196: For the treasure pavilion

Jiang Donghua rummaged through his storage ring for a moment, then with a slight flick of his finger, a jade slip glowing with a faint blue halo appeared in his palm.

He tossed it to Liu Yuting casually, his tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Frost Heart Cultivation Method, Profound-Rank Low-Tier. You can practice this for now."

Liu Yuting hastily caught it; the jade slip felt cold in her hand, with a faint chill flowing from it, clearly a cultivation method of the ice attribute.

Her heart trembled. A Profound-Rank Cultivation Method was rare even in the entire Outer Academy, something ordinary students couldn't even access, yet Jiang Donghua had given it to her so readily?

"Big Brother Jiang, this is too precious!"

She hesitated slightly.

Jiang Donghua glanced at her and said indifferently,

"It's just a Profound-Rank Low-Tier. Once your cultivation improves, you can switch to a better ice-attribute cultivation method."

Liu Mingyu, standing nearby, widened his eyes and couldn't help but lean closer, staring at the jade slip and swallowing hard.

"Brother Jiang, you're too generous! You just give away Profound-Rank Cultivation Methods?"

Jiang Donghua's lips curved slightly, a rare hint of arrogance appearing on his face.

"Don't worry, if you two siblings ever have any trouble in the Outer Academy, just come find me."

He paused, his tone filled with an unquestionable confidence.

"There's nothing in this Outer Academy that I can't handle."

Liu Mingyu was startled, then quickly reacted, widening his eyes and saying,

"Wait, Brother Jiang, did you just say Outer Academy?"

Jiang Donghua didn't answer directly, merely flicking his sleeve. A wisp of azure flame danced on his fingertip, reflecting in his deep eyes.

"A Fourth-Grade Alchemist still has some say in the Outer Academy."

Liu Yuting also held the jade slip tightly and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Big Brother Jiang, for your guidance. Yuting will not let you down!"

Jiang Donghua waved his hand, seemingly unconcerned with such pleasantries. He looked up towards the depths of Black Abyss Valley, his gaze slightly narrowed, as if contemplating something.

"Alright, you two go back and digest your gains from this trip. I still have things to do."

With that, his figure flickered, turning into an afterimage, and he vanished into the gloomy valley, leaving the siblings standing there, lost in thought for a long time.

Liu Mingyu, carrying the severed limbs of the Magical Beast (mainly because his storage ring was only a few cubic meters and couldn't fit so many materials), walked nimbly through the forest. He couldn't help but look back at the gradually dissipating mist in the depths of Black Abyss Valley, grinning as he said,

"Yuting, how strong do you think Brother Jiang is now? A Fourth-Grade Alchemist! Not many Elders in the entire Outer Academy can reach that level, right?"

Liu Yuting clutched the jade slip in her arms tightly. Its cool touch calmed her slightly, but a hint of daze still lingered in her eyes.

She whispered,

"Brother, don't worry about that for now. Getting out of here is the priority."

She always felt something was off. Black Abyss Valley had always been dangerous, with low-tier Magical Beasts often roaming even its outermost reaches. Yet, throughout their escape, they hadn't heard a single beast roar.

The entire forest was eerily quiet, as if all living creatures were deliberately avoiding them.

Liu Mingyu, however, was carefree. He patted the bag at his waist, filled with spirit herbs and magic cores, and said proudly,

"What's there to be afraid of? Maybe Brother Jiang is secretly protecting us! Heh, when we go back this time, just these materials alone will be enough to exchange for thousands of contribution points!"

As he spoke, he tripped over something, nearly falling.

Looking down, he saw a broken beast bone, its jagged edges charred black, as if instantly scorched by high heat.

The siblings were both startled.

Liu Yuting crouched down. As her fingertip touched the bone fragment, the charred marks turned into fine ash and drifted down. She quickly withdrew her hand, her voice tight.

"It's residual Fire Attribute Dou Qi."

Liu Mingyu swallowed, suddenly remembering the wisp of azure flame dancing on Jiang Donghua's fingertip.

Could it be that the Magical Beasts along their path had already been cleared out?

"Stop!"

A cold shout suddenly boomed from the forest. Several figures flashed out from the shadows of the trees like ghosts, instantly surrounding the siblings.

Liu Mingyu's heart tightened. He instinctively shielded his sister behind him, his hand already on the short dagger at his waist.

He swept his gaze over them, seeing that the newcomers were all wearing the standard black robes of Jia Nan Academy's Outer Academy, with silver thread emblems embroidered on their chests—at least elite students of the Dou Master level!

Leading them was a tall, thin young man with a stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

He first frowned and scrutinized the siblings for a few moments, then sneered.

"Two newcomers who just entered the Dou Practitioner realm dare to trespass into Black Abyss Valley? Are you looking for death?"

