Chapter 60: Admittance To the Library

I was halfway back across the path between pavilions when I realized I forgot to ask what my actual percent score in the Comprehension test had been. Come to think of it, they said we'd all get copies of the technique we'd been learning during that. Maybe Elder Xue will tell me then.

Quite a bit more time passed before Shokoya was called. He wasn't nearly as nervous now, since he now knew that I'd qualified not just for the Library, but the Abbey as well. And sure enough, he'd been welcomed by Elder Xue as well. Even Quan had met his target—his outlasting the full time on the final test had only happened once before, and that result apparently carried particular weight with the Iron Tortoise Castle. The five of us ate together one last time, which I couldn't help but view through a lens of having one last meetup before the pro team dissolved.

As Grand Elder Xue had promised, Shokoya and I were joined by a dozen other new disciples who formed a group around them. Two other groups, larger ones, formed up around the Grand Elders from Rising Sun Monastery and Iron Tortoise Castle. Of course, only Jue Zhu and Kunlun Jong followed the imperious elder from the Abbey. All four groups walked a short distance to the waiting teleport formation. On the way, I finally managed to ask Elder Xue for my score from the Comprehension test. "Oh, that's right," he said, "you actually set a new record for the annual recruitment. You attained 87% progress in learning your technique, and the difficulty was not on the lower end for Earth rank techniques either. Quite impressive."

I did a slight double take. "Really? I set a record? Jue Zhu didn't score higher than me?"

"Well, it's a serious breach of trust to reveal another prospect's scores, but I'll say that he would have set a new record if it wasn't for you."

A few minutes after that, we arrived at the teleporter. First the Abbey went, and then, after a short wait while the operator changed the destination, it was our turn.

There was no formation at the destination we appeared at. Where we appeared, there was a small road leading to a building that, but for a few eccentric features I made out as we got closer, could have passed for a relatively small government office. As Elder Xue explained, this was the sect's Reception Gate Hall, which controlled entry to and exit from the sect as well as the registration of new disciples.

"Welcome back, Grand Elder Xue." When we entered, we were met by another elder.

"These are the new disciples from today's special entrance exam," said Xue, taking out a jade slip, "the exam results for all of them are on here, please process the appropriate identification badges. You there," he gestured at a disciple who had been writing away at something, "go and bring a dozen uniform sets. In the meantime, I'll see to handing out their Library Guides."

The Library Guide, as Xue explained, was a book that contained all the sect's various rules and regulations, a map of the sect along with maps of larger regions of it such as the residential districts, and chapters giving information on each area of the sect and their functions. A few others stored theirs in an Inventory or spatial ring like Shokoya and I did, but half of the new disciples were stuck holding the not small at all textbooks in their arms. He also took the opportunity to hand out the technique scrolls we'd been promised from the third stage. Not long after that, the disciple returned and added a box containing Outer Court uniforms to this. Finally, the other elder reappeared, and called our names one by one to receive the ID badges, which for now we all pinned to our clothes.

"With this, you begin your lives as disciples of the 10,000 Scrolls Library," Elder Xue looked us all over before continuing his speech, "so before I turn you loose, I'm going to go over some of the most important ground rules and a few other points. The invite-only exam that you all undertook to get here is not the only recruiting event we hold—the Library also holds an open entry exam once every three years. The exam you just took is held to a higher standard than that one, so you have all been granted ID badges above the lowest rank. However, it is less an indication of privilege than a statement of what we expect from your potential. In other words, you can expect to be held to a higher standard than those who entered the sect at the bottom rank.

All of you are either coming to us from subordinate sects, or the special Academy, so I'm sure you're at least familiar with the basics of sect life. However, there are some things that deserve special emphasis.

First, fighting between disciples is allowed in the dueling courts of the training area only. Anyone resorting to violence outside the training courts will be severely punished. Second, as Outer Court disciples, you are required to complete at least one qualifying mission from the Mission Hall every 3 months. Qualifying missions are missions that take the form of requests from residents of the Library's territory outside the sect, or duty postings listed as being from the sect itself, rather than from a particular elder or disciple. If leaving the sect on a mission, present the mission post at the Reception Gate Hall to check out of the sect. You are not permitted to leave freely unless you are admitted to the Inner Court, only on missions or with prior permission from an elder.

As for being admitted to the Inner Court, the minimum requirement to be tested is a cultivation base at least in the 8th Earth Realm. Tests are held once every three months, and you must be an Outer Court disciple for at least 1 year before you may make your first attempt.

Finally, if you have any questions related to something the Library Guide doesn't cover, it is best to seek out an elder. Grand Elders like myself are usually extremely busy, but the normal elders should be able to help with just about anything.

Now, there are rooms this way for you to get changed into your new uniforms. Once you get changed, you may enter proper and explore the Outer Court freely. However, I suggest you settle your living arrangements as soon as possible. Your assigned quarters are recorded on your badges and require them to unlock, refer to the Guide map to find your correct building.

One more time, welcome to the 10,000 Scrolls Library. Work hard, improve yourselves as cultivators, and become assets to the sect."

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