Chapter 24: Are all the Royal-tier academies present?

Two days before the college entrance exam, a graduating student with a blood-qi value of 881!

The mere thought of this figure left even Principal Wang feeling an unprecedented sense of shock. He had assumed that in just over ten days, the student would have progressed from 300 to perhaps 400 at most, yet he had reached 881! To Principal Wang, this number seemed increasingly vivid and striking.

The commotion in the office grew louder as more teachers swarmed in, all eager to catch a glimpse of the strongest graduating student in history.

"Brother Yang, what’s happening at the Academic Affairs Office?" Wang Yang asked his classmate as they passed by, curious about the stir.

"No idea. Let’s go. I’ve already broken through a blood-qi value of 300; it’s time to rest well and face the exam in peak condition." Wang Yang spoke, a flame igniting in his eyes. *Lin Yin, is it? I am no longer weaker than you. The glory of this martial arts school still rests on my shoulders.*

Back in the office, after a brief moment of cheering, Principal Wang took the lead: "Quiet, everyone! Stop the noise!" Although he scolded them, he could not suppress the smile in his eyes. It was truly as expected—worthy of being a disciple personally taken in by Elder Jiang; the talent was terrifying.

"Student Lin Yin, you may choose any Royal-level academy you wish!"

Royal-level academies, as the name implied, were the supreme institutions of the eight human nations. The highest institution in the Great Xia Kingdom was the White Deer Academy, which boasted hundreds of Bone-Condensing martial artists and several General-tier experts. It was even said that the Dean possessed the strength of a King-tier master. As for the "Martial King," it was an honorary title, the highest level of the King-tier recognized by the public.

"Hahaha, I don’t need to give you any more instructions. Rest well and meet the exam in your best state! May you be like a dragon rising from the abyss, soaring across the world!"

After the call ended, Principal Wang immediately issued a series of orders to the teachers:

"First! Contact every human journalist immediately—Great Wu, Great Zhou, it doesn't matter; contact everyone you can. I want them all in Tianhe City the day after tomorrow to witness the birth of an unprecedentedly powerful new star!"

"Second! Contact all the Royal-level academies. Tell them they must send representatives to Tianhe City. Don't reveal Lin Yin's specific situation; just say that a peerless prodigy is about to be born in our city. If they are too lazy to come, tell them not to regret it later."

"Third! Contact the Imperial Palace in the capital immediately and inform the Monarch about Lin Yin's situation. Since he is a talent from our Great Xia, it would be best if he could remain here."

"Fourth." Principal Wang looked around at the teachers with their burning enthusiasm and waved his hand. "Prepare banners and balloons. After the exam finishes the day after tomorrow, we will hold a grand celebration for Lin Yin throughout the entire city!"

The teachers nodded with excitement and passion.

Time flowed on. Lin Yin continued his daily cultivation of blood-qi, blade techniques, and body tempering. On the eve of the exam, Elder Jiang and Jiang Zixun came to visit.

"Yin'er, don't be nervous. The exam is just the beginning for you. Your extraordinariness begins tomorrow."

"Little brother, good luck! All the admissions officers from Tianhe Academy will be there, and I will be there too."

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

The next day, as dawn broke, the whole city was already in a ferment. Streets and alleys were filled with students rushing to the exam. Martial artists were stationed on every road to escort and protect the students. Inside and outside the exam halls, drones buzzed everywhere, monitoring every movement to ensure the fairness and justice of the exam.

At the entrance of the exam site, countless students waiting for the start of the test suddenly looked toward the street in unison.

"Look! What a luxurious motorcade! Is that the admissions office?"

"It's the admissions office of the White Deer Academy from Great Xia! Why would they come specifically to Tianhe?"

"Wait! There are academies from other nations too!"

"Great Wu’s Xiao Long Academy, Great Zhou’s Zhou Gong Academy, Great Qi’s Qingtian Academy!"

"And look! The Great Qin and Great Han from the Guanzhong region are here too!"

"There's more!" Someone gasped, staring intensely at the emblem on a white commercial fleet: "Even the Kunlun Academy from the distant Dali Kingdom has arrived!"

"These... these are all Royal-level academies!!!"

In the small city of Tianhe, motorcades from almost all of the eight human nations' Royal-level academies had arrived. This brought a massive shock to the countless students and martial artists of Tianhe. When had Tianhe City ever attracted a Royal-level academy? And to have all eight of them arrive at once!

"Oh? Old acquaintances, I see?" said the representative from the Great Wu Royal-level academy.

"If your Great Wu’s Xiao Long Academy can come, why can’t our Qingtian Academy?" retorted the Great Qi representative.

The team from Dali’s Kunlun Academy walked over with a laugh: "It wasn't easy to get here. Where is Old Wang? He sounded so serious on the phone; he better not disappoint us."

Principal Wang had been waiting at the exam gate. He hurried over and bowed to each of them; clearly, he was quite familiar with the admissions offices of these major academies.

"If not for the prestige of Elder Jiang, I’m afraid I wouldn't have been qualified to invite you all here."

"Enough, let's skip the pleasantries. I'm here for a good show today," the leader of the Great Yan Fengtian Academy said with a smile. "Since all the Royal-level academies are here, if you don't have something impressive to show us, you'll be offending everyone."

Principal Wang smiled slightly: "Rest assured."

Yang Baihu and a group of officials also rushed over. "They really came," Yang Baihu said, wiping sweat from his forehead as he looked at the group from the Royal-level academies. He now vaguely sensed that this matter had to do with Lin Yin. After all, in the past, even admissions officers from top-tier provincial universities rarely visited Tianhe, let alone such a grand spectacle.

*Beep!*

Suddenly, a new motorcade appeared. Seeing this fleet, Yang Baihu froze. The people from the Royal-level academies also realized that Principal Wang had not been exaggerating; they exchanged glances, their expressions turning extremely solemn.

*Thud!* A middle-aged man in brocade robes stepped out. With a gentle smile on his face, he strolled over, followed by several powerful and influential figures.

Seeing this man, everyone from the Royal-level academies bowed slightly in respect.

"Greetings, Monarch Xia!"

"May you be well, Monarch Xia."

"Haha, it is truly rare for so many Royal-level academies to gather in our small Tianhe City. Please, everyone, make yourselves at home."

"Your Majesty, you actually came?" Principal Wang hurried forward. "I thought you would at most send a representative."

This person was none other than the Monarch of the Great Xia Kingdom, one of the eight Human Emperors, known to the world as Monarch Xia!

"It's fine. I happened to want to see the disciple Elder Jiang recently took in," Monarch Xia said with a laugh, waving his hand. He lacked any crushing, thunderous pressure, appearing instead like a kind neighbor. "Are you certain? Elder Jiang's disciple is participating in today's exam?"

"Absolutely! Elder Jiang should be arriving at the exam site soon. After all, that is the only disciple he has taken in his entire life."

"Haha, that is good."

Yang Baihu spoke hurriedly: "Please! We have prepared a private viewing stand for you all, with a full view of the exam grounds."

"Very well, let's go."

Monarch Xia stepped forward, and the others from the Royal-level academies followed him into the venue.

The countdown to the college entrance exam began.