Path Of The Dragon (A Dark Fantasy Cultivation Wuxia Xianxia Progression Series)

Chapter 17 The Crimson Academy

Jie scanned the crowd with her spiritual sense as she walked, and she felt so many auras that vastly outstripped her own, filled with powerful and profound energy.

But, when she compared them to what she sensed from Ming, it was like comparing a raindrop with the vastness of the ocean.

It only reinforced how far she had to go before she would be as strong as Ming, and she had to get even stronger than that to fulfill her side of the deal with him. He'd given her her life back. She owed it to him to become strong enough to save his world.

As she neared the front of the queue, she found that everyone was much more restrained and orderly here.

The crowd was nervous and not from her. Their eyes were fixed dead ahead, at men and women in red robes that stood in a line along the base of the stairs.

When she reached out and sensed the energy inside these robed people, it was easy to tell that many of them were far stronger than most of the guards escorting the young masters.

Not nearly as strong as Ming, but strong enough to be intimidating even to the guards that had displayed such brutal savagery only moments before. Now everyone stood as still as statues before the sharp gaze of the robed figures.

Was this what Ming spoke of? That strength was needed to keep people in line? If that was the case then why were they not ensuring the crowd's safety? They seemed totally unconcerned with it, and their attention fell only on those at the front.

It just didn't seem fair.

The children stepped forward one at a time, placed a hand on one of the stone pillars that were just a little shorter than Jie, and spoke with those in the robes.

From there, they would either be taken to another group of children behind the line of robed men and women, or they would leave with their heads hung low.

Some cried.

"What are they doing?" Jie asked.

"They're testing their cultivation level. It seems they only consider accepting those whose cultivation is at least at the sixth star of the Disciple rank under twelve years of age. You should get through fine," Ming said.

A young boy passed his test and went behind the line of robed people. Ming pushed Jie lightly, and she stepped forward. A few sent her hostile glances, but they didn't dare to act.

She stepped forward nervously.

She still wasn't sure about going to a school. She'd never liked the schools on Earth.

Her parents had made her enter them far ahead of time because she was gifted or something and some idiot told her parents that they should make her go to one of those glorified prisons sooner.

But, if Ming said this would be a good idea for her, then she wanted to get in.

"Name?" asked a man in a red robe.

"Jie," Jie said.

The man sighed. "Full name please," he said.

"Go ahead, kiddo," Ming said, "better you use your name from Earth rather than my name. Try to avoid lying as much as possible, these experts might sense it, and it serves no purpose here."

"Liu Jie," Jie said.

The robed man looked over Jie's elegant robes. "I've never heard of the Liu family before," he said.

"I come from far away," Jie said.

"I'll say," Ming said.

The man shrugged. "Place your hand on the testing pillar," he said.