Since things had come to this, Mu Chen had no reason to refuse.
After all, this wasn't the cultivation World, where fellow disciples taking on a mission together meant considering if someone was trying to harm you.
Compared to that treacherous World, the people here were simple and honest, mostly preferring to directly show off their strength.
The next morning, they gathered at the Academy's second teleportation hub and traveled to White Dragon City via the teleportation spiritual array.
"Brother Mu, have you learned about this North Cang Continent, and the standing of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy on this North Cang Continent?" Hun Yufeng, walking at the very front, suddenly asked.
"I've only heard that the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy is the most powerful force on this North Cang Continent," Mu Chen replied.
Hun Yufeng nodded: "Yes... the most powerful, but also with many competitors. Our clan hasn't invested too much power into the Academy.
"Coupled with the Dean not managing affairs much, the prestige of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy has gradually declined, and overt and covert challenges have increased significantly.
"The most direct manifestation is the sharp rise in casualties among students who go out for training or missions."
"Brother Hun means... our trip won't be peaceful?" Mu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. "We might be targeted by other forces?"
Hun Yufeng shook his head: "No, my meaning is, let's start with you and me to restore the Academy's prestige..."
"Except for fellow students from the Academy, you can treat everyone else as enemies. If you encounter a conflict, don't hold back; just go for the kill."
"The rule of the Great Thousand World is the law of the jungle. Others won't be grateful because you're soft-hearted; they'll only think you're weak and easily taken advantage of."
"I understand," Mu Chen nodded.
He thought Hun Yufeng was worried that he might be indecisive when encountering enemies on his first mission, thus putting himself in danger, and was therefore reminding him.
Mu Chen appreciated his good intentions...
However...
He was not someone who would hold back. He knew very well that the cruelty of internal competition within the Academy was completely different from competition with other forces!
After transferring through the teleportation array in White Dragon City, they arrived at White Dragon City.
White Dragon City was the largest city near their destination, White Dragon Hill, ruled by the White Dragon City Lord, Bai Xuan. It was said that he possessed the strength of the Heavenly Completion Realm, making him a minor overlord in the area.
Upon their arrival, a bidding was about to be held.
"Bidding?" Mu Chen's brows twitched, and a hint of interest flashed across his face.
"Since Brother Mu is interested, there's no harm in taking a look. The spiritual treasure is about to appear; perhaps some items that flowed out of the spiritual treasure were picked up and put up for bidding."
The group arrived in front of the bidding hall, and Hun Hunsheng casually paid the entrance fee.
Entering the bidding hall, they took seats in the front row.
"Guests, these seats are reserved for those of noble status. If you do not possess matching strength, there might be some trouble if the seats fill up later," a attendant came to advise.
"What, are you saying Young Master is not worthy of sitting here?" Hun Jin's voice turned cold.
"No, I am only responsible for informing new guests. Whether you choose to adopt my suggestion is not within my scope of responsibility."
"Hehe..." A soft chuckle sounded. "These few naturally have the right to sit here. If even the top-ranked individual on the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy's Heaven Ranking doesn't have the right to sit, then I wouldn't dare take a seat either."
Mu Chen looked in the direction of the voice, only to see a young man in white, fanning himself, walking over, surrounded by two curvaceous women.
Behind him followed a gray-robed elder with a powerful aura.
The attendant bowed, apologized, and quickly left.
The white-robed youth's gaze swept over Hun Hunsheng, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes before quickly being concealed. He then looked at Hun Yufeng, cupping his hands and saying, "Greetings, Brother Hun."
Hun Yufeng glanced at him, ignoring him.
Hun Jin spoke up, "Scram, you're not worthy of speaking with Young Master."
Anger flashed in the white-robed youth's eyes. The gray-robed elder behind him stepped forward to advise:
"Young City Lord, the bigger picture is important; we must obtain that item."
The white-robed youth nodded, found a more distant seat without a word, and sat down.
Mu Chen quietly asked, "Who is that person?"
Hun Jin replied, "The Young City Lord of White Dragon City, what was his name? Never mind, no need to care, just a good-for-nothing."
The bidding began. Besides Mu Chen buying a damaged spiritual array fragment, the others showed little interest in the items being bid on.
It wasn't until the "white dragon jade pillar" was brought onto the stage at the end that Hun Yufeng showed a bit of interest.
The host revealed that the "white dragon jade pillar" was very likely left by the White Dragon Supreme, and that the spiritual treasure appearing this time might not be a Tong Tian spiritual treasure, but rather a spiritual treasure left by the White Dragon Supreme, which piqued the guests' interest.
When the Young City Lord of White Dragon City called out a price of ten million spiritual coins, forcing others to retreat, Hun Yufeng made his bid:
"Twenty million spiritual coins."
He doubled the price in one go, which made everyone else gasp at his financial power.
A hint of coldness flashed in Bai Dong's eyes. He hesitated for a moment before continuing to bid: "Twenty-one million spiritual coins."
"Could it really be left by the White Dragon Supreme?"
"It seems the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and White Dragon City have already received some news, otherwise they wouldn't be so desperate!"
The people from the other two major forces in White Dragon City, the Earthwalker Sect and the Heavenly Gang Sword Sect, were also moved.
