Four months later.
With the vast machinery of the Xiao Court at work, along with the harvests Xiao Yu and Zi Yan brought back from their travels, they finally gathered all the medicinal ingredients they needed.
Over those four months, Xiao Yu visited many places-even Maple City.
But upon entering Maple City, he saw large numbers of ruined buildings. After asking around, he learned what had happened.
He had to admit that Su Qian had been remarkably effective. During the year Xiao Yu was absent, nearly all the factions that had invaded Jia Nan Academy had been uprooted, apart from Han Feng, the Gold and Silver Elders, and a few factions with powerful backers.
Since they had chosen to make enemies of Jia Nan Academy, they should have been prepared for such an outcome.
Even Han Feng and the others had hardly fared better. Had he not feared exhausting too much of Jia Nan Academy's strength, Su Qian would surely have fought them to the death.
After all, Jia Nan Academy was not the only long-established, top-tier faction in the Black-Corner Region. Losing too much strength would likely draw the covetous eyes of the others.
There were certainly top-tier factions hostile to Jia Nan Academy.
Aside from that, Xiao Yu also heard news about himself.
Although Su Qian had suppressed the news of him being dragged underground, the Black-Corner Region experts who had witnessed it spread word of how Xiao Yu had fought two opponents alone and crushed Han Feng and Yan.
Now, Xiao Yu's fame in the Black-Corner Region had surpassed Han Feng's. He was hailed as the region's foremost alchemist, and his reputation had even spread beyond its borders.
He had also risen straight to first place on the Black List.
Still, Xiao Yu did not particularly care.