Black Storm, I Came Prepared

The Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy entrance examination was held only once a year, selecting fifty students from among the many applicants through competition.

From Huo De, Hun Cang learned that this year's major examination had ended half a month ago.

That meant that under the normal procedure, he would have to wait until next year to take part in the examination, which did not fit Hun Cang's plans.

After some thought, Hun Cang agreed to the man's request.

Having received his answer, Huo De smiled happily. He summoned his disciple Lin Gu and told him to register Hun Cang, then invited Hun Cang to stay at his home for the next couple of days.

However, Hun Cang declined.

For one, he was not short of money, and an inn was more than enough. For another, some things were inconvenient to reveal before others, such as the Ink Jade Lotus Platform.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed. Registration for admission had ended yesterday, and today was the day of the actual examination.

Heping Town was already packed to the brim. Everywhere on the streets, people were crammed shoulder to shoulder amid a deafening clamor.

Among the crowd were many parents whose children had failed to register. Seeing their children hanging their heads dejectedly, they comforted them gently.

"Son, it's alright. Not getting registered this year is actually a good thing, you know?" Amid the crowd, Hun Cang's attention was drawn to a conversation between a father and son beside him.

The skinny youth asked in confusion, "Father, why do you say that?"

The middle-aged man said, "I asked around. This year's entrance examination is the hardest it has ever been. Fewer than one in ten will pass."

Not even one out of ten might pass? Hun Cang was slightly surprised. Others around him began discussing it as well, and they all said roughly the same thing.

What if I can't pass either?

Hun Cang was startled at first, then quickly came to his senses. He nearly wanted to slap himself. He was a Dou Huang rebuilding his cultivation—how had his mindset sunk to the level of a Dou Master?

After squeezing his way to the very front of the crowd, Hun Cang caught Huo De's eye. Huo De waved and pulled him out of the crowd.

Everyone around them saw this scene and could not help revealing curious, envious looks.

Who was this person? He was not even wearing Jia Nan Academy disciple robes, so why was that teacher treating him so warmly?

"Hun Cang..." Huo De smiled and was about to speak when, suddenly, his gaze followed everyone else's toward the sky outside Heping Town.

A mass of black mist resembling dark clouds churned there, moving rapidly in their direction.

Many people on the scene showed panic and fear, instinctively drawing their children and families close.

"Quiet! Don't panic, everyone. This is Heping Town. The Black Storm wouldn't dare come here, so don't worry," Huo De shouted reassuringly.

The Black Storm continued to approach. Just as it was about to draw near, a faint ripple came from deep within the Primeval Forest behind Heping Town.

"Heh heh..."

Faint laughter drifted out from within the Black Storm. It changed direction and departed toward the side opposite Heping Town.

Only then did the crowd gradually calm down.

Huo De returned to Hun Cang's side. Seeing how calm he was, he smiled. "What? You never encountered a Black Storm on your way here?"

Hun Cang shook his head.

Huo De froze for a moment, then praised, "Then you really are lucky."

"Why doesn't this Black Storm dare come closer?" Hun Cang asked curiously. The moment the Black Storm appeared, he had sensed something familiar about it. As it drew near and that strange laughter sounded out, he immediately determined that it was from the Soul Hall.

From the moment the Soul Hall was founded, its purpose had been to gather souls.

Others did not understand and knew nothing about it, but Hun Cang knew it was to gather enough Soul Power to help Hun Tiandi and the Nihility Devouring Flame achieve Emperor Realm souls.

And the Black Corner Region was the most chaotic place on the entire continent, where slaughter occurred most frequently. The number of souls there was easy enough to imagine.

"Those lingering ghosts used to have no regard for Jia Nan Academy either. I heard they only stopped daring to approach after the headmaster personally killed several of them in succession," Huo De answered.

Then he added to himself, "Some of the old fellows in the academy hate the aura of those things most of all."

Hun Cang's expression stiffened slightly. After my body was tempered by the Heavenly Flames, the mark left behind by the Nihility Devouring Flame should have been cleansed away. They shouldn't be able to sense it on me.

Huo De patted him on the shoulder and pointed toward a black stone stele placed in the center. "That is one of the foundation stones at the academy's core. It used to be used to test core disciples. I have no idea why they moved it outside this year."

Although he thought highly of Hun Cang, Huo De was still somewhat worried and reminded him, "Be careful. That stone stele used to stand at the center of the Qi Refining Tower, where it was scorched by the Falling Heart Flame year-round. It has become extraordinary. Even Inner Academy disciples would find it difficult to endure for half an hour."

Hun Cang nodded to show that he understood.

Afterward, all the applicants entered one after another and sat around the stone stele. Not wanting to be squeezed by the crowd, Hun Cang saw that the area closer to the stele was fairly empty and walked over to sit down.

"You're quite confident, sitting this close." A young man beside him looked over.

Hun Cang smiled faintly. "Aren't you the same?"

The young man grinned, revealing several pills in his mouth. "My father spent a fortune buying this information. I came prepared. The top spot in this year's new student entrance examination is mine."

That was possible too? Hun Cang was somewhat surprised. But at the young man's final remark, he merely smiled and said nothing more.

"Anyone who remains conscious until the sand in the hourglass runs out will pass." A stern-faced man said in a deep voice. Once he finished speaking, he struck the stone stele with his palm.

In an instant, a terrifying wave of scorching heat surged forth and crashed into Hun Cang head-on.

The young man sitting beside him suddenly changed expression. His throat bobbed as he swallowed a pill, and only then did his ugly expression ease somewhat.

He glanced at Hun Cang and found his expression unchanged. The young man studied him curiously for a few moments, then stopped paying attention and closed his eyes to guard his mind.

The Falling Heart Flame did not merely torment the body; it also had an extraordinary effect on the soul. The pills he had prepared accounted for both aspects, so passing the examination would definitely not be a problem.

The young man reassured himself, and his expression gradually calmed.

The surrounding spectators' expressions changed the moment the heat wave hit them. They hurriedly backed away several steps, only stopping when the Jia Nan Academy students each took out a Jade Slip and formed an array to block the heat wave.

For those taking the examination, time seemed to stretch out at once. Every second became agony.

After only a few minutes, some people were flushed red and drenched in sweat.

After more than ten minutes, some people's bodies swayed as though they might collapse at any moment.

As the hourglass passed its halfway point, repeated thuds sounded throughout the area as figures fell one after another. Sighs soon came from the surrounding spectators, clearly because some of those who had fallen were their children.

Before long, the hourglass neared its end.

A large part of the field had emptied out, leaving only several dozen people still persevering. Yet among most of them, many had pale faces and bulging veins at their temples as they struggled desperately to hold on.

At last, the time was up.

Seeing Hun Cang looking relaxed and at ease, Huo De let out a sigh of relief. This was secure now.