The night in the Azure Crane Pavilion passed with a surreal tranquility. The quarters provided by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect were not just rooms; they were serene, beautifully appointed suites overlooking a private courtyard garden.
The beds were soft, the air was scented with calming spirit herbs, and the profound silence was a stark contrast to the raucous inns they were accustomed to.
For Mei, it was a welcome respite, a chance to rest and practice. For Tang San, it was a quiet space to analyze the strange evolution of his Blue Silver Grass. For Xiao Wu, it was mostly just really comfortable.
I could get used to this, Ai sighed contentedly in Mei's mind. Ambient spirit energy, luxury bedding, room service… this is the cultivation equivalent of a five-star resort.
Mei agreed with the sentiments. This type of comfort is nice from time to time.
Morning arrived in a flash, the sunlight filtering through the lattice windows to paint golden patterns on the floor. After a hearty, spirit-nutrient-rich breakfast, they were met in the main courtyard by Ning Fengzhi himself.
By his side stood the stern, unyielding figure of Elder Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo. His presence was a clear statement: the Sect Master's personal attention was no small matter.
"Good morning," Ning Fengzhi greeted, his smile as warm as the dawn. "I trust you rested well? Today, Elder Gu and I will accompany you to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to facilitate your enrollment."
Ning Rongrong, who had been hovering nearby, immediately piped up. "I'm coming too! I'll show them around!"
Ning Fengzhi placed a gentle hand on his daughter's head. "Rongrong, you have your own classes to attend. A teacher should not have to send escorts for you twice. Go ahead now. Set a good example. Your friends will join you soon enough."
Ning Rongrong puffed out her cheeks, but the memory of yesterday's confrontation with Dugu Yan was still fresh. With a dramatic sigh that conveyed her immense sacrifice, she nodded.
"Fine! But you'd better bring them straight to the Heaven Class!" She shot a bright, excited grin at Tang San and the others before flouncing off, her blue silk ribbons fluttering.
The journey to the academy was a short carriage ride through the now slightly more familiar Noble Quarter.
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy was not a single building but a vast, walled compound of imposing stone structures, training fields, and lush grounds. It hummed with an aura different from Nouding Academy.
Instead of heading towards the bustling main gates where lines of anxious applicants and proud parents gathered,
Ning Fengzhi's carriage took a side entrance, gliding smoothly past guards who snapped to immediate attention.
"This way," Ning Fengzhi said, leading them towards a particularly grand building. Tang San, Mei, and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance. This wasn't the crowded registration hall they had expected.
"Sect Master Ning," Tang San ventured politely, "are we not going to the registration office?"
"This is a more efficient way," Ning Fengzhi explained without breaking stride, a subtle twinkle in his eye. "The registration process can be slow for exceptional cases. It is better to present such cases directly to the source of authority."
Elder Gu Rong, walking silently behind them, gave a barely perceptible grunt that might have been agreement.
They were ushered into a spacious, book-lined office that smelled of old parchment and polished wood. Behind a large, intricately carved desk sat an old man.
He had a slender frame that seemed frail at first glance, but his posture was erect, and his eyes, when he looked up, were sharp and clear. Long white hair flowed over his shoulders, matching a beard of the same snowy hue.
"Oh, Sect Master Ning," the old man said, his voice surprisingly robust. He set down his quill. "And Elder Gu. To what do I owe the honor? Is there something wrong with the young miss?"
Ning Fengzhi laughed warmly. "Hahaha, not at all, Principal Meng. Quite the opposite. I am here to introduce you to some of my daughter's friends. They are incredibly talented young spirit masters newly arrived in the capital and wish to enroll here."
Principal Meng Shenji's bushy white eyebrows rose.
He leaned back, his keen gaze sweeping over the three youths standing slightly behind Ning Fengzhi. Their clothes, though clean, were simple and travel-worn, a stark contrast to the usual polished offspring of nobility who entered this office.
"Oh? If Sect Master Ning praises them so highly, then they must indeed possess remarkable talent." His tone was polite, but a natural, professional skepticism underlay it.
The trio looked at Ning Fengzhi, confused about this imposing old man.
