62: compensate me for my belongings

Jiang Donghua leisurely followed behind Elder Mo, his hands clasped behind his head, completely unaware that he was walking step by step toward the eye of the storm.

"Why is Master acting so strange today?"

He glanced at Elder Mo's tense back, murmuring inwardly.

"He couldn't be thinking of testing my alchemy, could he? Tsk, at worst, I'll just refine a third-grade pill for him to see again."

While he was lost in wild thoughts, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck, as if something had swept past it, causing him to instinctively shrink his neck.

"Strange, why is it suddenly a little cold in the middle of summer."

He had no idea that those were the Soul Detection Secret Arts of three Dou King Elders!

Even less did he know that at this moment, his soul, cultivation, and bone age were being analyzed inch by inch!

On an ancient tree far away, the three elders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

"How strange!"

One of them transmitted his voice.

"This Stinky Kid's soul is very young; there are absolutely no signs of possession or disguise!"

Another person frowned and added.

"His cultivation is also a genuine Four-Star Dou Shi, with no signs of having been suppressed."

The third person pondered for a moment before finally reaching a conclusion.

"Is he really just a monstrous genius?"

The three dared not delay and immediately transmitted the detection results to Lei Tian using Soul Power.

"Dean, this child's soul is pure, his cultivation is genuine, and he is indeed a youth!"

On the top floor of the Alchemy Pavilion, Lei Tian's eyes flickered slightly, and the Lightning Light on his fingertips quietly faded a little.

"Oh?"

He thoughtfully rubbed his chin.

"Could it be that we were truly overthinking things?"

Ice Red's voice came coldly.

"The Blood Demon Sect's secret techniques are insidious; appearances cannot be trusted."

Lei Tian snorted with a laugh.

"Then, according to you?"

Ice Red condensed an ice crystal on her fingertip and said in a cold voice.

"Make him touch the 'Soul Suppressing Jade'!"

The Soul Suppressing Jade, a secret treasure of Jia Nan Academy, can expose all soul disguises!

If Jiang Donghua truly is the Blood Fiend, he will definitely reveal his true form!

Lei Tian narrowed his eyes and slowly nodded.

Downstairs, Jiang Donghua had already followed Elder Mo into the main hall of the Alchemy Pavilion.

As soon as he entered the door, he suddenly froze. In the center of the hall, a piece of entirely white ancient jade was suspended in mid-air, facing his direction!

"This, what is this?"

Jiang Donghua's pupils contracted sharply.

Elder Mo had his back to him, his voice hoarse.

"Donghua, go touch that jade."

A line between life and death.

Jiang Donghua looked at the white Soul Suppressing Jade in front of him, muttering to himself.

"Isn't it just testing Soul Power? Why make it so serious?"

He casually reached out and pressed it.

The jade was warm and smooth, showing no reaction.

The entire Alchemy Pavilion was terrifyingly silent.

With a soft "crack," the sound of something shattering came from behind Jiang Donghua.

He turned his head and saw Elder Mo let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes appearing slightly moist.

"M-Master?"

Jiang Donghua looked bewildered.

"Was this test very difficult? Why are you..."

"Stinky Kid!"

Elder Mo suddenly lunged forward and slapped the back of his head hard.

"Who told you to randomly touch the academy's treasures!"

The slap made Jiang Donghua grimace, but he keenly noticed that his Master's hand was trembling slightly.

On the top floor of the pavilion, Lei Tian withdrew the Dou Qi he had been preparing and shook his head with a laugh.

"It seems we were overly cautious."

Ice Red, however, was still staring at the Soul Suppressing Jade, her brows tightly furrowed.

"It shouldn't be, could it really be such a coincidence?"

"Enough."

Lei Tian flicked his sleeve and turned around.

"Let this matter rest. If that Stinky Kid was truly the Blood Fiend, the Soul Suppressing Jade couldn't possibly have shown no reaction."

"Unless he is a Dou Zong, do you think that's possible?"

After the group of experts observing in secret dispersed, Jiang Donghua rubbed his head and complained.

"Master, why have you been so mysterious today? Where is the Xuan-rank Combat Skill you promised?"

Elder Mo pulled out an ancient, greenish scroll from his chest, but suddenly withdrew his hand.

"Wait, first tell your Master, did you encounter any strange opportunities when you were in seclusion half a year ago?"

He pretended to recall.

"Ah! Does fast cultivation speed count?"

"Just as I thought!"

Elder Mo excitedly grabbed his shoulder.

