213: Annual

Jiang Donghua turned around, only to see his master Mo Xuan leaning against the door frame, holding a pot of wine in his hand, looking at him with a smile.

"Master, can you please stop showing up suddenly every time I'm deep in thought?"

Jiang Donghua said helplessly.

"Hey, you Stinky Kid, after months of secluded cultivation, do you not even recognize your master anymore?"

Mo Xuan snorted and casually tossed the wine pot to him.

"Have a drink, relax a little."

Jiang Donghua took the wine pot, tilted his head back, and took a swig. The spicy liquor went down his throat, slightly easing his tense nerves.

"Master, exactly how much do you know about Red Silk's family?"

He asked directly.

Mo Xuan stroked his beard, squinting his eyes as he spoke.

"What's this? Are you finally starting to seriously consider how to marry a wife?"

The corner of Jiang Donghua's mouth twitched.

"Can you please stop teasing me?"

Mo Xuan laughed heartily, then immediately spoke seriously.

"Red Silk's family name is Fang. They are considered a powerful force in the Central Region, with many experts within the clan. The most troublesome one is the Eight-Star Dou Zong ancestor—Fang Qianjue."

"Fang Qianjue."

Jiang Donghua repeated the name softly. Just hearing the name carried a sharp sense of oppression.

"As for the Xuanming Sect, I'm not clear on the specific relationship between the Fang family and them, but it is said that the Fang family ancestor had a friendship with an elder of the Xuanming Sect when he was young, and might even owe him a favor."

Mo Xuan frowned.

Jiang Donghua's heart sank.

A debt of gratitude is the hardest to repay.

"What's wrong, are you scared?"

Mo Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Jiang Donghua was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Scared? Not quite."

He stood up, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"I was just thinking, since the Dou Zong stage is the threshold, then I will step over it!"

Mo Xuan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Good Stinky Kid, you've got guts!"

He patted Jiang Donghua's shoulder, his tone suddenly becoming meaningful.

"You better hurry up, after all, that girl Red Silk won't wait for you too long."

Jiang Donghua was startled.

"What do you mean?"

Mo Xuan didn't answer at all. He just narrowed his eyes, his spiritual perception quietly sweeping over Jiang Donghua's entire body. Then, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he spoke while rubbing his forehead, complaining.

"You are already at the Peak Dou Ling stage, just one step away from the Dou Wang stage! Are you really still going to participate in the grand competition of the Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy?"

He glared, looking like he was frustrated that his student wasn't living up to his potential, his beard practically sticking up from anger.

"I figured out long ago that you were aiming for the Treasure Pavilion reward for the top five! With your strength, isn't that just a matter of slapping them one by one? Is bullying children fun?"

Jiang Donghua, having his intentions exposed, wasn't embarrassed. Instead, he chuckled, scratched his head, and said with a pout.

"Master, if you just gave me an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method, then I wouldn't have to participate."

"An Earth-Rank Cultivation Method?!"

Mo Xuan instantly bristled, his hair standing on end like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He pointed at Jiang Donghua and started cursing loudly.

"Is that thing cabbage?! Do you think I run a cultivation method shop?! The total number of Earth-Rank Cultivation Methods in the entire Jia Nan Academy wouldn't be many, and you just ask for one?"

Jiang Donghua spread his hands, looking innocent.

"In that case, I have no choice but to go bully the children."

Mo Xuan rolled his eyes in frustration, but then, changing his mind, he narrowed his eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

"Don't you Stinky Kid think that just nodding your head will solve everything! Although the items in the Treasure Pavilion are precious, an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method is not cabbage, just casually placed there for you to pick."

Jiang Donghua grinned, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

"Master, please rest assured, even if there is no Earth-Rank Cultivation Method, I won't return empty-handed."

Mo Xuan narrowed his eyes, staring at him suspiciously.

"Oh? Judging by your tone, are you eyeing something else?"

Jiang Donghua shrugged, feigning mystery.

"It's a secret."

"Stinky Kid!"

Mo Xuan laughed and scolded him, raising his hand as if to hit him. Jiang Donghua quickly dodged sideways and happily took another swig of wine.

Mo Xuan withdrew his hand, stroked his beard, and suddenly spoke seriously.

"But speaking of which, even if you really manage to obtain an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method, you might not be able to fully master it in a short time. The threshold of the Dou Zong stage cannot be crossed relying solely on a cultivation method."

Jiang Donghua restrained his smile, his gaze firm.

"I know, but I have to try."

Mo Xuan said with a smile.

"That's good too. When the time comes, you'll bring glory to the Alchemy Department and we can gain a few more benefits."

When Jiang Donghua heard this, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Master, you are an elder of the Alchemy Department, after all, why are you still worrying about such a small amount of resource allocation?"

Mo Xuan glared, speaking righteously.

"What do you mean 'small amount of resources'? When is the Alchemy Department not the biggest drain on funds? Medicinal ingredients, Medicine Cauldron, flames—which of these isn't ridiculously expensive? Those old fellow from the other departments just know how to fight and kill all day; how would they understand the hardships of us Alchemists!"

As he spoke, he even seriously started counting on his fingers.

"Look, if you can truly sweep the entire competition, won't those old fellow in the Inner Academy have to look highly upon our Alchemy Department? When that happens, they'll allocate more funds, and we can replace our batch of new pill furnaces, saving us the heartache every time one explodes."

Jiang Donghua's mouth twitched.

"So, you are supporting me to participate in the competition actually just to get new pill furnaces?"

Mo Xuan chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"This is called killing two birds with one stone! You get your cultivation method, I get my benefits. Isn't it wonderful for us master and disciple to work together?"

Jiang Donghua sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Master, the sound of your abacus calculating was so loud I could hear it even in the seclusion room."

Mo Xuan didn't care at all. Instead, he stroked his beard proudly.

"This is called wisdom! Learn from this, Stinky Kid!"

Jiang Donghua shook his head helplessly, but a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes. Watching his master leave, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"The Outer Academy grand competition, huh, that should be interesting."

He muttered to himself, his fingertips gently tracing the mouth of the wine pot, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

For the past half year, he had been in secluded cultivation and rarely showed his face, yet rumors about him in the Outer Academy never ceased.

Some speculated that he had long since broken through the Dou Ling stage, and some even rumored that he had once split a waterfall on the back mountain with a single sword strike, startling several elders into secretly investigating.

However, the disciples of the Alchemy Department could only shake their heads and smile bitterly. Their Senior Brother Jiang was like a divine dragon whose head is seen but not its tail; even they couldn't figure out his true depth.

"So what? If Senior Brother Jiang makes a move, won't taking first place be easy?"

"Don't underestimate the others. It is said that there are a few newly promoted geniuses this time whose strength cannot be underestimated!"

Similar discussions circulated throughout the Outer Academy, but Jiang Donghua merely smiled indifferently.

"Geniuses?"

He shook his head.

"True geniuses wouldn't bother competing for superiority in a place like this."

He tilted his head back, draining the last sip of wine from the pot, and casually tossed it. The wine pot landed steadily on the stone table without spilling a drop.

"In three days, the results will be known."

Night arrived like a surging tide and departed with the rising sun.

The most lively day of the year for the Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy had finally begun.