The Great Thousand World was vast and boundless. Within it existed countless continents—some, like the Skylaw Continent, were considered supercontinents, while others, like the Bailing Continent, were small and insignificant.
Some continents were renowned through the ages, their names shaking the Great Thousand World. Nearby ones included the Martial Realm and the Endless Fire Territory, while distant ones included the Pagoda Continent and the Maha Continent. Others, however, remained obscure—just like the Bailing Continent, where Liu Bai was born...
To be honest, no matter how one looked at it, the Bailing Continent was undoubtedly one of the most inconspicuous corners of the Great Thousand World. This was an indisputable fact.
While a continent's standing was often influenced by the strength of the powers residing upon it, there were exceptions.
Take the Northern Heavens Continent, for example. In terms of strength, it too was categorized as a small continent. The most powerful individual on the continent had yet to even reach the Earth Sovereign Realm. Yet, the Northern Heavens Continent was exceptionally renowned throughout the Great Thousand World...
All of this was, of course, due to the existence of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.
Though the powerhouses within the academy were not considered outstanding across the Great Thousand World, the Five Great Academies collectively enjoyed tremendous prestige. Otherwise, even descendants of powerful clans like the Luo God Clan and the Blood God Clan from the Little Western Heaven would not have come here to study.
In addition to them, there were also members of the Ice Spirit Clan, Wood Spirit Clan, and even the Wind Spirit Clan ancient races with noble bloodlines.
This alone illustrated the uniqueness of the Five Great Academies. Otherwise, how could those chosen scions of prominent lineages abandon their clan's own cultivation paths and travel across countless continents just to study at the academies?
Moreover, the structure of the academies was entirely different from that of sects and clans. Over the course of thousands of years, countless experts had emerged from the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. Among them were even some who once stood at the peak of the world.
Although many of these individuals had long since left the academy or become powerful forces of their own, they still retained a bond with the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy one that could not be easily severed. Most of the time, it meant little.
But once the academy was genuinely threatened by something that endangered its survival, the world would witness the terrifying hidden strength that lay dormant beneath its surface.
This was one of the main reasons why the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy had remained standing for so many years. Even the most powerful forces in the Great Thousand World were willing to send their descendants to study there...
Having passed the trial, Liu Bai and the others followed Elder Bai into the massive bronze gates that marked the entrance to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.
As they stepped through the towering bronze doors, they immediately felt a wave of dizziness that was due to the effects of spatial transference.
Fortunately, the dizziness didn't last long. Their bodies suddenly felt heavy, and in the next moment, a burst of brightness filled their vision.
As their eyes gradually adjusted, everyone looked toward the unfamiliar world before them and a profound sense of awe climbed across their faces.
They were standing atop a stone platform nearly ten thousand feet wide. Though it had been empty before, it was now packed with human figures. As their eyes looked forward, they were met with a majestic, awe-inspiring scene.
It was a land so vast that its boundaries couldn't be seen. Throughout the terrain were countless majestic cultivation halls, towering mountains that stretched into the clouds, and waterfalls cascading like rivers of starlight. Amidst the lush landscapes surged a grandeur and magnificence that seemed infinite.
The sight before them was so overwhelming that, despite the immense size of the platform they stood on, it felt utterly insignificant in comparison.
Within the inner sky of the Spiritual Academy, figures soared through the air in great numbers. In various training grounds, silhouettes dashed and clashed, and the sounds of spiritual power collisions echoed continuously like muffled thunder.
Yet, of all the grand spectacles within the seemingly endless academy, the most attention-grabbing feature lay at its center a colossal mountain unlike any other. Its form was unique, shaped like a divine bird with outstretched wings. The moment one laid eyes upon it, an invisible pressure emanated from its form, enveloping the heavens and the earth.
Liu Bai looked closely and saw that atop the wings of this giant avian-shaped mountain stood two massive stone monuments, each nearly ten thousand feet tall. Radiant light pulsed from their surfaces, and even from across the entire academy, that brilliance was visible to all.
"Those must be the Spirit Ranking and the Heaven Ranking of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy..."
