Early the next morning, Wang Meng woke up and followed the directions on his Star Ring to the lecture hall.

The people who taught Magic here were called soul mentors.

Wang Meng thought he was early, but he found the hall was already nearly full. He spotted a few familiar faces: Ma Tian’Er, Li Tianyi, and their group, as well as Yanm Yuyue... and that Lin Jinghao fellow. Wang Meng hadn’t interacted with him, but it was hard to forget the heir of the Demon Heart Sect who was trying to be a good person.

The rest of the crowd was a motley crew. Some were bizarre, with hair that dragged on the floor, while one even had nose hairs longer than the hair on his head. Of course, most looked relatively normal. They all came from different places.

So this was the new batch of Cultivation Academy students. There were quite a lot of them.

Everyone radiated a mixture of excitement and anticipation, though some were clearly worried.

The worried ones were mostly from lower-ranked Sects. Those from higher-ranked Sects were here for better opportunities and growth.

Wang Meng was already late, so he could only find a seat in a corner at the back.

A few more people trickled in before a man wearing what looked like a long, blue, starry robe entered. His attire was strange, as if an entire flowing cosmos was engraved upon it. A streak of blue light shimmered as splendidly as the Milky Way.

The middle-aged man calmly swept his gaze across the hall, instantly taking in everyone’s situation.

After he entered, all the disciples quieted down. Being able to wear such a Star Robe meant he was from the Star Alliance. And who were the members of the Star Alliance?

In the Holy Hall, Sword God Xuee Zhongnan was one, as were a few Ancestral Masters. To become a Star Alliance member, you either had to reach the Great Perfection realm and gain automatic membership, or, even if you were an Ancestral Master, your skill level was evaluated. Not just anyone who had scraped together enough Elemental Power could join.

The lower your level, the harder it was to become a member of the Star Alliance, but doing so was a greater display of your potential and talent.

Without a doubt, it was the highest of honors.

Judging age by appearance in the Cultivation Realm was obviously of little value, but this man was likely no older than a hundred. To become a member of the Star Alliance at that age was a mark of a truly promising young talent.

"Hello, everyone. I am your soul mentor, Shan Lin. Welcome to the Cultivation Academy. The fact that you are sitting here today means that you are all the elites of your generation from your respective worlds. Without a doubt, you are already qualified to stand at the pinnacle."

Shan Lin spoke gently, his faint smile as pleasant and refreshing as a spring breeze. His words instantly stoked the pride in everyone’s hearts.

That’s right. They were indeed the strongest at their respective levels. In their own worlds and their own Sects, they were the kings and Overlords of the younger generation.

Shan Lin didn’t quell the commotion from the students below, allowing them to vent their feelings.

Ning Zhiquan had arrived early. He sat with his head down, his expression still grave.

Mingren and Li Tianyi were naturally sitting together. Mingren smiled faintly and whispered, "Here comes the ’but’."

Shan Lin raised a hand to signal for quiet. "But, now that you are at the Cultivation Academy, I ask you to forget your past glory and honor. Not only that, you can completely discard the Cultivation Techniques, Magic, and philosophies you’ve learned before. The extent to which you abandon the old will determine the extent to which you can learn new Magic. It will also determine your future... including whether you live or die."

At once, the disciples below broke into another round of discussion. They had already learned the Cultivation Academy’s rules through their Star Rings. Some who had arrived earlier had even had time to adjust, feeling that if not for the cruel "greater-than-fifty-percent win rate" requirement, this place would be a paradise for Cultivation.

"Excuse me, mentor. If we fail to achieve a win rate of over fifty percent after a year, will we really die?" a young man asked.

Shan Lin looked at the young man. "Never question the academy’s rules. Every single one is as unshakable as a law of nature. Here, only the strong survive. There is no Holy, Demon, or Evil—only the strong and the weak."

"Respected Mentor, I have a question. I specialize in Alchemy, and combat isn’t my strong suit. Am I doomed?"

A Female Cultivator asked. Her face was a little pale, inspiring an urge to protect such a delicate beauty. ’She must be a Demon Cultivator,’ Wang Meng thought.

Shan Lin smiled, revealing a set of white teeth. "Congratulations, you’ve answered your own question. Every ability exists to increase your combat power. Otherwise, what use is it?"

Another wave of whispers spread through the crowd. This soul mentor had a knack for stating incredibly cruel things in an exceedingly gentle tone. To him, it was as natural as breathing.

Some of the people present found this perfectly natural, while others couldn’t accept it. The rules of their respective Sects varied—some were strict, others lenient. But this principle of being eliminated for failing to meet a standard was something only seen in a very small number of Demon and Evil Cultivation Sects.

"Everyone, your Star Rings contain detailed information on the different paths of Cultivation, as well as the times and locations for Cultivation Technique lectures. You may choose freely. As new students, no one will challenge you during your first year, nor are you required to participate in challenges. The rules will take effect starting from your second year. Of course, we welcome any confident individuals who wish to prove their strength," Shan Lin said.

Wang Meng browsed the contents of his Star Ring. The Array Technique within the ring was linked to an information Teleportation Array that updated instantly with the latest news. ’This is so much faster than Zhang Liang’s methods,’ he thought. ’I think I’m going to love this place.’

Sword Technique, Body Cultivation Skill, Talisman Technique, Bow Technique—it had everything. Wang Meng even saw something called the Five Elements Sect, which apparently taught Five Elements Skills. In addition to all that, there was weapon forging, Magical Artifact crafting, and Alchemy. The list of available skills was comprehensive.

