Ever since he had fought his way out of Moon-Gazing Pavilion covered in blood, Jiang Wang hadn't slept properly once. That was why he slept so long this time.
He dreamed of many things. He dreamed he was slaughtering his way across the Sword Discussion Platform, dreamed his cultivation was advancing by leaps and bounds, carrying him through the wind and clouds. He dreamed of an endless sky, with five streaks of light flying at incredible speed, five...
He woke up.
He sat up in silence and leaned against the headboard, unable to tell whether the sudden feeling was a pounding heart or sorrow.
He shook his head and gathered his thoughts.
By then, night had fallen outside the window, but he was still alone in the dormitory.
Jiang Wang frowned.
It was perfectly normal for Du Yehu to drink for several days and nights, but Ling He always followed the rules. He would never stay out all night.
The Maple Forest Dao Academy's Outer Academy dormitories consisted of several rows of connected, single-story buildings. Jiang Wang threw on his clothes and stepped outside. The dorm room opposite was shut tight, and the rooms on either side were quiet. The corridor felt strangely cold.
Jiang Wang stopped a passing figure at random. "Junior Brother, have you seen Senior Brother Ling He?"
"Ling He? Haven't seen him." The man answered in a stiff, wooden voice.
As he spoke, he shook his head.
Thud!
His head snapped clean off and fell to the ground, rolling several times.
He had shaken his head right off!
Looking at the headless body that had been speaking moments ago, Jiang Wang felt a chill rise from his tailbone and shoot straight to the crown of his head.
But he had seen his share of battles. He instinctively backed away, preparing to retreat to his dorm room and at least retrieve his weapon.
But the dormitory door suddenly slammed shut. He couldn't push it open! It was as if someone inside was bracing against the door, keeping him out.
At that moment, the headless body turned around, spread its arms, and charged toward him with long strides! The head lying on the ground rolled a few times, then suddenly sprang into the air and shot toward Jiang Wang ahead of the body! Its hair hung loose, its face twisted into a hideous grimace, its nose sunken and its eyes bulging.
A midnight demon, a soul-stealing fiend.
"Quit your cheap tricks!" Jiang Wang bellowed, hoping to alert the Outer Academy disciples in the other dormitories, as he leaped backward.
This was the Maple Forest Dao Academy, with Dong A, a fifth-rank cultivator, stationed here. He would surely crush anything strange the moment he noticed it! No matter what bizarre evil thing this was, it wouldn't dare make too much of a commotion. If Jiang Wang could escape directly, that was obviously the best option.
But the head shot toward him too quickly. Jiang Wang had no time to get away.
So he retreated a few steps, then suddenly vaulted into the air. He poured one of the only two Dao Essences in his Dao Vein into his right leg, twisted his body, and whipped out a kick in midair!
With his Dao Essence driving the strike, his leg unleashed far more force than ever before.
Ghosts, demons, and monsters had never been mere legends. Jiang Wang had yet to fully transcend the mortal realm, but he had already glimpsed the extraordinary world. He had killed people and seen blood; his courage had long been tempered.
He told himself, It's a ball. That isn't a head. It's just a ball!
Thud!
His boot met the head squarely. It shot back even faster than before and slammed into the charging headless body, making it stumble.
A punt into the goal!
At the same time, Jiang Wang felt a sharp pain across the top of his foot. As he kicked, the head had opened its bloody mouth and bitten straight through his shoe, tearing away a strip of flesh!
The wound had taken on a faint blue-green tint.
Jiang Wang knew that was bad. It was probably the effect of corpse poison or something similar.
But he had succeeded in stopping the enemy with his attack. Without another moment's hesitation, he turned and ran.
He sprinted to the end of the corridor, only to find his path blocked by a transparent barrier of vital energy.
The force wasn't strong, but it was incredibly tough, firmly blocking his way. This was an ambush!
Jiang Wang's thoughts raced. He resolutely detonated the last Dao Essence in his Dao Vein, concentrating it in his right shoulder.
He gathered all his strength and slammed his shoulder into the barrier!
"Open up!!!"
Jiang Wang felt his body grow light. He had already broken out of the corridor between the two rows of dormitories.
Then he heard the wind, the chirping of insects, and the voices of Outer Academy disciples returning for the night... the sounds of nighttime.
The silence had been broken.
"Senior Brother Jiang Wang, what are you doing?"
"Senior Brother, how did you get hurt?"
Some Outer Academy disciples who spotted Jiang Wang came over to greet him.
Hearing his fellow disciples' familiar greetings, Jiang Wang knew he was safe. He rushed back into the corridor, but sure enough, it was completely empty.
The headless body and its head had vanished too.
People opened doors on either side of the corridor, baffled. "What happened? Why couldn't we open the door just now?"
Then a terrified voice cried out, "A... a dead man!"
