The language of the Black-Corner Region

To Yun Congxin's surprise, that Dou Ling had taken a Flame Splitting Wave Ruler from Xiao Yan head-on and actually survived.

What surprised Yun Congxin even more was that, after suffering a serious injury at the hands of Xiao Yan, a Da Dou Shi, the fellow had not flown into a rage and entered his second phase. Instead, he had smoothly admitted defeat and slid straight to his knees!

His seamless little combo of conceding, claiming a misunderstanding, apologizing, and offering compensation not only left Yun Congxin looking like a sweating emoji, but also stunned Xiao Yan.

Seriously, man, you don't care about your reputation at all...?

Although the Dou Ling's behavior looked both pathetic and ridiculous, on closer consideration, it made perfect sense.

Even injured, his Dou Ling strength still left him capable of fighting, giving him some leverage to negotiate peace. One could even say this was his last chance to call a halt. If he stubbornly persisted and took another Earth-tier Dou Technique, he really would become the fish on someone else's chopping block.

At that point, he would no longer be asking for peace, but begging for mercy.

In the Black-Corner Region, there was little difference between begging for mercy and begging for death. The latter might even let you die with a little more dignity...

So, although backing down in front of all his underlings was deeply humiliating, it was the wise choice for him.

He refused to invite real disaster for an empty reputation. On this point, he actually saw things more clearly than Yun Congxin.

"The people of the Black-Corner Region are just bad, and some are pretty weak, but they're certainly not stupid..."

Yun Congxin sighed with feeling, thinking that he really had come to the right place! Once the geniuses of the Jia Ma Empire had developed firm, stable values, they should all come take a turn through the Black-Corner Region. Every one of them would return a real talent, with such a charming way with words...

Night always fell quickly in the Black-Corner Region. By the time Xiao Yan and the other three returned, it was already completely dark.

Mr. Gu He had lit a campfire, and Yun Congxin sat beside it, idly playing with the flames out of sheer boredom.

"Sect Master Yun, we... we didn't get a map..." Yao Ye steeled herself and stepped forward to report to Yun Congxin. "The local gangs were far too rude. We..."

"You tore down their stronghold's gates, and you're still worried about whether they were polite?" Yun Congxin said, stirring the flames with the stick in his hand. "Now that you've experienced the local customs of the Black Domain Great Plains firsthand, how did you find them?"

Yao Ye frowned as she recalled what had happened, then gave a wry smile. "Not very pleasant..."

"Oh? Let's hear it."

"The people here have no respect for rules! Five hundred gold coins just to pass through—how is that any different from robbery? In the Imperial Capital, that money could support an ordinary family for five years! We put up with even that and paid the toll, but they still tried to rob us for real afterward!"

"Draining the pond to catch the fish, sucking the marrow from people's bones—don't they ever think about what they'll do in the future?" Yao Ye said indignantly. "They could make a substantial income just by collecting tolls from travelers going both ways, without ever drawing a blade!"

What long-term plans could desperadoes possibly have? If they collected a toll today and let a fat sheep pass, who knew whether they would still be alive tomorrow to collect money when that sheep returned? Better to slaughter every fat sheep they could see and kill. Who cared if they drained the pond to catch the fish? After they died, let the floodwaters swallow the world!

Yun Congxin smiled. He knew this was a good beginning. The three young women he had brought along might be proud, but none of them were bad people. Getting a little of the Black-Corner Region's murky water on them and learning some of its methods would not be a bad thing.

In any case, they had him, a Dou Zong, to fall back on. As long as they did not provoke Earth Demon Old Ghost into coming out, they could at least run away.

"So, what do you plan to do?" Yun Congxin continued. "Without a map, how will we get to Black Seal City? If we arrive late, we'll miss the auction..."

"Rest assured, Sect Master Yun. Although we didn't find a map, we met a merchant caravan that's also heading to Black Seal City," Yao Ye said with a smile. "When they saw that the four of us could fight this tribe's chief to a standstill, they wanted to hire us as guards for their caravan. That way, we can get to Black Seal City and earn some money too."

"We didn't dare make the decision ourselves, so we came back specifically to report it."

"Aren't you afraid of being deceived?" Yun Congxin asked succinctly.

"No! That merchant's guards are only Dou Shi. They don't have the strength or standing to deceive us," Yao Ye said confidently. "Besides, I examined his caravan. They're transporting common medicinal herbs from the Chu Yun Empire, and there are injured mercenaries among them. I believe they're telling the truth."

"If you think it's a good idea, then do it." Yun Congxin waved a hand. "I won't make the decision for you. You'll have to walk the road from here to Black Seal City yourselves."

"Then, Sect Master Yun, you..."

Yun Congxin smiled and pointed at the three people gathered around the fire. "I'll travel with Mr. Gu He and Miss Xiao Yu. We won't accompany you on the rest of the journey. Take care of yourselves. We'll meet in Black Seal City."

Xiao Yan blinked. How had he ended up included in this after one trip out and back? He only wanted to get to Jia Nan Academy as soon as possible to see Xun'er. He had no intention of going to Black Seal City...

Noticing the odd look on Xiao Yan's face, Yun Congxin transmitted his voice through Dou Qi. "This auction in Black Seal City is no ordinary affair. With all this excitement, there must be treasures on offer—at least Earth-tier Dou Techniques or cultivation methods. Are you really not going to join in?"

Xiao Yan was tempted. He immediately reassured himself inwardly, Then again, sharpening the axe doesn't delay the woodcutting. I still have those pills I refined back in Lin City waiting to be turned into cash, not to mention the medicinal herbs I promised to find for Elder Hai. A trip to Black Seal City wouldn't hurt...

Seeing that he had persuaded Xiao Yan, who did not step forward to say he wanted to leave the group, Yun Congxin felt somewhat relieved.

To be honest, Yun Congxin really was a little uneasy about simply throwing three beautiful young women into the mire that was the Black-Corner Region.

But with Xiao Yan accompanying them, things were entirely different. In this Black-Corner Region, the troubles that Xiao Yan and Yao Lao could not resolve together could be counted on one hand.

"I hope that, by the end of this journey, you'll all have learned the language of the Black-Corner Region," Yun Congxin concluded. "The people here may be bad, but every last one of them is shrewd. Be careful not to capsize in a gutter."

Yun Congxin called the Black-Corner Region the Florida of the Dou Qi Continent. Its chaos and savagery were no less than those of Guandong Mountain, a place capable of producing a man like Yan Shuangying.

Yun Congxin hoped they could be like Yan Shuangying, learning the language of the Black-Corner Region without changing their true colors.

"The language of the Black-Corner Region has always been simple, yet cruel. It speaks of concealment, death, darkness, schemes, and traps. The people here live every moment in fear and madness, all speaking the language of the Black-Corner Region."

"So this is an excellent proving ground. Here, those who deal in death are cunning and ruthless, yet they happen not to be powerful enough. Try stepping out from under your elders' protection, geniuses of the Jia Ma Empire. Only by learning to face malice from every direction can you become truly strong!"