Wood Style And Sharingan

Xiahai City was strategically located, surrounded by the sea on three sides. This natural barrier made the city easy to defend and difficult to attack. Its excellent geographical positioning had always been one of its greatest strengths.

As they approached the city gate, the signs of recent turmoil became more and more evident. The once-imposing city wall, towering dozens of meters high, now looked battered and weathered. Numerous large holes, hastily patched with makeshift repairs, marred its surface. Below the walls, the battlefield's scars were still fresh—deep craters of various sizes littered the landscape, and the massive corpses of monsters lay scattered across the ground.

It was clear that the recent beast tide had taken a heavy toll on Xiahai City.

"Who goes there?" a voice bellowed from atop the city wall as their wooden cart rolled up to the gate.

"We're from Huaihai College," Yun Ming replied calmly, bringing the cart to a stop.

After a short pause, a small window in the gate creaked open. A guard inside peered out, eyes narrowing as he examined the group.

"Proof of identity," he demanded.

Yun Ming smiled and flicked out a badge with practiced ease. The guard caught it deftly and scanned the information engraved on it. After confirming its authenticity, he nodded.

"Open the gates!"

The heavy wooden doors groaned as they swung open, allowing the cart to slowly enter the city.

"Teacher Yun Ming, I've been waiting for you."

A cheerful voice rang out behind the gate. A woman in a form-fitting short skirt approached with a bright, charming smile. She looked to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Her curvaceous figure was accentuated by the tight outfit, and her short, refreshing hairstyle gave her an energetic and approachable aura.

"Teacher Lan Feng, long time no see," Yun Ming greeted with a smile, guiding the cart into a nearby parking area.

"Let me introduce you," he said as they disembarked. "These two are students from Huaihai College—Smith and Yan Yue."

"This is Teacher Lan Feng from Xiahai College."

"Hello, Teacher Lan Feng," Smith and Yan Yue greeted with polite bows.

"Hello!" Lan Feng replied with a warm grin. "If I'm not mistaken, you two are the double S-level freshmen from Huaihai College, right? You look like a perfect pair."

Her lively smile was infectious, lightening the mood around her.

"The principal's been waiting for you," she continued. "Come with me."

Compared to Huaihai City, Xiahai City was noticeably smaller. The recent beast tide had left it eerily quiet. The streets were largely empty, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by a heavy silence.

As they walked, Lan Feng returned Yun Ming's badge. "Here you go," she said sweetly. "It's been a while since we last met. Teacher Yun Ming, you've gotten even more handsome."

Yun Ming chuckled. "And you're more beautiful than ever. If I were a bit younger, I'd chase after you."

"You're not that old," Lan Feng replied with a wink. "There's still a chance."

Watching the banter unfold, Smith was surprised. He had always thought Yun Ming was the calm and reserved type, but apparently, he could be quite charming when he wanted to be.

Soon, they arrived at Xiahai College, located in the city center. Although smaller and less prestigious than Huaihai College, it was still an impressive institution.

The campus was quiet, with only a few students scattered about. As the group entered, more students began to gather, curious about the newcomers.

"Who's that girl? She's gorgeous… I've never seen her before."

"When did such a stunning goddess show up? Is she a new transfer?"

"Do we even have transfer students this semester?"

A group of male students eyed Yan Yue with undisguised admiration. Their fiery gazes didn't go unnoticed by a few nearby girls.

"You guys only know how to stare at girls. Didn't you notice that the boy next to her is just as good-looking?" one girl scoffed.

"Yeah, he's totally my type," another chimed in.

"Hmph. He's alright, I guess. Not that impressive," a skeptical voice added.

The murmurs and whispers never reached Smith or Yan Yue. Under Lan Feng's guidance, they were soon led to the principal's office.

Knock, knock, knock...

Lan Feng knocked three times, then pushed open the door.

"Principal, the guests from Huaihai College have arrived," she announced.

"Ah, perfect timing!"

A chubby, bald man in his fifties sprang up from the sofa. His face broke into a wide grin as he approached Yun Ming and the students.

"Teacher Yun Ming, welcome!"

"Hello, Principal Chen," Yun Ming replied, shaking his hand warmly.

"Let me introduce our students—Smith and Yan Yue," he added.

"Ah, the famous double S-level freshmen!" Principal Chen beamed. His round face creased with joy, and his eyes nearly disappeared into the folds of his cheeks. Despite his age and title, the principal had a friendly, almost grandfatherly demeanor that made people feel at ease.

After a few minutes of pleasantries, Yun Ming got down to business.

"Principal Chen, the main purpose of our visit is to investigate the cause of the recent beast tide activity. Over the past two weeks, both Huaihai and Xiahai Cities have faced beast tides, and the timing makes us suspect there's a common instigator."

Principal Chen's expression grew serious. "We've had similar suspicions. But as you know, we just endured a level four beast tide. Our defenses took a massive hit, and most of our personnel are tied up strengthening the city's fortifications. We currently lack the manpower to launch a proper investigation."

Beast tides were categorized from Level 1 to Level 7 based on the highest-ranked monster present in the horde. A Level 1 beast tide meant the strongest monster was of the first rank, and so on up to Level 7.

The last known Level 7 beast tide had occurred two hundred years ago in the Holy King City—a catastrophe that marked the beginning of the Holy Empire's decline.

The recent tide in Xiahai City had been a Level 4 event. Over a dozen Rank 4 monsters had assaulted the city, and for a time, it seemed as if the walls would fall. Xiahai's strongest psychic was only Rank 4, and they had no Rank 5 defenders. If Jiang Lei and his elite squad hadn't arrived in time, the city might have been lost.

"That's why our principal sent us to help with the investigation," Yun Ming continued. "Principal Chen, do you have any leads we can follow?"

"We do," Principal Chen replied, nodding gravely. "We've gathered preliminary evidence suggesting that this may be the work of a group called the Burning Fire Clan."

"The Burning Fire Clan?" Smith echoed, his brows furrowed. The name sounded familiar.

He recalled Yan Yue mentioning them before—when they had encountered a mysterious beast tide and some unknown enemies. She had claimed the attackers belonged to the Burning Fire Clan.

Yun Ming also frowned. "The Burning Fire Clan… They've been unusually active lately. We definitely need to look into them."

Turning to Lan Feng, Principal Chen said, "Lan Feng, I want you to accompany Teacher Yun Ming and the students. Assist them in any way you can and get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, Principal!" Lan Feng responded with a respectful nod.

"If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave now," Yun Ming said, rising from his seat.

The group exited the office, Lan Feng walking alongside them.

"Teacher Lan Feng," Yun Ming said with a thoughtful expression, "do you have any suggestions on where we should begin our investigation?"

Lan Feng looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

"The City of Sin," she said confidently.

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