The moment they crossed the threshold into Peace Town, the oppressive, rancid air of the Black-Corner Region vanished completely. It was replaced by a clean, vibrant atmosphere. The streets were wide and flawlessly paved. Warm lights spilled from taverns, medicine shops, and inns. People were laughing, haggling, and walking casually.
"Heavens..." one of the Jia Lie youths whispered, looking around in utter bewilderment. "It feels just like the merchant district back home."
"It is a sanctuary," Ruo Lin informed them, turning around with a weary but comforting smile. "Because it is already night, and the griffins need to rest and be fed specialized spiritual meat, we cannot proceed immediately. We will stay in Peace Town tonight, and depart for Jia Nan City—where the actual outer academy is located—tomorrow morning."
She led the exhausted group down the bustling main street.
As they walked, Yoriichi's keen senses picked up on the bizarre dynamics of the town. He saw massive, heavily scarred mercenaries with blood-stained axes strapped to their backs sitting quietly at outdoor tea stalls, sipping their drinks with the polite manners of royal scholars.
Every time a heavily armored patrol of the Law Enforcement Unit walked past, the mercenaries would subtly lower their heads, radiating an almost comical level of obedience.
'The fear of the tree works perfectly,' Yoriichi thought, thoroughly amused by the sight of bloodthirsty killers acting like docile sheep.
Ruo Lin soon stopped in front of a large, respectable-looking establishment named the Tranquil Willow Inn. She quickly booked several rooms for the group.
"Alright, listen up," Ruo Lin addressed the recruits in the lobby. "You have the rooms for the night. You are free to take a stroll in the town to relax your nerves, buy some food, or browse the local stalls. But," she raised a stern finger, "you must return to the inn before the deep night bell tolls at midnight. Anyone caught wandering after curfew by the Enforcement Unit will spend the night in a very unpleasant holding cell. Understood?"
"Yes, Teacher!" the youths chorused, though most of them looked too exhausted to even consider walking another step.
Ruo Lin handed out the heavy brass keys. Because of the limited space in the high-end inn, some students were paired up. Coincidentally, Yoriichi was assigned a room with his sister.
They climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor and unlocked their designated door.
The room was spacious and clean, containing two large, plush beds covered in thick, woven quilts. A small wooden table sat by a window that overlooked the bustling street below.
The moment the door clicked shut, Xiao Yu didn't even bother taking off her boots. She let out a dramatic, soul-deep groan and simply fell forward like a felled timber. She face-planted directly into the mattress of the nearest bed, her arms going limp.
"I am dead," Xiao Yu mumbled into the quilt, her voice completely muffled. "My spine has fused with that griffin saddle. Do not perceive me. I belong to the mattress now."
Yoriichi stood near the door, a faint, amused smile touching his lips. He set his small travel pack down on the wooden table. He had spent the entire twelve-day flight casually leaning against the railing, passively absorbing worldly energy without expanding a single drop of effort. He was completely refreshed.
"I am going for a stroll," Yoriichi announced quietly, not expecting an argument.
Xiao Yu simply raised one hand with a weak, floppy thumbs-up, too exhausted to form words, before dropping her arm back onto the bed.
Yoriichi quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Stepping out of the inn, Yoriichi allowed himself to be swallowed by the vibrant night life of Peace Town. For the next hour, he simply walked. He didn't have a specific destination; he just wanted to feel the rhythm of this unique ecosystem.
He wandered through the bustling marketplace. The stalls here were vastly different from Wu Tan City. Because it bordered the Black-Corner Region, the goods were incredibly exotic and often soaked in dark histories. He saw merchants casually selling high ranks magical beast cores, rare, venomous herbs, and ancient, rusted weapons pulled from fresh corpses.
Yet, the transactions were handled with utmost civility. There was no shouting, no threats of violence. When a massive, scarred brute accidentally bumped into a fragile-looking old merchant, the brute instantly bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, sweating profusely as he apologized, his eyes darting nervously toward a nearby Law Enforcement patrol.
'A fascinating paradox,' Yoriichi mused, leaning against a wooden pillar and watching the interaction. 'They are all demons hiding in human skin, forced to play house because a bigger, more terrifying demon holds the leash. It is an artificial peace, but a highly effective one.'
His stomach gave a slight rumble, reminding him that he hadn't eaten a proper, grounded meal in nearly two weeks.
He found a small, quiet noodle stall tucked away in a well-lit alley. He ordered a large bowl of clear broth noodles with steamed vegetables and a side of fried fish. He ate slowly, savoring the simple, comforting flavors, his mind drifting toward the impending challenges of the Jia Nan Academy.
After paying the stall owner with a few silver coins, Yoriichi began the leisurely walk back to the Tranquil Willow Inn.
He ascended the stairs with his usual, ghostly silence. He reached his room and pushed the heavy wooden door open, expecting to find his sister still face-planted into the mattress.
Instead, he was mildly surprised by the scene before him.
Xiao Yu was sitting up cross-legged on the bed, looking significantly more energized after a short nap. But she wasn't alone. Sitting casually at the edge of the mattress, her lotous-green dress contrasting with the dark quilts, was Gu Xun'er.
The two girls were laughing softly, engaged in a deep, animated conversation about something Xiao Yan had apparently done during the flight.
The moment the door opened, their laughter paused. Both girls turned their heads toward him.
"Oh, you're back!" Xiao Yu smiled, stretching her arms above her head. "Did you find anything interesting in this scary town?"
"Just disciplined mercenaries and decent noodles," Yoriichi replied, his voice calm and even. He walked over to his small travel pack resting on the table.
He didn't want to intrude on their rare, domestic moment of girl-talk. Besides, after walking through the humid streets of the town, he genuinely desired a hot bath.
Yoriichi unclasped his pack, pulling out a set of clean, dark indoor robes and a fresh cotton towel. He slung the towel over his broad shoulder.
"I am going to the communal washroom down the hall to clean myself," Yoriichi informed them smoothly, turning back toward the door.
Xiao Yu hummed happily, rubbing her stomach. "Sounds good. Take your time! I think I've finally recovered enough energy to go downstairs and order some actual food. I am starving."
"Do not wander far," Yoriichi advised gently, glancing at both of them.
"We won't," Xun'er replied, offering him a soft, polite smile.
Yoriichi offered a brief nod in return. He stepped out of the room, closing the door with a soft click, and made his way down the dimly lit corridor toward the inn's washing facilities, completely unaware of the curious conversation that was about to spark in his absence.