Tighnari could tell from their expressions that they couldn't answer the question. He didn't press them and instead asked them to demonstrate their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai didn't hesitate. They immediately performed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Hell White Tiger.
However, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were still too weak. They could only use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill for a single attack.
Seeing that Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were somewhat exhausted after performing their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Tighnari nodded.
"You've passed the assessment. From now on, you're students of Amurta."
Smiles had just appeared on Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's faces. Now that they had entered the academy, they could finally escape the fate that had awaited them.
But just then, Tighnari pulled out a copy of the Akademiya Student Handbook.
"Take this and read it carefully. Memorize everything inside, and try not to break any rules. Otherwise, Cyno will come after you."
Looking at the thick Akademiya Student Handbook before them, they immediately felt a sense of dread.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong was also taking the assessment. She went up to Layla.
Since coming to Douluo Continent, Layla no longer had to stay up all night rushing to finish papers, and she was feeling much better.
"Are you applying to Rtawahist? The things they study are very difficult. If you can't write your papers, you might not even get to sleep. Have you really thought this through?"
Layla gave this warning to everyone who came to ask her about it, and the vast majority were scared away.
Ning Rongrong, however, wanted to give it a try. She considered herself quite a clever girl.
"Ms. Layla, I'm ready."
"Teacher? No, no! My knowledge isn't enough for me to take on the responsibility of being a teacher. Just call me Layla."
Layla took out her Dream-Decorating Orb. Seeing the beautiful orb, Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.
"Ms. Layla, is this your Martial Soul? It's so pretty!"
"Mm, you could say that. My assessment is about to begin, so get ready."
"Okay, let's do it!"
Layla activated the Dream-Decorating Orb and murmured an incantation.
"Sleep, sleep. I know those many star paths are in your dreams, and many fates unfold before your drowsy eyes!"
Ning Rongrong gazed at the Dream-Decorating Orb and soon drifted off to sleep. In her dream, she saw a brilliant starry sky. But before she could study it closely, her consciousness was pulled out of the dream.
"What did you see?"
Hearing Layla's question, Ning Rongrong answered instinctively.
"The stars. A brilliant starry sky!"
"Mm, good. Now draw the starry sky you saw. I'll judge whether you passed the assessment based on your drawing."
Ning Rongrong picked up a pen and paper, carefully recalled the starry sky from her dream, and began to draw.
Layla watched Ning Rongrong with an expectant expression. She hoped to recruit a new student for Rtawahist—at the very least, she couldn't come away empty-handed like Senior Faruzan.
Meanwhile, Tai Tan had finished making the parts from Kaveh's blueprint. He carefully handed them to Kaveh.
Kaveh took the parts and inspected them against the blueprint. The discrepancies were within an acceptable range.
"Excellent. You've passed the assessment. Welcome to Kshahrewar."
Tai Tan was delighted, but then he saw Kaveh take out an Akademiya Student Handbook too, and his face fell.
He was already so old, yet they still expected him to memorize a student handbook. It was practically torture for the elderly!
And that was only the beginning. Getting into the Akademiya was just the first step. After that, you really had to study. You had to learn, propose a topic, research it, and write a paper. The paper had to pass review before you could qualify to graduate from the Akademiya.
Take Nefer, for example. She had interrupted her studies, so she hadn't even counted as an Akademiya graduate.
However, at Ouyang Kong's urging, she completed her paper and successfully received her diploma. Nahida had even presented it to her in person. She must have been very happy.
Her paper described how she took revenge: she impersonated an Akademiya envoy and used lies to incite two tribes to slaughter each other, until the two enemy tribes were wiped out together.
Nefer had done it deliberately. She hadn't thought her paper would pass review, but Nahida had told her:
"History must not be avoided. The Akademiya of today won't shy away from the evils committed by the Akademiya of the past. On the contrary, only by remembering those evils can we avoid repeating them.
"Nefer, your research topic is in keeping with Haravatat's principles. Naturally, it passes."
When Nefer took her Akademiya diploma from Nahida, she gave her a wry smile.
"Heh, as expected of Lesser Lord Kusanali, who can see right through people!"
Nefer stroked the cat as she pulled herself out of her memories, then raised a hand to her mouth and yawned.
"Ah, Jahoda should be the one stuck watching the stall. I wonder when I'll see that girl again."
The view shifted to Ouyang Kong, where Collei had already brought Xiao Wu and Tang San over.
"Grand Sage, I've brought them."
"Mm, well done, Collei. Go back and help Tighnari."
"Of course, Grand Sage."
After Collei left, Ouyang Kong turned his gaze to Xiao Wu and Tang San.
Tang San watched Ouyang Kong warily. Ouyang Kong simply smiled. To him, Tang San, the protagonist of Douluo Continent, was no different from anyone else.
"Xiao Wu, Daming, the Sky Azure Bull Python, and Erming, the Titan Giant Ape, have both been recruited into the Akademiya. You can return to Star Dou Forest and reunite with them, then help them work for those Ferocious Beasts.
"You can also stay here and study at the branch academy. As a student of Amurta, you could use your identity as a Human-Form Soul Beast as your research topic. You should be able to write a fine paper."
Xiao Wu looked at Ouyang Kong. As she considered his words, she asked him a question.
"Grand Sage, aren't you biased against Soul Beasts?"
"No. The gods love all living things. In Teyvat, nonhuman beings can live in peace with humans. Monsters are the exception."
Ouyang Kong didn't explain further. Instead, he turned his gaze to Tang San.
"Tang San, your skill with mechanical Hidden Weapons could be put to good use if you studied at Kshahrewar. Of course, the academy isn't a place that hoards knowledge. If you don't want to share, no one will force you. The choice is yours.
"Of course, keep your hands to yourself. Theft isn't allowed anywhere.
"If you do it again, Cyno will teach you how to behave."
Tang San's pupils instantly widened. He looked utterly incredulous.
"You, you, you..."
"Nothing can escape the God of Wisdom's sight. The title 'god' isn't something one says lightly. Do you understand?"
"I-I understand! I'm willing to study at Kshahrewar."
"Mm. Then go find Tighnari and Kaveh to complete the enrollment process."