Jia Nan Academy

"Huh? Why was she back?"

The intimate atmosphere did not last long.

Xiao Xun'er seemed to catch sight of someone out of the corner of her eye and could not help exclaiming in surprise.

"Who?"

Xiao Yan froze, then followed Xiao Xun'er's gaze. Once he saw who it was, his brows involuntarily furrowed.

Not far away, a woman leaned against a large tree.

She wore a blue-green outfit resembling a uniform. Her face was quite pretty, her figure tall and slender, and a sword hung at her waist. Most eye-catching of all were her shapely, long, sexy legs.

"Xiao Yu? Why was it her? Didn't she go to Jia Nan Academy to further her studies? Why was she back?"

Hearing their exchange, how could Zhou Changqing not know who she was? He immediately looked over as well.

At the sight of Xiao Yu, Zhou Changqing grew a little distracted. He stared at her for a while before withdrawing his gaze.

Do not misunderstand—he had not taken a fancy to Xiao Yu.

Although Xiao Yu was indeed attractive, and her long legs certainly drew the eye.

Compared with Ya Fei, however, she still fell considerably short.

After witnessing Ya Fei's captivating charm, Zhou Changqing's standards of beauty had risen quite a bit.

Besides, she had plenty of entanglements with Xiao Yan. How could he possibly take a fancy to her?

The reason he had stared was not Xiao Yu herself, but the uniform she wore.

Jia Nan Academy...

Those words stirred considerable melancholy in Zhou Changqing's heart.

Ever since he had transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent and learned that his talent was exceptional, he had considered joining a faction more than once.

After all, he knew his family's circumstances. They simply could not afford the cultivation methods and combat skills, resources, and other things he would need for his future cultivation.

Joining a major faction to obtain those things was therefore his best option.

Unfortunately, Zhou Changqing had no connections to get into a sect, and he had no desire to become a slave by joining a clan.

The sects of the Battle Through the Heavens World did not accept people merely because they were talented. Without connections, opportunities, or a powerful background, an ordinary person could forget about it.

Clans were even more of a trap. They were intensely hostile to outsiders. Anyone who was not one of their own could only obtain resources by selling themselves into servitude.

They might even fear that your exceptional talent would allow you to replace the clan in the future, imposing all manner of restrictions to keep you forever in their grasp.

That was why Zhou Changqing had never joined any of those clans or major sects.

As for the Xiao Clan, by the time Zhou Changqing met Xiao Yan, the latter was already on the verge of having his Dou Qi drained.

Besides, they had only just met. He did not believe such a tenuous connection could make the Xiao Clan set aside its wariness about letting him join.

If an exceptionally talented outsider joined the clan, the Xiao Clan could never keep him in check without special measures. Nor would they gamble on whether, once he grew powerful, he would replace them and turn the Xiao Clan into his own Xiao Clan.

Moreover, his talent was far too shocking for a backwater like the Jia Ma Empire. If it were exposed, who knew whether the first to arrive would be a powerful expert seeking a disciple or someone intent on snuffing out a future threat?

Until he had strength or a backer, Zhou Changqing had never intended to expose his talent.

Even Xiao Yan had only learned of it after the raid to capture Zhou Changqing nearly half a year ago forced him to reveal his strength.

Aside from those options, Zhou Changqing had also considered enrolling in Jia Nan Academy.

On the Dou Qi Continent, Jia Nan Academy was the most welcoming to commoners. Even beggars and thieves had a chance to enter and cultivate there if they possessed the talent.

Unfortunately, that plan had never come to fruition either.

Although Jia Nan Academy sent people to recruit students from various places across the Northwest Continent every year.

That did not mean they came to Wutan City every year, or even to the Jia Ma Empire.

Although the Northwest Continent was less prosperous than the Central Plains, its area was no smaller, and was in fact considerably larger.

Across that boundless expanse stood numerous empires and factions. The Jia Ma Empire lay in a remote corner of the Northwest Continent, and its overall strength ranked only around the middle among all the continent's empires.

Jia Nan Academy, meanwhile, recruited from the entire Northwest Continent.

Just how vast was the Northwest Continent's population? If Jia Nan Academy truly sent people everywhere to recruit students each year, how much manpower would that require?

