Missing?

"Elders, are you all alright?" A voice came from afar. Huo Yuhao, carrying the student, leaped through the ruins and quickly arrived in front of the elders.

"We're all alright. It's all thanks to Elder Huo!" Elder Huo said with a smile, taking out several pills to restore Dou Qi from his Storage Ring and handing them to everyone. "I never imagined that Elder Huo, with only the cultivation of Nine-Star Da Dou Shi, could kill Yuan Yi, a three-star Dou Emperor. Truly, the younger generation is formidable!"

Taking the pill, Huo Yuhao scanned it with his spiritual power and swallowed it. "Elder Huo, you flatter me. It was merely a sneak attack and the power of the Spirit Artifact."

"That takes skill!" Wu Tian praised, then stood up and went to the side of the unconscious student.

How is he?

"He's still alive, just unconscious. His soul has likely suffered damage," Huo Yuhao replied in a deep voice, glancing around. "This place is no place to stay any longer; let's go back."

On the way back, because they had to carry the unconscious student, they didn't fly at full speed and it took them about half a day to get back to the Jia Nan Academy.

When the familiar outline of the Jia Nan Academy finally appeared on the horizon, it was already half a day later. Carrying an unconscious student, their speed was ultimately slow. Huo Yuhao could feel Elder Wu Tian's irritation beside him.

Huo Yuhao landed smoothly and carefully handed the unconscious student over to the three Dou Wang elders.

"I would like to trouble the three of you to personally escort him to Elder Hao." Huo Yuhao's voice was deep and clear as his gaze swept over the student's pale face.

The long-armed elder was slightly taken aback, then nodded in agreement. Without the slightest delay, he and the other two Dou Wang transformed into three streaks of light, carrying the injured man away at breakneck speed.

"Elder Huo," Huo Yuhao turned to the eager old man beside him, "Please prepare the medicinal herbs needed to build the spirit field. After Elder Wu Tian and I report to the Vice Dean, we will immediately head to the Alchemy Department."

Elder Huo's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if the spirit field was already in front of him. Without saying a word, he moved swiftly and rushed towards the Alchemy Department.

The vice dean's office was still filled with a faint smell of tobacco. Hu Gan still as lazy as ever, slumped in his large chair, his feet arrogantly propped up on the smooth desktop.

Huo Yuhao gave a concise report on his trip to Black Mark City: the strange Soul Barrier, the students on the altar, the siege by four Dou Emperor, the death of Yuan Yi Fan Lao, and the ever-present but elusive aura of Dou Zong.

"That's how it is," Huo Yuhao concluded.

Hu Gan smacked his lips and tapped his fingers on the armrest. "Well done, Elder Huo! The academy will remember this. How about we grant you another visit to the Library Pavilion?"

Huo Yuhao's gaze, however, bypassed Hu Gan's languid figure and fell upon the view outside the window. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he asked, "Has the academy been attacked?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Hu Gan waved his hand.

At that very moment, a deafening explosion!

A dull yet intense energy surge suddenly emanated from the Inner Academy, like the roar of a giant beast, causing the doors and windows to vibrate.

Huo Yuhao suddenly turned his head and looked in the direction of the energy burst.

"Well—" Hu Gan's voice was relaxed, as if he were used to it. "The Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower has run into some trouble again, it's nothing new. With the Grand Elder overseeing things there, there's nothing to worry about."

Huo Yuhao looked at Hu Gan's relaxed face, his gaze sweeping over every wrinkle on his face, as if he were seeing him for the first time.

After a moment, Huo Yuhao nodded slightly, turned and left, the heavy wooden door closing silently behind him.

"Tsk," Hu Gan curled his lip in the direction he disappeared, then smiled at Wu Tian, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, "This Elder Huo is rather lacking in manners."

Wu Tian snorted through his nose, "Aren't all geniuses like this?"

After leaving the dean's office, Huo Yuhao strolled around the campus, giving the impression of having nothing to do.

He strolled to the Central Lake, ignoring the dust on the ground, and sat down directly.

The lake water was crystal clear, reflecting the sky and clouds. Several small red-scaled fish swam slowly among the water plants near the shore, creating delicate ripples.

This tranquil environment is exceptionally suitable for spiritual practice. A gentle breeze ripples across the lake, bringing with it Sisi refreshing mist imbued with the Heaven and Earth Origin Qi.

Huo Yuhao took out an exquisite Spirit Jade pendant from his pocket, tracing its smooth, warm patterns with his fingertips. He brought it to his lips, his voice so low that even the wind nearby could barely hear it.

"Okay, teacher, I understand." Huo Yuhao hung up the Communication Spirit Device.

The pendant shimmered with a warm light. Huo Yuhao put it back inside his clothes, then stood up, brushed away non-existent dust from his robes, and his eyes regained their clarity and sharpness.

On the other side, Yao Chen tossed the Communication Spirit Device back to Xiao Yan, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Master, what happened to Huo Yuhao?" Xiao Yan asked with some concern.

"He didn't elaborate, but I suspect he encountered someone from the Soul Hall," Yao Chen said in a deep voice. "He asked about the Soul Hall's power structure and methods."

"Ah? Then what are we waiting for! Let's go help!" Xiao Yan said, and immediately got up to summon the Purple Cloud Wings.

"What's your rush!" Yao Chen shoved his head back onto the sand. "Even if we get there immediately, at our speed, what's meant to happen will already have happened!"

"But----"

"Don't worry, Jia Nan Academy is quite strong," Yao Chen reassured him. "Besides, Huo Yuhao isn't without options when facing only the Soul Hall Protector."

"Alright." Xiao Yan climbed out of the sand pile and gave Yao Chen a Sand Shadow Strike remark.

Yao Chen flicked away the sand Xiao Yan spat out and pointed to the right, saying, "I sensed the aura of the Sand Mandala over there. Let's help Hai Bodong refine the pills first, then we'll bring him along to find the Heavenly Flames."

"Isn't Jia Nan Academy really that weak? They've been beaten up like this and they still—" Ling Ying complained disdainfully during their Mental Sharing.

"Senior Ling, do the Soul Clan members usually not interfere in the affairs of the Soul Hall?" Huo Yuhao strolled slowly toward the Profound Teaching Building, occasionally admiring the scenery along the way.

Ling Ying scoffed, "Besides the main hall, the branch halls in Central Plains might have some influence. But who cares about the Northwestern Continent?"

"Hmm." Huo Yuhao stopped at the Profound Teaching Building and looked up at the window of Profound Class One.

"The Soul Clan's expertise lies in soul abilities like devouring and attacking, which are different from yours, kid," Ling Ying continued. "And don't worry about killing them here attracting the Soul Clan; we Ancient Eight Clans have an agreement. Besides, Jia Nan Academy was founded by Mang Tian Chi, a member of the Thunder Clan, so they'll give us some face."

"I see."

The classroom door of Profound Class One, was pushed open. The podium was empty, and all the students were sitting in their seats. Huo Yuhao's gaze swept over them; there were far fewer students, and none of the familiar faces were there.

He walked up to a student who looked somewhat uneasy. "Where are Lin Xiuya and the others?"

"Disappeared."