Chapter 5: Examination Rules

Chapter 5: Examination Rules

Shen Du City, immense and teeming with countless inhabitants, sprawled across the land like a primordial behemoth. Within this colossal city lay five expansive academies, each with a towering stele shrouded in a halo of radiant light. These were the Spirit Steles, recording the achievements and rankings of the academies' most exceptional students.

The Seven Academies of Shen Du were the holy land of martial arts for countless young men and women of the Northern Yan Kingdom. Recruiting new students every three years, these academies were a gathering place for talents, attracting the most promising youths from across the kingdom.

The presence of these academies contributed significantly to the military strength of the Northern Yan Kingdom, providing fresh and potent warriors to its army, enabling the kingdom to conquer surrounding barbarian territories and edge closer to becoming a mid-tier dynasty.

At the grand entrance of the Martial Academy, a sea of people had gathered.

"It's said that the 'Martial Academy' inscription was written by the founding headmaster himself, a Saint Realm practitioner who had touched the essence of martial arts. Even after hundreds of years, these two words still emanate a hint of martial arts charm, dazzling to all who behold them."

Chu Xiaotian murmured to himself, shifting his gaze from the ancient script above and heading towards the nearby registration desk.

A long queue had formed at the desk, where a middle-aged man in a blue academy uniform was registering names, assisted by young men and women in green uniforms, collecting the registration fees.

Chu Xiaotian joined the queue, noting a short boy with squirrel-like front teeth chatting with a dark-skinned, chubby girl ahead of him.

"Hey Tiger Girl, still mad?"

"You hear about it? Among the Seven Academies of Shen Du, the Shen Du Academy is the real cradle for young geniuses. The Sword Academy focuses on cultivating swordsmanship talents, the Holy Academy is full of rich kids, and the Phoenix Academy only admits female students. Only this Martial Academy truly tailors its teaching to each student's abilities. We've picked a great time to enroll."

"Hmph, weren't you all about joining the Qingtian Martial Pavilion next door? I couldn't even drag you away. If they hadn't turned you down for your skinny frame, would you have come to the Martial Academy with me? The more I think about it, the more I want to punch you."

The dark-skinned girl, pretending to throw a punch, sent Squirrel Teeth scurrying behind Chu Xiaotian. Only when she turned away did he sneak back to her side.

"Ahem, brother, are you also here to enroll in the Martial Academy? I'm Wu Yuan, nicknamed Squirrel. The girl in front of me is Mu Shuang'er, but you can call her Tiger Girl. We both come from Dongjun City, crossed the Beast Mountain Range to get here. May I ask your name?" Squirrel turned to Chu Xiaotian, extending a hand for a handshake. His large front teeth stood out comically when he smiled.

"I'm Chu Xiaotian," Chu Xiaotian replied, shaking his hand with a smile. "I arrived in Shen Du City three days ago, just in time for the new student enrollment at the Martial Academy. By the way, is there any cultivation requirement for enrolling here?"

"Heh, the Martial Academy tailors its teaching to each student's potential and there's no specific cultivation level required to enroll. However, if you don't have high martial talent, you need to excel in other areas to stay in the academy. Wow, you're only at Channel Opening Stage Four? That's... quite courageous." Squirrel glanced at Chu Xiaotian, a bit surprised at first, but then seemed to admire his boldness for attempting to enroll at such a low stage.

Chu Xiaotian touched his nose, realizing that his cultivation level might indeed be a bit low. He knew he needed to find a way to improve quickly with the help of the system.

"If you're below Channel Opening Stage Five, you need to undergo a martial talent test. Look, there's a testing device next to the registration instructor," Tiger Girl said, glancing at Chu Xiaotian.