“The Inner Academy is a place where dragons and tigers fight for supremacy. Good luck.”
At the base of the colossal peak, Mo Yang watched Ye Lin fly up the heavenly steps with swift strides. He gave a gentle wave of his hand and turned to leave.
Atop the heavenly steps, Ye Lin ignored the mounting pressure on the stone staircase. Striding forward like a shooting star, he completed the climb in no time.
At the end of the stone steps was a massive mountain gate. Above it hung a plaque with four bold, vigorous characters: “Inner Cultivation Academy.”
Waiting by the mountain gate was a woman dressed in a dark green dress, a long saber hanging from her waist.
She was none other than Jiang Ningzhi, the granddaughter of Principal Jiang Lingyuan.
She was also the Demon Suppressing Guard who had tested the Spiritual Roots of Ye Lin, Xu Qing'an, and the others back in Great Desolation Village.
“Senior Sister Jiang, we meet again.”
Seeing that the person greeting him was his old acquaintance Jiang Ningzhi, Ye Lin walked over and offered a polite greeting.
“Indeed, we meet again. Congratulations on your promotion to Inner Academy elite.”
Seeing that the Outer Academy genius promoted today was actually Ye Lin—the seven-element mid-grade mixed Spiritual Root she had brought back from Great Desolation Village just over a month ago—Jiang Ningzhi felt momentarily dazed.
She remembered that just over a month ago, this youth was merely a new disciple who had obtained a small opportunity, barely breaking through to the peak of the Body Tempering Realm, and possessing a decent state of mind.
There were at least several thousand newcomers with similar circumstances in the Outer Academy every year. At the time, she, like Lin Kuo and the others, believed that Ye Lin would likely spend his entire life striving without ever reaching a place like the Inner Academy, his prospects being quite limited.
Yet, in just over a month, his cultivation had skyrocketed from the Body Tempering Realm all the way to the Foundation Establishment Stage. His cultivation speed was simply unheard of.
However, she was someone who had seen the world. Snapping out of her brief daze, she smiled and offered her congratulations to Ye Lin.
“I must thank you, Senior Sister, and Senior Brother Lin Kuo and the other senior brother for bringing me into the academy back then. It was only because of that that I had the chance to truly step onto the immortal path.”
“I never had the chance to thank you in person. Now that we meet again, I hope you'll do me the honor of having a meal together.” Ye Lin looked at Jiang Ningzhi, his tone sincere.
He intended to express his gratitude to all three Demon Suppressing Guards who had gone to Great Desolation Village to test Spiritual Roots.
After all, although testing Spiritual Roots was part of their duty, he had truly benefited from their actions.
Without entering the academy, it would have been difficult for him to obtain the class change quest for the 【Lord of Heaven's Punishment】 or the Taboo-grade cultivation method, the 《Origin Unity Art》.
Since he had received a favor, it was only natural to show his gratitude.
Lin Kuo went without saying; they had already agreed to have a meal together. As for the other one, he would find a time to thank him as well.
Hearing this, Jiang Ningzhi was slightly taken aback. She had been a Demon Suppressing Guard for several years now, routinely guiding many new disciples into the academy every year.
But those who still remembered to show gratitude like Ye Lin were indeed rare.
“Since you're offering so sincerely, Junior Brother, it would be polite of me to refuse.” Smiling, Jiang Ningzhi nodded and led Ye Lin through the mountain gate.
The moment they stepped through the gate, a wave of spiritual energy several times denser than before washed over them.
“The Inner Academy is a place that encourages fierce competition. Aside from the basic monthly cultivation resources which do not need to be fought over, everything else—be it special cultivation grounds, cave dwellings, lecture seats, or the monthly rankings—requires competition.”
“However, this competition isn't just playing house with spars. It is determined by the number of evil spirits slain and the amount of merit accumulated.”
“I will take you to register your identity and merit now. Once that's done, you will officially be an elite disciple of the Inner Academy.”
