The two walked through the bustling crowd, making their way along the wide avenue.
From a distance, a massive crowd could be seen gathered in front of the academy gates. Among them were many nobles and youths from prominent clans dressed in luxurious attire, filling the once-spacious open grounds almost to capacity.
Shi Yu’s gaze swept across the area. The crowd on the open ground was clearly split into two distinct circles: on one side were the youths from aristocratic families, exchanging pleasantries and chatting animatedly, while on the other were the modest rogue cultivators.
As for how she could tell... Shi Yu looked over thoughtfully once more. On the aristocratic side, the cultivators all wore high-grade spirit robes or elegant dresses. They had family crests pinned to their chests or identity waist tokens hanging from their belts—conspicuous enough that anyone could tell at a glance which prominent clan they belonged to.
Beside her, Shen Yun noticed her gaze, curled her lip, and asked, “What, are you a junior from some big family too?”
Shi Yu withdrew her gaze and shook her head. “Just a rogue cultivator.”
Shen Yun let out an “Oh,” paused briefly, and then asked, “Do you know why they’re all taking out their family crests and waist tokens, practically wishing they could pin them to their foreheads?”
Hearing the slight resentment in her voice, Shi Yu smiled gently. After a moment's thought, she guessed, “Could one's family background be related to the scoring for the entrance assessment?”
“You’re sharp, catching on right away,” Shen Yun said, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she let out a yawn. “Indeed. Although the academy has never explicitly stated it, background is an unwritten bonus. Those from top clans, even if their talent is a bit lacking, can still be placed in Heaven Class or Earth Class. At the very least, they won't end up lower than Mystic Class.”
After saying this, Shen Yun let out a self-deprecating laugh, unsure if she was comforting Shi Yu or herself. “Don’t feel it’s unfair though. After all, among the four necessities of cultivation—wealth, companions, techniques, and sanctuary—wealth comes from having a good family background, which offers immense support and directly affects how far one can go on the Dao path.”
Shi Yu expressed her understanding. “Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister.”
Shen Yun burst into a laugh and shot her a sidelong glance. “Calling me Senior Sister already? Sounds like you’re quite confident you'll pass the assessment.”
Just then, several shouts came from behind them: “Sister Ah Yu! Sister Ah Yu!”
Shi Yu turned around to see He Lingling bouncing toward her, eyes brimming with pleasant surprise.
Behind her were He Chiqiong, Su Luoyao, and the others. He Chiqiong gave her a slight nod. “Miss Shi, what a coincidence.”
The other young people greeted her one after another.
Su Luoyao gave her an ungracious glance and stood off to the side without saying a word.
Shi Yu was somewhat surprised to see them. Zhiyu City was the gateway to Ying Land, where the Gold and Silver Rivers intersected, making it an extraordinarily prosperous trading hub. She had thought He Chiqiong and the other youths would linger in Zhiyu City for a few days to sightsee, but she hadn't expected them to arrive right on her heels.
Scanning their chests, she saw that—unsurprisingly—each of them had also pinned on their respective clan crests.
Shen Yun glanced over as well and asked Shi Yu, “Acquaintances?”
“We had the fortune of traveling together for a few days on the way,” Shi Yu replied with a subtle nod, then introduced Shen Yun to He Chiqiong and the others. “This is Senior Sister Shen Yun.”
The group had already quietly noted Shen Yun's Yellow-tier student robes and the badge on her chest indicating her status as a Yellow Tier, Inner House student. Knowing that this senior sister's talent and family background were likely unremarkable, and that her cultivation level was probably comparable to their own, they felt that despite her title of senior sister, she did not warrant much awe. Thus, they merely greeted her with lukewarm politeness.
Shen Yun understood the thoughts of these noble clan youths perfectly. Swallowing her self-mockery, she showed no displeasure on her face. Her desire to talk with Shi Yu waned, and she simply threw out, “Since your friends are here, go along with them.”
With that, she waved a hand and walked off to the side.
Shi Yu frowned slightly. She had actually found conversing with this senior sister much more pleasant, but since Shen Yun had already turned and left, it wasn't appropriate to say anything more.
There was still half a month before the recruitment assessment began, so arriving now was naturally considered early. However, this once-in-five-years recruitment assessment attracted talented youths from across the entire East Continent who traveled long distances to get here. By the time it started, the entire Shiyan City would be packed to the brim. Arriving early to wait allowed everyone to secure a spot near the front to finish their assessments sooner, avoiding complications from long delays.
Therefore, across the square, regardless of cultivation level or whether they had achieved fasting, cultivators either sat alone or gathered in groups of three to five, finding places on the ground to sit and wait.
Those who had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm were already capable of fasting and had no need for sleep; regulating their breathing and practicing, time naturally flowed past. As for the majority still in the Qi Refining Realm, they swallowed a Fasting Pill when hungry and laid out bedding on the ground when sleepy, making time pass quite quickly as well.
He Lingling was very affectionate toward Shi Yu, constantly calling her "Sister" with bright, sparkling eyes. Shi Yu was helpless against her, so she simply found a spot not far from them and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing. Occasionally, when He Lingling warmly invited her, she would join them for a few rounds of leaf cards; however, she was not skilled at the game, losing far more often than winning, which earned her plenty of lighthearted teasing from the others.
Time flew by, and finally, the day of the assessment arrived. A long, echoing toll of a bell suddenly resounded through the sky, vibrating everyone's eardrums.
The crowd in front of the academy gates immediately fell silent. Whether they were meditating and cultivating or fast asleep, everyone opened their eyes and looked toward the academy's main gates.
The heavy gates slowly opened, and a middle-aged cultivator dressed in white robes walked out. He had handsome, refined features, an indifferent gaze, and a steady atmosphere that exuded a faint sense of pressure, instantly marking him as someone of profound cultivation.
“All of you who have gathered here are surely aware of the basic details, so I will not waste words. The assessment shall now begin.”
This was a Golden Core Realm Master, concise and succinct, with not the slightest intention of introducing himself.
He Chiqiong bowed his head slightly and whispered to Shi Yu, “This is Instructor Jiang Tingchuan. He is in charge of this recruitment assessment.”
Over there, Jiang Tingchuan glanced around and added, “There are quite a few promising seedlings this year—those whose cultivation has reached Foundation Establishment, step forward first.”
His voice was not loud, yet it echoed clearly into everyone's ears. At the same time, with a flick of his finger, he drew a glowing boundary line, indicating that all cultivators who had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm should step inside.
In Shiyan Academy's assessment, bone age was a crucial factor. Although there was no official upper age limit, the older one was, the lower their score, and the slimmest their chance of passing. Therefore, those intending to enter Shiyan Academy preferred coming sooner rather than later; rarely were any applicants over forty or fifty, with most being youth in the truest sense.
Being so young, those able to reach Foundation Establishment at this age were truly rare as dragon horns and phoenix feathers.
As Jiang Tingchuan's voice faded, only a tiny handful of people stepped forward from among the dense crowd.
He Chiqiong and his group looked on with admiration and envy. Before they could even voice their thoughts, however, they saw Shi Yu actually step forward and walk toward the line, leaving them thoroughly stunned.
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