Entering Bedrock Institute

"Please, Chief Zhang, take us in! We are willing to become the Black Tiger Gang's medicine slaves!"

"Please, merciful and compassionate Chief Zhang, take us in! We are willing to serve the Black Tiger Gang!"

Zhang Yu was eating with his disciples when a commotion rose outside.

"What's going on?" Zhang Yu froze.

"Master, I'll go take a look." Wen Hua rose to his feet, but before he could leave, Yan Dao hurried in.

"Yan Dao, what's happening outside?"

"Reporting to Chief Zhang, the Ghost Alliance discovered medicine slaves in the valley secretly selling the herbs they gathered to herb pickers on our side. In a fit of rage, they killed many medicine slaves..." Yan Dao explained everything in detail.

The main reason was that the Black Tiger Gang treated its medicine slaves too well. With the contrast between the two sides, the Ghost Alliance's medicine slaves could no longer endure it.

They were all herb gatherers, so why did they have to be slaves?

After hearing Yan Dao's words, Zhang Yu frowned slightly. He had no intention of annexing the Ghost Alliance right now. If he had, he would have slaughtered Mo Old Ghost last time instead of letting him live until now.

Zhang Yu needed to maintain Boundless City's balance and stability, buying time for himself to grow. His chief priority lately was finding a method to open his dantian and enter the True Qi Realm. Only then would he have the strength to wrestle with the three great Lineages controlling Boundless City from behind the scenes.

"Master, this is the herb pickers' own choice. How about we take them all in?" Wen Hua said weakly.

Zhang Yu glared at Wen Hua. "The Ghost Alliance itself is nothing. The troublesome part is the Ye Family behind it. We need time, and Boundless City cannot fall into chaos. Man Cang, go to the Ghost Alliance and summon Mo Old Ghost here."

"Yes, Master!" Niu Mancang rose and left.

On the way, he ran into Iron Bear, who was hurrying over. "Man Cang, where are you going?"

"To invite your chief," Niu Mancang answered.

"Our chief sent me to handle this matter. Don't worry, I'll take them away immediately. I definitely won't disturb Chief Zhang's peaceful cultivation," Iron Bear said.

Niu Mancang did not stop. He merely said, "Master told me to invite Mo Old Ghost," then walked away.

"You... really are one stubborn ox." Iron Bear muttered, then led his men to the outside of Zhang Yu's courtyard.

Seeing the medicine slaves kneeling densely outside the gates, confusion filled his heart. Have these medicine slaves eaten bear hearts and leopard guts? They actually dare resist the Ghost Alliance?

They had killed so many people in the valley, killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, yet it had failed to frighten them. That was far too abnormal.

These medicine slaves had once been obedient. They did whatever they were told, and even when they were squeezed so hard they could not afford food, they had not dared resist. Yet now they actually...

Iron Bear could not make sense of it.

"Get the hell up and get back! A bunch of lowly bastards! If you want to die, I'll grant your wish!" Iron Bear cursed.

In his eyes, Boundless City's medicine slaves were not people at all. They were weeds. Kill one batch, and another would grow back. It had always been this way for over a hundred years.

When the medicine slaves saw Iron Bear, fear appeared on their faces. The timid ones had already started shrinking back.

"We're asking to see Chief Zhang! What does it have to do with you, Iron Bear?" someone shouted with gathered courage.

"You're courting death!" A savage gleam appeared in Iron Bear's eyes.

He had always been a vicious man. He merely could not defeat Niu Mancang, so he had put on an honest and simple-looking act before Zhang Yu and the others.

How could the Ghost Alliance's vice chief possibly be a kind person?

Iron Bear reached out toward the medicine slave who had contradicted him, intending to snap the man's neck.

"Stop!" A voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

Iron Bear's hand stopped, then withdrew. Turning to Zhang Yu, he smiled. "Chief Zhang, I disturbed your peace. I'll take them away right away."

Zhang Yu looked at Iron Bear.

[Name: Iron Bear]

[Fate: Cruel, Innate Divine Strength (50% Awakened)]

The first time Zhang Yu had met Iron Bear, he had naturally used the Eye of Truth-Piercing to inspect such a burly man's information.

His Innate Divine Strength was half-awakened, but he possessed a cruel fate. Thus, Zhang Yu had directly passed him over.

Cruelty was different from Yan Dao's selfishness. Cruelty meant one's very nature was that of a demon. Selfishness, meanwhile, was a side everyone possessed; at the very least, there was still humanity.

That was why Zhang Yu had given Yan Dao an opportunity. As for Iron Bear? He had directly ignored him.

"Who did you just call a lowly bastard?" Zhang Yu glared coldly at Iron Bear.

Iron Bear cursed inwardly. You little bastard, if I weren't unable to beat you, I would have snapped your neck long ago.

