365 The Capital Institute 1

Although many years have passed since, the Demon Seal mountain range was still a dangerous place. In this present day, nobody knew which exact clans had waged that savage battle in the mountain range's heart.

People only knew that the Demon Seal mountain range had become a taboo area for the countries. Apart from heading out to battle the demon clan, no one would go beyond the endless mountain range.

There were numerous rumors circulating on the Demon Seal mountain range. However, no one knew just which were real and which were false.

On the first day of school, the front gate of the capital institute was as busy as a marketplace. Crowds of students wound their way up from the foot of the mountain range to its peak. Countless horse carriages were parked at the bottom of the mountain, while a mass of prepped and well-equipped youths marched toward the top - heading towards the place that would change their entire lives.

Walking from the foot of the mountain to the capital institute at its peak would take half a day's journey. In addition, the capital institute clearly stated that no student was to use any special technique to scale the mountain, nor were they to rely on anyone else.

As a result…

A couple of days before school started, many panting and sweating youths were scattered throughout the mountain range, making their way up to the capital institute.

Additionally…

The swordsmen with their heavy swords had it the worst. Just one sword alone could weigh up to a ton It was indeed a tremendous burden.

After alighting from the horse carriage with Liu Huo and the rest, Ji Fengyan noticed a bunch of youths bearing heavy swords. They were all staring at the imposing, cloud-covered mountain peak—their faces pale and miserable even before starting the ascent.

"The capital institute does not allow anyone else apart from students to enter the mountain," the dark guard said while looking mildly at Liu Huo, who was standing by Ji Fengyan's side.

Liu Huo fell into a deep silence.

Ji Fengyan had long heard of this rule. Nevertheless, she had brought Liu Huo along as she was worried about leaving him behind in the capital.

She had earlier sought the dark guard's help in buying a place at the city below the capital institute. This would serve as Liu Huo's accommodation. She would also hand little bat over to him to be his companion.

The little bat looked completely listless after being passed over to Liu Huo. However, no one noticed that.

Liu Huo gazed at Ji Fengyan with a complex expression, but remained silent.

Ji Fengyan stroked Liu Huo's face with a grin. "The institute allows us to descend the mountain once a month. I will come find you then."

Liu Huo nodded passively.

With her things stored inside the Space Soul Jade, Ji Fengyan only carried a backpack full of food items. Waving at Liu Huo, she stepped onto the mountain path.

Liu Huo stood at the foot of the mountain, watching Ji Fengyan's gradually diminishing profile. Even so, his gaze never wavered.

All the way until Ji Fengyan's profile became just a tiny black dot in Liu Huo's vision, the dark guard suddenly inclined his head downward and said in a low voice, "My Lord, the place has been prepared. Kindly head over there."

Slowly drawing back his gaze, Liu Huo nodded without emotion. He eventually boarded the horse carriage with the dark guard and headed toward the nearby city.

While climbing up the mountain road with Bai Ze, Ji Fengyan scanned the breathless youths around her. Students of the capital institute were mostly between the ages of 15 to 20—all budding talents full of bubbling, youthful energy. However, at this moment, all these 'budding talents' looked like they were about to collapse. Having climbed just a short distance from the foot of the mountain, there were already a good number of youths red-faced from exhaustion and looking like they were about to faint…

Ji Fengyan could more or less determine the professions of those youths just based on their reactions.