Mountain Sea City

"Is this Mountain Sea City? What a retro architectural style…" Mu Xiaoxiao exclaimed.

The mottled dark green walls towered into the clouds, and stretched thousands of miles from side to side, as if a sleeping green dragon lay above the horizon, pressuring the mountains and rivers, strange and majestic. Even the super-sized Three-tailed Ice Flame Fox was as small as an ant compared to the city.

As they gradually approached Mountain Sea City, the road became flatter and broader, and the flow of people continued to increase, with many young faces in light clothing riding all kinds of pets, either running or flying. It was quite lively.

Bai Wushang had inadvertently noticed that among the dozens of transcendent creatures around him, the Three-tailed Ice Flame Fox was by no means the largest one. Still, many people who looked at the fox, or rather who saw the black-clothed woman with a sword on her back resting with her eyes closed, would reveal a nervous and fearful look and hurriedly move away, unwilling to be near at all.

It seems that Senior Sister Jiang is also someone with a story. I can inquire about it later… Bai Wushang pondered silently.

Approaching the city gates, one could see from afar that two 40-meter-tall black iron giants in full suits of armor, one on the left and one on the right, were holding super-large steel forks and guarding both sides of the gates.

After reaching a distance of 10 meters from them, the attribute panel surfaced promptly.

[Name]: Black Iron Giant (Contract)

[Race]: Savage Realm - Giant Type - Metal Giant Race

[Life level]: Late-stage ultimate form

[Bloodline Quality]: Commander level 6 Stars

??? (Too low in soul power to fully detect)

***

Bai Wushang couldn't help but secretly mutter, "The ultimate form… It's ridiculously strong…"

"Stop!"

A tall and sturdy middle-aged man with prominent muscles stopped in the middle of the road.

Being a few meters away, Bai Wushang could feel the ferocious aura on his body. He was definitely a ruthless person who had been through countless killings.

"Uncle Tie."

Jiang Lingyue jumped off the fox's back, and greeted the man while gesturing for Little Ice to put down Bai Wushang and Mu Xiaoxiao as well.

"Oh, so it's Little Jiang!" The middle-aged man named Uncle Tie, whose aura disappeared instantly, looked slightly embarrassed, and said with a sarcastic smile, "Gee, I'm getting old. My eyes are not so good. I haven't seen this little fox in two months, and I almost didn't recognize it…"

Before he finished his words, he sized up Jiang Lingyue, and suspiciously said, "Your aura seems to be even thicker. You didn't break through to the Mystic General level, did you? Then there'll be some fun to be had in the academy…"

"Uncle Tie, don't make me laugh; it's just a fluke of a breakthrough." Jiang Lingyue smiled faintly, and responded blandly without being arrogant.

"Luck is part of strength, and at your age, I can only stare and envy you!" Tie Zhu laughed brightly and stroked his mustache again as he looked at the two behind her. "And these two are?"

"They are both freshmen this year, and there were some mishaps on their trip. I stopped by to bring them back."

"Hey, that's a bit untimely. The freshman awakening ceremony is over for the morning. You'll just have to take them to make up for the admissions and apply one more time…" Tie Zhu exchanged a few more pleasantries, and waved his hand, letting them through the passage.

Stepping through the gates, a bustling street with shops, food stalls, and training halls came into view, and perhaps because the academy had just been infused with a group of new students, there were festive decorations everywhere.

Bai Wushang and Mu Xiaoxiao followed Jiang Lingyue while curiously observing the things around them. Meanwhile, the Three-tailed Ice Flame Fox reverted to its miniature size, and strolled at the end with a catwalk.

At this moment, the Moonrabbit was sleeping soundly while hiding in the clothes on Bai Wushang's chest, and was not woken up at all by the noisy sound of drums and music outside.

Jiang Lingyue was light on her feet, leading the two around the corners without any delay at all.

At some intersection, she suddenly turned back, and seemingly casually asked, "Junior Brother and Junior Sister, what do you two think of the Mountain and Sea Academy?"

Mu Xiaoxiao, with a thoughtful look in her eyes, considered carefully before replying, "I have a cousin who is a student here, but it's our first time here, and we still know very little about this academy.

"But I have heard rumors in the outside world that the competition at the Mountain and Sea Academy is very fierce. Anyone who can last four years and successfully graduate will become the best of the Great Qian Dynasty in the future, and enjoy a high reputation."

Jiang Lingyue gently nodded. "Yes, as one of the four famous academies of the Great Qian Dynasty, the Mountain Sea Academy has the highest allocation of both strong and reputable teachers and cultivation resources. It can be said that once you enter the Mountain and Sea Academy, it is equivalent to having a growth accelerator installed. If you use it well, you will be able to soar to the heavens; worms can turn into dragons, and being above the ordinary is not just plain talk.

"However, as someone who has the experience, I wish to remind you that all this that Mountain and Sea Academy has is based on a brutal elimination mechanism!"

After a pause, Jiang Lingyue turned to ask, "Do you know how many freshmen made it to sophomore year last year, the one I was in?"

"There's always 1000 people, right?" replied Mu Xiaoxiao tentatively.

"I remember starting with a total of 2,230 people, and only 275 ended up moving on to the second year without any problems—close to a 90 percent elimination rate."

Jiang Lingyue's voice remained lukewarm as if she was narrating a trivial matter.

Mu Xiaoxiao, however, pursed her lips, a look of dismay frozen on her face.

Bai Wushang was equally stunned by the information.

"According to our dean, the original purpose of his ancestors in establishing this academy was to use 99 percent of the sand to sharpen one percent of the gold.

"So, from the moment you step into this academy, be prepared to put up a good fight.

"Otherwise, the only thing that you will face is expulsion!"

"No wonder. No wonder my family wouldn't let me take the Mountain and Sea Academy, saying something about the risk being too great. I didn't understand…" Mu Xiaoxiao muttered, realizing something.

Bai Wushang thought, This is to apply the natural law of survival of the fittest to the extreme!

He whose life was already limited, and who was thirsty for breaking his destiny, instead looked forward to it somewhat after a brief moment of surprise.

If he couldn't even survive the hardships and dangers set up by man, how could he even begin to talk about fighting fate?

***

Half an hour later, at the office lobby.

After a brief account of the floating ship's crash, Bai Wushang and Mu Xiaoxiao successfully went through the enrollment procedures. They officially became first-year students of the Mountain and Sea Academy.

After Jiang Lingyue collected her share of the quest pay, she took the lead and left with Mu Xiaoxiao to apply for an assisted awakening ceremony.

Bai Wushang, however, watched as the expression on the staff member's face in front of him grew shocked, and then heard him shout, "What? You're an autonomous awakener?!"

The hall was grand enough and open enough so that the echo was very loud and clear.

Many other unfamiliar people were scattered nearby on business, and at this point, curious eyes gathered on him as they were drawn by what was being said in the sentence.

Bai Wushang sighed lightly. He didn't like this kind of attention as if he was a mouse. He endured and maintained his politeness as much as possible. "Excuse me, is there a problem?"

"Uh…" The staff member seemed to realize that he had greatly lost his composure, and somewhat embarrassedly said, "The thing is, with you, that makes three autonomous awakeners in this class."