183: A groundbreaking achievement

The examination for the Alchemy Department had just concluded, and the apprentices were immersed in emotions ranging from joy to sorrow, leading to a buzz of discussion throughout the hall.

However, right at that moment, BOOM!!!

An extremely powerful aura suddenly shot up from somewhere in the Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy. Violent energy fluctuations swept in all directions, causing even the roof of the Alchemy Hall to tremble slightly, sending dust raining down.

"What's going on?!"

"What a terrifying aura! Is someone breaking through?!"

The expressions of the numerous apprentices changed drastically. They all looked up towards the window, only to see the distant sky faintly glowing with a strange black-red hue, as if some ferocious beast was awakening.

Jiang Donghua frowned. His Soul Power instantly spread out, and upon sensing the darkness and violence contained within that aura, his heart trembled involuntarily.

"This power doesn't seem like a normal breakthrough!"

Before he could finish speaking, Elder Mo Xuan beside him suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice booming and causing the eardrums of the surrounding disciples to ache.

"Hahaha! Good! Excellent! That old fellow Iron Punishment actually broke through so quickly!"

"Peak Dou Huang... no, this aura, he already has one foot in the Dou Zong realm!"

Elder Mo Xuan's eyes flashed with brilliance, his tone carrying a mix of astonishment and satisfaction.

Elder Ice Red and Elder Huang Dashan also looked up, their gazes solemn as they looked toward the direction where the aura had erupted.

"Iron Punishment, the one from the Law Enforcement Department?"

Elder Ice Red narrowed her eyes slightly, a rare ripple of emotion appearing on her cold and beautiful face.

"That's right."

Elder Mo Xuan stroked his beard and chuckled.

"This fellow has been stuck at Peak Dou Huang for a long time, I didn't expect him to actually take this step today!"

Elder Huang Dashan clicked his tongue and sighed with emotion.

"Dou Zong! Looking across the entire Black-Corner Region, only a handful of people can reach that realm. If Iron Punishment truly succeeds, the strength of our Jia Nan Academy will likely rise to another level!"

Jiang Donghua stood to the side, his gaze deep, feeling a faint sense of unease in his heart.

"This aura has such dense dark attributes, even carrying a hint of brutality. Is Elder Iron Punishment's breakthrough truly alright?"

Just as he was pondering, suddenly...

"RUMBLE!!!"

A pitch-black pillar of energy suddenly erupted in the distant sky, shooting straight into the clouds. Following this, an even more terrifying pressure spread out like a tide!

"This is true Dou Zong pressure!"

Elder Mo Xuan's pupils contracted, and his voice suddenly rose.

Elder Ice Red's expression shifted slightly, and she whispered.

"He succeeded?!"

Iron Punishment sat cross-legged in the secret chamber atop the Law Enforcement Peak. Black mist surged around him, wrapping his body like countless venomous snakes. His face was stern, but fine beads of sweat were already seeping from his forehead, and his brows were tightly furrowed, clearly indicating he was enduring immense pain.

"Iron Punishment, do you still remember me?"

A chilling voice sounded in his ear. Iron Punishment suddenly opened his eyes, only to see a withered old man in a black robe standing before him. There was a hideous knife scar on his neck. This was exactly Blood Fiend, the Seven-Star Dou Huang he had personally slain back then!

Iron Punishment let out a cold snort, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Playing tricks! How can the dead rise again? Get lost!"

He raised his hand and waved, and a pitch-black Dou Qi slashed out like a blade, instantly splitting the old man's figure in two!

However, the next moment...

"Heh heh heh, Iron Punishment, you killed me once, but can you kill me a second time?"

The split Blood Fiend actually reformed. Not only that, several more figures appeared behind him: Black Heart Old Demon, Poison Mistress, Ghost Hand Mad Blade... one by one, the Dou Huang experts who had once dominated the Black-Corner Region were now standing before him, wearing sinister smiles and eyes full of malice!

Iron Punishment's pupils constricted slightly, but he quickly calmed down.

"Hmph, a mere illusion, trying to disturb my mind?"

He slowly stood up, black mist boiling around him, his voice as cold as iron.

"I, Iron Punishment, have never regretted anything I've done in my life! I killed you because you deserved to die!"

Outside the Law Enforcement Peak, the three elders—Mo Xuan, Ice Red, and Huang Dashan—had arrived, only to see the entire peak enveloped in a layer of strange black mist, from which faint, mournful roars could be heard!

"This is bad! Iron Punishment's inner demons have been triggered!"

Elder Mo Xuan's face changed drastically.

Elder Ice Red's gaze was solemn.

