After forcing out the last wisp of fire poison from his body, Jin Shi breathed a huge sigh of relief.
It's finally resolved.
This pesky fire poison.
At the same time, on the other side, Han Feng had finished refining a batch of pills and also injected the energy of the Fallen Heart Flame into a special container.
For ordinary Heavenly Flames, doing this would damage their source, but for the awakened Fallen Heart Flame, it was just a daily routine.
After doing all this, Han Feng was ready to set off again.
Embarking on the journey to the Northwest Continent.
"Mr. Han, are you leaving so soon?"
Han Feng's schedule was very tight, and almost every time someone asked him this question.
Jin Shi and Jin Gu came to see him off.
"I happen to be leaving too. Big brother, I'll go with Mr. Han."
Jin Gu waved to Jin Shi.
Jin Shi ignored his younger brother and clasped his fists to Han Feng.
After returning the salute, Han Feng turned and went down the mountain with the two girls.
The four of them traveled together and soon arrived at the nearest spatial wormhole station.
"Mr. Han, we part ways here."
Jin Gu bid farewell to Han Feng.
He was going to the Eastern Region, while Han Feng was going to the more remote Northwest Continent.
"Be very careful on this treasure hunt."
"Mm, I also wish Mr. Han finds the person he's looking for soon."
The four stepped into the spatial wormhole and gradually separated in the vast void.
Han Feng steered the space treasure ship towards the navigation route and began to accelerate.
A few days later.
In a large city in the Northwest Continent, Han Feng leaped out from the space treasure ship.
Beams of light flashed past the spacious silver pillars, and cultivators arriving one after another landed on the square in turn.
Using a spatial wormhole required paying a fee upon entry and exit, eating from both ends.
Therefore, every faction that controlled a spatial wormhole was equivalent to possessing a cornucopia.
The coming and going passengers would provide them with a steady stream of money.
Of course, the maintenance cost of a spatial wormhole was also very high.
Sometimes when accidents happened, it would require multiple Dou Ancestor experts to join forces to handle it.
The cost of hiring helpers was not low.
Han Feng looked at the city in front of him, and several puppet pills flew out of his hand, entering hidden corners of the street and transforming into human-sized green-robed puppets.
Let's start from here.
The Northwest Continent also needed to be searched thoroughly, but the person in charge didn't need too strong a cultivation; a Dou King would suffice.
The green-robed puppet happened to be of the fifth-tier series, which was the Dou King rank.
Leaving the puppet spies behind, Han Feng quickly left this transit city.
Following the route on the map, he hurried from the southern part of the Northwest Continent to the north.
Every time he arrived at a city, he would release two green-robed puppets.
Han Feng planned to let them lurk outside for a long time, serving as his backup in the Northwest Continent.
In his previous life, Han Feng was not enthusiastic about building factions and grasping power.
Perhaps because he had Yao Chen and the Falling Star Pavilion helping him from behind, he didn't need to consider those things.
But after being alone, he realized that if he really wanted to accomplish something, having a faction at his command was still very important.
The role of Feng City was demonstrated at this moment when he needed it.
It was equivalent to a ready-made network of relationships, able to mobilize any connection within it.
Feng City sold pills to the outside world and had transactions with factions large and small in the Black-Corner Region.
So as a trading center, contacting all parties became very convenient.
Han Feng decided that after returning to Feng City this time, he would properly host a banquet for the leaders of the major factions in the Black-Corner Region.
And have a serious talk about the future development of the Black-Corner Region.
Instead of infighting all day, it was better to integrate their strength and use it where he needed it.
This area of the Northwest Continent would be personally handled by Han Feng, without the need to entrust other factions.
He himself was the biggest overlord here.
Half a month later, Han Feng and the three of them finally returned to Feng City.
Because his appearance had changed significantly, the guards didn't recognize him when he entered the city. It wasn't until he entered the City Lord's Mansion and spread his familiar aura that the Maple Forest Guard came to report.
Han Lie was a veteran of the Maple Forest Guard with extraordinary vision. After seeing Han Feng and the two young girls beside him, he only paused for two seconds before kneeling and clasping his fists.
"Han Lie greets the City Lord!"
Han Feng had a deep impression of the guard captain he had personally promoted. Back then, to reward him, he had even bestowed upon him more powerful cultivation techniques, Dou Skills, and pills.
After so many years, Han Lie had not disappointed Han Feng. His current realm fluctuation was already that of a Dou Emperor expert.
Although only two-star, he was in no way weaker than those few at the end of the Black Ranking.
It was just that as a Maple Forest Guard, he didn't need to stand in the light and use his reputation to promote anything.
His duty was to protect Feng City in the dark.
