“Southdream City is truly huge!” As Wu Yuan laid his eyes upon the grandeur of Southdream City, he was filled with genuine admiration. In his previous life, he had witnessed interstellar metropolises with populations nearing a billion, but that was the wonder of technology. In the interstellar era, no one constructed walls nearly 30 meters high, stretching for tens of li! To Wu Yuan, Southdream City was a delightful novelty.
“Haha, Southdream City boasts a population in the millions. In the Jiang Continent, very few of the other fifteen provincial cities can rival its grandeur,” Wu Xiong laughed heartily. “Only Cloudhill City and Ninecaves City can be considered slightly larger than Southdream. Even on a global scale, Southdream City can still be considered a large city.”
Wu Yuan couldn’t help but nod in agreement. During his time at the martial academy, he gained some knowledge about the geography of the world. Each of the thirteen continents was vast and expansive, yet not all boasted a distinct continental city. Though the Jiang Continent was divided into sixteen provinces, it lacked a continental city!
As for Cloudhill City and Ninecaves City, Wu Yuan was well aware of their significance. When the Chu-Jiang Empire first collapsed, the Cloudstride Sect swiftly gained control over Hillstride, Cloudhill, Baihu, and Southdream – ensuring that the four provinces remained relatively unscathed by the horrors of war. However, the Battle of Hillstride cost them the Hillstride Province, reducing the Cloudstride Sect’s territory from four provinces to three.
Cloudhill City, the heart of Cloudhill Province and the headquarters of the Cloudstride Sect, naturally surpassed an ordinary provincial city in population, size, and infrastructure after centuries under the sect’s rule. Ninecaves City, on the other hand, served as the core city of the four provinces under the jurisdiction of Chu Ping, the ruler of the Baijiang Kingdom.
The Jiang Continent is mostly comprised of flat terrain with only a few hills, but many large intersecting rivers. Throughout the Middle Land, only the Dong Continent, the Chu Continent, and the Holy Continent can match its prosperity. Wu Yuan sighed to himself.
The true heart of the thirteen continents lay in the Central Plains, which encompassed the seven most influential continents.
“Young Master, let us enter the city,” Wu Xiong suggested with a warm smile.
“Mm,” Wu Yuan nodded in agreement.
The group on horseback slowly proceeded along the official route into the city. The bustling pedestrians and traders who caught sight of the character ‘Stride’ displayed on their horses all made way for them. In the Cloudstride Sect, the outer sect members wore the character for ‘Stride’, and the members of the headquarters wore the character for ‘Cloud’.
As they approached the city gate, an imposing structure that stood over ten meters tall and almost twenty meters wide, the gatekeepers halted their caravan. With meticulous care, they inspected each identity badge before courteously granting them passage.
Once inside the city, Wu Yuan was met with a vibrant scene. “How prosperous,” he exclaimed as he rode on horseback, his eyes sweeping across the bustling streets. The wide stone-paved road, spanning tens of meters, was immaculately clean and organized.
Rows of shops and buildings lined up, with some towering six to seven stories high. The streets were packed with bustling pedestrians, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. While Li City was prosperous in its own right, it paled in comparison to Southdream City, especially when it came to the number of people on the streets.
Taking in his surroundings, Wu Yuan noticed several formidable martial artists passing by, some even appearing to be Adept experts. There were far more martial experts here than in Li City.
The books were right. Logically, each county should give rise to several first-rate Adepts, so why are they rarely seen?
The reason was simple: most first-rate Adepts wouldn’t choose to stay in a county city. These cities lacked resources, were isolated from outside news, and provided no opportunities to spar with equally skilled peers. The provincial city, being the central hub of a province, attracted a massive amount of resources. Among its population of millions were numerous first-rate Adepts who had migrated from the surrounding counties. Even Savant experts could be spotted occasionally.
Once I reach the headquarters of the Cloudstride Sect, the concentration of strong martial artists will only increase! The same goes for the Holy Capital of Great Jin and those few sacred martial arts sects.
This was the aggregation effect of the elites!
The Southdream Martial Academy was only ten li from the south gate which they had entered the city from. However, Wu Yuan, Gu Ji, and Wu Xiong took a detour through a quieter street, spending a quarter of an hour on horseback to reach their destination. The city was simply too crowded.
