novelhk Chapter 86 Rejecting the Status of an Inner Court Disciple
Chapter 86 Rejecting the Status of an Inner Court Disciple
Chapter 86 Rejecting the Status of an Inner Court Disciple
Lu Xingchen slept soundly that night.
The spiritual energy of Poseidon Island is significantly richer than that of the outside world. Even during normal sleep, the energy of heaven and earth will circulate in the body through breathing.
The place where he landed was the core area of the Sea God Pavilion, the residence of Yun Ming and Ya Li, the closest place to that ancient golden tree, where the energy concentration was even more exaggerated.
If an ordinary Soul Master were to cultivate diligently here, the speed at which their Soul Power circulates within their body would be conservatively estimated to be more than 50% faster than outside.
It should be noted that even the simulated cultivation environments created by the top powers on the mainland at great expense may not achieve such an effect.
This is also one of the key reasons why Shrek Academy's inner court disciples can always crush Soul Masters of the same level from the outside world—
This unique advantage in cultivation resources alone has already given them a head start.
However, all of this has nothing to do with Lu Xingchen, because he doesn't cultivate.
The next morning, the first rays of sunlight shone through the carved wooden windows of the Sea God Pavilion, casting dappled light and shadow on the soft carpeted floor.
Lu Xingchen followed the faint aroma of food downstairs, where the living room on the first floor had already been tidied up and made elegant.
On a large solid wood dining table, various exquisite dishes were laid out: the crystal-clear rice was steamed until each grain was plump and had a pearly luster.
A plate of roasted, golden-brown, glistening beast meat exudes an enticing aroma, with faint energy emanating from its texture; it is clearly high-level soul beast meat.
Several plates of stir-fried spiritual vegetables were lush and tender, garnished with a few plump red berries, making them look incredibly appetizing.
Two figures were also sitting at the dining table waiting for him.
Yali wore an elegant white dress, her long hair loosely tied up, and a gentle smile in her eyes, like the warm sun in spring.
Yun Ming was still dressed in white, with a smile on his handsome face. He didn't have the imposing aura of the number one person on the continent at all; instead, he seemed more like the older brother next door.
"Little Star, come sit here." Ya Li gently patted the empty seat next to her, her voice so soft it could melt the morning dew.
"Oh," Lu Xingchen replied, and walked briskly to sit down next to Ya Li.
The meal was exceptionally pleasant.
Ya Li would occasionally serve food to Lu Xingchen and ask him in a low voice what he liked. Although Yun Ming didn't talk much, he would also occasionally ask a few questions about his experience on Seagod Island.
The ingredients on the table are all rare delicacies, most of which contain a mild and mellow qi and blood power. Although they will not directly improve soul power cultivation, they can subtly nourish the internal organs and strengthen muscles and bones.
Even in his current state, Lu Xingchen could clearly feel the warmth surging within his body, as if every cell was cheering with joy.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Yali picked up a soft tissue from the side, naturally leaned over, and gently wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth.
Lu Xingchen subconsciously wanted to turn aside, but after hesitating for a moment, she finally relaxed her body and let the faintly fragrant tissue gently brush her lips.
"Little Star, did you sleep well last night?" Ya Li withdrew her hand and gazed at him tenderly.
"Yes, it's very comfortable." Lu Xingchen nodded and said sincerely, "The environment here is great, the air is fresh, and I slept very soundly."
Yali's smile deepened as she softly asked, "Then do you want to stay here?"
"Huh?" Lu Xingchen suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of surprise, as if he hadn't heard her words.
Ya Li's smile remained unchanged as she patiently explained, "As long as you join Shrek Academy's inner court and become an inner court disciple, you will have the right to reside on Seagod Island."
In fact, according to Shrek Academy's rules, ordinary inner court disciples are not qualified to live on Seagod Island. Only inner court teachers and members of the Seagod Pavilion can stay there.
But Lu Xingchen was a child she had her eye on, so naturally she could make an exception this time.
Lu Xingchen scratched his head and said, "But with my strength, it seems I don't meet the requirements for admission to the inner academy, right?"
If I remember correctly, Shrek Academy of Foreign Languages has three admission requirements: First, applicants must be outstanding talents selected from major cities, rather than applying on their own.
Second, the age must not exceed fifteen years old to ensure sufficient room for training;
Third, one's soul power cultivation level must not be lower than level 25, which is a basic test of talent.
These three requirements are indispensable; if you do not meet them, you are not even eligible to apply.
