Chapter 42: Instructor Hord of the Yellow Tier

The caravan arrived at Peace Town.

Everyone disembarked, forming a line to receive a medicinal pill from individuals dressed in pale blue robes. On their chests were pinned azure badges, in the center of which was carved a dagger stained with fresh blood. After consuming the pill, they successfully entered Peace Town.

It was only at this moment that the tense expressions of many finally relaxed. Some turned their heads to look outside, having just heard a commotion at the rear of the procession.

A young girl asked her parents, "Father, Mother, why did you stop me at noon and not let me warn that young brother?"

The girl's face was full of confusion and incomprehension. That handsome young brother was clearly not a local of the Black-Corner Domain, and he didn't even understand the rule of not eating food from strangers.

If she had intervened back then, she definitely could have saved his life.

The burly man said in a deep voice, "Have you forgotten how I taught you? Never harbor compassion in your heart, you must remember that!"

Having spent years walking through the Black-Corner Domain, they were already well aware of certain dark secrets.

For instance, caravans like this targeted outsiders every year, and lone travelers were usually their primary targets.

Since these people generally operated in syndicates, rashly interfering with them—unless one belonged to factions like the Blood Sect, the Black Skull Tomb, or the Eight Sects—would almost certainly result in a dead end.

The girl remained silent for a long time before choking out, "I hate this place!"

Her mother gently stroked the girl's hair, a hint of helplessness and a sigh revealing themselves in her eyes, though she said no comforting words.

While the harsh truths of reality were admittedly difficult to accept, they could prevent her daughter from making critical mistakes and fight for a chance at survival when it mattered most.

The group then vanished into the bustling crowd.

However, the guards and drivers of the caravan did not leave. Controlling their carriages, they remained stationed outside; they rarely chose to enter Peace Town, as the atmosphere and rules within made them feel deeply uncomfortable from the inside out.

"Why has the captain been gone for so long?" A group of men gathered together, gazing down the road they had come from.

Someone suggested, "Why don't we go look for him?"

This idea quickly won approval. Just as they selected a few men and prepared to set off, the sound of hoofbeats reached their ears.

The group looked up, and upon catching sight of the figure on horseback, their pupils violently contracted to the size of pinpricks. Their complexions suddenly shifted, turning exceptionally ugly.

***

Huncang paid them no mind and rode straight to the entrance. Learning that he needed to consume a medicinal pill, he raised no objections and swallowed it immediately.

"Hello, I'd like to ask how I might get in touch with someone inside Canaan Academy?" He did not leave right away.

"Hello, I am Hode, a second squad captain of the Canaan Academy Law Enforcement Team and also a Yellow-tier instructor. Who are you looking for?" a middle-aged man asked.

"Huncang." After politely stating his name, he continued, "Xiao Yu, from Wutan City of the Gama Empire."

"Then you might have to wait a while. Senior Sister Xiao Yu went out on a training journey the day before yesterday and won't be back for at least another month," a student blurted out first.

Hearing this, Hode looked apologetically at Huncang: "Is it an urgent matter?"

"Not particularly urgent." Huncang smiled, then inquired about where to register for enrollment in Canaan Academy before leaving.

He did not mention the names of other members of the Xiao clan; those people had just arrived at Canaan Academy and currently did not seem capable of offering him any assistance.

After Huncang departed, several students behind Hode stared at his retreating figure for a moment, and one of them remarked, "This fellow is no ordinary person."

"Anyone with eyes can see that, alright!" Hode turned around and glared at the speaker. "Mind your own business. Finish registering later, go eat quickly, and then go on patrol. A lot of people have come to Peace Town recently, so make sure no trouble breaks out."

For someone to come to Peace Town alone, aside from sheer good fortune, the only other explanation was formidable strength! Hode pondered inwardly; given the chaotic nature of the Black-Corner Domain, he refused to believe Huncang had walked this far purely on luck.

"He looks like he's not even twenty yet, yet he's already a Seven-Star Dou Shi... Perhaps the opportunity for me to be promoted to a Xuan-tier instructor lies with him." Hode muttered with a trace of excitement.

Selecting a lodging at random, Huncang's first night in Peace Town passed quietly.

The next day.

As soon as he stepped outside and prepared to head toward the registration site, Huncang saw a young man wearing the disciple robes of Canaan Academy walking toward him.

"Hello, I am Instructor Hode's disciple. My name is Lin Gu," the young man introduced himself proactively.

Huncang nodded slightly: "Is something the matter?"

"My instructor would like to invite you to lunch and chat about the entrance examination along the way." Lin Gu eyed Huncang with curiosity. He had been studying under Hode for quite some time and had seen many applicants coming to enroll in the academy during that period.

However, this was the first time—even for him—that he had ever seen Hode treat someone who was not yet an official student with such enthusiasm.

***

"Very well, let's go." Huncang agreed; if there was a straightforward path, it was naturally the best choice.

Along the way, Lin Gu did not lead him to a restaurant, instead bringing Huncang to a private residence.

Hode was sitting in the courtyard, meditating and cultivating. Hearing the knock on the door, he opened his eyes, and upon seeing the figure behind Lin Gu, he walked over quickly with a smile on his face.

"Please, come right in." Hode was extremely enthusiastic, leaving Huncang somewhat startled and suspecting whether the man had somehow seen through his identity.

In truth, last night Hode had learned from several escort caravans that the leader and the second and third in command of a certain convoy had all been killed.

Moreover, the arrival time of that convoy happened to be just slightly ahead of Huncang's.

Later, he had spent some resources to investigate further and confirmed that Huncang had indeed been seen with that convoy.

In other words, apart from being striking in appearance, the young man before him possessed immense strength—at the very least, he was capable of dealing with a Da Dou Shi.

With such a student joining the academy, passing the inner court examination would undoubtedly be an absolute breeze. Hode felt as though he could already see the hope of his own promotion, so how could he possibly restrain his warmth?

Lunch was served at Hode's home, personally cooked by his wife. Huncang was not particularly picky about food, and after a simple meal, they finally broached the main topic.

"Huncang, with your strength, passing the examination will be completely effortless. However, I hope that when the time comes, you will join the class I lead," Hode said with a solemn expression.

Opposite him, Huncang unhurriedly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, "Captain Hode, you yourself said I'd have no trouble passing the test. So why should I join your class?"

He wasn't really here to learn things anyway; anyone could be his teacher as long as the benefits they offered were sufficient!

Hode showed no surprise whatsoever at Huncang's words. How could someone who managed to arrive in Peace Town all by himself possibly be as harmless as he looked on the surface?

He said in a deep voice, "You can state your conditions. As long as it's within my power, I will do my utmost to provide it. To be honest with you, I've been stuck as a Yellow-tier instructor for a very long time, and I hope to ride your coattails to move up a rank."

Sincerity is forever the ultimate killer move... Huncang's gaze fell upon the teacup he was toying with, and he asked, "Can you manage to get me into the inner court as soon as possible?"

"Yes, there is a competition in two months, and I happen to have an allocation slot. I can give it to you!" Hode replied without hesitation upon hearing this.