Compared to the stable overall structure of the Central State, the inconspicuous Extreme Northern Land was filled with conflict.
However, relatively speaking, there weren't many strong individuals here, so it didn't seem to amount to much.
Although Chen Xiao had promised the White Dragon Honored One that he wouldn't interfere in the White Tribe's affairs, people were always curious.
They also wanted to know how the White Tribe would establish itself on the Dou Qi Continent after its emergence.
With this curiosity, the five of them didn't travel back quickly.
Along the way, it was clearly visible that starting from the Fallen God Ice Plain, the traces of battle were extremely obvious, unable to be concealed even by the wind and snow filling the sky. One could imagine the hardships the White Tribe had endured.
It was worth mentioning that they hadn't found any remains of the White Tribe members.
It was impossible that no one had died. This result meant that either they were collected by their fellow tribesmen, or they had become food for Magical Beasts.
It wasn't until half a month later, when Chen Xiao and the other four were about to leave the territory of the Extreme Northern Land, that they looked down from above and saw a tribe called Gu Bai fighting with a Barbarian Tribe. The leader of the tribe looked somewhat familiar.
"I remember this City Lord leading over a hundred thousand White Tribe people, but now there are only about eighty thousand. The losses are not small. It seems this group of the White Tribe intends to settle down here," Little Fairy Doctor said softly.
Chen Xiao nodded slightly, "Disperse and integrate into various parts of the Dou Qi Continent. It's as expected. It will be difficult for the White Tribe to merge again."
"Young Master, should we intervene?"
"No, I promised not to interfere. For them to truly establish themselves, they will need to go through some trials. After leaving the Northern Continent, we will forget about the White Tribe's affairs."
The two women nodded in agreement.
After flying for another half day, they finally returned to a place that was deeply memorable for Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor.
Black Water Heavy Abyss!
Crossing this point would mean leaving the Extreme Northern Land.
He still remembered that Little Fairy Doctor obtained her Netherworld Poison Flame here.
"Where are we going now?" Little Fairy Doctor asked with a smile.
He could feel that her mood was very good.
Qing Lin and the two girls were completely bewildered by this inexplicable emotion.
"Let's go back to the Northwest first. Both Jia Nan Academy and Purple Firmament Pavilion are very suitable for Qing Huan and Xing Yao. Besides, I also have some things to do."
Not to mention anything else, just Cai Lin, calculating the time, she had been pregnant for over two and a half years. It was likely that the fetus in her womb would be born soon.
If he were busy in the Central State and couldn't get away, that would be one thing. But now that everything was settled, it was only right and proper that he shouldn't miss it.
Moreover, there were still a few minor matters to attend to at Jia Nan Academy.
"Teacher, are there many academies on the Dou Qi Continent?"
As they crossed the Black Water Heavy Abyss, Xing Yao's voice echoed in the wind.
"There are some, but not many. Academies are different from sects and families in nature; they lean towards neutrality. Jia Nan Academy has a high reputation on the continent. Although it is located in the Northwest, people from other continents enroll every year."
"Teacher, are Alchemists really only those with a Fire Attribute and a trace of Wood Attribute?"
The two girls had very different personalities, and Chen Xiao and the other two had experienced this deeply over the past half month.
Xing Yao preferred to ask questions about everything and had broad interests, while Qing Huan leaned more towards cultivation knowledge.
Just like now, she had only recently started cultivating and was still far from condensing her Dou Qi Cyclone. Asking such a question clearly indicated her anticipation for the profession of Alchemist.
"It's not that absolute. Being able to control fire and having good soul perception, after reaching a certain level of strength, one can also refine elixirs with the help of some methods. However, this method of alchemy would basically reach its limit at grade six. In the Central State, there is a force called Burning Flame Valley, whose Valley Master..."
Chatting along the way and answering the girls' questions, the five of them unknowingly entered the Northwest Continent.
The surrounding temperature gradually warmed up, becoming more and more comfortable.
Without using a Spatial Wormhole, the group slightly increased their speed. After another half month.
The infamous Black-Corner Region had arrived!
After the successive destruction of Demon Flame Valley and Black Emperor Sect, the Black-Corner Region had become the sole dominant power of Purple Firmament Pavilion. Walking through it, one could often hear people mentioning it.
But overall, the chaos of the Black-Corner Region remained the same. Forcibly changing this order was a thankless task.
The Dou Qi Continent also needed such a place.
Purple Cloud City.
Its location had not changed, but its scale had expanded several times. The towering city walls were built entirely from obsidian, appearing like an ancient beast crouching on the earth from afar.
Deep within Purple Cloud City, the most magnificent and tallest building was the Purple Firmament Pavilion. The monthly auction was held here, and the high-ranking members of the pavilion all gathered here.
At this moment, a certain Ice Emperor, serving as the acting Pavilion Master, was idly perusing the list for the next auction, checking for any omissions.
Ensuring there were no problems, Hai Bo Dong snapped his fingers.
Shortly after, a charming woman in a qipao walked in.
"Old Hai."
"Yes, the list is fine. We'll auction these items this time. Remember to make a record afterward."
Hai Bo Dong leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and tapped the armrest as he gave instructions.
