Chapter 519: Tianhun Academy
The Tianhun Academy was the empire’s only institute for soul cultivators. Managed directly by the Royal Family in the Capital, the academy saw to recruiting any geniuses they could find and nurture them for the empire from Soul Apprentices to Soul Exalts.
Graduation from the academy meant being inducted into the Tianhun School and by extension, increasing the strength of the empire. This wasn’t always enforced, and there were many that decided to follow their own paths to explore and travel. But with every graduate that chose this option, they were without a doubt someone that every faction, school, or affiliation from the continent would try to recruit.
The sons and daughters of many influential families, clans, schools, and even commoners would have a spot in the academy, if they have the talent. It was a gathering place for geniuses, and a place where many children from even the wealthiest and powerful factions would send despite the resources they had at home to help, though those that opted to forgo the academy were few.
The academy has long since existed prior to the unification of the empire and was still known as the best institute there was. Following the unification, the academy became known as ‘Tianhun Academy’.
It was said that the founder of the empire, His Majesty Wu Tianhun himself had once been a student here when he was young.
One of the more special things about the academy was that it was supervised by the Royal Family without it being for their ‘personal’ use. For the most part, the academy was independent in government, and very rarely did the Royal Family interfere with it. Even the one with the most power in the academy wasn’t from the Royal Family and was instead annointed to the position through the archaic but ironclad rules of the academy.
If one looked at the Tianhun Academy from above, they would remark that it was shaped almost like a fan. The southernmost part was extremely large, but the area would shrink the more one went north, and by the very end of the north, it was no bigger than half of the south.
The south was where the ‘official gates’ where with just two large stones a hundred meters tall stood. They towered over the walls and had the words ‘Tianhun’ on one pillar and ‘Academy’ on the other. They were only two words, but it commandeered respect from anyone that looked at it as if the words themselves were imbued with a special aura.
Legends say that it was Wu Tianhun that carved these words into the pillars.
Aside from the pillars, the walls that encircled the academy spread endlessly left and right along the bustling roads. From the other side of this wall stood Tianhun Academy.
A part of the academy is divided up into six different arc-shaped sections from first years to sixth years.
The largest area was the first year section where all the Soul Apprentices studied. To the north were the second years, the Soul Personages, and further north continued as so, third years being the Soul Warriors, fourth years the Soul Sprites, fifth years the Soul Ancestors, and the sixth years the Soul Exalts.
To the east was where the students learned, and to the west is where the living quarters of students and instructors are.
While on the surface the divisions of the academy was quite simple, the actual details were far more complex. There were countless buildings in the academy, and even forests, lakes, and woods that were divided up even more categorically. On both sides of the academy were forests that seemed endless unless viewed from above.
To the northwest of the academy was a large mountain that towered over the Capital.
……
By the afternoon of the next day, Bai Yunfei was led to Tianhun Academy by Zheng Kai.
Walking onto the grounds of the academy had been an experience for Bai Yunfei. Though it was called Tianhun Academy, it was essentially a city in its scale and size.
They walked on the large paved roads, with Bai Yunfei taking in the sights along the way. There were plenty of young men and women along the way; many of them were above the age of ten, but there were a few under the age of that. But they were all soul cultivators.
According to Zheng Kai, these were all newly-applied students. Some of the ones here had only just awakened to their soulforce and were being taught by specialized instructors to quickly get them on track.
These students were of course not just limited to the first and second years, as years weren’t divided by age. There were also plenty of stronger people here, people that joined the academy at some point in their life so they were Soul Warriors or even Soul Sprites by the time of their admission.
Bai Yunfei could see that Zheng Kai had some name to him within the academy, as there were people that pointed at him every so often. Even some of the younger female students looked at him with eyes of worship, making Bai Yunfei feel incredulous. Was Zheng Kai really that popular? His nickname as the ‘Sex Lord’ surely had to be known by the people here, so why were there so many females ‘worshipping’ him?
But not everyone was looking to Zheng Kai. There were eyes on Bai Yunfei, or perhaps actually, they were looking at the blue-eyes wyrm.
Xiao Qi and the mastiff were both shrunk down to their pet-sized forms, but while the blue-eyes wyrm was also shrunk, everyone could tell it was a soulbeast straight away. Those first and second year ‘little ones’ had their eyes glued to the wyrm, and then to Bai Yunfei with envious eyes.
If Bai Yunfei had a soulbeast this powerful-looking, surely he was a great soul cultivator?
They walked for another half hour, with each passing moment having stronger and stronger students on the way. Soul Warriors, Soul Sprites, Soul Ancestors, and even a few Soul Exalt students were seen here and there.
In time, Zheng Kai said that they were quickly approaching where the chairman was.
Stopping at a stone and brick built three-storied building. Zheng Kai pointed to the very obvious building that towered overhead further beyond, “Brother Bai, the chairman is typically in there. If you go there to pay your respects, the chairman will know, and with your status, I’m sure he’ll see you.”
And with that, Zheng Kai stopped there, reluctant to go any further than there.
Bai Yunfei followed the direction of Zheng Kai’s pointing, looking to the ten-storied stone building, Bai Yunfei noted that it had to be fifty meters tall at the very least and also the tallest building in the entire academy.
Seeing how careful Zheng Kai was being, Bai Yunfei couldn’t help but chuckle, “Alright. I’ll go pay my respects to senior Mo, you….”
“I’ll be waiting here for you, we can go elsewhere afterwards.”
“Fine then. Thanks, brother Zheng.” Bai Yunfei nodded before walking towards the building.
He came to a stop in front of the circular doors. Looking left and right, Bai Yunfei saw no guards or even a bell. Just as he was about to knock on the door, a faint wave of soulsense washed over him before an elderly voice spoke out.
“I have never seen you before, young one. If not a student, which family are you from, and for what purpose?”
After a moment’s surprise, Bai Yunfei quickly replied as politely as he could. “Senior, I am Bai Yunfei, student of the Crafting School and disciple to master Zi Jin. I have come to pay my respects to senior Mo Huangkong.”
“Oh? Zi Jin’s disciple?” The voice remarked, an octave higher than before. “Come in then, head for the top floor.”
There was a creaking sound as the wooden doors opened up. Without needing to be told twice, Bai Yunfei tidied his clothes and strode on in.