Setting Off for the Academy

Three days later.

Xiao Yan left without saying goodbye to anyone. Xia Mo and Xiao Yi Xian had Xiao Lan remain in the Monster Mountain Range. It was too weak, and following them would only put it in danger.

Early in the morning, Xia Mo, Xiao Yi Xian, and the members of the Xiao Clan followed Instructor Ruo Lin to the admissions square.

Setting out from Wutan City, the group rode flying magical beasts. They had to switch mounts midway, and it still took them three days to reach the Imperial Capital of the Jia Ma Empire. They were to wait there for all the recruitment teams to gather before returning to Jia Nan Academy under the escort of the elders.

After waiting in the Imperial Capital for a day, all the recruitment teams assembled, and Jia Nan Academy's flying magical beasts took off once more.

The flight was dull and tedious. Cliques existed everywhere. For example, the Xiao Clan group gathered around Xiao Xun'er and Xia Mo, while those from Wutan City also stayed nearby. The situation was much the same for every other city; everyone clustered around the talented people they knew from their own city.

Instructor Ruo Lin cared greatly about the talented students she had recruited in Wutan City. Once she returned to the academy, she would surely receive quite a few rewards.

"Do any of you know how the academy is structured?" Seeing that everyone was listless, Instructor Ruo Lin spoke up.

Everyone shook their heads and looked at Instructor Ruo Lin curiously.

"Jia Nan Academy is divided into the Outer Academy and the Inner Academy. New students generally begin in the Outer Academy. After three years of study, they must take the Inner Academy examination. Only those strong enough may enter the Inner Academy. Otherwise, they will graduate and leave the academy directly, or become instructors. The Inner Academy is the true domain of the strong. An instructor like me wouldn't even rank there," Instructor Ruo Lin said regretfully.

"The Outer Academy has Yellow-tier classes, which are mainly responsible for teaching cultivation during the Dou Qi stage. I am the instructor of Yellow-tier Class Two. There are also Mystical-tier classes that teach students how to break through to become Dou Zhes. After becoming a Dou Zhe, there are the ten elemental divisions of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, ice, blood, and darkness. Each division teaches students with the corresponding attributes."

"The academy also has its own Alchemy Division. If any of you have talent as alchemists, you may join it without conflicting with your other courses. They operate independently and have their own method of advancing into the Inner Academy: becoming a Third-grade Alchemist," Instructor Ruo Lin said enviously.

Hearing Instructor Ruo Lin's words, everyone began imagining what their lives at the academy would be like.

"The academy has its own administration building, teaching buildings, dormitories, and dining halls. Beyond these basic facilities, the Outer Academy also has a library, a cultivation method pavilion, and a Dou Technique pavilion. Although most of the cultivation methods and Dou Techniques are Yellow-tier, and there are also accounts of common knowledge from across the continent, the first three floors of those three places are freely accessible. Anything involving Mystical-tier and above requires a voucher issued by an academy elder. Still, overall, they offer great benefits to most students."

"Wow, we can even obtain Mystical-tier cultivation methods and Dou Techniques?" a commoner student said in astonishment.

"Yes, but those require you to contribute to the academy. For example, searching for certain medicinal herbs, Monster Cores, or joining the academy's Enforcement Team," Ruo Lin said.

"Understood. Thank you, Instructor," all the students thanked Instructor Ruo Lin.

"No need to thank me. You'll learn all this once you arrive at the academy. No matter where you are, strength is the most important thing. So your most urgent task is to cultivate diligently," Instructor Ruo Lin said softly.

"Instructor Ruo Lin, what kind of preferential treatment does the academy give to S-rank students?" Xia Mo asked. He was only interested in the benefits.

"You little rascal. You haven't even arrived at the academy yet, and you're already thinking about benefits. But I don't know about that either. We'll only find out after the academy reports it," Instructor Ruo Lin said as she looked at Xia Mo.

"Alright..."

After ten days of dull, tedious flight, Jia Nan Academy's recruitment teams finally joined up with the guard unit waiting on the Black Domain Great Plains. Otherwise, who knew how many students would be lost here each year before even reaching the academy?

Above the skies of the Black Corner Region, a formation of enormous flying magical beasts slowly passed through the air.

The people of the Black Corner Region were used to the sight. Every year around this time, such a convoy would pass through. It was Jia Nan Academy's recruitment teams escorting students back to the academy, and they could not afford to provoke them.

Standing atop a flying magical beast, Xia Mo looked out over the boundless plains. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but monotonous black, set against the slightly dim sky. A stifling, irritable atmosphere hung over the plains. In such a strange place, it was no wonder that those chaotic rules had taken root.

Looking down upon this land of chaos from high in the sky gave Xia Mo a different kind of feeling. In nearly every place below where people gathered in the Black Corner Region, cruel and disorderly acts were taking place. The students seeing it for the first time came to understand the dangers of the world...

"In this Black Corner Region, do not show too much compassion. The moment you show weakness, they'll swarm you like wolves and take a bite out of you. They won't care whether you are students of Jia Nan Academy," Instructor Ruo Lin tirelessly instructed the new students whenever she saw such bloody scenes.

Xia Mo watched all this with indifferent eyes. He was not some indiscriminately kind person, nor was he a saint guided by mercy. Great deeds like saving all the suffering people in the world were not his to undertake.

He only wanted to make himself stronger, then protect those who deserved his protection. As for everything else, he had neither the inclination nor the right to interfere.

After three days of nonstop flight, the many flying magical beasts gradually reached a small town. As they approached it, they slowed down and descended.

Forcibly flying through the area within a hundred li of Jia Nan Academy was forbidden, except for the academy's own flying magical beasts.

After dismounting from the flying magical beasts, everyone followed the instructors onto the yellow dirt road leading straight to the town. There were quite a few pedestrians on the road, and some were clearly from the Black Corner Region, faintly radiating vicious auras. Yet every one of them was extremely cautious, not daring to reveal even the slightest hint of killing intent.

It seemed that Jia Nan Academy had thoroughly cowed these desperadoes in Peace Town.

The new students followed the instructors into Peace Town. There were many pedestrians on the streets, and all kinds of stalls lined both sides. Children ran through the streets, playing, laughing, and fighting. This peaceful, harmonious scene was utterly different from the chaos of the Black Corner Region.

Peace Town lay between two great mountains and served as Jia Nan Academy's bridgehead. Not far to the left of its entrance stood a landmark known as the Death Spirit Tree.

The massive tree was pitch-black, its canopy spreading in every direction and exuding a faint chill. Corpses were threaded among its clawing branches. Whenever the breeze blew, they swayed back and forth, producing creaking sounds that made one's scalp tingle.

"There's the corpse of one Dou Emperor and two Dou Wangs hanging up there," Instructor Ruo Lin told the new students.

"No wonder those people become so 'peaceful' when they enter Peace Town. They're scared stiff," one new student said.

The new students followed the instructors into Peace Town. There were many pedestrians on the streets, and all kinds of stalls lined both sides. Children ran through the streets, playing, laughing, and fighting. This peaceful, harmonious scene was utterly different from the chaos of the Black Corner Region.

"Rest up today. Another trial awaits you tomorrow. Get to bed early and recover your energy so you can face it tomorrow," Instructor Ruo Lin said.

"Yes..."