304: Mu Chen, who's always causing trouble

The final rankings of the top ten on the strong ranking list were finally settled after a fierce competition, especially after Jiang Donghua secured the first spot without any suspense.

Although Qin Xiao lost to Jiang Donghua, his formidable strength still allowed him to firmly hold the second position.

Veteran powerhouses like Liu Qingsi and Lei Lie also secured spots in the top ten.

When the Great Elder, Ye Tianxing, announced the final results and informed the top ten that they could enter the bottom floor of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower three days later to receive the tempering of the Origin Heart Flame, the atmosphere in the entire arena reached a climax.

However, just as everyone thought everything was about to end and prepared to disperse, an unexpected change occurred!

Standing below the stage, Qin Xiao, who had seemed somewhat disheartened after losing to Jiang Donghua, suddenly shuddered!

The somewhat chaotic Thunder Fire Dou Qi around his body suddenly began to fluctuate violently, out of his control, and started climbing rapidly at an astonishing speed!

"Hmm?!"

"What's going on?!"

"Senior Qin Xiao's aura seems to be surging!"

The surrounding students and elders immediately noticed this abnormal energy fluctuation and cast surprised glances his way.

Qin Xiao had his eyes tightly shut and his brows furrowed; his face occasionally showed pain, and occasionally a flash of enlightenment.

Some barrier within his body had been broken. Lightning Light and flames intertwined and wrapped around his surface, emitting crackling sounds as his momentum steadily soared!

This process lasted for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

When Qin Xiao opened his eyes again, the previous frustration and confusion in them had been swept away, replaced by a confident glow!

His aura had clearly stepped from the previous Six-star Dou Wang level firmly into the Seven-Star Dou Wang realm!

"Hahaha! A blessing in disguise! This is truly a blessing in disguise!"

Feeling the even mightier power within his body, Qin Xiao couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter, filled with relief and exhilaration.

He suddenly turned his head, his gaze burning as he looked at Jiang Donghua, who was preparing to leave nearby, and strode over.

"Jiang Donghua!"

Qin Xiao's voice was loud, carrying a hint of excitement and gratitude.

"This time... thank you!"

Jiang Donghua stopped, turned around, and looked at Qin Xiao, whose aura was clearly stronger. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by understanding, and he nodded slightly.

It seemed that the battle with him, though a crushing defeat, had broken some obsession and bottleneck in Qin Xiao's heart, allowing him to achieve a breakthrough.

Qin Xiao scratched his head, a helpless yet candid smile appearing on his face, and said.

"To be honest with you, I've always had a knot in my heart!"

"I always felt that losing to you last time was an accident, that I wasn't proficient enough! This thought pressed down on me like a boulder, making my cultivation ineffective!"

He pointed to his chest, his tone becoming serious.

"Today's battle, although a more miserable loss, actually made me thoroughly understand!"

"The gap between us is truly massive! It's not a matter of accident or proficiency!"

He took a deep breath, as if shedding a thousand-pound burden, and grinned.

"I finally managed to overcome this hurdle today!"

"Even if I lost badly, it was worth it! The boulder in my heart has finally been moved!"

Having said this, Qin Xiao reverted to his unruly demeanor, putting his hands on his hips and saying to Jiang Donghua, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"But don't you get complacent, kid! Hmph!"

"If you were still a Dou Wang, even a Peak Nine-star Dou Wang, I, Qin Xiao, could definitely pin you down and beat you today! Who told you not to follow martial ethics and secretly break through to the Dou Huang realm!"

"This is purely realm suppression; it doesn't count as true skill!"

He spoke with such righteous indignation that many surrounding students couldn't help but chuckle.

Hearing this, Jiang Donghua merely smiled helplessly and did not offer a rebuttal.

The gap in cultivation realm was inherently a part of strength, and there was nothing to argue about.

However, just then, a cool female voice carrying a touch of mockery quietly sounded from the side.

"Oh? Is that right?"

Liu Qingsi had walked over at some point. She crossed her arms, glanced sideways at Qin Xiao, and slowly said, her eyes, which seemed able to see through people's hearts, carrying a hint of mischievous amusement.

"How come I remember someone also challenging Junior Brother Jiang once when he was still a Dou Wang?"

"The outcome of that time didn't seem too ideal either?"

The smile on Qin Xiao's face instantly froze. His face, which had been full of Red Light due to his breakthrough, suddenly flushed crimson, right up to the roots of his ears!

He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but realized that Liu Qingsi was stating a fact. He was instantly speechless, only able to stiffen his neck and unable to squeeze out a single word for a long time.

His awkward and embarrassed appearance was just like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing this, Lei Lie quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. His rough, hearty laughter broke the awkward atmosphere.

He forcefully slapped Qin Xiao's back and said in a booming voice.

"Aiya! Old Qin, why are you blushing! Losing to Brother Jiang is nothing to be ashamed of!"

"Old Lei lost too, didn't he! Sister Liu, stop teasing him!"

"Let's go, let's go! Today is a good day, Old Lei is treating, let's head to the Medicine Spirit Pavilion..."

Mentioning the Medicine Spirit Pavilion, Lei Lie suddenly remembered that Mu Chen had already left and the Medicine Spirit Pavilion had changed owners. He paused, his tone filled with a trace of melancholy.

Hearing this, the others also fell silent, thinking of their friend who had turned misfortune into fortune and had long since departed.

