Some Rejoice, Some Sorrow

The sunlight had barely fallen over the academy when Jiang Donghua hurried toward Yellow-tier Class 266.

The senior students in the dormitory had already gone off to their respective classes.

As a new student, he still had to report to his class first today.

Before he even stepped into the classroom, he heard Instructor Yan Feng's booming, rough voice lecturing inside.

"There aren't many special assessments at the academy. Other than academy assignments, figure out the rest yourselves!"

"If you don't understand something, come ask us. Usually, just treat this place as a study hall and read. Don't make me repeat myself a second time!"

Jiang Donghua paused, sighing inwardly.

This Old Yan... he really is casual about everything.

When he pushed open the door and entered, he was immediately stunned.

He had thought he had arrived early, but the classroom was already packed with people. There were at least two or three hundred new students, gathered in small groups and talking in low voices. Some flipped through cultivation manuals, while others had simply fallen asleep on their desks.

"So many people?"

Jiang Donghua muttered under his breath as he swept his gaze around, looking for an empty seat.

Just then, Lin Xiuyuan waved at him.

"Donghua, there's still a seat over here!"

After sitting down, Jiang Donghua could not help asking in disbelief.

"How did you all get here so early?"

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, then asked instead.

"Oh, right. Are you going to the talent assessment later?"

"Talent assessment?"

"Yeah. On the second day after new students enroll, the Alchemy Department, Formation Department, and Talisman Department all open their tests. As long as your Soul Force meets the standard, you can apply to transfer departments."

A glimmer of anticipation flashed through Lin Xiuyuan's eyes.

"If we happen to test out some talent, we won't have to do those simple jobs like escort missions, killing magical beasts, or gathering herbs."

Remembering what the others in the dormitory had said last night, Jiang Donghua nodded.

"I'm going. Of course I'm going."

The moment they finished whispering, Instructor Yan Feng's loud voice exploded through the room again.

"Quiet! Here's today's schedule: self-study in the morning, and this afternoon you can go to the various departments for talent assessments. Anyone who wants to go can get the hell out now. Don't waste time here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the classroom instantly erupted. More than half the students jumped up and rushed out, afraid of being even a step too late.

Lin Xiuyuan grabbed Jiang Donghua.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and go claim a spot! If we get there late, we'll be lining up until evening!"

Lin Xiuyuan dragged Jiang Donghua outside at a run. The wind whistled past his ears, but it could not drown out the other boy's excited chatter.

"My greatest dream is to become a Formation Master!"

Lin Xiuyuan shouted as he ran, his eyes shining.

"There's no hope of becoming an alchemist. You need Fire attribute along with Wood attribute for that, and I'm not even Fire Element. But Formation Masters are different. Earth Element, Wood Element, even Water Element—they all have a chance!"

Jiang Donghua's heart stirred, and he could not help muttering.

"Construction worker? This world has those too?"

Lin Xiuyuan did not catch his complaint and continued on his own.

"But don't get your hopes up too high. Even among those with Wood Element or Earth Element, there might not be one person with Formation Master talent out of two or three hundred!"

He curled his lip.

"Ninety-nine percent of us Yellow-tier students are ordinary folk."

Jiang Donghua raised an eyebrow.

"Then why are you so excited?"

"Because what if?!"

Lin Xiuyuan abruptly stopped, turned around, and pressed both hands onto Jiang Donghua's shoulders with a serious expression.

"Do you know how sought-after Formation Masters are?"

"Set up a Spirit Gathering Array, and cultivation speed can double. Carve a Defense Formation, and even those from the Profound-tier classes won't be able to break it!"

"If you can master it, who would still put up with this academy?"

Lin Xiuyuan shook Jiang Donghua until his head spun. Just as he was about to complain, a burst of commotion suddenly came from the distance.

The two turned to look and saw that a long line had already formed outside the Alchemy Department testing site, winding around three corners.

Several apprentices in the Alchemy Department's white robes stood at the entrance with their chins raised high, barely sparing the new students in line any attention.

"Tch, the Alchemy Department is as arrogant as ever."

Lin Xiuyuan rolled his eyes.

"Come on, let's go to the Formation Department! There are fewer people there!"

Jiang Donghua was dragged down another path.

As he jogged along behind Lin Xiuyuan, Jiang Donghua realized that this guy was practically a living map.

He knew the Alchemy Department's Bluestone Hall, the Formation Department's Rune Tower, the Talisman Department's Cinnabar Pavilion, and even the academy's most remote Spirit Beast Taming Ground like the back of his hand.

