Immortal blood essence!
This was something Su Yu had never experimented with before. Soon, he reached out to Zhu Tiandao in hopes of obtaining some. If Great Ming Prefecture didn't have any in stock, they could perhaps negotiate with Great Qin Prefecture to see if some could be transferred over.
Meanwhile, the calendar turned to March.
During this period, both the Quest Realm and the War God Hall made their moves. Eight Sun-Moon Realm experts from the Eight Great Families mobilized, launching sweeps against various strongholds of the All-Races Cult, including searches targeting the Six-Winged Divine Cult.
Over at the War God Hall, sweeps of several regions commenced. Enforcers combed through the wilderness, and large numbers of cultists were slain.
The All-Races Cult began pulling back in response, keeping low profiles and refraining from stirring up any major disturbances.
In March, the world appeared peaceful.
The only place where unrest stirred beneath the surface was Great Xia Prefecture.
In Great Xia Prefecture, during that same March, the heavens shifted.
A Sun-Moon Realm expert was about to emerge!
The commotion was immense!
When Jin Yuhui had broken through to the Sun-Moon Realm, the disturbance had not been particularly large; in fact, he had not even completed a full breakthrough that day. But now, in Great Xia Prefecture, someone was about to achieve a complete breakthrough into Sun-Moon.
This would be one of the rare few to ascend to the Sun-Moon Realm in recent decades.
……
Great Xia Civilization Academy.
The Secret Realm Area.
In the sky hung two crescents, one large and one small. This was not the breakthrough of a single Sun-Moon expert, but the simultaneous emergence of two! Barring any surprises, both Hong Tan and Zhou Mingren were on the verge of breaking through.
For decades, no one from the Great Xia Civilization Academy had advanced to the Sun-Moon Realm.
Today, that long dry spell was finally broken as two peak Shanhai cultivators prepared to step into the Sun-Moon Realm together!
Yet the students and instructors were in no mood to celebrate.
Of the two new Sun-Moon cultivators, one was Hong Tan of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. But his faction was now essentially dead in all but name—Su Yu had fled, Chen Yong had vanished, and Wu Jia was locked in seclusion.
The other was Zhou Mingren of the Single Divine Character Faction. His student Zhou Pingsheng had been executed, and several elders from his faction had also been put to death, their three familial clans exterminated!
Under normal circumstances, the emergence of two Sun-Moon experts would have been cause for widespread jubilation.
Today, however, an oppressive gloom hung over the academy.
Neither of the two men in seclusion knew what had transpired in the outside world lately.
Once they found out, what would happen?
Would these two freshly minted Sun-Moon experts erupt into all-out war the moment they stepped out?
At that moment, in the Secret Realm Area, elders were gathering one after another.
Several Sun-Moon Realm experts had also arrived.
Chief Hu, Director Ji, and Yuan Qingdong—who had recently returned—were all present. In addition, the commander of the Great Xia Army had arrived in person, making four Sun-Moon experts presiding over the area.
A moment later, Wu Yuehua's mother, the old matriarch of the Wu family, also hurried over.
Before long, someone invited out the mount of the second-generation head, who had been in seclusion.
Six Sun-Moon Realm figures descended upon the Secret Realm Area!
Above them, two crescent moons cast their radiance across the sky, vying for prominence!
Chief Hu sighed with emotion. "It wasn't easy for these two to break through to Sun-Moon. Both of them are remarkably strong!"
To achieve Sun-Moon in this era was truly no small feat.
Fifty years ago, breaking through had been considerably less difficult. Nowadays, the barrier was far steeper.
Even Jin Yuhui had only achieved his breakthrough by fusing eight divine characters into a combined battle technique. In the past, it hadn't required such convoluted measures. It had only seemed trivial against Jin Yuhui because he had run into Zhu Tiandao, a ninth-layer Sun-Moon powerhouse. Otherwise, Jin Yuhui's strength would have been quite formidable.
Chief Hu spoke with deep feeling, but the others kept silent.
They were strong, certainly.
Yet for the two of them to break through at nearly the exact same time might not be a blessing.
Rumble!
