Chapter 56: Entry Troubles
At the elegant gates of Tianshui Academy, Qin Jian stood unfazed before two stern female guards, their swords poised with authority.
"I was invited, so your ban shouldn't apply to me, right?" he said calmly.
"Invited?" The crowd exchanged skeptical glances, including the snow-haired girl, who raised an eyebrow in surprise. While Tianshui Academy often hosted inter-academy exchanges, a lone individual claiming an invitation was unheard of.
"Which teacher invited you? What's your purpose here?" one guard demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"I don't know her name," Qin Jian admitted, shrugging. "But she invited me to join Tianshui Academy."
"Join Tianshui Academy?!" The onlookers erupted in disbelief, their murmurs tinged with mockery.
"This guy's delusional. He's practically begging to get thrashed. Those guards don't mess around," the snow-haired girl muttered, edging closer to the gate, anticipating trouble.
"Tianshui Academy doesn't accept male students. How dare you lie to us?!" The guards' fury ignited, their swords slashing toward Qin Jian.
"Wait!" he shouted, but the blades didn't falter.
The crowd watched eagerly, some with curiosity, others with schadenfreude. The snow-haired girl stepped forward, calling out, "Please, show some mercy!"
"Buzz!"
A brilliant yellow Spirit ring flared beneath Qin Jian's feet. "First Spirit skill, Charming Sword!"
Pink sword aura flickered in his eyes, briefly clouding the guards' gazes for a mere second before they snapped back to focus. In that fleeting moment, Qin Jian darted back, evading their swords with precision.
He frowned, assessing the situation. "Their soul power far exceeds mine, and they're in an active state. My first Spirit skill, which should stun women for three seconds, only lasted one second on them..."
Though he was dissatisfied, the crowd was stunned. The guards, both level 50 Soul Kings, had been momentarily halted by a mere level 20 soul master. It was unprecedented.
The guards' hostility softened slightly. "Impressive Spirit skill," one conceded, then turned to the snow-haired girl. "Xuewu, you asked for mercy? Do you know him?"
Xuewu? The Xuewu who supports Shui Bing'er with the Ice Phoenix Spirit? Qin Jian's mind raced.
Xuewu waved her hands frantically. "No, I don't know him! I just didn't want you to be too harsh. He hasn't disrespected Tianshui Academy, unlike that cross-dressing guy last time..."
"Fine, we'll give Xuewu some face," the other guard said impatiently. "But don't waste our time again. Men aren't allowed in. Leave!"
Qin Jian shook his head. "Take a look at this first. I'm not sneaking in."
"You're still pushing it? If you provoke them again, you won't walk away," Xuewu warned, frowning.
"Thanks, but I'm not lying," Qin Jian replied, producing a delicate ice jade card from his soul guide. "Here's the card she gave me."
Xuewu and the guards stared, their eyes widening in unison. "A special student invitation jade token?!"
"And it's an ice jade token, exclusive to the academy's top brass!" Xuewu gasped.
"Where did you get this?" one guard demanded, stepping forward. She examined the card closely. "Qin Jian... your name's even engraved on it..."
"I told you, a female teacher gave it to me," Qin Jian said, spreading his hands. "She invited me during the soul hunting at Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy... Was it Bing'er who went there?" Xuewu's eyes widened further. "Are you that Qin Jian? The one Teacher Zhining mentioned? The level 20 soul master who defeated level 25–30 soul beasts alone? Sword Douluo's direct disciple from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tiles Sect?"
Qin Jian's mouth twitched. Do they have to hype me up like that? "Yeah, that's probably me..."
"Xuewu, you're saying Instructor Yan personally invited him?" The guards' expressions grew serious.
"If he's that Qin Jian, then yes. Teacher Zhining invited him at Heaven Dou Royal Academy," Xuewu confirmed, nodding. She scrutinized Qin Jian, wondering what made him worthy of her mentor's attention. Is it his sect ties or Sword Douluo's influence?
"I'll verify this with Instructor Yan," one guard declared, taking the ice jade card from Qin Jian. "We overreacted earlier. Apologies."
Qin Jian shrugged, unperturbed, and handed over the card. The guard hurried into the academy.
The commotion drew a growing crowd, buzzing with speculation about a boy potentially joining the all-female Tianshui Academy. By the time Instructor Yan Zhining appeared at the gate, nearly a hundred students had gathered.
"Instructor Zhining, you came yourself?" Xuewu's neutral face lit up with surprise.
"Of course!" Yan Zhining laughed, hand on her hip. "I went through a lot to invite him. How could I not greet him personally?"
Turning to Qin Jian, she grinned. "So, out of all the Five Elemental Academies, you chose Tianshui?"
The crowd gasped at her words.
"Personally invited by Instructor Yan? She's a senior executive!"
"He got invitations from all the Five Elemental Academies?"
"Who is this guy? A boy in our academy?"
The murmurs swirled, but Yan Zhining ignored them, ushering Qin Jian inside. "Come, let's get you settled with enrollment and lodging..."
The onlookers stood dumbfounded. Yan Zhining's enthusiasm was rare, reserved only for prodigies like Shui Bing'er.
"Here's your ice jade card back. It's your proof of status," Yan Zhining said, handing it to Qin Jian.
He nodded, pocketing it.
"Teacher Zhining, are we really letting a boy join the academy?" Xuewu asked, catching up. "I heard Instructor Xiao Jing argued with you about this."
Her question perked up the ears of the nearby students, eager for the answer...
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(End of this chapter)