318: An eighth-rank alchemy master?

The heavy stone door slowly closed, completely isolating Jiang Donghua and the dying Mu Chen from the outside world.

Outside the stone door, the passage fell into a brief silence.

The solemn expression on the face of the Xiao Family Ancestor, Xiao Zhen, had not faded. He turned to look at his grandson, Xiao Han, his gaze sharp, lowering his voice, which was filled with disbelief.

"Han'er, tell Grandpa honestly, what is the background of this Brother Jiang of yours?"

He took a deep breath and continued.

"At such a young age, not only does he possess Dou Zong cultivation, but the Soul Power he displayed just now was terrifying enough to make one's heart tremble!"

"When Grandpa traveled through the Central Region in his early years, I was fortunate enough to meet several Seventh-Grade Alchemist Masters. Although their Soul Power was certainly vast and profound, it seemed far from reaching the level of absolute dominance and decisive power displayed just now!"

Xiao Han had not yet fully recovered from the previous shock. He scratched his head and tried hard to recall.

"Grandpa, I'm not entirely sure of the specifics. But before I left Jia Nan Academy to come to the Central Region, Brother Jiang was already recognized as the Alchemist genius of the academy!"

"At that time, he had been enrolled for less than a year and was already a Fourth-Grade Alchemist! This shocked the entire Jia Nan Academy!"

"Now that so much time has passed, given his monstrous talent, I believe it is entirely possible for him to have reached Fifth-Rank or even Sixth-Rank Alchemist!"

"Fourth-Grade? Less than a year after enrolling?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhen's eye twitched violently.

Such Alchemist talent was simply unheard of!

He pondered for a moment and slowly said.

"From this perspective, perhaps it is not entirely due to acquired cultivation. The Fighting Qi Continent is vast and full of wonders."

"Some chosen ones are born with Soul Power that is different from ordinary people, far surpassing their peers; they are favored by heaven. This Brother Jiang of yours is likely one of these one-in-a-billion prodigies!"

He paused, a hint of emotion and lingering fear appearing on his face, his voice grave.

"However, someone whose Soul Power is so formidable—I, your Grandpa, have lived for over a hundred years, and this is truly the first time I have ever witnessed it!"

"If he can truly pull a patient back from the gates of hell—one whose meridians are shattered and who suffered a fatal blow from a Peak Dou Zong!"

Xiao Zhen's gaze became incomparably sharp and resolute as he spoke word by word.

"Then, he is definitely not just a Fifth- or Sixth-Rank Alchemist! This means he possesses the attainment of at least a Seventh-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster!"

A Seventh-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster! What did that imply?

It implied that if his Xiao Family could forge a good relationship with him, they would never have to worry about the top-tier medicinal pills the family needed in the future!

It implied that the Xiao Family's influence might rise by a huge step because of this!

"This youth—no, this Young Friend Jiang—has boundless prospects! He is no mere fish in a pond!"

Xiao Zhen suddenly looked at Xiao Han, his tone carrying an unmistakable command.

"Han'er, remember this: starting today, Jiang Donghua is the most honored guest of my Xiao Family!"

"No, he is an ally! No matter what, my Xiao Family must spare no effort to befriend him! This goodwill might be the greatest opportunity for my Xiao Family's future!"

"Grandpa, I understand!"

Xiao Han nodded heavily; he knew exactly what such a young Seventh-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster implied.

"Let's go!"

Xiao Zhen acted decisively, grabbing Xiao Han.

"To the family's medicinal vault! Bring all the precious, top-tier medicinal ingredients stored there that are used to rejoin meridians and nourish the Soul Power! Now is the time to offer help in time of need!"

News of the battle in the Black Wind Mountain Range spread back to the Xuanming Sect headquarters at the fastest speed, like a plague.

Initially, the disciple responsible for guarding the soul lamps stumbled and crawled into the main hall, reporting with a deathly pale face that the soul lamps of Second Elder Chen Ming, Fifth Elder Gloomy Spring, and the Seventh Elder Ghost Shadow had successively extinguished!

The entire Xuanming Sect was more than just enraged?

Following the initial fury and disbelief, a deeper emotion named fear began to quietly coil around the hearts of every Elder and disciple, like a cold viper!

