Chapter Sixty-One: The Path of Corruption

Under the lingering charm of the setting sun, ten horned horses drew ten open carriages, each filled with children around ten years old. There was nothing to shield them from the elements, and the convoy moved at a measured, unhurried pace. Seated at the front of each carriage was a mage or a warrior; the six admissions officers from Sky Profound Academy occupied the first six carriages, while four young mages in robes sat two to each side of the remaining four.

A host of young men and women, averaging about twenty-five years old, surrounded the carriages. Some wore mage robes and carried staffs, others bore an array of weapons across their backs. Silent, they walked alongside, their presence lending a stifling air to the procession.

The atmosphere grew oppressive. Some timid children could not help but let tears well in their eyes. Glancing back at the receding Antawei City, and the increasingly indistinct shapes of loved ones, their tears deepened—some slid unnoticed down cheeks, but not a single child cried aloud.

Suddenly, a piercing, anguished scream echoed through the ranks, causing the children to turn toward its source. More cries followed, this time from the children themselves. Wang Luo, who had been meditating with eyes closed, opened them to glance at the grisly scene nearby—blood spilling, heads rolling—and then, expressionless, resumed his cultivation.

A little girl, overwhelmed by the horror, finally broke down and began to sob for her parents, her cries sparking a chorus of wailing among the other children. Wang Luo opened his eyes wordlessly, noticing the girl clutching his arm and weeping as if her heart were breaking. He did not pull away; he, too, had known such helplessness, and had once cried for that very reason.

"O omnipresent spirit elements, heed my summons, comfort these poor souls, deliver them from sorrow... Spiritual Consolation!"

As Wang Luo's words faded, a rune flickered briefly, followed by a gray halo that shimmered and settled over the crying girl. She stopped weeping at once, gazing in wonder at the warm, gentle light that enveloped her, as if she had returned to her mother's embrace.

On Wang Luo's carriage, several other children who had been crying ceased their tears as well, looking up at him with admiration.

"O omnipresent spirit elements, heed my summons, comfort these poor souls, deliver them from sorrow... Spiritual Consolation!"

A child's voice echoed behind Wang Luo. He turned to see a little girl not far away, holding a tiny magic wand and solemnly reciting the spell. Witnessing this, several children who had learned the spell quickly joined in, their voices rising across the carriages as gray halos appeared over the sad, weeping ones.

"Thank you! My name is Lisa. You're amazing, you can cast magic!" Lisa's voice came from beside him. Wang Luo smiled faintly, said nothing, and closed his eyes to resume his cultivation, knowing that restoring his strength was his priority.

The young men and women walking alongside exchanged knowing smiles as they watched the halos flicker—years ago, when they had made this journey, those with magical talent had also cast this spell.

Most eyes focused on Wang Luo; though this was merely an entrance test, it revealed much already.

Croak, croak, croak...

The convoy had just departed when a harsh, unpleasant sound came from behind. The children turned curiously to see a flock of glossy black birds, each the size of a duck and resembling crows, swooping toward them.

"Oil Ravens!"

Wang Luo’s mind instantly supplied the name and description: Oil Ravens, their feathers black and shiny, feared fire above all else—contact with flames would ignite them instantly. Carnivorous, but not magical beasts, their attack power was low and they fed on corpses of animals or humans.

He had remembered correctly. The flock circled the fresh bodies for a while, and, sensing no danger, descended upon them, squawking raucously as they tore at the flesh.

As the children listened to the disturbing cries and watched the ravens feast, many who had just calmed down went pale, and before long, some could not help but vomit.

"In the Sky Profound Continent, the law of the jungle is eternal. In the Land of Fallen Souls, this law is played out to its extreme. Here, the weak are destined to be devoured by Oil Ravens. If you do not diligently cultivate, one day, you may find yourselves lying there."

An aged voice drifted through the air, echoing in every child's ears. Many faces grew paler still.

Croak, croak...

The unpleasant and somewhat terrifying cries sounded again. The children involuntarily looked over to see the Oil Ravens, having finished their meal, screeching as they flew away, leaving behind a faintly visible skeleton on the yellow earth, as if silently imparting a warning.

The carriages continued on, and the children, once lively, fell silent again. The oppressive atmosphere thickened.

Wang Luo’s eyes flashed with confusion at the old mage’s words—was this truly a school? It felt as though they were being trained to become assassins.

Unable to make sense of it, and with his spiritual senses settled, Wang Luo abandoned his cultivation and began to observe his surroundings, eager to see what made the infamous Land of Fallen Souls so fearsome.

As the carriages moved forward, a faint, barely perceptible scent of blood reached Wang Luo’s nose. Bones of unknown origin began to appear here and there along the ground, and Wang Luo, who watched closely, noticed the earth itself changing color—from its original yellow to a dull, reddish-brown.

Gradually, more children noticed the pungent smell of blood and wrinkled their noses. Some clever ones recalled the earlier spell and began to cast magic.

"O omnipresent wind elements, heed my summons, transform into gentle breezes, dispel the evil of this world... Cleansing Wind!"

A little boy invoked the spell, a blue rune flickered, and a light breeze arose, dispersing the bloody scent. But after a single breath of fresh air, the odor returned and filled the space once more.

Others encountered the same result; they glanced at one another, ultimately looking toward Wang Luo, remembering he had been the first to cast Spiritual Consolation.

Just then, the old mage’s voice sounded again, drifting amid the pervasive blood-scent, reaching every child.

"Magic is not omnipotent. Some things must be faced and accepted in time. This is only a simple entrance test—no one is permitted to cast any more spells. You will grow accustomed to it, slowly."

Azure Dragon of the Otherworld, Chapter 61: The Path of Fallen Souls—update complete!