Yet he did not dare show the slightest emotion on his face. Smiling, he said, "Chief Zhang, I misspoke. I deserve to be punished." He lightly slapped his own mouth.

"You do deserve to be punished," Zhang Yu said blandly. Then his body suddenly blurred into a trail of afterimages. A slap rang out, and half of Iron Bear's face swelled up.

Pfft!

Iron Bear staggered from the blow, spitting out blood along with three teeth.

The move Zhang Yu had just used was called Following Wind, a killer move that had emerged when the Clear Wind Stance broke through its limit once.

It was a speed-type technique.

Iron Bear spat out the blood in his mouth, straightened himself, and a trace of ferocity flashed in his eyes.

Zhang Yu saw that vicious glint and said, "It seems you're unconvinced. Then there's no need for you to stay alive."

Iron Bear was horrified. He immediately withdrew the ferocity from his eyes and dropped to his knees with a thump, kneeling so smoothly it was almost absurd.

"Chief Zhang, spare my life!"

He looked big and thick-bodied on the outside, but his mind was extremely sharp.

Just as Zhang Yu was about to strike, he found Iron Bear kneeling, and a wave of frustration rose in his heart.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at Iron Bear kneeling on the ground, weighing whether to kill him or not.

Cruel, without humanity—such a person definitely could not be used. Killing him now would settle everything once and for all. Yet Iron Bear was not entirely useless. At least for now, he could serve as Niu Mancang's sparring partner and hasten the development of Niu Mancang's Feral Ox Physique.

"Chief Zhang, show mercy beneath your palm." At that moment, Mo Old Ghost came running over from afar.

Upon seeing Mo Old Ghost, Zhang Yu finally stopped hesitating and spared Iron Bear's life. Once Niu Mancang's Feral Ox Physique had been fully developed, Iron Bear's day of death would come.

"Chief Mo, your gang's herb gatherers say your subordinates have been indiscriminately killing innocents. They brought their grievance to me, so I cannot simply ignore it," Zhang Yu said.

Hearing this, Mo Old Ghost had the urge to curse.

You're handling it?

What right do you have to handle it?

Of course, he only dared grumble silently in his heart. He did not dare confront Zhang Yu to his face.

His strength did not permit it.

"Chief Zhang, it is all due to my poor discipline over my subordinates. When I return, I will certainly punish and instruct them strictly," Mo Old Ghost said through gritted teeth.

"Chief Mo, herb gatherers are people too. They need to live as well. You should treat them properly. How about this—starting today, their treatment will be equal to that of our Black Tiger Gang's herb gatherers. What do you think?" Zhang Yu stared at Mo Old Ghost.

"This... this..." Mo Old Ghost cursed inwardly.

You're asking my opinion? Of course I disagree! Is the chief of the Ghost Alliance you or me?

"You disagree?" Zhang Yu's expression turned cold. A breeze suddenly appeared from nowhere and brushed across Mo Old Ghost's face.

Mo Old Ghost's heart tightened, because he could sense a faint killing intent within that breeze.

Damn it, Zhang Yu's strength is becoming harder and harder to fathom.

At that moment, he even considered withdrawing from Boundless City. But he could not bear to abandon the enterprise he had built over decades. "Chief Zhang, didn't we agree three months ago to divide the streets and rule separately? The herb gatherers are an internal matter of my gang..."

"Hm?" Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes and continued putting pressure on Mo Old Ghost.

"Raise it by fifty percent. From now on, the price at which our Ghost Alliance purchases medicinal herbs will rise by fifty percent. Chief Zhang, our Ghost Alliance needs money everywhere, and the Ye Family..." Mo Old Ghost began crying poverty to Zhang Yu in every possible way.

In truth, Zhang Yu had not stepped in merely to seek justice for the medicine slaves. His main purpose was to test Mo Old Ghost's obedience.

Mo Old Ghost had yielded once, then twice. When the day came that Zhang Yu truly wanted to annex the Ghost Alliance, it would become much easier.

Annexing a gang was not as simple as merely killing its chief.

"Thank you, Chief Zhang! Long live Chief Zhang!"

"Chief Zhang is truly a merciful and compassionate Bodhisattva!"

More than ten thousand medicine slaves began kneeling and kowtowing in thanks to Zhang Yu. Some even shouted long live.

Mo Old Ghost was nearly driven mad with rage. Damn it, I'm the one paying for that fifty-percent increase, yet you're thanking Zhang Yu! He hasn't spent a single tael of silver.

Damn it all, I'm going to die of anger. If I don't leave now, I really will be angered to death.

He cupped his fists to Zhang Yu, then stormed off in anger, leaving Iron Bear behind to handle the rest.

