Chapter 36: Speech
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A man slightly taller than average, with long fiery red hair tied back, a simple yet refined appearance,
was walking with calm and confident steps in front of the academy's instructors, now all gathered, standing in line as they watched the figure approach the podium placed at the center of the raised platform.
Once he reached the podium, he stepped onto it as if it were nothing and scanned the crowd of students with a calm but deep gaze.
A simple look, but to the students' eyes it seemed like a heavy look.
No matter what year they were, freshmen or seniors, everyone, facing those golden eyes, couldn't help but feel pressured.
Even Zhu Rong, who had trained his mind for centuries, felt a faint weight settle on him.
Feeling it, he couldn't help but shake his head while smiling.
'An expert who has transcended the mortal realm.'
In his long past life, he had met many experts who had successfully crossed the threshold that separates mortals from cultivators of the higher realms,
and still, he couldn't help but feel awe every single time.
And every time he felt that way, his desire to reach that level grew stronger and stronger.
Long Huoyan looked at the crowd of students gathered before him and finally couldn't help but nod as he spotted several who caught his attention.
"Looks like this year's harvest hasn't been bad at all," he said in a low murmur,
but with the silence that had hung since he stepped into the hall, everyone could hear him, and they couldn't help but feel excited.
Many wondered who he was talking about, while others, with confident expressions, straightened their backs even more as if those words were meant for them.
Only a few remained calm.
"For over three millennia, Qingyun Academy has watched over this land.
Founded by the great ancestors, born from the chaos of ancient times and tempered by the flames of wars, this academy has become a refuge for the brave, a temple for the wise, and a cradle for talents that would rewrite history."
He began speaking in a calm but solemn tone,
"In every era, disciples like you have walked these same halls, faced trials, shed sweat and blood, and left their names engraved in the academy's books.
And today, before me, I see a new generation ready to carry that legacy."
The Headmaster's gaze grew sharper, more piercing.
"The trials you will face are not just measures of your talent, but obstacles that will temper your will and your spirit.
Remember, a cultivator's strength lies not only in the power of their strikes, but in the courage to face their own limits, day after day."
"Be worthy of this place. Honor the masters who have guided you and the ancestors who watch from above.
Remember, no matter how high the sky that towers over Qingyun may be, as long as your heart is steady and your spirit unyielding, no hardship can ever extinguish its fire."
The speech was solemn, and Zhu Rong could tell its purpose was to ignite the spirits of the disciples present.
That said, he could only shake his head, thinking how half the people here probably didn't even know what the Headmaster was talking about.
The point of the speech wasn't just to encourage the students to give their best, but also to remind them of the academy's past history.
The academies scattered throughout the Tinaguo empire weren't founded merely as institutions tasked with forging new generations of professionals, cultivators or not,
but were actually places meant to safeguard ancient legacies and ensure they were passed down through history.
A few centuries ago, academies didn't exist, and the cultivators' sects were the most widespread and influential,
but they weren't governed by the empire's main authorities, but by individuals and factions each pursuing their own goals.
The empire, although seemingly united, was more fragmented than ever, and this led to various internal conflicts that caused many deaths and disasters in the past.
It was precisely these that led to the formation of the academies,
places that had not only the task of filtering out the most gifted, those who would become the empire's future pillars,
but also to unite different parts across the empire.
Only a few knew fully how the events leading to the academy's founding unfolded, and everyone else settled for what they'd heard.
Zhu Rong himself had never cared much to know the academy's past history, nor that of the empire.
To his eyes, all these things were useless if he couldn't advance in his cultivation.
What's the point of knowing all this if his lifespan was limited?
His influence almost nonexistent, and even his strength not enough to keep him safe in this dangerous world.
He shook his head thinking of all this and turned his attention back to the raised platform where the Headmaster had finished his speech to the students.
"Well, it's about time we move on to the main topic," he said.
"As you know, the Test is divided into two parts:
a practical one that will test your analogical ability, as well as your understanding of various basic notions,
and a physical test meant to highlight your physical capabilities."
As soon as he finished speaking, some teachers from the row behind stepped forward.
Once they did, the Headmaster continued.
These teachers would be the ones overseeing the first test, the theoretical one.
Since it was a test for all three years, the group of students would be divided into three parts and taken to different locations where they would take the exam.
From what Zhu Rong recalled, the first part of this year's test would be a written exam on the basic subjects chosen at the start of the year,
plus an additional test to assess all students' understanding of certain concepts.
He couldn't help but shake his head remembering how his own test had ended in his past life,
"haa, and to think I'd be forced to redo a tests like this at my age," he told himself as he shook his head and sighed like an old man forced to run two hundred miles.