svetikya Chapter 18 The Journey to Heavenly Dou, Anecdotes of Entering the Royal Academy
Chapter 18 The Journey to Heavenly Dou, Anecdotes of Entering the Royal Academy
·The next day·
After saying goodbye to her parents with her luggage on her back, Zhang Susu headed straight for the depths of the bamboo forest.
She talked with her family for a long time, explaining her thoughts and understanding the elderly couple's perspective.
Ultimately, they gained support.
After all, the reality is that she has already successfully become his disciple, and she can't go back on her word. The other party is a Title Douluo, and an ordinary person wouldn't consider such an unwise thing as humiliating him.
The two elders at the academy will handle the communication. Although you will receive an academic certificate upon graduation here, you don't need one when enrolling in a higher-level Soul Master academy. All you need is a Soul Master's manual to prove your identity.
The handbook is similar to an identity tag, which indicates the location, time, and age of advancement for the rank determination. It is usually processed at the Spirit Hall.
February 2nd, Xinhai Year (1911) - Dragon Raises Its Head
Suitable for: travel, starting school, and leveling roads.
Taboo: Weddings, funerals
At home, Zhang Xun straightened his clothes and hair in front of a half-length mirror, humming to himself, "Today is a good day..."
Last night I offered sacrifices to my parents and teachers, which can be considered a farewell before leaving.
After looking at his reflection in the mirror for a while, he felt something was missing. Then he tied a yellow turban around his arm and nodded with a smile. He felt uneasy because something was missing.
Chen Xin, who was munching on a dry, sugar-free Chinese-style bread, turned around upon hearing the sound.
"What kind of mystical explanation are you giving now?"
"It's alright, the person has arrived, let's go."
As soon as Zhang Susu stood in front of the courtyard gate, two people came out of the house.
Chen Xin spoke first: "Have you finished explaining?"
She nodded in response and was about to ask which direction to go when she saw the long-haired, youthful-looking man point and raise his fingers, causing the longsword to grow longer in the wind, transforming into a giant sword with two blades each five feet wide.
It loomed before me, exuding a sharp and heroic aura.
"Come on up."
Chen Xin stood at the edge of the sword, while Zhang Xun casually sat cross-legged on the sword.
Realizing that everyone was watching her and waiting for her, Zhang Susu quickly went up to them.
Before she could even stand firmly, she felt herself enveloped by a surge of soul power, and her feet felt as if they were glued to a sword, as if she were being sucked onto it.
Before she could react, everything blurred before her eyes, and she found herself in an unknown place. Looking down at the scenery and the changing clouds, she was filled with curiosity, having never before seen the world from such a height.
The journey to Tiandou City is nearly 5,000 li. Even for Chen Xin, a titled Douluo, it would take two hours to travel the entire distance by sword. If he were to travel at full speed, it would only take one hour, but his soul power would be depleted, so he would have to travel a little slower.
Nothing happened along the way, so Zhang Xun would occasionally test some of the things he had taught him.
Surprisingly, although the other party did not understand, they basically memorized it all.
Chen Xin, standing ahead, interrupted.
"Ignore what he says for now. Sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and carefully feel the sword beneath you. You need to have a basic understanding of the 'sword' first. Listen and learn. If you don't understand, ask me."
Although it takes a lot of effort to break through the wind and control the movement forward, it is still possible to say a few words.
Thus, Chen Xin began his first teaching lesson.
Although the results were not entirely satisfactory, the fact that no one disturbed him along the way allowed the apprentice to learn many things he had never understood before.
·Noon·
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye, and the only two royal cities on this continent came into view.
Located on the outskirts of the city, three people walked in front of the door.
The defenses here are quite tight, with several teams of Soul Masters patrolling. The city guards are all Great Soul Masters, and the captains are Soul Venerables.
Entering the city requires identification and a Soul Master certificate. Merchants also need to provide proof of identity, and their goods are subject to random checks. In short, the process is extremely complicated.
However, since the city guards were already skilled, as long as it wasn't a problem with the stamp, they could basically pass through at a glance, and after paying the entrance fee, they could enter.
But when it came to Zhang Xun and his group, the city guards in armor looked on with confusion.
"Going to school? You just graduated from the Junior Soul Master Academy and you're already in Heaven Dou City? And if I remember correctly, the academy's admissions are in September, right? What are you doing here six months early?"
His gruff voice was deafening, but those who were conducting inspections only glanced at him and then ignored him. Everyone had things to do, and no one had the time to make sarcastic remarks.
"Is that not allowed?"
Zhang Xun was aware of this information.
There are many colleges in mainland China, so the deans of various colleges formed a college association to take the lead and set standard start and end dates for the three levels of colleges. These traditional dates have been used for who knows how many years.
However, in a world with a system of extraordinary powers, power itself is a privilege.
The city guard scratched his head through his helmet, seemingly without saying anything about it being forbidden.
"And you?"
