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Su Qian handed over all the intelligence he had gathered recently about the Jia Ma Empire and the Yunlan Sect to Xiao Yan.
This intelligence was not very detailed, only a general overview, as Jia Nan Academy did not have that much idle manpower to specifically collect information about such a distant country.
Since being attacked by the Soul Hall Protector, Jia Nan Academy's prestige had shown a subtle downward trend, and some forces in the Black-Corner Region were stirring, which already made Su Qian feel overwhelmed.
After receiving the intelligence, Xiao Yan gained a general understanding of the situation in the Jia Ma Empire.
He keenly judged that the Jia Ma Empire was probably no longer ruled by the imperial family.
During the continuous war between the two Empires, the Yunlan Sect and the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect, as leaders, integrated the large and small Sect forces within their respective countries.
On the Chu Yun Empire's side, there was also a Poison Sect that gathered some stronger Sects to resist the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect's invasion, while the Jia Ma Empire was completely dominated by the Yunlan Sect alone.
In this war, the Yunlan Sect's strength not only did not suffer but instead expanded rapidly.
Sitting alone on the city wall of Jia Nan City, Xiao Yan murmured to himself, "What exactly does Yun Shan want to do?"
He still couldn't figure out Yun Shan's attitude. From the fact that he sent people to deliver Dou Techniques and pills to him, and allowed his two older brothers to leave that place of trouble because of it, Yun Shan seemed to be showing him goodwill.
However, there were also many signs indicating that the Yunlan Sect had intricate connections with the Soul Hall, and the Soul Hall was very likely the culprit behind the Xiao Family's destruction...
What role did the Yunlan Sect play in this matter?
"Xiao Yan, caution is never wrong. You must be prepared to be completely at odds with the Yunlan Sect," Yao Chen said from inside the bone flame ring.
"I understand, Teacher." Xiao Yan nodded, "To prevent Yun Shan from breaking his promise and ganging up on me, I also need to gather power that can contend with them."
Yao Chen said with a smile, "Perfect, it's time to improve your alchemy. With your current strength, you need to refine sixth-grade pills to be considered qualified."
Sixth-grade... Xiao Yan felt a slight pressure in his heart. As his strength grew, the energy required to refine pills of the same grade would certainly decrease, and naturally, he would have a greater chance of refining higher-grade pills.
Xiao Yan was confident in refining fifth-grade pills, but sixth-grade... He wasn't sure without trying.
So Xiao Yan found Su Qian and said he wanted to use Jia Nan Academy's medicinal ingredients for practice. In return, he would not take a single pill he refined, leaving all of them for the academy.
If it were anyone else, Su Qian would definitely not agree. Because refining pills also had a high failure rate, an Alchemist consumes the most resources when upgrading their grade. This is because they often fail after refining a dozen or twenty furnaces.
Even if they succeed once, the subsequent success rate would not be too high, much worse than a normal Alchemist of the corresponding grade. The value of the pills refined is often far less than the medicinal ingredients consumed during the practice process.
However, in consideration of Xiao Yan saving the Fallen Heart Flame for the academy, Su Qian pondered for a moment and then agreed.
With Jia Nan Academy's support, Xiao Yan's biggest problem in pill refining was solved, and he began his arduous training.
He tirelessly refined fifth-grade pills, furnace after furnace. To Su Qian's surprise, the success rate was astonishingly high. Not only did he not cause losses to the academy, but he also made a large profit for them.
After being able to consistently refine fifth-grade pills, Xiao Yan finally set his sights on sixth-grade pills.
He immediately aimed for the Dou Spirit Pill, which was considered a high-grade sixth-grade pill. As expected, he failed several times, making Elder Huo, the head of the alchemy department, feel his heart bleed.
It was not until the fifth attempt that Xiao Yan finally refined a Dou Spirit Pill.
In such tireless training, three months passed.
Xiao Yan's Dou Qi also became increasingly profound, reaching a point where it could no longer be suppressed, passively advancing him to Dou Emperor.
In the slightly dim cultivation room, illuminated only by a moonstone, Xiao Yan sighed:
"Finally, Dou Emperor."
There was no joy, no exhilaration like in previous breakthroughs, but rather a hint of sadness and helplessness.
He recalled something Xiao Zhan often said when he was young: My son Xiao Yan has the potential of a Dou Emperor.
I am Dou Emperor, but Father, where are you?
Xiao Yan reined in his emotions, calmed himself, slowly got up, and pressed the button by the door. The stone door slowly opened.
As the rumbling sound of stones rubbing against each other echoed, the light from outside streamed in, illuminating the young man's handsome face.
Xiao Yan squinted slightly until his eyes adjusted to the light. He found Su Qian, the Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy, and bid him farewell.
Su Qian looked at Xiao Yan, whose aura was growing stronger and gave him a sense of danger, and nodded:
"Speaking of which, although you've only been in Jia Nan Academy for two years, it's almost time for you to graduate. This is my graduation gift to you."