Of course, the sights and sounds along the way deepened Wu Yuan’s understanding of the Middle Land. While the architectural and business standards still fell short of the Human Federation in his previous life, they were undoubtedly an improvement compared to the ancient dynasties of the Blue Planet.
“To my surprise, I haven’t witnessed a scene where a spoiled young noble tries to snatch a commoner maiden in the middle of the street,” Wu Yuan jokingly remarked. The streets were filled with weaving pedestrians. Through Wu Yuan’s sharp gaze, he witnessed a fair share of thievery and minor offenses, but anything more severe? Not a single one.
“Haha, the reign of the Chu-Jiang Empire was a chaotic one indeed,” Wu Xiong chuckled. “In my youth, there were bandits who brazenly murdered on the city streets in broad daylight, and the officials were powerless to enforce the law.”
“Ever since the Cloudstride Sect took full control, the outskirts of cities remained somewhat chaotic, but within the municipalities, ordinary cavaliers no longer dared to commit crimes wantonly.”
“As for the offspring of powerful clans? Of course, many shady deeds are still conducted in secret,” Wu Xiong stated. “But openly defying the sect’s laws and rules? That’s seeking death! The Inspection Hall isn’t just for show.”
Wu Yuan gave a slight nod. These past few days, his interactions with Wu Xiong and the others had deepened his understanding of the Cloudstride Sect. The Finance Hall, which held the greatest financial power and controlled major construction projects, was a department that no one was willing to offend. The Inspection Hall, with its combined duties of patrolling, judging, and detaining, was a department that struck fear into the hearts of all under the Cloudstride Sect!
“Young Master, look,” another guard said, pointing to something in the distance. Wu Yuan and the others turned their gaze in that direction. They had arrived at the Southdream Martial Academy.
As one of the three tertiary martial academies of the Cloudstride Sect, Southdream Martial Academy housed nearly 10,000 disciples and occupied a vast expanse of land, at least ten times the size of the Li County Martial Academy. The entrance gates themselves were grand and imposing.
“All visitors must dismount!” A group of city guards stood at the academy entrance, led by a stalwart man in heavy armor. From the aura he exuded, Wu Yuan estimated him to be a third-rate Adept at minimum. Wu Yuan, Wu Xiong, and Gu Ji dismounted from their horses.
“Greetings, Captain,” Wu Xiong approached, presenting a token. “We are here on orders from the sect. Please inform the academy of our arrival.”
The captain could tell that the group before him was an unusual one. After quickly checking the token, he soon broke into a smile, “Ah, so you are colleagues from Li City. Welcome to Southdream City. Which one of you is Wu Yuan?”
“I am,” Wu Yuan stepped forward.
“Mm, I will make arrangements for someone to inform them. The martial academy should have prepared for your arrival,” the captain said.
Wu Yuan nodded in acknowledgment.
Before long, a woman in blue robes swiftly approached, flanked by several men in purple. Even from a distance, it was apparent that disciples along the roads of the martial academy showed great deference to them, bowing as they passed by.
The woman? Wu Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. He could perceive that the woman in blue robes possessed remarkable strength.
“Wu Yuan, this is Xie Yu, a special instructor of the martial academy, and currently serving as an inspector,” the guard captain respectfully introduced the newcomers.
“Special instructor?” Wu Yuan wore a look of surprise. Unlike the county martial academy, one had to be a second-rate Adept to take on the position of a formal instructor at the Southdream Martial Academy. As for a special instructor? At least a first-rate Adept!
“Greetings, Senior Xie!” Wu Yuan bowed respectfully, as did Wu Xiong and the other guards, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
“So, you’re Wu Yuan?” Xie Yu’s expression was rather cold, not a hint of a smile on her face.
“Yes,” Wu Yuan nodded.
“Very well, your abilities as a special recruit need to be personally verified by the headmaster. However, he is currently away on an external inspection and will return in a few days. For now, you will stay at the Radiant Hall,” Xie Yu stated indifferently. “Instructor Chen Qing, you will be responsible for showing Wu Yuan to his accommodation, and will act as his host during this period.”
“Understood, Inspector,” a middle-aged man responded.