However, after a long while, he still didn't hear Ya Fei's response. Frowning slightly, Hai Bo Dong opened his eyes.
Following closely, he saw Ya Fei staring at his side with a dumbfounded expression.
His gaze shifted accordingly, and Hai Bo Dong was astonished to discover that, without him realizing it, five figures had appeared in the spacious hall.
Even more bizarre was that with his current peak Dou Huang strength, he hadn't sensed them at all from beginning to end!
"No way, is that for real?!"
Meeting the gazes of the five, Hai Bo Dong's eyes widened. He instantly shot up from his seat, his face full of disbelief, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.
Seeing the Ice Emperor's reaction, Chen Xiao and the others couldn't help but smile.
"Old Hai, you can't even recognize me after less than two years?"
The familiar tone, the familiar smile.
Hai Bo Dong finally confirmed that he wasn't hallucinating.
Without hesitation, he shot Chen Xiao a glare.
"I do recognize you, I was just startled by your sudden appearances. Ya Fei, you can go about your business. This old man wants to catch up with our Pavilion Master."
Waving Ya Fei away, Hai Bo Dong moved from the main seat to face Chen Xiao and his group. He was casual, yet meticulous in his details.
"I'm familiar with Little Fairy Doctor. Who are the three beside her?"
"This is Qing Lin, you've met her before."
Chen Xiao introduced Qing Lin first.
Hai Bo Dong had seen Qing Lin many times when they were in Mo City.
Clearly, he hadn't recognized her.
However, this was understandable.
In Hai Bo Dong's memory, Qing Lin was still a little girl who followed Chen Xiao around, calling him "Young Master" affectionately, obedient and well-behaved. As for her strength, it was negligible.
But now, in less than ten years, Qing Lin had blossomed into a graceful young woman, and her strength had surpassed Hai Bo Dong's comprehension.
Such a transformation would be hard to imagine if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.
As expected, recalling the obedient and sensible girl from his memories, Hai Bo Dong was so shocked his jaw dropped.
"Old Hai."
Qing Lin nodded slightly and offered a polite smile, considering it a greeting.
Under normal circumstances, Qing Lin would have been qualified to ignore anyone, even a peak Dou Zong, let alone a peak Dou Huang.
But Hai Bo Dong was different. Due to his connection with Chen Xiao and their past interactions, calling him Old Hai didn't feel inappropriate.
Hai Bo Dong nodded with a chuckle.
Fortunately, he didn't know Qing Lin's current strength, otherwise, he would probably be floating with pride.
"These two are Qing Huan and Xing Yao. By a stroke of luck, they've become my students."
After a moment's thought, Chen Xiao replied.
Since leaving the Ice Sea until today, Chen Xiao had been answering the two girls' questions daily, which was enough to warrant the title of teacher.
"Oh, you've actually taken disciples? And two at once?" Hai Bo Dong sounded surprised.
Chen Xiao wanted to explain that there was a difference between a student and a disciple.
But then he saw the two girls looking at him with bright, shining eyes.
Seeing this, Chen Xiao slightly rephrased what he was about to say.
"Not yet. Qing Huan, Xing Yao, becoming a disciple isn't a small matter. You might feel that becoming my disciple is a good choice now, but that's only because you haven't met many people. When you grow older, condense your Dou Qi Cyclone, understand your own attributes, and meet more people, it won't be too late to make a decision then."
Chen Xiao wasn't against taking disciples and genuinely liked the two girls.
However, out of a sense of responsibility, he didn't rush to finalize the matter.
Moreover, to be honest, he might not be the best teacher for the two girls.
In comparison, Little Fairy Doctor, who was by his side, might be more suitable for raising children.
Especially girls!
Or perhaps Cao Ying, who was far away in the Central State.
Coincidentally, Qing Huan was interested in alchemy.
Hearing Chen Xiao's words, the excited expressions of the two girls eased, and they then nodded heavily.
They understood that Chen Xiao hadn't refused, but had merely given them more time to consider it seriously.
If they were still interested in the future, Chen Xiao might accept them.
After calming the two girls, Chen Xiao turned to Hai Bo Dong.
"Old Hai, in the past year or so, have there been any major events in the Northwest?"
Since leaving the Northwest Continent, Chen Xiao had been traveling extensively and hadn't kept up with the news from the Northwest Continent.
"No major events, but there are a few minor ones you might find interesting," Hai Bo Dong said with a light chuckle.
"A little over half a year ago, Jia Nan Academy experienced quite a stir. It was that Xiao Yan we encountered. After entering the Inner Academy, he began to make a name for himself and gained some fame."
"At that time, Grand Elder Su Qian thought highly of him. Who would have thought that Xiao Yan and his teacher had ulterior motives for entering the Inner Academy? The Grand Elder discovered that Xiao Yan was particularly focused on the Fallen Heart Flame within the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower. Coincidentally, the Fallen Heart Flame had an outburst then, and the Grand Elder seized the opportunity, causing chaos within the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower."
"As expected, Xiao Yan also seized this chance to fish in troubled waters. With the help of his teacher, he headed straight for the bottom level where the Fallen Heart Flame was located. Unfortunately, before he could even see the Fallen Heart Flame, he was intercepted by several elders guarding the passage."
