After casually swatting a Dou Huang expert to death, Xiao Lin's expression remained as calm as a still lake. After all, once you've done it a few times, you tend to get used to it. Besides, this wasn't the first Dou Huang to fall by his hand; he felt no psychological burden whatsoever. If anyone was to blame, it was Jing Gui for his foul mouth.
With the threat eliminated, Xiao Lin naturally shifted his gaze toward the five members of Jia Nan Academy.
Under the scrutiny of a strange Dou Zong, the pressure was immense—not just for the four students, but even for Huo Dian, a Dou Wang. Although this mysterious powerhouse had shown no malice and had just saved their lives, who knew if he had other hidden motives?
One couldn't blame Huo Dian for being wary; this was the Black-Corner Region, after all. "Knowing a person's face but not their heart" was the golden rule here.
This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened. Years ago, a faction in the Black-Corner Region attacked the Academy, only for another group to "save" them—yet the second group turned out to have even more sinister designs. Had it not been for the two guardian elders, Qian and Bai, the Academy might have fallen. Thus, Huo Dian kept his guard up, his muscles tensed.
Xiao Lin noticed these small defensive gestures but didn't say anything. In the Black-Corner Region, if you killed everyone you met, you'd certainly hit some innocents, but if you spared every second person, you'd definitely let half the villains go free. That was the reality of this place. He wasn't angry at Huo Dian's caution.
Xiao Lin descended from the air and began walking toward the group. This movement caused Huo Dian's tension to spike.
"We thank Senior for your life-saving intervention," Huo Dian spoke up when Xiao Lin was about five meters away. His nervousness was palpable. "Once we return to the Academy and report to the First Elder, there will surely be a grand reward. Might we ask for Senior's name?"
Huo Dian lowered his posture significantly. Regardless of the man's intent, when facing a Dou Zong, humility was the only logical choice. Even though the man looked to be about his own age, in a world where the strong are revered, the one with higher achievement is the senior. Calling him "Senior" was perfectly appropriate.
"There's no need to be so tense. I have no ill will toward you," Xiao Lin replied with a light chuckle, stopping his advance to give them breathing room. "I simply saw you leaving the apothecary earlier and noticed this fellow tailing you with bad intentions, so I followed along. As it happens, I have some business at Jia Nan Academy, so I decided to step in."
"By the way, my name is Lin Xiao. I've only recently arrived in the Black-Corner Region."
Xiao Lin offered a fake name, pulling a move from his future grandson's playbook by simply reversing his surname and given name. He admitted to himself that he was terrible at naming things. From now on, in this unrestrained persona, he was Lin Xiao.
Huo Dian had just begun to breathe a sigh of relief at the first half of the sentence, but when he heard that Xiao Lin had "business" at the Academy, his guard slammed back up. He completely glossed over the introduction.
"W-what? Senior, you are going to Jia Nan Academy?" Huo Dian asked, his voice uncertain.
He immediately suspected that Lin Xiao was following the old playbook—using a "favor" to infiltrate the Academy for some nefarious purpose. If that was the case, Huo Dian decided he would die before letting this man succeed. Once again, the Elder prepared himself for a martyr's end.
Seeing Huo Dian's expression shift so dramatically, Xiao Lin realized there was a misunderstanding.
I tried to be careful, but I'm still being doubted. Is the reputation of people in the Black-Corner Region really this bottom-tier? I've barely even been here! Xiao Lin grumbled internally.
To prevent this hot-tempered Elder from doing something drastic, Xiao Lin waved his hand and took a deliberate step back.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I want to go to the Academy, yes, but I don't have any 'motives.' I simply want to... apply for a job."
Huo Dian blinked, completely bewildered. Apply for a job? He understood the words individually, but the concept felt alien in this context.
"Senior... could you be a bit more specific?" Huo Dian asked, looking lost.
"Alright, let me put it simply," Xiao Lin said, looking at the confused Elder. "I wanted to ask: is Jia Nan Academy currently hiring Elders? I was wondering if, with my level of strength, I might be qualified to hold a position as an Academy Elder?"
Xiao Lin had thought about this for a long time. He planned to stay in the Black-Corner Region for a while. Rather than finding a random house where he'd have to sleep with one eye open every night, why not join the Academy? It was safe, he could lead students on missions for "tempering," and most importantly, he'd have easy access to the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. It was the perfect setup.