"See that?"

"That's the Profound Spirit Pavilion over there. It stores high-level cultivation manuals, but Yellow-tier students like us can't even get through the door."

Lin Xiuyuan pointed toward an ornate pavilion in the distance, his tone carrying a hint of sour envy.

Jiang Donghua could not help asking.

"How are you so familiar with the academy?"

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled and lowered his voice.

"My Lin Family may not compare to those top aristocratic clans, but we still have a few connections in the city."

"That Instructor Old Man Mo you saw before? He and my father are friends who have been through life and death together."

"Before I enrolled, my father got me a map of the academy and even marked out which places had the most profit to be made..."

He suddenly stopped midway through his sentence and coughed twice.

"Ahem. Anyway, you can't go wrong following me!"

Jiang Donghua understood. As expected, he was a child from a major family.

Still, there was no reason not to use a free guide. He was more than happy to save himself the trouble of figuring things out alone.

However, reality quickly dealt them both a crushing blow.

The white-bearded elder from the Formation Department looked at the formation-pattern disc before Lin Xiuyuan, which showed no reaction at all, then shook his head and sighed.

"Your Earth Element affinity barely passes, but your Soul Force fluctuations are too weak. You are not suited to studying formations."

The female cultivator holding a brush glanced at Jiang Donghua's crooked test talisman, then crumpled it into a ball.

"You can't even draw the lines of a basic Calming Talisman steadily. Don't waste materials."

Lin Xiuyuan squatted beneath a locust tree like an eggplant struck by frost, listlessly plucking blades of grass from the ground.

"It's over. Now I really have to muddle through the Yellow-tier class until graduation..."

He let out a mournful sigh and looked up at Jiang Donghua, only to find that the fellow was still staring at that broken crystal, without the slightest trace of disappointment on his face.

Lin Xiuyuan suddenly froze, as if something had occurred to him. His eyes gradually lit up.

"Wait... that's not right!"

He slapped his thigh.

"I'm Wood Element, so I can't become an alchemist, but you have Fire attribute!"

"We haven't gone to try our luck at the Alchemy Department yet."

Seeing Jiang Donghua's indifferent expression, Lin Xiuyuan felt inexplicably irritated.

"No, I can't be the only one getting hit by this!"

He dragged Jiang Donghua toward the Alchemy Department, thinking to himself.

Those people from the Alchemy Department all have their eyes on top of their heads. Let's see whether you can still stay so calm!

Outside the Alchemy Department hall, several Senior Brothers in white robes stood at the entrance, their chins held high and their eyes full of impatience.

They toyed with several crystal-clear crystal balls in their hands, occasionally glancing at the new students in line with faint mockery at the corners of their mouths.

"Fire Element students, touch the crystal ball first!"

"If there's no reaction, get lost immediately. Don't waste our time!"

The new students in line trembled as they reached out one by one to touch the crystal balls, but after most of them did, the crystal balls did not emit even the faintest light.

Those Senior Brothers could not even be bothered to lift their eyelids. They merely waved coldly, signaling for them to leave at once.

"This batch of new students is truly poor quality."

"Yeah. Only a little over thirty have been admitted all morning. Last year, there were at least fifty or sixty."

Standing in the line and listening to the Senior Brothers' discussion, Lin Xiuyuan felt inexplicably more at ease.

He turned to Jiang Donghua and deliberately lowered his voice.

"Donghua, don't get nervous later. If the crystal ball doesn't react, that'll be embarrassing."

Jiang Donghua glanced at him, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

"Don't worry. My mentality is excellent."

At last, it was their turn.

Lin Xiuyuan deliberately let Jiang Donghua go first while standing to the side, ready to enjoy the show.

Jiang Donghua stepped forward and placed his hand on the crystal ball.

Bzz—

The crystal ball suddenly lit up with a faint red glow. It was not dazzling, but it had definitely reacted!

Lin Xiuyuan's eyes widened.

"Holy shit?!"

The Senior Brothers finally gave him a proper look. One of them nodded.

"Your Fire Element affinity is average, but you barely qualify. Go in."

Jiang Donghua withdrew his hand, turned around, and raised an eyebrow at Lin Xiuyuan.

"Looks like my luck is pretty good?"

Lin Xiuyuan.

"..."

It felt as though his heart were bleeding. He feared his brother suffering, yet he feared even more that his brother would live the good life!