As the sun rose high, the geniuses scattered in various places of Leiyun Prefecture flocked to the foot of Leiyun Academy one after another, waiting for the enrollment of Leiyun Academy to begin so as to enter this sacred place and start their brand new lives.
For everyone present, this day is an extremely unusual day. Everyone understands that after today, their lives will be divided into two stages, and the next stage will become even more exciting.
"So many people. Are these all the geniuses from thousands of towns in Leiyun Prefecture? There are so many?"
Yun Xiao was truly amazed today. He took a rough look. At this time, the number of young people gathered below the square platform is probably no less than four or five thousand. Judging from his observation as a divine master, basically all of these people have reached the seventh layer of True Qi Realm, and only a very few are trying to get by.
In Hongluan Town, he had never thought that there would be so many astonishingly talented people in the entire Leiyun Prefecture. Now think about it. If he hadn't obtained the divine pill bestowed by old master Yun Jin, perhaps anyone he randomly picks out here would be someone he needs to look up to!
"Hehe, these are just this year's geniuses. Do you think that in the huge Leiyun Prefecture with a population of hundreds of billions, can't even a few thousand martial artists at the seventh layer of True Qi Realm be born?"
Seeing Yun Xiao's surprised expression, Fatty was not being contemptuous. He just felt that Yun Xiao still had a bit narrow vision.
"Yes, with a population of hundreds of billions, several thousand geniuses at the seventh layer of True Qi Realm appear every year. That's completely reasonable." Nodding, Yun Xiao put away his surprised expression and a glimmer of understanding flashed in his heart.
He always took Hongluan Town as the measurement standard to look at the world. But in fact, a small place like Hongluan Town really doesn't have the qualification to be used as the standard to measure Leiyun Prefecture.
Although they are all towns, compared to major towns like Jinsha Town, Qingmang Town, and Xiaguang Town, Hongluan Town is simply heaven and earth apart and completely incomparable.
"Yun Xiao, your understanding of genius should also change now." Fatty's expression became a bit more serious. "In fact, martial artists under the age of twenty in the True Qi Realm cannot be called geniuses at all. Only those who reach the True Yuan Realm before the age of twenty can be called geniuses. But it also depends on which realm of the True Yuan Realm they reach."
"It's my vision that was too short-sighted. It seems that from now on, I should indeed set my sights higher." With a smile, Yun Xiao knew that Fatty was subtly reminding him. For this, he was also extremely grateful.
Now think about it. Leiyun Academy recruits thousands of martial artists above the seventh layer of True Qi Realm into the outer courtyard every year, but probably no fewer than this number are expelled from the outer courtyard every year.
For Leiyun Academy, if one cannot reach the True Yuan Realm before the age of twenty, they can only pack up and leave. In this way, martial artists in the True Qi Realm under the age of twenty are really not geniuses.
"I wonder how many of these people have reached the True Yuan Realm." His gaze swept through the crowd. Although he didn't release his spiritual power, he could still see some extraordinary geniuses. Obviously, they have reached the True Yuan Realm.
"Brother, I still have to remind you of one thing." Fatty's gaze was a bit hesitant, but in the end, he continued, "In fact, it's not that reaching the True Yuan Realm will definitely be highly regarded in Leiyun Academy. Leiyun Academy's resources are also limited. They will only focus on cultivating a few truly super-geniuses. For people at our current level, there is still a long way to go."
Judging from Yun Xiao's performance all along, he knew that the other party probably had an overly rosy view of Leiyun Academy. As a friend, he had the obligation to let the other party see some realities.
"I know. But as long as I enter Leiyun Academy, I believe everything will get better."
Nodding, Yun Xiao didn't pay too much attention. He joined Leiyun Academy mostly for the advanced martial arts of Leiyun Academy. No matter whether Leiyun Academy values him or not, at least it can let him access advanced martial arts.
"Look, look, someone from the academy is coming out!"
Just at this moment, suddenly someone shouted. As the shout spread, everyone quickly looked towards the mountain gate of Leiyun Academy. Sure enough, they saw four young men walking slowly towards this side.
Before long, the four young men arrived at the square platform. As they got closer, everyone could see that these four men should all be in their twenties, and each had a thick air of arrogance on their faces.