"My apologies," Ning Fengzhi said smoothly. "This is Principal Meng Shenji, the head of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. A respected elder in the Spirit Master world."
Meng Shenji gave a slight, formal nod. "Meng Shenji. Level 86 Battle Spirit Douluo. It is my responsibility to oversee this academy and the development of its students."
The three quickly introduced themselves, bowing with the respect due to such a powerful senior.
"Tang San."
"Xiao Wu."
"Mei."
Ning Fengzhi continued, "Given their exceptional nature, Principal Meng, I would like to recommend they be placed directly into the Heaven Class. It is the only environment suitable to nurture their potential."
The Heaven Class. The words hung in the air. Even they, newcomers, could sense the weight of it from the way Ning Fengzhi said it.
Meng Shenji's skeptical look deepened. He steepled his fingers.
"Sect Master Ning, you know I hold you in the highest esteem. But the Heaven Class is reserved for the most prodigious talents in the empire, those who represent the absolute peak of the younger generation. It is not merely a matter of recommendation, even from you. The standards are… inflexible."
Xiao Wu couldn't contain herself. "What's so great about it? No one's as talented as we are!" she declared, her hands on her hips.
Tang San shot her a warning look, but the words were out.
Meng Shenji's expression softened slightly, as if humoring a confident child. "Young lady, confidence is admirable, but the Heaven Class—"
"Perhaps a demonstration would clarify matters," Ning Fengzhi interjected smoothly, his tone diplomatic but firm.
"Would it not be standard procedure to assess the spirit power of new students? A simple test would settle the question of their suitability."
Meng Shenji considered this for a moment, then nodded. It was a reasonable compromise. "Very well."
He rose and walked to a carved cabinet, retrieving a translucent spirit power measuring crystal, the kind used for precise assessment. He placed it on the desk.
"This is more sensitive than the stones used for mass testing. Please, one at a time, place your hand upon it and channel your spirit power."
He settled back into his chair, his expectations clear. These were children, likely around ten or eleven.
For commoners from a small city, a spirit power level of 15 to 20 would be considered outstanding. Even for noble children with resources, breaking into the mid-20s before the age of twelve was the mark of a true genius.
The Heaven Class threshold was typically level 20 by age twelve.
"Mei, why don't you begin?" Tang San suggested quietly.
Mei nodded, stepping forward. She placed her slender hand on the cool crystal. Focusing inward, she allowed a steady stream of her spirit power to flow into it. The crystal, which had been inert, began to glow with a soft, silvery-pink light. The illumination climbed steadily: 20… 23… 25… and settled, bright and unwavering, at 27.
Meng Shenji's eyes widened a fraction.
Next was Xiao Wu. She slapped her hand onto the crystal with gusto. A vibrant, warm pink light erupted, climbing just as steadily before solidifying at a brilliant 25.
The principal was now leaning forward, his earlier skepticism replaced by intense focus.
Finally, Tang San stepped up. His touch was calm. A deep blue light filled the crystal, soaring past 20, past 25, and coming to a solid, resonant stop at 25.
The office was utterly silent. Meng Shenji stared at the three glowing numbers as if they were mathematical impossibilities. Level 25. Level 27. And they were so young.
"Your… bone age," he said, his voice slightly hushed. He stood and approached Mei first, his movements now precise and swift.
He took her wrist gently, his own potent spirit power flowing in a delicate, probing thread. His breath hitched. He repeated the process with Xiao Wu, then Tang San. Each confirmation deepened the shock on his weathered face.
They were not eleven or twelve. They were ten and nine years old. Ten.
These weren't just geniuses. By the established metrics of the Spirit Master world, they were monsters.
Meng Shenji slowly returned to his seat, taking a long moment to compose himself. He cleared his throat, the sound loud in the quiet room.
"Well," he began, his tone now carrying a new, profound respect.
"It appears my skepticism was misplaced. Since they are… incredibly talented, placing them in the Heaven Class with Miss Ning wouldn't be a problem. Why don't we proceed there now so they can begin to integrate?"
Mei, Tang San, and Xiao Wu nodded in unison, a wave of relief and quiet triumph passing between them.