Even everyone at Jia Nan Academy working together for an entire year probably could not accomplish it.

Not to mention that only the academy's instructors were dispatched to recruit students.

Besides, if they recruited from every empire every year, even with talent requirements, the number of students would be staggering. Jia Nan Academy could never accommodate so many; it would burst at the seams.

Thus, Jia Nan Academy recruited on a rotating basis.

One year, they would recruit in a few places; the next, they would visit several other empires, and the order was not fixed.

The Jia Ma Empire's turn came only once every several years, and even then, recruitment was not nationwide. They rotated through a handful of cities at a time.

The last time Jia Nan Academy had recruited in Wutan City had been ten years ago.

Zhou Changqing had been only six then. How could his adoptive parents let such a young child travel so far from home?

At six, Zhou Changqing had not even reached the seventh stage of Dou Qi.

Besides, most students recruited by Jia Nan Academy were fifteen or older. How could they possibly accept a six-year-old child?

With such fierce competition at the academy, could a little child endure it?

What?

Xiao Yu had joined Jia Nan Academy three years ago?

Yes, Jia Nan Academy had come to the Jia Ma Empire to recruit three years ago, but they had not come to Wutan City!

Could Zhou Changqing's family background compare with Xiao Yu's?

Her grandfather was the Xiao Clan's First Elder, with the strength of a Da Dou Shi. Could he not take Xiao Yu across mountains and ridges to register in the city where Jia Nan Academy was recruiting?

It was only a journey across a few cities. The Xiao Clan had more than enough strength and money to send Xiao Yu to Jia Nan Academy's recruitment site.

And Zhou Changqing? Three years ago, he had still been stuck at Dou Zhe. A small fry like him could forget about going—he probably would not even hear the news.

The Jia Ma Empire's territory was no smaller than his homeland in his previous life.

Even if he heard about it, any mishap along the way could cost him his life.

What could he do?

At that thought, a bitter smile tugged at Zhou Changqing's lips.

If those internet commenters from his previous life, ignorant of the truth, learned that a transmigrator like him was doing so poorly, they would probably be unable to resist calling him brain-dead and useless.

But how could they understand the bitterness and hardship involved?

They would never know that reality and fantasy were two different things. Reality's cruelty could not be smoothed away through mere imagination.

If it really were that easy, why had they not become billionaires? Why were they not driving luxury cars, wearing expensive watches, and living in huge villas?

They all thought themselves clever, but they were merely full of themselves. If those commenters transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent with the same talent as him, they might not do any better.

"Hey, Old Zhou, what are you thinking about? My father is here."

While Zhou Changqing was still immersed in his memories, Xiao Yan's voice rang beside his ear, snapping him out of them.

Returning to his senses, Zhou Changqing saw Xiao Yan waving a hand in front of his face, curiosity written all over his expression.

"Nothing. Just some things from the past."

Shaking his head, Zhou Changqing rose and looked nearby, where a lavishly dressed middle-aged man was approaching with several people.

Presumably, that was Xiao Zhan.

Seeing that Zhou Changqing offered no further explanation, Xiao Yan did not press him. He merely muttered to himself, "What had him so absorbed? Even Xiao Yu and I arguing so loudly just now didn't distract him."

I've kept seeing comments about Jia Nan Academy and joining factions, so today I used Xiao Yu to explain the reasons.

The explanation took up quite a bit of space, so I hope the rest of my dear readers will forgive me. I won't pad things out this much again.

Those readers calling the author or the protagonist brain-dead—satisfied now?

Stop arguing with me about this in the future. When it comes to logic, people have different knowledge and life experiences, so everyone's views will differ to some extent.

Not to mention that the original Battle Through the Heavens already had plenty of logically inconsistent details regarding Jia Nan Academy.

You think you've found a plot hole, but I'm writing a novel. Can't I make my own explanation hold together? Is there anything wrong with my logic here?

Oh, one more thing.

Regarding whether Yun Yun should be included as a female lead, I posted a comment thread, but the results weren't particularly useful. The number of likes and replies with "1" was about the same.

So I'll say it again here.

Dear readers who want Yun Yun included, please comment "1" under the author's note. Those who don't, comment "2."

Please participate enthusiastically, dear readers. After all, this will determine whether I need to change the outline.

(End of chapter)