Chapter 185: Enrolment Assessment!

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed since Ling Feng and Mu Qianxue arrived in the Imperial Capital. It was now time for enrollment registration at the four prestigious academies.

The four renowned institutions in the Imperial Capital were Tianwei Academy, Hailan Academy, Zhenlong Academy, and Wenyuan Academy.

These academies served as hubs for the most exceptional talents across the Tianbai Empire. Regardless of background, individuals with talent and strength were eligible to participate in the enrollment assessment.

However, when it came to scholarly pursuits and martial arts, it was clear that those who truly excelled were predominantly the offspring of prominent clans or sects. Even if they were to join smaller sects, they’d never be any worse than a core disciple. The number of individuals who rose from humble origins to become top talents was exceedingly rare.

Ling Feng's aim was naturally Tianwei Academy. Seeing his choice, Mu Qianxue didn't hesitate and also opted for Tianwei Academy.

Ling Feng woke up early. After preparing himself and having breakfast with Mu Qianxue, they left the inn and headed to the registration office of Tianwei Academy.

At that moment, the square of Tianwei Academy was bustling with activity, filled with people coming and going. It was quite lively.

Every year at this time, young talents from all over the country would travel far to the four major academies, hoping to become students. Some aimed to return home in glory, while others aspired to enter the imperial court and serve the empire.

Among the four academies, Tianwei Academy boasted the strongest overall strength. While the four academies were similar in martial arts prowess, Tianwei Academy offered courses in alchemy, medicine, inscriptions, arrays, forging, cultivation, and more. It covered almost every aspect related to cultivation, ensuring that every student received the most suitable education.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Melodious chimes echoed, marking the commencement of the entrance exams.

By the time Ling Feng and Mu Qianxue arrived at the martial arts square, registration had been underway for about an hour.

It wasn't a matter of them not waking up early enough; rather, the Imperial Capital of Tianbai was simply too vast, and all the inns near Tianwei Academy had been fully booked a month ago.

The two hurried along, managing not to miss the registration.

With nearly a millennium of history, each of the four major academies had well-established rules and systems for the entrance exams.

These exams primarily comprised bone age testing, true qi attribute testing, physical fitness testing, comprehension testing, and willpower testing. Each test was overseen by experienced students and mentors, with several testing areas to ensure efficiency.

After completing their registration, Ling Feng and Mu Qianxue parted ways as they were assigned to different groups and testing areas.

"Good luck. You will definitely succeed!" Ling Feng nodded encouragingly at Mu Qianxue, offering her supportive words.

He discerned that Mu Qianxue's physique was extraordinary, but she seemed entirely unfamiliar with martial techniques. Despite her cultivation reaching the initial stage of the Pulse Formation Realm, she lacked the ability to harness true qi. In Ling Feng's estimation, Mu Qianxue's likelihood of successfully gaining admission to Tianwei Academy was likely not very high.

Nevertheless, he could only assist her to this extent; ultimately, Mu Qianxue's destiny rested in her own hands.

"I will!" Mu Qianxue gazed deeply at Ling Feng, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

Ling Feng was the only one who helped her without any ulterior motives.

With a faint smile, Ling Feng pinched his badge and strode confidently towards Test Area Three.

Mu Qianxue watched Ling Feng's departing figure, and unconsciously, the image of this elegant young man had already become deeply engraved in the depths of the young girl's heart.

......

At Test Area Three.

Outside the main hall, Ling Feng observed many youngsters who had come to register. Some rejoiced jubilantly upon passing the first round of tests, while others, rejected and left outside, wailed and sought desperate measures.

Ling Feng pursed his lips and walked to the back of the line, queuing up for the first round of "bone age" testing.

Bone-age testing, as the name suggests, involved examining bone structure to determine age. Some individuals lied about their age to gain entry into Tianwei Academy, which was quite common. However, such deception was exposed during this initial test phase.

Generally, as long as one's age was below twenty-four, they could register.

In the front and center of the main hall sat an elderly man with long silver robes, overseeing the entire testing process.

Ling Feng couldn't perceive the elder's aura, indicating his formidable strength. Anyone daring to cause trouble would find themselves with no way out but death.

On both sides of the elder, tables were set up with two middle-aged individuals sitting at each, examining the bone structure of each young participant.

"Fourteen years old, qualified!"

"Nine years old, qualified!"

"Seventeen years old, qualified!"

"..."

"Twenty-four and a half years old? Not qualified!"

The two middle-aged men maintained stern expressions, akin to judges pronouncing the fate of each applicant with just a few words.

Some attempting to deceive their way through either slinked away dejectedly or pleaded desperately, weeping bitterly. However, their tearful appeals could not sway the unyielding judgment.

Ling Feng pursed his lips. Those over twenty years old were scarce among the registrants because, according to the rules of the four prestigious academies, one must retire from studies at twenty-four. Therefore, the most suitable age range was from thirteen to eighteen.

Soon enough, it was Ling Feng's turn.

"Extend your right hand," the middle-aged tester instructed with an expressionless demeanor.

Ling Feng complied, extending his right hand. The middle-aged man grasped his arm and lightly patted it a few times. Ling Feng barely caught sight of the man's movements before hearing him speak, "Eighteen and a half years old, qualified!"

Having received his result, Ling Feng then acquired his designated numbered badge from a senior student nearby.

Passing the first round marked the true commencement of the enrollment test.

A wooden plaque with the number 9527 engraved on it signified Ling Feng's position among the thousands of registrants, highlighting the immense turnout for enrollment.

However, the annual admissions to Tianwei Academy usually numbered fewer than a thousand, sometimes even as low as five to six hundred.

At Tianwei Academy, students were categorized into four levels: Sky, Earth, Mystical, and Yellow. Upon enrollment, students were initially classified as yellow-tier students[1].

After six months of training, these yellow-tier students would undergo a major examination. Only those who passed would be promoted to the Mystical-level students. Those who didn't pass would have another chance to participate in the assessment on a later occasion. However, those who still failed to advance before the arrival of the new batch of students would face expulsion from the academy.

In other words, the yellow-tier students each year represented the new intake.

After about half an hour, Ling Feng, holding his badge, reached the testing point for the second round of assessment.

The second round of assessment was for testing one’s true qi attribute.

1. Just a heads up, going forward in the story, the author switches between 'disciple' and 'student' when in the academy setting, even though they essentially mean the same thing. ☜