Everyone was reading intently. The categories were numerous but well-organized and clearly classified. Frankly, any of their home Sects would seem like worthless trash in comparison.

This was why Shan Lin had said they could discard everything they had learned before. As long as their Life Mark Level remained, it was best to abandon as much as possible, find what suited them best, and make themselves stronger here.

Wang Meng couldn’t help but marvel. ’This Cultivation Academy is truly incredible.’ Unlike ordinary Sects that hoarded their knowledge, the academy demonstrated its power through its vast Scripture Pavilion. He was starting to feel a real affinity for this place. It was just so magnanimous.

Clearly, the fact that the Cultivation Academy dared to be so open meant they possessed an even greater power. This not only filled people with anticipation but also instilled a sense of awe.

"As your direct soul mentor, let me offer you some advice. After you’ve cast aside your past, the first thing you should do is choose a Cultivation Technique that suits you—a Five Elements Skill—and then select appropriate Attack Techniques. How you improve and bring out your innate talent is up to you. I look forward to seeing what you can do."

Shan Lin had made a very good impression on everyone. He seemed gentle and approachable. Most importantly, Shan Lin was actually in charge of Sword Technique, and Sword Cultivators made up a large portion of the students present. A Cultivation Technique was used to raise one’s Elemental Power level, and most who came here already had their own unique techniques that they had practiced for years. They were familiar with them and few were willing to switch. To them, the Combat Magic offered here was far more enticing.

But Wang Meng was very interested. His own Hinayana Five Elements Technique, which he had developed himself, was a patchwork pieced together from the five basic Five Elements Skills of the Holy Hall. Frankly, after reaching Twenty Layers, it was starting to feel inadequate. This place, however, seemed to have a much deeper understanding of Five Elements Skills and even encouraged students to choose them. That perspective alone was far superior to that of any other Sect.

It seemed like just a deeper understanding of one’s own attribute, but it represented a fundamental gap in perception.

Wang Meng was growing more and more interested in this place.

As soon as Shan Lin left, the students immediately formed small groups, gathering with people they knew. Tang Wei dragged his injured leg as he walked away. Perhaps for him, strangers were more welcome than his fellow disciples from the Holy Hall. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"What are you guys planning to do? You’re not really going to change your Cultivation Technique, are you?" Mingren was hesitant. "I don’t think I can change mine."

Li Tianyi shrugged. "Doesn’t matter. We’ll see what they have to offer first."

Li Tianyi was the truly audacious type. His boldness wasn’t mere recklessness; it was a fearlessness that embraced any challenge.

"I’m curious to see what they have. Junior Sister Ma, what do you think?"

Wang Meng could sense that Ma Tian’Er was deliberately avoiding him, so he could only keep a respectful distance.

The three of them were a little worried about Ma Tian’Er. This place really wasn’t suited for her. Ma Tian’Er’s personality was gentle and conflict-averse; she was truly kind. And frankly, her strength wasn’t up to par. She had relied on a Small Rejuvenation Pill to reach Twenty Layers, but in a place where Ancestral Masters were a dime a dozen, that was completely useless.

Although they hadn’t actually experienced the Cultivation Academy’s Magic yet, from what they had seen and heard so far, it was bound to be extraordinary.

"There’s no need for anyone to agonize over this. No one’s opinion matters, and the Ancestral Masters won’t be giving us any advice. So, everyone has to decide for themselves. If you absolutely need a reference, refer to the academy’s laws. Those are at least ninety percent reliable."

Ning Zhiquan said. People hadn’t had a very good impression of Ning Zhiquan before, but now that they were here, he truly felt like a Senior. At least he was willing to take responsibility for many things.

"Brother Ning, you’re not thinking of giving up your..." Mingren couldn’t help but ask.

Ning Zhiquan gave a wry smile. "I’m still struggling with it. Everyone, when you have time, get more familiar with this place. The expenses inside the academy are relatively low. Try to stay away from the outside, and definitely don’t leave Starlight City without a good reason. It’s not safe out there."

Ning Zhiquan’s attitude added a bit of pressure to the group.

"There are so many people in this batch. Anything interesting going on?" Ge Mang said.

Atop the Star Tower of the Cultivation Academy, several people were gathered, looking out over the beautiful city below.

"What’s wrong? Upset that you lost the bet?" Moo WuZheng laughed. He had won big this time and was feeling great.

"Little Moo, don’t get too cocky. The difficulty was just too low this time. I really don’t know what the academy was thinking, letting in so much trash."

A woman sat on the windowsill of the Star Tower. The wind billowed her long hair, and her slender, willow-like eyebrows framed a face that radiated a murderous aura.

Moo WuZheng gave a wry smile. "Mingyue, what did I say? Am I really that unlikable just because I won for once?" He rubbed his nose as he spoke, seemingly a little afraid of her.

"There are a few descendants of Star Envoys this time. Yanm Yuyue from Heaven-Dominating Hall, Lin Jinghao from the Demon Heart Sect, Fan Hong from the Dharma Flower Sect... and it seems there are a few others."

"You guys are too cruel. This bunch of rookies is already living on borrowed time. Stop messing around with them and start thinking about how to handle the Empress’s difficult task."

"Sigh, can’t even get a few days of peace. Speaking of which... the fact that Her Majesty the Empress actually participated in this bet feels like a dream. Isn’t she completely uninterested in this sort of thing?"

Moo WuZheng asked curiously. Everyone’s gaze turned toward Mingyue. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)