Wild Goose Pagoda

In the end, Zhou Sining accepted the inspection of his Spiritual World.

He had little choice. The woman opposite him was a Tribunal officer. If she decided he was a heretic, he was finished.

The mage conducting the inspection was also a Tribunal officer, so Zhou Sining felt comfortable letting her enter his Spiritual World.

In the quiet room stood three evaluation teachers, two exam proctors, the school leaders from the exam site, and even the leaders of Ancient Capital No. 3 High School.

Everyone waited anxiously for the result.

Whether Zhou Sining was a genius or a heretic, and whether the school leaders would be punished or rewarded, all depended on the mage at the center of the crowd.

Soon, Zhou Sining and An Xue, the mage inspecting his Spiritual World, opened their eyes at the same time.

"How was it?" the head of the evaluation team asked.

"No problems. This candidate really has reached Intermediate Level Two. His Nebula is white, and there's a Flame Seed at its center. It's definitely a Spirit Seed," An Xue confirmed.

"That's wonderful."

The teachers and school leaders all breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, if Zhou Sining had lacked genuine ability, being found guilty of cheating would have been the least of their worries.

If he had been identified as a heretic, none of them would have escaped punishment.

"Since there are no objections, our assessment stands: SSS!" the team leader announced.

A perfect score!

The teachers and school leaders around them froze.

Almost no candidates nationwide earned a perfect score in the spellcasting exam.

The criteria for an SSS rating were extraordinarily strict.

A candidate had to reach the Intermediate Level, draw a Star Map proficiently, and cast a spell powerful enough to force the Defensive Array to activate.

But it made sense when they thought about it. Zhou Sining had already reached Intermediate Level Two and possessed a Spirit Seed. A perfect score was only natural.

With the dispute settled, the matter came to an end.

"The candidate checks out, so we'll be going. We need to report the results promptly."

The three evaluation teachers said nothing more and soon left.

The magic college entrance exam was finally over. Everyone relaxed and began exchanging pleasantries.

"Congratulations, Principal Wang. No. 11 Middle School could learn a thing or two from you about teaching such an outstanding student."

"You're too kind. Principal Li is the real model educator."

"Oh, now you're being too modest..."

Zhou Sining had no place in their conversation, nor did he want one.

He made an excuse to leave and took a taxi to the Outer City Wall.

After spending half a month taking it easy at the Outer City Wall and earning 8,888 Life Points, the exam results finally came out.

Right after dinner, his homeroom teacher, Wang Yan, called Zhou Sining to the school to check his results under the teachers' watchful eyes.

Even the top student in the year would hardly have received more attention.

Wang Yan couldn't help exclaiming when he saw the scores.

"They're out, they're out! 398 in theory, full marks in Magic Energy testing, full marks in spellcasting—a total of 698! Third in the city and forty-third in the province!"

"Incredible! He's only been in the Ancient Capital for a year, and he's already taken the top spot at No. 3 High School."

"That's the result of Zhou Sining's hard work. He has the best attendance record at No. 3 High School. I heard he even spent winter break at the Outer City Wall, honing his skills by killing Undead."

"And he's from Bo City, too. Hardship really does make children grow up fast."

"If only the students in my class were that sensible."

"Well, the Outer City Wall is dangerous. It's only natural for students to be reluctant to go."

"True, true..."

Zhou Sining merely smiled at the teachers' praise and flattery.

If he chimed in now, he would only look foolish.

He turned to Wang Yan and changed the subject. "Mr. Wang, with my results, I qualify to train at the Wild Goose Pagoda, right?"

"Of course you do. You're third in the entire city. Have a little confidence." Wang Yan was grinning from ear to ear.

Zhou Sining's scores had made him look good.

And the class of Bo City refugees he taught had done well this year, too.

Nearly ten of them could get into Ancient Capital Academy. Granted, the academy had favorable policies for students from the Ancient Capital, but it was still a prestigious university.

Besides, he had Zhou Sining. That perfect score in spellcasting alone would give him something to brag about for the rest of his life.

Wang Yan could already picture his promotion and pay raise.

The more he looked at Zhou Sining, the more pleased he was. "Go home and wait for now. Once the results for all the city's students are out, the Wild Goose Pagoda will release its allocated places, and the school can finalize its list. I'll tell you as soon as it's confirmed."

"Okay."

Zhou Sining left the school and went home to wait.

During that time, he received plenty of friend requests from people inside and outside the school, along with quite a few calls from universities recruiting students. He didn't turn them away. Now and then, he chatted with them to pass the time.

About a week later, just after Zhou Sining submitted his university choices, he received a message from Wang Yan.

"Training at the Wild Goose Pagoda is done in groups. According to the official notice, the first group of students goes in the day after tomorrow. You're free then, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. Come to school that day. A teacher will take you there."

"Okay. Thank you, sir."

The Wild Goose Pagoda, also called the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, stood within the Great Mercy Temple.

The whole area was a protected zone. As one of the foundations of the Ancient Capital, it was both a historical monument and a sacred training site—not the famous tourist attraction open to casual visitors that it had been in Zhou Sining's previous life.

Zhou Sining followed the group into the Great Mercy Temple, admiring the buildings as he walked.

Though they bore obvious signs of restoration, they still carried a powerful sense of history.

Before long, the group of thirty students arrived beneath the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

It was much larger than Zhou Sining had imagined. It had seven stories, and a magical glow hung around the top floor.

From the outside, it looked like an ancient building. He couldn't sense any trace of magic from it.

Before they entered the pagoda, the Chief Guard explained the rules.

"The Wild Goose Pagoda has seven floors. Floors one through four are training areas, and you'll enter on the first floor. The higher you go, the greater the boost you'll receive. Stairs connect the floors, but I don't recommend going up. The mental pressure doubles with every floor you climb. One careless step and you could pass out. If you're too weak, even your soul could be damaged."

"Every year, a few fools ignore the warning and try to challenge themselves. So let me make this clear: stay on the first floor. If you overestimate yourselves, climb the stairs, and pass out or get hurt, we take no responsibility. You'll also be barred from the Wild Goose Pagoda for three years. Understood?"

"Understood!"

"Good. You have three days to train. There are restrooms inside, but you must bring your own supplies. Three days from now, at this exact time, you must gather here and leave, no matter how your training has gone."

"Yes, sir!"

"Go in."

The Chief Guard waved his hand. The guards at the entrance pushed open the pagoda doors and let the students inside.