Chapter 162: The Sin City of Black Wind

Black Wind City was the mandatory pass for anyone heading toward Dragon Soar Academy, and simultaneously the darkest place in the entire Dragon Soar Continent. It gathered a vast number of desperate outcasts from across the realm. These individuals possessed immense strength; if they were to unite as a single force, they would be scarcely weaker than any of the four major sects. Unfortunately, to this day, no one had ever managed to unify Black Wind City.

At the same time, Black Wind City served as a formidable protective barrier for Dragon Soar Academy. In fact, many residents within the city originally hailed from the academy. Although the people here lacked all discipline, not a single soul dared to violate the majestic authority of Dragon Soar Academy.

Everyone here understood why the major sects of the Dragon Soar Continent had never come to exterminate them. First, once individuals entered Black Wind City, regardless of how heinous their past crimes might be, they virtually never left again. Second, the people here had never committed any acts detrimental to Dragon Soar Academy. Under this tacit understanding, a delicate balance had been forged between the two sides.

Over time, an unwritten rule took root across the Dragon Soar Continent: regardless of who someone was or how grave their offenses, once they stepped foot into Black Wind City, practitioners of the Profound Gate would cease their pursuit. Yet, by the same token, the denizens of Black Wind City were forbidden from leaving for the rest of their lives; should they do so, they would be barred from ever setting foot in the city again.

There were only two unwritten laws in Black Wind City. The first: during the enrollment period of Dragon Soar Academy, no one was permitted to interfere with those passing through, or else they would be placed on a city-wide extermination blacklist.

The second law was even simpler: here, right and wrong were determined not by whether you possessed reason, but by whether your fists held sufficient power.

After Lin Xiaobao gave the three of them a general overview of everything concerning Black Wind City, he said, "Even so, everyone must still exercise caution once we enter the city. After all, there are no gentle souls here, and certainly no reasoning to be found!"

Upon hearing Lin Xiaobao's words, Si Mengling and Nie Feiyan's expressions shifted slightly, whereas the thick-headed Wang Dashaha paid it no mind whatsoever.

After taking a brief rest to recover the spiritual energy they had consumed during their journey, the group set off directly toward Black Wind City.

By the afternoon, the four of them finally arrived at the city.

The moment they stepped through the gates, all four of them acutely sensed a faint aura of blood lingering in the air, and the eyes of many passersby even betrayed a bloodthirsty, crimson gleam.

Perhaps because Black Wind City rarely saw youths of such tender age except during the academy's recruitment season, the appearance of the four immediately drew numerous gazes.

Among them, quite a few pairs of eyes unashamedly swept back and forth across Si Mengling and Nie Feiyan's towering bosoms.

"Let's get through this place as quickly as possible!" Lin Xiaobao lowered his voice and said cautiously. Relying on his formidable spiritual sense, Lin Xiaobao discovered that while those around them appeared to be ordinary passersby, apart from three individuals whose cultivation he could discern to be at the Dao Embryo realm, the spiritual realm of the others was completely unfathomable to him.

As they ventured deeper, the crowds on the streets began to thicken. At the same time, the four noticed that although the onlookers' gazes were somewhat peculiar, no one had actually come to harass them thus far, which allowed them to feel a good deal more at ease.

"Esteemed young masters and misses, you all look so distinguished—you must be heading to Dragon Soar Academy to register, right?" As the four passed by a restaurant, a waiter called out with a smile. "In that case, you simply must come inside our Top Scholar Pavilion to sit for a while. At the very least, it'll bring you some good fortune, won't it?"

Lin Xiaobao looked up and, observing various telltale signs around the exterior, easily deduced that the restaurant's signboard had clearly been replaced very recently. He shook his head and replied, "We'll pass. We aren't wealthy!"

"It's public service, we're doing public service!" Seeing that Lin Xiaobao intended to walk away, the waiter continued his enthusiastic pitch. "We're doing public service—food and lodging are completely free!"

"No money? Free food is great!" Wang Dashaha's intelligence always seemed rather worrying whenever the matter didn't concern Nie Feiyan. As he spoke, he started to head toward the restaurant, but seeing that the other three hadn't followed, he stopped in his tracks.

"Young master, rest assured! In Black Wind City, no one dares to offend those bound for Dragon Soar Academy. We merely wish to forge a favorable affinity!" A trace of confusion flickered in the waiter's heart. Did these youths' sects fail to inform them of the rules of Black Wind City before sending them out?

As the city developed, various factions gradually took root within Black Wind City. Whenever Dragon Soar Academy held its admissions, these major factions would find ways to befriend those seeking entry. There was no malice involved; it was purely an investment in good karma, for anyone who managed to reach this place had the potential to become a student of Dragon Soar Academy—meaning they were destined for greatness in the future.

If someone repeatedly refused like Lin Xiaobao did, it would make the hosts lose face. Therefore, regardless of which sect they belonged to, travelers in such situations would usually enter to sit for a while or even lodge for a few days.

Unfortunately, Gu Yixiang had never mentioned this particular custom, and Lin Xiaobao naturally had no way of knowing.

After a brief moment of thought, Lin Xiaobao realized it made sense. The four of them truly didn't possess much that would make them targets for exploitation, and besides, Wang Dashaha had already walked halfway there. Leaving now might genuinely provoke unnecessary conflict. "In that case, we shall impose upon you!"

With Lin Xiaobao making a move, Si Mengling and Nie Feiyan naturally followed. Escorted by the waiter, they stepped into the main hall of the restaurant.

At that moment, the hall was already occupied by quite a few patrons. They glanced at the four newcomers before withdrawing their gazes, returning to drinking and boasting, seemingly long accustomed to such scenes.

Habitually, Lin Xiaobao chose a table by the window, which allowed him to monitor the street outside and provided a convenient escape route should trouble arise.

As soon as the four were seated, the waiter promptly presented a menu, which was surprisingly divided into complimentary and paid categories.

The complimentary items were naturally dishes prepared from ordinary ingredients, whereas the paid options consisted of delicacies crafted from medicinal herbs and spiritual beasts. Judging by the prices, however, they were quite reasonable. After brief consideration, Lin Xiaobao casually ordered a few of the paid dishes. After all, he had never experienced the luxury of eating food made from herbs and spiritual beasts, and furthermore, he was hardly short on cash these days, so he naturally intended to indulge.

The speed at which the dishes were served proved quite impressive. In a short while, a lavish feast was laid out across the table, accompanied naturally by several jugs of fine wine. The waiter spoke with an enthusiastic expression: "Since you've arrived in Black Wind City, you simply must taste our local specialty, 'Azure Rainbow Wine'! Many instructors at Dragon Soar Academy are quite fond of this very brew!"

After the waiter bowed and withdrew, Lin Xiaobao inspected the food and wine item by item. Only after confirming everything was safe did he invite the others to dig in with peace of mind. It had to be said that the Azure Rainbow Wine possessed a remarkably fragrant aroma. Drinking it left a fiery sensation in the throat, which somehow suited the rough-and-tumble ethos of Black Wind City. As for the dishes concocted from medicinal herbs and spiritual beasts, their textures were exceptionally delightful, and consuming them even generated a surge of spiritual energy that settled straight into the dantian.