The Black-Corner Region's Power Structure

"Qing Lin left too..."

Zi Yan pouted, slumping over the Beast Taming Hall's desk with a dejected look. The pills she usually found so sweet and delicious tasted bland now.

"Hall Master, why don't we go down the mountain and have some fun with you?"

Yuan Xue, who had advanced to become a sixth-tier magical beast, sat atop Big Cat's head with the Purple Nether Flame Sparrow in tow. She came over to Zi Yan and asked softly.

"Ah... never mind. If Zi Mo finds out, you'll get punished again."

Zi Yan sighed and chewed her pill listlessly.

Her senior sisters were busy traveling down the mountain to gain experience. The little disciples in her Beast Taming Hall were either studying the classics or practicing Dou Techniques. Senior Sister Nalan was still in seclusion, and Uncle Yun Yun, who used to take her out to play, had recently gone to the Black-Corner Region...

"Huh? Right—the Black-Corner Region!"

At the thought of the Black-Corner Region, Zi Yan's eyes lit up. She'd graduated ages ago and still hadn't gone back to visit the academy. She wondered if those old men missed her!

Once she'd made up her mind, Zi Yan got up and jogged to Yun Zimo's office.

"You want to go back and visit the academy?"

Yun Zimo returned the book in his hand to the shelf, then turned to look at the younger sister who now stood as tall as his chest.

"Mm-hmm! Brother, there's nothing much going on in the Alliance for now, and the other halls are keeping an eye on things. Let's go back and visit the academy..."

Zi Yan stepped forward and took Yun Zimo's hand.

"Can we, brother?"

Zi Yan's coaxing made Yun Zimo's scalp tingle. He hurriedly nodded. This little witch was unbearable when she put on an act of being cute!

"I'll make the arrangements and let the sect master know. Once I get back, we'll set off!"

Yun Zimo told Zi Yan to stay in his office and not wander off, then went to ask Yun Yun for leave.

"You really are a hands-off leader."

Dressed in close-fitting blue armor beneath a silver-white robe embroidered with a blue whale at the cuffs, Yun Yun rubbed her forehead helplessly.

Ever since Yun Zimo took charge of the law enforcement and swiftly purged the Alliance, no one had dared to openly cross him. As a result, he'd had plenty of time on his hands.

He spent his days doing nothing, who knew where, leaving minor matters to the elders while wandering around everywhere himself—all under the grand excuse that he was "learning about the people's lives"!

"My younger brother sent word that things have been unsettled in the Black-Corner Region lately. Be careful, and don't let Zi Yan hurt anyone on a whim. She's still young!"

Yun Yun reminded him softly. Zi Yan wasn't mature enough to control herself, and Yun Yun worried that if someone provoked her, she'd lose her temper and cause trouble.

"There's no need to worry about the Alliance. We're here, so nothing will happen. Besides, with Teacher and Queen Medusa around, and Xiao Yi Xian and the others in the Chu Yun Empire, they're safe for now."

Just as Yun Zimo was about to leave, Yun Yun suddenly called out to him. She formed a hand seal, leaving a ring of green light around his wrist, its surface entwined with intricate, mysterious patterns.

"The Unity Knot?"

Yun Zimo blinked. Sister, what is this...?

"You're not allowed to fool around with other women!"

Yun Yun leaned closer and whispered, having just been speaking in a serious tone.

"This Unity Knot will let you contact me anytime something happens, so I can get to you in time if you're in danger."

Yun Yun's lovely face was right before him. Yun Zimo couldn't help lightly tapping it with his lips, then lowered his head again under Yun Yun's astonished gaze.

"You... honestly!"

A long while later, Yun Yun's face flushed scarlet as she lightly pounded Yun Zimo. In broad daylight, that brat had actually... actually...

"Sis, I'm off, then."

Yun Zimo scratched his head and chuckled. The way he smacked his lips made Yun Yun's face flush even redder.

"Come back soon!"

Yun Yun stood atop the mountain peak, watching the two figures, one large and one small, fly away from Misty Cloud Mountain on the Purple Nether Flame Sparrow. She murmured softly to herself.

"The Black Alliance!"

As Yun Zimo and Zi Yan traveled from the Black Domain Great Plains, the thing they heard people talk about most was the Black Alliance. They'd heard that Medicine Emperor Han Feng of Feng City had spearheaded its formation, claiming that its members stood together as one and that each faction would discuss major matters collectively.