"It proves your unparalleled talent..."

Mid-sentence, the old man suddenly choked up, turning his face away to wipe the corner of his eye.

"Master?"

Elder Mo's expression instantly turned indifferent, and he casually pulled out a dark green scroll from his chest and tossed it to Jiang Donghua.

"Here, the Xuan-rank Combat Skill I promised you."

His tone was casual, as if he had just thrown a rock.

Jiang Donghua caught it in a fluster, lowered his head to look, and saw "Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist" clearly written on the scroll—xuan-rank high-tier!

"xuan-rank high-tier?!"

His eyes widened, and he nearly bit his tongue.

"Master, this is too generous of you!"

Elder Mo snorted coldly, but the corner of his mouth slightly lifted.

"What? Do you think it's too low grade?"

"No, no, no!"

Jiang Donghua quickly shook his head, overjoyed inside.

"Master is magnificent! Your Disciple is so touched he wants to kowtow to you!"

Elder Mo waved his hand dismissively.

"Cut the theatrics!"

Jiang Donghua chuckled, eagerly unrolled the scroll, and after a quick glance, his heart immediately pounded wildly.

The fist technique was fierce and domineering; when cultivated to Great Perfection, the fist force could shatter mountains and split rivers!

"What a great item!"

He thought happily.

But upon second thought, he felt a little depressed.

That jade just now didn't react at all; it seems it couldn't measure my 'talent'!

If it had measured it, Master might have gotten excited and directly given me a Di-rank Dou Technique!

What a huge loss!

The more he thought about it, the more he regretted it, unable to stop stamping his feet and beating his chest.

"Sigh! Why didn't that broken jade light up just once?!"

Elder Mo squinted at him.

"What are you muttering about, Stinky Kid?"

Jiang Donghua immediately put on a fawning smile.

"Master, seeing how high my talent is, shouldn't you give me something else?"

"Scram!"

Elder Mo slapped the back of his head.

"Insatiable!"

Jiang Donghua covered his head, looking wronged.

"Master, you can't be like this! Your Disciple works so hard; if you don't give me more rewards, my heart will turn cold!"

Elder Mo was so angered he laughed.

"Stinky Kid, stop playing pitiful here!"

After a pause, he spoke with deep meaning.

"However, if you can truly cultivate this Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist to Minor Achievement within three months, it's not impossible for your Master to give you a few more good things."

Jiang Donghua's eyes lit up.

"Really?!"

Elder Mo snorted, turned around with his hands behind his back, and only left one sentence.

"The prerequisite is, don't embarrass this old man!"

Jiang Donghua watched his Master's receding figure, grinned, and a sly light flashed in his eyes.

"Hehe, three months? I can handle it!"

He looked down at the scroll in his hand, feeling secretly delighted.

"System, time to work!"

AFK cultivation, activate!

Elder Mo left even faster than Jiang Donghua had imagined, disappearing in a flash right in front of him.

The strength of a Dou King is truly not something he could provoke at this time.

Elder Mo strode quickly to catch up to Ice Red, grabbed her sleeve, his eyes sharp.

"Ice Red, shouldn't you give this old man an explanation?"

His voice was low, carrying an undeniable sense of oppression.

Ice Red's steps paused when she was pulled; she glanced back at him, a rare trace of helplessness on her face.

"Explain what?"

She said lightly.

"The Soul Suppressing Jade didn't react, which only proves he hasn't been possessed."

Elder Mo narrowed his eyes.

"So you just messed with my Disciple like that?"

Ice Red raised an eyebrow.

"What? Are you feeling heartache?"

Elder Mo snorted coldly.

"Cut the nonsense, give some compensation."

Ice Red.

"..."

She stared at Elder Mo for a few seconds, suddenly finding him somewhat unfamiliar.

When did this guy become so shameless?

Where did the serious and rigid Elder Mo from before go?

Why does he look exactly like someone collecting a debt now?

She took a deep breath, suppressed the feeling of absurdity, and said coldly.

"What do you want?"

Elder Mo rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and said self-righteously.

"A Pill Formula of the third or fourth grade with clear Soul Power traces, or an armor that can save his life. Any Xuan-rank Combat Skill will do too."

Ice Red's eye twitched.

"Are you trying to fleece a rich family?"

Elder Mo remained unfazed.

"My Disciple was startled; what's wrong with asking for some compensation?"

Ice Red.

"..."

She stared at Elder Mo for a long time, finally throwing down a cold sentence.

"Wait."

