Inside a room aboard the ship, warmth filled the air, keeping out the cold wind and clamor outside.
On a small table, steam billowed from a teapot, carrying the delicate fragrance of tea.
Jiang Ping and Chen Qingyan sat facing Juren Chen and Meng Yun.
"The Black River Martial Academy isn't inside the Provincial City. It's beside it, forming a small city of its own. In other words, the Martial Academy is actually a city, and it has many mountain peaks as well."
Meng Yun had meant to tell Jiang Ping about the Martial Academy, but it was the Juren beside him who ended up talking nonstop.
Of course, Juren Chen had cultivated at the Martial Academy for many years and knew no less about it than Meng Yun did.
"Although you have exceptionally high aptitude, you should still be careful over there. Most of the Martial Academy's students are locals from the Provincial City, and those fellows are petty. If they can't win a dispute, they're quick to call in their elders."
"Surely you can't put it that way."
Meng Yun couldn't help speaking up.
He was a local of the Provincial City himself and considered its young people quite friendly.
"Where's the friendliness in that?" Juren Chen retorted, growing somewhat agitated, a note of resentment creeping into his voice.
Jiang Ping said nothing. It seemed the Juren hadn't had a particularly good time at the Martial Academy back then and had likely been left with some dark history.
Then Juren Chen's expression turned grave as he brought up the major aristocratic families in the Provincial City that deserved the most caution.
"The Cui, Li, and Wang families."
"Those families really do stand above the rest. Their strength is overwhelming, and one of them even had a Martial Saint