Cousin Jiang Chi

"We're here."

The dark-faced Daoist raised a hand and pointed at the sprawling cluster of buildings ahead.

"That's the Prefecture Academy. Head over yourselves. Someone will be there to receive you."

With that, without waiting for anyone to reply, he slapped the leopard beneath him and took off.

The new disciples were left exchanging bewildered looks.

Xiao Li was somewhat at a loss too. He only knew that the Prefecture Academy was not in the Dao Realm; his family had told him nothing beyond that.

Still, Xiao Li considered himself a leader among this year's disciples, and naturally could not afford to lose face.

"In that case, let's go inside."

Xiao Li took the lead, and the others naturally followed.

Though called an academy, it was astonishingly large, probably not much smaller than a town outside.

As they ventured farther in, their surroundings gradually grew livelier.

People streamed along the streets, and shops of every kind had their doors wide open, their vendors hawking their wares with bustling enthusiasm.

Conversations ranged over heaven and earth in the teahouses, while the clinking of wine cups never ceased in the taverns.

There was even a pleasure house at a street corner. In broad daylight, several women bothered by the heat stood at its entrance cooling off.

Through the indistinct view, Jiang Yan thought he even spotted one with a fox's tail.

"Is this really the Prefecture Academy?"

One disciple stood rooted in bewilderment, his murmured question voicing everyone's thoughts.

Their large group blocked almost half the street, leaving a shop assistant pushing a cart of red meat unable to get through.

"New disciples? Go to the middle of town. Someone's there to receive you. Stop blocking the road."

The assistant impatiently squeezed past, his two hoofed legs running swiftly, and soon vanished at the end of the street.

With that reminder, the group set off again.

Fortunately, the journey went fairly smoothly. The merchants lining the streets were all constantly calling out their wares.

Only when they saw the disciples did they act as though they could not see them, ignoring them outright.

After a little over an hour, they reached the town center the assistant had mentioned.

There was a sizable plaza here.

A squared stone stele stood in its center, giving Jiang Yan a feeling similar to the County Academy's Immortal Stele Square.

It was simply larger, and the ground was bare, without any meditation cushions.

Someone sat cross-legged directly in front of the stele. A closer look revealed Green Fox High Person, from whom they had parted not long ago!

At the sight of him, the group finally felt a little more at ease.

"You seem surprised?"

Green Fox High Person casually pointed at the stone stele behind him.

"Those who have cultivated Law Power, come up yourselves and leave your information in the stele."

Jiang Yan went up with the crowd. The stele's surface was smooth, without a single mark.

He raised a hand, summoned a thread of Law Power, and struck the stele with it. The Law Power sank straight inside.

At the same time, Jiang Yan received information transmitted by the stele.

Donghe Prefecture Dao Academy, disciple Jiang Yan, enrolled in the year of the Immortal Calendar.

Dao Path-Qi-Feeding and Method-Practicing Dao.

Not many disciples had cultivated a Cultivation Method in advance. In just a short while, all of them had left their information.

Green Fox High Person, the Prefecture Academy's Director of Lectures, nodded in satisfaction at the disciples' efficiency.

"Everyone who has left their Law Power information is, from this moment on, a disciple of the East River Prefecture Academy.

"As for those whose physical bodies have not yet reached perfection, you must hurry. You must leave your Law Power here within six months.

"Those who fail to meet the standard by then may choose to stay, but will no longer be disciples of the Dao Academy. Those who do not wish to stay will be sent home and may never take the Prefecture Examination again."

"What?!"

"How can that be?"

Even with Green Fox High Person standing before them, quite a few disciples were too agitated to keep from crying out.

Those ranked near the bottom were especially upset.

They had barely scraped through the Prefecture Examination, and throughout the journey, they had hoped only to cultivate properly at the Prefecture Academy.

Instead, they were met with this thunderbolt out of a clear sky. How could they accept it?

"Hmph. Silence!"

At Green Fox High Person's cold snort, Jiang Yan felt his entire body shake. He hurriedly mobilized his Law Power to protect himself.

The shouting disciples fared miserably. Quite a few were shaken so badly that blood seeped from the corners of their mouths.

"This is the Preaching Plaza. Every month, lecturers will come here to resolve your doubts."

"During the first ten days of each month, lectures cover the two paths of Changes Scripture Divination and Qi-Feeding and Method-Practicing.

"During the middle ten days, they cover the two paths of Shamanic Gu Rituals and Nether Communion and Beast Command.

"During the final ten days, they cover the two paths of Sinew Shifting and Bone Changing and Furnace Refining and Cauldron Command."

