Chapter 131: Jocelyn Academy

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Lei Hang asked Zheng Wu to visit Eleanor’s beast-taming shop and tell her which inn they were staying at.

By evening, Linghu Yu and Eleanor arrived to reunite with Shen Duo and the others.

News of Luo Hui’s appearance in Lorcadan that afternoon had practically spread throughout the city. Even so, when Linghu Yu and Eleanor saw the alchemist, they were still so excited that they could barely contain themselves.

Since Jocelyn Academy was in the middle of its admissions season, Linghu Yu had important duties to attend to and could not remain in Lorcadan for long.

The group decided to travel to Jocelyn Academy that very night.

Jocelyn Academy was not far from Lorcadan. It took only half an hour to reach it by spirit griffin.

Amid the heavy darkness of night, Shen Duo stood atop the griffin, looking down at Jocelyn Academy.

The academy resembled a centuries-old castle, like a dormant dragon stretching deep into the forest.

Jocelyn Academy was not silent at night. Instead, it seemed even more vibrant. Stripped of the solemnity and accumulated weight it carried by day, it radiated a sense of vigorous life.

The entire complex was brightly lit. Clearly, the students were still cultivating and had not yet retired for the night.

The spirit griffin made a smooth turn in midair and landed on a platform in the central section of Jocelyn Academy.

The moment Chen You leaped down from the griffin, she saw a familiar figure approaching.

“Little Duo, we’ve finally been able to welcome you!” With his towering, sturdy frame, Wei Dong stepped forward and excitedly patted Shen Duo and Feng Jun on the shoulders.

It had been nearly half a month since Shen Duo had parted from Wei Dong at the Port of Normans, and she had missed him quite a bit.

“Brother Wei, how have you been these past few days?” Upon seeing her friend, the usual coldness on Shen Duo’s small face softened considerably as she asked with concern.

Wei Dong rubbed his forehead with his broad palm, his expression utterly sincere. “It’s admissions season, so I’ve been following my teacher around, working day and night. I haven’t even had time to return to Lorcadan. The gatekeeper at my house sent me word that you had arrived there. I wanted to go meet you, but my teacher assigned me another task.”

Wei Dong’s voice was filled with apology. Shen Duo waved a hand at him, signaling that he should not blame himself.

She then introduced Lei Hang and Zheng Wu to Wei Dong.

Ji Qingxue had also come personally to welcome them. When she heard that the alchemist Luo Hui had arrived as well, even Ji Qingxue, a powerful illusionist who was usually indifferent and composed, could no longer maintain her habitual calm. Her bright eyes fixed upon the old alchemist like those of an excited little girl.

The sight left Shen Duo utterly astonished.

Because of Luo Hui, Linghu Yu did not dare neglect the matter. He immediately sent word to Lord Weilan and the headmaster, then arranged the finest accommodations.

The academy was at its busiest. After exchanging only a few words with them when they arrived, Wei Dong was called away again.

Shen Duo, Feng Jun, Lei Hang, and Zheng Wu followed someone to their lodgings. At that moment, no one had enough time to look after them personally.

The group took it in stride. After wishing one another good night, they agreed to go out early the next morning and explore the renowned academy.

Meanwhile, upon hearing that Luo Hui had arrived, Lord Weilan met with him that very night.

At dawn the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened, the clear calls of birds sounded outside the window. Shen Duo awoke from her sleep and went to the window.

The plaza below was already filled with students dressed in academy uniforms. Some had illusion beasts with them, while others carried long swords of every shape and color. The atmosphere was remarkably harmonious.

The scene reminded Shen Duo of her days at the military academy in her previous life.

The corners of her lips curved slightly upward. After washing up, she changed into an exquisite black illusionist’s robe and tied her hair into a ponytail. Along with the faint smile on her lips, the look lent her a fresh and spirited air.

Lou Jingbai and Benyi, both cultivation fanatics, were cultivating inside the illusion-beast space and had not accompanied Shen Duo.

When she opened the door, she saw two handsome gate guardians standing outside.

Shen Duo was startled. “How long have you two been waiting?”

“Not long. Little Duo, I just got here.” Lei Hang gave her a hearty smile.

Feng Jun let out a cold snort and shot him a glance as sharp as an icy blade.

Shen Duo looked at the two men in confusion. She truly could not understand why they seemed to clash whenever they were together. Their families had no grudge between them, either.

The moment they reached the entrance of the dormitory building, Wei Dong was already waiting there.

The building had been prepared for the new students of the current intake. Since admissions were not yet complete, Wei Dong had temporarily arranged rooms for Shen Duo and the others there. As a result, the dormitory was unusually empty. It contained several hundred rooms, yet hardly anyone could be seen.

Wei Dong took them to Jocelyn Academy’s dining hall for breakfast, then led them on a tour of the academy.

Jocelyn Academy was divided into the Ziyuan Branch and the Zhouxing Branch. The Swordsman Branch belonged to Ziyuan.

Each branch was divided into four levels of classes.

Beginner Training Class—from illusionists to grand illusionists.

Intermediate Training Class—from grand illusionists to spirit illusionists.

Advanced Training Class—from spirit illusionists to nine-star spirit illusionists.

