Sudden Change

Xiao Yan and Wu Hao had planned things out well. Mountain Forest Town lay amid the mountains, so by hiding in the woods outside the town, they could find their target among those entering and leaving.

But the two waited anxiously for an entire day, all the way until the afternoon of the next day, and still did not see that old bastard. Yet the intelligence clearly said he came here every day!

"Wu Hao, what do you think is going on?"

After scaring off several scar-faced men who had been eyeing them, Xiao Yan could not help asking. Those annoying flies were already the eighth group.

"There are two possibilities. Either he had something else to do and did not come, or he left this place. It is normal for people in the Black-Corner Region to change where they live."

After hearing that, Xiao Yan analyzed as well.

"Since Wu Protector wants us to kill him, there is a good chance that he knows Canaan Academy is after him. So the greatest possibility is that he has left."

Wu Hao looked worried after hearing Xiao Yan's words. "If that is the case, then we have failed this test."

Xiao Yan did not care. "The test is a means, not the goal. If we fail because of this, then the intelligence was wrong. We can just come back and kill him another time."

"But we cannot just leave like this. Let us go inside. At the very least, we need to find out something about him so we can report back."

Wu Hao was somewhat surprised. "Go in and gather information? But our voices..."

Xiao Yan gave a sly grin and casually tossed Wu Hao a pill. "Here, eat this."

Wu Hao naturally did not suspect anything and immediately swallowed it. "What is this? A pill that changes our voices?"

"No. Poison."

"Cough, cough!!"

Wu Hao was so frightened that he started coughing violently. Xiao Yan swallowed one himself as he explained, "It is just a mild poison that will make our voices hoarse for two or three days. Of course, there are side effects. Our throats will hurt for two or three days."

"You should have said that earlier!" Wu Hao was furious.

Xiao Yan had not originally planned to enter the town. Mainly because the rumors about the Black-Corner Region had made it seem somewhat demonized. In reality, even if it was filled with criminals and thugs, as long as everyone had interests to exchange, there had to be a basic order.

After observing from outside these past two days, Xiao Yan had found that quite a few people entered and left the town. Since others could enter, as long as he was careful, nothing major should happen.

After Xiao Yan and Wu Hao paid some gold coins to enter the town, they discovered that it was not much different from an ordinary town. It was just that most people coming and going were rather hot-tempered, quick to draw blades at the slightest disagreement. Such simple, honest local customs.

Wu Hao had more experience in the wilderness, but after entering this place, he was somewhat at a loss. In a low, hoarse voice, he asked Xiao Yan, "Where should we go to gather information?"

Xiao Yan understood that well enough. After all, he had grown up as a young master. "We should go to an inn or tavern. First, listen to what the people drinking there are saying and get a general understanding of the situation."

Just as Xiao Yan had expected, the tavern's atmosphere was far better than outside. Quite a few people sat in the main hall eating and drinking amid laughter and cheerful conversation. This was obviously a place where they could obtain plenty of information.

Under Wu Hao's admiring gaze, Xiao Yan led him to casually order some food, chose a secluded corner, and sat down, preparing to listen for the general situation in the town.

But as he listened, dark lines crept across Xiao Yan's forehead again. Not a single word from those drunkards was useful! They were either bragging about who they had killed somewhere, talking about which brothel women were skilled in bed, or fantasizing about what they would do after getting rich... Not one word of what Xiao Yan wanted to know was mentioned!

Just as Wu Hao's gaze slowly shifted from admiration to doubt, the voices around them suddenly began to quiet down. Xiao Yan noticed that everyone was looking outside through the open doors.

Xiao Yan and Wu Hao looked over as well. They saw only two men, one tall and one short, walk in. Aside from their differing builds and the black sack carried on the taller man's back, they were identical in every way: both appeared to be in their twenties, had deathly pale skin, and wore red robes.

Low murmurs rose from the crowd.

"Aren't those the Wei Brothers from the Blood Sect?"

"I heard they are only in their twenties, yet they are already Dou Masters!"

"And they are disciples of the Blood Sect. They are not people we can compare to."

Hearing those discussions, Xiao Yan grew curious and quietly asked, "Wu Hao, what is the Blood Sect?"

Wu Hao answered in a low voice, "The Blood Sect is a major power in the Black-Corner Region. I heard Teacher Wu mention it before. The sect possesses extremely evil secret arts that cultivate through human blood. Their sect master is a Dou Emperor-level expert!"

A Dou Emperor-level expert! Xiao Yan's brows twitched. The only Dou Emperor he had ever met was Headmaster Hu Gan, and the Blood Sect's master, who cultivated using human blood, was clearly far more frightening.

But whether their sect master was a Dou Emperor or something else had nothing to do with Xiao Yan and Wu Hao right now. Xiao Yan was already considering whether to look elsewhere for information or simply leave.

The two men enjoyed the envious and jealous stares around them. The shorter one called the owner over, clearly knowing him.

"Old Yang! Get my brother and me a private room. Today will be our last meal here!"

"Right away! But why the last meal? Are you two lords about to rise in status?"

The shorter man said, "Indeed. My brother and I have rendered great service. Before long, our Young Sect Master will personally come to take us back to the main headquarters. From now on, we will develop ourselves at the Blood Sect's main headquarters."

"What? The Blood Sect's Young Sect Master?"

"What great deed could possibly alarm someone of that level?"

Listening to the tavern owner's repeated congratulations and the astonished murmurs of the other patrons, the short man became even more smug.

Though he knew perfectly well that while they were indeed returning to the main headquarters, the Young Sect Master was only coming personally because the treasure they had acquired was too hot to handle. The man was worried and wanted to get it into his own hands as soon as possible. Bringing the two of them along was merely convenient.

