The homeroom teacher was somewhat surprised to see that Jiang Lin was actually interested in the projection training ground.
Nevertheless, he nodded and said, "Of course, that's no problem."
He then led Jiang Lin into the building, which had a somewhat high-tech feel to it.
Unlike the stone exterior of the Tower of Trials, the main structure of the projection training ground was constructed from a silver-grey alloy that emitted a cold, metallic luster.
The projection training ground had three floors, with nearly thirty rooms on each floor.
The teacher led Jiang Lin toward a waist-high payment terminal.
"You need to use your academy identity card to make payments, but since yours hasn't been issued yet, you can't use it for now.
"Once you select a skill and determine the duration here, the system will assign a room for you. You can then use your identity card to open the corresponding door."
Since there were many rooms available, there was no need to queue. Jiang Lin directly checked the recorded skills on the payment terminal.
First, he naturally checked his most proficient technique, the 【Seven Star Holy Glow Slash】.
However, to his disappointment, people had already recorded this skill at every level from initiated to superlative.
Moreover, there was no limit-broken option on this terminal, so there was no place for him to contribute his version.
Subsequently, he searched through the skills one by one.
A few minutes later, Jiang Lin said dejectedly to the teacher, "Let's go, teacher. I think I understand this facility now."
Seeing Jiang Lin's reaction, the teacher knew he had wanted to record the skills he knew.
"This facility has nearly a hundred years of history, and the data inside is shared across the junior, middle, and high-level academies. It's only normal that the skills you know have already been recorded. After all, many students want a bit of extra pocket money, so basically every common and uncommon skill has been fully recorded."
Pausing for a moment, the teacher seemed to recall something amusing.
"Even some secret family techniques have been recorded before. I remember some students from prominent families who ran out of living expenses and were too embarrassed to ask their families for more. They sneakily came here to record their family techniques into the system.
"However, those students were later called home for a scolding, and those families contacted the school to have the skills deleted from the system."
Jiang Lin smiled upon hearing this.
He also possessed some secret techniques not meant for outsiders.
For instance, an evil god version of 【Low-level Fireball】.
But he wasn't foolish enough to expose such a skill just for a hundred gold coins.
Afterward, the teacher continued to lead Jiang Lin around the campus.
"Over there is the school library, which houses many books. Since our school exchanges frequently with the other two races, we have a significant number of books for learning the scripts of the beastkin and demon races. If you're interested in those two races, you can find time to study them. Of course, Elvish is also available, though we have fewer exchange students from the elf race, so you might not be able to practice with classmates regularly.
"As for skills, our school uses a borrowing system. All students can borrow low and mid-level skills; you just need to pay a certain rent. High-tier skills and above require certain permissions, such as achieving a high rank in exams or a certain placement in academy competitions.
"Of course, one can also purchase borrowing permissions with gold coins—30 gold coins per month."
"But I remember the special scholarship should include these borrowing permissions. This is also a basic right for our elite class, so you don't need to worry about that."
Jiang Lin nodded at the words.
High-tier skills and above weren't found just anywhere outside. Having such benefits in the school library was already quite good, so setting a threshold was perfectly normal.
Looking at everything along the way, Jiang Lin's only impression was that the facilities in a big city were truly different. Everything was far more advanced than in Boulder City.
No wonder those cultists were so weak. Under the same level, the education and training they received weren't even in the same league. It seemed perfectly reasonable that they were crushed by him when he was only level 10.
"By the way, Student Jiang, when do you plan to breakthrough to rank-1?"
The teacher asked this question.
Jiang Lin found it a bit difficult to answer.
Instead, he asked, "Teacher, do you know what the limit of rank-0 physical attributes is?"
Hearing this, the teacher was also a bit surprised.
"I'm not really sure about that. After all, almost no one has ever reached it. But for us humans, there probably isn't much point in pursuing the rank-0 physical limit, right?
"True, some demons, demonic beasts, and beastkin have bloodlines that provide them with great help. They might suppress their level to raise their physical attributes to the limit, allowing them to upgrade their bloodline rank upon breakthrough. But we humans don't have bloodlines, so doing this only grants you higher combat power within the same rank."
Pausing, the teacher looked at Jiang Lin.
"Do you intend to reach the rank-0 limit before breaking through?"
Jiang Lin nodded silently.
