Jia Nan Academy, Here I Come!

Night fell, and Maple City was peaceful.

Ever since Xiao Ze unified Maple City, he had established a rule: any fighting on the main streets was strictly prohibited, and violators would be expelled from the city.

Consequently, in just half a month, the order within Maple City had improved by several grades.

At this moment, inside the bedchamber, Xiao Ze was enthusiastically playing cards with his three wives.

The room was filled with laughter and a harmonious atmosphere.

Yet, in the midst of this tranquility, a black shadow suddenly flashed past the window.

All four of them were startled.

To dare to trespass into Maple City in the dead of night so brazenly, the intruder likely possessed no small amount of strength.

After comforting his three wives, Xiao Ze chased after the figure.

"You come and go as you please, Your Excellency; it seems you don't hold the rules of my Maple City in very high regard." In mid-air, Xiao Ze utilized the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, catching up to the other party in mere moments.

The intruder was an old man dressed in dark robes; though his attire was not ornate, it carried an inherent pressure.

His strength as a three-star Dou Zong was quite standard.

"My apologies, I was merely passing through, it is purely a coincidence. I hope you will not take it to heart, fellow Daoist." Having been caught, the old man had no choice but to start making excuses.

"Old man, do you take me for a three-year-old child? Do you really think I would believe that?" Hearing this, Xiao Ze sneered coldly.

In the Black-Corner Region, who didn't know him? Passing through? Not even a dog would believe that.

Seeing that the other party was being difficult, the old man knew he was in the wrong. He sighed helplessly and revealed, "Do not be angry, fellow Daoist. In truth, my name is Su Qian, the Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy. I came here specifically to meet the leader of the Xiao Sect."

Su Qian? Jia Nan Academy?

Hearing this, Xiao Ze breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out they were not invaders.

He had intended to go to Jia Nan Academy to find Xun Er after unifying the Black-Corner Region, but he hadn't expected the Great Elder to come first.

"So it is the Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy. As your neighbor, we certainly do need to have a proper talk," Xiao Ze said with a faint smile.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Xiao Ze, from the Xiao Clan of Wutan City. I believe you should be familiar with it, Great Elder."

The Xiao Clan of Wutan City... Hearing this, Su Qian's gaze faltered in astonishment, but he quickly recalled the details.

Wasn't Xiao Xun Er of the Inner Academy from the Xiao Clan?

"So you are from the Xiao Clan; no wonder the name sounded somewhat familiar." Seeing this, Su Qian also felt relieved.

If it was the Xiao Clan, then things would be much easier to handle.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have risked trespassing into Maple City at night to test the waters. Just imagine: a Xiao Sect suddenly appearing at one's bedside, having nearly conquered half the Black-Corner Region—with such a force present, who could sleep soundly at night?

If they were on the same side, then there was no issue.

"Great Elder, is Xun Er doing well at the academy?" Xiao Ze asked suddenly.

"I knew you would ask that." Looking at Xiao Ze's youthful face, Su Qian smiled faintly.

He continued, "Xun Er is performing very well at the academy. In just a month, she cleared the Outer Academy and was granted an exception to enter the Inner Academy early for her studies. She has now reached the level of a three-star Dou Emperor."

Speaking of this, a hint of pride appeared in Su Qian's eyes. To advance from a Dou Practitioner to a Dou Emperor in just a few months—such terrifying speed, let alone his Jia Nan Academy, would be enough to secure a place among peers even in the vast world of the Central Plains, where geniuses were as common as clouds.

"Only a Dou Emperor?" Xiao Ze did not seem satisfied with Su Qian's praise.

This was simply because the women around him were, without exception, all Dou Emperors or even Dou Zongs.

Xun Er possessed a Divine Grade Bloodline, yet her cultivation speed was slower than theirs. It seemed that during this trip to Jia Nan Academy, he would have to take good care of Xun Er.

"What kind of expression is that?" Su Qian's old face darkened.