Though Liu Bai recalled the descriptions from the original work, seeing it with his own eyes still left him profoundly shaken.
From now on, his journey of rewriting his life would begin in this vast land...
"Do you see those two stone monuments? They are the Spirit Ranking and the Heaven Ranking of the academy," Yan Mo said calmly, glancing at Li Xuantong as his voice reached the ears of the newcomers.
"Some of you may one day ascend those rankings, but that will be at least a year or two from now. For now, your focus should be on surviving your first year in the academy and raising your strength."
"As for challenging the rankings, you should begin by studying the Spirit Ranking. That's where new students like you belong..."
These words immediately stirred discontent among many new students. But when they recalled the power displayed by the senior students, and the crushing defeats of even their strongest peers, they quickly fell silent.
Elder Bai's gaze swept across the now-quiet newcomers. A faint smile curved his lips. These freshly admitted students still carried their pride and arrogance. That wouldn't do. They would suffer for it inside the academy. Having Yan Mo and the other senior students give them a bit of a reality check now would help them avoid detours and save them some pain.
After waiting a little longer, the other three assessment portals of the Northern Heavens Realm finished, and all the new students entering the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy this year were finally gathered together.
As the light shimmered, newcomers appeared one after another. Among them was a young man in black, with long, unbound hair. His features were sharp and resolute, and his eyes were deep like an ancient pond, exuding a calm that could withstand the collapse of the sky.
"That's Shen Cangsheng, the monstrous talent second only to Li Xuantong in this year's Spiritual Road," Su Xuan said in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Liu Bai couldn't help but glance over a few more times. He was probably the only one who knew just how heaven-defying this young would become and how many earth-shaking events he would cause in the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy in the future.
If it weren't for Mu Chen, the true child of destiny, Shen Cangsheng might have very well been the most talented student the academy had seen in a hundred years.
As Liu Bai watched Shen Cangsheng, lost in thought, he suddenly sensed a gaze fall upon him. Looking up, he saw a handsome youth with green hair smiling in their direction.
Of course, Liu Bai didn't think that smile was meant for him. It was obvious that the youth's gaze was fixed entirely on Su Xuan. The rest of them likely didn't even qualify to appear in his line of sight.
"That's He Yao..." Li Qing whispered beside Liu Bai after noticing Su Xuan's slightly troubled expression.
"He's a very troublesome guy. He had some encounters with Su Xuan during the Spiritual Road and has been trying to get close to her ever since. Originally, I heard he was going to attend the Saint Spiritual Academy. Didn't expect him to show up at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy too."
Liu Bai nodded slightly, though a faint smile formed at the corner of his lips. So, the top four of the Heaven Ranking were all here now...
At that moment, He Yao had already arrived before them. Without hesitation, he walked straight up to Su Xuan and smiled faintly.
"Su Xuan, we meet again."
Su Xuan responded with a slight smile polite yet distant as she replied, "Yes, it seems we have."
He Yao naturally sensed the distant tone in her response. With his pride, he wasn't the type to pester someone relentlessly like certain people would. Instead, he acted as though they were simply having an ordinary conversation. Glancing at Li Xuantong , who stood not far away, refined yet exuding heroic presence, then looking toward the distant, silent, and cold Shen Cangsheng, he commented, "Didn't expect those two to come to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy as well. Looks like life in the academy won't be boring."
Elder Bai didn't give the new students much time to socialize. He quickly stepped forward.
"Very well. From this moment on, all of you are officially new students of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. I must say, this year's class is the strongest batch in over a century. I hope that at the New Students Convention a month from now, I'll witness your progress."
"New Students Convention?"
Upon hearing the name, many students immediately perked up with curiosity.
After all, the name alone implied that the event was closely related to their new cohort.
"Hehe, that's right. A month from now will be the New Students Convention. At that time, you'll all have the chance to compete against one another once more. The one who stands out during that event will be recognized as the number one among the new students of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy," Elder Bai explained.
The title "number one new student" caused many pairs of eyes to brighten.
