Finally Entering the Inner Academy

"Green Fire Crystal Card?"

Unlike the new students' joy and the rewards, the older students on the hillside were somewhat taken aback by the words that came from Elder Su's mouth.

Immediately, envious glances swept over Xiao Ming in the arena.

"Green Fire Crystal Card? What's that?"

The senior students' performance piqued the curiosity of the freshmen.

"Hehe, in the Inner Academy, the Fire Crystal Card are divided into five colors from low to high: black, blue, cyan, red, and purple. The Black Crystal Card in your hands is the lowest grade. This type of Crystal Card only qualifies you to cultivate on the first and second levels of the 'Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda,' while the Blue Crystal Card is for the third and fourth levels, and so on."

"To upgrade Crystal Card, you need to pay 'Fire Energy' in the Inner Academy. Generally speaking, it takes one hundred days of 'Fire Energy' to upgrade from a black Blue Crystal Card Black Crystal Card to a blue crystal card, and two hundred days of 'Fire Energy' to upgrade from Blue Crystal Card to Azure Crystal Card..."

"Now that Xiao Ming has received the 'Green Fire Crystal Card' reward, it's equivalent to saving 300 days' worth of 'Fire Energy,' which is no small amount. Most of the senior students in the inner Inner Academy are still using Blue Crystal Card."

Seeing the new students' confusion, and realizing that Xiao Ming might not know the concept of the Azure Crystal Card, Elder Su smiled and explained it to them.

"Three hundred days of 'Fire Energy'?"

Upon hearing this number, the freshmen finally understood why the gazes around them were filled with envy.

The senior students who participated in the hunting competition hunted them relentlessly in the forest for a few days of Fire Energy.

They only have five days' worth of Fire Energy, and even if the senior student defeats them, he will only get three days' worth.

The fact that the Fire Energy from just these three days could make them so happy shows how precious this Fire Energy is.

The Azure Crystal Card is worth 300 Fire Energy, which should be considered a very good item.

After figuring it out, the freshmen also showed envy.

Unlike the other freshmen, Xiao Ming wasn't surprised at all, because he already knew the purpose of the Azure Crystal Card.

After Elder Su finished explaining, he flicked his hand, and an Azure Crystal Card appeared in his hand. With a flick of his finger, the Crystal Card shot towards Xiao Ming and finally hovered in front of him.

"Your reward is already inside. Transfer the Fire Energy from the Black Crystal Card to it, and then return the Black Crystal Card to me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ming promptly complied, and a moment later, handed the now-empty Black Crystal Card to Elder Su.

Elder Su accepted the black Fire Crystal Card, nodded slightly, and said with a smile:

"Alright, I'll arrange for someone to deliver the rewards to the others once we've found accommodations. Now that you've all passed the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, please come with me into the Inner Academy."

After speaking, he turned around and slowly walked up the hillside towards a set of broken stone steps.

"Finally, we can enter the Inner Academy... It wasn't easy."

"Let's go, I can't wait to see what the Inner Academy looks like."

Although most of the freshmen had been badly beaten in the forest, they were now about to enter the Inner Academy they had been longing for, and their excitement was hard to hide.

They eagerly followed Elder Su, climbing up the steps.

The gravel steps weren't very high; in just a minute or two, Xiao Ming and the other freshmen reached the last level, then lifted themselves up and stood on the hillside.

Their gaze swept across the scene before them, causing them to slowly inhale the slightly chilly air.

"Is this the Inner Academy?"

The soft murmurs came from the mouths of the newborns on the hillside.

Beyond the hillside lies an extremely large sunken basin. Judging from its shape, it looks as if a giant meteorite fell from the sky and smashed out of it.

Within the basin, towering buildings stand in rows. From a high vantage point, one can see shadowy figures, like fleas, constantly flitting and leaping above the buildings.

As the gaze extends forward, it becomes apparent that the basin is unusually large; even at the far end of the field of vision, all that can be seen are towering buildings and lush greenery.

It's hard to imagine that such a wondrous place is hidden among the endless mountains behind the Jia Nan Academy!

"Hehe, little ones, welcome to the core location of the Jia Nan Academy: the Inner Academy!"

Smiling at the shock on the faces of the new students, Elder Su clapped his hands and laughed.

"Alright, now that the hunting competition is over, all freshmen, come back to the Inner Academy with me. Let's settle you in first, and then you will truly become members of the 'Inner Academy.' Believe me, as long as you can persevere here, you will feel that everything you've done was worthwhile when you leave." After waiting a while to let the freshmen calm down, Elder Su spoke slowly.

All the new students nodded slightly. From the older students, they could already see how great the benefits of cultivating in this Inner Academy would be.

"Go! Everyone, follow!"

With a wave of his hand, Elder Su's figure transformed into a blurry shadow and sped towards the huge basin.

After that, all the new students immediately moved and swooped down the hillside like locusts. Instantly, excited shouts echoed in the sky and lingered for a long time.

"Squeak."

A wooden door was slowly pushed open, and a ray of sunlight slid in through the crack, eventually forming a thin beam of light on the ground.

As the wooden door was fully pushed open, the light expanded rapidly, and several figures, stretched to varying lengths by the sunlight, walked in.

The elderly man leading the group glanced over the spacious pavilion and smiled, "Xiao Ming, this will be your residence for the five of you from now on."

Five people living together?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yanshu, who was following behind, was taken aback, and then said in astonishment:

"Elder Su, you're not going to make Jiayun and me, two girls, live with those three guys, are you? I can accept Xiao Ming's situation, but what about Buck and the other two..."

The words were left unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

"That's right, Elder Su. It's one thing for Xiao Ming, but isn't it inappropriate for two grown men like Buck to live with us?" Jiayun chimed in.

They clearly resisted the arrangement, but there was nothing they could do about it; although they were all prominent figures at the Jia Nan Academy, they weren't familiar with each other.

No revolutionary friendship was established during the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, so it's no wonder the girl had objections to suddenly living under the same roof.

"Hehe, this pavilion is so big, and there are so many rooms, what are you afraid of?"

Elder Su smiled and shook his head dismissively, but although he didn't care, he still offered a solution.

"Of course, if you really don't want to, you can go out and join a faction and live with them. The factions in the Inner Academy all have rented space by spending Fire Energy. With your status as the top five freshmen this year, it should be easy for you to join that faction."