Journey to Jia Nan Academy

"Little Yanzi is gone."

Yun Zimo held the letter in his hand and sighed softly. A trace of guilt stirred in his heart. He had deliberately triggered the Woe Poison Body the night before, drawing Yao Lao into action.

The Blood Lotus Essence set, the Flying Dou Technique, and the Storage Ring had all been deliberate on his part. He had only wanted to trade them for a chance to get Yao Lao to act!

Yao Chen, Yao Chen, may dust gather upon every shelf of medicine...

That was what he was betting on: he was wagering some resources he couldn't use on whether Yao Lao was truly the Grandmaster who wished only for dust to gather on the medicine shelves!

To put it bluntly, he was manipulating Yao Lao. But he would also offer his utmost sincerity in return, after all, everything was for Xiao Yi Xian!

"The Woeful Poison Scripture..."

Yun Zimo looked at the Woeful Poison Scripture and sighed.

I'll ask Little Yanzi to help again another day...

"Take care of Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion's affairs."

After giving the disciples a few instructions, Yun Zimo and Xiao Yi Xian rode Blue Eagle straight for Misty Cloud Mountain.

"Senior Brother Yun Yun went down the mountain to gather herbs in the Magical Beast Mountain Range?"

Yun Zimo took the roster from the elder. Hearing the report that Yun Yun had gone to the Magical Beast Mountain Range to gather herbs, he was struck by a thought.

"Although he's only at Peak Dou Wang, Senior Brother Yun Yun should be fine, given his abilities, right?"

Yun Zimo shook his head and set the matter aside. Yun Yun never did anything he wasn't sure of. Since he had already gone down the mountain, he must have prepared thoroughly.

"These are the exchange student lists?"

Yun Zimo looked over the ten lists in his hands. As expected, there were more clan disciples than anyone else; only three came from ordinary backgrounds...

It couldn't be helped. The right to education was largely in the hands of the nobility. Having three common-born disciples was already no small achievement.

"Never mind. Arrange for them to choose weapons from the storehouse. We leave in three days."

For three days, the ten disciples who considered themselves lucky were put through a gauntlet of instruction by the elders and hall masters. They drilled them in every kind of etiquette and social graces, turning them into several shining "faces" of the Misty Cloud Sect!

Looks like I'll have to add a class on virtue from now on. Yun Zimo saw the impatience on the disciples' faces and thought to himself. He had already decided to include the Five Virtues and Six Arts in their curriculum. Focusing only on cultivation really did create serious problems.

"Creee!"

The Misty Cloud Law Enforcement Team wore soft armor and rode third-tier Gale Griffins, escorting the enormous flying beast carrying the disciples at the center of their formation.

"With your health like that, why didn't you stay in the sect? What are you doing coming along?"

Standing atop a second-tier Blue Eagle, Yun Zimo raised a soul shield to ward off the howling winds high above, but he still spoke gruffly to Xiao Yi Xian in his arms.

Xiao Yi Xian said nothing, only pressing herself close to Yun Zimo. This was her first time at the Misty Cloud Sect, and she didn't know her way around. Compared to those elders with their strange expressions, she would rather stay with Yun Zimo.

"You can cultivate that Woeful Poison Scripture without worry," Yun Zimo said softly. He still trusted Yao Lao's judgment.

"Once I find that old poison doctor, you'll have a chance to reach Dou Zong."

A year ago, Yun Zimo had begun arranging searches for the old poison doctor who had studied the Woe Poison Body near the border between the Jia Ma Empire and Chu Yun Empire. With the mercenary groups and people from the Black-Corner Region helping too, he believed they would find him before long.

"Dou Zong..."

Xiao Yi Xian smiled bitterly. According to the Woeful Poison Scripture, if she couldn't solve the problem of the Woe Poison Body before reaching Dou Zun, then every star she advanced as a Dou Zong would bring her one step closer to death.

Yun Zimo felt Xiao Yi Xian's arms tighten around him. He held her arm more firmly too. Dou Zong... Breaking through to Dou Zong within half a year was something only Xiao Yi Xian could manage...

"Hall Master Yun, it's been a long time. Your strength has improved quite a bit."

Elder Lin, who had received advance notice, greeted the Misty Cloud Law Enforcement Team with great courtesy. Although most of them were only Da Dou Shi, he still cupped his hands politely.

"Which academy are they from? Even their escorts are only Da Dou Shi!"

