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墨書 Inktalez
In the western area of the Primordial Hall, it is not difficult to find the Alchemical Division by following the signposts. However, as one walks along this path, the temperature continues to rise; it seems that the closer one gets to the west, the hotter it becomes, with an intensity that feels limitless.
Sweat pours down, and under this high temperature, one feels extremely fatigued, yet as sweat flows out, it seems as if boundless energy fills the body. This creates a contradictory sensation of both pain and pleasure.
The hot wind swirls, stirring up dust along the way.
The speed of movement is incredibly fast; often, a single step covers dozens of yards. Although the Primordial Hall is vast, at this speed, the distance to the Alchemical Division gradually shortens.
Soon, desolate hills appear ahead. It is evident that these hills are man-made rather than naturally formed. They vary in shape and are not simply mounds of ordinary soil but are constructed from a peculiar reddish-purple earth. Various buildings of distinct styles sit atop these hills, stretching out like a fiery red dragon coiling around, exuding a grand atmosphere.
"The arrangement of these hills is quite strange. Although they are spaced without any specific pattern, they give an incredible sense of harmony. Even their differences in shape seem intentional and do not appear odd; it feels as if there exists some connection—this should be an impressive formation."
Having seen much and learned more, I am no longer naive. Just from a distant glance at these continuous hills and buildings, I have a vague understanding.
"The middle-aged man at Freshman Reception told me to report to the Alchemical Division, but this reporting location seems too broad. Moreover, Van Lao should have arranged for someone to guide me; how will that person find me?" While pondering this, I continue walking and soon approach the first hill.
As I arrive here and am about to step in, suddenly a fiery red barrier appears three paces in front of me. The emergence of this barrier is quite abrupt, with immense energy flowing within it. Although it appears harmless, I understand that if I attempt to force my way through, I will surely be repelled by this overwhelming energy—injury would be a light consequence.
After a moment of silence, I take out my Identity Token from my Storage Bracelet and cautiously bring it close to the fiery red barrier.
Buzz!
At the moment the Identity Token touches the barrier, I keenly sense a strange wave subtly transmitting from it. Then, an oval portal suddenly opens in the fiery red barrier before me, revealing numerous scenes hidden behind its crimson cover. Among them stands a prominent stone tablet made of red material inscribed with the black characters "Alchemical Division," exuding an air of solemnity.
With a flash in my eyes, I step forward. Once I enter, the opening portal silently closes behind me, and the fiery red barrier vanishes without a trace as if it had never existed.
From my perspective here, the nearest structure is the first hill—the shortest among countless hills—standing only about ten yards high. The building atop it is quite simple; it resembles an ordinary wooden house used as a storage shed.
"Is there a new student named Brent?" Just as I hesitate about where to report, an ethereal voice drifts over. As this voice resonates, the door of the wooden house on the first hill suddenly swings open, and someone steps out.
I am taken aback and look toward the source of the voice. The person emerging from the wooden house wears a smile and is dressed in a blue robe. His sunken eyes and blue pupils give him a profound appearance; he has slight stubble on his chin and looks quite friendly while smiling.
"I am Brent. May I ask if you are here on Van Lao's behalf to guide me?" Upon seeing him, I deduce his identity and quickly place my hand on my chest in greeting.
"Haha! That's great!" The man in blue laughs heartily and glides down from the hill toward me.
"I am Doron, a student of the Primordial Hall and the Seventh Generation Copper Xuan. Yesterday, I was entrusted by Van Lao to wait here. Your name is quite well-known, and I feel honored to be called a senior," the man in the blue robe said with a smile as he approached, creating a very good first impression.
"You flatter me, Senior. As a newcomer to the academy, I will certainly need your guidance and support. My reputation is rather modest and not worthy of such praise," Bu replied. He was a sensible person and would not let a casual compliment lead him to complacency. From his perception, Doron's strength was quite impressive, likely at the Intermediate Level 4.
"Just call me Brother Doron. The title of senior feels too distant. I often help Van Lao gather alchemical materials, so we will be interacting frequently and should support each other," Doron smiled, feeling favorable towards Bu's humility.
"Haha, then I shall gladly comply, Brother Doron," Bu laughed heartily in response.
"Come, I will take you to meet Van Lao now." With a smile and a nod, Doron turned to lead the way for Bu.
As they walked and talked, their initial friendliness fostered a harmonious interaction. Doron was easygoing and carefree, while Bu treated others with kindness when they showed him respect. Thus, their brief time together led to increasingly enjoyable conversations, during which Bu gradually learned more about the academy.
