C12 Chu Lin Went to the Black Wind Gorge.

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

"Senior Brother, you mentioned a notice from the Outer Court," Yang Hu blurted out, unable to contain himself. The sight of such an odd Manager had everyone struggling to suppress their giggles.

Realization dawned on Zhu Sheng. He reached into his pocket again, but then, with an embarrassed chuckle, he admitted, "Folks, my apologies—I seem to have left the Outer Court's documents behind."

The crowd was left at a loss for words.

"No way! He just wiped his nose with those documents. How could he forget so quickly?" Yang Hu whispered incredulously.

"He's not forgetful," Chu Lin interjected, his eyes scanning the forest behind Zhu Sheng as a subtle smile played across his lips.

Hidden within the forest, three figures stood silently atop a large tree, taking in the scene below.

"Damn, Zhu Sheng did that on purpose! The nerve of him, showing such disrespect to the Outer Court's documents," fumed one of the young men.

"He managed to cripple Wang Yuanlin's legs and still holds a position as Manager in the Outer Court. Many in the Alliance hesitate to cross him. Zhu Sheng must have some tricks up his sleeve," another observed, fanning himself thoughtfully. He appeared to be in his late teens. "Still, Wang Yuanlin is Elder Wang's grandson and part of the Sword Edge Alliance. If they take out Zhu Sheng, they'll earn Elder Wang's gratitude."

"To be in Captain Liu of the Sword Edge Alliance's sights while in the Outer Court is a stroke of luck for Zhu Sheng," the third youth added, his flattery evident.

After a moment, the trio turned and left the woods.

Chu Lin withdrew his gaze and shook his head slightly. He was too far to catch their words, but his senses, now heightened from reaching Body Tempering Level Three, told him they were being watched with malice—not directed at him, but at Zhu Sheng on the platform.

The saying goes, "Where there are people, there is strife." The Martial Academy might be the South Territory's sanctuary for martial cultivators, but Chu Lin knew the truth of that adage all too well. Beneath its serene exterior, tensions simmered.

The assembly on the clearing wrapped up quickly. Zhu Sheng departed without delay, but the servant disciples lingered, buzzing with talk of the new one-month-on, one-month-off work schedule.

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

"Mr. Chu, this is our opportunity!" Yang Hu exclaimed with excitement.

"Opportunity?" Chu Lin echoed, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Don't you know, Mr. Chu?" Seeing Chu Lin's clueless look, Yang Hu elaborated, "There are only two paths for servant disciples to join the Outer Court. The first is to be taken in by an Elder or a prominent figure from the Outer Court—though that's rare. The second is to collect ten Rank One Beast Cores and present them to any Elder. Then you become their nominal disciple and join the Outer Court."

Chu Lin nodded, acknowledging his lesser familiarity with the Martial Academy compared to Yang Hu. He had been unaware of these rules, and ten Beast Cores was no small sum.

Beast Cores were the condensed essence of a Barbarian Beast's Spiritual Energy.

A Barbarian Beast's power was on par with a human at the Body Tempering Stage, with ranks spanning from one to nine.

Yet, these beasts were formidable, each possessing a unique ability. Typically, a martial cultivator would need to far surpass a Barbarian Beast in strength to defeat it. And frustratingly, not all Barbarian Beasts contained a Beast Core.

This scarcity made Beast Cores quite valuable—ten Rank One cores could equate to a year's expenses for a top-tier mercenary group in the Great Barbarian City.

"So, Hu, you're suggesting we use this month to hunt Barbarian Beasts, gather Beast Cores, and leapfrog into the Outer Court?" Chu Lin said, a smile breaking out as he felt a surge of boldness. Greater challenges always fueled his drive, especially with the distant Mu Mansion of the Great Barbarian City in his sights.

"Hunt Barbarian Beasts?" Yang Hu's mouth dropped open in astonishment before he looked at Chu Lin with admiration. "To think Mr. Chu intends to hunt Barbarian Beasts... I'm embarrassed to admit I was just hoping to get lucky and stumble upon a Beast Core."

Chu Lin would have been exasperated had he known Yang Hu's thoughts. Beast Cores were a rarity, and yet Hu hoped to simply find one.

"Hu, where do Outer Court disciples usually find Beast Cores?" Chu Lin inquired.

"The nearest place is Black Wind Gorge, an entrance to the mountain range. Outer Court disciples often venture there, though most stick to the outskirts. Rumors say that even the Elders dare not delve too deeply," Yang Hu replied after a moment's thought.

"Let's head to Black Wind Gorge!" Chu Lin decided firmly, and together with Yang Hu, they embarked on their journey.

Black Wind Town was a quaint settlement on the outskirts of Black Wind Gorge. It was a place frequented mostly by Martial Cultivators, with scarcely any ordinary folk in sight. The town wasn't governed by the Martial Academy, and its proximity to Black Wind Gorge had naturally led to the rise of minor powers. The Alliance, a coalition of Mercenary Groups and the Martial Academy, stood as the central force.

Black Wind Gorge, situated on the fringes of the mountain range, didn't attract the more formidable Martial Cultivators. It was mainly those in the Body Tempering Stage who ventured there, with the occasional Spirit Martial Stage practitioner passing through.

After a long half-day's trek, Chu Lin and Yang Hu finally reached Black Wind Town as the evening sky began to darken.

"Mr. Chu, we should stock up on essentials here before we venture into Black Wind Gorge tomorrow," Yang Hu suggested, pulling out a small pouch of gold coins.

Chu Lin gave him a brief look but remained mute.

"The Gorge might be on the outskirts, Mr. Chu, but it's fraught with peril. We ought to invest in a decent weapon to ensure we're prepared," Yang Hu pressed on.

Still, Chu Lin kept his silence.

"If our funds allow, we should also consider some medicinal ointment for our skin—it's quite effective at keeping the mosquitoes at bay," Yang Hu said, untying his coin purse and beginning to count the contents. Midway through, a sudden realization struck him, and he looked up at Chu Lin with concern. "Mr. Chu, is everything okay? You've been quiet for a while now."

Chu Lin halted and admitted, "Brother, I forgot to bring money."