Chapter 34: Time to wait

"Welcome to the Ascension Academy." Carter said with his hands gestured outward.

"Great, now what? Do we get teleported to the academy?" Flav asked, tilting his head.

With an awkward cough " Well...you guys were meant to do the last trial with the other participants who pass the labyrinth." Carter replied with a chuckle.

"However, since you broke the record and passed it in only eight hours and are clearly the most talented group in your own rights for this batch. Hence, we decided to let you participate in the last trial sooner." Sapphire commented.

"Batch? What do you mean?" Iris, who listened attentively, asked.

"Well, we explained this to Li while you two were doing your trial but basically as we speak, there are other trials being commenced across the entire Wylde continent."

"There are numerous registration points and depending on the one you enter, will have different sets of trials. However, the first test is always the same and that's to actually find the registration point."

"From there, the trials will differ like one test would be to collect a certain amount of plants from a heavily infested magic beast forest or go through the Academies mystic labyrinth like you did. After that, the test is pretty much the same where we officially register your details and split you up between a mage or cultivator."

"From there, the next test is completely decided by the examiners like I and Sapphire to determine who we will pick in the limited slots. Each batch can only have five mages, five cultivators and five non mage or cultivators to be accepted in the Academy. Magic beasts don't have a limited slot regardless if they have intellect or not and will be accepted as long as their owner is accepted."

Carter gave them a full explanation on how the testing of the Ascension Academy works and tried to simplify it as much as possible.

"So we already took a spot in each category!" Flav shouted in shock.

This was too easy!

There are only five spots in each discipline and they each took a spot.

"As absurd that it may seem, you guys have been accepted. Iris acquired a perfect score and since she passed the Labyrinth in record breaking time, Even if there will be other talented mages in this batch, I doubt there will be five that would beat her. Xuan Li has the greatest natural potential recorded in the history of Ascension Academy so far and a tier four magic beast follows him. Now Flav, your a Qi manifestation cultivator, with enough resources and training you could breakthrough during your time in the Academy and have many doors open for you. Now, don't think that because you're a tier 4, you are instantly accepted. Though it's not common, there have been quite a few cultivators of your level trying to enter but failed because they couldn't pass the examiners trial. It doesn't matter who you are or how strong you are, if you can't pass our tests, you'll fail." Sapphire explained with a strict and serious tone.

They all nodded.

Carter clapped, breaking the intense atmosphere "Now, we will be stuck here for awhile. Sadly, we can't take you to the Academy until we sorted out the rest of the participants."

The group griminced at Carter's words. The previous record holders took a day and four hours which is already a long time. How long will the average groups take? Five days? A week? A month? How long will they have to wait?!

"Ah, don't worry. There is a time limit of three days from the moment the first participants exit the Labyrinth. If you can't pass the Labyrinth in three days, you'll instantly be teleported outside and fail." Carter explained.

"Wow, those poor souls only have three days now because of you! Bahahahahah" The panther suddenly laughed.

The three gave an awkward chuckle.

"Well make yourselves comfy. We have three days to wait but luckily we have plenty of food and water" Sapphire said while she teleported away.

Eh?

Carter gave a long sigh "Man, mages have it easy. She can just stay at her home and teleport back when needed while I have to stay here for days to weeks!"

Flav nodded at Carter's grumble "Agreed. They don't even need to pack water and could just create it! They can fly across the sky without needing any treasure!"

"Please, you cultivators don't even need food or water after a certain stage. Fly without treasure? Mages have to expand a lot of mana to fly while cultivators just have to inject some Qi onto a weapon and off they go! You cultivators don't even need to sleep as much as mages unless we expand our mana to cast a specific spell to prevent drowsiness. You have so many natural talents that are far more convenient" Iris interjected against the two cultivators.

"Yea but-" The three continued to argue about the benefits each side had and how unfair it was to each other. Later, Sapphire joined in and backed Iris's points about how cultivators have it much easier compared to them.

From their heated discussion, only two poor souls were at the sidelines whose existence were completely ignored.

One wasn't a cultivator or mage, so he didn't even have the right to complain while the other was a beast that followed their own system to grow.

"Hey Dumdum, we're being ignored again aren't we?" Li said with a frown.

"Don't call me that…*sigh* Yes, we are ignored again" The panther replied with an equal frown.

"Why does this keep happening?"

"Because you're an idiot."

"Tch, yea? Well hello fellow idiot, I don't see them including you!"

"Wha- it's because I am a proud beast that could kill everyone here. They wouldn't dare to include me with such petty fuss!"

"Right...didn't you just admit we are being ignored?"

"Wha-HUMAN! Don't use my words against me!"

While the mages and cultivators were having their discussion, Xuan Li and the panther began to argue about who's the idiot between them.