C12 Chu Lin Went to the Raven's Pass

"What did I just say?" Zhu Sheng asked, puzzled.

"Senior Brother, you mentioned there was a notice from the outer court," Yang Hu blurted out, unable to contain himself. Witnessing such an odd steward, everyone was struggling to suppress their chuckles.

Zhu Sheng seemed to suddenly realize something. He reached into his pocket again, but quickly, he said with an embarrassed tone, "Folks, my apologies, I forgot to bring the outer court documents with me."

Everyone was at a loss for words.

"No way? He just wiped his nose with the outer court documents. How could he forget that?" Yang Hu whispered incredulously.

"He's not forgetful," Chu Lin interjected. As he spoke, his eyes scanned the forest behind Zhu Sheng, and a subtle smile crossed his face.

In the forest, three figures stood silently atop a large tree, surveying the scene below.

"Damn, Zhu Sheng did that on purpose! He dares to show such disrespect to the outer court documents," one of the young men exclaimed angrily.

"He managed to cripple Wang Yuanlin's legs and still holds a managerial position in the outer court. Many in the league hesitate to cross him. Zhu Sheng must have some tricks up his sleeve," another observed, standing in the center with a folding fan in hand. He appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen. He nodded thoughtfully and added, "Still, Wang Yuanlin may be a wastrel, but he's the grandson of Presbyter Wang Qirui and a member of the Heaven's Edge League. Let's have Heaven's Edge take out Zhu Sheng; that way, they can curry favor with Presbyter Wang."

"To be in Captain Liu of Heaven's Edge's sights while in the outer court is quite fortunate for Zhu Sheng," the last one remarked sycophantically.

After a moment, the three youths turned and departed.

Chu Lin withdrew his gaze and shook his head slightly. Being too distant to overhear their conversation, he couldn't catch their words. Yet, having advanced to the third level of Body Tempering, Chu Lin's senses had sharpened. He could sense that they were being watched, and those observers bore animosity towards them.

Naturally, this animosity wasn't aimed at him, but at Zhu Sheng on the platform.

It's often said, "Where there are people, there will be conflict." Even though the Martial Academy is revered as the Sanctuary of Cultivation in the Southern Region, Chu Lin had a profound grasp of that adage. This place was far from the tranquil haven it appeared to be on the surface.

The assembly on the open field wrapped up swiftly. Zhu Sheng didn't linger and departed promptly. Yet, the servant disciples remained, engrossed in discussions about the new policy of taking a month off after a month of work.

Ultimately, Chu Lin and Yang Hu found themselves in the first group scheduled for a break.

"Brother Chu, this is our opportunity!" Yang Hu exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"Opportunity?" Chu Lin responded, puzzled.

"Don't you know, Brother Chu?" Yang Hu noticed Chu Lin's perplexed look and elaborated, "There are only two ways for a servant disciple to ascend to the outer court. The first is to be taken on as a disciple by a presbyter or a notable figure in the outer court, though the odds of that are slim. The second is to collect ten first-level beast cores and present them to any presbyter in the outer court. Then, you can become his nominal disciple, which makes you an outer court disciple."

Chu Lin nodded in understanding. When it came to knowledge of the Martial Academy, he certainly had much to learn from Yang Hu. Chu Lin was completely unaware of these rules. However, acquiring ten beast cores was no small feat.

Beast cores are the concentrated spiritual energy of feral monsters, whose power matches that of a Body Tempering martial cultivator. Their strength is categorized from first to ninth level.

The physique of feral monsters is exceptionally robust, and each possesses a unique ability. Typically, a martial cultivator must be significantly stronger than a feral monster to defeat it completely. Compounding the challenge is the fact that not all feral monsters contain beast cores.

This rarity inflates the value of beast cores considerably. Ten first-level beast cores could rival the annual expenses of a top-tier mercenary group in Ironhold.

"So, Tiger, you're suggesting we seize this month to hunt feral monsters, gather beast cores, and make a leap to becoming outer court disciples!" Chu Lin said, his smile reflecting a sudden surge of boldness. The greater the challenge, the more driven a person becomes. And he had the added motivation of confronting House Mu, far off in Ironhold.

"Kill the feral monsters?" Yang Hu's mouth gaped open dramatically, followed by an expression of admiration. He thought to himself, "Chu actually wants to take down feral monsters. I'm quite embarrassed by comparison. I was only hoping to try my luck and maybe find a beast core."

If Chu Lin were aware of Yang Hu's thoughts, he would surely feel a sense of resignation.

Beast cores were incredibly valuable, yet Yang Hu was hoping to just stumble upon one.

"Tiger, do you know where the outer court disciples typically get their beast cores from?" Chu Lin inquired.

"The closest place to us is Raven's Pass. It serves as an entry point to the entire mountain range. Usually, a lot of outer court disciples enter the mountains from there. However, most of them stick to the outer areas. Rumor has it that even the presbyters don't dare venture too far inside," Yang Hu pondered before responding.

"We're heading to Raven's Pass!" Chu Lin decided, and they both embarked on their journey.

Duskhaven is a small town just outside Raven's Pass, frequented mostly by martial cultivators. Ordinary people are a rare sight here. The town isn't governed by the Martial Academy, and its proximity to Raven's Pass has naturally led to the emergence of several small factions. The League, a coalition of mercenaries and the Martial Academy, stands as the central power.

Since Raven's Pass is on the outskirts of the mountain range, the more formidable martial cultivators don't bother with it. It's typically visited by those in the Body Tempering Realm, with the occasional Spiritual Martial Realm cultivator passing through.

After half a day's travel, Chu Lin and Yang Hu finally reached Duskhaven at twilight.

"Chu, we should stock up on some essentials here before we head into Raven's Pass tomorrow," Yang Hu suggested, pulling out a small pouch of gold coins.

Chu Lin gave him a brief look but remained silent.

"Brother Chu, Raven's Pass might be on the outskirts, but it's fraught with danger. We should invest in a decent weapon to be prepared," Yang Hu added.

Chu Lin kept his silence.

"Brother Chu, if we have enough money, we could also get some ointment to ward off mosquitoes," Yang Hu said as he began counting the coins. Midway, a realization struck him, and he looked up at Chu Lin with concern. "Brother Chu, is everything okay? You haven't said a word for a while now."

Chu Lin halted and remarked, "Bro, I forgot to bring my wallet."