Academy Registration

The distribution of power within Spirit Hall Academy, its course content, and so on—Mu Qian knew nothing about any of it.

But judging by the fact that Spirit Hall Academy had won the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament championship for several consecutive years, its teaching standards were undoubtedly among the best.

In fact, given Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing's ages, they should have been attending an intermediate academy.

But that aside, even Zhu Zhuqing had long since reached the graduation requirements for an intermediate academy, let alone Mu Qian.

So there was no need.

They followed the main street north, and before long, the buildings around them grew sparse.

In the distance, they spotted a sprawling complex that stretched along the seemingly endless northern city wall, resembling a city of its own.

Though the place was remote, it was bustling at this hour.

At least ten thousand people had gathered in the broad plaza outside the school gates!

Vendors had set up their stalls in neat rows, hawking all kinds of goods. The market was every bit as lively as the central street.

The imposing school gates towered overhead. On the open ground to their right stood several elegant crystal tables and chairs, where a group of lavishly dressed students were helping a recruitment teacher with the registration.

From a distance, a long line of people stretched from the registration area all the way to the market in the middle of the plaza.

Countless parents waited in silence with their children, their hearts filled with all kinds of feelings.

Nervousness, excitement, or anxious unease—their eyes all shone with intense hope.

There was not the slightest commotion. Everyone followed the rules.

Before the sacred place in the hearts of young Spirit Masters across the continent, everything proceeded in perfect order.

"Is this Spirit Hall Academy?" Mu Qian murmured. They had already set out early, yet a long line had formed ahead of them.

Zhu Zhuqing held a recruitment notice and read aloud, "Those aged fourteen or younger with Soul Power above level twenty may apply..."

Mu Qian had noticed that requirement too. "It's much lower than Shrek Academy's. Then again, not everyone follows their monster-training approach."

Without lingering, Mu Qian led Zhu Zhuqing to the end of the line. Soon, another applicant arrived and joined the queue behind them.

Mu Qian watched the line ahead and noticed that nearly every applicant had passed the preliminary screening and, guided by the students, entered the academy gates.

That was only natural. Spirit Hall Academy had announced its enrollment requirements long ago. Those who didn't qualify wouldn't come here just to embarrass themselves.

No one dared challenge Spirit Hall's authority by pulling strings here. And those who could pull strings, of course, wouldn't show up here.

Still, while everyone had passed the preliminary screening, whether they could pass the remaining examinations was another matter.

In previous years, more than nine out of ten applicants had been eliminated in the later rounds!

In the end, fewer than one in ten managed to enter Spirit Hall Academy.

The competition was unimaginably harsh and fierce...

Spirit Hall Academy didn't charge an application fee. They were wealthy enough not to care about such a small amount.

After a long wait, Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing gradually neared the registration area.

At the same time, a stunningly beautiful figure came into view.

"Why is she here?"

"Why is she here?"

Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing wondered the same thing at the same time.

Hu Liena sat languidly in a chair nearby, idly fiddling with the fountain pen in her hand.

The forms on the table were completely blank. The talentless newcomers seemed unable to spark even the slightest interest in her.

Every boy's gaze was drawn to the breathtaking senior, but she never once looked at them properly.

As if even a glance would be a waste of her time.

Soon, the line ahead grew shorter and shorter. At last, it was Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing's turn.

The moment Hu Liena saw Mu Qian, the languor vanished from her eyes, and a hint of delight shone through.

"Name."

The recruitment teacher, an elderly man in a white robe, sat at the table and asked mechanically.

He had to assess thousands of applicants that day, and most of those who made it here already met the basic requirements.

He was simply going through the motions. It was hard to muster much enthusiasm.

"You're here!"

At the same time, the lovely voice that suddenly rang out beside him made his gaze freeze.

He wasn't the only one. Every student seated there reacted the same way.

As His Holiness the Pope's sole disciple and the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall, Hu Liena was all but certain to become the next Pope, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Add to that her peerless beauty, and she was the goddess in the hearts of nearly every boy at Spirit Hall Academy!

Yet their lofty goddess, who never deigned to look at them, was now showing someone an utterly enthusiastic expression.

And the person she was so enthusiastic about seemed to be...the newcomer standing right in front of them?

Hu Liena could not hide her delight. She had waited here for ages, and at last Mu Qian had arrived.

She hadn't really expected him to come. She had only come here to help in name.

She hadn't expected to actually see him.

"Teacher, leave their entrance examination to me." Hu Liena kept her eyes on Mu Qian, not even glancing at the old man.

She was clever. She knew Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing were together, and she wasn't going to put Mu Qian in an awkward position.

"Yes, Your Highness the Saintess," the old man said respectfully, without the slightest reluctance.

He was only an ordinary teacher, after all, while Her Highness the Saintess ranked even above their Spirit Hall Academy dean!

That was without even considering Elder Hall. Within Pope Palace, only His Holiness the Pope outranked her.

The boys nearby were dumbfounded. They couldn't understand why Her Highness the Saintess was so enthusiastic toward this young man.

Was it just because Mu Qian was handsome?

No. Her Highness the Saintess would never be so shallow!

The boys all clenched their fists, comparing themselves to Mu Qian.

"Name."

Hu Liena couldn't care less what these mediocre people thought. She gazed intently at Mu Qian.

She wasn't asking for the sake of academy enrollment. She simply wanted to know the boy's name.

"Mu Qian."

Mu Qian's expression remained calm. The attention of the crowd did not affect him in the slightest.

"Mu Qian... What a lovely name..." Hu Liena's cheeks flushed faintly as her thoughts wandered.

An unusual glimmer shone in her pink eyes. She raised her delicate hand and gently lifted Mu Qian's chin with her index finger.

Her alluring manner made even Mu Qian's heart skip a beat. He felt a little ticklish inside, as if a feather had brushed against him.

"You..." A trace of chill stirred in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.

The look on Hu Liena's face when she heard Mu Qian's name made it seem as if she had already decided what to name their future children!