Jia Nan Academy

Day by day, the admissions team from Jia Nan Academy drew closer to Wutan City.

As one of the renowned institutions on the Dou Qi Continent, Jia Nan Academy was a holy ground for countless young people. It did not value one's status, only whether one had the talent to meet its admissions requirements. As long as one achieved success at the academy, they could return home in glory and earn the recognition of every faction.

Jia Nan Academy was located in the Black Corner Region, between the three great empires. If any one empire gained Jia Nan Academy's support, it would be enough to annex the others. Yet no one dared set their sights on it. The Black Corner Region was chaotic and troublesome to all three empires, a lawless zone beyond anyone's control. Yet Jia Nan Academy stood securely within it, which was enough to show that its strength was not something ordinary people could provoke.

After years of development, countless youths from the various empires had become its students and risen to prominence, causing its reputation among the common people to grow ever greater. It had leapt to become one of the Dou Qi Continent's foremost academies.

It was also because of Jia Nan Academy's restraint and mediation that the great empires kept one another in check and had not erupted into war.

Every year, Jia Nan Academy dispatched large numbers of instructors throughout the three great empires to recruit students. The empires did not mind this practice of gathering geniuses, because the academy was not a sect and imposed no restrictions on its students. After graduation, they could leave whenever they wished, and the academy would not stop them. The students who left generally returned to serve their own empires, so the three great empires were more than happy to see it happen.

In a few days, the admissions team bound for Wutan City would arrive, and everyone in the city had turned their attention to this recruitment.

Jia Nan Academy did not care about status, only talent. From imperial princes to thieves and beggars, everyone looked forward to this recruitment. As long as they got lucky enough to pass, they could cast off their current identity and become a respected Dou Zhe.

Of course, if someone from an empire was willing to be a sucker and provide the academy with funding, the academy would not mind accepting a few good-for-nothing young masters with poor talent.

Over the past few days, Xiao Yan, knowing he would soon leave the clan, had crazily refined healing medicine, filling the Xiao Clan's storehouses. Xiao Yan had dragged Xia Mo in as forced labor, and Xia Mo inwardly accused him of illegally employing child labor without paying wages. With the two of them working tirelessly, the Xiao Clan's storehouses were filled to the brim—enough to supply the clan's sales for an entire year.

Through this high-intensity refining process, Xia Mo had completely stabilized his Da Dou Shi strength, while Xiao Yan had advanced to a Five-Star Dou Zhe. He had been delighted for quite some time, only for Xia Mo's casual remark—"Sister Xiao Yi Xian is already a Seven-Star Dou Master too"—to leave him utterly shocked and depressed. Before her Poison Body of Calamity erupted, Xiao Yi Xian had already been a Three-star Dou Zhe. That small eruption of the Poison Body of Calamity had raised her strength by four stars.

As the recruitment drew near, the young men and women of the Xiao Clan, who were usually nowhere to be seen when it came to diligent training, all emerged and sweated like rain in the training grounds, believing that sharpening one's spear before battle was better than nothing.

On the evening before the admissions team arrived, Xia Mo, Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Xun'er gathered for a meal in the back mountain.

Today, Xiao Lan had caught two Flame Goats and roasted them whole. Xiao Lan had one to itself, while the four of them shared the other, eating and chatting together.

"Brother Xiao Yan, you... you'll be leaving soon, won't you?" Xiao Xun'er asked sadly.

The two of them then began openly flirting. Xia Mo ignored them completely, using a small knife to slice the lamb and hand it to Xiao Yi Xian. In this world, only good food must never be let down.

"Xiao Mo, help me take care of Xun'er at the academy," Xiao Yan said.

"You should just take care of yourself. You're such a rookie—be more careful when you're out there," Xia Mo said.

"Also, this is for you. You're getting off easy. If you find any rare treasures in the future, remember to save some for me." Xia Mo took out a scroll and handed it to Xiao Yan.

"A Flying Dou Technique? What is that?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"Only after cultivation reaches the Dou Ling realm can one glide over short distances, and only a Dou Wang can condense Dou Qi wings and soar through the sky. A Flying Dou Technique allows someone to fly before then," Xiao Xun'er explained to Xiao Yan in surprise. She had not expected Xia Mo to possess something like this.

"Xiao Mo, where did you get this? It's far too precious. I can't accept it," Xiao Yan said.

"I picked it up in a cave. If you don't want it, I don't even want to give it to you. If I didn't have no use for it and wasn't afraid you'd die outside, I wouldn't give it to you at all. Do you know how much delicious food this could be exchanged for?" Xia Mo said, pretending not to care.

"Just take it. Remember, if you find any rare treasures with lots of energy in the future, save some for me," Xia Mo said. After all, Xiao Yan was now his senior brother, and their teacher was still with him.

"Brother Xiao Yan, just take it. We can give Xiao Mo things he needs later," Xiao Xun'er said.

Xia Mo had not given the Flying Dou Technique to Xiao Yi Xian because unless she reached the Dou Wang realm, he did not intend to let her leave the academy. Looking at it now, using a Flying Dou Technique that was useless to him in exchange for a promise from Xiao Xun'er seemed pretty worthwhile.

"Since Xiao Mo gave it to you, take it. Once you're out there, no one will be able to help you anymore. Be extra careful," Xiao Yi Xian said. After listening for so long, she understood that Xiao Yan would not be going to the academy and would instead be traveling outside to gain experience.

"Then I'll accept it. Thank you, Xiao Mo," Xiao Yan said as he looked at Xia Mo.

"Hmph. If you find anything tasty in the future, remember Lord Xia Mo. Sister Xiao Yi Xian and I are heading back first." Xia Mo looked at Xiao Yan with a disdainful expression.

"Xun'er, wait for me. In one year, I'll go to the academy to find you." Xiao Yan held Xiao Xun'er in his arms as he added inwardly, And you two as well, Xiao Mo and Xiao Yi Xian.

Back in the courtyard, Xia Mo softly said to Xiao Yi Xian, "Sister Xiao Yi Xian, I'll give you this Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. But you have to promise me that you'll control yourself. Before we find a solution, try not to rely on poison to cultivate. We need to leave ourselves enough time to deal with it." He planned to tell Xiao Yi Xian about the Pill of Poison Method after they reached the academy.

"I know. Now you're trying to lecture me?" Xiao Yi Xian said with a pout.

The moonlight flowed like water, quietly spilling across the earth and draping it in a silvery-gray veil. "Xiao Mo, what do you think life at the academy will be like?" Xiao Yi Xian asked softly.

"It'll be an academy as big as a city. There'll be lots and lots of students your age, teachers who teach classes, a strict dean of discipline, a kindly old principal, and you and me," Xia Mo said just as softly.

"Xiao Mo, do you think that if they learn I'm a Poison Master, they won't like me? That they'll hate me?" Xiao Yi Xian asked sadly. After all, her dream was to become an Alchemist. Even without the talent for it, she had still chosen to become a physician.

"Then I won't like them either. Whoever bullies you, I'll beat them up. But no one should dislike such a beautiful Sister Xiao Yi Xian. And even if you're a Poison Master, you're still a physician. Don't pay them any attention," Xia Mo said.

"That's right. I still have Xiao Mo and Xiao Lan, and I know Xun'er and Xiao Yan too." Xiao Yi Xian smiled softly.

The two figures stretched longer and longer beneath the moonlight...