"Tsk tsk, there are really a lot of new recruits this year. I wonder how many can enter the inner courtyard."
"It's useless to have many. Look at these guys looking listless. They are nothing but wasting food for the academy."
"Don't say that. Maybe a genius can be born among them and win glory for the academy in the future!"
As the four men spoke, they all jumped onto the square platform. With their appearance, the originally noisy crowd instantly quieted down, just like a group of soldiers welcoming the inspection of a general.
These four people came from Leiyun Academy. Obviously, they are disciples of Leiyun Academy. For these prospective students present, the established disciples of Leiyun Academy must absolutely not be provoked.
"Cough, listen up everyone. I am Liang Duo, a direct disciple of an elder of Leiyun Academy. I will be fully responsible for this year's new recruit enrollment."
Among the four people, a man who obviously looked a bit older suddenly stepped forward and shouted to everyone present. His voice was extremely loud and could probably be heard for several miles. Obviously, he was using martial arts skills.
"The enrollment standards of Leiyun Academy are probably clearer to you than to me. I remind those who don't meet the standards that it's still time to leave now. If I find cheating, you can only crawl back."
Liang Duo's voice suddenly turned cold, and a trace of ruthlessness appeared on his face.
Every year during enrollment, there are always some people who don't meet the standards but come to try their luck. This undoubtedly brings some troubles to the enrollment work and is also a behavior that Leiyun Academy has always hated.
Everyone listened obediently, and some people's faces really showed hesitation. Obviously, there are many people among them who want to get by.
"Okay, it's getting late. The enrollment starts now." After saying a few simple words, Liang Duo pondered for a moment. "Now, all those who have reached the True Yuan Realm come on stage and line up in a column on the stage."
As he spoke, he took a few steps back and gave way to the front half of the square platform.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
As Liang Duo's words fell, the geniuses in the True Yuan Realm who were close to the square platform didn't hesitate and directly jumped onto the stage. As some people went on stage, the other geniuses in the True Yuan Realm also went on stage one after another, as if they were afraid they couldn't squeeze in.
"Brother, let's also go on stage. Remember not to be too far away from me."
Yun Xiao and Fatty were not far from the square platform. When someone went on stage, Fatty greeted Yun Xiao and then leaped up first and headed straight for the stage.
Yun Xiao didn't make a sound. He just nodded at Fatty and then leaped up and boarded the square platform.
"Hmm? What is this..."
When he came on stage, Yun Xiao only then discovered that there was actually a layer of transparent crystal plate laid on the square platform. As he stepped on it, the crystal plate emitted a green light, looking very strange.
Taking a furtive look at others, he found that there was green light under everyone's feet. But there were a few people whose feet had not green light but dark red light, which was very conspicuous among the many green lights.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Just as he was hesitating, the three disciples of Leiyun Academy brought by Liang Duo suddenly flashed and rushed towards the young people whose feet had red light. Then, screams rang out one after another. And the four or five men with red light under their feet were directly blasted off the stage by the three disciples of Leiyun Academy and fainted under the square platform.
"Hiss..."
Watching several people being blasted off and actually fainting under the stage, everyone gasped in shock, greatly startled by this sudden scene.
"Hmph, it's already been said not to take chances. Since Leiyun Academy has set the rules, how can just anyone cheat and get away with it?" Liang Duo's mouth curled slightly, but he didn't even look at the people who were blasted off. "Don't just stand there. Continue. And those who are over twenty years old. If you don't want to live, just continue to go on stage. It will also give my three junior brothers a chance to stretch their muscles."
Obviously, the people who were blasted off were all over twenty years old and wanted to come here to try their luck. But they didn't expect to be exposed instantly.
"Goodness. It turns out that this crystal plate has such a wonderful use!"
Yun Xiao's gaze narrowed slightly and subconsciously looked at his own feet. He knew that those who were blasted off should have been exposed by this crystal plate.
Most people's feet had green light. Only those few people had red light. Obviously, green light means under twenty years old, and red light means over twenty years old. I just don't know whose handiwork this method is.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
In the blink of an eye, many more people went on stage one after another. And this time, there was no red light. It seemed that with the lesson learned, those who were trying to get by also knew they had no chance, so they simply didn't dare to go on stage.
