Even if no one reminded him, Joe Di would never go out of his way to cause trouble with the students of the Celestia Martial Academy. He came here with only one goal: to join the academy students when they set out for the trial.
In terms of building height, Celestia Martial Academy was far inferior to the Earth Federation Headquarters. But when it came to sheer size, the academy was undoubtedly the largest establishment in the Celestia Grand Plaza.
The two guards standing at the entrance of the Martial Academy radiated a faint aura of blood. At a glance, Joe Di knew they had fought and slain beasts on Celestia.
"Gentlemen, this is a personal recommendation from Lord Eddie, recommending Joe Di as a student for the Elite Class." The man who brought Joe Di showed great respect to the two guards. Before they could speak, he proactively handed a pistol-shaped token to the taller guard.
Such recommendations were clearly common at the Martial Academy. The guard took the token, glanced at it, then nodded to Joe Di. He said to the man who brought Joe Di, "You may leave now. He can go in and register by himself."
After the man who brought Joe Di left, the taller guard handed the token to Joe Di. "You can go register yourself. Lord Eddie said you may choose any Elite Class. Once you join a class, your instructor will register your identity. The Elite Classes are on the far left of the academy—you’ll spot them right away."
"Thank you," Joe Di said as he accepted the token. Just as he was about to enter, another question came to mind. "May I ask, which class is about to depart for the Celestia trial?"
Earlier, the guide had explained to Joe Di that there were eight Elite Classes at the Celestia Martial Academy, each with only thirty students. Every trial was organized by class, usually with two classes participating at a time.
"Last time, the trial included Elite Class Three and Elite Class Four. The next trial will be for Class Five and Class Six, scheduled in about three days." The tall guard did not consider this a secret and told Joe Di directly.
Joe Di thanked him again before finally entering the Martial Academy.
Inside the Martial Academy, students could be seen training everywhere. With just a glance, Joe Di could tell these students were far stronger than those from the Yanda Martial Arts Department. It was clear that only the world's top martial arts students were eligible to continue their studies at Celestia Martial Academy.
From a distance, Joe Di saw a row of red buildings on the far left. Each class had a clear sign on the wall, from Elite Class One to Elite Class Eight.
At Elite Class Five, a young female instructor was explaining the key points to watch for during the Celestia trial.
"What is it?" Seeing Joe Di standing at the doorway, the instructor turned her head, her gaze falling on him with a hint of inquiry.
Only now did Joe Di get a clear look at the instructor. She was not only young but also strikingly beautiful, with slender eyebrows like willow leaves and bright, expressive eyes. Perhaps due to her martial training, her hair was cut short. If not for the long sword in her delicate, fair hand, it would be hard to believe she was an Elite Class instructor.
Joe Di stepped forward and handed over Eddie’s token. "I'm here to register," he said.
The instructor sized Joe Di up, glanced at the large bag on his back, then let her eyes linger on the kitchen knife at his waist before finally accepting the token.
Joe Di had inspected the pistol-shaped token before; it bore Eddie’s seal. As the instructor’s gaze landed on the seal, her brows knitted together. Joe Di wondered if Eddie had tricked him—was this not his real token?
After half a minute, the instructor finally put the token away and looked at Joe Di coldly. "Find a seat and wait. When this class is over, I’ll help you register."
Sensing her displeasure, Joe Di didn’t say more. As he headed for an empty seat, he overheard the instructor mutter under her breath, "The academy is being ruined by these self-important officials, always forcing useless people into the Elite Classes."
Joe Di touched his nose, realizing he wasn't the first to get in through connections—and certainly wouldn't be the last. With the front seats already taken, he sat in the last row.
"You've got style, brother." Noticing Joe Di's large backpack and the rusty kitchen knife at his waist, a student sitting in front turned around and gave him a thumbs-up.
It was normal for students at the Martial Academy to carry weapons—most had swords or sabers, or sometimes other arms. But Joe Di's kitchen knife was especially conspicuous.
"Quiet down." The woman at the podium tapped the blackboard with the hilt of her sword, clearly displeased with the student who spoke to Joe Di.
Once the chatter about Joe Di's kitchen knife subsided, the instructor continued, "Our trial for Elite Class Five and Six will be in three days, on September 21st. The temperature here is similar to Earth's, so there’s no need to bring much clothing. As for the route, I’ve drawn it on the board—make sure you’re familiar with it and don’t wander off alone. On Celestia, anyone who gets separated will likely face death..."