“Wu Yuan, follow me,” the man known as Chen Qing said casually, leading the way toward the martial academy. Wu Yuan followed closely, making his way through the imposing gates of the academy.
However, his guards, including Wu Xiong, were halted by two purple-robed instructors accompanying Xie Yu. Wu Yuan paused mid-step, puzzled by this unexpected development.
“Senior Xie, we are Wu Yuan’s personal guards, assigned by the sect to ensure his safety,” Wu Xiong felt compelled to explain.
“Sect orders? Since when is a mere hundred-soldier captain of a county qualified to discuss matters of the sect with me?” Xie Yu’s voice dripped with icy disdain.
This left Wu Xiong and his fellow guards dumbfounded.
“The Southdream Martial Academy is a key location within the sect, not somewhere any Tom, Dick, or Harry can waltz into. For the next few days, Wu Yuan will be residing at the academy, which will take responsibility for his safety. Once his capabilities have been verified, we will inform you when it is time to retrieve him.”
At this point, even the dozen or so city guards could sense that Xie Yu was intentionally targeting Wu Yuan’s guards. Even if she was following the rules of the sect, was there a need for such rudeness?
After speaking, Xie Yu seemed ready to turn and walk away, as if she couldn’t be bothered to deal with Wu Xiong and his companions.
Wu Xiong and the other soldiers exchanged glances, feeling deeply wronged. Yet, they didn’t dare rebut in the slightest. In terms of status, an inspector from the tertiary martial academy held nearly the same weight as a vice headmaster. Even the county mayor would have to show deference when greeting one. And in terms of power? The woman was a first-rate Adept!
This scene made Wu Yuan frown slightly. He had no grudges or grievances with this Xie Yu. And logically speaking, even if they didn’t welcome his arrival at the Southdream Martial Academy, there was no need for such rude treatment.
A first-rate Adept? Wu Yuan didn’t care in the slightest. However, for the time being, he couldn’t reveal his true strength. It was now the end of noon break and many students from the martial academy were starting to return from outside the campus. Quite a few people were casting curious glances in their direction, after all, Wu Yuan’s entourage was quite conspicuous.
“Inspector Xie is here? It looks like she’s here to pick someone up.”
“What’s happening?”
“No clue!”
“Those people seem to be city guards from a small county, could they have provoked the inspector?” Murmurs filled the air as the martial academy disciples watched the spectacle.
“Inspector Xie, am I eligible to enter?” A gentle voice suddenly rang out.
The voice was not loud, yet it startled several instructors, numerous disciples, and even the city guards. The onlookers turned to the source of the voice in unison. Did someone just dare to challenge Inspector Xie?
A trace of joy involuntarily seeped out onto the faces of Wu Xiong and his group.
“What qualifications do you have…” Xie Yu turned around, her expression full of contempt. Just as she was about to reprimand Gu Ji, she saw the token he flashed within his palm for a fleeting second.
Her pupils contracted. The others might not have seen it clearly, but as a first-rate Adept, she knew what it was. In an instant, she understood the other party’s identity.
Without waiting for Xie Yu to speak again, Gu Ji smiled and repeated himself, “We are ordered by the sect to protect Wu Yuan. Inspector Xie, I wonder if we are qualified to enter the martial academy?”
All eyes were on Xie Yu, waiting for her response. Her expression shifted several times. After a long moment, she finally announced in a glacial voice, “Captain Wu, let them in!” Without wasting another moment, Xie Yu strode away, leaving behind a bewildered group of instructors.
The guard captain, initially taken aback by Xie Yu’s quick change of heart, quickly regained his composure and plastered a smile on his face. “Please come in, everyone,” he said, beckoning them forward.
“Let’s go in.” Gu Ji said lightly. Wu Xiong and the others all revealed smiles, swaggering into the martial academy alongside Wu Yuan.
The scene left the martial academy disciples dumbfounded. The formidable Inspector Xie actually backed down and allowed them to enter?
“Wu Yuan, if you would be so kind as to follow me,” beckoned Instructor Chen Qing, growing increasingly polite in his shock. There was even a hint of flattery in his tone. As he looked at Gu Ji, his eyes were filled with reverence.