The Black-Corner Region, due to its unique geographical and topographical features, is arguably the most chaotic area on the entire continent. Countless fugitives from all over the land, with nowhere else to go, converge here, collectively shaping the rules of this lawless domain.
Because of this, the region has become a gathering place for all kinds of races, forming a microcosm of the Dou Qi Continent.
Here, there is no order, no law—only one rule prevails: the law of the jungle!
This rule is pure and absolute. The weak are ruled by the strong, with no rights or protections.
Every day, a great number of powerful individuals perish here, only to be replaced by new ones. It is not uncommon to come across high-level techniques, Dou Skills, pills, medicinal herbs, and various treasures that are rarely seen elsewhere. Such items flow into this place from unknown corners of the continent.
Many of these goods are stolen or illicitly obtained, making this place the most infamous black market on the continent.
Yet, amidst this darkness, a rare anomaly was born: Jia Nan Academy, a stark contrast to its surroundings, almost as if proving the saying that extreme conditions give rise to their opposites.
Jia Nan Academy stands like a pure land in this realm of chaos.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, with nothing unusual occurring during the journey.
Inside a small room, Xiao Bai seemed to sense something and stepped outside. He glanced up at the gloomy sky—always dark since entering the Black-Corner Region—before shifting his gaze toward a hazy town nestled between two towering mountains in the distance.
"Peace Town, we've arrived!"
"All new students, prepare yourselves! This is our final stop!"
A deep voice, infused with the aura of a Dou Wang, echoed across the entire airborne convoy, instantly breaking the previous silence on the massive eagle, replacing it with a lively commotion.
This voice belonged to one of the powerful escorts assigned by Jia Nan Academy to protect the new students. Despite the academy's formidable reputation in the Black-Corner Region, it had made many enemies over the years, necessitating caution—a hard-earned lesson learned from past bloodshed and losses.
Fortunately, this journey seemed to have been free of attacks. Luck was on their side!
As the flying convoy descended onto an open area outside Peace Town, the first thing that caught everyone's attention was a gnarled, menacing tree near the entrance. Its pitch-black trunk exuded an eerie chill, and amidst its twisted branches, several corpses could be vaguely seen hanging. Swaying in the breeze, they produced an unsettling creaking sound.
The sight was shocking to the group of newcomers. Some turned pale, sweat forming on their foreheads, while others were so overwhelmed that they began to vomit.
"This is the Death Spirit Tree. In the past, it was covered with corpses—including one Dou Huang and two Dou Wangs!"
"Take a good look. This is why Jia Nan Academy has been able to establish itself in this chaotic Black-Corner Region. Consider this your first lesson: within this town, you are under the academy's protection. But beyond its borders, this is the reality of the Black-Corner Region—only the strong survive, while the weak end up hanging on trees like this. So, do you still have any excuse to slack off in your training?"
The Dou Wang elder standing before the tree spoke loudly to the assembled new students.
"All right, now, follow your assigned recruitment mentors, enter Peace Town, board the griffins, and head to Jia Nan City—to the academy!"
Xiao Bai watched the scene with an expression of calm indifference. Nearby, murmurs from the senior students reached his ears. From their hushed conversation, he quickly understood that this was an old tradition of Jia Nan Academy—every batch of new students had to go through this experience before officially entering the academy.
Under Instructor Ruo Lin's guidance, the group slowly entered Peace Town. As they passed through the town gate, they felt a strange ripple sweep across their bodies.
"Everyone, don't panic. This is a detection method used in Peace Town—it checks whether someone is a wanted criminal of Jia Nan Academy!" Instructor Ruo Lin reassured the students after noticing some of them looking alarmed by the sensation.
There was no doubt that she had a good temperament—dedicated and responsible. However, Xiao Bai couldn't help but feel a little tired on her behalf. Other instructors simply assigned senior students to look after the newcomers, yet she insisted on handling everything personally.
Surrounding Jia Nan Academy was a vast expanse of ancient forest, home to numerous high-rank Magical Beasts, making it an extremely dangerous area.
Standing atop a griffin, Xiao Bai watched the endless greenery pass beneath him. If he remembered correctly, the Heart-Tempering Essence Milk, guarded by the Snow Demon Heavenly Ape, was hidden somewhere in this very forest.
No rush—he could come back to look for it later.
An hour later, the silhouette of a vast city slowly came into view. What surprised Xiao Bai was that even from the sky, he couldn't see the entire city in one glance—a testament to its sheer size.
Moments later, the griffin squadron landed before an enormous stone gate. Xiao Bai observed the gate's solemn and elegant design, where four grand, sweeping characters were inscribed:
Jia Nan Academy!
Upon entering the academy, Instructor Ruo Lin led the new students through the necessary registration procedures before assigning senior students to help them familiarize themselves with their surroundings.
"Xiao Bai, Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian—you three stay behind!"
Instructor Ruo Lin called out to them, revealing her expectations for them.
"Tomorrow, the classes will be assigned. I hope you all will join Huang Class, Class Two!" She looked at them expectantly, seeking their opinion.
In Jia Nan Academy, instructors had to undergo performance evaluations. These weren't just based on their own cultivation level but, more importantly, on the performance of their students within the academy. That was the primary factor in their ranking.
Upon hearing this, Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian both turned to Xiao Bai, their intentions clear—wherever he went, they would follow.
Instructor Ruo Lin felt speechless. She couldn't understand what kind of charm Xiao Bai possessed to make these two outstanding girls so devoted to him.
"Well? Young Master Xiao, would you do me this favor?" she teased.
Xiao Bai, however, responded with a question of his own. "When is the Inner Academy Selection Tournament being held?"
For him, it didn't matter which class he joined. In the Xiao Clan, he had kept his cultivation hidden to avoid drawing the attention of Protector Wu, which could have brought danger to his family.
In the original timeline, he wasn't sure how the Xiao Clan had been exposed. At the time, Xiao Yan was only at the Da Dou Shi level.
While it was true that the Yun Lan Sect's Yun Leng had sought revenge, how had the Hall of Souls confirmed that the Xiao Clan in Wu Tan City was the one they were looking for? There wasn't just one Xiao family in the world.
The only possible explanation was that the Hall of Souls had been systematically eliminating families based on cultivation level and surname. Any Xiao family that reached a certain level of strength would likely come under their scrutiny. That was why, in the Xiao Clan, he had remained especially low-key.
But while he had to be cautious in the Xiao Clan, here at Jia Nan Academy—he could go all out!
"You want to participate in this year's selection?" Instructor Ruo Lin frowned before explaining, "Do you realize that only fifty students are chosen each year? And they are all senior students—at least mid-tier Dou Shi. The top few even possess Da Dou Shi strength. Are you sure you want to join?"
Xiao Bai didn't bother explaining. Instead, he simply released his aura.
In an instant, Instructor Ruo Lin felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes widening in shock.
"D-Dou Ling!"
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