Jiang Wang immediately rushed into the dormitory where the cry had come from. There he found the missing beheaded corpse. Its body and head lay quietly on the floor, its face still twisted into a hideous grimace.
The one trembling in the corner must have been his panicked roommate.
His opponent had displayed at least two methods: corpse manipulation, which leaned toward the Heterodox Path, and the orthodox Water Element Dao Art. Or perhaps there was more than one opponent.
Jiang Wang's thoughts raced, and he spoke decisively. "Heterodox practitioners broke into the Outer Academy and attacked someone. They know Daoist Arts and have already transcended the mortal realm! Their strength should be around the ninth rank. Junior Brothers, watch yourselves carefully. Move in groups of five and keep in contact with one another! Starting now, seal off the dormitory area. No one is allowed in or out. I'll go report this to the Inner Academy immediately!"
The anxious Outer Academy disciples now had someone to take charge. They followed his instructions.
Jiang Wang turned at once and ran toward the Inner Academy.
The entire eastern part of the city belonged to the Maple Forest Dao Academy and its affiliated properties. Strictly speaking, however, only the ring of buildings in the center of the eastern district, enclosed by high walls, counted as the true Maple Forest Dao Academy. Outer Academy disciples like Jiang Wang lived scattered around the academy.
Compared to the tall archway and magnificent jade lions in front of the Outer Academy, the Inner Academy's gate was much smaller, just wide enough for four people to pass abreast. Even so, the plaque above it, carved with dragons and phoenixes and glowing faintly in the night, revealed the care put into its design.
A small pavilion stood in front of the Inner Academy's gate. Two flowing-cloud lanterns hung in front of it, and inside lay a single ice-grass meditation mat. A handsome Hemp-Robed Daoist sat cross-legged on the mat, his eyes closed as he cultivated. He was Li Jianqiu, the Inner Academy disciple on duty that night.
Jiang Wang ran up and hurriedly bowed. "Senior Brother Li, a Heterodox Path fiend has attacked the Outer Academy. One of our junior brothers has already been killed! Please go take charge!"
To the Outer Academy disciples, every Inner Academy disciple who had embarked on the path of cultivation was a star. Jiang Wang had been at the academy long enough to know them all. And to Li Jianqiu, Jiang Wang was no ordinary person either. He had boldly initiated a Dao Verification Duel, prompting the academy head to personally serve as witness. Besides, as the one on duty, Li Jianqiu was responsible for the matter.
He only needed to hear those words before rising with a hand on his sword.
"No need." A dignified voice rang out, and Li Jianqiu immediately sheathed his sword and bowed.
Academy Head Dong A appeared at the Inner Academy's gate, his expression stern—grim, even. "I'll handle this myself."
"Corpse aura." He looked at the bite wound on Jiang Wang's instep and extended his index finger. Without any other movement, a jade-green thorn formed.
Only then did Jiang Wang notice that the wound on his foot had festered and begun to ooze black blood. A chill of fear gripped his heart.
"A grade-three, middle-tier Daoist Art: Poison-Swallowing Thorn. It's very practical and remains useful through the middle stages."
Dong A casually explained as he lightly tapped with his index finger.
Aside from transcendent-tier Daoist Arts, ordinary arts were divided into four grades and twelve ranks. The boundless sea of Daoist Arts could not be explored completely in a lifetime. Every Daoist cultivator who embarked on the path of transcendence had to know what kind of arts suited them best and, through constant experimentation in battle, develop their own combat style.
The thorn entered the wound on Jiang Wang's foot. It turned black at a visible pace; within a few breaths, the entire thorn had turned pitch-black. The wound no longer showed any blue-black discoloration, and fresh red blood flowed from it instead.
Jiang Wang quickly tore off a strip of his clothes and bandaged the wound.
Li Jianqiu watched in silence, deep in thought.
Only then did Dong A ask, "What happened?"
Jiang Wang recounted what had happened in the fewest words possible, then offered no further opinion. He believed—or could only believe—that the head of the Maple Forest City Daoist Academy would see justice done for the attack on him within the academy.
The corners of Dong A's mouth lifted slightly. Against his stern expression, the smile looked especially chilling.
"Some heretical rabble dare come to the Maple Forest City Daoist Academy and stir up trouble? They don't take the academy seriously, and they don't take me, Dong A, seriously either!"
His Daoist robe flared. He spread all five fingers and pressed his palm toward the ground!
"Jade Cage!"
Centered on his five fingers, the invisible power of the Wood Dao spread in every direction.
Every gate in the academy slammed shut! Branches burst out from them and grew wildly.
The ivy on the walls sprang up like long snakes, intertwining in midair.
Every wooden object in the academy changed.
Branches sprouted from wooden chairs, claws emerged from wooden windows, enormous trees burst from the earth, and thorns lashed about!
In an instant, the entire Maple Forest Dao Academy had become a jade-green cage beneath the night sky.
Before you continue