He couldn't help but admire his own wit.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Huo Dian and the four students behind him stood frozen, their mouths hanging wide open.
Good Heavens... a Dou Zong wants to apply to be an Elder at our Academy?
To the five of them, it felt as though the sun had truly risen in the west. The idea was simply beyond belief.
"Um, Senior Lin... did I hear you correctly? You wish to serve as an Elder in our Jia Nan Academy?"
Huo Dian asked once more, convinced he was hallucinating. The shock of Xiao Lin's words was simply too much to process.
As for whether a Dou Zong was qualified to be an Elder at Jia Nan? That wasn't even a question—they were overqualified. Even in the vast and competitive Central Plains, a Dou Zong could hold an Elder position in a first-rate sect, let alone in the Northwest's premier academy. In fact, a standard Elder position was almost beneath the dignity of a Sovereign-level expert.
"You didn't hear wrong," Xiao Lin replied calmly. "I wish to utilize the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower for my cultivation. However, given my current level, it's obviously inappropriate for me to enroll as a student, wouldn't you agree? Therefore, applying for an Elder's post is my only logical path."
Xiao Lin didn't lie about his motive. His primary goal was indeed the tower—or more specifically, the Fallen Heart Flame within it. Since breaking through to the Dou Zong realm, he had noticed his cultivation speed slowing down significantly. While his Rank 2 Gathering Qi Array helped, why settle for one boost when he could have two?
Ju Ling Zhen + Fallen Heart Flame... The thought of that combined efficiency made Xiao Lin's heart race with "Lao Liu" excitement.
Huo Dian finally accepted that Xiao Lin was serious. However, while the man seemed sincere, a lingering doubt remained. A wandering Dou Zong suddenly wanting to "work" at the Academy sounded too good to be true.
"Senior Lin, I understand your intent," Huo Dian said hesitantly. "But I cannot make this decision. In the Principal's absence, the final authority lies with our First Elder of the Inner Academy, Su Qian. So..."
Xiao Lin smiled, waving off the Elder's concern. "I understand your caution. How about this: let these four students return to the Academy first to relay my request to your First Elder. You and I will follow at a slower pace. This will give me time to ask you some questions about the Academy, and give your Elder time to prepare. What do you think?"
Huo Dian's eyes lit up. This is perfect! Not only would the students be safe, but he could stay behind to "scout" this mysterious powerhouse. If this stranger had any hidden malicious intent, Huo Dian would be the first line of defense to warn the Academy.
Furthermore, Xiao Lin's willingness to let the students go first proved his lack of ill intent. If he wanted to infiltrate by force or deception, he wouldn't let "informants" run ahead to the First Elder.
If this Senior Lin truly joins us, Huo Dian thought, his pulse quickening, the Academy's deterrence over the Black-Corner Region will reach a whole new level! Our students will be safer than ever.
"Then let us proceed according to Senior's arrangement!" Huo Dian agreed, struggling to suppress his excitement.
The four students were dispatched immediately, instructed to report everything—including the death of Jing Gui and "Lin Xiao's" application—to First Elder Su Qian. Once the youths vanished toward the horizon of Heping Town, Xiao Lin and Huo Dian began a leisurely stroll in the same direction.
As they walked, Huo Dian tried every subtle trick in the book to fish for Xiao Lin's background, while Xiao Lin focused on learning the internal politics of the Academy. It was during this conversation that Xiao Lin learned Huo Dian's full name and specialty: he was a Tier 4 Alchemist and an Elder of the Outer Academy.
Huo Dian... an Alchemist... an Elder... Xiao Lin's eyebrows twitched. Wait, isn't this the 'Elder Huo' mentioned in the original story? He marveled at his luck; he had stumbled upon a canon character right out of the gate.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lin fed Huo Dian his "Lao Liu" cover story:
- Name: Lin Xiao.
- Origin: A "rogue cultivator" from the Central Plains (Zhongzhou).
- Arrival: Just arrived in the Black-Corner Region today.
Xiao Lin chose the Central Plains as his fake origin for a specific reason: it was impossible to verify. If he claimed to be from the Northwest, the Academy's vast intelligence network would expose him in days. But a traveler from the mysterious Central Plains? That was a black hole for information.
As they approached the border of the "Peace Zone," Xiao Lin looked toward the distant Academy, his new identity firmly established.