Southern Heaven University

Biodata

Institutional Standing

• Southern Heaven University is one of Great Xia's ten first-tier universities; the country also has thirty-six second-tier and one hundred and eight third-tier universities. Fourth-tier institutions serve as vocational and technical colleges for regular-class students and failed awakening candidates. 22
• Its admission standard for mage apprentices is at least third-grade aptitude, excepting applicants with special bloodlines. In Huo Ling's intake, it recruited slightly more than 150 mage apprentices. 36
• The university is a major educational goal for students from Stone Creek County, which falls under Southern Heaven Province. 22
• Southern Heaven University was founded by a Legendary mage and developed the Spirit Realm base opposite the university. Students must make contributions to the institution to earn credits for its inheritances. 66
• Southern Heaven City's university district contains twenty to thirty universities, but Southern Heaven University is the only one led by a Legendary mage; the other institutions' presidents are generally Sanctuary-rank professionals. 68 697
• The university supplies lower- and middle-rank professionals to Great Xia's imperial family, military, noble families, and other factions, while retaining only a portion of its graduates and students. 462

Governance and Staff

• You Taining serves as the university's principal. His assistant hierarchy consists of Level Three, Level Two, and Level One assistants, above whom stand four chief secretaries. 194
• The university's basic counselors and teachers are generally Silver-rank professionals, while its professors are usually Gold-rank professionals and form the mainstream of its upper teaching staff. 699
• Southern Heaven University also possesses Saint Domain experts, including deans who are You Taining's students. 595
• Mage Lü is a Saint-rank spellcaster who represents the university in New Southern City and receives visiting high-rank professionals. 127

Admissions and Enrollment

• Credits can be exchanged through universities for resources and inheritances, including meditation methods, breathing methods, spells, and combat techniques. 24
• Students receive their credited enrollment resources through their university accounts after reporting to campus. 37
• The university's marketplace supplies cultivation materials, though some items have availability restrictions. River Styx Water, for example, must be reserved a month ahead because it loses its properties within seven days of extraction. 37

Campus

Outer and Inner Campus

• Regular classes are held in the outer campus. Entry to the inner campus generally requires passing the postgraduate entrance examination. 47
• Spiritual energy in the inner campus is at least twice as concentrated as in the outer campus. 47
• The inner campus contains mage towers, facilities that store mana for their owners' spellcasting but require immense resources to construct. 47

Cultivation Facilities

• The university initially maintained a small spatial passage to the Spirit Realm and a cultivation base at its entrance, where cultivation was more efficient than elsewhere on Blue Star. Its president later upgraded the passage into a permanent portal using his own Spirit Realm Beacon. 27 68
• Students may also travel through the passage to cultivate directly in the Spirit Realm, provided their destination is safe enough. 27
• Higher-concentration cultivation rooms are available on campus, powered by energy crystals; their spiritual-energy density exceeds that of the Spirit Realm, but they are expensive to rent. 47

Spirit Realm Presence

• Southern Heaven University initially developed the permanent portal and the settlement beyond it, but later brought in other universities and their backers to share the portal's development and defense. The portal is now jointly owned by the universities of Southern Heaven City's university district. 68
• The Spirit Realm base has expanded for more than 150 years despite continual counterattacks from native inhabitants displaced by Blue Star's expansion. 68
• The portal leads to New Southern City, a fortified Blue Star settlement in the Spirit Realm where students, graduates, ordinary residents, and professionals live and work. 68
• Students commonly reside in school-operated dormitories within New Southern City, undertake local work, and cultivate within the defended city rather than venturing outside. 68
• The universities of the university district own the surrounding developed lands and levy taxes on businesses run by graduates, teachers, and other professionals, including magical-herb farms and Magic Beast ranches. 68
• During major conflict, the university can mobilize as a war machine, transporting professionals and supplies into the Spirit Realm and assigning its personnel to fortified positions. 101

Student Access

• Student IDs are required for campus facilities including classrooms, laboratories, and the library. 36
• Freshmen are assigned single-person dormitory rooms with a bed, desk, wardrobe, bathroom, and balcony. 36
• The university app includes school information, forums, course materials, a task section, and an online marketplace. 28

Academics

• Mage students study more than thirty subjects, including Runology, Fundamental Magical Theory, Meditation and Spellcasting Techniques, Spell Analysis, Magic Scroll Crafting, Equipment Enchantment, Potionology, Materials Science, and Spirit Realm Biology. 36
• Huo Ling's freshman mage class contained twenty-three students, all mage apprentices. 36
• The university offers elective instruction in subjects such as Enchanting and Maintenance of Enchanted Equipment. 44
• Its marketplace and task system support Spirit Realm expeditions. Students can obtain Spirit Awakening Orbs for mana-collection tasks, then exchange charged orbs for magic stones; the university's exchange rate is higher than the government's. 28
• The university maintains a High-Level Skill Inheritance Room, where qualified professionals can exchange accumulated mission points for high-level spells. 221

Notable Affiliates

• Huo Ling — Student admitted with second-grade spellcaster aptitude and a Spirit Realm's Blessing; he later becomes a Black Iron mage while enrolled. After advancing to Legend, he returns to New Southern City and is formally welcomed by the university and You Taining. 22 26 40 597
• Li — Spirit Realm Biology instructor who recruited Huo Ling in Stone Creek and handled his admissions process with Guan Borong. 25 37
• Guan Borong — Teaching assistant and Li's student; he assists with admissions and advises Huo Ling on cultivation and Spirit Realm preparation. 25 27 28
• Xia Yang — Freshman teacher, counselor, and senior responsible for Huo Ling's class management and studies. 36
• He Wenhan — Gold-rank necromancy archmage who works in the inner campus and accepts Huo Ling as a disciple after testing his ability to create a Black Iron Bone Warrior. 47 48
• Dantai Yishuang — Black Iron mage appointed class monitor of Huo Ling's freshman class. 36
• Su Hao — Freshman Knight Academy student who meets Huo Ling during university reception. 35
• You Taining — Legendary mage, university principal, and the developer of the original Spirit Realm portal and base. He later receives Huo Ling as a fellow Legend in New Southern City. 68 194 597
• Ma Zhou — One of You Taining's assistants, who summons Huo Ling to meet the principal after Huo Ling reaches Gold rank. 193 194
• Mage Lü — Saint-rank spellcaster affiliated with the university who serves as its representative in New Southern City. 127

Story Role

• Southern Heaven University first approaches Huo Ling after his Spirit Awakening, with Li attempting to recruit him based on his aptitude and inherited meditation method. 22
• After competing offers from other first-tier schools, the university secures Huo Ling's enrollment through credits, spell-exchange rights, and the prospect of a high-level mentor. 24 25 26
• Huo Ling begins his six-year course of study there, gains access to its marketplace and Spirit Realm passage, and uses its materials to advance to Black Iron rank. 28 35 38 40
• Through Xia Yang, Huo Ling is introduced to He Wenhan and formally enters the Gold-rank necromancer's lineage. 40 47 48
• As Huo Ling reaches Gold rank, He Wenhan proposes that he join the university staff, while You Taining summons him and asks him to assume greater responsibility during a troubled period for the institution. 193 194
• The university's conscription and Spirit Realm defenses bring Huo Ling into wartime service alongside He Wenhan, including the defense of a fortified position against impending conflict. 101
• By the time Huo Ling advances to Legend, You Taining recognizes him as a valuable ally and arranges a formal welcome in New Southern City, including an invitation into the principal's mage tower. 597
• Huo Ling later models Plains University's regulations and credit system after Southern Heaven University, reflecting the lasting influence of his education there. 700