A sharp-eyed female student beside him suddenly pointed at the half-exposed Magical Beast limb behind Liu Mingyu and exclaimed,

"Wait, Senior Brother Zhao, look at that! Isn't that the claw of a Third-Tier Magical Beast, the Shadow Ghost?!"

Everyone's expressions changed upon hearing this.

A Third-Tier Magical Beast was an existence comparable to a human Great Dou Master. Even their elite squad, composed of three Dou Masters, would have to avoid a Third-Tier Magical Beast.

How could these two newcomers possibly hunt such a fierce creature?

The tall, thin young man narrowed his eyes, his tone suddenly turning grim.

"Speak, where did you steal this thing from?"

Cold sweat trickled down Liu Mingyu's forehead, but he refused to back down.

"What do you mean 'steal'? We hunted this ourselves!"

"Nonsense!"

Another male student sharply interrupted.

"With your meager strength, you probably can't even touch a hair on a Shadow Ghost!"

Liu Yuting bit her lip, then suddenly pulled out the blue-glowing jade slip from her embrace and whispered,

"Senior Brothers and Sisters, if you don't believe us, you can ask Senior Brother Jiang!"

Liu Mingyu and Liu Yuting had only walked a few steps when they heard the tall, thin young man's voice suddenly rise from behind them.

"Wait! The Senior Brother Jiang you mentioned, is he Jiang Donghua from the Alchemy Department?"

The siblings paused, turning back to see that the arrogance on the faces of the Outer Academy elites had vanished, replaced by a strange stiffness.

Especially Senior Brother Zhao, who led them, his mouth twitched, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.

Liu Yuting keenly sensed the change in atmosphere and nodded gently.

"It is Senior Brother Jiang Donghua."

In an instant, the expressions of the people opposite became even more vivid.

The female student even subconsciously took half a step back, as if she had heard a name she shouldn't have.

"Ahem, so that's how it is."

Senior Brother Zhao let out two dry laughs, suddenly becoming exceptionally polite.

"Since you are Senior Brother Jiang's people, then we apologize for any offense just now. Please go ahead."

He stepped aside, even making a 'please' gesture.

The other team members, though confused, also made way, but their eyes couldn't help but glance at the siblings, especially the cold-emitting jade slip in Liu Yuting's hand.

Although Liu Mingyu was completely bewildered, he knew it was not wise to linger, so he quickly pulled his sister and hurried away.

It wasn't until the siblings' figures completely disappeared into the forest that the small team regrouped.

"Senior Brother Zhao, you just let them go?"

A team member couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"That jade slip is at least a Profound-Rank Cultivation Method, and those Third-Tier Magical Beast materials..."

"Shut up!"

Senior Brother Zhao's face was grim as he lowered his voice and reprimanded.

"Do you know who Jiang Donghua is? The youngest Fourth-Grade Alchemist in the Alchemy Department, even Inner Academy Elders are polite to him! Steal from his people? Are you looking for death?!"

The female student hesitated, then whispered,

"But Senior Brother Jiang is an Alchemist, why would he appear in a place like Black Abyss Valley? And bring two newcomers who just entered the Dou Practitioner realm?"

Senior Brother Zhao narrowed his eyes, then suddenly sneered.

"Haven't you understood yet? Those siblings are probably just running errands."

He licked his lips, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes.

"The information that Jiang Donghua is in Black Abyss Valley is worth far more than hunting a few Magical Beasts."

The other team members suddenly realized.

"Senior Brother means to sell it to those interested parties?"

"Hmph, let's go! Back to the Outer Academy first, this information must be spread as quickly as possible!"

The group quickly vanished into the forest, but their direction was completely opposite to that of the siblings.

Inside a certain pavilion in the Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy, several figures sat around a dark red wooden table, their expressions grave.

"Is the information confirmed?"

A man in a gray robe asked in a deep voice, his knuckles gently tapping the tabletop.

"Absolutely true."

Senior Brother Zhao nodded, a shrewd light flickering in his eyes.

"The siblings admitted themselves that Jiang Donghua brought them into Black Abyss Valley, and they even had the Profound-Rank Cultivation Method he gave them."

"Heh, interesting."

The gray-robed man sneered.

"A guy who stays cooped up in the Alchemy Department all day actually went to a place like Black Abyss Valley, and even brought two newcomers? What exactly is he plotting?"

A burly man with a sturdy build beside him frowned and said,

"People from the Alchemy Department have always been arrogant, especially Jiang Donghua. He even rejected the Inner Academy's special recruitment, insisting on competing for one of the top five spots in the Outer Academy Grand Competition. What is he after?"

"What else could he be after? The Treasure Pavilion!"

A hint of greed flashed in the gray-robed man's eyes.

Everyone's expressions tightened.

The Treasure Pavilion, the supreme treasury of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy, was rumored to house seventh-grade pills, Earth-Rank Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques, and even various legendary rare items!

Only the top five in the Outer Academy Grand Competition were qualified to enter and choose one treasure.

