Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

The Black-Corner Region, due to its unique geography, was arguably the most chaotic area on the entire continent. Countless outlaws and desperate souls flocked here, forging a lawless domain governed by a single rule: survival of the fittest.

This brutal principle was stark and unyielding—here, the weak were dominated by the strong, stripped of any rights. The region teemed with diverse races, a microcosm of the Dou Qi Continent itself.

High-level cultivation techniques, Dou Skills, pills, rare herbs, and treasures—items scarce elsewhere—were commonplace here, often brought by fugitives from unknown corners of the continent. Many were ill-gotten, making the Black-Corner Region the continent's infamous black market.

Yet, amid this darkness, a beacon of purity shone: Jia Nan Academy, a testament to the adage that extremes give rise to opposites.

Jia Nan Academy stood as a sanctuary in this lawless land.

___

Three days passed in a flash, uneventful and smooth.

Inside his small room, Xiao Bai sensed something and stepped out. He glanced at the overcast sky, a hallmark of the Black-Corner Region, then fixed his gaze on a distant town nestled between two towering mountains, faintly visible in the haze.

"Peace Town. We're here."

"Students, prepare yourselves! This is our final destination!"

A robust voice, laced with the aura of a Dou Wang, boomed across the convoy, stirring the once-quiet Cloud-Wing Giant Eagle into a clamor.

This was one of the academy's escorts, a precaution rooted in lessons learned from past bloodshed. Despite Jia Nan Academy's formidable reputation in the Black-Corner Region, it had made many enemies, necessitating vigilance. Fortunately, this journey had been free of attacks—a stroke of luck.

The convoy landed on an open field outside Peace Town. The first sight to greet the students was a menacing, gnarled tree at the entrance, its black trunk exuding an eerie chill. Among its twisted branches hung corpses, swaying in the breeze with a bone-chilling creak.

The freshmen, unaccustomed to such a grim spectacle, paled. Some broke out in cold sweats; others retched.

"This is the Dead Soul Tree," the Dou Wang elder announced, standing before it. "Once, it was adorned with countless bodies, including one Dou Huang and two Dou Wangs."

"Look closely. This is why Jia Nan Academy stands firm in the chaotic Black-Corner Region. It's your first lesson: within Peace Town, you're under the academy's protection. But beyond these borders, the Black-Corner Region follows one rule—survival of the fittest. The weak end up hanging on trees like this. So, tell me, do you still have any excuse to slack off in your cultivation?"

The elder's voice rang out, commanding the attention of all the newcomers.

"Now, your instructors will lead you into Peace Town. From there, you'll board griffins to Jia Nan City and enter the academy!"

Xiao Bai watched the scene calmly, overhearing whispers from older students. This was a longstanding tradition—every batch of freshmen faced this sobering introduction.

Under Instructor Ruo Lin's guidance, the group entered Peace Town. As they passed through the gate, a strange ripple swept over them.

"No need to panic, students," Ruo Lin reassured those startled by the sensation. "This is Peace Town's detection mechanism, used to identify anyone wanted by Jia Nan Academy."

Xiao Bai noted her diligence with a touch of sympathy. She's got a good heart, always hands-on. Other instructors delegated to senior students, but Ruo Lin personally tended to her group.

___

Jia Nan Academy was surrounded by a vast primeval forest teeming with high-tier magical beasts, making it a perilous region.

Standing atop a griffin, Xiao Bai gazed at the green expanse below, recalling that the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk, guarded by the Snow Demon Sky Ape, lay somewhere in these woods.

No rush. I'll search for it when the time comes.

An hour later, the outlines of a sprawling city emerged in the distance. Xiao Bai was astonished—even from the air, he couldn't grasp its full scope, a testament to its grandeur.

The griffin convoy landed before a majestic stone gate, its elegant design adorned with four bold, flowing characters: Jia Nan Academy.

After entering, Ruo Lin guided the group through the necessary paperwork, then assigned senior students to show the newcomers around.

"Xiao Bai, Xun Er, Xiao Yi Xian—stay behind," Ruo Lin called, her voice carrying a note of expectation.

"Tomorrow, we'll assign classes. I hope you'll join my class, Huang Class Two," she said, her eyes hopeful.

Instructors at Jia Nan Academy were evaluated not just on their cultivation but on their students' performance, the key factor in their rankings.

Xun Er and Xiao Yi Xian glanced at Xiao Bai, their intent clear: Wherever he goes, we go.

Ruo Lin, seeing this, gave Xiao Bai an exasperated look. What charm does this guy have to keep these exceptional girls orbiting him?

"So, Young Master Xiao, care to do your instructor a favor?" she asked, half-teasing.

"When's the Inner Academy selection?" Xiao Bai replied, unfazed. At the Xiao Clan, he'd kept his cultivation low-key to avoid drawing the Soul Hall's attention and endangering his family.

In the original story, it was unclear how the Xiao Clan had been exposed. Xiao Yan was only a Da Dou Shi at the time, and while Yun Lan Sect's Yun Leng sought revenge, how had the Soul Hall pinpointed the Wu Tan City Xiao Clan? There were countless Xiao families across the continent.

The likely answer was systematic screening—any family surnamed Xiao reaching a certain cultivation threshold would be investigated. Thus, Xiao Bai had stayed discreet at home.

But at Jia Nan Academy? Time to make some noise.

"You want to join this year's selection?" Ruo Lin frowned. "You know it picks only fifty students, all seniors with at least mid-tier Dou Shi strength. The top few are even Da Dou Shi. Are you sure?"

Xiao Bai didn't respond with words. Instead, he unleashed his aura. Instantly, Ruo Lin's breath caught, her eyes widening in shock. "Dou… Dou Ling!"

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