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Jia Nan Academy
This time, Renzo didn't just barge in openly. Instead, he descended quietly ahead of time.
"You're not going straight in this time?" Qing Lin asked curiously.
"Nope, not this time. Jia Nan Academy isn't like Han Feng. That guy was rotten to the core, so I didn't care about making a scene. But here, let's show a little… courtesy and take what we came for quietly."
Renzo grinned as he answered.
Fairy Doctor: "…"
Courtesy, my ass.
What part of this could possibly be called "showing respect"? If the higher-ups at Jia Nan Academy found out, they'd be crying rivers.
"Heehee, Brother Renzo is so considerate!" Qing Lin giggled.
Fairy Doctor shot her a helpless look. 'Is this girl serious? Renzo's already leading her astray!'
With a wave of his hand, Renzo tore open a space passage. The three of them slipped into the bottom level of the Qi Refinement Tower, where a sealed flame burned not far ahead.
"What a terrifying aura…"
"So hot!"
Both girls instinctively backed up. A massive fiery serpent writhed within the seal, radiating unbearable heat. Even from this distance, the oppressive flames made them feel as if a blaze had ignited in their chests, burning from the inside out.
Renzo quickly flicked his hand, shielding them from the flame's influence. He then raised his arm and thrust forward. His hand pierced straight through the seal and grabbed hold of the Fallen Heart Flame.
The beastly flame jolted awake, ready to resist—only to realize, horrified, that it couldn't move at all. Even its soul felt shackled.
"Come!"
With a single thought, Renzo pulled the Fallen Heart Flame into his Takamagahara world. His consciousness split, diving into the pocket realm to quickly unravel the bindings around it.
Knowing he was busy, Fairy Doctor and Qing Lin stayed silent, not daring to disturb him.
A few minutes later, Renzo opened his eyes. "Done."
Still, he paused to think. "Better leave a replacement behind."
With another thought, he conjured a newborn version of the Heart Flame and set it inside the seal, making everything look untouched. Only then did he take the two girls deeper, slipping down into the magma and into the Tou She Ancient God Mansion…
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
The instant they arrived, a thunderous voice shook the cavern. A dragon with eyes the size of millstones glared at them, its terrifying aura crashing forward like a tidal wave.
This was the Tou She Ancient God Mansion. Without all the pieces of the Tou She Ancient God's Jade, it should've been impossible to open. Even stranger—he hadn't sensed the seal breaking. If it had, he would've been free already.
Renzo stood calm and steady, but Qing Lin and Fairy Doctor went pale, their bodies trembling under the suffocating pressure. This was the aura of a peak Dou Saint.
"Enough noise. Be quiet."
Renzo frowned slightly, then unleashed his own presence. In an instant, his aura slammed down on the dragon, crushing it flat against the ground. It couldn't even twitch a claw. Yet Qing Lin and Fairy Doctor remained untouched, a clear sign of just how perfectly Renzo controlled his power.
"You… who are you? How can you be this strong? Don't tell me—you're a Dou God, a real Dou Di?" Zhu Kun's voice trembled with fear.
That was the only explanation. How else could this man slip past the seal and appear here directly?
"Dou Di? I left that title behind a long time ago." Renzo smirked, then added, "You're Zhu Kun of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, aren't you?"
"Left it behind? You mean… you've surpassed the Dou Di realm? That's impossible!"
Zhu Kun's massive body shuddered in disbelief. He couldn't sense Renzo's cultivation at all, and the oppressive force weighing him down was far beyond anything he imagined a Dou Di capable of.
Could it be true?
For countless years, no new Dou Di had appeared. The world's vitality was too depleted—ascending had become nearly impossible. Yet here stood someone who claimed to have gone even further.
"No… wait. You know who I am?" Zhu Kun suddenly realized.
"Of course. The old clan leader of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe—how could I not?" Renzo's lips curled in amusement. "A pity though. After you disappeared, your clan split apart into four factions and fell into decline."
His eyes gleamed as he continued, "And up above, in the academy built over this cave, I found a young Ancient Void Dragon. The bloodline aura felt connected to yours. I'd say she's your daughter, right?"
He wasn't lying. Zi Yan, that little girl, was indeed at Jia Nan Academy right now.
"What?"
Zhu Kun's entire body jolted. He struggled furiously to rise, but Renzo's suppression kept him pinned. Still, that didn't stop him from blurting out in a rush:
"You said you saw my child? How is she? Is she safe? And what's this about Ancient Dragon Island splitting apart? Those bastards—what have they been doing all these years? They never found Zi Yan, never brought her back to inherit the Dragon Emperor's throne? Damn them!"
His rage was palpable.
Renzo only chuckled coldly. "You should be glad they didn't find her. Otherwise, your daughter might not have survived to this day."
"They wouldn't dare!" Zhu Kun roared, his eyes blazing.
Hurt his daughter? That would be outright rebellion!
"So naïve," Renzo sneered. "Why wouldn't they dare? Your disappearance split the clan into four. At least half of them are ambitious and treacherous, eager to seize the Dragon Emperor's throne for themselves. Tell me—how is it impossible?"
"You've lived thousands of years. Don't tell me you're still this gullible."
Zhu Kun: "…"
His face darkened. Every bone in his body ached with the urge to break free and tear those traitors apart.
"…You must have a reason for telling me all this. Out with it. What do you want in exchange for freeing me?" Zhu Kun forced himself to calm down, fixing his gaze on Renzo.
"Well…" Renzo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Honestly, I hadn't considered it before. But since you brought it up, maybe I should."
It was true—he hadn't originally planned to bargain. But given the situation, why not take advantage? Especially since Zi Yan was such a lovable little girl.
"Alright then. Give me a drop of your essence blood. And while you're at it, copy all of your Ancient Void Dragon clan's combat skills, cultivation methods, the works."
With that, Renzo withdrew his oppressive aura. He flicked his wrist, shattering the seal and bindings that held Zhu Kun down.
Zhu Kun instantly felt the weight lift from his body. Ecstatic, he flipped over and transformed into human form, so eager he almost leapt for joy.
After a long moment, he looked back at Renzo, narrowing his eyes. "You released me before I even agreed. Aren't you worried I'll refuse?"
After all, he was being asked for his essence blood and the entire inheritance of his clan.
"You wouldn't dare," Renzo replied with a single, dismissive glance.
That one look made Zhu Kun feel like his soul had been cast into an abyss. Just one glance, and he knew Renzo could snuff him out at will.
He shivered violently before forcing a grin. "Heh… you're right. I wouldn't dare. Thank you, senior, for freeing me. My essence blood, I'll hand it over right now. As for the Ancient Void Dragon inheritance—I'll need to return to Dragon Island to organize it before passing it on. Is that acceptable?"
As he spoke, he forced out a single drop of his essence blood and offered it to Renzo.
.
.
.