Zhang Yu also returned to the courtyard, leaving the remaining matters to Yan Dao. Yan Dao, who had watched the entire scene from the side, wore a smile at the corner of his mouth. Whenever he had dealt with Mo Old Ghost in the past, he had always suffered Mo Old Ghost's abuse. Watching this today had been truly satisfying.

Mo Old Ghost, you have your day too, Yan Dao thought.

At the same time, he grew increasingly afraid of Zhang Yu. He too had sensed a thread of killing intent in that sudden breeze.

Looking at Zhang Yu's retreating back, only four words came to his mind—unfathomably deep and immeasurable.

He was also growing more puzzled. In three months, he had never seen Zhang Yu cultivate, yet Zhang Yu's strength kept growing deeper and more profound.

Is this what a genius is?

After returning to the courtyard, Zhang Yu frowned slightly and pondered in secret: he had to obtain a method to open his dantian as soon as possible and become a True Qi Realm martial artist. Only then could he truly control Boundless City. Otherwise, if one of the three great Lineages sent a True Qi Realm martial artist, everything he had built in Boundless City would become the moon in water and flowers in a mirror.

He could use strength to suppress Mo Old Ghost and Iron Bear. Naturally, others could use strength to suppress him as well.

Five days later, Chu Qingwen returned.

This time, she had gone home to arrange for the Chu Family to receive Boundless City's medicinal herbs, and she had also brought back good news.

"Master, disasters have struck the Western Desolate Continent continuously in recent years, and the chaos is growing worse. Hidden Cloud Academy of the Great Chu Empire is preparing to recruit a batch of commoner disciples to bolster its foundations and respond to the changing times," Chu Qingwen said.

"What are the requirements?" Zhang Yu asked.

"Under ten years old with upper-grade Class A bones; or under twenty years old and at the Dark Force level," Chu Qingwen answered.

Zhang Yu met the second requirement. He was only seventeen this year and was already at the Force Transformation Peak. However, the system concealed his cultivation, so no one could see through it.

"Will they teach the method to open the dantian?"

"Rumor has it that Hidden Cloud Academy is recruiting Dark Force martial artists under twenty this time in order to cultivate a group of True Qi Realm experts," Chu Qingwen answered.

Zhang Yu nodded. He had already decided to make a trip to Hidden Cloud Academy.

The method to open the dantian could not wait.

The system could not comprehend it out of thin air, and not even one book that could be used as reference could be found on the market. This path of martial arts had been severed by powerful clans and aristocratic families.

Now that Hidden Cloud Academy had opened a crack, he naturally had to enter.

The next day, he gathered everyone before him, explained the matter of Hidden Cloud Academy, and announced his decision.

"Your master will return after learning the method to open the dantian. All of you should cultivate diligently in Boundless City."

"Yes, Master!" Niu Mancang, Wen Hua, and the others responded.

"Chu Qingwen, Yan Dao." Zhang Yu looked at the two of them.

"Master!"

"Chief!"

The two stepped forward.

"Today, I will formally accept you two as direct disciples. Are you willing?" Zhang Yu asked.

He could now take six disciples, leaving three slots. Since he was going to Hidden Cloud Academy, Master-Disciple Points had become important.

He had accumulated 896 points by now.

[Master-Disciple Points: 896]

If he accepted Chu Qingwen and Yan Dao, his daily Master-Disciple Points would rise to five, amounting to 150 points a month.

"I am willing!" Chu Qingwen was overjoyed and immediately bowed in acceptance.

Yan Dao's expression froze. He suspected he had misheard.

"Yan Dao, are you unwilling?" Zhang Yu glanced at him.

Thump!

"This disciple is willing! This disciple pays respects to Master!" Yan Dao directly knelt and kowtowed.

After arranging Boundless City's affairs, Zhang Yu gave Niu Mancang further instructions. "If Iron Bear shows any intent to harm you, kill him immediately."

"Yes, Master." Niu Mancang had always obeyed Zhang Yu's words without question.

The following day, Zhang Yu and Chu Qingwen rode out of Boundless City. Half a month later, the two arrived at Hidden Cloud City.

Zhang Yu had originally wanted to come alone, but Chu Qingwen said she could take care of his daily needs and help relay messages. In the end, Zhang Yu agreed.

This was his second time in Hidden Cloud City, so it was not unfamiliar to him. They went directly to the Chu Family Estate.

Hidden Cloud Academy was divided into five major institutes.

Cloud Return Institute, Star Court, Bedrock Institute, Heavy Astral Institute, and Sword-Grasping Institute. The head of each institute was an Aura Force Realm expert.

Zhang Yu had no particular requirements regarding which institute he entered. He had only come to learn the method to open the dantian.

Three days later came the time for Hidden Cloud Academy's recruitment of commoner disciples. Zhang Yu rose early, washed up, ate breakfast, then took the Chu Family carriage to the gates of Hidden Cloud Academy.