However, they were not as well prepared, and faced with such a high price, they could only back down.
Hun Yufeng did not increase his bid. It was best if he could win it; if not, there were other ways to obtain it.
Dare to snatch something I set my eyes on? You are courting death!
"Damn it, I wasted an extra eleven million spiritual coins."
Bai Dong felt that the other party was targeting him, deliberately bidding against him, and a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes.
You are seeking your own demise!
The bidding dispersed. Bai Dong, carrying the heavy treasure, dared not linger and hurried towards the City Lord's Mansion.
That night, in the dimly lit study of the White Dragon City Lord's Mansion, Bai Dong and the gray-robed elder who served as his bodyguard stood respectfully.
Before them, a middle-aged man with graying hair gazed at the "white dragon jade pillar" in his hand, which emitted a faint pressure, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.
"It truly is left by the White Dragon Supreme..."
Then, he looked at Bai Dong: "You said it cost twenty-one million spiritual coins? And other forces are also eyeing it?"
"It's someone from the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, the top-ranked on the Heaven Ranking, Hun Yufeng," Bai Dong replied.
A hint of solemnity flashed in Bai Xuan's eyes. They were actually people from the Dragon Demon Palace.
Back then, the Dragon Demon Palace almost dominated the North Cang Continent and clashed with another behemoth on the continent—the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy—eventually being defeated by the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.
They had always harbored resentment over that defeat... The Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was the predecessor of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Although the Academy had changed owners, they still held great animosity towards it and sought opportunities for revenge.
Therefore, White Dragon City had always been investigating the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, and knew many details about its internal affairs.
The gray-robed elder analyzed in a low voice, "Hun Yufeng, the top-ranked on the Heaven Ranking, and Hun Jin, the second-ranked on the Heaven Ranking, have made very few appearances, so their strength is unknown.
"But Shen Cangsheng, the third-ranked on the Heaven Ranking, has always been bothering Demon Dragon Son, so these two must at least be at the late stage of the Heavenly Completion Realm, or even the Heavenly Completion Realm is not impossible."
Heavenly Completion Realm... Bai Xuan's face was extremely grim. He himself only possessed the strength of the late stage of the Heavenly Completion Realm. Such a powerful enemy was not something he could handle.
He decided to immediately send someone to the Dragon Demon Palace for reinforcements.
Outside the City Lord's Mansion, Hun Yufeng handed three array disks separately to Hun Jin, Hun Hunsheng, and Mu Chen.
He said to Mu Chen, "You'll help me set up the array later."
Then he looked at Hun Jin and Hun Hunsheng: "As for the arrays in your hands, use them as the situation dictates."
Mu Chen probed the array disk with his divine soul and received some information... Spirit Devouring Life Extinguishing Array.
A hint of solemnity flashed in his eyes, and he vaguely discerned the function of this array.
This array was extremely vicious; it would extract the essence blood, spiritual power, and divine soul of those within the array, turning them into nourishment for the array core.
He hesitated and said, "Brother Hun, is it necessary to go to this extent?"
The other party merely followed the rules of the bidding and outbid you for something you wanted. Is it necessary to directly wipe out their entire family?
This is too ruthless!
Hun Yufeng explained, "Hun Jin and I rarely operate outside, and even few students within the Academy recognize us, yet Bai Dong immediately called out our identities as soon as he spoke.
"His intelligence work is very good... I think, besides the Academy's competitors, no one would pay so much attention to intelligence within the Academy!
"White Dragon City, White Dragon Hill, White Dragon Supreme... there is clearly some connection between the three. The Dragon Demon Palace is most interested in the White Dragon Supreme.
"They have always wanted to find the White Dragon Supreme's place of demise and reclaim the Dragon Demon Palace's supreme treasure."
A hint of realization flashed in Mu Chen's eyes: "The White Dragon City Lord might be someone from the Dragon Demon Palace?"
Hun Yufeng strode towards the City Lord's Mansion, a dense black mist emanating from his body.
After a slight hesitation, Mu Chen still activated the array disk, and a blood-colored grand array enveloped the entire City Lord's Mansion.
After activating it, Mu Chen realized that this grand array had no offensive capabilities whatsoever; its only function was to extract essence from corpses.
At the center of the grand array, serving as the array core, was a dragon-eye-sized pill, emitting a faint fragrance.
"Who's there?" Bai Xuan, sensing the commotion, came from the study to the courtyard and saw the imposing Hun Yufeng.
His eyes flickered, his expression stiffened for a moment, and then he said deferentially, "So it is a Heavenly Talent from the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. I apologize for not coming out to greet you. May I ask what brings you here?"
"At this point, what more nonsense are you spouting? Today marks the death of you remnants of the Dragon Demon Palace!" Hun Yufeng chuckled coldly.
Bai Xuan's pupils constricted: "It seems we were exposed long ago... I thought I was hiding very well...
"So you also had your eyes on the White Dragon Supreme's treasure long ago, and now that the spiritual treasure has appeared, you finally couldn't help but make your move?"
No, are you really people from the Dragon Demon Palace?
I was just trying to get Mu Chen to accept our way of doing things, so I just made up a random excuse and talked nonsense!
Hun Yufeng's expression was one of surprise.
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