From every direction, vast quantities of yuan qi were drawn in, converging rapidly toward the area.
The elderly man who was the human form of the second-generation mount coughed softly and spoke: "Open the Yuan Qi Mystic Realm!"
Old Nie, who guarded the Yuan Qi Mystic Realm, wasted no words. With a wave of his sleeve, a mirror soared into the air.
In the next instant, boundless yuan qi surged from the mirror, condensing into liquid and falling as a shower of rain that converged toward one of the secret realms.
The old man tapped his cane on the ground again and coughed. "Open the Sea of Consciousness Mystic Realm!"
The expert guarding the Sea of Consciousness Mystic Realm immediately ignited a vast supply of Heavenly River Sand and tossed out a funnel. Pure willpower surged forth in a torrent, flowing toward the distance.
The old man glanced at the other Sun-Moon experts and coughed. "Everyone, lend a hand. Seal off the perimeter to prevent any interference!"
Without hesitation, the Sun-Moon experts vanished into the void, stationing themselves on all four sides.
The old man spoke again: "Assemble the ninth-layer Wanshi and peak Yangxing students of the academy. Open the realms to let them borrow the radiance of Sun-Moon to open their yuan apertures or divine apertures. Two Sun-Moons ascending together is their great fortune!"
Moments later, instructors arrived leading groups of students—all of them at peak Yangxing or ninth-layer Wanshi.
The students were trembling with excitement.
Several elders glanced at the old man, worry flashing through their minds. One of them transmitted secretly: "Elder Long, with these students gathered here, if the two of them start fighting the moment they step out..."
"No matter," the old man replied with a slight shake of his head, unconcerned. Seeing his confidence, the others could say no more.
This mount of the second-generation head was a seventh-layer Sun-Moon expert. Moreover, he belonged to the dragon race, one of the most formidable lineages. His combat power was not a whit inferior to ordinary eighth- or ninth-layer cultivators. Since he insisted, there was nothing more to argue. The old man possessed more than enough strength to suppress any trouble.
The fact that Great Xia Civilization Academy had maintained its prestige even while Wan Tiansheng kept his own Sun-Moon cultivation hidden was largely due to this venerable dragon.
With Wan Tiansheng now in seclusion and Yuan Qingdong running day-to-day affairs, the conflict between the single and multiple divine character factions had grown increasingly volatile. The second-generation mount had begun stepping in to manage affairs and suppress turmoil.
The crowd suppressed their unease and remained silent.
Moreover, Chief Hu was present. No one knew his true depth, but he was certainly formidable. Last time, he had displayed the strength of a fifth- or sixth-layer Sun-Moon expert, though whether that was his limit remained anyone's guess. Even General Zhao, nominally a peak Shanhai, was secretly at the fifth layer of Sun-Moon. What, then, was the true strength of Old Hu, who had broken through long before?
With both of them here, even if Hong Tan and Zhou Mingren clashed, they could be held in check.
As everyone waited, the density of yuan qi and willpower climbed higher and higher.
Both the Yuan Qi Mystic Realm and the Sea of Consciousness Mystic Realm were pouring out massive reserves of resources. These were the academy's strategic stockpiles, prepared specifically for cultivators attempting the Sun-Moon breakthrough. Because no one had broken through in years, the reserves had remained untouched until now.
High above, the two crescent moons shone so brilliantly that even the blazing sun could not eclipse them.
At that moment, a sword and a shield manifested in midair!
"Hong Tan is breaking through!" someone exclaimed.
That was Hong Tan's divine character battle technique. The sword and shield formed from his divine characters were strengthening rapidly as the characters themselves ascended in grade!
Boom!
A sudden thunderclap erupted on the clear ground, accompanied by a downpour of liquefied yuan qi. Everyone around felt the overwhelming pressure. The scale of the disturbance was tremendous! The sound rolled out across more than a dozen li, carrying the palpable might of power bursting through its cocoon.
Just then, the crescent moon belonging to Hong Tan shattered!
It was not a failure. Rather, the shattering moon released an immense deluge of liquid yuan qi and willpower—the heaven-and-earth reward bestowed upon an ascending Sun-Moon!
