Chapter 237: The Mysterious Visitor at Jia Nan Academy!

"Don't you dare! My father is a Dou King, a powerhouse. If you kill me here, you'll have no place in Black Mist City," Wan Hai said while threateningly, even as he backed towards the door.

Just then, a yellow fog enveloped him, and Xiao Yi Xian walked lightly past him.

"Sigh, another conflict with a Dou King. It seems it's time to move on to the next city," Xiao Yi Xian sighed as she left the shop.

Afterward, she leaped across several streets and headed straight for the city gates.

After Xiao Yi Xian left, the other customers and shop assistants who had been frozen in shock all screamed and ran out.

"Run! The second young master of the Wan family is dead!"

As similar exclamations spread through the streets, a white-robed youth sitting on the second floor of a teahouse unconsciously crushed the teacup in his hand.

He then leaped down to the street, randomly grabbed a passerby, and demanded loudly, "Tell me, is it true that the second young master of the Wan family is dead?"

"Yes, he died over there..." the middle-aged man said, pointing in a direction.

After hearing the man's description, the white-robed youth's face gradually darkened, and he rushed to the shop where Wan Hai had died.

"Little Hai, rest assured, I will avenge you," he declared mournfully upon seeing Wan Hai's blackened corpse.

An hour later, a white-robed elder suddenly flew over Black Mist City, heading in a certain direction.

...

At the Yunlan Sect, by the edge of the Jiucai Valley's cold pond, Qinglin skillfully placed a green pearl into a jade bottle, then turned to the petite Cai'er and said, "Cai'er sister, the teacher said that it might take a year for the senior brothers and sisters to complete their training. That means if I collect 365 pearls, they can all come back."

"Yiya, yiya!"

"Yes, Qinglin sister, once you collect 365 pearls, they will come back!" Cai'er replied softly.

Hearing Cai'er's response, Qinglin stared blankly at the valley's somewhat ethereal sky, then shook her head and said, "No, I can't just keep counting the days. The teacher said before he left that he hoped I could fully develop the power of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils through practicing the Heavenly Snake Technique."

After saying this, Qinglin looked apologetically at Cai'er and said, "Cai'er, I might not be able to play with you in the coming period. Can you help me put the collected pearls into these jade bottles?"

Hearing Xiao Yi Xian's words, a complex look appeared in Cai'er's eyes, but she nodded.

"Yiya!"

"Go practice, Qinglin sister. Cai'er will be fine."

"Okay!" Qinglin nodded firmly, grateful for Cai'er's understanding.

After Qinglin decided to seclude herself for cultivation, in the main hall of the Yunlan Sect, a beautiful figure seated at the center of the hall slowly opened her eyes.

"Husband, where are you now? I miss you so much!"

Murmuring to herself, she held a jade talisman in her hand.

Staring blankly at the talisman, Yun Yun remembered Gu He's words before he left, "No matter how far away I am, if you crush this talisman, I will come to you instantly."

"Would he really come back if I crush it now?" Yun Yun tightened her grip on the talisman.

After a long struggle, Yun Yun ultimately chose not to crush the jade talisman.

The reason she hesitated was that she felt that if the talisman really possessed such miraculous power, it must come at a great cost to its creator.

...

Jia Nan Academy, an ancient institution situated at the heart of the continent, has produced countless peak powerhouses over the centuries. Each one of these individuals has held great fame across the land, making a name for themselves in various corners of the world.

The most terrifying aspect of an academy is not necessarily the strength of its faculty, but the thousands of powerful individuals it has produced. If Jia Nan Academy ever faced a crisis, the collective force of these alumni, if summoned back, would be unimaginably formidable.

Despite the countless academies across the continent, Jia Nan Academy’s reputation remains unsurpassed. This speaks volumes of the profound heritage of this ancient institution, wrapped in an aura of antiquity.

People of all races across the continent take great pride in being able to enter this prestigious academy. However, the academy's stringent admission criteria have left many aspirants disheartened.

At this moment, in the vast circular plaza of Jia Nan Academy’s outer court, countless students were gathered. Each of them was dressed in light blue robes, and on the chest of each robe was a cerulean badge, engraved with a dagger stained with a hint of crimson blood.

From above, the plaza was a sea of heads, buzzing with noise reaching the skies.

At this time, an elderly man, who was leisurely sitting in the grandstand with a cup of tea, suddenly furrowed his brows and left in a hurry.

Shortly after, he appeared at the entrance of Jia Nan Academy.

A white-robed figure was already standing at the gate.

"Who goes there?" the outer court dean, Hu Qian, called out, eyeing the mysterious visitor who had suddenly appeared at the entrance of Jia Nan Academy.

"I am Gu He," the figure in white robes replied calmly.

Upon hearing this, Hu Qian was initially startled, then seemed to realize something, his eyes narrowing slightly in surprise. "You are... Gu He, the Alchemy King of the Jia Ma Empire?"

"Indeed, it is me," Gu He nodded.

A smile appeared on Hu Qian's face, his curiosity piqued. "I am Hu Qian, the dean of the outer court. May I ask what brings the Alchemy King to Jia Nan Academy?"

Hearing Hu Qian's question, Gu He stated directly, "I have traveled a great distance with the hope of joining the inner court of Jia Nan Academy. I wonder if the Academy could accommodate me."

"To join the inner court... Indeed, with the Alchemy King's renown, serving merely as an instructor in the outer court would indeed be an underutilization of talents," Hu Qian replied with understanding, then added with a hint of difficulty, "However, I am not authorized to make such decisions regarding the inner court. I will immediately inform the Elder of the inner court about this matter. As for the outcome, it is beyond my control."

"Then I must trouble Dean Hu Qian with this matter," Gu He said, bowing slightly.

"It's no trouble at all. Please, Alchemy King, rest for a while, and I will head to the inner court immediately," Hu Qian replied before quickly heading towards the inner court.

(End of Chapter)