To become an inner court disciple, one must undergo even more stringent tests: becoming a one-word battle armor master before the age of twenty-five and completing the academy's assessments before entering the inner court.
Lu Xingchen is currently only a second-ring Great Soul Master, which doesn't meet this requirement at all.
Just then, Yun Ming, who had been sitting in the main seat, suddenly spoke up: "In addition to the normal assessment, the inner academy has other evaluation criteria. As long as you meet these criteria, you can join even if your cultivation level is insufficient."
His self-sunlight fell on Lu Xingchen, his eyes deep and seemingly able to see through people's hearts.
Although he hadn't had much contact with this child, he admired him greatly. Whether it was his noble character of "selflessness" or his hidden special talent, he felt that this was a promising talent worth nurturing.
In fact, there is more than one dead end in Shrek Academy's admission rules.
(PS: In the original novel, Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi were already members of Shrek Academy's inner court when they first appeared, so there was definitely a shortcut they could take.)
In order to attract those with exceptional talent or special abilities, the academy has long established a special evaluation system, but this system is rarely made public and is known only to a few core members.
This special set of evaluation criteria consists of four items:
First, one's background must be clean.
This is a necessary condition, and also the bottom line. Whether they are helpless orphans, descendants of members of the Sea God Pavilion, or family members who are on good terms with Shrek Academy and have been close to the academy for generations, they are all included in this category.
This is both to ensure that students have clean backgrounds and to prevent people with ulterior motives from infiltrating the academy, and to better cultivate talents who have deep ties with the academy.
Secondly, those with innate full soul power can be directly admitted to the inner academy for intensive training ahead of time.
Having innate full soul power means that one is born with a soul power foundation and cultivation potential far exceeding that of ordinary people. As long as they are carefully nurtured, becoming a titled Douluo in the future is a certainty.
Such geniuses are the future pillars of the continent, and Shrek Academy naturally has no reason to refuse them.
Third, those with exceptional talent in a particular field may be admitted on an ad hoc basis.
The special talents mentioned here cover a wide range: it may be having a unique and rare special martial soul; or it may be having outstanding talent in fields such as soul tool research; these can all be considered special talents.
Fourth, a member of the Sea God Pavilion must be willing to vouch for him.
As the highest authority of Shrek Academy, the Sea God Pavilion is composed of members who are all at the pinnacle of the continent, and their vision and judgment are trustworthy.
Those who have their guarantees must possess exceptional qualities, both in character and talent, and the academy is naturally willing to give them opportunities.
Of these four conditions, the first one is a necessary prerequisite and must be met; for the other three, as long as two of them are met, one can be exceptionally admitted as an inner court disciple and enjoy the academy's top resources and training.
Although Lu Xingchen's innate soul power was only level seven, failing to reach the standard of full innate soul power, he perfectly met the other three conditions:
First, he was an orphan with a clean background, free from any ties or obligations, which fully met the first necessary condition.
Secondly, his mental strength has reached the Spirit Sea Realm.
It should be noted that even the most gifted Soul Masters on the mainland usually need to reach a certain level of Soul Power after reaching adulthood before their Spiritual Power can gradually break through to the Spirit Sea Realm.
Lu Xingchen is only seven years old, yet he possesses such formidable mental strength, a miracle unparalleled throughout the entire history of Douluo Continent.
Such a talent for mental strength definitely belongs to the ranks of special talents, and can even be described as a peerless genius, one in ten thousand. Based on this alone, he is enough to be called a "little monster".
Not to mention, Yun Ming and Ya Li also noticed that Lu Xingchen seemed to possess a special talent for absorbing the power of faith—perhaps the reason he was able to reach the Spirit Sea Realm at the age of seven was precisely the feedback brought about by the power of faith.
This dual special talent makes his value immeasurable.
As for the final guarantee from the members of the Sea God Pavilion, that's naturally not a problem.
Whether it was his wife Ya Li's love for the child or Yun Ming's own recognition of his talent, they didn't mind being Lu Xingchen's guarantors.
"This—I'm sorry, Sister Yali, Uncle Yunming." Lu Xingchen shook his head and said, "I don't want to go too far from Tianhai City. Thank you for your kindness."
He then continued, "I've been out for a while now, and it's about time I went back. Thank you for the invitation last night."
Just kidding, Tianhai City is his comfort zone. Why would he choose to leave there and come to Shrek Academy, a place where he knows no one, to study?
uncle?