"This matter was brought up by the Grand Elder when he last sent Inner Academy students to the Purple Firmament Pavilion. He chatted with me about it, and it can't be false."
Listening to Hai Bo Dong's narration, Chen Xiao couldn't help but be astonished.
He had already predicted that without Han Feng causing trouble, Xiao Yan and his teacher would lose their chance to legitimately obtain the Fallen Heart Flame.
He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point.
Chen Xiao had once followed Su Qian to the bottom of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower to undergo heart flame tempering. He knew firsthand how strict the defenses there were.
With Yao Chen in a weakened state, paired with Xiao Yan, who had at most Dou Ling strength, venturing deep inside without being discovered was impossible.
After all, this wasn't a desert; there was only one path to take.
"What was the outcome?"
"There was no room for negotiation. You've stayed at Jia Nan Academy, so you should know how much the Grand Elder values the Fallen Heart Flame. Since Xiao Yan and his teacher had designs on it, this matter couldn't be easily overlooked. If it weren't for Medicine Venerable stepping in, Xiao Yan would absolutely not have been able to retreat unscathed."
"The current outcome is that Xiao Yan has been expelled from Jia Nan Academy. He was driven out of the academy that very day and headed towards Horizon City. He should be going to the Central State."
Fine, it was Yao Chen again.
He had to admit, this old grandpa in Xiao Yan's storage ring was truly useful.
He had status, he had connections, and he could even possess him from time to time…
"Going to the Central State, is he returning to Starfall Pavilion, or is he going to find that Yin-Yang Dual Flames?"
Chen Xiao muttered in his mind, feeling a bit curious.
Immediately, he used his pre-payment ability in his mind to check the information on the Yin-Yang Dual Flames.
[Yin-Yang Dual Flames: Can be pre-paid.]
[Subsequent Pre-payment: Travel to the Eastern Region of the Central State and find a way to obtain it from Xiao Yan.]
East of the Eastern Region of the Central State is the East Sea.
It was a slight surprise; in just half a year, that Yin-Yang Dual Flames had already been obtained by Xiao Yan.
According to the pre-payment information, Xiao Yan and his teacher were already on their way back.
This speed was much faster than he had anticipated.
Perhaps, it wouldn't be long before the master and disciple, having tasted the benefits, would seek him out for another transaction. He could start thinking about what to exchange next time.
With a slight smile, Chen Xiao put the matter aside for the moment.
"What else?"
"Another matter concerns the Jia Ma Empire. Teng Shan sent word that several empires surrounding the Jia Ma Empire have been restless, causing great worry to the royal family, who are already preparing for war."
The war that was meant to come would still come. Even without Little Fairy Doctor, the sect leader of the Poison Sect, it couldn't change the course of events.
"That's not a big deal. I'll go back to the Jia Ma Empire. This matter can be easily resolved."
Chen Xiao shook his head, not taking the matter to heart.
The wars initiated by the three great empires were child's play by now. They wouldn't even need Chen Xiao, Little Fairy Doctor, or Qing Lin to act; his puppets alone would be enough to sweep through them.
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener took heed.
Seeing him speak so casually, Hai Bo Dong's focus finally shifted to Chen Xiao's strength.
"In less than two years, it seems your strength has improved greatly."
"Old Hai, why don't you take a guess?"
"Six-Star Dou Zong?"
Hai Bo Dong felt that this was already a very exaggerated guess.
Didn't they know that Yun Shan and Jia Xing Tian of the Jia Ma Empire had been stuck at the Peak Dou Huang stage for many years? Even Cai Lin from before had been stuck at this hurdle for many years.
And when Chen Xiao left the Northwest, he was precisely at the Peak Dou Huang stage.
Upon hearing Hai Bo Dong's answer, the group burst into laughter, leaving Hai Bo Dong utterly bewildered.
Finally, it was Qing Lin who spoke up to reveal the answer.
"Old Hai, Young Master has already advanced to Dou Zun."
"Little Fairy Doctor sister was even earlier; she is now a Five-Star Dou Zun."
Hai Bo Dong took a deep look at Qing Lin, confirming she wasn't joking, and was instantly stunned.
He had already witnessed Little Fairy Doctor's rapid improvement, knowing that her Woeful Poison Body could lead to a surge in strength after its hidden dangers were resolved, so her advancement to Dou Zun was understandable.
But Chen Xiao…
Hai Bo Dong shook his head repeatedly, unable to comprehend it, not at all!
Seeing Hai Bo Dong's reaction, Chen Xiao chuckled, about to speak when suddenly, a tremor came from the direction of Jia Nan Academy.
Turning to look at Little Fairy Doctor, he saw that she had also sensed it and met his gaze.
Little Fairy Doctor confirmed, "It's the fluctuation of a Heavenly Flame!"
Chen Xiao nodded and stood up, saying, "It's probably the Fallen Heart Flame acting up."
"Old Hai, we'll catch up later. The Grand Elder must be having a headache right now. Since we've run into this, let's help the Inner Academy resolve this hidden danger!"
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