A dignified Dou Emperor expert—what did he mean by "only a Dou Emperor"?

Back when he was that age, he was merely a Dou Grandmaster; the distance between him and a Dou Emperor was like that between the clouds and the mud.

Xiao Ze: "..."

"Great Elder, since the misunderstanding has been cleared, I will not keep you for the night. I shall pay you a visit tomorrow."

"That will do." Hearing this, Su Qian nodded.

It was getting late, and he couldn't keep those old fellows waiting too long.

Returning to Maple City, Xiao Yi Xian and his other two wives had been waiting for a long time. If he had been even a moment later, they might have chased after him.

"How was it? Is everything alright?"

"It's fine. The visitor was the Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy. As it happens, I am going to pay a visit to the legendary Jia Nan Academy tomorrow," Xiao Ze replied.

"It's getting late; let's hurry and get some sleep."

After the minor interlude, the group resumed their card game.

The next day, in the main hall of Maple City.

"Sect Leader Xiao, following my constant efforts to persuade them to surrender, most of the factions in the Black-Corner Region have expressed their willingness to submit. However... the representatives of the established factions, led by the Black Emperor Sect and Demon Flame Valley, have turned a deaf ear to this, and have even gone so far as to kill our sect's envoys."

"They have even boasted that they will annihilate our Xiao Sect."

Yuan Yi recounted the events of the past half-month.

Overall, it was acceptable; for some minor factions, it didn't matter who they followed, but they were not particularly fond of old-school sects like the Black Emperor Sect.

Dou Zong? Do you think you are the only one who has one?

As long as you dare to come, they would not mind taking action to suppress and kill you.

"They killed my sect's envoy?" Upon hearing this, a cold glint appeared in the corners of Xiao Ze's eyes.

"This Seat hadn't gone looking for trouble with them, yet they dared to kill my envoy. It seems they are all a bunch of old immortals who have lived long enough to grow tired of their lives."

Xiao Ze had been looking for a reason to start a war, and hadn't one just arrived?

The envoy is dead; I have no interest in knowing who is right or wrong.

"Sect Leader Xiao, the Valley Master of Demon Flame Valley is a seven-star Dou Zong, and the Sect Leader of the Black Emperor Sect is also a four-star Dou Zong. If we truly go to war, I fear it will be disadvantageous for us."

Hearing Xiao Ze's intentions, Yuan Yi immediately grew anxious.

They were not like the Black Emperor Sect or Demon Flame Valley, whose leaders were both at the Dou Zong level. If one added their subordinates, they were a force not at all inferior to their own; a head-on clash would inevitably result in mutual destruction.

By then, the Xiao Sect, which had been built with such painstaking effort, would crumble without a fight.

"It is of no concern. A mere seven-star Dou Zong is not something I take to heart."

Although it was a bit troublesome, it was not impossible to fight.

Of course, now was not the time for war. He had to go to Jia Nan Academy first to collect the Fallen Heart Flame, and by then, he would surely be able to enter the Dou Zun realm.

At that time, even a hundred Dou Zongs would not be able to withstand a single blow from him.

Seeing this, Yuan Yi could not say much more. He had said everything that needed to be said; as for what to do, it was up to his Sect Leader.

Since he could easily annihilate a powerhouse like Han Feng, he also believed that the Sect Leader would not gamble with all of their lives.

After roughly arranging the subsequent affairs, Xiao Ze left Maple City and arrived at the territory where Jia Nan Academy was located.

With his three wives in Maple City, no ordinary Dou Zong could hope to overthrow the rule of the Xiao Sect, and he naturally had enough time to go and collect the Fallen Heart Flame.

The town closest to Jia Nan Academy was called Peace Town, which was the only entrance to the academy.

For ordinary people, entering the town gates required a series of inspections, but for Xiao Ze, that would be a waste of time.

He simply flew directly over from the sky; besides, he had already greeted the Great Elder last night, so he was not afraid of being intercepted.