This marked the final stretch of the breakthrough. Jin Yuhui had never received this back then because he hadn't been fully prepared and had never truly stepped across the threshold.
The sword and shield in the sky grew ever more radiant!
A deafening thunderclap echoed across the land. Trees and foliage began to sprout with unnatural speed under the brilliant sunlight, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and the air filled with a fresh, floral fragrance. The students standing along the perimeter immediately experienced epiphanies as currents of willpower and yuan qi washed over them. These were merely the residual dregs of a Sun-Moon breakthrough, yet even the dregs were an extraordinary tonic for students at their level.
Crackling sounds burst from many of their bodies as yuan apertures and divine apertures were forced open in rapid succession.
Immediately following that, another blazing sun rose into the sky. Stone pillars manifested, cutting off the four directions, and towering waves surged...
Those were Zhou Mingren's divine characters!
His primary character was the character for "Sun," radiant and domineering.
Rumble!
The earth shook again as Zhou Mingren approached the final stage of his breakthrough as well!
At that very moment, a figure appeared in midair. Radiance danced in Hong Tan's eyes as he glanced at the commotion nearby and gave an indifferent chuckle. Zhou Mingren breaking through was only natural. The man had been a veteran peak Shanhai for years, commanding eight divine characters with a foundation marginally superior to Jin Yuhui's. After grinding away for so many years, it was about time he broke through.
Hong Tan paid him no further mind. His own body gleamed with brilliant light, his aura somewhat unstable yet overwhelmingly terrifying!
He had finally breached the Sun-Moon barrier!
Back on November first, Liu Wenyan and the others had departed. Shortly after they left, Hong Tan had officially entered seclusion. Four months had passed since then. To break through the Sun-Moon barrier in just four months was remarkably fast.
Suspended in the air, Hong Tan didn't bother greeting anyone. Instead, he swept his gaze across the surroundings.
He looked once, then looked again.
He scanned the crowd, then scanned it once more.
A look of bewilderment crept onto his face.
Where was Chen Yong?
Where was Su Yu?
Where was Wu Jia?
Not a single one of his disciples or grand-disciples had come to welcome him upon his breakthrough. Where had they all gone?
He extended his willpower toward the Library Pavilion. Down below, the elderly dragon mount coughed softly and smiled. "Hong Tan, congratulations!"
"Thank you, Elder Long!" Hong Tan replied politely. He recognized the elder, though they were not intimately acquainted. At this moment, he had no time for pleasantries; his willpower surged straight toward the Library Pavilion.
Below, the elders wore strange expressions, all remaining silent.
A moment later... Hong Tan froze.
The Library Pavilion... was empty! No, not entirely empty—there was someone inside, but it wasn't his disciple.
Chen Yong... wasn't in the academy?
Then what about Su Yu?
He quickly swept his senses over the gathered talents below, but Su Yu was nowhere to be found. He extended his search further out, yet there was still no trace of him. Soon, inside a villa in the Yangxing Garden, he detected Wu Jia.
Wu Jia was in seclusion!
Her lips were pressed tight, her expression fierce and heavy with killing intent, relentlessly tempering herself, opening apertures, and outlining divine characters.
Wu Jia was still here!
His willpower probed further, entering the Wen Tan Research Center... breaching his own defensive array and sweeping inside. At that moment, his mind went blank, and he stumbled slightly in midair.
What happened?
The Wen Tan Research Center was a wreck.
The basement was bare, stripped completely clean.
The archive room was practically empty as well.
Dust lay thick across the floors, as though no one had lived there for months.
Wasn't Su Yu living here?
Hadn't Chen Yong come by to clean?
Hong Tan's eyes showed deep confusion. Paying no attention to Zhou Mingren, who had just manifested nearby, he descended to the ground and looked at the surrounding elders and newly gathered Sun-Moon experts. With a tremor of unease and hesitation, he asked dryly, "Wu Yuehua, where are my disciple and grand-disciple? Why didn't they come to greet me? I broke through to Sun-Moon!"
He had advanced to the Sun-Moon Realm!
Where were they?
Su Yu was still a student, and Chen Yong almost never left the academy. How could neither of them be here? If it were Wu Jia running off, that would be believable, but why would those two be away right now?
