortune.

After dealing with the matter at hand, Mittel Tengshan's expression eased somewhat. He looked toward Hai Bodong, Hai Bodong looked toward Qin Chen, and Qin Chen nodded.

"This is not a suitable place to talk. Let's go somewhere quiet and discuss things properly," Hai Bodong said seriously.

"Mm." Qin Chen nodded.

"Master..." Mittel Tengshan began.

"Don't call me Master. I'm not that old yet."

"Oh, yes, yes, yes. Young friend, please follow me..." Qin Chen's words put Mittel Tengshan more at ease. He had been worried that Qin Chen might be someone with a strange temperament.

At the Mite'er Family headquarters, inside a quiet and luxurious room.

The Mite'er Family truly had risen through commerce. Their headquarters was indeed magnificent and lavish.

"Elder Hai, how are the medicinal ingredients coming along?" Qin Chen asked the two old men with a smile.

"Most of them have been prepared, but we are still short of several rare ingredients." Hai Bodong took out a storage ring and handed it to Qin Chen, his voice solemn.

Qin Chen accepted the storage ring and sent his soul power into it. Before long, he smiled knowingly. "This will do. I have the remaining ingredients."

Hai Bodong truly was an angel investor. Under the usual rules, one had to provide three sets of ingredients when asking an alchemist to refine pills. Yet Qin Chen found that many ingredients in this storage ring numbered far more than three.

There were even many ingredients that were not part of the pill formula at all.

"Time is of the essence. Take me somewhere no one will disturb us. I'll begin refining the pill immediately," Qin Chen said at once.

"The place has long been prepared, but..."

Hai Bodong beamed at the words, but soon scratched his head awkwardly.

Qin Chen frowned, confusion in his eyes. "What is it, Elder Hai? Is there a problem?"

"There is indeed a minor trouble."

Hai Bodong composed himself and continued, "When I went to the Alchemist Guild to trade for the Spirit Fusion Pill formula, I happened to mention you to their president, Fa Ma."

"After hearing that you are a sixth-tier alchemist, Fa Ma very much wanted to meet you. For that reason, he did not even charge anything for the Spirit Fusion Pill formula. So, what do you think...?"

"Oh?"

Qin Chen was somewhat surprised. He rubbed his chin and considered it for a moment before giving a soft laugh. "In that case, let him come and watch."