Elder?

A cold, stern voice suddenly rang out against the back of Bai Cheng's follower's neck.

"Who?!" The henchman's hair stood on end, and he whirled around, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat!

A tall, gray-robed figure appeared behind him at some point, the hood pulled low, the shadow completely obscuring his face, revealing only a section of his sharply defined chin. A chilling aura silently spread out, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

"Elder! You—you misheard!" The lackey forced a fawning smile that was more like a grimace, and quietly took a step back, wanting nothing more than to escape this suffocating presence.

"What if—I give you a chance?" The gray-robed man's voice was like rusty iron scraping against each other, carrying a strange allure.

"Opportunity? What do you mean?!" The follower froze, his eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty. This elder—something was wrong with him!

"Oh!"

With a short, sharp laugh, the gray-robed man moved! He was so fast that he left only a blur! A pale white hand with unusually large knuckles gripped the henchman's throat like an iron clamp in an instant!

"Ugh-!" The shrill scream was cut short before it was completely choked in the throat, leaving only a futile hoarse sound.

A biting wind swept across his cheeks. Huo Yuhao squinted, his mental energy like an invisible spider web, constantly scanning the rapidly passing mountain and forest landscape below.

Beside him, Elder Huo, whose usually stern and rigid face was now forced into a twisted, fawning smile as he moved closer to Huo Yuhao.

"Elder Huo," Elder Huo's voice was low and slightly hoarse, "I... have something I'd like to ask for your help with."

Huo Yuhao turned his head, startled by Elder Huo Huo's eager eyes. "Elder Huo, please speak."

"Hehe!" Elder Huo rubbed his calloused fingers, his eyes darting around, "That spirit field in the Inner Academy —I know, it's your doing! May I ask—"

Huo Yuhao said helplessly, "As you know, the vice dean and Elder Lingtian will never allow the Alchemy Department to manage the herb fields. Even if I suggest it, it will be the same."

"Why bother with them! Those ordinary medicinal herbs are nothing to me." Elder Huo his hand hastily, almost hitting a Dou Wang flying beside him. "I have some treasures; could you perhaps grant us a piece of spirit field within our Alchemy Department?"

"I see. After this matter is settled, if you have some free time, you can give it a try." Huo Yuhao nodded slightly.

With Elder Huo's objective achieved, the three Dou Wang elders beside him, who had been listening intently, immediately swarmed around him like sharks smelling fish!

"Elder Huo! Elder Huo!" An elder with long arms shouted the loudest, his face full of enthusiasm, "Those Spirit Artifact you forged! They're simply miraculous! Recently, those lads Lin Xiuya, with the Spirit Artifact you gave them, have even managed to exchange a few blows with us!"

"Could you perhaps make one for us too?" A tall, upright elder approached, his voice full of laughter.

"Yes, just tell me what you need!" The last elder, with a large beard, practically pressed his old face against Huo Yuhao's.

Looking at the three faces before him, each one clearly showing desire, Huo Yuhao sighed and asked, "What weapons do the three elders use?"

Long-Armed Elder: "Gun!"

"I am skilled with a sword!" The tall elder drew his fine steel longsword.

"I'll use a stick!" said the bearded elder.

Huo Yuhao's storage ring flashed, and the Spirit Artifact embryos of these weapons floated before his eyes. At the same time, a small bottle of viscous spirit liquid shimmering with pale golden light appeared in his palm.

"Elder Huo?" Huo Yuhao looked at Elder Huo.

Elder Huo waved his hand, his gaze seemingly drawn to the spirit field he was about to obtain. "I will not use weapons."

Huo Yuhao asked no more questions. His mental energy instantly condensed into three invisible carving knives, which he dipped into the spiritual liquid. In the rapidly flying gale, Huo Yuhao multitasked, smoothly outlining the corresponding strengthening Spirit Runes on the three weapon blanks according to the attributes of the three elders.

Huo Yuhao's movements were fluid and graceful, possessing a unique beauty. Golden Spirit Runes spread and illuminated the artifact's surface as if they were alive.

The elders were so captivated by the sight that they nearly bumped into Elder Huo, who was leading the way.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the three weapons hummed and trembled, emitting distinct yet equally unsettling energy fluctuations!

"Done!"

The three Dou Wang elders were overjoyed and eagerly accepted their respective Spirit Artifact. Feeling the surging power emanating from the weapons, the three of them were almost ready to immediately try out the amplification brought by the Spirit Artifact while still in the air.

Just then, Elder Huo's deep voice rang out. "We've arrived!"

Everyone's gaze sharpened. Below, at the foot of a continuous mountain range, a vast city built from piled-up black boulders was clearly visible.

Huo Yuhao's mental power, like the most sophisticated radar, instantly scanned the entire city. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. "There's no trace of Elder Wu. This city is unusually quiet."

The once bustling Black Mark City was now sparsely populated, giving everyone a sinister feeling.

The group landed on a mountaintop outside the city, without rashly entering the city.

"Elder Wu couldn't have already—" The bearded elder's expression was solemn, his hands gripping the newly acquired long staff tightly.

"With Wu Tian's strength, he wouldn't do that." Elder Huo stroked his beard and decisively said, "There's no time to lose, let's go straight to the Eight Gates headquarters!"

"It's best not to be too reckless!" Huo Yuhao suggested, "How about I infiltrate first, assess the condition of our students, and then decide how to resolve this matter?"

"Alright. Elder Huo, please be careful! We'll wait for your signal here. This time, we'll follow your command!" Elder Huo nodded, handing over command to Huo Yuhao.

"Understood." Huo Yuhao nodded, his figure flickered, and like a shadow merging into the darkness, he silently fell from the sky and disappeared among the houses of Black Mark City.

Under the Simulation disguise, Huo Yuhao quickly traversed the empty streets of Black Mark City and soon arrived in front of a huge auction house.

The Black Mark Auction House, the headquarters of the Eight Gates. Huo Yuhao's gaze swept over the guards at the entrance, his heart filled with doubt: Guards at the Dou Master level—what kind of backing do they have that dares to provoke Jia Nan Academy?

Without spending time thinking about these things, Huo Yuhao entered the Black Mark Auction House without any hindrance and without attracting anyone's attention.

Upon entering, one finds a spacious auction hall. Perhaps due to the rumors spread by the Eight Gates, the auction house is currently empty of customers. The auctioneer and appraisers are chatting together. Huo Yuhao eavesdrops for a while but doesn't glean any valuable information.

Huo Yuhao's eyes flashed with golden light as he manipulated his mental power to Simulation the soul fluctuations of the two people, silently infiltrating their souls.

[Mental Suggestion]!

"Go to the place where the Jia Nan Academy students are being held!" Huo Yuhao left the instruction in their subconscious.