At that time, the entrance to Hidden Cloud Academy was packed shoulder to shoulder.

For common-born youths, this recruitment was a tremendous opportunity. Thus, every common-born youth from all thirty-six provinces of Great Chu who met the requirements had come.

In truth, these so-called common-born youths were not truly common-born at all, because genuine commoners could not possibly become Dark Force martial artists before turning twenty.

The poor pursued literature, the wealthy pursued martial arts. Truly common-born youths simply could not afford martial arts training. They could not even scrape together the silver to study at a martial arts school, much less afford the medicinal soups needed every day to nourish their blood and strengthen their bodies.

Those who came were descendants of second- and third-rate families, merchants' children, and a very small number of genuine common-born youths.

Zhang Yu stood at the registration area and watched for a while. Registration for children under ten was troublesome, requiring all sorts of examinations and bone aptitude tests.

Recruiting Dark Force martial artists under twenty, however, was simple. As long as one had reached Dark Force and was not over the age limit, one would be accepted.

That is rather simple, Zhang Yu thought.

He stepped into the line and began waiting. Soon, it was his turn.

An expressionless old man looked over Zhang Yu's registration form and used a needle-like device to test his bone age.

Seventeen years old.

"Strike the Black Iron Pillar with all your strength," the old man said.

After thinking about it, Zhang Yu threw a punch using only the strength of an ordinary Dark Force Mid-Stage martial artist.

Boom!

The old man looked at the extent of the Black Iron Pillar's vibration, then took out a jade token. On the front, he wrote Zhang Yu's name; on the back, he wrote his age and realm: seventeen years old, Dark Force Mid-Stage.

After writing it, he handed it to Zhang Yu. "Go wait over there."

Zhang Yu had originally thought there would not be many people who could reach Dark Force before twenty. Yet to his surprise, in only half a day, the number of people standing with him had already exceeded five hundred.

Dark Force was really just breaking through the barrier of sinews and bones. As long as one was willing to pour in resources, an ordinary person could generally break through to Dark Force.

By the end of the day, more than seven hundred people had met the requirements.

The cold-faced old man rose, swept them with a glance, and said, "Follow me."

Zhang Yu and the others hurried after him.

Hidden Cloud Academy was enormous. The farther Zhang Yu went inside, the more he realized how extraordinary it was.

Led by the old man, the group arrived at a vast plaza, where the seven hundred-plus of them were divided into three tiers.

First tier: Force Transformation. There were actually six people.

Second tier: Dark Force Peak. There were sixty-three people.

Zhang Yu and the rest were assigned to the third tier.

The vice presidents of the five institutes began competing for the six Force Transformation martial artists. Force Transformation martial artists at twenty years old were geniuses, with boundless prospects ahead of them.

After snatching up the six Force Transformation martial artists, they fought over the sixty-three Dark Force Peak youths. As for Zhang Yu and the others, once the five vice presidents had taken the Dark Force Peak youths, they left outright. Zhang Yu's group was left to be picked over and taken away by several stewards.

Zhang Yu was chosen by a steward from Bedrock Institute. He followed the steward toward Bedrock Institute alongside a group of youths.

The formalities were quickly completed, and Zhang Yu officially became an outer court disciple of Bedrock Institute.

"Your most important task now is to settle down and cultivate. Reach Dark Force Peak as soon as possible, then take the institute's Dragon Gate Assessment. Those who cross the Dragon Gate may become inner court disciples of Bedrock Institute, and only then will you be qualified to access Hidden Cloud Academy's first-rate cultivation techniques." After explaining the rules, the steward turned and left.

Zhang Yu blinked, feeling a little frustrated. Had he known the rules were like this, he should have displayed Dark Force Peak strength during the entrance test.

An older outer court disciple led them toward their lodgings.

Towering trees filled the academy, birds sang, and flowers perfumed the air. On the way, they encountered several inner court disciples dressed in white robes. The older outer court disciple guiding them immediately stepped aside, his face respectful as he lowered his head in salute.

The white-robed inner court disciples wore arrogant expressions and did not even spare the older disciple a glance.

As for Zhang Yu and the others behind him, the others did not so much as lift an eyelid at them.

Only after the white-robed inner court disciples had left did the older outer court disciple dare straighten up. With a trace of helplessness in his voice, he said, "Junior brothers, if you encounter white-robed inner court senior brothers on the road in the future, immediately make way and pay your respects. They are powerful and look down from above the clouds. If you accidentally offend them, you'll have bitterness to swallow."

Zhang Yu felt a wave of irritation. I need to get hold of a first-rate cultivation technique as soon as possible, then find a way to get out of here. I'm not staying to swallow this kind of insult.

Less than a day after arriving at Hidden Cloud Academy, he was already missing the life in Boundless City, where clothes were brought to his hands and meals opened his mouth.