Before long, there were no less than two hundred people standing on the square platform. And these two hundred people were obviously all at the True Yuan Realm and definitely not over twenty years old.
"Are there so many?" Yun Xiao's expression remained unchanged, but he was still a bit surprised in his heart. He really didn't expect that there would be so many geniuses in the True Yuan Realm among the new recruits this time.
"Tsk tsk, not bad, not bad. There are many more people this year than last year. The elders should be very happy to know."
Seeing that no one else went on stage, Liang Duo stepped forward from behind. His gaze swept over these new recruits one by one. "Line up properly and follow me one by one."
He motioned for everyone not to be chaotic. He himself walked towards the big bell in the corner of the square platform with his hands behind his back. And almost as soon as he reached the big bell, under the direction of the three disciples of Leiyun Academy, more than two hundred people had lined up neatly and were waiting for his instructions.
"You, come here." He beckoned to the young man at the head of the queue. The latter didn't dare to hesitate and quickly came forward in three steps.
"Use your most proficient martial art and attack this bell with all your strength." When the other person came close, Liang Duo continued to give orders.
"Yes!"
This young man didn't say much. As his true qi circulated, he punched the big bell hard.
"Boom!"
As this punch landed on the big bell, the big bell immediately made a muffled sound. Although the sound was not loud, it did ring.
"Good. Pass. Stand over there and wait. Someone will take you into the mountain later."
He waved at the still somewhat stunned young man. Liang Duo looked at the queue again. "Next..."
In the following time, one young person after another attacked the big bell. And every one of them could make the big bell ring. There were even a few young people who made echoes. This made Liang Duo look at them a few more times.
More than two hundred people quickly passed the test one after another. Naturally, this included Yun Xiao and Fatty. However, both Yun Xiao and Fatty controlled their strength below the minor accomplishment of the True Yuan Realm and didn't exert their full strength.
"Not bad. The quality of this batch of new recruits is quite high. Junior brother Li Yuan, distribute the identity plaques to them and then take them into the mountain."
After all the people in the True Yuan Realm completed the test, Liang Duo directly ordered one of the three people he brought. Hearing his order, one of the three people he brought, a man with a backpack on his back, immediately stepped forward and untied the backpack.
Opening the backpack, the man named Li Yuan looked at the people on the stage. "Now distribute the identity plaques. With this identity plaque, you are an inner courtyard disciple of Leiyun Academy. One for each person. Don't take more."
As he spoke, he directly held the backpack and passed by each new disciple. And each new disciple took one out and held it carefully in their hands.
Before long, more than two hundred people all received their identity plaques. Seeing this, Li Yuan wrapped up the remaining jade plaques again and tied them to his back. He said to everyone, "Now follow me. I'll take you into the mountain."
After saying that, he directly jumped off the square platform and headed towards the mountain gate of Leiyun Academy.
Everyone didn't hesitate and quickly jumped off the square platform and followed closely. And many people still couldn't believe that they had become inner courtyard disciples of Leiyun Academy just like this.
"This... This is a bit too simple, isn't it?"
In the team, Yun Xiao, like everyone else, obediently followed behind Li Yuan. But until now, he still couldn't quite come to his senses.
Before joining Leiyun Academy, he had thought that the enrollment of Leiyun Academy would be extremely rigorous. And Leiyun Academy would attach great importance to them geniuses. He would see the deacons and elders of the academy, and even the dean of the academy welcome them and say some encouraging words to them, etc. But now it seems that he might have thought too much.
What entrance ceremony, what encouragement from elders and the dean. Those were simply like a dream. Just four disciples of the academy actually handled such a big matter as academy enrollment?!
If it weren't for being at the foot of Leiyun Academy, he would even suspect that these four disciples of Leiyun Academy were impostors!
At this moment, the feeling of being completely ignored made him have a trace of doubt about Leiyun Academy. And only now did he understand what Fatty had said before and understand the meaning of the four words "not being valued" in Fatty's mouth.
Perhaps as Fatty said, joining Leiyun Academy is only the first step. The road ahead for them is probably still very long.