Tiannan Star Military University

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Bai Xiaodu pulled out his computer, turned on the camera, and contacted Lingxin.

Once he had obtained Lingxin's character card in the Galgame System, he had added her on social media early on.

“Xiaobai!” Lingxin called out in pleasant surprise, but then she noticed something different.

She leaned in incredibly close to the screen.

After scanning Bai Xiaodu thoroughly, she felt he looked unreasonably handsome today.

With a look of confusion, she asked, “Xiaobai, have you advanced to a formal transcendent?”

“Yeah,” Bai Xiaodu admitted openly.

“Which Pathway?” Lingxin pressed.

“Spellcasting.”

Hearing this answer, Lingxin froze slightly.

The Mage Emperor Pathway. She had introduced it to him when they visited the Ashes Library together.

Wait.

The most critical part of the Mage Emperor Pathway's ascension ceremony was to kill a same-tier creature of a foreign species with extreme hatred.

Given Bai Xiaodu's skull shape, identity, and race, it was highly unlikely he lived on the outer planets.

If he had traveled specifically to hunt one down, where did he get the funds?

Bai Xiaodu saw her confusion.

“I ran into a powerful senior from the association. She saw my talent and tricked someone from the machine civilization into a duel with me.”

Bai Xiaodu shrugged. “Obviously, I was the winner.”

Lingxin's expression instantly changed. “Autocracy?”

Bai Xiaodu nodded, confirming her guess.

Lingxin looked at him with a hint of pity and sighed.

“Xiaobai, you were tricked! Transcendents of the Autocracy Pathway never do unprofitable business. She must be plotting something. What rank is she? Have you thought of a way to deal with her?”

Bai Xiaodu chuckled. “I'm just going to run away. She's a Federation official, so she definitely can't leave her post. I don't believe she can chase me across several star systems. Bleh!”

Lingxin: “...”

Why did it feel like this kid was completely different from when they first met?

Bai Xiaodu cleared his throat. “Alright, Sister Lingxin, jokes aside. Even though she might not have the time to look for me right now, there's no guarantee we'll never meet in the future. What is Tiannan Star Military University actually like? Will it help me quickly increase my strength?”

Seeing him ask about serious matters, Lingxin perked up.

“Of course it will.”

Though she had some selfish motives for recommending this school to Bai Xiaodu, it was a university she had personally recommended. If it turned out to be useless, wouldn't she be slapping her own face?

Bai Xiaodu spoke eagerly, “I know, I know! First, there's a school tournament, then instructors lead teams for Secret Realm exploration exams, followed by joint martial exams between the top schools, and finally a nationwide martial exam. We just fight and kill all the way to get tons of cultivation resources, right?”

Bai Xiaodu looked at the screen with anticipation.

If that were the case, as long as external items were allowed, he could hold Kalugar's sword in one hand and the True Dragon Blood Orb in the other. He would probably be able to spin his classmates like tops!

However, Lingxin on the other side of the screen finally couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

“Xiaobai, have you been watching too many online web dramas?”

Bai Xiaodu: “...”

Seeing Lingxin laughing so hard that her short blue hair kept shaking, the two ears on Bai Xiaodu's head slowly drooped.

“Then what is it? It can't be that we actually attend classes to increase our strength, right? If it were the Knowledge Pathway, maybe, but I'm on the Spellcasting Pathway. It's impossible to improve just by watching without actual combat!”

Wiping away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, Lingxin barely managed to straighten her expression.

“Perk up, Xiaobai, don't lose face! You're someone who survived a pile of corpses from the machine civilization, and now you're a formal transcendent. Don't look down on yourself.”

Lingxin continued to explain, “Transcendents are the backbone of the Federation. Once you reach this level, you can even become a military officer commanding thousands in the Federation Army. You already have status and position. To put it in the terms of the Eastern Continent, you are now a gentry lord! Why would they keep a bunch of military lords locked up together just to fight and brawl?”

So that was how it was.

Bai Xiaodu nodded repeatedly, though the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

“Then do I have to attend classes to learn about military operations and administration?”

Lingxin nodded, then shook her head.

“You guessed right, but only half-right. The operational model of Tiannan Star Military University is more like a massive, cross-galaxy corporate conglomerate.”

“The Tiannan star system was the main battlefield of a massive war during the Great Counteroffensive. Countless powerhouses from various factions perished there. Above Transcendent is Domain Lord, and above Domain Lord is World King. After they die, the domains they leave behind can also transform into Secret Realms. We call this process 'whale fall.' Matter is indestructible, and Secret Realms don't disappear even after they are cleared. As unique spatial existences, every Secret Realm has a distinct purpose.”

“Secret Realms associated with fire and lightning are suitable for forging weapons and refining potions, while those in freezing lands are suitable as massive cold storages and transit hubs. To control these Secret Realms scattered across various planets, Tiannan Star Military University occupied an entire planet as its campus headquarters, indirectly controlling a vast amount of resources in the entire star system.”

“As a student of Tiannan, once you step into the transcendent realm, you will be sent out to guard a Secret Realm. You will manage the mortal affairs of your controlled territory, develop it on your own, and pay taxes and local Secret Realm specialty resources to the university. The evaluation criteria will be your management performance and your combat strength.”

Bai Xiaodu nodded, feeling somewhat shocked.

So I'm actually this amazing. I can even go out and guard a territory on my own. A thick, tragic barrier already separates me from ordinary mortals!

After explaining, Lingxin was very satisfied with his expression and gave him a thumbs-up.

“You have to work hard, Xiaobai. The evaluation is held once a month. Based on the criteria I just mentioned, the university divides students into three grades: Superior, Average, and Inferior. Each grade has a different allocation of cultivation resources. My application to be an instructor for first-year students has already passed. You can come straight to me after you report to the university.”

Bai Xiaodu indicated that he understood, then voiced a slight confusion in his heart.

“Since management performance is also part of the evaluation, taxes must be the most significant factor. If someone comes from an illustrious family and uses special means to vastly increase their output, wouldn't that be very unfair?”

Lingxin's expression was calm.

“It is very fair, Xiaobai. Because background is also a part of one's strength.”

Bai Xiaodu was left speechless.

It was indeed the truth.

Lingxin thought for a moment and comforted him, “Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do your best. Don't worry, no matter what, I won't let you fall to the Inferior grade.”

She proudly patted her chest, causing a sudden, violent bounce, before saying confidently, “They have their families to help them, but you have me!”

“Sister Lingxin is the best.” A smile appeared on Bai Xiaodu's face. “However, under this system, I doubt only the students are graded. As an instructor, do you have targets to meet too?”

Lingxin froze for a moment. “...Yes, there are, but you don't need to worry about that, Xiaobai. You just need to manage your own territory well. I'll help you boost your performance slightly higher.”

Bai Xiaodu lightly blinked his wine-red eyes.

“Slightly higher? No, no, no. What I want is absolute domination!”