"Things are getting more chaotic by the day."

Yun Zimo quietly pieced together all the information. The Black-Corner Region used to be chaotic simply because people fought one another. Now, however, the factions were fighting over territory and expanding their domains. The Black Alliance was particularly aggressive: anyone who didn't join them would be suppressed or wiped out.

"Let's go see the Xia Lan Order first!"

Clad in black robes, the two of them and their three pets slowly crossed the chaotic Black-Corner Region. After killing a few fools who'd picked a fight with them along the way, they arrived at a city.

A blue-and-white seal, shaped like the character for "Xia" woven from mountain mist, appeared in Yun Zimo's palm. He stepped into the city amid the astonished, fearful, and envious gazes of the Black-Corner Region's residents.

"They're from Jiuling City!"

"Alas, Peace Town and Jiuling City are the only places in the Black-Corner Region untouched by the war. I wish I could get the right to live there!"

"Give it up. You should be thinking about how to stay alive!"

The residents of the Black-Corner Region looked at Jiuling City's tightly guarded walls and sighed, before stepping back into the chaos behind them...

"Great Commander!"

Inside Jiuling Palace, Ren Xia, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes. He clenched his hand, and a Xia Lan sword appeared in his grip. The blue-and-white Xia Lan Seal on it was now glowing faintly!

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The Jiuling Bell rang out through the palace. Eight figures, each with a different aura, flew over one after another. The passing members of the Xia Lan Order looked puzzled. The Jiuling Bell hadn't rung in ages, and this was the first time all Eight Great Commanders had assembled!

"Jiuling Palace has opened? All nine commanders have gathered!"

"Are they going to war?!"

The residents of Jiuling City were startled by Ren Xia and the others' grand display. The Jia Nan Academy students interning there after graduation, the Jia Nan elders stationed in Jiuling City, and spies from other factions all thought something had happened.

Ren Xia, now a Seven-Star Dou Wang, beamed as he jogged toward Yun Zimo and the others in the city. Behind him, the Eight Great Commanders of the Xia Lan Order exchanged glances. In the past two years, this was the first time they'd seen their Great Commander so happy!

Meanwhile, Yun Zimo and his companions, wandering around the city, had run into a minor problem.

"Sorry, but without a residence permit issued by Jiuling Palace, you can't enter the city."

The members of the Xia Lan Order patrolling the city spoke softly. These two were clad in black robes and looked suspicious. They also lacked residence permits. Although they bore Xia Lan Seals, the guards had never seen them before!

Yun Zimo couldn't help laughing wryly. He and Ren Xia had agreed on this city ordinance, and now it had tripped him up!

"Roar!"

The pet beside Zi Yan, which looked like a house cat, let out a roar. The phantom of an Earth-Splitting Python Demon Tiger appeared behind it, and the aura of a sixth-tier magical beast spread in an instant.

"Be quiet!"

Zi Yan lightly patted the cat's head. The kitten meowed in protest, rubbed against her, then settled down.

"A Dou Emperor!"

The residents of Jiuling City were startled. They circulated their Dou Qi and fixed their gazes on the two people and three beasts!

"Don't attack!"

"Great Commander!"

Just as Yun Zimo was debating whether to contact Ren Xia, Ren Xia's voice rang out. Seeing Yun Zimo and Zi Yan in black robes, with a squad of Xia Lan guards blocking their way, he immediately understood what had happened.

"Great Commander! This was my oversight. I forgot that you still don't have a residence permit."

Ren Xia jogged over with an apologetic look. He paid no heed to the stunned squad and bowed respectfully.

"Your Xia Lan Seal hasn't been registered either, so these newly inducted members of the Xia Lan Order didn't recognize you. Please don't blame them, Great Commander!"

"Those who don't know are not guilty. I'm glad to see them enforcing the city ordinances so strictly."

Yun Zimo was delighted to see Jiuling City had finally begun to feel like a major power. It was the same joy one felt watching one's child finally stand on their own.

"You've done well."

Yun Zimo was about to leave with Zi Yan when he suddenly turned to the squad leader and nodded in approval.

"You're the captain of the Seventh Squad?"

Mo Shou, the Fourth Commander in charge of Jiuling City's laws and punishments, asked coldly.

"This member of the Xia Lan Order, Chen Gui, pays his respects to the Fourth Commander!"

Chen Gui answered loudly, though he trembled with fear.

"Report to the Third Hall tomorrow. Don't be late!"

