228: Only three people left

Jiang Donghua's act of assisting Wang Han undoubtedly reassured the others.

The number one person in the Outer Academy seemed not to be solely self-interested; he was willing to help others when it was within his capabilities.

This made the atmosphere of the temporary team even more harmonious.

In the time that followed, Zhao Ming, Lin Xiu, and even Bai Ling, whenever they encountered light clusters emitting strong fire-attribute energy, would pay extra attention and try to capture them.

As expected, they successfully obtained two or three more fire-attribute cultivation method scrolls, ranging from profound rank mid-level to xuan-rank high-tier.

"Senior Brother Jiang, look at this!"

Lin Xiu handed over a xuan-rank high-tier cultivation method scroll named "Crimson Flame Art."

"And this one, 'Flowing Fire Sword Art,' a profound rank mid-level Dou Technique."

Zhao Ming also handed over a red jade slip.

Bai Ling even offered a dark red metal piece radiating a scorching aura.

"Here, this one is strangely hot. It seems to record a fire control technique, also xuan-rank high-tier."

However, Jiang Donghua merely scanned them quickly with his Soul Power, then smiled and shook his head, returning the items one by one.

"Thank you for your kindness, but these are of little use to me."

His tone was calm, without the slightest hint of disdain, but his indifference clearly indicated that these profound rank mid-level to high-tier fire-attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques, which would cause a scramble in the outside world, simply did not catch his eye.

The few of them took back the returned scrolls, exchanged glances, and understood.

It seemed that this champion Senior Brother's goal was incredibly clear and stringent from the start: only Earth-Rank Cultivation Methods would do!

Earth-Rank! That was a legacy truly worthy of being the treasured possession of a powerful sect!

Its rarity and difficulty of acquisition far surpassed those of the Xuan-rank.

The difficulty of precisely fishing out an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method in this vast sea of light was imaginable.

They even began to think that Jiang Donghua's willingness to help earlier might have been to forge good karma, increasing his own chances of finding his target.

Just as the few of them were lost in thought, Jiang Donghua, who had been quietly searching based on the jade slip's sensation and his own spiritual perception, suddenly paused!

The jade slip in his storage ring reacted again, but this time, the burning sensation it transmitted far exceeded that when he captured the demon core previously, even carrying a slight tingling, strongly pointing towards a rapidly passing milky-white light cluster to his front-left!

That's it!

This feeling was absolutely correct this time!

Jiang Donghua's eyes burst with brilliant light. Without the slightest hesitation, his body shot out like a taut bowstring, moving three parts faster than when he helped Wang Han before!

Leaving a few faint afterimages in the air, his five fingers formed a claw, precisely and firmly seizing the milky-white light cluster that was trying to escape!

Swish!

The light was forcibly crushed and dispersed by him.

What he held was not the expected cultivation method scroll, but a strange, thin white piece, cool to the touch, neither quite jade nor bone. The thin piece was engraved with countless intricate runes, as dense as a spiderweb and resembling the texture of an eye.

A cool, perceptive, and even slightly hypnotic aura emanated from the thin piece.

At the same time, a piece of information automatically flowed into Jiang Donghua's mind.

"Bewitching Heart Demonic Eye," a xuan-rank high-tier eye technique Dou Technique.

Effect: By cultivating this method, a trace of bewitching power can be nurtured within one's eyes.

At the minor accomplishment stage, it can subtly interfere with an opponent's mind during a gaze, creating a momentary daze; at the major accomplishment stage, it can temporarily delude those with weak willpower, causing them to fall into illusions or obey simple commands. It is particularly effective against those weaker than oneself or with cracks in their mental defenses.

It can also slightly enhance the practitioner's eyesight and dynamic vision.

Eye technique?

Jiang Donghua was slightly startled. This was indeed a rare and unusual type of Dou Technique.

This "Bewitching Heart Demonic Eye" had peculiar effects and might yield unexpected results in certain situations, but it was not the fundamental cultivation method he was seeking.

Moreover, its bewitching attribute did not completely align with his own clear and resolute heart.

His gaze swept over the people present, finally landing on Bai Ling, who was blinking her large eyes and looking over curiously.

She had said before that she was interested in peculiar, specially effective, niche Dou Techniques.

Jiang Donghua weighed the white bone fragment in his hand, then spoke directly, his voice clear but with a hint of inquiry.

"Bai Ling, the xuan-rank high-tier eye technique 'Bewitching Heart Demonic Eye' can bewitch minds and create illusions. When cultivated to major accomplishment, it can even temporarily control weaker individuals. Do you want it?"

As soon as Jiang Donghua's words fell, a petite figure, like a startled bird, darted in front of him with a whoosh.

Bai Ling almost impatiently took the cool, strange white bone fragment from Jiang Donghua's hand.

Her pair of nimble eyes instantly widened, as if sparkling with tangible little stars, staring intently at the complex and profound eye technique runes on the bone fragment. Her small face was filled with immense surprise and an unwillingness to let go.

"Yes, yes, yes! Of course, I want it!"

Bai Ling's voice even trembled slightly from excitement. She looked up at Jiang Donghua with eyes full of gratitude, her words as sweet as honey.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Donghua! Senior Brother, you are truly too handsome! Your taste is excellent! This is simply tailor-made for me!"

As she spoke, she carefully caressed the bone fragment as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

"An eye technique! This is such a super rare good thing! Using it unexpectedly during a fight will definitely be lethal—ah, no, it will definitely achieve a surprise victory!"

She was so excited that she was somewhat incoherent, clearly extremely satisfied with this "Bewitching Heart Demonic Eye."

As she said, this kind of niche, peculiar, and specially effective Dou Technique often played a miraculous role in turning the tide of battle, its value possibly even exceeding some ordinary xuan-rank high-tier offensive Dou Techniques.

Watching Bai Ling's overjoyed, treasure-finding appearance, and comparing it to the ordinary items they had just captured, Zhao Ming and Lin Xiu's expressions on the side became somewhat complex.

Wang Han obtained the "Mountain Collapse Tremor Fist," comparable to an Earth-Rank, Bai Ling obtained the rare and peculiar "Bewitching Heart Demonic Eye," yet the two of them had still gained nothing!

More importantly, through this brief cooperation, they clearly realized a fact: Jiang Donghua seemed to not mind sharing good things that were useless to him with others.

This meant that if they were lucky enough to capture a fire-attribute or soul-type treasure that Jiang Donghua needed, they might very well exchange it for rewards far exceeding their expectations from him!

This thought instantly made Zhao Ming and Lin Xiu's hearts burn, but what followed was an even deeper sense of urgency!

The opening time of the Scripture Pavilion was by no means infinite. The flying light clusters seemed numerous, but those meeting specific high-tier requirements were absolutely rare. Time was quietly slipping away, and they had yet to achieve any substantial major gains!

They absolutely could not be the fools who left empty-handed!

This thought whipped them like a lash.

The two exchanged glances, seeing the same anxiety and determination in each other's eyes.

The next moment, they no longer held back, pushing their Soul Power perception to the extreme, their gazes like the keenest falcons, frantically scanning every passing light cluster around them, especially focusing on those emitting flame auras or strange soul fluctuations!

Their breathing became heavy, and the frequency and speed of their captures significantly increased, each grab carrying a desperate, make-or-break force.

The atmosphere within the entire space, due to Bai Ling's gain and the limited time remaining, suddenly became even more tense and intense.

And Jiang Donghua remained standing in place like a stabilizing needle, the jade slip in his arms continuously emitting a slight warmth.