Special Training Class—for experts of the Heaven Rank and above.

The swordsmen were classified in the same way.

With Shen Duo’s strength as a Sword King, she would be assigned to the Special Training Class if she entered the Swordsman Branch.

Of course, in addition to the Swordsman Branch, Jocelyn Academy also had the Beast-Taming Branch and the Alchemy Branch, both of which existed independently of the Ziyuan and Zhouxing Branches.

However, those two branches had always been pitifully small.

The group soon arrived at a marble-paved plaza. At its center stood a small statue of the Goddess of Holy Light, holding an olive branch in her hands.

The plaza was surrounded by enormous circular platforms. Transparent barriers shimmered around each one.

“Little Duo, these are the combat arenas of Jocelyn Academy. Starting from here and moving from left to right, the arenas increase in rank.”

Wei Dong pointed toward one of the platforms. “Look. A challenge is taking place over there!”

Following the direction of his finger, they saw that one of the platforms was indeed crowded with people.

After that, they visited Jocelyn Academy’s library, alchemy chambers, illusionist cultivation rooms, beast-taming rooms, and many other places.

Jocelyn Academy was simply too vast. After walking all morning, they had explored only a small portion of it.

Finally, Wei Dong brought them to an enormous plaza covering several thousand square meters.

What astonished them was not the plaza’s size, but the immense flow of people gathered there.

Shen Duo noticed several rows of tables set up at the far end of the plaza. Beside each table stood a magic stone testing tablet, while behind every table stretched a line of people hundreds of meters long.

Shen Duo blinked and looked at Wei Dong. “Brother Wei, is this Jocelyn Academy’s admissions site?”

Wei Dong nodded with a smile. A few days earlier, he had been working himself to exhaustion here. It was only because he had requested leave from his teacher the previous night that he had found the time to accompany Shen Duo and the others around the academy.

Shen Duo swallowed. The crowd in the plaza wore all manner of strange clothing. Various carriages stood parked along the sides, and even all kinds of illusion beasts could be seen among them. The noise and commotion were every bit as lively as a modern job fair.

As they walked past, people continually turned their gazes toward them, followed by waves of exclamation.

Wei Dong carried a long sword, clearly identifying him as a swordsman. The auras emanating from Feng Jun and Lei Hang were unfathomably deep, marking them as high-ranking illusionists. As for Shen Duo, she had already been overlooked by the crowd.

Wherever they passed, people tactfully moved aside and opened a path for them.

When they reached the admissions tables, Shen Duo saw a boy of about ten approach a magic stone testing tablet and place his palm upon it.

In an instant, a faint single-needle star array appeared beneath the boy’s feet. When he saw it, he withdrew his hand dejectedly.

“Madam, I’m sorry, but your child’s aptitude is insufficient, so we cannot accept him. Come along, the next person!” the admissions instructor said apologetically to the young woman beside the boy, who was dressed in a deep-red gown.

Unexpectedly, the woman did not move aside for the others. Instead, she held her beloved son’s hand and looked at the instructor unwillingly.

“Teacher, my child is only ten years old, yet he is already a high-ranking illusionist. Aren’t your admission requirements too strict? Since he is so young, could you make an exception?”

The admissions instructor frowned at the woman before him. “I’m sorry, Madam. Any minor who fails to reach the level of a grand illusionist will not be admitted. This is a rule passed down by the academy, and it is not something I alone can change. If you feel our standards are too strict, you are welcome to try another academy. We will not stop you.”

The instructor’s tone was firm. As a teacher at one of the continent’s most prestigious academies, he naturally possessed his own pride. If everyone came forward like this woman and demanded that Jocelyn Academy lower its standards, how could the academy guarantee the quality of its students?

The woman began breathing heavily in fury. Then she suddenly laughed, contempt filling her eyes. Proudly, she took a black crystal card from her spatial ring and tossed it onto the table in front of the instructor.

“How about this? Is an unlimited black crystal card enough? All I want is for my son to study at Jocelyn Academy!”

Several nearby queues turned their attention toward the commotion. Many people stared at the scene in astonishment, eyeing the wealthy young woman.

In his ten years working at Jocelyn Academy, the admissions instructor had never suffered such humiliation. His expression darkened.

He rose from behind the table, and his above-average height made him appear even more imposing.

“Madam, please take back your belongings. Every student at Jocelyn Academy is equal. We admit students based on strength, not wealth. Money cannot buy everything. You would do well to remember that. Now, the next applicant!”

The woman was so furious that she nearly exploded. She snatched back the black crystal card, glared daggers at the instructor, and dragged her son away.

“Fine! Remember what you said today. It’s nothing more than a wretched academy. I will definitely find a way to get my son in!”

With that, she left in a rage, pulling the little boy along with her.

Many independent illusionists who had brought their children to enroll let out sighs of relief. As expected of one of the continent’s prestigious academies—it was upright and impartial, giving the children of ordinary cultivators an equal opportunity.

That had been an unlimited black crystal card. It could be used without restriction at any auction house on the continent. For ordinary people, it was an irresistible temptation. Yet an ordinary teacher at Jocelyn Academy had rejected it without the slightest hesitation.

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