Chapter 39: Plain Skirt

Jiang Jian swiped across the screen.

He read the talent description carefully.

Several minutes later.

His gaze settled on “Dark Scent,” “Spirit Vein Deepening,” and “Meridian Unblocking.”

“Dark Scent is a relatively rare enhancement divine gift.”

“Strengthens spellcraft, weapons, and martial arts.”

“And carries an irresistible soul attack.”

“While cultivating, it also increases spiritual energy reserves and raises the upper limit of spiritual essence.”

Jiang Jian’s eyes moved downward, focusing on the other two.

“Spirit Vein Deepening comprehensively enhances spiritual energy cultivation speed and recovery speed.”

“Meridian Unblocking also boosts spiritual essence, but its primary focus is on increasing physical stamina and strengthening meridians.”

Jiang Jian fell silent for a moment.

He swiped away “Spirit Vein Deepening.”

“Dark Scent, when cultivated deeply, provides the highest increase in cultivation speed and spiritual affinity.”

“As for Spirit Vein Deepening’s effects.”

“They can be partially compensated for with spirit herbs or divine gift weapons.”

Thinking of this,

Jiang Jian swiped away “Spirit Vein Deepening.”

On the self-selection page, only “Dark Scent” remained.

“Level 3 Talent Orb: Yi, Dark Scent.”

“Please confirm once more whether you wish to claim the Talent Orb.”

On the semi-transparent screen, a button appeared.

Jiang Jian’s finger swept across and tapped “Confirm.”

“Congratulations! You have successfully claimed the Talent Orb!”

“The Fu Ya warehouse has been confirmed; dedicated personnel are preparing shipment. Please await further notice!”

He turned off his identity device.

Jiang Jian stood up and checked the time.

8:30.

Half an hour remained until the academy gates opened.

“Jiang Jian, how was your rest?”

Shi Xuan walked over, holding two cups of mocha.

“Thanks.”

Jiang Jian took the coffee and took a sip.

Deeply bitter sweetness.

“Didn’t rest much.”

“Just reading through those emails took up plenty of time.”

Speaking of which, Jiang Jian walked to the porthole and gazed out at the dockyard. “There are more people now.”

In the dockyard.

Beside the Whale-Ray craft.

Many people in work uniforms gathered.

Some operated machinery carts, others held various tools.

They bustled beneath the Whale-Ray craft.

“Every Whale-Ray craft requires complex daily maintenance.”

“These workers rely on this for their livelihood.”

Shi Xuan smiled. “The first-year campus has only a few thousand faculty and students.”

“But the population in the academy’s outer zones reaches a million.”

“The academy area is nearly equivalent to a small city.”

“The livelihood of these million people.”

“Is intimately tied to Linjiang Academy.”

Put simply,

“Most of them.”

“Survive by serving the campus.”

As they spoke,

The time reached 8:50.

At the far end of the dockyard,

The massive academy gate, silently standing, slowly opened!

Two colossal gates towered dozens of meters high.

Even with just a narrow crack opened,

It could accommodate three floating vehicles side by side.

Inside the cabin, blue light flared.

“Please disembark!”

A mechanical voice echoed.

The Whale-Ray cabin door rotated open.

Jiang Jian stepped onto the gangway: “Let’s go.”

Shi Xuan followed behind.

Several others also emerged.

Before the academy gate, on the dockyard,

Three hundred incoming freshmen gradually disembarked from the Whale-Ray crafts.

According to their departments,

They naturally divided into seventeen groups.

Shi Xuan scanned the surroundings, then suddenly spoke: “Jiang Jian, I noticed something.”

Jiang Jian raised an eyebrow: “Go on.”

Shi Xuan said: “All other departments have team leaders.”

“But our First Department seems to have none.”

“On this massive Whale-Ray craft,”

“Only the few of us are here.”

“There’s not a trace of a team leader.”

As he finished speaking,

The other three nodded: “It really does seem that way.”

“I noticed it already on the Whale-Ray craft.”

“Could it be that our First Department has so few incoming freshmen that the team leader didn’t bother coming?”

Listening to them,

Jiang Jian pointed toward the partially opened academy gate: “Isn’t that them coming?”

They looked up.

Over a hundred teachers emerged from the gate and arrived on the dockyard.

These teachers wore custom-tailored academy robes.

The garments were luxurious, exquisitely crafted.

The threads along the seams shimmered, made of the finest materials.

Meanwhile,

Behind them,

Over a thousand students formed orderly lines and walked out of the gate.

These students wore equally splendid academy uniforms.

On the chest of each uniform was embroidered the Linjiang Academy emblem:

A surging, roaring river.

At first glance,

One could almost hear the water churning, roaring, and bellowing.

Gong!

The bell’s chime echoed across the dockyard!

The vast open space before the academy gate fell instantly silent.

Identity device time.

Pointed to 9:00 sharp.

“In the year 3227, the First-Year Zone’s entrance examination has been completed.”

A calm voice rang out.

All faculty and students on the fleet yard looked up.

Above dozens of whale-ray vessels.

A figure clad in a teacher’s robe descended through the air.

Seeing this person,

Shi Xuan’s pupils instantly contracted, and he muttered,

“First-Year Zone, Deputy Head of Campus, Zhang Tianzhi.”

“His realm is very high.”

As he spoke,

The slender figure had already landed on the fleet yard.

Countless eyes turned toward him.

Zhang Tianzhi surveyed the surroundings and said, “Linjiang Academy embraces all rivers.”

“Only cultivation progress and examination results matter.”

“There is no discrimination.”

“Three hundred incoming students from other continents.”

“On behalf of the academy, I welcome you all.”

With those words,

Zhang Tianzhi clapped.

The other teachers clapped as well.

Over a thousand students clapped too!

Jiang Jian’s expression remained calm.

Yet he sensed clearly,

That the local students

Subtly revealed superiority—and exclusion.

“If there’s no discrimination, why emphasize it so much?”

Shi Xuan, too, noticed this, and sneered, “It’s like hiding silver while claiming it’s not there.”

As he spoke,

Among the local students,

Student representatives had already been dispatched.

Walking toward the incoming newcomers.

“Five classmates, welcome.”

A girl with a ponytail smiled, “I’m Mu Ying.”

In her hands, she held five brand-new, luxurious uniforms.

“Welcome to the First Academy.”

“These uniforms were tailor-made according to your measurements.”

Mu Ying stepped before Jiang Jian, paused, then said, “Jiang Jian, welcome.”

Jiang Jian’s examination score was 97.

Ranked second among all new students.

Regardless of what Mu Ying truly thought,

At least for now,

She showed clear goodwill toward Jiang Jian.

Jiang Jian took the uniform: “Thank you.”

Mu Ying smiled sweetly: “Jiang Jian, you’re too polite.”

She walked to Shi Xuan’s side.

Mu Ying’s smile faded, yet she remained polite: “Shi Xuan, welcome.”

Seeing such obvious favoritism,

Shi Xuan’s eye twitched; he snatched the uniform and gritted out, “Mu Ying, welcome.”

After distributing all five uniforms,

Mu Ying exhaled and said, “Follow me.”

She turned and walked ahead.

Jiang Jian and Shi Xuan exchanged a glance, then followed.

The First Academy had few people.

Only fifty students.

The place where these students stood

Was the closest to the academy’s main gate among all academies.

Seeing Mu Ying lead them over,

The students slightly parted, their gazes turning toward the newcomers—with scrutiny.

Many glanced over Shi Xuan and the others in an instant.

But when they looked at Jiang Jian, their expressions grew noticeably more serious.

(End of Chapter)