Chapter 15: Departure

This selection for the Four Great Academies ended very quickly, wrapping up in less than half a day.

Apart from Jiang Qin and Li Yunyan, who joined Zhenling Academy directly without needing to go through selection, what surprised Jiang Qin the most was that Zhang Le had actually been chosen by the admissions teacher from Bianse Academy, which made Principal Wang overjoyed.

After all, having two students from a single cohort enter the Four Great Academies was a real feather in the cap for a principal like him!

After the selection ended, the watching students dispersed with lingering excitement. Soon, the second- and third-tier academies would also arrive in Tianyun Shi to begin their own admissions and assessments, so everyone's mood was more or less weighed down.

Jiang Qin looked at Zhang Le, who had just finished filling out his registration form, quite surprised: "Not bad, kid. Didn't expect the perennial last-place student to actually pull off a comeback."

"Hehe, mainly because my family pulled some strings." Zhang Le modestly rubbed his nose as he explained.

His talent was indeed not enough to enter the Four Great Academies, but Zhang Le's grandfather had once rendered great service at Bianse, and only returned to develop in Tianyun Shi after suffering a hidden injury. So out of respect for his grandfather, Bianse Academy made an exception and gave Zhang Le a spot.

Lin Lao walked up to Jiang Qin and Li Yunyan, handing each of them a special recording device the size of a button.

"According to regulations, you are now Intern Investigators with law enforcement authority. Keep the recording device on you at all times. As long as you don't break the law, the Academy and the local Zhenling Bureau will be your greatest backing."

"With this recruitment mission complete, when do you plan to set off? I'll take you back together."

Li Yunyan answered without hesitation: "Any time works."

She was an orphan and didn't have that many loose ends to tie up—as long as she packed her things, she could leave right away.

Both turned their gaze to Jiang Qin. He thought for a moment and said: "Elder Lin, how about tomorrow morning?"

"Haha, naturally no problem on my end."

"Then tomorrow morning, I'll wait for you at the station."

The matter of the Academy was settled for now.

To celebrate, Zhang Le specifically dragged Jiang Qin to a restaurant, bragging that he was going to drink himself under the table. But after barely finishing one bottle, he was already slumped over the table.

Jiang Qin called a driver to take Zhang Le away.

He walked alone along the street, taking in the peaceful atmosphere of the alleys and avenues. After all, tomorrow he would be leaving the city he'd lived in for over a dozen years, and he had no idea when he'd be back.

Walking and walking, by the time he came back to his senses, he was already outside Tianyun Cemetery.

Jiang Qin stepped forward with heavy footsteps and went inside.

Passing row upon row of tombstones, he listened to weeping that seemed to come from nowhere in particular.

He came to a tombstone, sat down in front of it, stared blankly at the photo on the stone, then suddenly laughed:

"Jiang Ma, you always used to say I was slow, but now I'm already a student of Zhenling Academy. I haven't embarrassed you. I've also met a lot of people—like Li Yunyan, the genius from First High School. I can tell she's a very stubborn person; once she decides something, she won't waver. That part is a lot like me…"

A breeze rose from nowhere, tousling the youth's hair.

Warm sunlight poured into the cemetery, bathing the youth in its glow, radiant and shimmering. The light was warm, like a pair of invisible hands gently stroking his head, quietly listening as he recounted his experiences of late.

At this moment, he was no longer the SSS-grade Talent—just Jiang Qin.

The youth talked for a long time. Perhaps too relaxed, he leaned against the tombstone and couldn't help closing his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

In a corner of the cemetery, two pairs of eyes quietly watched him.

After hearing Ji Xue recount Jiang Qin's experiences, Lin Lao couldn't help being moved and sighed:

"A youth who rose from the humblest beginnings—no wonder the first time I met him, I felt he was a little different from the rest. Li Wei also gave this kid a very high evaluation. Perhaps he really can walk that road to the end and bring a wave of reform to our Zhenling Academy."

Investigators do wield unparalleled authority, but authority also represents desire.

On the road to purging evil, too many Academy students have gone astray, blinding and deafening themselves. That is the very root of Zhenling Academy's current decline.

Ji Xue placed great hopes in Jiang Qin, hoping he could walk the road she had failed to finish…

————

The next morning, Tianhua Street.

Jiang Qin brought nothing with him. After all, he had money now, and he could just buy daily necessities once he arrived at the Academy.

He took one last look back at the house, then got into the taxi waiting at the door.

'Jiang Ma, wait for me…'

The taxi driver floored it, heading straight for Tianyun Shi Station.

In this world, although martial Dao reigned supreme, technology had not stood still—it had carved out a new path. For instance, trains and aircraft powered by Spirit Power as their energy source. Of course, the prices weren't cheap either.

One student after another, backpacks on their shoulders, walked into the station under the joyful send-off of their families, vowing to carve out their own place in the world.

Led by Lin Lao, Jiang Qin and Li Yunyan walked into the VIP carriage.

Once inside the carriage, they ran into familiar faces.

Modu Academy's admissions teacher Zhou Lian, along with the student he had recruited this time, Jin Zhan, were among them.

Seeing Jiang Qin approach, Jin Zhan's expression was far from pleasant. He lowered his head and pretended to space out—clearly that move yesterday had truly given him a psychological shadow.

That bastard really went for the kill, not giving a damn about his Jin family at all.

"Oh, you guys leaving today too? What a coincidence."

Lin Lao chuckled, unsurprised.

After all, Zhenling Academy and Modu Academy were both in Modu, so running into each other on the trip back was perfectly normal.

Jiang Qin and Li Yunyan found a spot and sat down.

"Don't even get me started, these seats really are comfortable—softer than my bed at home."

Li Yunyan nodded in agreement. She took out a bag of chips from her bag, opened it, and held it out in front of Jiang Qin. The meaning was obvious.

"Want some?"

"Yes!"

Jiang Qin unceremoniously grabbed a handful and stuffed it into his mouth. The ride would take at least 3 hours to reach Modu anyway, so eating something to pass the time wasn't a bad idea.

The train departed on time, picking up speed.

Jiang Qin turned to look at Lin Lao and asked:

"Elder Lin, can I ask you something?"

"Haha, kid, you're still being polite with me? Go ahead and ask."

"It's just that I happened to come across two bottles of Refining Spirit Liquid a few days ago. They say it's something only Martial Artists in the Spirit Sea Realm use when they want to purify their Spirit Power. So I was wondering—does it absolutely require the Spirit Sea Realm to use? Wouldn't the Spirit Gathering Realm work?"

Lin Lao pondered for a moment, then said: "It's not that it can't be done, but generally no one would do it that way. Because a Spirit Gathering Realm Martial Artist's physical body is too fragile. If they forcibly refine their spirit, their limbs and bones may be unable to withstand the purified Spirit Energy, leading to some irreversible consequences."

The old man did not keep anything to himself, but carefully offered guidance.

"Generally, only disciples of great clans refine their spirit at the Spirit Gathering Realm, because they can buy enough spirit herbs and pills to strengthen their physical bodies. After refining their spirit, their strength far surpasses that of Martial Artists of the same realm, and they can even clash head-on with ordinary Spirit Sea Realm Martial Artists."

"However, refining the spirit can be done at most nine times. After nine times, one must break through. Otherwise, in mild cases, one's foundation will be ruined; in severe cases, one's flesh and blood will disintegrate and one will die!"

Afterwards, Li Yunyan also brought up some difficulties she had encountered in her cultivation.

The waiting process was tedious, but with Lin Lao, such a martial arts expert, resolving her doubts, it gained a few more pleasures.