The walk from the administrative wing to the exclusive Heaven Class courtyard was a journey through the heart of the academy. Word, it seemed, traveled with lightning speed.
As they passed through colonnades and across central quads, students of all ages stopped to stare. Whispers rippled through the air like wind through grass.
Mei's enhanced senses could pick up the murmuring but not the specific, malicious words. Tang San and Xiao Wu, however, with their sharper hearing, caught every snippet.
"Are they new students? Why is the Principal himself escorting them?"
"Look, that's Sect Master Ning! And the Bone Douluo! Who are these kids?"
"Their clothes… they look like they're from some backwater village. Peasants can't even afford the application fee."
"Must be luck. Or pity. They shouldn't get arrogant. They need to learn their place here."
Tang San felt a familiar tension coil in his shoulders. He saw Xiao Wu's fists clench, her eyes beginning to smolder. He quickly reached out, placing a firm hand on her arm.
Do not, he willed the message to her through his grip. A scene now would embarrass Sect Master Ning and the Principal.
Xiao Wu vibrated with anger, but she met Tang San's calm, steady gaze. She took a deep, shuddering breath, allowing him to physically steer her forward, though she shot a glare so fiery at a particularly sneering group of older students that they actually fell silent and took a step back.
Ooh, social combat! Ai noted. The silent judgment of the privileged masses. Classic academy arc trope. Just wait until they see you in action—then the whispers will turn into something else entirely.
«The envious bird sings the loudest,» Luminous observed coolly.
Finally, they arrived at a secluded, walled courtyard within the academy grounds. It was noticeably quieter, the air somehow denser.
The gate was unmarked but imposing. Inside, they found the space not empty, but serene, with meticulously raked sand and ancient, gnarled trees—a place for contemplation as much as training.
As they entered, a figure straightened from examining a training dummy. He was a tall, handsome young man with vivid, fiery red hair that seemed to hold its own light. He moved with a relaxed grace that spoke of immense underlying power.
"Principal Meng," the young man said, his voice alert. He nodded respectfully to Ning Fengzhi and gave a deeper bow to Gu Rong. "Sect Master Ning, Elder Gu. What brings you here? Has something happened to Ning Rongrong?" Concern was evident in his eyes.
"Nothing of the sort, Teacher Qin," Ning Fengzhi reassured him. "We are here regarding these three. They are friends of Rongrong's and have just completed enrollment."
Principal Meng Shenji took over, his voice now holding a note of solemn importance.
"Teacher Qin Ming, these three children are approximately ten years of age. Their spirit power levels have been verified at twenty-five and twenty-seven. They are to be placed in the Heaven Class, effective immediately. I am putting them in your care."
Qin Ming's reaction was more controlled than the Principal's had been, but no less profound. His crimson eyes widened, sharpening with an almost palpable intensity.
He had taught geniuses—the sons and daughters of the Great Sect, the scions of great nobles. He himself was a prodigy, a Spirit Emperor before the age of thirty.
Ten years old. Nearing the 30th rank. It was a concept that challenged the foundational understanding of early cultivation.
During the pause, Mei, ever polite amidst the stunned silence, asked softly, "Excuse me, Principal Meng. Who is this?"
Meng Shenji blinked, returning to the present. "Ah, how forgetful of me. This is Qin Ming. A level 59 Soul Emperor, one of our finest instructors, and the dedicated teacher for the Heaven Class. He will be responsible for your training."
The three promptly introduced themselves again, their manners impeccable.
Qin Ming studied each of them in turn, his gaze analytical but not unkind. "Tang San, Xiao Wu, Mei. A pleasure. The Heaven Class will be… enriched by your presence." He then offered a small, professional smile.
"The rest of the team is currently at the central training ground for sparring drills. Would you like to meet them?"
Mei, Tang San, and Xiao Wu exchanged a final glance, a unified resolve solidifying between them. The tests were done, and the formalities concluded. Now, they would meet their future teammates—the so-called peak of the empire's younger generation.
They nodded in agreement.
"Yes, Teacher Qin," Tang San said, speaking for them all. "We are ready."
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