"Dark attributed Dou Qi is inherently easy to corrupt the mind. If he can't withstand it, he might completely fall into the illusion!"

Huang Dashan urgently said.

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and go in to help him!"

Mo Xuan shook his head.

"We can't! He is currently at the critical moment of his breakthrough. Outsiders rashly entering will only make the situation worse!"

What felt strange was that this dark attributed Dou Qi was subsequently sucked into the tower like a tornado.

After repeating this process several times, the outside finally became calm.

Iron Punishment's breakthrough to Dou Zong was truly too grand. The entire Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy was enveloped by that vast pressure, and countless students looked up toward the Law Enforcement Peak, their eyes filled with shock and reverence.

"Whoosh!"

A streak of Lightning Light tore through the sky, arriving in an instant and transforming into a middle-aged man in purple robes with a majestic face.

He stood with his hands behind his back, faint lightning arcs flickering around him. His aura was powerful, and he was none other than the Dean of the Outer Academy, Lei Tian!

"Iron Punishment, you fellow actually beat me to it!"

Lei Tian looked at Iron Punishment, whose aura was already stable, a complicated look flashing in his eyes—a mix of envy and slight unwillingness.

He had remained at Peak Dou Huang for many years, only a step away from Dou Zong, yet he had never been able to break through.

Now, an Elder from the Law Enforcement Department had stepped into Dou Zong before him, which naturally left a sour taste in his mouth.

However, he quickly controlled his emotions, scanned his surroundings, and said in a deep voice.

"Iron Punishment, your breakthrough caused quite a commotion. Was that dark aura from before alright?"

Iron Punishment's expression was calm, and he said lightly.

"The inner demon has been broken. I am fine."

Lei Tian frowned slightly, feeling that things weren't that simple, but Iron Punishment's aura was stable now and he certainly didn't look out of control, so Lei Tian didn't press the matter further.

He turned his head to look at the three elders—Mo Xuan, Ice Red, and Huang Dashan—as well as Jiang Donghua standing nearby, and nodded slightly.

"You all arrived quite fast."

Elder Mo Xuan said with a hearty laugh.

"Dean, Iron Punishment breaking through to Dou Zong is a major event. Naturally, we had to rush here immediately."

Lei Tian sighed softly.

"Yes, Dou Zong. Our Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy finally has its own Dou Zong."

However, just as he finished speaking, he suddenly frowned, looked up at the sky, and said in a deep voice.

"However, that dark aura just now was too strange. I keep feeling that something is amiss."

Elder Ice Red said coldly.

"Is the Dean worried that Iron Punishment's breakthrough has issues?"

Lei Tian nodded.

"Dark attributed Dou Qi is rare, and during a breakthrough, it is even easier for inner demons to corrupt the user. If he is not careful, he might even descend into the demonic path."

Huang Dashan scratched his head and said with some concern.

"What should we do then? We can't just grab Iron Punishment and examine him now, can we?"

Lei Tian shook his head, a profound look flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry. I have already crushed the soul jade tablet. The Inner Academy should respond very soon."

"The soul jade tablet?!"

Elder Mo Xuan was startled.

Lei Tian smiled faintly.

"That's right. I have already notified the Great Elder of the Inner Academy, Great Elder!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was instantly solemn!

"Buzz!"

Above the sky, space suddenly twisted. Following this, an ancient yet majestic voice slowly drifted down.

"Lei Tian, what matter is so urgent that you would use the soul jade tablet?"

Before the voice finished speaking, a figure had already materialized out of thin air.

It was an old man with white hair, dressed in simple gray robes and possessing a peaceful countenance—it was the Great Elder of the Inner Academy, Great Elder!

The moment he appeared, the energy of the entire world seemed to freeze for an instant. An invisible pressure descended, causing everyone present to involuntarily hold their breath.

A Dou Zong was terrifying indeed!

Lei Tian quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Great Elder, Iron Punishment has just broken through to Dou Zong, but the dark aura was unusually dense during the process. We are worried that he might have been corrupted by inner demons, so we requested your presence to observe."

Great Elder turned his gaze toward Iron Punishment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Oh? Iron Punishment, you actually took this step."

Facing the Great Elder of the Inner Academy, Iron Punishment did not dare to be presumptuous and cupped his fist, saying.

"A fortunate breakthrough. I apologize for troubling the Great Elder."

Great Elder nodded slightly, then raised his hand and waved. An invisible wave of Soul Power instantly swept over Iron Punishment's entire body.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand and said lightly.

"The inner demon has been broken, and his Dou Qi is stable. There is no major issue."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.