Ever since they felt the ground shaking, no one had gone back to their dormitories. Except for Feng Xiaotian, everyone else sat down on the training ground. Su Ran kept using her Soul Skill to create one Wind Grain Ears after another and distributed them to everyone. Su Mei'er took the ear of grain handed to her by her younger brother, and the chain slowly Entanglement her fingertips and then loosened.
Shi Yan's fists were clenched tightly. Zhong Yue sat beside him with his arms crossed, his gaze calm. Lu Hanxiao leaned against a pillar at the edge of the field, the faint phantom of the Snowy Owl flashing behind him before disappearing again. Lu Qing stood half a step behind him, gripping the handle of the Wind Scythe tightly. Ji Ning sat on the edge of the stone steps, his fingers repeatedly tracing the same path on his leg.
Jiang Lin's Spirit Eyes remained locked on the Soul Power fluctuations emanating from the direction of the back mountain. Cheng Luo's Wind-Binding Vine silently spread around their feet. Bai Yu clutched Ye Qingyu's sleeve, and Ye Qingyu occasionally patted the back of her hand.
Feng Xiaotian had been standing since dusk, his shoulders and back ramrod straight, his breathing deep and slow, his right fingers gently tapping on the side of his leg. Feng Lingtian sat on the stone steps behind him, able to see his brother's tense shoulders and the increasingly slow rhythm of his fingers. He himself became tense as well, his palms unconsciously clenching the fabric on his knees.
Suddenly, a beam of azure light shot into the sky from the mountainside.
The beam of light pierced through the emerald green poison array surrounding the back mountain, its aftershocks spreading in all directions. The sky changed drastically, with countless clouds rapidly rotating around the beam of light, forming a massive azure vortex. Wind Attribute Soul Power surged wildly from all directions, spiraling upwards along the beam of light, enveloping the entire Godwind Academy in a blue light and shadow. The academy's bells rang, one after another, deep and long.
Dugu Bo stood at the edge of the poison array, looking up at the azure light that pierced the heavens and earth, a rare smile appearing on his lips. He turned back and waved in Feng Xiaotian's direction, signaling them to come over.
Feng Xiaotian strode towards the back mountain. His pace was slow, but each step was steady. Feng Lingtian followed behind him, and the entire team followed behind Feng Lingtian. No one spoke, but everyone's steps were quick.
Passing through the outer cordon, the grass and trees on the back mountain path were bent by the previous blue light, and the air was filled with the rich scent of grass. At the entrance of the stone cave, a familiar figure was slowly walking out.
He wore the same cyan robe as before his seclusion. But everyone could sense that he was different. In his eyes, a faint cyan light lingered deep within the pupils, like leaves rustling in the wind. He stood there, without needing to release his Martial Soul, and the surrounding air seemed to flow gently around him.
Godwind Academy finally has a Titled Douluo that truly belongs to it.
"Father." Feng Xiaotian stepped forward, his voice steady. But Feng Lingtian could hear the thin layer of hoarseness in his brother's throat.
Feng Qingxuan glanced at him, then at Feng Lingtian standing beside him, and patted each of them on the shoulder. The pats were firm and warm. Then his gaze passed over his two sons and landed on the eleven people behind them. Bai Yu peeked over from behind Ye Qingyu, Shi Yan's eyes were red-rimmed, Su Mei'er stood straighter than usual, and Ji Ning's expression remained calm and indifferent—but his posture was more upright than ever.
Feng Qingxuan smiled with satisfaction, "You're all back. Judging from your condition, you've all improved, very good."
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the entire team, before continuing, "The news of my breakthrough will spread quickly. The Spirit Hall will send an invitation for me to go to Spirit City to meet the Pope. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family should also send someone to congratulate me. I can handle all of that." His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried the weight befitting Titled Douluo.
Then, his gaze fell on Feng Lingtian.
" Lingtian, regarding the pills you've refined—I think it's time for outsiders to know."
Feng Lingtian raised his head in confusion.
"In the last All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, our Godwind Academy team almost defeated the Spirit Hall. For two years, there's been much speculation about what methods we used. Rather than letting them guess in secret, we'd rather admit it openly. However, the specific source of the pills will not be disclosed—we'll only say that they were made by alchemists trained within the academy. The procurement, distribution, and sale will all be handled by a few teachers personally appointed by me."
His gaze fell on Feng Lingtian again, this time lingering for even longer.
"For the next period of time, all of you, Lingtian, must be careful when you go out and do not leave the academy alone."
Feng Lingtian nodded. He understood his father's meaning. Publicly revealing the existence of the pills was a risky move; it could enhance the academy's reputation and influence, but it would inevitably attract covetous eyes.
