"Report! Dean Xie, I just received news. The academy's Resource Hall has adjusted the cultivation resources for Deng Xianxian, Wu Yuechan, Tan Meng, Jia Zhao, and Yin Ji. They will no longer be issued according to the standard for Seed Disciples, but rather the standard for the lowest-level disciples in the academy. I remember that these five were personally recommended by Dean Ye to enter the academy, and he personally instructed that they be supplied with cultivation resources according to the Seed Disciple standard."
Suddenly, a steward walked into the conference hall and addressed Xie Changkong. As the five of them had been personally recommended by Ye Yunfei to enter Hudao Academy, the academy's higher-ups had always regarded them as key cultivation targets and did not dare to neglect them.
"Outrageous! Sending Seed Disciple standard cultivation resources to Deng Xianxian and the others was specially ordered by Dean Ye before he left! The Resource Hall truly has the gall, daring to target them!" Xie Changkong roared in fury.
"Have Hall Master Huo of the Resource Hall come see me immediately! I want to ask him exactly what is going on!" Xie Changkong barked.
"Dean Xie, the person currently in charge of the Resource Hall isn't Hall Master Huo anymore, it's Elder Mo," the steward said quietly.
"So it was Mo Wenjun who did this!" Xie Changkong and the other senior leaders all changed expression.
"Dean Xie, it seems they have already begun gradually taking control of some important positions and departments within the academy. From what I know, the head of the Mission Hall has also changed. It used to be Hall Master Wei, but now it's Tan Hui. Tan Hui followed Miao Tianfeng into the academy back then; he's Miao Tianfeng's confidant," Dean Shangguan said.
The Resource Hall and Mission Hall were both quite important departments within Hudao Academy.
"How come I didn't know about these important positions changing hands?" Xie Changkong asked through gritted teeth.
"They've formed factions and ganged up. With larger numbers and stronger backing, especially Miao Tianfeng, Mo Wenjun, and Liu Bai—they are senior elders of the academy and Tenth Level Grotto-Heaven Realm experts. Once they step in, no one dares to oppose them," Elder He shook his head with a bitter smile.
"This is preposterous!" Xie Changkong fumed.
"Dean Xie, Dan Jun has sent me to see you!"
Suddenly, a white-robed elder walked into the conference hall.
"It's Alchemist Lin!"
Seeing this white-robed elder, Xie Changkong and the other senior academy leaders all treated him with great respect. This Alchemist Lin was an elder of the Alchemy Tower, his status second only to Dan Jun and the Tower Lord. Moreover, his alchemical skills were superb, and his reputation extremely high. Although Dan Jun had brought the Alchemy Tower into Hudao Academy, forming its Dan Hall, Xie Changkong and the other leaders always showed deep respect towards members of the Tower, never showing the slightest neglect.
"Alchemist Lin, may I ask, what matter brings you to see me on Dan Jun's behalf?" Xie Changkong asked.
"Dean Xie, the quantity of pills our Dan Hall provides to the academy each month was agreed upon beforehand. However, yesterday, Elder Miao, Elder Mo, and Elder Liu all suddenly sent people to notify the Dan Hall, demanding that the amount of pills we supply monthly must at least double from now on! What is the meaning of this?" Alchemist Lin's face showed displeasure.
"What?! It was them again! It seems Miao Tianfeng, Mo Wenjun, and Liu Bai are planning to rebel!" Xie Changkong's anger soared to the heavens as he roared.
"Dean Xie, just what is going on?" Alchemist Lin couldn't help but ask in puzzlement.
"Everyone, it seems we must take action. If this continues, it won't be long before Hudao Academy completely falls into their hands," Xie Changkong took a deep breath and said with a grave expression.
"That's right." The other senior leaders in the hall also nodded.
"Alchemist Lin, I wish to go see Dan Jun," Xie Changkong suddenly looked towards Alchemist Lin and said.
"If we can secure Dan Jun's support, our actions will be twice as effective!" Elder He immediately grasped Xie Changkong's purpose in going to see Dan Jun.
Hearing Elder He's words, the other leaders also felt their spirits lift. Even before the Alchemy Tower joined Hudao Academy, it had already been a top-tier force in Central Continent! It was said the Alchemy Tower possessed a group of Grotto-Heaven Realm experts!
"Alright, I'll take you to see Dan Jun," Alchemist Lin seemed to understand the situation as well and nodded in agreement.
Thus, he led Xie Changkong to see Dan Jun.
At the same time, within Hudao Academy, atop a certain peak.
This peak was very tall, shrouded in mist and clouds, towering straight into the sky. On the mountain peak, there was a cave dwelling. Deep within this cave dwelling, there was an altar as pitch-black as ink.
Around the altar, over a hundred Ancient Demons sat cross-legged!
These Ancient Demons continuously knelt and kowtowed towards the altar, reciting an ancient, unknown incantation. Waves of eerie, hair-raising chant-like incantations echoed within the cave dwelling. However, a batch of isolation formations had been set up in this cave, strictly cutting off all external perception.