But who did not enjoy boasting? When one was away from home, one's status was whatever one claimed it to be!

As the two headed upstairs, the black sack carried by the taller man suddenly began struggling, and a cry of "Help!" came from inside.

There was clearly a living person inside that sack, but the two quickly knocked them unconscious again, silencing them. Everyone else continued eating and drinking. This was the Black-Corner Region, after all. Besides, who would dare meddle in the Blood Sect's affairs?

Only Xiao Yan's expression behind his veil instantly darkened like storm clouds...

Meanwhile, at Canaan Academy.

"That madman Wu Tianlang! The Grand Elder never approved it! How dare he send Xiao Yan into the Black-Corner Region!"

Fire Elder was currently flying into a rage. Those who had known him for years were astonished by his present appearance.

Fire Elder had only noticed something was wrong this morning. Xiao Yan had not attended class yesterday, and Fire Elder had thought Xiao Yan was tired and wanted to rest. He had even felt relieved, thinking that the brat had finally reached his limit.

Only when Xiao Yan still had not appeared today did he realize something was wrong. He asked Xiao Yan's roommate and learned that Xiao Yan had not returned to the dormitory that night. Only then did he seek out Hu Gan. After using all the influence at his disposal, he finally uncovered the truth.

Wu Tianlang and Wu Protector had actually concealed everything from everyone and sent Xiao Yan and the others into the Black-Corner Region!

Combined with the training plan he had proposed before and had been rejected, it was not difficult to guess what he had taken Xiao Yan to do.

Fire Elder's fury showed no sign of ending, while Hu Gan secretly regretted it as well. He never should have let that fellow Wu Tianlang teach Xiao Yan! He especially should not have allowed Hu Jia to study under Wu Tianlang too!

After a while, a middle-aged man hurriedly squeezed through the crowd, walked to Hu Gan's side, and anxiously said:

"Headmaster Hu, we learned from the staff who care for the magical beasts that yesterday morning, Miss Hu Jia took your seal by herself and said she was running an errand for you to deliver a letter to Peace Town. She borrowed a Griffin Beast and left."

Hu Gan, a mighty Dou Emperor-level expert, actually collapsed to the ground at once. Everyone hurried forward to support him.

Hu Gan had always believed that Xiao Yan, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao were together. Only now did he learn that Wu Protector had not taken Hu Jia with them!

Then where had Hu Jia, who secretly went to Peace Town, gone? The answer was obvious!

If Hu Jia had gone out alone, then theoretically, once she personally witnessed the Black-Corner Region's brutality, she should quickly realize her recklessness and return. But she had already been gone for more than a day...

She was a girl with only Dou Qi entering the Black-Corner Region for the first time. Hoping that she had not encountered danger was too much to ask! And if she had encountered danger and still had not returned by now...

Hu Gan did not dare think any further.

Fire Elder understood as well. Seeing Hu Gan looking as though his spirit had been drained away, he issued orders in Hu Gan's stead.

"What are you all standing around for? Go notify the Enforcement Squad, then issue missions to gather experienced students. Send them out to find her!"

Even though they knew that Hu Jia, who had entered the Black-Corner Region alone, was likely facing grim odds, they could not give up that slim possibility.

Someone blankly asked, "Should we look for Hu Jia or Xiao Yan?"

Fire Elder's anger flared. "Look for both! Focus on Hu Jia!"

Wu Tianlang had dared let Xiao Yan enter the Black-Corner Region, so he must have had his reasons. Thus, Fire Elder was only angry and frustrated about that. Hu Jia's situation was the most dangerous one right now!

On Xiao Yan's side, after those two men went upstairs, he and Wu Hao exchanged glances.

"Hu Jia?"

"Hu Jia."

Wu Hao sprang to his feet, knocking over the stool beneath him. The noise made the diners on the first floor look over. Xiao Yan hurriedly stood, grabbed Wu Hao's arm, and led him out the door toward the edge of town.

Wu Hao thought he understood Xiao Yan's meaning. "Let us go quickly. We will return and call people to rescue her."

But Xiao Yan shook his head. Combining the two men's words with Hu Jia's personality, Xiao Yan had already guessed most of what had happened.

Hu Jia had become angry and secretly slipped out of Canaan Academy by herself. In the end, she fell into the hands of the Blood Sect and was recognized. The "great service" the Wei Brothers mentioned was probably Hu Jia.

Xiao Yan also understood why two ordinary disciples had a sect's Young Sect Master coming personally to receive them. He was surely afraid that Canaan Academy's people would find Hu Jia. The Young Sect Master was not coming to collect those two idiots at all. He was clearly coming to take Hu Jia away, lest something happen if they delayed too long!

Seeing that Wu Hao did not understand why he was shaking his head, Xiao Yan finally explained his guess.

"...If things are truly as I suspect, then the Blood Sect's Young Sect Master could arrive at any moment. Once he picks up Hu Jia, they will leave. It will take us two hours just to return to Peace Town, and then another two hours to come back..."

"Do not tell me to leave you behind and return by myself. Setting aside the fact that it would take time for me to go back too, both you and Hu Jia are my friends. I cannot put you in danger in order to save her. Besides, I promised Wu Protector that I would protect you."

Wu Hao's words were cut off, but his brow furrowed even more deeply. "Going back will not work, so what do we do? We cannot just ignore Hu Jia, can we?"

Xiao Yan smiled and patted his shoulder. "Of course not. Right now, we have to rely on ourselves!"

"Trust me. We will rescue her within half an hour!"