Wu Yuehua looked at him, her tone heavy. "Chen Yong went out. Su Yu... has left Great Xia Prefecture."
"Left?"
Hong Tan remained stunned. Wu Yuehua said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, I failed to protect him. He went to Great Ming Prefecture. He's living very well there—certainly better than he was here. As for Chen Yong... he went out to rescue Feng Qi and has gone missing. We haven't been able to locate him yet, but ten Sun-Moon experts from various prefectures have mobilized to search for him..."
Hong Tan stood in a daze.
Su Yu had left—not merely departed, but fled to Great Ming Prefecture... He could imagine the circumstances; otherwise, there would have been no need for Su Yu to seek refuge in Great Ming.
And Chen Yong... was missing!
Hong Tan felt entirely lost. Before entering seclusion, he had personally seen his second disciple off to the Vanguard Camp. Now, after only a few months of closed-door cultivation, his eldest disciple and his second disciple's student were both gone!
His only remaining grand-disciple was locked in seclusion. A girl who used to be so lively was now holed up in a secret chamber, looking as if she hadn't stepped outside in ages, devoid of smiles, filled only with anger and suppressed bloodlust.
What happened?
What on earth had happened?!
On the other side, Zhou Mingren also frowned. So many people were missing!
Where was everyone?
Overhearing Wu Yuehua's words, his heart gave a violent lurch. Where were the people on his side?
Yu Hong, Sun Xiang, and the others were nowhere to be seen.
Among his own disciples, only Hu Wensheng was present. Elder Fang had returned from the All-Heavens Battlefield, but where were the rest?
More than just one or two people were missing!
Faintly grasping what had occurred, he looked at Hu Wensheng and asked in a low voice, "Where is your Senior Brother Zhou?"
"Master..." Hu Wensheng kept his head down. After a long pause, he whispered, "He's dead."
"What about Elder Yu and the others?"
"Dead!"
"..."
Dead. All of them dead.
It felt like a waking nightmare!
Hong Tan heard this as well. Turning his head, he glanced at Zhou Mingren, then looked back at Wu Yuehua with a dry grin. "There was a clash?"
Otherwise, how could all those people be dead?
Wu Yuehua nodded. "Someone ambushed Su Yu. Su Yu called for help, and Manor Lord Zhu Tiandao stepped in personally to execute a batch of traitors. Afterward, Su Yu entered Great Ming Prefecture and joined the Great Ming Academy. He won't be returning."
"Understood!"
Hong Tan bared his teeth in a smile. Quite the treatment—Zhu Tiandao himself had taken action for his grand-disciple and slaughtered a batch of powerful enemies. Excellent. That boy truly had a ruthless streak.
He had seen that early on!
"What about Yong?"
"Feng Qi was undercover in the Six-Winged Divine Cult. His identity was blown, and he was hunted down. Chen Yong went to rescue him."
Hong Tan nodded. "Feng Qi... I know the lad. Still alive, eh? Good. Yong went to rescue him and went missing?"
"Yes."
Hong Tan said dryly, "So now... in the entire Great Xia Civilization Academy, it's just me and Jiajia?"
The Multiple Divine Characters Faction truly seemed to have dissolved.
No one answered.
Yes, only the two of you.
Hong Tan gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "I wonder if my senior brother knows about this. If he finds out, I... I won't know how to face him. Every time I go into seclusion or step out the door, something disastrous happens. Fewer and fewer of us are left!"
He looked profoundly awkward. "Now it's down to just me and Jiajia. I... how am I supposed to explain this?"
Elder Long, the second-generation mount, sighed and spoke up: "Hong Tan, Great Xia Prefecture has already stepped forward to punish and execute several culprits, including Jin Yuhui. Now that you have attained Sun-Moon, you can recruit more students in the future and take on more disciples..."
Hong Tan laughed bitterly. "Elder Long, I'm old. At my age, where would I find the energy for that? In the past, Bai Feng took care of the chores, and whenever we were short on resources, I relied on Yong. Now... both of those boys are gone. An old man like me is truly left all alone."