For instance, there were over two thousand students in the Primordial Hall he had just joined, with the Alchemical Division accounting for forty percent of that number; the remaining sixty percent were from the Body Refinement Division.
Van Lao served as the chief elder in the Alchemical Division, ranking just below the two hall masters. However, Van Lao was eccentric and disliked trivial matters, rarely involving himself in internal affairs. Occasionally, he would engage in nonsensical activities, such as going to the Promotion Hall yesterday to handle Identity Tokens for new students—actions that seemed beneath him and were hard to understand.
Within the Primordial Hall were also the Three Lists. These lists were interconnected among the four halls; each of the other three halls maintained its own Three Lists as well. The Three Lists consisted of the Holy Star List, Star List, and Spirit Severance List, with only one hundred names on each list.
Those who made it onto these lists were renowned students within the academy, each possessing exceptional talent and strength. Out of nearly thirty thousand students at Holy Light Academy, excluding Outer Gate Students, only about two hundred could make it onto the Three Lists. Some proud individuals even monopolized entire lists; for example, ten Star Students occupied all ten spots on the Three Lists like ten suns shining down on everyone else.
"Brother Doron, what are the requirements to make it onto these Three Lists? Are there any benefits after being listed?" Bu asked with curiosity since it was his first time hearing about them.
Doron walked thoughtfully for a moment before glancing at Bu with a playful smile: "It seems you're interested in the benefits."
"The Holy Star List is both the hardest and easiest to get onto; as long as your strength is sufficient, you can make it onto this list. The Holy Star List only includes those under fifty years old who are the strongest among students. Currently, at the bottom of this list is a senior from my Primordial Hall's Body Refinement Division whose strength is at the peak of Intermediate Level 5 and has opened one hundred ninety-three Acupoints."
"The lowest-ranked strength is already at Intermediate Level 5?" Bu gasped in surprise; clearly, the Holy Star List held significant prestige.
"That's what makes it so difficult," Doron explained with a smile. "Think about it: getting onto the Holy Star List requires you to focus on your cultivation. If you have decent resources and can cultivate quickly enough, if you stand out from others naturally you can make it onto the list. This is its simplest aspect compared to the other two lists; however, despite its simplicity, very few can actually achieve it."
"Indeed," Bu nodded in understanding.
"I hear you have a good relationship with Senior Sean?" Doron suddenly changed topics with an implied meaning.
"Yes, Senior Sean has been very kind to me," Bu replied somewhat surprised by this sudden question.
Doron smiled faintly and turned to Bu: “Senior Sean Sterling has already ranked seventy-fourth on the Holy Star List. Before this, he was ranked ninety-sixth. I heard he has broken through a bottleneck and entered the Quasi-Advanced stage, which is why his ranking has significantly improved.”
“Ah?” Bu was a bit dazed; he had forgotten that with Sean Sterling’s strength, it was indeed possible for him to make the list. At this point, he still didn’t know which of the four halls Sean Sterling belonged to.
“Senior Sean Sterling had some fortunate encounters early on. Before he even made it onto the Holy Star List, he had already challenged the Spirit Bridge several times. Even though he hasn’t attempted the Spirit Bridge in a long time, his ranking on the Spirit Severance List hasn’t dropped much; he is currently fifty-fourth.”
“Challenging the Spirit Bridge?” Bu realized he was quite ignorant about many things. However, it was uplifting news that Sean Sterling could rank on both lists.
“The Spirit Bridge is a blessed place within the academy. Due to its uniqueness, few can enter and enjoy its benefits. The Spirit Bridge is divided into thirty-six segments, and each segment conquered provides immense benefits. However, the risks are high; a slight misstep can lead to severe injury or death. Currently, the record holder for the Spirit Bridge is Senior Bin from the Black Death Hall, who has conquered twenty-eight segments and ranks first on the Spirit Severance List.”
Doron knew a lot about academy matters and explained them clearly, helping Bu gradually understand.
“What about the Star List?” Bu asked finally.
“The Star List is updated once a year and only features those who rank during the annual academy competition. This year’s competition will begin in two months, and Brent, you also have a chance,” Doron recalled that this junior beside him was no ordinary student; he had beaten up seniors upon entering school and truly had the potential to stand out in the academy competition.
“The academy competition in two months?” Bu nodded thoughtfully.
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