Feng Qingxuan planned to stand in front, drawing everyone's attention to himself and hiding himself in the shadows behind.
" The Five Elements Exchange Tournament was originally scheduled for a few months later, but with my breakthrough, most other academies will likely use the excuse of congratulations to come and probe our strength early." Feng Qingxuan glanced at the entire team. "Rest well these few days. Once the news from outside settles down, the exchange tournament will probably begin."
The crowd gradually dispersed, but Feng Lingtian stayed behind.
"Father, now that the matter of the elixirs has been made public, have you thought about the specifics of what to do? Which elixirs can be sold to the public, and which can only be used internally? We need to clarify this first."
Feng Qingxuan nodded, sat down on the stone steps, and gestured for Feng Lingtian to sit as well. "The batch of auxiliary pills that enhance cultivation speed and solidify the foundation of Soul Power can be sold. Made with herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, they are for internal use only; not a single one can be leaked. As for the immortal Immortal Herb- level pills, only you know the formula; we won't reveal a single detail to outsiders unless you deem it necessary."
Feng Lingtian mentally reviewed these words, which roughly matched the classification of pills recorded in his notebook. He nodded.
After finishing their business, he suddenly asked, "Father, what's it like to be Titled Douluo?"
Feng Qingxuan was silent for a moment, then extended his right hand. A ball of azure wind condensed in his palm, so obedient, like a small animal curled up in his hand. Feng Lingtian remembered that when he was a child, his father had also condensed a ball of wind for him in the same way, back then the ball of wind was only the size of a fist. Now this ball of wind contained enough power to destroy half a mountain, yet it was still as obedient as it had been back then.
"That's the feeling." Feng Qingxuan put away the wind ball and patted Feng Lingtian on the shoulder. "You'll see."
The news that Feng Qingxuan had broken through to level 90 spread faster than expected.
The next morning, everyone in the streets and alleys of Godwind City was talking about it. The bulletin board in front of the academy was crowded with people, including lower-grade students and residents of the city.
At noon, the envoy from the Heaven Dou Imperial Family arrived. Prince Xue Xing led a procession of honored guests, with banners fluttering in the wind. As he stood in the main hall of the academy reading the imperial edict and congratulatory message, his gaze swept around the hall. He was slightly surprised to see Dugu Bo sitting in a corner, but quickly looked away.
After reading the congratulatory message, he smiled and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Dugu Bo: " Senior Dugu, it's been a long time. When will you return to Heaven Dou for a visit?" Dugu Bo raised his eyelids and replied indifferently, "We'll see." Prince Xue Xing was not annoyed and left with the words, "Let's talk another day." Feng Qingxuan was courteous and gave a brief response.
Standing at the academy gate, watching the ceremonial guard recede into the distance, Feng Xiaotian uttered a statement that Feng Lingtian found quite apt. "The royal family wants to win over Father, but they are unsure of his attitude, so they sent Prince Xue Xing to probe first."
In the afternoon, the messengers from the Spirit Hall arrived. Only two people came—an old man in a gray robe and a young cardinal. The old man in the gray robe handed over a gilded invitation: inviting Feng Qingxuan to go to Spirit City to pay homage to the Pope and register his title.
Feng Qingxuan took the invitation, glanced at it, and put it in his pocket, only saying "I understand." The gray-robed old man didn't urge him, put down the invitation, and turned to leave. Before leaving, the cardinal glanced at the young team members standing behind Feng Qingxuan in the main hall, paused for a moment as if memorizing their faces, and then turned to follow the gray-robed old man.
Feng Qingxuan didn't see them off. He watched the two figures walk away, then took the invitation out of his pocket and looked at it again.
"Title— Azure Wind." He read aloud the title the Spirit Hall had assigned him on the invitation, then casually placed it on the table. "Not bad."
Late on the third night, an unsigned congratulatory gift was delivered to the college's reception office.
The sandalwood box was opened, revealing a Wind Attribute left arm bone. Its pure attribute greatly enhances speed. The Sharp-Tailed Swift Soul Bone —a heirloom of the Speed Clan.
Feng Qingxuan stared at the Soul Bone in silence for a long time.
" A Yin's family has a special relationship with the Speed Clan. This Soul Bone is a heirloom of the Speed Clan, and now it's been brought here without even a name being left." Feng Qingxuan frowned slightly, tapping the sandalwood box lid twice with his fingers. "What exactly do they want?"
No one answered. The night breeze blew in through the window, brushing against the sandalwood box on the table, the patterns on the lid gleaming softly in the moonlight.