"Professor Yu, I heard someone disappears or dies in every trial. Last year, Ivan Fan from Class Two reached the Earth-level stage and still went missing. Was it because he got separated?" A female student stood up and asked nervously, her voice betraying her fear.
Professor Yu’s expression darkened. She nodded, her voice growing somber. "Yes, I was there that time. Professor Tang led the team, and we camped at the foot of a mountain. Ivan Fan didn’t simply get separated—we encountered an illusion array. He wasn’t the only one lost; twelve people went missing in that incident."
The mood in the classroom grew heavy. Professor Yu seemed unwilling to continue, so she said, "That concludes today’s trial preparations. If you have any questions, you can ask me. The new student—what’s your name?"
Joe Di stood up. "My name is Joe Di."
Perhaps reminded of last year’s missing prodigy Ivan Fan and the others, Professor Yu’s tone softened. "Frank Pang, take Joe Di to his quarters and explain anything he doesn’t understand. Class dismissed."
With that, she sheathed her sword and left the classroom.
"I'm Frank Pang. Come on, I'll take you to the dormitory." The student who had complimented Joe Di earlier stood up and patted him on the shoulder.
Frank Pang was a bit chubby, but after just a few steps, Joe Di could tell he was at least an Elite Martial Artist at the mid-stage.
"I'm Joe Di. Thanks—you remind me of a friend of mine," Joe Di said with a smile, thinking of Trevor Qu.
Like Frank Pang, Trevor Qu was a bit chubby, though shorter than Frank.
"What’s your cultivation stage?" Frank Pang asked, tapping the kitchen knife at Joe Di’s waist. "Heh, you look a bit like a chef."
"I haven’t trained in martial arts, but I do know a few blade techniques. I haven’t gotten my hands on a better weapon yet—this knife just suits me." Joe Di was quite pleased with his blade. When he had time alone, the first thing he wanted to do was refine the knife and see if it could fly.
"What, you haven’t trained at all? And you’re still joining us for the trial in three days?" Frank Pang stared at Joe Di in surprise. Before Joe Di could answer, he added, "Joe Di, once the trial begins, no one will protect you. You’ll have to rely on yourself."
"I know, don’t worry about me. My blade skills are decent." Joe Di replied, finally experiencing the indifference of the Elite Class.
Ever since he joined the Elite Class, only Frank Pang had shown him any warmth. The others merely glanced at the kitchen knife at his waist. Now that class was over, everyone hurried off, and not a single student came to greet him.
"Just stick with me, though my skills are the weakest in Elite Class Five," Frank Pang said, a little embarrassed.
Joe Di smiled. "I saw several strong-looking people. You can stick with them when the time comes."
Frank Pang rubbed his hair and sighed, "Those guys all have their noses in the air. I’m just a bit fat and talkative... What’s the big deal..."
Frank’s last two sentences were a bit disjointed, but Joe Di understood—in Elite Class Five, Frank Pang didn’t really have friends. The others probably looked down on him, so he always sat in the back.
"You should stick close to the female instructor during the trial—it’ll be safer that way." Joe Di meant this sincerely. Once he reached Celestia, he planned to find a chance to slip away. Since Frank Pang had no friends, staying near the instructor would be much safer for him.
In Joe Di’s eyes, that female instructor was at least at the mid-stage Earth-level.
Frank Pang shook his head. "Miss Jade Yu won’t be able to look after me—she only pays attention if something happens to the class."
Joe Di frowned. He despised people who only used others when they needed help and then discarded them when they didn’t.
Frank Pang saw Joe Di’s disdain and quickly explained, "It’s not Jade Yu’s fault—she’s actually very nice. During the trial, students form their own teams; instructors don’t join the teams. Every Elite Class student’s time is precious, so they usually avoid anything unrelated to cultivation."
In other words, Jade Yu could only direct Frank Pang; the other students wouldn’t listen to her.
Joe Di ruffled Frank Pang’s hair, then patted the kitchen knife at his waist. "Just stick with me when the time comes. I’ll look out for you."
"Heh, I think I’ll be looking after you. Once we leave Celestia Grand Plaza, you’ll see how fierce the beasts here are." Frank Pang didn’t mind Joe Di’s words and just chuckled.
......