He was somewhat afraid of a rank-0 peak blood demon; he didn't dare challenge it without reaching his own limit.
What if he died?
The teacher looked at Jiang Lin, pondered for a long while, and then said, "If this is what your family intends, it's not my place to dissuade you. However, you must think carefully. Your improvement speed at rank-0 will be very slow. Without a higher-level breathing technique, a year of your progress might not even match a week of someone else's."
Jiang Lin nodded.
He was naturally aware of this.
But that applied to ordinary people. By relying on their own training, they could only obtain flimsy improvements.
Unlike them, he relied on the system. Every step was solid and stable, no different from the speed after a rank breakthrough.
He could now accumulate ten thousand points in ten days. In another two months, he would be able to raise his basic attributes to the minimum level of a level 20 adventurer.
Presumably, that would be the limit of rank-0?
Seeing that Jiang Lin seemed set in his decision, the teacher stopped trying to persuade him.
"Then, for this semester's level assessment, I can apply for an exemption for you first. However, you must at least ensure you pass your other theory classes.
"The elite class has already reached the material for the second semester of the fifth grade. You can ask the teachers or classmates which specific chapter we are on.
"Our plan is to finish all the basic knowledge required for the middle academy this semester. The sixth grade only has some new content in the first semester, so your pressure shouldn't be too immense."
Hearing this, the expression on Jiang Lin's face froze.
It seemed he was the clown here.
So much content... could he even finish learning it by pulling all-nighters?
This was equivalent to students in an elite class finishing all high school basic knowledge in their first year, then spending most of the remaining two years on competitions.
And Jiang Lin was transferring in just as the first year was about to end, and was expected to keep up with the progress of the elite class students.
"Do you have the confidence to finish learning it all?"
At this moment, the teacher asked directly.
Jiang Lin took a deep breath, as if making a decision.
"I will do my best."
It just so happened that he would spend the coming period cramming theory classes while the system raised his two basic attributes to the maximum.
Once they reached the maximum, he would go complete the 【Trial of Blood】 quest.
...
After walking for a while longer, the teacher brought Jiang Lin to the dormitory buildings.
"This side is for common dorms, this side is double rooms, this side is single rooms, and over there are the private villas.
"Your dorm is in this building.
"Tomorrow you will officially begin school. Pack your luggage yourself, and if there are any problems, just find me in the office. I've told you where the cafeteria is. Since you don't have an academy identity card yet, you can pay with cash for now."
"Alright, thank you for your trouble, teacher."
Jiang Lin entered the dormitory building and found his room.
A metal card engraved with complex runes swiped across the door lock. With a 'click,' the door to Dormitory 123 opened.
A breath of fresh air, carrying a faint scent of detergent, greeted him.
Furthermore, Jiang Lin felt that the magic essence concentration in the room seemed slightly higher than outside.
This was likely due to a small magic gathering array set up in the room.
The room wasn't huge but wasn't small either, with a layout consisting of a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom. it was much more spacious and bright than his little hut in Boulder City.
The furniture was simple and practical, and there was a set of brand-new bedding that had just been delivered on the bed.
By the window stood a desk and a chair, with a large wardrobe next to them.
Jiang Lin took out the daily necessities he had packed earlier from his spatial ring and placed them in his dorm.
He walked to the window and pushed it open.
After nearly a day of running around, it was already sunset.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed half the sky red. Since the dorm floor was on the first level, Jiang Lin could only see students in school uniforms in groups of twos and threes on the campus, unable to see the distant scenery.
The uniforms of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy looked exquisite and magnificent. The loose yet tailored fit did not hinder movement and managed to bring out a scholarly aura in the students.
And perhaps because many children from prominent families needed to wear the uniform, that scholarly aura also held a faint hint of nobility.
What a hopeful new life!
Jiang Lin felt quite cheerful.
Because he held two recommendation letters and his own strength was quite formidable, he hadn't encountered any major obstacles.
Letting out a long breath, Jiang Lin went to the cafeteria and bought the cheapest dinner, costing 1 silver coin.
Jiang Lin grumbled about how expensive the school cafeteria was and planned to go out later to see what the prices were like in Clearwater City.
Afterward, he returned to his dorm, picked up the textbooks the teacher had given him, and began self-studying.