As he spoke, he looked at the gathered crowd, his smile laden with sorrow. "What is the meaning of this? There were only a few of us left to begin with! My senior brother and his people already left, and I even sent my own disciple off to the battlefield. What more do you all want from us?
"For decades, I never caused any trouble. When I went to the All-Heavens Battlefield, it was only because I ran out of money and needed to hunt demons for a living. Haven't I kept a low enough profile?
"If you have a grudge against my senior brother, go find him! Why keep hounding us?
"When the Multiple Divine Characters Fusion College was abolished, I didn't say a word. When the Divine Character College ostracized us, I didn't say a word! When my disciple was forced into the Vanguard Camp, I didn't say a word! Even when my senior brother's family was slaughtered, I kept quiet! Haven't I been obedient and unobtrusive enough?"
He gave a bitter smile. "I've kept my head down as low as possible. When Jiajia's parents were murdered, Yong came crying to me to stand up for them, and I told him to endure it—we didn't know who did it, and we couldn't defeat them anyway, so let it go, endure a little longer.
"Elder Long, you've been in seclusion all these years and didn't know the situation. Ask Old Qi—haven't I kept a low profile?"
Elder Qi remained silent.
Hong Tan smiled bitterly. "I kept such a low profile, and my branch had virtually nothing to do with my senior brother's side anymore. If you want to settle scores with him, go find him! Why did you have to push us to the brink?"
He looked across the crowd, his gaze finally settling on Yuan Qingdong. He smiled faintly. "And this must be... Mr. Yuan from the Quest Realm?"
Yuan Qingdong gave a slight nod without speaking.
Wu Yuehua said coldly, "This is our vice principal, in charge of the Divine Character College. He was also the one who leaked Feng Qi's identity!"
Yuan Qingdong frowned slightly. "That was an honest misunderstanding, and it has already been clarified. I publicly apologized for it and even offered substantial compensation for the losses. Elder Wu, at a time like this, there is no need to sow discord."
Wu Yuehua merely sneered, ignoring him.
Yuan Qingdong turned back and said, "I have yet to congratulate Elder Hong and Dean Zhou. Your breakthrough to Sun-Moon today is a blessing for Great Xia Civilization Academy and a blessing for the human race. To advance together on the same day is truly a rare bond..."
Two Sun-Moon experts born on the same day—a rare bond, or perhaps a toxic one.
Hong Tan smiled and nodded. "Where is Principal Wan?"
"In seclusion!" Wu Yuehua said flatly. "He's in seclusion. Furthermore, he is currently only the acting principal, not the official one. With him in seclusion, all academy affairs are under Vice Principal Yuan's purview!"
"In seclusion?"
Hong Tan chuckled, then turned to Zhou Mingren and grinned. "Old Zhou, quite a few people died on your side. Truly tragic. On my end, it seems no one died, so my luck isn't half bad, wouldn't you say?"
Zhou Mingren ignored him. People were constantly sending him voice transmissions, briefing him on recent events.
Hong Tan drew a light breath and said with a smile, "Forget it. We didn't suffer any real losses anyway—people are just missing, that's all. They'll be found sooner or later. It's fine. Keep a low profile, keep it low."
At that moment, Director Ji said coolly, "No need to keep a low profile! What is there to hide? Vice Principal Yuan, announce what Elder Hong will be doing next!"
Yuan Qingdong frowned.
After a brief pause, he said in a heavy voice, "Great Xia Civilization Academy will soon re-establish the Multiple Divine Characters Fusion College, with Elder Hong Tan serving as dean! This was Su Yu's condition. He wishes to revitalize the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, so he made similar demands across various prefectures..."
"Su Yu?"
Hong Tan let out an amused laugh. "The boy actually has that kind of sway? Impressive, truly impressive. Re-establishing the Multiple Divine Characters College? Sure. Me as dean? That works..."
Yuan Qingdong fell quiet for a moment before continuing: "The Divine Character Battle Technique Monument is missing. As the foundation of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, we hope Elder Hong can recover it. This is not my demand or order, but protocol—without the monument, the college cannot officially open. Furthermore... rumor has it that Elder Hong has mastered a technique allowing civilization masters at the Tengkong Realm and above to reassemble divine characters and rebuild divine character battle techniques. The academy hopes Elder Hong will register and share this technique..."
