Message from Blackseal City

Xiao Yan walked through the noisy streets of Black Seal City.

This great city truly lived up to its reputation; the flow of people was like a woven tapestry, with Dou Practitioners of all descriptions, mercenaries, and merchants weaving back and forth. Shops lined both sides of the street, filled with the sounds of hawking and haggling.

Even the occasional sounds of shouting and arguing mixed together, and the air was filled with the scents of medicinal herbs, metal, and a certain indescribable fishy, pungent smell.

He lowered the brim of his cloak slightly, his gaze alertly scanning his surroundings.

He had long heard of the reputation of the Black-Corner Region; it did not have the relatively orderly rules of the Jia Ma Empire.

As he walked, the voices of several people discussing something near a stall ahead drifted into his ears.

"...Have you heard? Maple City was razed to the ground a few days ago!"

"More than just heard! My cousin was in Maple City at the time and saw with his own eyes a flying boat barge straight in. In just a few moves, it slaughtered that old boy Han Feng!"

"For real? Han Feng was a Sixth-Rank Alchemist and a Peak Dou Huang. He dominated the Black-Corner Region for so many years—he's just gone like that?"

"It's absolutely true! Now Maple City is a total mess. Who knows how many factions are eyeing the inheritance Han Feng left behind..."

Xiao Yan's footsteps paused.

Maple City? Han Feng?

His heart stirred slightly, but he continued forward nonchalantly, his ears carefully catching more of the discussions along the way.

"...If you ask me, the Black-Corner Region has been really unsettled lately. The Maple City business isn't even over, and did you guys feel that over by Jia Nan Academy a few days ago?

Those thunderclouds, my god, they blotted out the sun! Even from far away, they made my heart race!"

"You saw it too? I thought some old monster was Undergoing Tribulation! Later I heard it was Pill Lightning drawn out by someone refining pills in Jia Nan Academy..."

"Pill Lightning? What rank of Medicinal Pill could cause such a huge commotion? Surely it's Seventh-Rank or higher?"

"Who knows? Anyway, Jia Nan Academy is under heavy guard now; ordinary people can't get near..."

The more Xiao Yan heard, the more alarmed he became.

Maple City destroyed? A terrifying Pill Lightning appeared in the direction of Jia Nan Academy?

He couldn't help but quicken his pace. Finding a tea house at a street corner that looked reasonably clean, he lifted the curtain and walked inside.

There weren't many people in the tea house, just three or five customers scattered in the corners. Xiao Yan found a seat by the window and ordered a pot of the most ordinary green tea.

The waiter soon brought the teapot over. As he set it down, Xiao Yan asked as if casually, "Brother, I just entered the city and heard many people talking about the Maple City matter? That Han Feng... what's his background? Was he really wiped out?"

The waiter was a young man in his early twenties. Seeing Xiao Yan ask about this, he immediately perked up and lowered his voice, saying, "Guest, you've asked the right person!

Han Feng, he was our Black-Corner Region's famous 'Medicine Emperor,' a Sixth-Rank Alchemist with a cultivation at the Peak Dou Huang level. He presided over Maple City for many years."

He looked left and right, his voice dropping even lower. "As for how he perished... heh, it's quite eerie! Just a few days ago, in broad daylight, a flying boat barged straight into Maple City and started fighting without a word.

I heard Han Feng didn't even have a chance to fight back; he was killed on the spot!"

Xiao Yan's hand holding the teacup paused slightly. "Do you know who did it?"

The waiter shook his head. "How could anyone know? That flying boat came fast and left fast; no one saw its origin clearly.

However, to have such means, they must at least be a Dou Zong, right? and not just an ordinary Dou Zong."

He paused and then added, "Some people also speculate it might be related to the commotion at Jia Nan Academy... You didn't know?

Just a while ago, in the direction of the back mountain of Jia Nan Academy, those thunderclouds were so thick it was like the sky was falling!

Some say it was Pill Lightning drawn by high-level Alchemy. Think about it, an Alchemist who can trigger that kind of Pill Lightning—wouldn't taking care of Han Feng be as easy as reaching for something?"

Xiao Yan nodded and fished out a few gold coins, placing them on the table. "Thank you for clearing that up, brother."

The waiter beamed as he took the money and tactfully withdrew.

Xiao Yan picked up his teacup and took a sip of the slightly bitter tea, but his mind sank into his body.

"Teacher... just now, were you..."

He had clearly felt it when the waiter mentioned the name "Han Feng."

The Soul fluctuations of Yao Lao within the ring had suddenly become violent for a moment, filled with shock, anger, and an indescribably complex emotion.

After a moment of silence, Yao Lao's aged and low voice finally echoed in Xiao Yan's mind, carrying a raspiness Xiao Yan had never heard before: "...Han Feng was the... eldest Disciple I took back then."

Xiao Yan's heart jolted.

Yao Lao's voice continued, as if every word weighed a thousand pounds. "Back then, I treated him like my own son, teaching him everything I knew.

But I never expected... that for the Burning Technique, he would collude with the Hall of Souls and secretly strike against me..."

Even though it was only a Soul transmission, Xiao Yan could feel the grief, indignation, and pain buried deep in his heart.

He tightened his grip on the teacup, his knuckles turning slightly white.

No wonder Teacher's reaction was so strong just now. A person who kills his own teacher deserves to die!

"Teacher, do you think..." Xiao Yan asked in his heart, "could the one who killed Han Feng be... Brother Shen?"

He thought of that unfathomable Shen Wen in Wutan City, thought of Cao Ying by his side, and thought of his terrifying Alchemy skills.

If that Pill Lightning from the direction of Jia Nan Academy was truly triggered by him, then it would make sense for him to strike and kill Han Feng for the Heavenly Flame.

Yao Lao was silent for a while, then sighed. "I am not sure either. But if it really were him... this person's actions are truly decisive and ruthless, and his sense of purpose is extremely strong. Han Feng's Sea Heart Flame is indeed a rare Heavenly Flame."

He paused, his tone complex. "Regardless, Han Feng's execution can be considered... settling an old matter in my heart. Even though I did not clean out the sect with my own hands."

Xiao Yan could understand his teacher's feelings and changed the subject. "Teacher, we are going to Jia Nan Academy next. If we really see Brother Shen then, perhaps we can ask."

Mentioning Jia Nan Academy, a soft smile unconsciously appeared on Xiao Yan's face.

That girl Xun'er was still waiting for him at the academy.

"Hmph." Yao Lao suddenly gave a light snort, his tone carrying a bit of teasing. "Kid, don't just think about your little girlfriend.

I recall that before you left the Jia Ma Empire, you seemed to have some ambiguous entanglements with that Sect Leader Yun of the Cloud Mist Sect?

Why don't you tell me, who is it that your heart truly belongs to?"

The tea Xiao Yan had just sipped almost made him choke. A flash of embarrassment crossed his face, and he hurriedly replied in his heart, "Teacher! What time is it? You're still making fun of me with this..."

He put down his teacup and stood up. "For now, I should go ask about that auction.

The Black Seal City auction is quite large. Perhaps I can find some good items to prepare for going to Jia Nan Academy."

Leaving the tea money on the table, Xiao Yan pulled down his cloak, turned, and walked out of the tea house, merging into the endless stream of people in Black Seal City.