Jiang Donghua looked at the group of companions before him, each with a distinct personality, and a warmth welled up in his heart.

His days at Jia Nan Academy might soon be over, but these experiences and friendships would forever remain in his memory.

He smiled and spoke.

"It's fine. I can also prepare some ingredients, and the taste is quite good. I'll treat today, both to celebrate Senior Qin Xiao's breakthrough and to send everyone off."

Far away, tens of thousands of miles away in the Northern Region of Central State, a storm stirred up by Mu Chen was escalating!

Xuanming Sect, Discussion Hall.

The atmosphere was oppressive, like the dead silence before a storm.

On the main seat of the hall, an old man with a sinister face and profound aura slammed the armrest of his chair, instantly turning the hard profound iron armrest into dust!

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

His furious roar echoed through the hall, causing the elders below to tremble in silence.

"How long has it been?! That arrogant villain calling himself Jiang Donghua is still running rampant in my Northern Region! He's even escalating his actions!"

He clutched several blood-stained jade plaques in his hand, his voice trembling with extreme rage.

"Look! Look at what this lunatic has done!"

"Three days ago, the largest medicinal market under our sect's name in Fenyan City was completely ransacked, and three peripheral elders at the Peak Dou Huang level had their Dou Qi sucked dry, turning them into mummies!"

"Five days ago, the spiritual stone mine stronghold in Black Wind Canyon was uprooted, and none of the disciples stationed there survived!"

"Seven days ago, he didn't even spare a small liaison point far on the edge of the Northern Region, guarded only by a few Dou Ling disciples!"

The Sect Master fiercely threw the report onto the ground, his face livid.

"This Jiang Donghua! What exactly does he want to do?!"

"A dignified Dou Zong acts so despicable! He specifically targets our peripheral industries and low-level disciples! And his methods are so vicious and sinister!"

"Is he intentionally humiliating my Xuanming Sect?!"

An elder below braced himself, took a step forward, and whispered.

"Sect Master, please calm your anger! This fiend's whereabouts are erratic and he is extremely cunning. Furthermore, he seems proficient in methods of concealing his aura."

"The three Dou Zong Elder we dispatched have been tracking him for more than half a month. Several times they nearly surrounded him, yet he always escaped at the last moment using strange movement techniques!"

"Escaped?! It's 'escaped' again!"

The Sect Master, enraged, laughed instead.

"Three Dou Zong! Hunting down a Three-star Dou Zong! And you still let him escape repeatedly? What good are you?!"

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, cold killing intent flashing in his eyes.

"We cannot let this continue! If this fiend is not eliminated, the prestige of my Xuanming Sect in the Northern Region will be completely ruined!"

"Other factions are watching us become a laughingstock!"

He pondered for a moment, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, and gave a solemn command.

"Hear my order!"

"First, increase the number of Dou Zong in the pursuit team to five! The Second Elder will personally lead the team!"

"I refuse to believe that five Dou Zong setting up a vast net can't capture him!"

"Second, issue the Northern Region Pursuit Order! A bounty is placed on Jiang Donghua!"

He paused, then revealed a heavy bounty that moved all the elders present.

"Anyone who can provide accurate verified clues regarding his whereabouts will be rewarded with a scroll of Earth-Rank Cultivation Method or Dou Technique of their choice! Those who can take his life will be rewarded with a scroll of Earth Rank High Tier Dou Technique and can become a Guest Elder of my Xuanming Sect!"

As soon as this bounty was announced, the entire hall was filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath!

Earth-Rank Cultivation Method of their choice!

Earth Rank High Tier Dou Technique!

Guest Elder! Such temptation was enough to drive countless rogue cultivators and even some small and medium-sized factions insane!

This time, the Xuanming Sect had truly paid a huge price!

"Yes, Sect Master!"

The elders responded in unison, their expressions stern.

They knew that the Sect Master was determined to tear this audacious Jiang Donghua into ten thousand pieces, no matter the cost!

As soon as the Pursuit Order was released, it was like pouring cold water into a boiling oil pot; the entire Northern Region of Central State instantly erupted!

"My heavens! The Xuanming Sect has gone mad! Earth-Rank Cultivation Method of their choice?!"

"What exactly did this Jiang Donghua do? To push the Xuanming Sect to this extent?"

"Five Dou Zong chasing him! That lineup is enough to wipe out a second-rate faction!"

"This Jiang Donghua is probably unable to escape, even with wings!"

"Tsk tsk, the Northern Region is going to be lively now! I wonder how many people will go crazy for this bounty!"

For a time, the attention of the entire Northern Region was focused on this unprecedented pursuit.

Countless eyes were secretly searching for Jiang Donghua's tracks, anticipating the huge bounty that could change their destiny.

However, Mu Chen, who was at the center of the storm, had currently vanished without a trace, as if he had evaporated from the world, leaving behind no clues.

This made the high-level members of the Xuanming Sect even more furious, yet they were helpless.

They felt like they were punching cotton; they possessed the power of thunder, yet they couldn't find a target to vent their frustration on.

Meanwhile, Mu Chen, hidden in an extremely secluded cave, was sitting cross-legged, slowly converging the aura around his body, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Five Dou Zong? Earth-Rank bounty? Xuanming Sect, the more frantic you are, the more it proves your guilt and fear!"

"The blood debt of the Hong Family and the whereabouts of Red Silk, I will definitely dig them out of you, piece by piece!"

"This game has only just begun."