Three Dou Zong Elders had perished simultaneously!

Among them was Second Elder Chen Ming, a Peak Dou Zong, one of the sect's pillars of stability!

This was the most severe loss the Xuanming Sect had ever suffered since its founding!

To say it was a crippling blow was an understatement; it was as if someone had severed an arm and a leg!

Inside the sect, the previously arrogant and overbearing atmosphere vanished, replaced by a deathly silence and a panic where everyone feared for themselves.

Who exactly possessed such terrifying strength?

What kind of behemoth stood behind that Jiang Donghua?

Under this extreme fear and pressure, deep within the Xuanming Sect, a sleeping, vast aura, infinitely more terrifying than Chen Ming's, was finally startled and awakened with a boom!

In the secluded cultivation chamber, the stone door burst open!

A figure shrouded in thick black mist, whose face could not be clearly seen, stepped out and instantly appeared on the main seat of the great hall.

The sky above the entire Xuanming Sect suddenly darkened slightly due to his appearance!

He was the contemporary Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect, Venerable Ming Gu!

A true Dou Zun Expert!

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

The voice of Venerable Ming Gu was not loud, but it carried a cold killing intent that made the very space tremble slightly.

The Elders kneeling below did not dare to raise their heads, trembling uncontrollably.

After his initial rage, Venerable Ming Gu forced himself to calm down.

The situation was serious, far exceeding imagination. He had to personally go and investigate who dared to strike his Xuanming Sect with such ruthlessness!

"I want to see who gave them such immense courage!"

Before his voice faded, the figure of Venerable Ming Gu had already vanished from the great hall.

The next moment, he appeared above the ravaged battlefield in the Black Wind Mountain Range.

He hovered in the air, his terrifying Dou Zun Expert perception sweeping across every trace of residual energy on the scene like mercury.

He formed hand seals, executing a secret tracking technique passed down in the Xuanming Sect, attempting to trace the auras from that time.

Soon, several distinct auras were captured by him: the residual cold Dou Qi of Chen Ming, Gloomy Spring, and Ghost Shadow; a fierce and sharp Metal Attribute Dou Qi (Xiao Zhen); a relatively faint but extremely high-quality cold flame aura (Jiang Donghua); and the Wood Attribute vitality left by Mu Chen, mixed with the sinister aura of the Xuanming Cold Palm.

However, just as he tried to perceive more deeply, an extremely subtle, yet vast, residual invisible power—so immense it made his very soul tremble, like a sleeping giant—was keenly sensed by him!

"This is residual Soul Power?!"

The brow of Venerable Ming Gu, hidden beneath the black mist, jumped violently, and a tempestuous shock surged in his heart!

He was a Dou Zun Expert; his perception far exceeded that of ordinary people.

Yet, the residual soul fluctuation he sensed at this moment—its purity and the hidden, violent intent that seemed capable of tearing apart everything—actually made him feel a trace of danger!

"Such Soul Power... an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster! This is definitely something only an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster could possess!"

Venerable Ming Gu instantly made his judgment.

Only existences standing at the peak of the Alchemist profession could possess such terrifying and peerless Soul Power!

The thought that an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster might have intervened in this matter made Venerable Ming Gu feel a chill rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head; the cold sweat on his back instantly soaked his robes!

An Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster!

What kind of terrifying existence was that?

His power to rally support was unimaginable!

Simply tossing out a few Eighth-Grade medicinal pills as reward would be enough to make countless Dou Zun Experts, or even stronger old monsters, willingly take action for him and slaughter the Xuanming Sect top to bottom!

"Damn it! Chen Ming, that idiot! What kind of monster did he provoke?!"

Venerable Ming Gu was both shocked and enraged. The towering fury he had originally felt, intending to demand accountability, was instantly replaced by a far stronger fear.

He stood rooted to the spot, his expression constantly changing.

Continue the investigation?

If he truly angered that mysterious Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster, the Xuanming Sect might genuinely face annihilation!

Stop here?

The sect had lost three Dou Zong Experts at once, including a Peak Dou Zong. How could he swallow this insult?

Where would the sect's prestige lie?