As the night deepened, the lights in Dormitory 123 turned on. Jiang Lin studied the book in front of him, 【General Introduction to Fourth-grade Fundamentals of Magic Potions】, while attempting to actively intervene in the control of his breathing technique while thinking. This turned the breathing technique, which usually ran passively at only fifty percent efficiency, into a full hundred percent.
As time passed, the lights in the dormitories of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy gradually turned on and then off, and most of the academy fell into a dreamland.
Of course, there were still some students studying magic like astromancy who took advantage of the night to practice on the training grounds.
However, Dormitory 123 remained brightly lit throughout.
This continued until the sun rose the next day.
Having studied all night, Jiang Lin felt slightly fatigued.
With some time left before class, he put down his book and fully operated his breathing technique, maximizing the effect of his rest, which finally made him feel a bit better.
Then, Jiang Lin went out to start looking for ants.
The defense-breaking quest now refreshed automatically at midnight every day, but the slaughter and crushing of corpses still required him to find them himself.
...
Eventually, on the main road outside the school, Jiang Lin finally found a line of crawling ants.
He didn't rush to step on them but followed their path to find their nest.
After noting the location of their nest, Jiang Lin stepped on ten ants and left.
He would be terrorizing this nest from now on!
【stamina】: 45,000 → 46,000
【mental power】: 41,000 → 42,000
【Random Skill Upgrade 12 → 13】
Afterward, Jiang Lin went to the elite class classroom and met the dear classmates he would be spending time with in the future.
There were over 30 people in the elite class. They didn't react much to Jiang Lin's unfamiliar face, merely watching the new student silently.
After the start of the term, there had already been two transfer students who joined their class later, but they hadn't expected another new classmate to join at this time.
Yesterday, the teacher had already told them about Jiang Lin's situation and given them hints, suggesting that Student Jiang's identity was unusual—likely a child of some prominent family out for experience.
Now, having changed into the school uniform, Jiang Lin didn't look as rustic as before. Combined with his clean-cut appearance and gentle temperament, he actually gave off the visual impression of a refined scholar.
Jiang Lin found the seat he had chosen yesterday and sat down, only to discover that the person next to him was actually an beastkin girl.
On top of her head was a pair of furry black cat ears. Her skin was a healthy wheat color, and her amber eyes showed distinct vertical pupils under the bright lights of the classroom.
Though she wore the exquisite and magnificent uniform of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy, the noble-looking clothes couldn't entirely hide the fluid lines and explosive power contained within her form.
She exuded the wild aura of the beastkin race from head to toe.
The other party glanced at Jiang Lin but didn't take the initiative to speak. Jiang Lin, however, said with a smile:
"Hello, I'm a new student in our class. I'll be counting on your care from now on."
The other party nodded, her face remaining cold as she didn't speak.
However, her gaze shifted to Little Black in Jiang Lin's arms.
Jiang Lin was a bit puzzled. He could understand if the children of the prominent families in Clearwater City were exclusionary, but was this beastkin girl also exclusionary?
Or was she simply playing the role of a cold cat-eared girl?
"My name is Jiang Lin. What's your name?"
Jiang Lin decided to try one last time.
"I am... Nora,"
The cat-eared girl said.
After answering Jiang Lin's question, she looked at Little Black in his arms once more and then ignored him, opening the book in her hand to read.
At this time, the student in the seat in front of Jiang Lin also turned around. Unlike Nora, these classmates seemed quite enthusiastic.
"Hello, Student Jiang Lin. Welcome to Saint Brilliance Magic Academy. My name is Neil Kohlst. Student Nora doesn't like to talk much, so please don't take it personally."
Hearing this, Jiang Lin finally nodded in relief; it seemed it wasn't his problem.
"Haha, hello. You're from that Kohlst family of the Clearwater City Lord, right? Your family's specialty tea is very good!"
Hearing that Jiang Lin actually knew about his family's specialty, Neil also concluded that Jiang Lin wasn't one of those ordinary poor students; he at least had some vision and knowledge.
"Haha, naturally. But I wonder what Student Jiang Lin's surname is?"
However, Jiang Lin shook his head.
"I am just an ordinary orphan; I don't have any so-called surname."
Hearing this, Neil was instead confused, but he still maintained social etiquette.
"Ah, I'm sorry for bringing up your sad past."
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