For most of them, perhaps the title of number one was still somewhat out of reach, but they didn't mind using the event to showcase their strength and earn a reputation among the new students of the academy...
After all, just among the new students alone, there were over two hundred thousand this year, and many were exceptional talents. Standing out in this environment would not be easy.
Youthful hearts burned with ambition. Even a sliver of fame could fill them with passion and push them forward with unwavering resolve.
Even Li Xuantong 's eyes gleamed with a trace of fighting spirit at this moment, showing just how enticing the title "number one new student" truly was.
Seeing that he had achieved the desired effect, Elder Bai continued, "Next, you'll all be assigned to the New Student Region. The New Student Region is divided into four zones: East, South, West, and North. Shortly, instructors will guide you to your respective zones."
As Elder Bai's voice faded, dozens of glowing figures swiftly approached and hovered in mid-air. These individuals were clearly older some already in their middle years but from the powerful spiritual fluctuations around them, it was evident that each of them possessed the strength of the Heavenly Fusion Realm.
In terms of cultivation level, they weren't even comparable to the students on the Heaven Rankings, but as instructors for the new students, their strength was more than sufficient.
After all, the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was not a school in the modern sense. Instructors mainly helped new students quickly adapt to academy life. They also provided guidance when needed, but if students found their strength lacking, they could always spend Spiritual Value to seek instruction from stronger mentors...
One had to admit, the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy excelled in this area. If you wanted better guidance, better cultivation techniques, better spiritual pills, or better spiritual artifacts—don't hesitate. Go earn more Spiritual Value!
Once the instructors arrived, the selection of students began.
A middle-aged man with a kind smile walked over. With a wave of his hand, a light screen expanded, enveloping around two thousand students within its glow.
"You young ones within the light screen—welcome to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. I'll be your New Student Instructor. I'll be guiding you through the academy for the time being. My name is Qiu Zongsheng. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me."
This group of over two thousand included Liu Bai, Su Xuan, and the others. Fortunately, He Yao had just left to rejoin the members of his self-established faction "Demon Gate," or else had he been assigned to this group as well, Su Xuan would probably be quite troubled.
"Come, I'll first take you to your designated residence area," Qiu Zongsheng said before flying down toward the academy below.
Naturally, Liu Bai and the others followed swiftly. Behind them, several thousand students followed Qiu Zongsheng down from the massive stone platform in a mighty procession.
Once they arrived below, rows upon rows of cultivation halls appeared before their eyes. In the far distance, countless silhouettes could be seen flashing through the air. Under Qiu Zongsheng's lead, Liu Bai and his group flew westward for over ten minutes before gradually slowing down.
Liu Bai raised his head. Amidst the verdant foliage stood a clear and sparkling lake. Around this lake were clusters of simple yet elegant residences.
"This will be your place of residence going forward," Qiu Zongsheng said with a smile, pointing at the buildings nestled around the lake. "What do you think? Beautiful scenery, right?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Bai and the others couldn't help but nod in agreement. It had to be said, for new students to live in such a serene and picturesque environment—the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was indeed extraordinary!
Of course, the appeal here wasn't just the beautiful surroundings.
Soon enough, some students began to sense the difference in the spiritual energy of the area compared to the outside world...
"This region is located within a massive spiritual array, and judging from the concealed fluctuations in the surrounding atmosphere, it should be a Rank Four Spiritual Gathering Array," Liu Bai quietly explained to Su Xuan and Li Qing as the others looked on in wonder.
"You've got a good eye, kid," Qiu Zongsheng looked at Liu Bai with a hint of surprise before smiling and addressing everyone, "Indeed, the area you'll be living in is enveloped by a Rank Four Spiritual Gathering Array."
At those words, a wave of exclamations rippled through the crowd.
After all, not everyone present hailed from ancient divine clans or top-tier factions.
In the eyes of many, Spiritual Gathering Arrays were often symbols of a faction's heritage and resources. While some might have seen a Rank Four array before, this was likely the first time they had seen one used just for residential purposes.
This alone once again drew admiration and awe from many of the new students.
.....
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