After speaking, she turned and left, her retreating figure carrying a hint of gritted teeth.

Elder Mo watched her retreating figure, the corner of his mouth slightly rising.

Stinky Kid, your Master got you some benefits, don't let me down!

On the other side, Jiang Donghua was happily studying the Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist when he suddenly sneezed.

"Who is talking about me?"

He rubbed his nose, then excitedly rubbed his hands together.

The more Elder Mo thought about it, the angrier he became, and his beard bristled.

Forget about Ice Red, that old woman, but didn't those three old fogeys who used secret detection techniques practically strip his Disciple bare, inside and out?!

His Disciple is an innocent young man! His purity is intact!

And that Stinky Kid Lei Tian! When he was the Elder of the Alchemy Department, Lei Tian was just a small, ordinary elder. Now that he's the Dean, he dares to be so arrogant?!

Unacceptable! I'll kick down their doors one by one!

From yesterday until today, this old man's heart was nearly scared to stop by this bunch of scoundrels!

He snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and strode rapidly toward the residences of the three Dou King Elders.

Elder Gu Song's courtyard.

"Bang!"

Elder Mo kicked open the courtyard door, startling Gu Song, who was drinking tea, causing him to almost spit it out.

"E-Elder Mo? What madness possesses you?!"

Gu Song widened his eyes.

Elder Mo sneered.

"Old fogey, did you enjoy using your secret technique to detect my Disciple today?"

Gu Song's old face flushed red, and he said awkwardly.

"This, this is the academy's rule."

"Rule?"

Elder Mo narrowed his eyes.

"Then this old man will also test your Soul Power today!"

After speaking, Dou Qi surged in his palm, and he directly slapped toward Gu Song.

Gu Song was greatly alarmed.

"Wait! Let's talk! I'll compensate! Can't I just compensate?!"

Elder Qing Mu's pill room.

Qing Mu was focused on refining pills when he suddenly felt a chill behind him. He looked back and saw Elder Mo standing at the doorway with a gloomy expression.

"Elder Mo? You?"

"Cut the crap!"

Elder Mo interrupted directly.

"You detected my Disciple today, so today this old man will also detect you!"

Qing Mu's mouth twitched.

"What do you want?"

Elder Mo sneered.

"I heard you recently acquired a 'Six-Hundred-Year Blood Ganoderma'?"

Qing Mu.

"..."

How is this old fogey's information so accurate?!

Xuan Tie was swinging his hammer forging when suddenly the hammer was shaken away by a burst of Dou Qi.

He turned back angrily.

"Who?!"

Elder Mo stood with his arms crossed, saying lightly.

"Old Tie, shall we chat?"

Xuan Tie's eye twitched, and he silently pulled out a piece of soft armor from his storage ring.

"A Fifth-Tier Magical Beast crimson flame beast armor, is that enough?"

Elder Mo nodded in satisfaction.

"Sensible."

Lei Tian had already received the news and prepared tea in his courtyard beforehand.

Seeing Elder Mo enter aggressively, he smiled and said.

"Elder Mo, calm your anger."

Elder Mo snorted coldly.

"Lei Tian, your wings have gotten stiff now, haven't they? You even dare to suspect this old man's Disciple?"

Lei Tian was helpless.

"This concerns the safety of the academy; we had to be cautious."

Elder Mo narrowed his eyes.

"And now?"

Lei Tian pondered for a moment and took out a jade slip from his sleeve.

"The 'Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art', a xuan-rank high-tier body refining secret technique. Consider it compensation for your Disciple."

Only then did Elder Mo's expression soften slightly, and he snatched the jade slip.

"Now this is more like it!"

Ice Red returned to her Ice Crystal Pavilion, rummaging through boxes and cabinets with a cold expression.

That damned Elder Mo, how dare he extort me!

Fine, you want compensation, do you? This old woman will give you a "grand gift"!

She searched through her storage ring and secret room, specifically picking out "junk" that was high grade but useless to her.

Finally, her gaze fell upon a dusty, dark red broadsword in the corner.

The blade was heavy and thick, its edge gleaming with a chilling cold light, and the back of the blade still retained a few unpolished claw marks from a Magical Beast.

"This will do."

Ice Red sneered.

This saber was named the blood fang saber, a gift from an admirer when she was traveling the continent years ago.

"It's just gathering dust anyway; giving it to that old fogey's Disciple is perfect."

She disdainfully picked up the broadsword with two fingers and casually tossed it into a bag.

