Talent Academy

This man was named Yu Chen. He was an "Inspector" of the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies, yet he was not one of the Hundred Academies. He was a subordinate Daoist official under the Sea Prison Hall of the Taiyuan Divine Sect, drawing a stipend from the Divine Sect and overseeing the affairs of the Hundred Academies.

Throughout the four seasons, the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies held major and minor monthly examinations, Dao assemblies, and the like. The inspectors existed to prevent Dao masters and disciples from engaging in favoritism and fraud.

Holding a white banner, Yu Chen slowly walked over. The banner in his hand fluttered, and from within came what sounded like ghosts weeping and wolves howling.

At the sight, the Dao masters of the Hundred Academies had their brows twitch imperceptibly. Though dissatisfied, they did not dare say much, merely flicking their sleeves with unchanged expressions.

"Let the disciples decide for themselves where they wish to cultivate."

Yu Chen glanced at the Dao masters gathered around Xu Yan and spoke in an even tone.

"When did this old man ever force anyone?" The Dao master of Dragon Tiger Academy spread his hands, looking thoroughly wronged. "These disciples have only just arrived. Is it not our duty to offer them a little guidance? Such fine seedlings—if they stray onto the wrong path for lack of guidance, that would be the real sin!"

"Yes, yes..."

Several Dao masters echoed him.

Yu Chen waved a hand. "Enough of that. If I had not been here just now, this disciple would likely have been carried off by you lot. These rogue cultivators and disciples from lesser sects know their place—how would they dare refuse old fossils like you?"

Yu Chen showed no mercy, striking directly at the crux of the matter. The faces of the Dao masters shifted from red to green.

Disciples of aristocratic clans had deep backgrounds, so the Dao masters might not dare press them too hard. But rogue cultivators and people from lesser sects had no say in the matter. It was already no easy feat for them to enter a Dao Academy—how could they dare offend these seniors?

Yu Chen turned to Xu Yan and the newly emerged disciples around him. "At the tables to the north of the Dao Field, there are jade scrolls containing records. The origins of the Hundred Academies, each academy's strengths, and information on the Dao masters who teach there are all recorded within. Decide for yourselves where you wish to cultivate."

Hearing this, Xu Yan and the others immediately looked in the direction Yu Chen indicated. At the due north end of the thousand-zhang Dao Field stood a long row of tables, surrounded by many people. Quite a few young cultivators were also making introductions there.

Xu Yan considered this, then walked with the crowd toward that place.

Behind him, several Dao masters followed without drawing attention, keeping a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

There were many disciples in the Dao Field, but in terms of talent and natural aptitude, Xu Yan stood head and shoulders above the rest.

More importantly, Xu Yan's background was exceptionally clean, and he had even received guidance from the Dharma King.

He would neither bring trouble from aristocratic clan disciples, nor was he entirely unconnected to a Dharma King of the Divine Sect. This was an important reason the Dao masters of the Hundred Academies favored him.

Xu Yan, Yan Qihu, and Fang Che arrived before the tables.

Many jade scrolls lay atop them, densely packed with all kinds of information.

"Dragon Tiger Academy: excels in the path of qi and blood. Its academy-suppressing method, the Dragon Tiger Body-Tempering Method, when cultivated to great mastery, can forge a dao embryo of gold and stone, indestructible and capable of shaking mountains and seas..."

"Dark Mystery Dao Academy: its astral wind arts are the most formidable, and it also possesses Five Elements Dao books such as the Water Marsh Heart Sutra and the Great Thousand Divine Wood Method..."

"Spirit Glow Dao Academy: able to gather Dao radiance from beyond the heavens and condense it into a radiant Dao foundation. Its Mystic Qi is profound, and it excels in the Dao of Wanxiang nature."

The three of them flipped through the jade scrolls, their eyes overwhelmed by the sheer array of information.

Every Dao Academy had detailed records of its academy-suppressing methods, the Dao arts and divine abilities in which it excelled, and the resources it possessed.

"Senior Brother, where is the introduction to Talent Academy?"

Holding a jade scroll, Xu Yan raised his head and asked a young senior brother across the table.

This senior brother had been sent by the Dao Academies to receive new disciples. He would earn some spirit stones as compensation, and he was quite responsible.

When he heard Xu Yan mention the words "Talent Academy," his expression visibly froze for a moment.

Xu Yan had become curious about Talent Academy because of the Mystic Gate Sky Boat. Back in Spirit-Sealing City, Fang Che had told him that the Mystic Gate Sky Boat had been crafted by the Gongsun Clan, an aristocratic family of the recent antiquity. It was said that the current seal-holder of Talent Academy was a descendant of the Gongsun Clan.

