The Entry-plundering Demon Hunter

"The school rules. Have you forgotten the school rules?"

"If you fight on school grounds, you’ll be expelled!"

Wei Shang glanced at Wei Nan.

He reminded him with a faint smile.

Instantly, Wei Nan snapped out of it, and his explosive temper was immediately suppressed.

The others also looked at each other and smiled.

Seeing that they all looked frustrated, Wei Shang continued, "But if you want to blow off some steam, it’s actually quite simple!"

"What’s the way? Spit it out!"

Wei Nan’s eyes lit up, and he quickly pressed for an answer.

"Go to Jail City!"

"Jail City? What do you mean?"

Lin Yi was also a bit curious.

"Jail City is a lawless zone. Although it’s where the various universities in the New District send students for missions..."

"Actually, I’ve said it before—it’s also a place of exile!"

"Captured demonic beasts and variant beasts are thrown in there, along with the most vicious and evil people!"

"So, besides being called the Land of Exile, it’s also called the Land of Lawlessness!"

"As long as you disguise yourselves so no one recognizes you, nobody will stop you from doing whatever you want!"

After Wei Shang finished speaking, Lin Yi, Wei Nan, and the others all looked at each other and smiled.

’Isn’t this basically a bug in the system?’

The New District’s management of Martial Artists is extremely strict. It’s not just the schools that prohibit fights between Martial Artists.

Even outside of school, it’s not allowed.

If you want to fight, you must arrange it at a place specifically designated for fighting.

But those places are always supervised.

If a real fight broke out, you couldn’t go all out; you’d have to stop after a few exchanges.

But Jail City, just as Wei Shang said, was a land beyond the law.

There, no one cares whether you fight or not.

The Martial Arts Alliance, the Town Martial Department, and the Demon Hunting Bureau won’t intervene.

Even if you kill someone, no one will investigate.

That’s because Jail City is inherently full of dangers and variables; countless students have died tragically to demonic and variant beasts.

Plus, there are Demon Hunters who go there specifically to hunt demonic beasts.

Lin Yi had specifically asked Wei Shang about these kinds of Demon Hunters.

They’re actually just like the freelance Demon Hunters back in the Old District.

It’s just that their goal is very simple: hunt demonic beasts, then sell their corpses and Demon Cores.

All to make more money...

"Don’t say I’m the one who told you this. If you go to Jail City to do this secretly and don’t get caught, there won’t be a problem.

But if you get discovered and someone reports you to the school..."

"The school will definitely hold you accountable. And if it’s murder... well, you’ll be handed over to the Town Martial Department!"

Wei Nan’s expression changed. "What happens if you’re handed over to the Town Martial Department?"

Wei Shang smiled. "The Town Martial Department’s duty is to suppress Martial Artists. They don’t even allow fighting, let alone murder... Think about it yourselves. For a minor offense, you’re exiled to Jail City. For a major one, you’re directly erased. It’s that simple!"

As soon as he said that, Wei Nan’s brows furrowed deeply.

Zhou Qi and Sun Tao also fell silent.

Obviously, they were all a little scared.

After all, if they were really handed over to the Town Martial Department, either outcome would be more than they could bear.

It would be a crime. If you committed a crime in the Old District...

...you might get a fixed-term sentence, thrown in prison for a few years.

Once your sentence was up, you’d be released.

But if you were exiled to Jail City, it wouldn’t be a matter of how long your sentence was.

You’d have to face demonic and variant beasts every day.

You could even be killed if you ran into those students.

You’d live a life on the run, either fleeing or on your way to fleeing.

One day, you might not even know how you died.

And according to Wei Shang, the people who could survive in Jail City...

...all had decent Cultivation Realms, not to mention incredible talent.

People like that were often more terrifying than the demonic and variant beasts. They even took pleasure in hunting students.

This was one of the main reasons why Jail City was so dangerous.

The convicts exiled there, especially the ones who managed to survive...

...they were the real, terrifying nightmare.

"Let’s just forget it. It’s not worth getting ourselves into deep trouble just to blow off some steam!"

Wei Nan immediately backed down.

He shook his head, no longer thinking about getting even.

It was the same for Zhou Qi and Sun Tao; all their earlier bravado was gone.

However, Wei Shang could tell with a single glance.

’They haven’t really backed down, have they? They’re clearly just putting on a show for me.’

’To put it bluntly, they still don’t trust me.’

’But thinking about it, it’s normal for them not to trust me.’

’After all, they don’t know me well. We’ve known each other for two days, tops.’

’If they trusted me that easily, it would just prove that their mindset is too naive.’

’Their tempering in the Old District was far from enough.’

Wei Shang didn’t call them out on it. He just smiled, nodded, and said, "There’s one more thing. You all went to Jail City yesterday and completed your missions, right?"

"After you turn in the mission, there’s a three-day cooldown period!"

"In other words, you’re not allowed to accept another mission for three days!"

"Huh?"

At his words, Wei Nan and the others were all completely astonished.

"We have to wait three days before we can turn in a mission?" Wei Nan looked completely dumbfounded.

Wei Shang laughed. "That’s right. The school does it so you can calm down and focus on your cultivation!"

"After all, it’s better to spend less time in a place like Jail City!"

"And... if you don’t have an active mission, the guards at Jail City won’t let you in!"

"Even if you just don’t turn in your mission, it’s no use!"

"Remember when you went to Jail City? There were places outside like inns, restaurants, and some shops, right?"

Lin Yi and Wei Nan nodded.

Lin Yi, in particular, had a rather deep impression of the place.

’Outside Jail City, it’s like a small ancient town.’

’The whole street is filled with an antique, classical atmosphere.’

’And the shops, restaurants, and inns all have a completely retro style.’