"Reassemble divine characters?"
Hong Tan paused, looking at him with an amused smile. "Your idea?"
"No!" Yuan Qingdong frowned. "Elder Hong misunderstands. That is not my intent!"
Indeed, it wasn't his doing.
Yet at this moment, curiosity burned within him as well. Was it real or fake?
Reassemble divine character battle techniques?
Even after reaching Tengkong?
Was this complete nonsense, or was it the truth?
If it were true... he hardly dared imagine the sheer magnitude of the fallout it would cause!
Hong Tan took a deep breath, looking toward the Xiuxin Pavilion, then glancing back toward the direction of Great Xia Prefecture's seat of power. He smiled faintly. What was the game here?
Were those old bastards determined not to rest until they got him killed?
He had already kept such a low profile!
His grand-disciple had fled, his disciple had vanished, and he hadn't raised a fuss. Yet they still had to push him like this! What were they playing at?
Were those old bastards trying to force him into a showdown?
Thoughts raced through his mind.
The disassembly art... had he told anyone besides a select few?
Bai Feng knew, Su Yu knew, Chen Yong knew. Aside from them... Xia Xiao'er and Wan Tiansheng could probably guess part of it, and Director Ji might have deduced something as well. Beyond that, no one else should know, right?
Now they wanted him to share it... Share my foot!
What were these people trying to accomplish?
Didn't they realize how much trouble this would stir up?
With stakes this high, every scoundrel in the world would come swarming toward him to test the waters.
Cultists from the All-Races Cult, members of the other races, rivals, anyone who wanted to suppress him...
He froze slightly. Every villain in the world would converge on him!
They would all come to Great Xia Prefecture, straight to him, to probe him, spy on him...
*Every villain in the world will come?*
His thoughts drifted, the notion flashing repeatedly through his mind. Every scamp and scoundrel across the world would come.
How many would there be?
An enormous crowd, without question!
So many that anyone who wanted him dead, anyone who couldn't bear to see the Multiple Divine Characters Faction rise again, would have to come. Whether to investigate or to test the waters, a multitude of people would flood in.
What was the goal here?
To turn Great Xia Prefecture and Great Xia Civilization Academy into a den of wolves?
Hong Tan glanced at Yuan Qingdong and smiled. "Vice Principal Yuan, don't believe every wild rumor you hear. There's no such thing. It doesn't exist!"
Yuan Qingdong said calmly, "Word has it that Bai Feng previously demonstrated divine character battle technique disassembly."
"Did he?" Hong Tan chuckled. "You must have seen wrong."
Yuan Qingdong fell silent for a moment before pressing on: "Elder Hong, I have no desire to butt heads with you. However, if such a technique exists, it is a matter of paramount importance. It would also serve as the cornerstone for you to establish the Multiple Divine Characters College..."
Did the technique truly exist?
He felt a prickle of tension, as did the other elders present.
Was it real?
Could it truly be done?
Could anyone outline a divine character battle technique?
Hong Tan's mind raced. After a pause, he said dryly, "Actually, it's completely unrefined. At present, it's only effective for certain Tengkong Realm geniuses..."
The moment the words left his mouth—even with the caveat that it only applied to Tengkong—the entire surroundings fell dead silent, followed by a shockwave of realization!
Heartbeats became audible in the quiet!
It truly existed!
His throat dry, Yuan Qingdong choked out, "Elder Hong, are you saying... you... have mastered this technique?"
"Not quite..." Hong Tan smiled. "To say I've mastered it would be giving me far too much credit. I merely tested it once on my disciple. But Bai Feng is the only one who ever pulled it off. As for actual reassembly, that has never been tested or attempted. Right now, it only has limited efficacy at the Tengkong Realm. I still need far more experimental data and cases to prove any of it..."
"The core technique is entirely in Elder Hong's hands?"
"It hardly qualifies as a core technique; it was just a preliminary attempt," Hong Tan said with a smile. "If it worked on Shanhai or Sun-Moon cultivators, that would be a core technique. Right now... it's quite ordinary."