He handed a jade slip to Xiao Yan: "Open it and take a look."
Xiao Yan extended his soul power into the jade slip and read the information inside. He discovered that it contained intelligence about the Black-Corner Region. Compared to the previous intelligence he was given about the Yunlan Sect and the Jia Ma Empire, this one was much more detailed.
A smile appeared on his face: "This is a great help, Great Elder. How did you know I needed this?"
Su Qian smiled: "Didn't you frantically practice alchemy because you wanted to use it as leverage to gather a group of thugs to go back?"
Xiao Yan chuckled: "These guys from the Black-Corner Region are quite easy to understand; they'll do things for money."
"But you must remember, you cannot trust them. You must always keep your Mind's Eye. You can let them fight for you, but they won't risk their lives for you," Su Qian warned.
Xiao Yan nodded: "I understand."
After bidding farewell to Su Qian, Xiao Yan gathered a group of people in the Black-Corner Region. At the cost of refining one "Royal Extremity Pill," he invited Ban Lao, Sect Master Fan Lao of the Blood Sanctify Sect, Sect Master Yin Gu Lao of the Heavenly Yin Sect, Gang Leader Tie Wu of the Mad Lion Gang, Sect Master Su Mei of the Rakshasa Gate, and by offering the chance to refine two "Broken Sect Pills," he invited the top two experts on the Black List, Gold and Silver Elders.
Above Black Wind City, Xiao Yan and the helpers he invited, along with some subordinates they brought, gathered together.
They rode on domesticated magical beasts called "Black-Backed Eagles," specially used for long-distance travel.
Although they could fly there themselves, it would be too exhausting. When not in a hurry, they didn't mind enjoying the journey.
On the largest Black-Backed Eagle, which had a tuft of white feathers on its head, Gold and Silver Elders said to Xiao Yan, who had not concealed his identity:
"Mr. Xiao Yan, we can deal with others for you, but as per the agreement, you must deal with Yun Shan yourself. Even if you fail, we will not intervene."
Xiao Yan laughed heartily: "Naturally. According to my agreement with Yun Shan, regardless of victory or defeat, I will be safe and sound. I invite you all to come merely as witnesses."
"Furthermore, if there are any short-sighted individuals who block our path when we ascend the mountain, attempting to deplete my Dou Qi, I'll have to trouble you all."
He only told these people a part of the truth, concealing the parts about the Soul Hall and the Xiao Family.
The matter of the Soul Hall and the Xiao Family was quite secretive, with few people knowing about it besides those involved, while Xiao Yan's three-year agreement with Yun Shan was widely spread in the Jia Ma Empire.
These people from the Black-Corner Region agreed to Xiao Yan's invitation precisely because they didn't need to confront Yun Shan, only act as witnesses and deal with some minor troubles... They had all inquired, and the facts were indeed almost identical to what Xiao Yan had said.
However, even if the situation changed, they wouldn't be too worried. Before this, Gold and Silver Elders had tentatively exchanged blows with Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan needed to show off a bit to deter the people of the Black-Corner Region from having any improper thoughts. And Gold and Silver Elders also needed to understand Xiao Yan's combat power to assess the risks of this trip.
In their exchange, Xiao Yan displayed combat power far exceeding his own cultivation level. After using the secret technique "Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformations," his aura was already similar to that of a seven or eight-star Dou Emperor.
The subsequent display of ghost-like movement techniques made even Gold and Silver Elders dare not be careless in the slightest.
With this exchange, these people from the Black-Corner Region became honest.
"Mad Lion" Tie Wu patted his chest and guaranteed: "Haha, little brother Xiao, just deal with Yun Shan. We'll take care of the rest, and we definitely won't let them interfere with you in the slightest."
"Then I'll leave it to you all." Xiao Yan smiled, then waved his hand: "Depart!"
The group set off in a grand manner.
On the city wall of Black Wind City, a young man wearing a monocle gazed at their retreating figures, a smile appearing on his face:
"Interesting..."
He transmitted a message to the Amons far away in the Jia Ma Empire through the "Flame of Destiny."
Almost at the same time, the Amon avatars in the Jia Ma Empire raised their right hands, adjusting their monocles in different postures.
"It's about to begin..."
"Xiao Yan has been playing in Jia Nan Academy long enough, and the main body's arrangements are basically complete..."
"Perhaps, we should speed up the progress... After all, the earlier we go to the Great Thousand World, the more leisurely the next stage of planning will be."
"By the way, what exactly have we been planning?" One Amon looked puzzled.
"I don't know." Another Amon replied.
...
Stone Desert City, Yun Shan stood on the city wall, gazing at the distant sky, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.
"Teacher, what are you smiling about?" Yun Yun asked from beside him.
"Nothing, just thought of something interesting."
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