Chapter 151: Saint Soul Academy

"Nine Dragon Secrets, Sacred Soul Library!"

Xu Yang and the three others were baffled, exchanging bewildered glances for a long time.

"What does this mean?" Xu Yang asked. "The first part, 'Nine Dragon Secrets' – referring to nine clues – is easy to understand. But what does 'Sacred Soul Library' signify?"

Ling Qingshu and Ling Yao, being the least experienced, looked to Xu Yang and Bai Lianxue for answers in this puzzling situation.

"Sacred Soul Library... Sacred Soul!" Bai Lianxue mused. "Could it be referring to the Sacred Soul Academy, one of the Ten Great Academies in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces?"

Bai Lianxue's conjecture greatly enlightened Xu Yang.

"Exactly!" Xu Yang exclaimed. "Only academies have libraries. Could the secret be hidden there?"

"What are we waiting for then? Let's head to Sacred Soul Academy right away!" Ling Qingshu said, excited.

Ling Qingshu seemed quite excited, having finally found a new destination.

"Not so fast," Xu Yang interjected. "We need to plan this carefully. From what I know, Sacred Soul Academy isn't just any ordinary training institution. It's a premier academy dedicated to cultivating powerful practitioners for the top empires across the Three Thousand Dao Provinces. Its admission requirement is the Golden Core Realm, and it ranks third among the Ten Great Academies.

"More importantly, while it may not be the most popular institution currently, it is the oldest and most mysterious among the ten renowned academies. The secret of the Dragon's Hidden appearing here undoubtedly has a reason. We must prepare for a long-term stay, and once we're inside, none of us can reveal our true strength."

Xu Yang's extensive instructions began to test Ling Qingshu's patience.

"Ancestor," Ling Qingshu complained, "with your power, you could easily become the headmaster of that academy. Why go through all this trouble? Why don't we just force our way in?"

Xu Yang chuckled, shaking his head. "The academy is considered a sacred place by the empires; disturbing it would have far-reaching consequences. Even if we simply provoke them, let alone reveal our true intentions, we would attract an endless stream of enemies. It's not about whether we can defeat them, but whether we can ever finish fighting them all. You should understand that."

Hearing this, Ling Qingshu fell silent, acknowledging his point.

"Alright," Ling Qingshu conceded. "So, we first gain admission, and then find a way into the library as quickly as possible!"

"Precisely. Let's depart now!"

Once their destination was locked, the spirit ship accelerated, and in just two days, Xu Yang and his companions arrived at Sacred Soul Academy.

"Wow," Ling Yao exclaimed, "this truly lives up to its reputation as a top academy of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces! The environment here is comparable to Linghan Temple!"

Ling Yao, rarely so expressive, spontaneously recalled her experiences cultivating in the sacred land. This young woman, in fact, genuinely yearned for the academic lifestyle, seeing it as a temporary escape from the adult world filled with desires.

"Who goes there?"

Several formidable martial artists, all at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, blocked the entrance, barring Xu Yang's group.

"Hello," Xu Yang greeted them. "We're here to take the entrance examination; we wish to study at Sacred Soul Academy."

"The examinations concluded three months ago. Why are you only just arriving now?"

Xu Yang smiled, then produced some valuable treasures to discreetly 'tip' the guards. Afterward, he pointed to an ancient bell on a solitary stone tower in the distance within Sacred Soul Academy.

"I recall a rule here," Xu Yang stated. "For unattached cultivators who haven't secured imperial recommendations, if they can make this bell resonate seven times in succession, they are granted admission as auditing students."

"That rule does exist," one guard admitted, "but that bell requires a practitioner at or above the Nascent Soul Realm to ring it. Brother, with all due respect, you're only at the Qi Cultivation stage..."

Without a word, Xu Yang stood at the entrance and unleashed a palm strike from a thousand meters away.

CLANG!

The ancient bell, dormant for decades, boomed, its resonance rivaling the power of the peak Nascent Soul guards standing before them.

"You...!"

The guards were utterly dumbfounded on the spot; such talent was extraordinarily rare.

It was common knowledge that even a prestigious institution like Sacred Soul Academy, which admitted 800 new students annually, saw less than a tenth of them reach the peak Golden Core Realm. As for someone like Xu Yang, who had achieved the peak Nascent Soul Realm, such a talent appeared perhaps once every decade or two.

"Brother," one guard asked, "with your level of cultivation, if you joined the imperial army, you could become a captain within two or three years, perhaps even a general. Why come to the academy?"

Growing impatient, Ling Qingshu decided to act. Her longsword flew through the air, striking the ancient bell which then chimed nine times in rapid succession, instantly leaving the guards in utter disbelief.

"This...!"

"No need to waste any more time, gentlemen," Ling Qingshu stated. "All four of us are from prominent families, each at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. We're here to 'gild our resumes.' Please, lead the way."

Seeing the four powerful individuals so direct, the guards no longer hesitated. The academy, after all, was always eager to recruit exceptional talents. Without another word, they immediately led Xu Yang and his group to the Academic Affairs Office.

"Director Lima," the guard reported, "these four are the new students who just rang the Sacred Soul Bell to seek admission. All four possess peak Nascent Soul Realm cultivation."

After a brief explanation of their intentions, Director Lima nodded.

"I understand your situation," Director Lima began. "While your strength is commendable, this is not the period for general admissions. Since you haven't taken the entrance examinations, you can only be granted auditing student status. The teachers assigned to auditing students are typically of a very average caliber, so you..."

"That's perfectly fine," Xu Yang interrupted. "As long as all four of us can be assigned to the same teacher, we'll accept any other conditions."

"Very well," Director Lima agreed. "The third stone tower ahead on your left is Teacher Long Kun's class. You may report there now."

"Understood!"

The four ascended into the air, flying across the inner grounds of Sacred Soul Academy.

The academy comprised hundreds of suspended stone towers, their structure somewhat reminiscent of the Sky Sword Holy Land, which greatly impressed Ling Yao.

The spiritual energy was incredibly abundant here. Each stone tower housed its own massive spirit crystal, ensuring that every student had access to ample cultivation resources.

"You must be Teacher Long Kun," Xu Yang began, addressing the back of a figure. "We're the new students here to report."

The burly figure turned around, revealing a smile as he saw Xu Yang and his companions, who were now in disguise.

"Auditing students, you're quite valuable at the academy these days," Teacher Long Kun said. "Did Director Lima send you to me?"

Xu Yang nodded. "Thank you for accepting us."

"Heh, don't celebrate too soon," Long Kun chuckled. "My class is full of 'problem students.' Some of them even I struggle to manage. You'll need to be careful here."

Xu Yang glanced at the so-called class in session. Including Teacher Long Kun, there were only three individuals present, which left him utterly speechless.

"Where are the others?" Xu Yang asked. "Are they all skipping class?"

Long Kun spread his hands helplessly. "Well, they're all doing whatever they want. Feel free to do the same!"

Xu Yang suddenly stopped Long Kun. "Teacher," he asked, "where is the library located?"