"Brother Tian, what are you thinking about?" Ye Feifei asked, glancing at Ye Tian.
"It's nothing. This place could be a new beginning for us. If we want to get stronger, we'll all have to work hard. You know how it is—the weak always get bullied," Ye Tian said.
Qin Xiaowan didn't say a word, but inwardly, her desire to become powerful was even greater than Ye Tian's.
Soon, the three of them arrived at the academy gates, where a long line had already formed. It appeared that everyone entering the academy needed to verify their identity.
Ye Tian took a moment to look at the main gates of Linyuan Academy. Four white stone pillars stood before them, each over ten meters tall. He couldn't tell what kind of stone they were made from.
The pillars were engraved with images that looked to be the Four Great Divine Beasts. The carvings were so lifelike they exuded a majestic and imposing aura.
When Ye Tian saw the carving of the Divine Dragon, an unexpected restlessness stirred in his chest. His blood began to surge violently. The phenomenon gave him a great shock, and it took several breaths for him to calm down. Even so, faint beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.
He glanced at Ye Feifei and saw that her expression was also grave, with sweat beading on her forehead. A look at Qin Xiaowan revealed the same result. In that instant, he understood.
'Ye Feifei must have had her reaction after looking at the Phoenix carving, and Qin Xiaowan after seeing the one of the Divine Dragon.' He couldn't understand why simple carvings on stone pillars would cause such a strange phenomenon within the three of them.
"Are you two okay?" Ye Tian couldn't help but ask.
"I'm fine," Ye Feifei said. "These pillars are a little strange. It's best if we don't look at them." She glanced at Qin Xiaowan, trying to see if anything was unusual about her.
Of the three, Qin Xiaowan was the most surprised. 'For Ye Feifei to have the same reaction is highly unusual. I know Ye Tian has a Dragon Pearl, but I've never heard of Feifei having one. If she does… that would be utterly shocking.'
'If Ye Feifei really had a Dragon Pearl, I should be able to sense it. That special connection I felt with Ye Tian was because of our Dragon Pearls, but I don't feel anything like that from Feifei.'
Although suspicious, she didn't dare to ask. This was a deeply personal secret. Even if she were to ask, she knew she wouldn't get an answer. Conversely, if Ye Feifei asked her about the Dragon Pearl, she wouldn't answer either.
Although Ye Tian didn't understand the reason for the carvings, he believed he would figure it out one day. Pulling his thoughts back to the present, he said, "This place is teeming with experts, just as expected. A lot of them are from prominent families. We should avoid offending anyone unnecessarily."
"Everyone knows that. And these are just the new recruits. The students who have been here for a year or two have probably already reached the Second Vein. They're the ones we really can't afford to provoke. We definitely need to keep a low profile," Ye Feifei added.
"You two don't need to worry yourselves sick," Qin Xiaowan said. "This is Linyuan Academy. They have strict rules. No one dares to cause trouble here, or they'll face severe punishment, or even expulsion."
Ye Tian looked ahead at the procession. At the gate stood four middle-aged men and one elderly man. Next to them was a screen, more than a meter tall. Every so often, someone would write a few characters on the screen, and then information would appear on it.
Every single person entering the academy had to have their identity verified. Only those whose identities were confirmed could pass through.
Although the line wasn't exceptionally long, the verification process was painstakingly slow. They waited for nearly two hours before it was finally their turn.
Ye Tian was at the front of their group. One of the middle-aged men from the academy asked, "Name!"
"Ye Tian," he answered immediately.
"Your details and recommendation," the man continued.
"From the Ye Family of Lisha City. I'm a Core Disciple of the family," Ye Tian answered truthfully.
The middle-aged man then wrote Ye Tian's name on the screen. Instantly, information appeared that matched what Ye Tian had said perfectly, even including his physical appearance. It was quite magical.
After another look at Ye Tian, the man said, "Identity confirmed. You may enter the academy. Proceed to the new student area and assemble there."
Ye Feifei was next. In the same fashion, she stated her name and details, and was only allowed to enter after the information on the screen was shown to be a perfect match.
Qin Xiaowan's entrance was a bit different. She had gained admission to Linyuan Academy through the preliminary tournament, so she didn't need the screen. Instead, she had to state the number on her token from the final match and recite the information recorded on it.
One of the middle-aged men took out token number thirty-seven, which Qin Xiaowan had called out. He infused it with Spiritual Power to check the information within, and after confirming it was correct, he allowed her to pass.
Only after the three of them had entered Linyuan Academy did they realize how vastly different it was from the outside. A road more than ten meters wide, paved with white stone, stretched out before them.
The road was lined with colorful flowers and all sorts of peculiar trees. The scenery was beautiful, like a paradise hidden from the world, making one never want to leave.
After a short walk, a vast Martial Arts Training Ground came into view. Many people were already gathered there—all new students from the recent recruitment. They were standing around in small groups, chatting idly.
Ye Tian looked around the so-called Martial Arts Training Ground. Its sheer size was intimidating. The main square in Lisha City was considered huge, but compared to this place, it was like a sesame seed next to a watermelon. There was simply no comparison.
'Even with hundreds of thousands of people standing here, the training ground wouldn't feel crowded. I don't get why they would build it so big. Are they expecting to hold martial arts competitions at a moment's notice?'
Over the next two hours or so, people continued to trickle in until everyone had arrived. The men clearly outnumbered the women by more than two to one. Some of the women were quite pretty, with delicate features. Others, however, were brawny and built like tanks—so ugly they were like dinosaurs, scaring anyone from getting too close.
"Everyone, quiet down! Form ten lines and stand ready. Our Dean will be addressing you all shortly. I expect your full cooperation." A voice suddenly boomed from the sky.
Everyone quickly began to form lines. Naturally, Ye Tian, Ye Feifei, and Qin Xiaowan stood together in the third line. Within a few breaths, ten neat lines had formed. Not a single person spoke; the entire field fell deathly silent.
"Very good, very good! It seems you all know how to follow the academy's rules. Only the most outstanding individuals can enter Linyuan Academy. On behalf of all the instructors of Linyuan Academy, I welcome you!" A figure suddenly materialized in the air, and in the blink of an eye, a middle-aged man appeared before the crowd…