Not far from the altar stood over ten Grotto-Heaven Realm experts. They were all those academy senior leaders who had just left the conference hall. The three Tenth Level Grotto-Heaven Realm experts, Miao Tianfeng, Mo Wenjun, and Liu Bai, were there too! Everyone's gaze was fixed intently on that altar.
Suddenly, boom…
The altar began to shake violently. Waves of time and space aura emanated from it.
"Everyone, the soul power projection of the Aoyue Demon King is about to descend upon this world!" one of the Ancient Demons kneeling before the altar declared loudly.
Miao Tianfeng and the other Grotto-Heaven Realm experts all felt their spirits lift.
A moment later, suddenly, on that altar, a tall figure appeared, gradually solidifying from an ethereal state. This figure stood ten meters tall, exuding overwhelming demonic aura.
"We pay homage to His Majesty the Aoyue Demon King!"
Upon seeing this demonic aura-saturated figure, Miao Tianfeng and the other human martial artists all knelt down and called out simultaneously.
"Mm. Rise."
The figure enveloped in rolling demonic aura waved his hand. Immediately, Miao Tianfeng and the other human martial artists felt a terrifying demonic force abruptly lift their bodies.
"Just projecting a soul power imprint is this terrifying!" Miao Tianfeng and the others were utterly shocked.
"I instructed you to seize control of Hudao Academy as quickly as possible. How are things progressing?" the Aoyue Demon King asked.
"Your Majesty, Aoyue Demon King, rest assured. Most of the important positions in Hudao Academy are now controlled by our people. It won't be long before Hudao Academy will be at our command!" Miao Tianfeng stepped forward and answered loudly.
"Very good."
Hearing this, the Aoyue Demon King nodded in satisfaction.
"However, this is not enough yet. Find an opportunity to kill off all those old senior leaders of Hudao Academy. Only then can you completely seize control of the academy. Then, you can utilize the authority and resources of Hudao Academy to cooperate with our Ancient Demon Race in constructing a large-scale transmission channel to reconnect our Ancient Demon Realm with the Tianxuan Continent. Don't worry, when the time comes, I will bring you to the Xuanhuang Starfield to reside and cultivate. Under the protection of our Ancient Demon Race, you can walk sideways across the Xuanhuang Starfield." the Aoyue Demon King said.
"We thank Your Majesty, Aoyue Demon King, for your great grace!"
Miao Tianfeng, Mo Wenjun, Liu Bai, and the other Grotto-Heaven Realm experts were all extremely excited. Their primary motivation for secretly colluding with the Aoyue Demon King was to one day leave the Tianxuan Continent and travel to the Xuanhuang Starfield they had longed for! For these Grotto-Heaven Realm experts, especially those at the Tenth Level, the world of the Tianxuan Continent was like a shackle, limiting their development. If they remained on the Tianxuan Continent, they would forever be stuck at the Grotto-Heaven Realm strength, never having the chance to break through to higher realms. Grotto-Heaven Realm experts on the Tianxuan Continent all knew this, so many of them yearned to leave the continent and go to more advanced worlds.
"Your Majesty, Aoyue Demon King, we have one more concern. That is the Alchemy Tower. The Alchemy Tower's strength is not weak; they possess many Grotto-Heaven Realm experts. Once we move against those old academy leaders like Xie Changkong, I'm afraid the Alchemy Tower will step in to interfere," Miao Tianfeng suddenly said.
"You needn't worry. Since I am having you take action, I naturally have preparations."
The Aoyue Demon King smiled faintly. Swoosh swoosh… He flicked his fingers consecutively, sending five jade bottles flying before five Grotto-Heaven Realm experts.
"The five of you are all at the Ninth Level of the Grotto-Heaven Realm. Consume this bottle of Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills, and you will absolutely break through to the Grotto-Heaven Tenth Level," the Aoyue Demon King said.
Whoosh!
Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills!
Everyone stared at those five jade bottles, gasping in shock and envy. After all, even Dan Jun was only a Fifth-Grade Treasure Alchemist! Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills were completely legendary treasures to these Grotto-Heaven Realm experts.
"We thank Your Majesty, Aoyue Demon King, for your gracious gift of pills!" The five Grotto-Heaven Realm experts knelt simultaneously and said loudly.
"And all of you, I will now employ the ancestral Dharma Infusion of our Ancient Demon Race to make you all reach the Grotto-Heaven Tenth Level," the Aoyue Demon King looked towards the over a hundred Ancient Demons kneeling around the altar and said.
"At that time, with over a hundred Grotto-Heaven Tenth Level experts, you should no longer fear the Alchemy Tower, should you?" The Aoyue Demon King looked at Miao Tianfeng and the other human martial artists.
"We report to Your Majesty, with over a hundred Grotto-Heaven Tenth Level experts, we can completely sweep through the Alchemy Tower, and even the entire Tianxuan Continent!" Miao Tianfeng and the others replied in unison, each utterly thrilled.
"Haha… Ye Yunfei, I bet you never expected this, did you? If you knew Hudao Academy was about to fall into the control of our Ancient Demon Race, that our Ancient Demon army was about to return to the Tianxuan Continent, what would you think? When that time comes and I capture your entire clan and sect, you will have to obey me obediently!"
The Aoyue Demon King laughed heartily.