After entering the gate, Jiang Ningzhi explained the Inner Academy's inner workings to Ye Lin as she flew him on her sword toward the largest island in the sky.
Upon hearing her words, Ye Lin's eyes lit up. Slaying evil spirits and competing through merit?
This simple and direct method of competition was absolutely fantastic. For him, it was right up his alley.
“Understood,” Ye Lin replied with a smile, his heart filled with anticipation for his upcoming cultivation life in the Inner Academy.
Passing through layers of drifting mist and bypassing flocks of soaring white cranes, they finally arrived at the Inner Academy's registration office.
Since very few people managed to enter the Inner Academy through sheer strength each year, the registration office was quite quiet.
The person in charge of registration was a beautiful woman in purple. When they arrived, she was engrossed in reading a storybook in her hands.
Ye Lin had a faint impression of this woman. She was the very same woman he had seen reading a storybook under the willow tree in front of the Library of Scriptures when he first arrived at the Outer Academy to select a cultivation method.
He had not expected to run into her again here in the Inner Academy.
“This is Senior Zhu. She cultivates the Dao of Clones. In the Cultivation Academy, almost every important location is guarded by one of her clones.”
As if sensing Ye Lin's confusion, Jiang Ningzhi's voice rang out.
“I see. Thank you for clarifying, Senior Sister.”
Hearing Jiang Ningzhi's explanation, Ye Lin's doubts were cleared.
He then stepped forward and bowed to the beautiful woman in purple.
As he handed his identity token to her for registration, he quietly activated the Great Dao Mirror of Years in his right eye.
Buzz!
With the activation of the Reflecting the Present Life ability, a detailed profile of the purple-clothed woman quickly appeared before him.
【Name: Zhu Xuanwei
Cultivation: Main body at peak Great Ascension Stage (Clone is at Nascent Soul Stage)
Talent: Quasi-immortal-grade Lihuo Spiritual Root, quasi-immortal-grade Liyue Physique
Description: Zhu Xuanwei is righteous, enjoys reading mortal storybooks, and harbors an extreme hatred for other races. This is currently only one of her clones. If you speak words of righteousness, you can farm rewards from her.】
“Not a bad kid. Work hard, and your immortal path will be promising.”
While Ye Lin was secretly checking Zhu Xuanwei's information, she had already registered his details and aura onto a bronze ledger.
When she saw the over two hundred thousand demon-slaying points on his token, she smiled and offered him a few words of encouragement.
“This disciple will surely not disappoint the academy's nurturing. I will strive diligently, slay more evil spirits, and guard the peace of our human race.” Taking back his token, Ye Lin immediately spouted a righteous declaration.
The information from Reflecting the Present Life stated that speaking words of righteousness would allow him to farm rewards from Senior Zhu Xuanwei.
Since there were treasures being practically handed to him on a silver platter, there was absolutely no reason to refuse them.
In any case, his rhetoric of “going through fire and water for the human race, spilling his hot blood for humanity” was unquestionably righteous.
Moreover, with so many demon-slaying points to his name, his words did not seem like empty boasting at all; instead, they appeared incredibly sincere.
“Good, good, good! What a spirited young man. Here, take this. Perhaps it will be of some help to you.”
The moment Ye Lin finished speaking, Zhu Xuanwei, who had been about to lower her head and continue reading her storybook, seemed to have triggered some sort of code.
She mechanically praised Ye Lin first, then handed him an Earth-grade treasure. After that, she regained her clarity and prepared to lower her head to read her storybook again.
“As a genius of the human race, I shall slay all invading enemies!” Seeing how Zhu Xuanwei's clone had acted just like an NPC, Ye Lin took the Earth-grade treasure she handed over while making another statement with a perfectly calm expression.
“How domineering! The human race needs powerful and hot-blooded geniuses like you. Take this, it might be of use to you.”
Just as Ye Lin finished speaking, Zhu Xuanwei's clone seemed to trigger the code once more. She mechanically praised him again and handed over another Earth-grade treasure.
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