Peace Town, Canaan City (Seeking Recommendations, Seeking Follow-ups)

The Black-Corner Region was a famously chaotic land on the continent. Though no faction within it possessed an expert above the Dou Zun level, its madmen remained outrageously bold.

From the most basic trade in human lives to the sale of cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, high-grade medicinal pills, divine weapons, and rare heavenly treasures, it had everything one could want.

One particularly classic case involved someone stealing the Wind and Thunder Pavilion's sect-defining Dou Technique, Three Thousand Lightning Movements, from the Central Plains, then traveling thousands of miles to the Black-Corner Region to fence it.

This showed just how widely the Black-Corner Region's notoriety had spread.

After traveling for half a month, Xu Haoyu finally arrived in the Black-Corner Region under the protection of a squad of Flying Eagle Army soldiers.

At this moment, they were sheltering in the cleft between two mountain peaks, using it to evade the Black Storm outside that blotted out the sky and sun. This was a peculiar weather phenomenon unique to the Black-Corner Region.

Within the sky-covering black storm, visibility was extremely poor. Worse still, anyone swept into it risked being torn to pieces by the storm. Even if they survived, they would suffer grievous injuries before being flung off to some unknown place.

This was nature's mighty power. Without the strength of a Dou Zong or above, even Dou Emperors and Dou Kings had to obediently avoid a Black Storm.

From the narrow gap formed by the two parallel mountain peaks, Xu Tao poked out his head and observed the Black Storm outside. When he noticed that it was gradually weakening, delight appeared on his face.

Pulling his head back, Xu Tao turned around and said with a smile:

"The Black Storm is weakening. By the time it completely disappears, we should be well rested too. Then we'll send Young Master Haoyu to Jia Nan Academy in one go."

Sitting beside the campfire, Xu Haoyu raised his head at those words and said with a smile:

"Very well. I'll have to trouble the general and everyone else."

Xu Tao waved his hand, his face full of smiles.

"I wouldn't dare. This is simply what we ought to do."

In this lifetime, becoming a Dou King and the deputy commander of the Flying Eagle Army was already Xu Tao's limit.

But for the young man before him, everything was only beginning. In order to build a good relationship with him, Xu Tao had spared no effort throughout the journey.

Xu Haoyu smiled, lowering his gaze to the flames in the campfire. With a squad of the Flying Eagle Army escorting them, the past half month had gone remarkably smoothly.

Ordinary petty criminals would hide from afar the moment they saw this group. None dared come looking for trouble.

Now that they had entered the Black-Corner Region, aside from the unpredictable Black Storm, no one was bold enough to try and intercept them.

Madmen were madmen, but they still knew how to assess the situation. They would not do something that was certain to get them killed.

Not long afterward, the Black Storm outside completely subsided, and Xu Haoyu set off once more under the Flying Eagle Army's escort.

They continued deeper into the Black-Corner Region without any trouble, eventually arriving at Peace Town on the outskirts of Jia Nan Academy.

This was one of the few places in the chaotic Black-Corner Region where order existed. Fighting and killing were forbidden, and Jia Nan Academy's Law Enforcement Team patrolled the area. Anyone who broke those rules—

would end up as a corpse hanging from the Dead Spirit Tree. It was a grim, towering tree with luxuriant branches spreading in all directions, but the corpses hanging from it constantly gave it an eerie air. Whenever a breeze blew, the dried corpses would sway in the wind, making one's back go cold.

Upon arriving, Xu Haoyu looked at the Dead Spirit Tree and the wide dirt road leading to Peace Town, then said:

"Let's descend. Charging in on flying magical beasts would be a blatant provocation."

Xu Tao acknowledged him, then made a gesture. Everyone guided the flying eagles beneath them down toward the ground.

Shortly after they landed, dozens of Law Enforcement Team members in fitted uniforms appeared from every direction. Their expressions were stern as they coordinated with one another to surround the group.

"Who goes there? State your names!"

Xu Tao stepped forward, his burly frame shielding the others. He looked over the Law Enforcement Team members. A few Da Dou Shi leading some Dou Masters and Dou Zhe posed no threat to them, so he said in a low voice:

"We are from the Xu Family of Tiannansheng Province, Tianxin Empire. I am Xu Tao, escorting a member of our clan, Xu Haoyu, here to study."

Upon hearing this, the Law Enforcement Team's tense mood eased slightly. So they were not enemies. This group not only had flying magical beasts as mounts, but each of them exuded an iron-blooded, murderous aura. At first, they had been facing a formidable enemy.

Even a Law Enforcement Team that fought the Black-Corner Region's criminals year-round felt immense pressure when facing true soldiers.

The leader of these Law Enforcement Team members stepped forward. His features were square and proper, his face stern and dignified. He spoke:

"I am He Guangyi of the Law Enforcement Team, and also an instructor of Jia Nan Academy's Outer Courtyard. For now, follow us into the town. Once inside, please take note: fighting and killing are forbidden. After we get you settled, I will bring someone to handle the enrollment procedures."

Xu Tao nodded after hearing this.

"Alright. I'll pass the order along."

The two sides then headed to Peace Town together and settled the entire Flying Eagle Army in an inn there.

After that was done, Xu Tao and Xu Haoyu followed He Guangyi toward Canaan City, where Jia Nan Academy's Outer Courtyard was located.

Canaan City had been built amid mountains. To enter it without passing through Peace Town, one had to cross the Magical Beast Forest, which was filled with magical beasts, including no shortage of fifth- and even sixth-tier beasts.

Upon first arriving at Canaan City, they saw Canaan Square. Numerous instructors and students came and went across the square. There were arenas for sparring in its center, and they were currently in use. The fighting atop the stages was fierce, while cheers continuously erupted from below.

Xu Haoyu swept his gaze around the area, thinking that he could try it himself in the future. Fighting others could increase one's practical combat experience.

He Guangyi, walking ahead, spoke with a hint of pride in his eyes:

"Our Jia Nan Academy is a renowned institution on the Dou Qi Continent. It is divided into the Inner Courtyard and the Outer Courtyard. What you see now is the Outer Courtyard. After graduating from the Outer Courtyard, our students return to their respective empires as talents eagerly sought by every major power."

"If one can pass the examination and enter the Inner Courtyard before graduating from the Outer Courtyard, they can maximize their potential. Those who graduate from the Inner Courtyard are all heaven's favored geniuses, outstanding among men. Once they continue to grow, they will generally become heroes in their own right."

Listening to him, Xu Tao glanced at Xu Haoyu beside him. He knew exactly how terrifying the Grand Elder's grandson's talent was. At only eleven years old, he was already a four-star Da Dou Shi and a Fourth-Rank Alchemist.

With such talent, passing Jia Nan Academy's so-called examination would be no problem at all. Once he graduated from the Inner Courtyard, who knew what heights he would reach?

Xu Haoyu's gaze deepened as he thought to himself that, in some sense, He Guangyi was not bragging. Many Inner Courtyard students such as Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing had ultimately become Dou Zuns.

On the Dou Qi Continent, before the Ancient Eight Clans entered the scene, Dou Saints were not so common. A single Dou Zun could support a top-tier faction.

As for breaking through to Dou Saint, it was no longer something one could easily achieve through talent and hard work alone. One needed a special constitution, a special bloodline, a special cultivation method, a special opportunity... only then could one glimpse the realm of Dou Saint.