The receiving senior brother paused, then helped Xu Yan flip through the jade scroll. He kept turning pages until he reached the very last few.

"Talent Academy was only established a century ago. Its seal-holder was once a true disciple of the Divine Sect, Senior Gongsun Yan... As for the rest, I do not know much either. Junior Brother, you should read it yourself."

Xu Yan accepted the jade scroll and examined it carefully.

Talent Academy: teaches Edict Script, alchemy, artifact forging, and formations.

Talent Academy had only that one brief line of introduction, leaving people rather at a loss.

"Junior Brother, if you wish to study alchemy, you may go to Alchemy Cauldron Academy. If you wish to learn artifact forging, you may go to Artifact Carving Academy. For formations, you may also go to Heavenly Mystery Academy." The senior brother was extremely conscientious.

"Do those Dao Academies study the path of Edict Script?" Xu Yan asked thoughtfully.

"Edict Script?" The senior brother said gravely, "I have been in the Hundred Academies for more than a decade, yet I have hardly seen anyone cultivate it. I hear it is exceedingly obscure and difficult to comprehend."

The senior brother picked up the jade scroll and flipped through it. After searching for a long while, he finally said, "Only Talent Academy explicitly states that it teaches ancient Edict Script. But Junior Brother, this path is dry and tedious, and it does little to improve one's cultivation and Dao attainment. Are you sure you wish to study it?"

Seeing that Xu Yan possessed exceptional talent and natural aptitude, he felt it would be a pity for him to take the path of Edict Script, so he asked an extra question.

Xu Yan pondered in silence.

Among the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies, every Dao Academy had its own unique strengths. Other than the Upper Three Academies, the cultivation resources held by the various academies were in fact much the same.

Edict Script, alchemy, formations... these are what I need most. Without a Mystic Gate foundation and without understanding Edict Script, I cannot even read the Manifest Sage Method or the Taiyi Alchemy Book. More importantly, the two Edict Scripts in my palm are the capital upon which Xu Yan can settle down and survive.

He had to study this path, and he certainly would.

As for the other Dao Academies, joining them would only mean cultivating step by step according to the usual routine.

Talent Academy is the only place where I can truly bring the opportunities in my hands into full play. Xu Yan had made up his mind.

"You want to go to Talent Academy?!"

At that moment, the voice of the Dragon Tiger Academy Dao master came from behind him. His eyes were wide.

"Ahem, ahem!"

Yu Chen was still in the distance. Seeing this, he coughed several times. The Dao masters could only sigh helplessly, glancing at Xu Yan as though an uncut jade had been wasted.

"What use is learning that stuff?" The Dao master of Mystic Grotto Academy frowned.

"Who says it is useless? In the future, he can help the Divine Sect translate texts." The goateed Dao master from Spirit Glow Academy narrowed his eyes and smiled casually.

"How many people does Talent Academy even have? Wouldn't going there be a waste of his talent?" The Dragon Tiger Academy Dao master shook his head.

Xu Yan remained silent. He had his own plans and needed no one else pointing fingers at him.

The receiving senior brother said nothing more. He took out a jade slip and cast a slight technique upon it, engraving the two words "Talent Academy" onto its surface.

Then he took out the Golden Inscription Brush and recorded Xu Yan's origins, age, cultivation, and other information in the Dao register.

"May Junior Brother's Dao path be broad and smooth." The receiving senior brother handed the jade slip to Xu Yan and said solemnly, "Use your divine sense to perceive this jade slip, and you will be able to find the mountain gate of Talent Academy."

"Thank you, Senior Brother." Xu Yan nodded and accepted the jade slip.

Afterward, the senior brother handed Xu Yan a thick jade scroll, the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies Dao Rules. This book explained certain rules of the Hundred Academies, as well as the various shared facilities and locations within them. Any issues encountered by newly admitted disciples could be answered within.

Seeing that Xu Yan had not chosen their Dao Academies, the several Dao masters withdrew their gazes in boredom and went to select other disciples.

Yan Qihu moved closer, glanced at the jade slip in Xu Yan's hand, and said, "Talent Academy? Brother Xu, you are going there?"

"Yes."

"Then..." Yan Qihu scratched his head and said no more. "Fine, then. Brother Xu, you have your own ideas. I am going to Dark Mystery Academy, and Brother Fang is going to Spirit Glow Academy. We will all be in the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies from now on, so there will be plenty of chances to meet."

Fang Che patted Xu Yan's shoulder. "Once we are settled, contact us with the Gold Whistle Talisman."

"Alright." Xu Yan smiled and nodded in reply.