"No..."
Yuan Qingdong was thoroughly shaken. "Tengkong... The human race has countless Tengkong cultivators! Many outline several divine characters at the Tengkong Realm, and many rush their breakthrough from Yangxing without having outlined many characters in time, since Yangxing willpower isn't strong enough to support so many. But at Tengkong, it becomes possible..."
Though it was merely a single realm higher, the implications were worlds apart!
If previously only one in ten thousand people had the aptitude to cultivate the multiple divine character path, expanding the window to Tengkong meant that a hundred, or even a thousand, out of ten thousand could do it!
With proportions like that, it could become widespread among civilization masters!
He hadn't anticipated that Hong Tan actually possessed such a method!
It was real... It was actually real!
Hong Tan saw the shock in his eyes, as well as the shock and greed in the eyes of the others, and smiled.
*Is this what you wanted to see?*
*How bold of you!*
*Too bold by half!*
Before even making proper preparations, they had proactively leaked this information. Had they lost their minds?
Going crazy was fine by him!
No one would ever believe they were mad enough to treat something like this as a joke. In that case, did they simply not care about consequences anymore?
Were they planning to flip the table?
Hong Tan's eyes flickered, and he chuckled. "This technique isn't all that impressive. It has plenty of drawbacks and flaws. I'll need a great deal of time to refine it. I only casually discussed it with a few old friends earlier. Which bastard went around blabbering about it outside?"
Looking exasperated, he grumbled, "Who spread this around?"
Wu Yuehua snapped in annoyance, "That little bastard Xia Yuwen said it! He claimed Bai Feng might be able to disassemble divine character battle techniques, and that after disassembly, they might even be replenishable!"
"Xia Yuwen?"
Hong Tan blinked in surprise. Wu Yuehua glared at him, scowling. "You idiot!"
It was just a casual probe, and he had let himself be baited into confirming it!
Now they were in massive trouble!
Didn't this fool realize the immense fallout of acknowledging it?
She had thought he wouldn't be foolish enough to admit it and would simply deny everything. Who could have guessed... damn it, the idiot actually admitted it!
He had admitted it of his own accord!
Wu Yuehua was nearly fuming with rage!
Had seclusion made him lose his mind?
As if suddenly realizing his mistake, Hong Tan quickly added, "It's just a minor technique, honestly, completely unrefined. Bai Feng was already from the multiple divine character faction and already had a battle technique. This method is built upon the foundation of an existing battle technique; it doesn't allow someone to construct one from scratch afterward. Truly, don't misunderstand."
Doubt lingered in everyone's minds.
Yuan Qingdong was equally suspicious. He said in a deep voice, "Elder Hong, if this technique truly exists, it will bring about monumental changes to the expansion and strengthening of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, and even to the entire field of civilization masters. Is it real or not?"
"It isn't refined yet!" Hong Tan replied earnestly. "That part is true. But I have the concepts and the framework. I believe that given three to five years, I can definitely polish it. As you know, Bai Feng nearly died because of this earlier. And he already possessed a battle technique to begin with; if someone without one were to combine characters recklessly... it would be certain death.
"In three to five years, I think the side effects can probably be eliminated, allowing some Tengkong cultivators to run tests. Only then could it be called a mature technique. Right now, it's nowhere close!"
He shook his head and sighed. "Besides, Bai Feng isn't here, Su Yu has fled, and Chen Yong has vanished. I have no heart to research any of this right now. Let the technique stay sealed; we'll talk about it when there's time."
Yuan Qingdong's eyes glinted. "Does that mean Elder Hong is unwilling to re-establish the Multiple Divine Characters College?"
Re-establish it? Of course he would!
If he didn't, how could he lure people in?
*Wan Tiansheng, Xia Xiao'er, you want to play games, is that it?*
*Fine, I'll play along!*
*Let's make it big!*
Hong Tan gritted his teeth inwardly. Since none of them wanted a peaceful life anymore, he wouldn't let them have one either. If they wanted to play, he would dive right in with them!