"All disciples who have registered their Law Power may attend whichever lectures they wish, without being restricted to their own Dao Path."

"Also, those who left their Law Power just now are to come here tomorrow for Registering for Ordination.

"Among the remaining disciples, those who cultivate Law Power will undergo Registering for Ordination together in six months. You may disperse."

After explaining these matters, Green Fox High Person gave them no more time. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.

Registering for Ordination? Sure enough, one step ahead means staying ahead at every step. If I hadn't cultivated a Cultivation Method beforehand, I would have had to wait six months.

Jiang Yan had already cultivated Law Power and registered his name at the Prefecture Academy, so naturally he was not worried about being struck from its rolls in six months.

His greatest concern now was where he should stay.

After all, judging by Green Fox High Person's behavior, the Prefecture Academy did not seem likely to assign them lodgings...

Jiang Yan turned and stepped out of the crowd. He had only taken a few steps.

Then he saw several figures standing beside the street ahead, each holding a sign.

One man wore a plain-colored Daoist robe, and the wooden sign in his hands bore two large characters-Jiang Yan.

This is...

Something stirred in Jiang Yan's mind, and he immediately went over.

"Are you Cousin Jiang Chi?"

The man in the plain-colored Daoist robe looked over, a smile on his lips.

"That's right. You must be my younger cousin Jiang Yan. It's been years. You were still a child when I left home."

Jiang Yan did not accept his identity immediately, instead taking something from his Thumb Ring.

It was the Token he had used at the Jiang Household's main gate to make the two stone lions open the doors.

Jiang Chi froze briefly, then took out an identical Token.

Only then did Jiang Yan relax and bow.

"That was unnecessary of me. I've made a fool of myself before you, Cousin."

"Not at all, Yan. Here in the Prefecture Academy... you really should act with caution."

Jiang Yan was just about to set Jinbao down. At these words, his hands paused, and he looked at Jiang Chi.

Ever since arriving at the Prefecture Academy, what he had seen and heard in every respect had differed greatly from what he had imagined.

Seeing the doubt in Jiang Yan's eyes, Jiang Chi shook his head, indicating that this was no place to talk.

He did not release a Spirit Beast, intending instead to ride with Jiang Yan. Jiang Yan naturally did not refuse.

The two sat on Jinbao's back, and Jiang Chi pointed toward a Spirit Beast Road.

"Just follow this road straight ahead."

This was not the direction from which the group had arrived earlier.

Jinbao hopped onto the Spirit Beast Road and began bounding along.

Around the town center stood all manner of taverns, teahouses, and pleasure houses.

The roadside was also lined with a variety of exquisite little courtyards. People came and went, making it quite lively.

As Jinbao traveled along the Spirit Beast Road, the buildings around them grew taller and taller.

There were few pedestrians on the streets now, and the place looked considerably more desolate.

"We're here. This is the place."

Jinbao had been hopping for a full hour. Just as Jiang Yan felt they would soon hop right out of town, Jiang Chi finally spoke and stopped Jinbao.

Compared with the places they had passed earlier, this area was far more secluded.

Before them stood an old courtyard residence, though it looked reasonably tidy.

Upon entering the courtyard, the first thing they saw was a woman dressed in red, leaning by the courtyard entrance.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Jiang Chi and Jiang Yan enter.

"Oh, if it isn't Fellow Daoist Jiang. What brings you back again?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Yan behind him.

"Have you brought me a customer? Then Yunhong must thank you, Fellow Daoist."

Jiang Chi deftly blocked her outstretched hand.

"Yunhong... Fellow Daoist Zhang, please don't joke. This is a younger cousin of my clan. He only arrived at the Dao Academy today!"

"Tch, so he's a newcomer. How dull."

"But you, Fellow Daoist Jiang-you used to call me Yunhong. Now that you've climbed onto a higher branch, you call me Fellow Daoist?"

With that, Zhang Yunhong went back into a room to the left of the courtyard entrance, paying the two no further attention.

Jiang Chi did not mind either, and led Jiang Yan farther inside.

Many things were piled in the middle of the courtyard. Most conspicuous was an enormous anvil, its surface covered in dark red bloodstains.

There were also two large vats with their lids tightly shut. As they drew close, rustling sounds came from within.

"That anvil is for processing hides. The vats hold gu insects. Remember to keep your distance from now on. Don't go near them."

Jiang Yan looked at these things and merely nodded.

Jiang Chi said nothing more. He walked to the innermost room and knocked on its half-open door.

"Are you there, Fellow Daoist Tiegu?"