Arrival at the Academy

A month and a half was neither long nor short.

But for the new students riding on the Griffins' backs, it was pure torment.

Once the novelty wore off, all that remained was the monotony of day after day.

During the day, they sat on the Griffins' backs, watching the same unchanging scenery below. At night, they landed at nameless waystations and fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillow.

The journey was often bumpy, so even if they wanted to cultivate, their efficiency was not particularly high.

Even when they cultivated at night, the occasional jolts atop the Griffins during the day kept them from resting properly.

"Big Brother Qin Yu, how much longer until we get there?"

Xue Ni sprawled across the Griffin's back and muttered weakly, limp as a puddle of mud.

The excitement she had felt when they first took off had long since been worn away. Even with Xiao Yu beside her, she had no interest in taking advantage of her anymore.

"Soon."

Qin Yu replied casually, his gaze fixed on the distance.

His cultivation had not fallen behind during this time. Just a week ago, he had broken through to a four-star Dou Practitioner.

"I'm so jealous of you... You can fall asleep just by closing your eyes."

Qin Yu raised a brow. It was not that he could fall asleep the moment he closed his eyes. Rather, once he began thinking, he would unconsciously enter a special state.

At such times, he could not feel any disturbance from the outside world, and his entire body conserved energy for his brain's operation.

Yet because he could not sense outside disturbances, people sometimes had to call him several times before he came back to himself.

Xue Ni turned to look at Xiao Yu beside her. Seeing her staring blankly at Qin Yu's profile, she could not help waving a hand before her eyes.

"Hey, snap out of it!"

"Huh? What is it?"

"You're asking me? Look at that lovestruck expression you just had."

Xue Ni leaned close to Xiao Yu and whispered quietly:

"Let me tell you, a guy like Qin Yu is obviously the kind who only has cultivation on his mind."

"If you wait for him to make the first move, you probably won't have a chance even by graduation."

"Who... who said I was waiting for him to make the first move?"

Xiao Yu glared at Xue Ni, her voice rising involuntarily.

Qin Yu turned his head and glanced at her.

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing."

Xiao Yu hurriedly waved her hands, the blush on her face deepening.

Qin Yu did not press the matter. He merely nodded and closed his eyes again to rest.

Seeing this, Xue Ni could not help sighing. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she said to Xiao Yu:

"See? I told you. He hasn't thought about that at all."

Xiao Yu bit her lip and said nothing.

After spending the past two months together, she believed she had figured out Qin Yu's personality.

How should she put it...

It was not that he was cold or distant. On the contrary, Qin Yu was easy to get along with, pleasant to talk to, and never made anyone feel awkward.

But the problem was that he treated everyone like that, without favoring anyone.

Sometimes, Xiao Yu deliberately moved closer to him or said something probing, but Qin Yu's reaction was always exceedingly indifferent.

He was like a stone. You could splash water over it, but the water would only land on it. The stone would still be a stone, with no reaction at all.

In truth, before Qin Yu came back to himself, he had not noticed Xiao Yu's earlier actions in the slightest.

"Could it be... that he has absolutely no interest in relationships between men and women?"

Xiao Yu could not help thinking that sometimes, but that seemed impossible. Qin Yu clearly enjoyed looking at her legs.

"Forget it. I'll take it slowly."

Xiao Yu took a deep breath and cast those distracting thoughts from her mind. At that moment, Instructor Ruo Lin's voice came from ahead.

"Everyone, pay attention. Peace Town is up ahead."

"Peace Town?"

Quite a few new students curiously craned their heads forward.

Qin Yu also opened his eyes and looked ahead.

Between two majestic mountains in the distance lay a quiet little town.

The town was not large, but it was neatly planned, and quite a few pedestrians could be seen on its streets.

The most eye-catching sight, however, was a large tree not far from the town entrance.

The tree was pitch-black from trunk to crown. Its canopy spread in every direction, emanating a chilling air beneath the lingering glow of the setting sun.

Between its branches, something seemed to be skewered and hung there.

"What kind of tree is that?"

A new student asked curiously.

Instructor Ruo Lin gave the tree a calm glance, her tone level.

"The Death Spirit Tree."

"The Death Spirit Tree?"

"Those hanging from it are the corpses of people who once caused trouble in Peace Town. There are Dou Spirits among them, even experts at the Dou King level."

As soon as Instructor Ruo Lin finished speaking, every new student's expression changed.

The corpses of experts at that level were simply hung from a tree?

Qin Yu, however, did not react much. He had known these things long ago.

The Black-Corner Region was the most chaotic place on the Dou Qi Continent, yet Canaan Academy had established a relatively peaceful territory here by force.

Any expert who ran rampant in the Black-Corner Region had to keep their tail tucked in once they arrived here.

Because the corpses hanging from that Death Spirit Tree were the best warning.

The Griffins landed outside the town, and Instructor Ruo Lin led everyone into the town on foot.

Qin Yu stepped barefoot onto the ground. Feeling the warm, solid power of the earth beneath his feet, the corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously.

Two months.

After spending two months on a Griffin's back, he had finally set foot on the ground again.

The feeling was like a fish returning to water, making his entire body relax.

"Student Qin Yu, you are..."

"It's nothing. I just think it feels better to have my feet on solid ground."

Instructor Ruo Lin nodded. Recalling Qin Yu's previous cultivation method, she understood.

Still, Qin Yu had gone from a one-star Dou Practitioner to a four-star Dou Practitioner in just two months, leaving her somewhat unsure what to do.

The talent grades of a one-star Dou Practitioner and a four-star Dou Practitioner differed by three levels. He could receive far better treatment at the academy.

But Qin Yu's situation... was truly unprecedented.

Forget it. She would let the higher-ups worry about it. She was only a teacher, after all.

The group rested in the town for a night, then set off again early the next morning for their destination, Canaan City.

Qin Yu stood outside the city and looked up.

The city was far larger than Wutan City. Its walls alone stood dozens of feet high, and patrolling guards could vaguely be seen atop them, each with a formidable aura.

At the city gates, many people were lined up to enter.

Instructor Ruo Lin led the group directly through a special passage. When the guards at the entrance saw her insignia, they immediately bowed respectfully.

"Instructor Ruo Lin, you have worked hard."

"Mhm."

Instructor Ruo Lin nodded and led everyone into the city.

The sights within the city left many of the new students dazzled. All kinds of shops stood in orderly rows along both sides of the broad streets.

"So this is Canaan City..."

Instructor Ruo Lin led them through several streets before finally stopping in front of an enormous building.

"This is Canaan Academy's Outer Academy."

Ruo Lin turned around and looked at everyone.

"Next, I'll take you to complete your enrollment procedures and assign your classes and dormitories."

"Once everything is settled, you will officially be students of Canaan Academy."