Letting Lin Xian'er and Qing Lin go back to the bamboo building first, Han Feng briefly learned about what had happened during this period in the City Lord's Mansion.
Because he had recruited the Gold and Silver Elders as guest elders of Feng City before leaving, Feng City had developed rapidly over the years. Many factions came to pledge allegiance, actively becoming vassals of Feng City to obtain more benefits.
Those small factions could benefit from it, and Feng City could naturally also obtain more benefits.
Such reciprocal behavior happened often. In the past, there was still Jia Nan Academy's control, but because of Han Feng, Jia Nan Academy also chose to turn a blind eye and tacitly accepted Feng City's development.
Because Su Qian believed that Han Feng could handle all this.
As an elder of the academy, he still had some privileges.
If Han Feng could further stabilize the order of the Black-Corner Region, Su Qian would not object.
Han Feng checked the few factions that had been most active in contacting Feng City over the years.
Among them, the Rakshasa Gate was the earliest to start cooperation.
That Su Mei was quite bold, actively giving up the lion's share of profits in exchange for the opportunity of long-term cooperation with Feng City.
She herself was also ambitious, successfully breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm, consolidating the Rakshasa Gate's position in the Black-Corner Region, and even climbing into the top ten of the Black Ranking.
With the retirement of the older generation of experts, the most powerful overlord in the current Black-Corner Region was undoubtedly Feng City.
The top of the Black Ranking had also become Han Feng's name, with the Gold and Silver Elders ranking second.
This was almost a situation that had developed slowly without Han Feng's knowledge.
He was inexplicably pushed to the position of the big brother of the Black-Corner Region.
But this was also good, saving him the trouble of planning to make a name for himself. Next, he only needed to show crushing strength to make those old factions recognize his status.
Maple Forest Guard, Han Beng, was also a confidant whom Han Feng had bestowed cultivation techniques and Dou Skills upon back then.
Now he was a young Dou King with the strongest momentum, expected to succeed Han Lie's position and become the next guard captain of the Maple Forest Guard.
"Go and inform the various factions of the Black-Corner Region that I am preparing to host a banquet for everyone to enjoy the full moon together."
Han Feng ordered.
"Especially the Black Emperor Sect, the Demon Flame Valley, and those retired experts hiding in the nooks and crannies, make sure the message is delivered."
"Yes!"
Han Beng accepted the order and withdrew, quickly getting to work on this matter.
On the other side, Han Lie had already taken another order from Han Feng and began to organize personnel to launch a special search for soul bodies.
After assigning the tasks, Han Feng went to the seclusion place of the Gold and Silver Elders.
These two brothers had been living quite comfortably recently.
After joining Feng City, their standard of living had risen sharply. They didn't have to do many things personally. Cultivation resources could be collected regularly, and if they wanted something else, they could go out and find it themselves. Compared to their previous free but irregular life, the Gold and Silver Elders gradually discovered the benefits of having a big faction behind them.
If they had known earlier that the conditions in Feng City were so good, they should have agreed back then.
Moreover, Han Feng, the nominal leader, was often away from home, so the Gold and Silver Elders felt that these years had been exceptionally easy.
Except for occasionally showing up to flex their muscles, they spent almost all their time enjoying themselves.
Inside an ancient building, the Gold and Silver Elders had completely renovated it into their favorite style. At this time, the two brothers were lying on reclining chairs, swaying leisurely.
Because Han Feng had entered the city very covertly, these two still didn't know the news of Han Feng's return.
Melodious music rang out from inside the ancient building. These two guys had actually hired an opera troupe to perform in the building.
Good heavens.
Han Feng silently watched the performance on the stage without interrupting.
Suddenly, the Gold Elder began to hum along, and the Silver Elder soon joined in.
After the song ended, the sound on the stage had stopped, leaving only the Gold and Silver Elders reminiscing there.
"Singing pretty well."
Han Feng's voice suddenly sounded from behind the two.
The Gold and Silver Elders fell to the ground with a thud, then scrambled up.
"Han Feng!"
"You, why are you back!"
Han Feng raised an eyebrow.
"Why can't I come back?"
"This... is too sudden. You didn't even tell us."
Han Feng sneered.
"Hmph, if I hadn't come back suddenly, I wouldn't have known you were living so comfortably."
The Gold and Silver Elders blushed and said stubbornly.
"We've been watching the gate for you for so many years, can't we enjoy ourselves a little?"
"Yeah, just listening to some opera..."
Han Feng shook his head, not wasting words with the two.
"I have something for you to do."
Han Feng took out a scroll and threw it to the two.
The Gold and Silver Elders took it and opened it to look.
"Searching for soul bodies?"
