The Inner Wall

Bai Xuan walked along the street leading to the inner district.

However, the scene from the Adventurer’s Guild earlier that morning kept flashing through his mind.

Kami’s sly smile and the hostility from Harvey Cross were like shadows hanging over his head.

The temporary invitation from the Nightshade team might not be entirely reliable, but it was likely his only hope for now.

A goblin nest... a standard Bronze Rank mission. It was the perfect opportunity to test the team’s chemistry and demonstrate his own value.

The crisis had been delayed, but it was far from resolved.

He thought of the Hammerfall badge he had received from Owen’s team; perhaps it would prove useful when the time came.

Now that he had the basic identity of an adventurer, it was time to solve the problem that gave him the biggest headache.

His Class...

The gatehouse of the Inner Wall soon appeared at the end of his vision.

Unlike the practical and sturdy gates of the outer wall, the inner gates were taller and more ornate, with exquisite relief carvings decorating the stone surfaces.

The guards were noticeably better equipped, wearing uniform breastplates and carrying halberds.

Bai Xuan quickly scanned them with his panel; they were all Lv.3 Guards.

The flow of people entering and exiting was also of a much higher status.

There were nobles and merchants riding in carriages adorned with family crests.

A few high-level adventurers or casters with distinctly different auras...

And a scattering of peddlers and adventurers in simple clothes, walking with their heads down, seemingly afraid of being noticed.

As Bai Xuan approached, his appearance and clean white robe caused the guards to subconsciously adjust their stance.

The guard’s voice carried a formulaic inquiry: “Please present your entry permit or transit documents.”

“I have just arrived in this town and do not have a permit yet,” Bai Xuan said, stopping with a calm expression.

The guard was slightly surprised and looked him over carefully once more.

Young, remarkably handsome, with a gentle and clean temperament—he looked like a traveling scholar or a low-ranking cleric, yet he lacked any obvious insignia.

The guard quickly composed himself and spoke professionally. “Those without a permit must pay an entry fee of 50 silver coins. This is only valid for passage today.”

Fifty silver coins.

This number caused Bai Xuan’s fingers to pause as he reached for his coin purse.

Without changing his expression, he counted out the coins and handed them over. Hearing the faint clink of the silver coins falling into the guard’s leather pouch, he felt a pang of genuine regret.

The cost of simply stepping through this gate was equivalent to a month and a half’s rent at the White Lion Inn.

He thought of the commoners in the outer town who haggled over a few copper coins.

He remembered the relief and hope in Aunt Martha’s voice when she mentioned her son joining an adventure team...

This wall separated more than just districts.

Here, wealth had become the most basic passport.

After stepping past the Inner Wall, the change in environment was even more striking than he had imagined.

The stone path beneath his feet was flat and clean, with almost no debris or stains to be seen.

The streets were much wider, enough for multiple carriages to pass side-by-side.

The buildings on either side were no longer the cluttered shops and crowded dwellings common in the outer town, but orderly courtyards, merchant associations with clearly marked signs, and heavily guarded manors.

Pedestrians were far fewer, and the boiling shouts of vendors, clamor, and the noise of wheels and livestock from the outer town were absent.

In their place was a deliberately maintained silence and a sense of detachment.

He saw a noble lady dressed in a long silk gown with an intricate hairstyle, strolling accompanied by her maid.

When a high-ranking adventurer covered in dust and carrying a greatsword approached from the opposite direction, the lady didn’t even raise her eyes.

She simply unfolded a small, exquisite folding fan to half-mask her face while lightly stepping half a pace to the side, as if avoiding a cloud of invisible, foul air.

The adventurer didn’t stop, his bronze face expressionless, though his hand tightened slightly around the hilt of his sword.

More of the “respectable” people simply ignored any traces from the outer town.

A young noble riding a tall horse showed no intention of slowing down or turning when approaching several adventurers who were talking and laughing in low voices.

It wasn’t until the mount was almost about to collide with them that the adventurers scrambled to dodge to the side of the road.

The corner of the young man’s mouth seemed to twitch into a smirk as he rode straight past.

The air was thick with an invisible order—a cold sense of superiority built upon wealth and status.

Bai Xuan walked in silence, taking in every detail.

The string in his heart, which had loosened slightly after obtaining his adventurer status, began to tighten again.

The Inner Wall was a place where a different set of rules operated.

Following Jiwa’s directions from memory, he turned several street corners until a stone building even more grand than the Adventurer’s Guild appeared before him.

The Class Hall.

Its scale wasn’t necessarily much larger than the guild, but its style was vastly different.

The lines were harder and more square, with few decorations on the outer walls except for some ancient, heavy relief bands depicting swords, shields, staves, and books—symbols of various classes—creating a quiet and authoritative atmosphere.

Entering through the open doors, a cool, quiet breeze with a slight scent of calming incense replaced the sunlight from the street.

The interior of the hall had an incredible ceiling height, with light streaming in from long, narrow stained-glass windows high above, casting several tranquil pillars of light onto the polished, mirror-like dark stone floor.

The first thing to capture one’s gaze was the towering pure white statue standing in the center of the hall.

Standing over ten meters tall, its lines were smooth and abstract, with no facial features or gender characteristics—only a divine posture that seemed to embrace all things while transcending any specific form.

At the base of the statue, magic lamps were arranged in a ring, burning eternally and emitting a soft, steady white light. The faint fragrance in the air seemed to originate from there.

Many people entering or leaving, regardless of their status, would unconsciously slow their pace when passing the statue, even slightly lowering their heads or nodding as if performing a silent tribute.

Surrounding the central statue and the vast space were six large arched corridors, each leading to a different area.

Above each door was a distinct relief insignia and ancient text labels:

【Warrior Branch】 (Crossed sword and axe)

【Agility Branch】 (Bow and floating feather)

【Heavy Armor Branch】 (Greatshield and battlements)

【Arcane Branch】 (Elemental orb and stars)

【Mystery Branch】 (Runes and geometric arrays)

【Divine Branch】 (Chalice and outstretched wings)

It was clear that the first three physical-type corridors had the most people.

Short lines had even formed; most were dressed in leather or mail armor and carried weapons, and their conversations were relatively casual.

In contrast, the three magic-type corridors were much quieter.

The few people entering or leaving were dressed in robes, with quiet manners and reserved temperaments, and their exchanges were brief and hushed.

Standing near the entrance, Bai Xuan’s gaze quickly swept across the entire hall, taking in the layout, the flow of people, and the atmosphere.

The feeling here was completely different from the “marketplace vibe” of the Adventurer’s Guild, which was full of noise and mission handovers.

It felt more like a... sacred and rigorous academy.

After a moment of thought, he walked toward a spot on one side of the hall that looked like an inquiry desk.