"But Jiang Donghua is an Alchemist, how strong can his combat ability be?"

Someone questioned.

"He hasn't even entered the top twenty on the Dou Qi Ranking!"

"Idiot!"

The gray-robed man coldly snapped.

"Do you really think he only knows alchemy? Don't forget, he's a Fourth-Grade Alchemist! Any pill in his hand could make a Dou Ling Expert fight for him!"

Everyone fell silent.

Indeed, Jiang Donghua had always lived a reclusive life in the Outer Academy, rarely engaging in combat. But the more reclusive he was, the more difficult it was for people to fathom his true strength.

"So what do we do now?"

Senior Brother Zhao asked in a low voice.

"Should we release the information and let those madmen test his limits?"

The gray-robed man narrowed his eyes and slowly said,

"No rush, take it slow."

The information spread like wildfire throughout the Outer Academy.

Initially, it was just a few students whispering at the mission hall.

"Did you hear? Jiang Donghua from the Alchemy Department appeared in Black Abyss Valley, and he even brought two newcomers!"

"Really? He never leaves the Alchemy Department, does he?"

"Absolutely true! Someone saw the siblings with the Profound-Rank Cultivation Method he gave them!"

Soon, this information reached the ears of various small groups.

In a tavern, several Dou Master-level students sat around a table. One of them lowered his voice and said,

"It's said that Jiang Donghua is looking for something in Black Abyss Valley. Even a Fourth-Grade Alchemist is interested, so it must be extraordinary!"

"Hmph, whatever he's looking for, we can't afford to provoke him."

Another shook his head.

"However, those siblings have a Profound-Rank Cultivation Method."

On the training ground, a group of students with Earth Attribute Dou Qi were sparring. Among them, a burly, robust man with a rock-like grayish-brown complexion, Shi Zhen, stood with his arms crossed, listening to his subordinate's report.

"Boss Shi, the latest news is that Jiang Donghua might participate in this year's Outer Academy Grand Competition!"

Shi Zhen's lips curled into a disdainful smile.

"An Alchemist dares to compete for the top five? What a joke!"

His subordinate immediately echoed,

"Exactly! No matter how powerful an Alchemist is, aren't they useless in actual combat? Boss Shi is a Peak Great Dou Shi, with invincible Earth Attribute defense. If it came to a fight, Jiang Donghua wouldn't even be able to break through his defense!"

Shi Zhen snorted coldly, clenching his fist. The ground trembled slightly, and a rock-like Dou Qi armor covered his arm.

"If I meet him in the arena, within ten moves, I'll make him understand that Alchemists should just stick to refining pills!"

Jiang Donghua, of course, was oblivious to everything happening outside. He walked alone into the depths of Black Abyss Valley, where the shadows grew increasingly dense, but his steps remained unhurried.

"Those siblings were an unexpected bonus."

His lips curved slightly, a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

Originally, it was just a favor in return. After all, when he first entered the Outer Academy, Liu Mingyu had foolishly helped him fend off trouble a few times.

Although with his current strength, those so-called troubles were not even worth a scratch, Jiang Donghua never liked owing favors.

"But that girl, Liu Yuting, actually has a special physique?"

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

The Cold Marrow Spirit Body was a rare commodity even on the entire continent. If fully awakened, she would at least be a Dou Emperor-level Expert in the future.

Although in his eyes, a Dou Emperor was just barely stepping into the threshold of an Expert, making a good connection early in this small Outer Academy wasn't a loss.

"Anyway, that 'Frost Heart Cultivation Method' was just taking up space."

He scoffed.

"The Black-Corner Region's desperadoes have piled up so much junk that my storage ring is almost full."

Recalling the origin of that cultivation method, he couldn't help but shake his head.

That was before, when Senior Sister Red Silk returned with a blood-stained short blade and casually tossed him a few storage rings, all filled with spoils of war contributed by the Dou Ling Experts she had cut down.

"Tsk, that woman!"

Thinking of Red Silk, a rare warmth appeared in Jiang Donghua's eyes.

That utterly domineering woman, only a few years older than him, could already kill her way in and out of the Black-Corner Region as if entering an uninhabited land.

Her Lightning Attribute Dou Qi was incredibly violent, and at least eight out of ten Dou Lings who died by her blade.

Every time she returned, she would dump all the spoils of war on him, calling it 'pocket money for her Junior Brother.'

"What a good woman!"

He chuckled softly, then shook his head again.

Gathering his thoughts, Jiang Donghua's gaze turned to the deepest part of Black Abyss Valley.

The aura there, even he felt a hint of pressure from it now.

"Time to get down to business."

He raised his hand and waved it. The azure Cold Flame Flood Dragon Fire surged in his palm, and the surrounding air instantly became both scorching hot and icy cold.

Under the flickering flames, his eyes were as sharp as blades.

"I haven't even tried to see how powerful my fire control secret technique can be yet."