Mo Shou said coldly, then turned and left, leaving Chen Gui rooted to the spot in disbelief...

"Great Commander, look. We rebuilt Jiuling Palace in the city and divided it into nine halls. Each of the Eight Great Commanders oversees one hall, and the eight halls each handle their own affairs in Jiuling City."

Ren Xia introduced Jiuling City's current layout to Yun Zimo.

"Wasn't it nine halls?"

Zi Yan blinked in confusion beside Yun Zimo. There were nine great halls, so why were there only eight commanders?

"As for the Ninth Hall..."

Ren Xia clapped his hands lightly. Ghostly figures flickered into view before them.

"Zero!"

Dressed in black and radiating a chilling aura, Black Robe knelt before Yun Zimo.

"Welcome, Great Commander!"

Black Robe, who had advanced to Dou Wang, dispelled the dark-attribute Dou Qi swirling around him, revealing a face concealed by a grinning mask.

The Ninth Hall's master, Zero, was in charge of espionage and assassinations.

"Huh? There's another Dou Wang?"

Yun Zimo helped Zero to his feet, then glanced around and discovered that Zero had another Dou Wang under his command!

"Xiao Li!"

That Dou Wang was none other than Xiao Yan's second older brother, Xiao Li, whom Yun Zimo had met once in the Tagor Desert!

"Xiao Li of the Ninth Hall pays his respects to the Great Commander!"

Xiao Li's voice seemed devoid of warmth. He was like a different person from the proud young man Yun Zimo had met in the desert.

"Ever since his younger brother died at Han Feng's hands, he's been like this..."

A year ago, Black Alliance leader Han Feng had launched a surprise attack on Jia Nan Academy. Xiao Li's younger brother, Xiao Yan, had unfortunately died in the battle. Afterward, Xiao Li had come to Jiuling City, joined the Ninth Hall, and become one of Zero's assassins.

"Ever since joining the Ninth Hall, Xiao Li has been taking assassination missions against members of the Black Alliance. Half a year ago, he broke through to Dou Wang by sheer chance, and after that, he killed so many people who'd joined the Black Alliance that they didn't dare show their faces."

Zero sighed as he looked at the cold, expressionless Xiao Li. As the Ninth Hall's only lightning-attribute assassin, Zero had never thought much of him. Yet Xiao Li had become the hall's top assassin, earning the title Ghost Li King throughout the Black-Corner Region through sheer force.

"Xiao Li became a Dou Wang in half a year?"

Yun Zimo's gaze sharpened. Xiao Li was shrouded in the aura of death, and a strange mark appeared and disappeared between his brows. As expected, it was the Life-Devouring Pill!

"Xiao Yan isn't dead."

Yun Zimo spoke softly. A glimmer flashed in Xiao Li's dull, lifeless eyes, then vanished at once.

"On the honor of the Xia Lan Order, Xiao Yan isn't dead!"

Swearing on the Xia Lan Order was the most sacred form of faith among its members. After more than two years of "spreading the faith," no one in Jiuling Palace dared make a joke of it.

"Great Commander, you... you're telling the truth?"

No one who joined the Xia Lan Order would question an oath sworn in its name. Xiao Li was no exception, though he found it hard to believe. After all, Jia Nan Academy had declared with certainty that Xiao Yan had died after being consumed by a Heavenly Flame.

"You cultivate lightning. Does that mean you'd easily be struck dead by lightning?"

Yun Zimo asked in return.

"..."

Xiao Li understood what Yun Zimo meant. Xiao Yan had made a name for himself through fire and was a high-tier alchemist. It was true that he'd been swallowed by a Heavenly Flame, but whether he'd died was still uncertain.

"Hunter and prey—their roles have never been fixed."

Yun Zimo patted Xiao Li, though he didn't understand why.

"Don't let Little Yanzi come back and find his big brother almost ruined!"

At last, a fire lit in Xiao Li's eyes. For Little Yanzi, for the Xiao Clan, he had to pull himself together!

If you don't pull yourself together, how are you going to help me with my plans...

Yun Zimo smiled and murmured to himself. A lightning-attribute Dou Wang—that was just the sort of promising talent who'd charge into the thick of things!

"We'll leave the Life-Devouring Pill to Little Yanzi to deal with. I'll prepare a grand gift for Elder Yao."

For his first meeting with Elder Yao, he needed to prepare a gift. Medicine Emperor Han Feng seemed like just the thing...