Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Trials to enter!
After roughly another 30 minutes soaring the air with extreme speeds, they could finally see people lining up to form multiple long queues.
"We have arrived! Let's go to the counter to buy the tickets!" said Ling Yu after they landed down from the air.
This time, Duan Li's complexion is much better than before. His body somehow adjusted itself to the heights and speed they were flying with.
"Perhaps this is the effect from the mysterious pearl as well?" he said to himself.
He then looked around as he could find myriad sorts of people queueing up while others are opening up some portable stalls taking advantage of the crowd to some quick business. The place is extremely busy.
"So this is the airtrain stops huh?.. I wonder if the airtrain would have enough spaces for everyone here.." thought Duan Li feeling curious of what the airtrain would look like.
"Two-One way ticket to the capital city please!" said Ling Yu to the official in charge of the tickets. She also handed in her emblem, and upon seeing it, the official gave a nod after verifying it and pressed a red stamp to both of their tickets. The stamp spelled out '30% discount'.
This is the privilleges given out by the empire towards senior teachers of the Jixue Knights Academy. For normal teachers, they will be given 20 percent discount, while students will get a 10 percent discount.
"Okay, let us queue up at the gate number eight!" said Ling Yu as Duan Li followed suit.
...
Shortly after arriving at gate 8..
"Ohh! Ling Yu! What a surprise to see you here!" shouted a tall man with a muscular body from afar as he waved his hands excitedly.
"Hmm?" Ling Yu turned her head as she frowned.
Seeing who it was, Ling Yu's complexion turned slightly awful. This muscular man is also a senior teacher at Jixue Knights Academy and has been trying to court her for a while.
Its not to say that he is a bad man, just that he was not her type. Nevertheless, as a fellow senior teacher, it would be quite rude to not exchange greetings, especially looking at how sincere and excited the other party was after stumbling upon them.
She sighed and replied, "Hello Wang Guozhi, its a pleasure to see you here as well.."
"Hehehehehe the pleasure is all mine!" replied the man, seeming quite happy just from her short sentence alone.
Although he knew that Ling Yu does not have the same feeling towards him, he is the kind of man who believed in 'persistence is the key' concept, like how he trained his muscles.
It is not to the stage of being an annoying pest though, as he knows where to draw the boundary and respect her comfort space as well. This is also the reason why Ling Yu could not find it in her heart to chase this man away, for while he is not the type of man she likes, he has that kind of quality she does not despise.
Behind him is a young girl with the Jixue Knights Academy's uniform as well. Noticing the look on Duan Li's face, Wang Guozhi began to introduce her.
"Ahh, this young girl here is my sister's daughter. Go on, introduce yourself." he said with a big smile towards the latter.
"Hello.. I am called Xiahou Yu.. 16 years old.." the young girl said while avoiding direct eye contact with Duan Li. It seems that she is quite the shy person as well, thought Duan Li.
"Hello.. nice to meet you Xiahou Yu, I am Duan Li, 21 years old.. " he replied with a slight smile.
While he could consider himself to be on the shy category as well, but being much older than the other party, especially as a man, he needs to show some more backbone. If he didn't, and this somehow travelled to the ear of his mother, who knows if she will tease or lecture him all day.
"Ohh? 21 years old? Are you a senior boy?" questioned Wang Guozhi as he had never seen him in the academy before.
"Ahh, no.. I am a new student that will start my enrollment today.." replied Duan Li feeling a little bit embarrassed when his age was mentioned.
"A fresher..? At your age? Hmm that's weird.." thought Wang Guozhi as he stopped for a while to contemplate. Then, coming up with a possible theory, he asked curiously, "Have you already studied martial arts before?"
"Yes.. I have studied and mastered some crucial stances.." replied Duan Li. "I didn't enroll earlier in my younger days, because my mother wanted to teach me herself and pass down some techniques.." he added.
The reason he had said that was because to make it look more believable for the other party to accept. Otherwise, a fresher at the age of 21 years old without knowing anything, would definitely be left in the dust even if he were to practice day and night.
"Ahh.. I see.. no wonder.." said Wang Guozhi as he touched his chin and nod. This is actually quite normal for big and influential family in the empire. As they have a very deep inheritance, they would usually only allow their sons and daughters to enroll after they inherited their family's heritage.