After a moment's hesitation, he shook his head. "We lack sufficient funds. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction is notoriously resource-intensive, and testing and research will require at least a million merit points to start. Furthermore, even if I recruit students, I won't accept just anyone. They must pay at least ten thousand merit points in tuition and provide for themselves! And to be blunt, I'm afraid others will follow the same disastrous path and become the next Chen Yong, Bai Feng, or Su Yu. Anyone wanting to join my faction needs a solid background and backing; otherwise, I doubt they'll last three to five days before running away!
"I won't be shielding and protecting them one by one anymore. It's too much trouble, and I have neither the energy nor the inclination for it right now."
The elders exchanged glances. Yuan Qingdong said in a heavy voice, "I believe that if Elder Hong can truly advance this technique, many people would be willing to offer their support."
"Too troublesome!" Hong Tan laughed. He glanced at Yuan Qingdong and said indifferently, "Vice Principal Yuan, we'll talk about it later! Besides, spreading certain things around might not be a good idea. Consider today's conversation as never having happened—you didn't bring it up, and I didn't say anything! Don't go looking for trouble for yourself!"
With that, he sighed and turned to leave, lamenting as he walked: "Both of my disciples are gone, and Chen Yong is still missing. Without Chen Yong around, why would I bother with any of this, only to have someone else reap the benefits? Sigh!"
His sighs drifted back as Hong Tan walked away with a hunched back.
Behind him, the experts stood in stunned silence.
Even Zhou Mingren's brow was knit tight!
Disassembling and reassembling divine character battle techniques!
This news shook him to the core. The technique wasn't refined yet, but could be perfected within three to five years?
Was it true or false?
They all understood the subtext of Hong Tan's parting words: he would only be willing to discuss this once Chen Yong returned. Was he deliberately bluffing to force them to help rescue his disciple?
Or did he truly view this technique as the foundation for the resurgence of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction?
……
Walking ahead, Hong Tan's gaze grew cold and sharp.
*You want to play, do you?*
*Just you wait!*
*My only worry is that none of you will be able to clean up the mess in the end. When it comes to that... corpses will be strewn across the land!*
That was fine too!
Things had already reached this point; he had nothing left to lose. Bai Feng was too weak, so it was best to keep him far away. Chen Yong... that boy was trapped in the quagmire. It was good that Su Yu had left.
As for Wu Jia... it was best if that girl wasn't dragged into this mess.
He would find an opportunity to send her away as well.
*With Xia Longwu still around, some people might not have the courage to come. If you can't hook the big fish... will you really be satisfied with killing a few minnows?*
A flicker of doubt still lingered in his mind. Xia Longwu was the pillar holding up the heavens; as long as he remained in Great Xia Prefecture, certain people might never dare make a move!
As he pondered this, he suddenly overheard hushed whispers nearby:
"Did you hear? Our Manor Lord secretly slipped out to kill people! Someone saw the Heaven-Cleaving Blade in the wilderness—a single strike came down and cleaved an unlucky Shanhai cultist from the All-Races Cult in two..."
"The Manor Lord slipped out?"
"That's what people are saying, though who knows if it's true. Isn't our Manor Lord supposed to be in seclusion to attain the Dao?"
"Then it's probably fake!"
"Plenty of people know the Heaven-Cleaving Blade..."
"Bullshit! How many people can kill a Shanhai with a single blade strike? Only the direct lineage of the Xia family! Xia Xiao'er is still in the prefectural city, and King Daxia left for the All-Heavens Battlefield long ago. Who else could slay a Shanhai Realm expert in a single blow?"
Hong Tan was momentarily stunned.
*Damn, they've already set the stage!*
Xia Longwu had slipped out?
Was this an accident, or... deliberate?
Without Xia Longwu holding the fort, and without King Daxia present, Great Xia Prefecture was, to many eyes, an undefended, succulent prize!
Great Xia Prefecture was powerful, certainly, but without those key figures, it lacked the pillars capable of anchoring the realm.
This... was getting interesting!
Hong Tan smiled. They truly had the nerve. The Xia family, Wan Tiansheng... they had all gone mad.
In that case, let everyone go mad together!
Chapter 311