Yun Ming's lips twitched. This child's preferential treatment was far too obvious.
"Little Star, won't you reconsider?"
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Yali was still trying to persuade him to stay, saying, "Shrek has the best teachers, the richest resources, and the most suitable environment for your growth. Staying here will make you stronger and allow you to better control your talents."
"I'm sorry, Sister Yali."
Lu Xingchen shook his head and said firmly, "I still want to stay in Tianhai City."
Ya Li wanted to say something more, her lips slightly parted, but Yun Ming stopped her with a telepathic message, "Calm down. He's still a child, so it's inevitable that he'll feel homesick. It's really a bit much to make him leave his hometown now."
"This situation might ease up as he gets older. Anyway, the child lives in Tianhai City, so we can go see him anytime we want, right?"
Ya Li was stunned for a moment, then followed Yun Ming's gaze to look at Lu Xingchen. Seeing his resolute expression, she knew that saying anything more would be useless, so she could only shut her mouth helplessly, her regret deepening.
Yun Ming slowly took out a dark green badge from his pocket and handed it to Lu Xingchen.
The badge was about the size of a palm, with a smooth, warm texture and intricate patterns engraved on its surface. In the center was a lifelike Shrek symbol, faintly radiating a subtle energy fluctuation.
"Since you've made your decision, I won't say anything more." Yun Ming's voice was deep and steady, with a hint of an elder's tolerance. "But keep this badge safe. It's Shrek Academy's special recruitment badge. If you change your mind later, you can bring this badge to Shrek Academy to find us. The academy's doors will always be open for you."
"Okay." Lu Xingchen nodded and then took the badge.
Although Lu Xingchen declined the invitation to join Shrek Academy, the atmosphere between him and Yun Ming and his wife did not become strained; on the contrary, it became even more harmonious.
As she left, Yali gave him a lot of Shrek City specialties before reluctantly watching him board the Soul Guidance Train.
In the smaller plane.
"Finally back."
Upon returning to his home turf, Lu Xingchen immediately took out the antique gold coin.
"Let me think about it, this is how it should be done."
Lu Xingchen rubbed the raised and recessed patterns on the gold coin with his fingertips, his eyes focused and serious. Then he pinched the center of the two sides of the gold coin with his thumb and forefinger respectively, brought it to his face, and blew hard on the edge of the gold coin.
With a resounding clang, Lu Xingchen dared not be negligent. A gentle surge of soul power instantly welled up at his fingertips, flowing continuously—
It was pouring towards the gold coins.
Suddenly, a flash of golden light appeared on the antique gold coin, and a strange scene unfolded: the patterns on the coin seemed to come alive and pulsate.
"Now!" Lu Xingchen's eyes narrowed, and with a sudden flick of his wrist, he flung the gold coin hard towards the ground.
"Buzz"
The moment the gold coin landed, a dazzling golden light shot up from the coin, tracing a brief arc in the air before abruptly receding.
Immediately afterwards, a bag the size of a palm fell from the golden light, landing softly on the mossy ground with a "thud," rolling twice before coming to a stop.
The bag was woven from thin rattan, the rattan lush and green, as if it had just been picked from the vines. Even after countless years, it still exuded a rich sense of life, with a faint green halo flowing across its surface, radiating vitality.
The bag's opening is tapered, with two soft rattan branches hanging down naturally, each end tied with a small knot.
Lu Xingchen quickly stepped forward, bent down, pinched the two rattan strips, and gently pulled, and the bag opened with a snap.
He didn't rush to reach in, but instead released his mental energy and carefully probed into the bag. The moment his mental energy touched the inside of the bag, he felt a faint yet tenacious life force, tinged with a sense of bewilderment and weakness.
Driven even further by curiosity, he reached directly into the emerald green wicker bag, his fingertips touching a soft yet slightly rough piece of fur, and then grabbed the contents out.
It was a small creature curled up in a ball, not very big, and looked like a gorilla.
Its body was covered with a layer of pale yellow fur, so sparse that the skin underneath could be vaguely seen. The fur was dry and dull, clearly indicating a long-term lack of nourishment.
The little one's eyes were tightly closed, long eyelashes drooped quietly, and his body was thin and bony, with the outline of his bones clearly visible. His breath was so faint that it seemed as if he might disappear at any moment.
Looking at this peculiar "orangutan cub," Lu Xingchen's eyes flashed with barely concealed excitement and joy. The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, and he murmured, "Finally, I've got it. The Golden Behemoth."