Although, for someone like Duan Li who is not from any of those families to enroll a little bit too late, is quite rare but understandable at least.
'PTOOTT TOOTT!!'
A heavy sound came from the distance as a large and an extremely elongated vehicle that resembled a snake appeared. It slithered effortlessly onto the tracks that floated up in the air with breaking speed.
"The airtrain is here!" said Ling Yu.
Duan Li was mindblowned as he observed this gigantic public transport that looked extremely flashy and tough with that thick, metal appearance. The airtrain is coated with a white base along with blue streaks that perfectly acentuates its aerodynamic body.
Wang Guozhi threw sneaky smiles at Duan Li due to the latter's shocked expression as if looking at a country bumpkin.
'Seems like it is his first time huh?' he thought.
...
Aboard the train...
"Duan Li, although you are already 21 years old and has mastered quite a lot already, you will still start as a fresher, you do know that right?" told Ling Yu.
Duan Li nodded as he looked busily towards his surrounding.
The inside of the airtrain is wide and spacious. In each compartment, there are roughly twenty rooms where each could fill roughly ten people inside. Furthermore, they are minimalistically decorated, which suited the taste of Duan Li.
However, among the twenty rooms, there exist separate private VIP rooms for important individuals. Duan Li is in such a room right now.
'The cabin inside this airtrain is even more impressive, and this VIP room.. how extravagant.. ' thought Duan Li.
"Good, now remember carefully. To decide which class each fresher would be in, the academy has prepared several test to measure one's own aptitude." she explained.
"Test? What.. sort of test?" asked Duan Li sounding a little bit nervous.
At this moment, Wang Guozhi who had been sticking closely with them ended up using this room as well, which Ling Yu was quite reluctant at first. But seeing the former's bright smile, she sighed and just let them share the same room.
Wang Guozhi waved his hands to signal that 'Let me do it' meaning. Ling Yu sighed again as she nodded.
Xiahou Yu who was previously looking at the fast changing scenery outside through the window, turned to listen to the explanation as well.
"There are five levels to measure one's aptitude to become a martial artists. The first level is the measuring of spiritual Qi one could hold within their dantian. The method will be explained later, but you should know that there will be a minimum threshold that a student should have to become part of the Jixue Knights Academy." he said.
"The second level will be a test regarding one's spirit and will. The path to become a martial artist is long and painful. Thus, if one's spirit and will is horrible, the academy will not permit them entry. As usually, these types of people will be easily discouraged by themselves and quited halfway, wasting precious resources of the academy." he continued.
"En. Next, the third level will be a personality test. In this test, the academy will cast on you a high level truth spell that will compel yourself to tell the truth. From then on, they will ask you a series of questions and scenarios which you will answer truthfully." explained Ling Yu as she waved to take over the explanation.
"Of course, this test will be conducted by a senior teacher and will be observed by other senior teachers as well. This is done to prevent the conductor from breaching the student's privacy and ask irrelevant questions. Thus you do not need to worry about leaking any sorts of confidential secret and private matters.." she continued.
At the thought of this, Duan Li felt relieved. If he were to accidentally reveal about his secret abilities, it will spell quite the trouble for him.
"Finally, the fourth and fifth level are special tests, provided that you scored flying colors in all the three tests and fulfilled the hidden conditions to trigger it." Ling Yu said and added, "At that point, even we the senior teachers do not know what the test would be. However, as long as you passed the previous three tests, then you have successfully enrolled as part of the Jixue Knights Academy!"
"En. Furthermore, the two final tests will be conducted personally by the vice-principal and the principal of the academy themselves. Rarely does anyone made it to the fourth and fifth level. And even if one did, they are forbidden to tell a single soul about it, or so I've heard." explained Wang Guozhi as he touched his chin in contemplation.
Hearing this, Duan Li thought for a while and conjectured that it will be fine. He wasn't really worried about the first three level, if he passed, then he would enroll. If he didn't, then so be it! He would be able to go back home continuing his lazy days.
What he really felt some forboding sense was towards the fourth and fifth level of the tests. However, knowing that only few people ever made it, he wouldn't be one of them... right?
Exchanging some few small talks between the four of them, the airtrain eventually slowed down as an announcement was made that came out from nowhere.
'Ting Tong!'
"Next stop, Triding river town! Please remember to take your belongings with you and to exit with orderly manner. Thank you for your patronage."
...
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