The many students of Jia Nan Academy whispered among themselves. They assumed that some academy had sent its disciples over for an exchange, never realizing that this was already the Misty Cloud Sect's most impressive lineup.

Of course, that was mainly because the elders were willing to swallow their pride. They could still put on a decent show...

"People from the Jia Ma Empire have come to enroll?"

The students from the Jia Ma Empire stared in astonishment at the cloud-and-silver-sword insignia engraved on the Law Enforcement Team's soft armor. They couldn't understand why people from the Misty Cloud Sect had come to Jia Nan Academy.

"You'll be staying here for a year. During the holidays, you can return to the sect or go back to your families. In a year's time, I hope you'll all have become Da Dou Shi."

Yun Zimo spoke to the six Misty Cloud Sect disciples who were only at the Dou Shi level. Then he and Xiao Yi Xian led the remaining four Da Dou Shi disciples toward the Jia Nan Inner Academy.

"Jia Nan Academy really is full of talented people."

As they made their way along, Xiao Yi Xian saw that nearly all the instructors were Da Dou Shi. There were even Dou Ling and Dou Wang experts around.

"The Inner Academy is where the real powerhouses gather. Its students are basically all Da Dou Shi or above. The outstanding ones are at Peak Dou Ling or even Dou Wang. After graduation, they can roam the Northwest Continent with impunity."

Yun Zimo sighed softly too. Thinking of how the Misty Cloud Sect relied on a few Dou Wang and two Dou Emperor experts to barely keep up appearances, he couldn't help marveling once again at Jia Nan Academy's strength.

Beyond the towering, overlapping peaks of the Endless Mountains, deep in the lush, verdant forest, a rift valley suddenly appeared, stretching across the land.

After killing off the magical beasts pursuing them, Elder Lin's hands formed a seal. A beam of energy shot into the strange space above the ravine. Waves of peculiar energy rippled out. Silver sparks appeared in the empty air, spreading into ripples like those on the surface of water.

"Jia Nan Academy really is impressive. The Inner Academy is hidden in such a magical place."

Xiao Yi Xian gazed at the slowly opening silver gate and marveled.

Elder Lin gave a slight wave of his hand and entered the silver portal first. In a brief daze, the others found themselves in another forest.

"To the north—what a powerful wave of Dou Qi!"

The moment they entered, Yun Zimo looked toward the far north. A tremendous surge of Dou Qi came from that direction!

The group flew over the boundless forest. A moment later, they saw a huge basin, its interior packed with buildings and bustling with people. Yun Zimo's sharp eyes also caught sight of a massive black tower crouched on the ground to the basin's north.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Jia Nan Inner Academy!"

An old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a black robe, stood at the head of the group, smiling warmly as he hovered in midair.

"Great Elder!"

Elder Lin gave a slight bow, then introduced the black-robed old man before them.

"Great Elder of the Inner Academy, Su Qian!"

"Take them to their lodgings. I'll have a good chat with Little Brother Yun."

Great Elder Su Qian gave the order, then personally led Yun Zimo and Xiao Yi Xian away.

"Little Brother Yun, you're quite remarkable. A few years ago, the one who killed Blood Butcher and stirred up the Black-Corner Region was you, wasn't it?"

Su Qian chuckled softly.

"In the Black-Corner Region, nothing can escape Jia Nan Academy's notice."

Yun Zimo didn't bother wondering whether Su Qian's words carried a hidden barb. He simply spoke his mind. Hearing this, Su Qian burst into laughter.

"As long as you don't stir up a large-scale riot in the Black-Corner Region, Jia Nan Academy won't interfere. Besides, you killed that lunatic Blood Butcher, so you did us a small favor."

Behind Su Qian, another elder chuckled.

Yun Zimo smiled knowingly. He understood the rules of the Black-Corner Region, so whenever he caused trouble, he made sure to keep it within bounds.

"Who are they? Why would the Great Elder personally go to receive them?"

The students near the top of the Strong Ranking stared at Great Elder Su Qian and the others behind him, stunned.

"Old Man Su has guests?"

A little girl with white clothes and purple hair spotted Su Qian bringing a group of people over from afar. She took a bite of the fruit in her hand, frowned as she swallowed, then skipped off toward the dean's office.

"Hey, where's my Roland Fruit?!"

In the alchemy department's medicinal herb storeroom, an elder stared at the empty jade plate in a daze. Then he let out a furious roar.

"Zi Yan! You stole my medicinal herbs again!"