The next morning, Elder Mo's courtyard gate was pierced by an ice crystal arrow with a "ding," and a bag was hanging on the arrow.

Elder Mo pulled out the arrow with a dark face, opened the bag, and took a look.

A murderous broadsword.

Along with Ice Red's icy voice transmission.

"The saber was refined from the claws of a Fifth-Tier Magical Beast, the 'Blood Shadow Demon Wolf King'. Take it or leave it. If you dare bother me again, I'll crush your Disciple's life root."

Elder Mo.

"..."

He held the blood fang saber, his mouth twitching.

"This woman is so ominous even when giving gifts!"

But upon second thought, he became gleeful.

"However, that Stinky Kid Donghua should like it. After all, it's free, so he won't be picky."

Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy, Hall of Enforcement.

"Slap!"

A scroll was heavily slapped onto the table. The Chief Elder of the Hall of Enforcement, Iron Punishment, had a gloomy expression, his gaze sweeping over the enforcers below.

"Jiang Donghua's suspicion has been eliminated, but the Blood Demon Sect spy must still be inside the academy!"

His voice was cold and hard as iron.

"Anyone who can evade the detection of the Soul Suppressing Jade is either a Dou Zong or truly innocent!"

The expressions of the people below were solemn.

Although the commotion regarding Jiang Donghua had passed, the real crisis was just beginning.

An enemy that can hide perfectly is far more terrifying than an overt threat!

Iron Punishment tapped his finger on the table and continued.

"Starting today, the entire Hall of Enforcement will be mobilized, focusing on investigating the following three types of people!"

"First, those whose cultivation has advanced rapidly recently!"

"Second, those with abnormal behavior who frequently act alone!"

"Third, the batch of new Disciples who entered half a year ago!"

An enforcer couldn't help but ask.

"Elder, if the opponent is extremely well-hidden, how should we find their flaw?"

Iron Punishment sneered and took out a bloody crystal from his chest.

"The 'Soul Devouring Crystal' can sense the aura of the Blood Demon Sect's cultivation techniques. Although its range is limited, as long as it gets within thirty meters of the target, the clues will definitely appear!"

His gaze swept over everyone menacingly.

"Remember, better to mistakenly investigate a thousand people than let a single one slip away!"

At the same time, in a certain shadow within the academy.

A blurry figure gently stroked the bloody pattern on his cuff, sneering softly.

"The Soul Devouring Crystal? Heh... If it were truly that simple, my Blood Demon Sect would have been annihilated long ago."

A breeze swept past, and the figure silently vanished, leaving only a trace of bloody scent lingering in the air.

Jiang Donghua sat cross-legged in his small courtyard, with something spread out in front of him.

On his left side was the scroll for the Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist Profound Rank High-Grade Dou Technique that Elder Mo had just given him.

"Tsk, this is a dilemma..."

He scratched his hair, looking distressed.

AFK Dou Technique?

He could reach perfection in a few months, and combined with his current strength, he would be invincible among those of the same rank!

AFK Cultivation?

Breaking through to Great Dou Master would unlock the system's new function [Clone], which means he would essentially have another person working, twenty-four hours a day, always helping his body improve in the most perfect state!

While contemplating, he suddenly slapped his thigh.

"Stupid! There are only four or five months left until the Inner Academy Grand Competition!"

According to the rules of Jia Nan Academy, only the top five in the annual Grand Competition can enter the Scripture Pavilion to choose good items above the Xuan-rank.

With his current strength as a Four-Star Dou Shi, even having a Di-rank Dou Technique wouldn't guarantee a spot in the top five.

Those top students are monsters who are Nine-Star Dou Masters or even several-star Great Dou Masters!

"Cultivation is the foundation!"

His eyes hardened.

"System, prioritize AFK breakthrough of realms!"

[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Four-Star Dou Shi (800 / 4000) Currently AFK Cultivating]

[Main Cultivation Technique: Heaven Burning Art (profound rank mid-level)]

[AFK Income]

Clone 1: 4 points / hour

Clone 2: 4 points / hour

Clone 3: 4 points / hour

[Current Total Income: 12 points / hour]

[Dou Technique: yellow rank high grade Movement Technique Roaming Cloud Steps (Perfect Mastery) No further improvement possible, yellow rank high grade Palm Technique Blazing Flame Palm (Perfect Mastery) No further improvement possible]

[Pill Formula: bone-mending pill, Perfect Mastery, No further improvement possible, qi burst pill, Perfect Mastery, No further improvement possible, mysterious spirit pill (1 / 1000) Great Achievement]