Chen Xin casually pointed at Zhang Xun and replied, "To accompany him in his studies."
Upon hearing her master's answer, Zhang Susu quickly nodded, "I'll accompany you in your studies."
After paying the entrance fee, the three filed in, passing through a city gate that was nearly twenty feet deep. Dozens of guards stood on both sides, making quite a spectacle.
Walking along this main street, Zhang Xunchen was not particularly concerned about all the hustle and bustle here.
It would be a mistake if the capital of one of the two great empires were not good.
Zhang Susu, the "real" child, kept looking around, as if in another world, and occasionally exclaimed in surprise.
Although Tiandou City is large, it is filled with academies and various commercial streets, so the actual living area is not very large.
Moreover, the number of locals is actually less than one-third of the permanent residents; most are students and tourists from various places, as well as businessmen who come here to do business.
But within the city, there is actually another city.
That was the Heavenly Dou Imperial City at the end of the main road that Zhang Xun and his group were walking on; it was the emperor's family's true private territory.
After a long journey, the three of them found a place to rest in the city for a while.
·Heavenly Dou Royal Academy·
Soon they arrived, where a magnificent white stone archway bore several large gilded characters that clearly stated its name. Behind the archway, Roman columns and marble-paved roads stretched for hundreds of feet, exuding extravagance.
To enter the college, you need to provide proof of identity and state your purpose.
Because Zhang Xun had never reported his level or soul rings to the Spirit Hall, he did not have a Soul Master's Manual.
So she took out her graduation certificate from the Junior Soul Master Academy and handed it to the gatekeeper. Chen Xin, who was standing to the side, did not move. Zhang Susu, on the other hand, held the Soul Master's Notebook that represented her identity tightly, wondering whether she should also show it to the gatekeeper.
Upon seeing this proof, the richly dressed doorman frowned immediately, his eyes revealing undisguised disdain.
However, the necessary procedures couldn't be omitted, so he casually opened it and glanced at the contents.
Just as he was about to say he wouldn't recruit trash, he saw the words "Soul Master" in the level label and the line of text in the birth date field, and he choked and dared not make a sound.
Suddenly, I was glad that I hadn't spoken up sooner. Now that I'm over thirty, I'm just a Great Soul Master.
His expression instantly changed, his face beaming with smiles and flattery. He bent slightly at the waist and returned the graduation certificate to Zhang Xun with both hands.
"Please come in, everyone. The Education Commission is this way."
They asked others to fill in, and the doorman then offered to lead the three of them to their seats.
The Royal Academy is truly extraordinary; the area of the green forest on both sides of its gate alone is larger than the entire Jinfeng City Primary Soul Master Academy.
Surrounded by mountains and water, and bordering royal gardens, the environment is quite beautiful.
Zhang Xun and the others walked for a full quarter of an hour before entering the teaching area. Most of the buildings here were tall, single-story structures, while the Teaching Committee Building was the most magnificent building besides the Central Battle Arena, with its halls being particularly eye-catching.
It's truly a case of using the best steel for the most important purpose.
"I shall take my leave now," the doorman said apologetically as he departed.
Once he got here, the rest of the way was no longer within the reach of someone as lowly as a gatekeeper.
However, he had someone go and inform them, so a young man dressed in black robes quickly came out and continued to lead the way.
He stood with his hands behind his back facing Zhang Xun and the others, and said softly, "My name is Famas, an ordinary teacher at the academy."
As soon as I finished introducing myself, a short and broad-shouldered middle-aged man quickly stepped forward and made a joke with me.
"No need to be modest, you are one of the top-notch, top-tier teachers in the department."
Upon hearing the voice, Famas immediately recognized him and bowed, saying, "Good afternoon, Mr. Bai Baoshan, Education Commissioner."
"You don't need to lead the way, I'll do it."
Only after Famas left did he speak, "Please, the three of you."
Bai Baoshan led the way with utmost respect, his eyes occasionally glancing at Chen Xin, who had long, gray hair reaching her waist and wore a blue robe.
As a member of the Royal Academy's academic committee, he was well aware of how unfathomable the person before him was.
Upon arriving at the door, he first apologized.
"Please wait a moment, it's a bit messy inside."
"Please go ahead."
Seeing that it was Zhang Xun who spoke, he looked at Chen Xin behind him with some doubt, then understood and pushed the door open to enter.
All three of them noticed the cleanliness inside and knew without a doubt why, so they remained silent.
A moment later, the door opened.
The Education Commission members stood in a row, looking quite imposing. Bai Baoshan, who had just arrived, was on the right, and compared to the other two tall figures, he looked somewhat comical.
Zhang Xun stepped forward and handed over his junior soul master academy graduation certificate. Although using this to identify himself made people inexplicably want to laugh, the three education committee members all looked serious.
"My name is Zhang Xun, a Soul Master, wielding the Nine-Section Staff as my Martial Soul. I intend to enroll in your esteemed academy. Is that permissible?"