Heading to the Black Corner Region

"You're going to the Black Corner Region?" Elder Huo frowned, looking at his beloved disciple with a headache.

This disciple was good in every way, except that he could be a little restless at times. Last year, Xiao Ming had joined the Enforcement Team behind his back, which had infuriated him.

And now he had come asking to go to the Black Corner Region. What was so good about that place? Its rules had collapsed, and it was a chaotic mess. Everyone there was ruthless and vicious. At Xiao Ming's age, how could he withstand all those schemes and intrigues? Wasn't this sheer nonsense?

"No, I don't agree!" Elder Huo said, blowing his beard and glaring.

"Your cultivation is still too low. Wait a few years until you're older, then I'll let you leave. By then, I won't stop you even if you want to go to the Central Plains, let alone the Black Corner Region."

"But I'm already a Da Dou Shi! That's not low anymore." Xiao Ming spoke helplessly as Dou Qi surged from inside his body, forming a suit of black armor around him to prove that he was telling the truth.

"The academy organizes students to visit the Black Corner Region every year. With my cultivation, I'm already among the best of them all. Nothing will go wrong."

"You've already reached Da Dou Shi?" Elder Huo was somewhat surprised, but after thinking it over carefully, This Speed actually seemed quite normal.

At Jia Nan Academy, it was not uncommon for someone to go from Dou Zhe to Da Dou Shi in two years. There were always several such people every year. Given Xiao Ming's talent, This Speed was actually a little slow.

Xiao Ming had spent most of his time on alchemy. Going from a complete novice to a Grade Three Alchemist in two years truly required far more effort. If not for pills assisting his cultivation, Xiao Ming might not even have reached Da Dou Shi.

A Da Dou Shi could not be considered a pillar of any faction in the Black Corner Region, but he could still be regarded as part of their backbone—a genuine minor expert. With Xiao Ming's strength, the danger of making a trip there was indeed much lower.

Thus, Elder Huo was somewhat swayed. He was not one of those Old Fogeys, and he knew that training in the Black Corner Region had its benefits. Otherwise, the academy would not Send People there every year for training. Before this, he had merely believed Xiao Ming's strength was too low and his age too young.

Seeing A Trace Of looseness in Elder Huo's expression, Xiao Ming immediately pressed harder.

"Don't worry, Teacher. I'll only wander around some nearby cities and gain a little experience fighting enemies. You Would Not Have me get beaten badly whenever I meet someone of the same level in the future, would you?"

"How could it be that exaggerated? How about this—I'll agree to let you join the Enforcement Team, all right?"

"A trip around Jia Nan City isn't much different from joining the Enforcement Team."

"You brat..." At last, after Xiao Ming kept nagging for quite a while, Elder Huo finally relented, his face full of helplessness.

"Sigh, fine. You Can Also go to the Black Corner Region, but remember, you only have one month. Come back after one month. The Inner Academy Selection Competition will be held then, so Don't miss it."

"I understand. Thank you, Teacher."

Looking at Xiao Ming's delighted expression, Elder Huo kept shaking his head. A flash of white light came from the ring In His Hand, and several Jade Bottles of Various Colors appeared.

Xiao Ming took the Medicine Bottles Elder Huo handed over and asked blankly, "Teacher, what are these?"

Actually, in the more than one hundred Life Simulations Xiao Ming had conducted with his Life Simulator over the past two years, he had simulated situations like today's several times. However, the Life Simulator's habits sometimes left even Xiao Ming powerless to complain.

It often summarized an entire day in a single sentence, such as, "You bid farewell to your teacher, Elder Huo, and left Jia Nan Academy." Some were even more blunt: "You left Jia Nan Academy," or, "You left the academy without your teacher's knowledge."

At the end of the day, the Life Simulator would not mark out every detail In The Simulated Life for him like a novel.

This caused Xiao Ming to know only the rough outline of many things.

Still, if the Life Simulator could mark out every single detail, it ought to be called a life script instead.

"There are two Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pills in the black Jade Bottle. They can allow a Da Dou Shi to break through one star. As for the yellow one, it contains Qi Accumulating Pills, which can help stabilize the unstable Dou Qi caused by consecutive breakthroughs."

"Originally, the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill is much better than the Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill. It has a chance of allowing you to break through three stars. But I gave you one before, and you've probably already eaten it. The Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill can only be taken once."

"The other Medicine Bottles contain some healing and Qi Recovery Medicinal Pills that I personally refined."

Elder Huo clearly still hoped that his precious disciple could raise his strength a little further before going out.

"Teacher..." Xiao Ming was deeply moved. Speaking Of Which, most of the pills he had taken to assist his cultivation up to this point had been prepared by Elder Huo.

These pills had clearly been prepared by Elder Huo long ago. He had even prepared Qi Accumulating Pills to stabilize Xiao Ming's cultivation, showing that he had considered everything thoroughly.

"When you're away from home, remember to Be Careful, especially in the Black Corner..."

Before Xiao Ming could remain moved for long, Elder Huo began imparting his experience of traveling the world again.

Xiao Ming did not grow impatient and listened quietly.

Yet as he listened, he inexplicably felt that he seemed to have experienced this scene somewhere before.

After bidding farewell to Elder Huo, Xiao Ming went to see Instructor Ge Hu.

There was no problem with the Alchemy Department's classes after he had spoken with Elder Huo, but besides the Alchemy Department, he was also a student in Ge Hu's class. Xiao Ming naturally had to ask Instructor Ge for leave before setting out.

Ge Hu's reaction was initially much the same as Elder Huo's. He refused as well.

"The time for the academy's arranged training has already passed. I can't let you leave."

Ge Hu had an excellent impression of Xiao Ming, this genius. He was modest, upright in conduct, free from the arrogance common among geniuses, kind to others, and never bullied the weak. In short, he was full of virtues.

Unfortunately, Xiao Ming was a little too young. Therefore, for Xiao Ming's sake, Ge Hu hoped he would grow older before going to the Black Corner Region, so he naturally refused Xiao Ming's request.

However firm Instructor Ge Hu's attitude was, he ultimately compromised after seeing Xiao Ming's strength.

After all, Jia Nan Academy's instructors were only Da Dou Shi. Xiao Ming was already at the same level as him.

Wouldn't it be a joke to say Xiao Ming was not strong enough to leave?

Besides, Elder Huo had already agreed. What reason did Ge Hu have to refuse?

After Ge Hu gave him a thorough warning and told him to return before the Inner Academy Selection Competition, Xiao Ming disguised himself and set off.

Xiao Ming did not intend to take the pills Elder Huo had given him yet. He felt it would be better to wait until his cultivation was more stable.

Three days later.

Green Rock Town.

A short black-robed figure walked into a somewhat dilapidated inn.

The inn was bustling with voices, and no one cared about the arrival of this Black-robed Person.

In their eyes, what was so strange about a Black-robed Person? They encountered dozens of them every day. This black robe was merely a little shorter than usual.

"Oh my, is my lord here to eat or stay the night?"

A fierce Big Man with a scarred face and muscles all over his body jogged over. When he reached Xiao Ming, he widened his eyes, trying to see his face hidden beneath the black robe.

"Arrange a table of food for me in the main hall, then prepare a superior room." As though he could not smell the Bloody Smell covering the Big Man before his eyes, Xiao Ming calmly Replied in an Aged Voice he had deliberately altered.

Thanks to Xin S and Nine Three for the rewards.

This chapter feels a little padded, doesn't it? Uh...