"Dream on!"
Old Man Jin's roar shook the air as his palm shattered the afterimage before him. Without even checking the result, his figure surged upward, violent Dou Qi erupting beneath his feet as he gave chase.
Above the collapsing mine, Gu Yuena's robes fluttered violently in the turbulent currents. Her clear, cold voice rang out like frost cutting through fire:
"Leave the ore behind!"
Beside her, Kaguya remained silent. The Rinnegan on her forehead slowly rotated, its eerie ripple patterns reflecting the distorted space ahead. Without a word, her figure vanished, reappearing diagonally above Elder Su Qian's escape path.
Old Man Yin assessed the situation in a single glance.
He knew his limits.
Chasing a fully unleashed Elder Su Qian—especially with Gu Yuena and Kaguya already involved—would only result in needless risk. He decisively gave up pursuit, landing instead near the mine's exposed core.
There, Hu Gan had already descended, blood staining the corner of his lips, his breathing uneven.
Old Man Yin flicked his sleeve, his Dou Qi spreading outward like a web of invisible threads, probing the shattered rock layers below.
"Since the seventh-grade ore is gone," Old Man Yin said calmly, "there's no reason to fight ourselves to death."
He turned his head slightly, his gaze sharp.
"Let's see if there's any sixth-grade ore left. Whoever finds it first gets it. Fair enough?"
Hu Gan wiped the blood from his mouth and nodded. He had no desire to clash further with a peak Dou Huang while injured.
"Agreed."
The two of them dispersed their Dou Qi into the mine, sweeping through the depths in search of remnants—both fully aware that while they had lost the greatest prize, even a sixth-grade ore could still justify the carnage.
High above, Elder Su Qian pushed his Earth-tier movement Dou Technique to its absolute limit.
His entire body burned with Dou Qi. His meridians screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain, teeth clenched as he fled.
Yet no matter how desperately he accelerated, he could not widen the gap.
Gu Yuena's pursuit was relentless.
Her control over spatial power made her speed terrifyingly efficient. With every breath, the distance between them shortened.
Seeing this, Elder Su Qian gritted his teeth and triggered his final trick.
His figure split apart.
Three identical forms streaked in different directions, their auras indistinguishable.
Just as Gu Yuena hesitated—
Kaguya's Rinnegan flared.
"Diagonally above."
Her voice was flat, absolute.
Gu Yuena did not question it for even a fraction of a second. She ignored the other two figures entirely and locked onto the true body, her aura surging forward.
Cold sweat instantly soaked Elder Su Qian's back.
She can see through my clones…
That realization sent a chill through his bones.
With no options left, he forcibly circulated his Dou Qi beyond safe limits. Pain exploded through his meridians as he squeezed out every last drop of speed, ignoring the internal damage accumulating with each breath.
Still—Gu Yuena closed in.
At the critical moment, Elder Su Qian abruptly cut his Dou Qi output and allowed his body to fall.
His figure plunged downward like a meteor.
Gu Yuena, Kaguya, and Old Man Jin reacted instantly—only to freeze midair.
Below them stood the massive gate of Sacrifice City.
No barrier appeared. No formation activated.
Yet none of them dared advance another step.
Not even a wisp of Dou Qi was released.
Old Man Jin's face twisted with rage, but he stopped several zhang from the gate, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Elder Su Qian!" he shouted furiously. "You shameless old fox! This debt won't be forgotten!"
Elder Su Qian staggered to his feet, gasping for breath. Without even turning around, he waved lazily.
"Many thanks for the escort," he laughed hoarsely. "I'm deeply touched. Unfortunately, I have urgent business to attend to."
With that, he crossed the city gate and disappeared inside, leaving the three powerhouses staring helplessly after him.
Inside Sacrifice City, Elder Su Qian did not pause for even a moment.
He went straight to the Sacrificial Shop.
Mojiao was waiting.
When Elder Su Qian produced the shimmering seventh-grade ore—Yuan Sui Crystal—even Mojiao's expression shifted.
"You actually obtained it," Mojiao said frankly.
"I want to commission a seventh-grade spirit tool," Elder Su Qian said without hesitation.
"What kind?"
"A sword."
Mojiao nodded, already calculating.
"Yuan Sui Crystal is suitable as a main material for a seventh-grade non-attribute spirit tool. However, such a refinement also requires a seventh-grade non-attribute magic core, along with several auxiliary materials."
Elder Su Qian inhaled deeply and removed a magic core from his storage ring.
Its energy was vast and stable—an unmistakable seventh-tier core.
"This was left behind by the Dean," he said slowly. "The Academy's most precious reserve."
"The auxiliary materials are available," Mojiao replied. "With both main materials provided, the refining fee and materials total 21 million sacrificial coins."
Even prepared, Elder Su Qian's heart clenched.
Yet when he imagined a seventh-grade spirit sword capable of increasing his strength by thirty percent—a weapon that would become a pillar treasure of Canaan Academy—he made his decision.
He removed the storage ring from his hand.
At that very moment, Xiao Yan, battered and pale, entered the shop.
He brushed past Elder Su Qian, barely registering the old man's complex expression.
At another counter, Xiao Yan placed a blood-stained fourth-grade fire ore, a third-tier fire magic core, and finally the Profound Heavy Ruler.
"I want a custom spirit tool," he said hoarsely.
"Ruler-type. Fire attribute. Third-tier quality."
He coughed, then added quietly,
"Don't replicate the weight."
The clerk examined the materials, nodded, and spoke evenly:
"Superior compatibility. Refining fee: 300,000 sacrificial coins."
Xiao Yan's heart sank.
Silently, he emptied his storage ring. Herbs, magic cores, pills—years of accumulation—piled onto the counter.
After assessment, the clerk nodded.
"Payment complete."
A black token appeared.
"Return in three days."
Xiao Yan stepped out into the street, his storage ring frighteningly light.
"This is too expensive…" he muttered.
Yao Chen chuckled softly in his mind.
"Spirit tools last a lifetime, brat. Of course they're costly."
Xiao Yan sighed, then straightened his back.
He still had missions.
He still had a path.
And then—
"Brother Xiao Yan."
He froze.
At the end of the street stood Xun'er, her gaze fixed on the blood staining his sleeve.
"…Xun'er?" he said softly.
The bustling city seemed to fall silent around them.