Han Feng explained further:
"Find out where soul bodies gather in the Black-Corner Region. In the process, you might encounter some mysterious enemies, but you shouldn't be afraid now, right?"
Speaking of strength, the Gold and Silver Elders regained their confidence.
"Naturally. We two brothers have both broken through to the three-star Dou Ancestor realm now. After fusing, we can even fight a five-star Dou Ancestor. Where in the world can we not go?"
"Mm, but don't be eager to fight. Just bringing back the intelligence is enough."
Han Feng didn't believe in the Gold and Silver Elders' mysteriously confident strength, but finding people was still doable.
After assigning the task, Han Feng left.
The Gold and Silver Elders looked at the scroll in their hands and sighed helplessly.
"Han Feng is back. The leisurely days are probably over."
Life over these years had solidified the Gold and Silver Elders. They had absolutely no intention of leaving Feng City.
They just wanted to keep muddling along.
So this task still had to be done well.
Just now, Han Feng had appeared behind the two of them without anyone noticing, giving them a fright.
This indirectly showed that Han Feng's strength was still above theirs.
With the shame of defeat back then, the Gold and Silver Elders had learned to behave. Even if they were mysteriously confident in their own strength, they knew they couldn't compare with Han Feng.
Early the next morning, the Gold and Silver Elders left the city to carry out the mission, and the Maple Forest Guard went to various factions to deliver letters.
Han Feng left a white-robed puppet to guard the city, and then took Lin Xian'er and Qing Lin to Jia Nan Academy.
Having not returned for many years, it was only right to go back and visit.
When he sent Zi Yan back then, she must have been waiting anxiously too, right?
Thinking of that girl, Han Feng guessed that she would ask him for pills as soon as they met.
Arriving at Peace Town, Han Feng handed over his elder token, and the guards immediately let him pass.
"Why does this elder look a bit familiar, yet a bit strange..."
A young-looking guard pondered hard there.
After a long time with no result, he put it aside and continued to screen the identities of people coming to Peace Town.
Now, Jia Nan Academy's annual recruitment season had arrived again, and students from all over the continent were arriving one after another.
The liveliness of Peace Town had also reached its peak for the year.
Some people from the Black-Corner Region came because of its reputation, but they also had to abide by the rules of Peace Town before they were allowed to pass.
Han Feng crossed the magical beast forest and soon arrived at the Outer Academy.
Old rules, passing through here, he had to go and see the two elders, Qian and Bai.
Last time he was still a mid-level Dou Ancestor, but this time, he was directly a Dou Venerate.
He wondered if the two elders would be surprised.
Han Feng expected that those two would definitely be dumbfounded.
On the way to the Library Pavilion, Han Feng saw many new faces. The old students from back then had long graduated, either advancing to the Inner Academy or going straight home.
On the ground, a female mentor with long aqua-blue hair watched Han Feng streak across the sky with the two girls, a look of longing in her eyes.
Treading on air, a Dou Ancestor expert.
This must be an elder of the Inner Academy.
The female mentor was named Ruo Lin, twenty-six years old this year. She was once a student of Jia Nan Academy.
However, after graduation, she chose to stay at Jia Nan Academy as a mentor. Now she was a cultivator at the Dou Grandmaster realm.
"Mentor Ruo Lin, your recruitment mission this year is assigned to the western province of the Jia Ma Empire, right?"
At this time, another mentor came over to chat.
Ruo Lin's appearance was quite beautiful, quite eye-catching among the mentors.
Ruo Lin nodded.
"Yes, I'm planning to go. I wonder if there will be any good seedlings this year."
"The area I was assigned to the year before last was there. It was just average."
The western province of the Jia Ma Empire was relatively backward, so it was difficult to produce any talent.
It was still the eastern and central provinces that produced the most talent.
Ruo Lin smiled and replied, "Not necessarily. In my class last year, there were a few very good students from the western province."
"Then I wish Mentor Ruo Lin good luck, and may you be promoted to a Black Rank class mentor soon."
————————
On the other side, Han Feng arrived near the Library Pavilion.
He walked to the spatial barrier and raised his hand to knock.
Although he could break a spatial barrier of this level with one hand now, it was better to be polite.
Soon, Han Feng's action received a response.
Swoosh!
The spatial barrier opened quickly, and the two elders, Qian and Bai, walked out.
"Who is visiting the Library Pavilion?"
Two profound voices came from all directions, creating a mysterious atmosphere.
Han Feng smiled.
"Two seniors, there's no need to use such tricks on me, right?"
"You are... Elder Han Feng?!"
Qian Mu looked closely, only then recognizing the visitor.
"Why have you changed like this?"