Chapter 125: Cultivation and Mining

“Good, everyone’s here—no latecomers.”

“Let me introduce myself—I’m your enrollment instructor, Sha Hu.”

“Assuming nothing goes wrong, I’ll be spending quite some time with you,” Sha Hu said, grinning. “Let’s take attendance—I need to put names to faces.”

“Lu Ke. Kapulan. Luo Yasi. Candice. Gao De.”

Instructor Sha Hu called out each name in turn.

Among them, Lu Ke and Kapulan were formally Candice’s “older brothers.”

When Gao De boarded the airship, he’d glanced at them from afar and memorized their faces, though he didn’t know their names.

Now he finally knew.

He had no idea about the origins of Luo Yasi and Candice.

When Sha Hu reached the name “Gao De,” Candice turned her head and gave Gao De a long, deep look.

Gao De felt a flicker of guilt.

Everyone wears a disguise when they’re out, he told himself.

After taking attendance and identifying everyone, Instructor Sha Hu continued without pause:

“You all know already—every new student at Seris Magic Academy must complete the enrollment task before becoming official members.”

“It’s mandatory. You cannot refuse. There is no choice.”

“And every new student’s enrollment task is identical.”

“Using the tools provided by the academy, descend into the mine tunnels at Hardship Cliff, mine exactly 3,000 kilograms of water-gold ore, and deliver it to the Alchemy Department to complete the task.”

“Water-gold ore is the raw material used by the Alchemy Department to forge test-dummies.”

“Test-dummies serve as targets for the academy’s mages to test spells, and their consumption is always enormous—each year, hundreds of tons of water-gold ore are required.”

“Mining water-gold ore is grueling work, yet test-dummies are an essential consumable.”

“So the academy has made mining water-gold ore the enrollment task—it trains new students while meeting the academy’s demand for the ore.”

“I know all of you who joined at this time didn’t enter through the standard entrance exams—you came through backdoors. Your backgrounds are exceptionally privileged.”

Sha Hu’s blunt words made several present students shift uncomfortably. Too direct, instructor!

“But at Seris Magic Academy—at least during this enrollment task—your backgrounds mean nothing,” Sha Hu said, grinning with bared teeth.

Watching these “spoiled” young lords and ladies complain was one of his pleasures.

“Seris Magic Academy is the sacred ground where every young mage in the Westen Duchy strives to cultivate.”

“The words ‘sacred ground’ carry both ‘sacred’ and ‘cultivation.’”

“How can you call it cultivation if you won’t endure hardship?”

“The enrollment task is both a task and your first lesson—it teaches you this truth!”

“Many of you are used to being pampered at home—whatever you want, you get. You assume everything is owed to you.”

“Only after you’ve sweated and bled for something will you realize nothing in this world is owed.”

Sha Hu’s voice grew louder, spittle flying: “Even everything you possess now was won by your ancestors’ sweat and blood. Your duty is to preserve it, expand it—not lie on it and suck their blood!”

Gao De listened, intrigued. He also realized Seris Magic Academy’s reputation wasn’t without reason. In his view, none of these words applied to him—he could judge them as an outsider.

Because everything he had now was earned by his own efforts! Instructor Sha Hu continued.

“The mine lies at the base of Hardship Cliff. Your task is to enter the tunnels, mine water-gold ore, and haul it to the cliff top.”

“Every evening at six, personnel from the Alchemy Department will come to weigh and collect the ore you’ve mined that day.”

“The task is simple, but you must follow the rules.”

“First: no relying on others. Whether mining or transporting ore, you must do it yourself.”

“If you’re caught hiring help, all ore mined that day will be voided.”

“Second: no using external tools. Spell scrolls and alchemical devices are forbidden. You may use only your own hands—and your own cultivated spells.”

“Third: no stealing others’ labor. If caught, not only will your daily haul be voided, but you’ll be penalized by deducting 500 kilograms of water-gold ore.”

“Lastly,” Sha Hu’s gaze swept over the two female students among the six—their slender, almost frail figures—and he smirked with malicious delight, “Gender equality applies: everyone must mine 3,000 kilograms of water-gold ore.”

“Why no accommodations?”

Instructor Sha Hu grinned, his scarred, bearded face twisting. “Because enemies won’t show you mercy just because you’re a woman!”

“Also, there’s no deadline for the enrollment task. When you’ve gathered 3,000 kilograms of water-gold ore, you complete it—and gain formal admission.”

“One extra reminder: although you’ll receive mage-rank points at the end of your first year, you won’t accumulate ten credits.”

“So if you delay too long on the enrollment task, it will affect your ability to take subsequent courses.”

“Academy course credits cannot be earned without time and effort.”

Hearing these harsh conditions, and seeing the jagged cliff path before them, plus the mere name of the “mining” ordeal that already made their heads ache—

All five new students besides Gao De, including Candice, frowned, unable to accept it.

Gao De accepted it fairly well.

This was just like his past life’s “entrance military training.”

Though undoubtedly far more grueling than “military training.”

But the essence was the same: to temper character, forge perseverance, and instill endurance.

The world was different, but the Taolu was the same.

“Instructor Sha Hu!” At that moment, the other female student among the six, Candice, raised her hand—excluding Candice, the only other girl.

“What is it?”

“Must we really mine 3,000 kilograms of water-gold ore? Is there no alternative?”

Candice frowned tightly—she was the one among the six least able to accept this enrollment task.

“There is one,” Instructor Sha Hu said calmly.

“What?!” Candice’s eyes lit up with sudden joy.

She likely hadn’t realized the alternative would be no easier—she was simply used to being coddled since childhood, and anything was better than mining.

“Did you notice the other tool in your baskets besides the pickaxe?” Instructor Sha Hu asked.

(End of Chapter)