Chapter 268: The Arrival of Demonic Forces
Despite Xiao Yan's now towering reputation within the Pill Refining Department, Su Qian, as the First Elder, was able to bypass all obstructions and arrive directly at his quarters.
"First Elder, what brings you here in such a hurry?" Xiao Yan greeted Su Qian with a smile, but upon seeing his anxious demeanor, his expression faltered slightly.
"Could it be... something happened to Zi Yan?" Xiao Yan's brows furrowed in concern.
Su Qian quickly shook his head, which allowed Xiao Yan to breathe a sigh of relief. However, another possibility immediately crossed his mind.
"If it's not Zi Yan, then... could it be news about Han Feng?" Xiao Yan's tone carried a hint of anticipation.
Su Qian nodded heavily, not disappointing Xiao Yan's expectations, and began recounting the recent events.
"Three days ago, Spring God City, located near Spring God Canyon, was completely wiped out!"
At these words, Su Qian's expression became solemn.
Spring God City was no ordinary small settlement in the Black Corner Region it was a significant power, with a Dou Zong (Dou Venerate) guarding it.
In a place like the Black Corner Region, any faction with a Dou Zong among its ranks could be considered a major power. While Spring God City wasn't as powerful as Jia Nan Academy, it had stood strong on the plains for many years. Its sudden destruction was an alarming event.
"So, what does this have to do with Han Feng?" Xiao Yan asked, still puzzled.
"It was the Gold and Silver Elders who did it!" Su Qian took a deep breath before dropping this bombshell.
This caused Xiao Yan's expression to shift slightly.
"The Gold and Silver Elders? How could those two old scoundrels destroy a city as powerful as Spring God City?"
Xiao Yan frowned. The Gold and Silver Elders, despite being formidable at the Nine Star Dou Huang level, would need a miracle or significant external aid to ascend to the Two Star Dou Zong level. Meanwhile, the lord of Spring God City was a veteran Dou Zong, likely at the Three Star or Four Star level.
Unless Han Feng personally intervened, the Gold and Silver Elders wouldn't stand a chance against such a powerhouse.
"That's the thing!" Su Qian nodded gravely. "The city's population was in the millions, but fewer than a hundred managed to escape!"
At this point, Su Qian's face reflected deep unease.
Among the survivors, the strongest was a Dou Ling. This individual, having seen the Gold and Silver Elders before, described their appearance as grotesquely altered.
"According to this survivor, the Gold and Silver Elders now look like demons. Their heads have sprouted horns, their hands have become claws, and their faces are marked with eerie patterns. Just looking at them caused some weaker cultivators to go mad."
"Worse yet, the black mist emanating from their bodies transforms anyone it touches into mindless beasts bent solely on slaughter."
Hearing this description, Xiao Yan's face darkened.
From Su Qian's account, it was clear that the Gold and Silver Elders had been corrupted by demonic energy. This reminded Xiao Yan of the sinister black mist he had encountered in the Yin Yang Evil Saint's ruins.
Even a diluted version of that black mist could drive Dou Huang experts into uncontrollable killing machines.
"What exactly is this demonic energy?" Xiao Yan muttered to himself, his expression heavy.
If Han Feng had merely allied with a Dou Sheng (Dou Saint) level figure, Xiao Yan could have forced him to hand over Han Feng without much concern.
But this demonic energy was an entirely different threat one capable of corrupting even Dou Di (Dou Emperor) level entities. Even if it wasn't directly related to the rumored Demon Race, its unknown origins made it all the more frightening.
"Could it really be related to the Demon Race from the legends?" Xiao Yan thought, recalling stories of powerful beings that once sought to conquer the Dou Qi Continent.
He sighed inwardly. "Damn it. The original story never mentioned such terrifying entities. If this is part of some new plotline, then even Soul Heavenly Emperor seems tame in comparison."
The growing mystery felt like a massive storm brewing on the horizon. Between the corrupted Dou Di corpse, his recurring nightmares of rivers of blood, and now the demonic Gold and Silver Elders, Xiao Yan couldn't shake the feeling that he was caught in the midst of something far bigger than himself.
Su Qian's Plan
Xiao Yan turned to Su Qian. "First Elder, what do you suggest we do?"
Su Qian pondered for a moment before replying, "Elder Yan Xiao, do you have confidence in defeating the Gold and Silver Elders in their current state?"
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. "Even if they've broken through to Dou Zong, I'm not concerned. As long as it's not a Dou Sheng, I can guarantee I'll come out unscathed."
Inwardly, he added, "And even if it is a Dou Sheng, I have my backup plans."
Su Qian was stunned. The sheer confidence in Xiao Yan's tone made his heart race.
"How terrifying must he be to declare something like this? Not even the academy's dean would dare make such a statement!"
But recalling how a Dou Zun (Dou Venerate) like Yun Potian had treated Xiao Yan with utmost reverence, Su Qian decided to trust him.
"If Elder Yan Xiao is so confident, then I suggest we send out a squad of students under the guise of gathering medicinal ingredients for training. Their real mission will be to monitor the Gold and Silver Elders' movements."
"These two may have grown stronger, but if they haven't started rampaging across the Black Corner Region, they likely haven't reached Dou Zun yet. Once they show themselves again, you can strike and apprehend them. We can then extract any information about Han Feng from them."
Hearing Su Qian's proposal, Xiao Yan nodded approvingly. "A solid plan, First Elder. I'll leave the arrangements to you."
"Consider it done!" Su Qian replied, his voice filled with determination.
While Su Qian feared the current strength of the Gold and Silver Elders, he was even more terrified of the possibility that Han Feng now potentially corrupted as well might attack Jia Nan Academy.
If Xiao Yan could preemptively eliminate these threats, it would save the academy from a disaster.
That very afternoon, a new mission announcement appeared on the academy's task board.
(To be continued…)
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