’If I hadn’t seen students in modern clothes going in and out of the shops and inns... ’

’...I really would have thought I’d time-traveled.’

"We remember. Why?" Wei Nan asked, puzzled.

Wei Shang smiled. "Even after you complete your mission, as long as you don’t leave that street, you can enter Jail City as many times as you want!"

"You just have to pay for the inn out of your own pocket, and you’re responsible for your own meals and everything."

"You just need to go back to school and submit the mission before the deadline!"

When he finished speaking, Wei Nan, Zhou Qi, and the others all had a moment of realization.

They finally understood the main reason that street existed.

’So that’s what it’s for!’

"Then why didn’t you say so earlier?" Wei Nan said quickly.

Wei Shang smiled. "You didn’t ask me before!"

"Besides, when you went to Jail City, you didn’t take me and Feng Lei with you. Even if I wanted to tell you, I didn’t have the chance, did I?"

For a moment, Wei Nan’s face turned red.

The others also turned their heads away in embarrassment.

The reason they hadn’t brought Wei Shang and Feng Lei along was that they didn’t trust them.

They were afraid they had ulterior motives and would do something to make them regret it once inside Jail City.

Who would have thought there were so many intricacies to Jail City?

If Wei Shang hadn’t told them so much today, they probably would have had to learn everything the hard way.

"Wei Shang, I have a question. What’s the goal for those students who choose to stay there after completing their missions instead of coming back?"

"Since the mission is done, why not return to school and turn it in?"

Lin Yi asked, also finding it strange.

Just as he finished, Wei Shang snapped his fingers with a sharp ’SNAP’.

"That’s the crux of the matter! Why are there freelance Demon Hunters in Jail City? That’s the reason those students stay there!"

"Cultivating Martial Arts is basically a money pit!"

"If you have ambition and want to constantly improve your cultivation, talent alone isn’t enough. You also need to use all sorts of compound potions!"

"Let me put it this way: compound potions are a supplement. When combined with your talent, the effect is worlds better than for those who don’t use them!"

"And that brings us back to Jail City. Compound potions are very expensive. Even as certified Martial Artists, the monthly stipend you get isn’t nearly enough to buy them!"

"So what do you do? That’s what Jail City is for. You can go inside, hunt demonic beasts, and exchange their corpses for money!"

"You can also accumulate combat experience and raise your Qi and Blood!"

"With the money you earn, you can buy weapons, armor, and all kinds of compound potions!"

"In short, with money, you can do anything!"

"That’s the reason those students stay outside Jail City and don’t leave. Understand?"

Through Wei Shang’s explanation, Lin Yi, Wei Nan, and the others finally understood.

No wonder on the first day they arrived at school, Tang Qinru had given Lin Yi a box of compound potions.

So that was the reason.

"Holy shit, so you’re saying we still have to make money in university? Make money for potions, make money for weapons? Oh right, do they sell Cultivation Techniques or martial skills there?" Wei Nan said hurriedly.

Wei Shang smiled and nodded. "There’s a black market there. You can sell demonic beast corpses and also buy martial skills and Cultivation Techniques!"

"You should know that in the New District, the private sale of these things is strictly forbidden!"

"They’re usually given out as rewards or exchanged for academic credits at school!"

"But, accumulating credits is too slow. A single first-grade martial skill often costs over a thousand credits, and completing one mission only gets you a few dozen. You do the math—how long would it take to earn enough for one first-grade martial skill?"

"So, that’s why the black market exists. As long as you have enough money, you can buy suitable martial skills and Cultivation Techniques. Get it?"

Wei Shang’s words made Lin Yi and the others realize the importance of money even more.

Back in the Old District, Lin Yi had chosen to walk the path of Demon Hunting just to pay the registration fee.

Now that he was in the New District, he had thought he could live a quiet and stable university life.

Who would have thought that the competition in university would be even more brutal?

Lie flat and let it rot? That was impossible. If he wanted to improve, he had to raise his realm.

And the way to improve, besides one’s own talent, was with the crucial assistance of compound potions.

Although Tang Qinru could get compound potions for Lin Yi at a low price, and even for free,

Wei Nan, Zhou Qi, and the others still needed to spend money to buy them.

Even if Lin Yi could ask Tang Qinru to sell to them at an internal price, it would still be a considerable sum.

So, making money once again became the top priority.

"There’s no other way. If we want to improve, we have to keep making money!"

Wei Nan sighed softly.

He turned to look at Lin Yi, Zhou Qi, and the others.

"So, what do you all think? Are you going to lie flat and let it rot, just coast through a few years of university and graduate, or do you want to improve?"

As soon as he spoke, Zhou Qi and Sun Tao didn’t even have to think.

They looked directly at Lin Yi.

It was as if they were all waiting for him to make the decision.

Even Wei Shang and Feng Lei were watching him.

Lin Yi smiled. "Why are you all looking at me? I’m definitely choosing to improve!"

"Besides, Demon Hunting... is my specialty!"

Hearing this, Zhou Qi and Sun Tao nodded.

"We said it before we came to the New District: we advance and retreat together here!"

"If we’re gonna improve, we improve together. If we’re gonna let it rot, we let it rot together!"

"It’s just Demon Hunting, right? Let’s just do it!"

Zhou Qi’s words made Sun Tao nod repeatedly.

"Yeah, I’m following Lin Yi anyway. If he says do it, we do it!"

When he said that, Wei Nan shot Sun Tao a harsh glare.

"Why are you stealing my line? Isn’t that what I always say? Anyway, wherever Lin Yi goes, I go. Whatever he does, I do!"

The group all reached an agreement.

Just then, Wei Shang chuckled and said, "Ahem, let me interrupt for a second... If you’re going Demon Hunting, can you take me and Feng Lei with you?"