Yanda University, ranked among the top colleges in Huaxia, was surprisingly open to all. Joe Di found this remarkable—back in Jade Nation, any outsider trying to enter an academy would be subjected to thorough questioning before being allowed inside.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where the Martial Arts Academy is?" As soon as Joe Di entered Yanda University, he stopped a student to ask.
The student sized Joe Di up for a moment, then pointed to the left. "Go straight down this way. When you reach the lakeshore, you'll see it. But you can only look from outside."
Without waiting for Joe Di to ask why, the student had already walked out of the campus.
The road to the left was four lanes wide—a rarity even in Jade Nation, where such broad avenues were seldom seen inside university grounds. This alone showed the Martial Arts Academy's status at Yanda University.
Trees lined both sides of the road, creating a tranquil atmosphere as Joe Di walked along. Even without cultivating here, he sensed that the spiritual energy was far richer than anywhere he'd trained before.
At the end of the broad road was, as expected, a large lake. Standing at its edge, Joe Di could clearly see three big characters on the opposite shore: Martial Arts Academy.
Beneath those bold characters was a thick iron gate, flanked by vigilant security guards. Just a glance told Joe Di that sneaking in—like he'd once done at Taiyue Island—would be all but impossible here.
A graceful stone bridge arched across the lake, linking the water to the academy's imposing main gate. Reflected in the still surface, the Martial Arts Academy appeared both picturesque and profoundly serene, more like a sanctuary for legendary masters than a mere training ground.
Even knowing full well that reaching the gates would do him no good, Joe Di still set foot on the stone bridge, a quiet determination rising within him.
According to Echo Young, that Sophie Ji was inside the Martial Arts Academy. If he couldn't even get in, how could he find Sophie Ji?
......
Standing at the academy gate, Joe Di didn't even need to speak to know he couldn't get in. Apparently, Echo Young had never been here either and didn't know how strict the security was.
"You can't get in. Unless you're faculty or a student here, or you have an official invitation, no one is allowed to pass." The words rang out in a clear, slightly shy voice, cutting through the air like a bell.
The girl in the pink dress was a vision of innocence, a few wisps of hair falling artfully across her delicate face, lending her a pure and almost ethereal charm.
"How can I get in, miss?" Joe Di asked, his curiosity piqued by the girl's sudden appearance. Her speed was uncanny—he hadn't seen a soul on the bridge before, yet now she stood behind him, as if she had materialized from thin air.
"How can I get in, miss?" Joe Di was a little surprised by the girl's speed. He hadn't seen anyone when he stepped onto the bridge, yet as soon as he crossed, she appeared behind him—she was fast.
Hearing Joe Di call her 'miss,' the girl's face flushed red to her ears. She spoke even more softly, "Do you have some urgent business inside?"
"I have a friend studying martial arts here. I just want to say a few words to her..." Joe Di caught on and quickly added, "Miss, from what you said, does that mean you can get me in?"
The girl was a bit nervous, clutching the hem of her dress as she said, "I just came to register today. My dad said I practice martial arts too much and don't understand social interactions, so he sent me alone to learn... If it's urgent, I can take you in. During registration, someone is allowed to accompany you..."
As she spoke, the girl took out a registration certificate. Joe Di recognized it instantly—he'd once held one just like it, though his was for Northlake University, which he'd later given to Fox Yu.
"Thank you so much. My name is Joe Di. What's your name, miss?" Joe Di thought to himself that his luck was really good. No wonder she was so fast—she'd been practicing martial arts all along.
"I'm Vivian Lu." Vivian put away her registration certificate and lowered her head even further. Just as she'd said, she clearly didn't talk to boys often; her voice was tinged with nervousness.
A faint, fresh scent wafted over from the girl. When Joe Di looked down, he could even see the soft fuzz by her ear.
"Thank you again. I'll treat you to a meal sometime." Joe Di was in high spirits, pleasantly surprised by this stroke of luck. Vivian Lu was not only pretty and graceful, but there was also an indescribable liveliness about her.
"Oh, no need, no need..." Vivian Lu waved her hands in a panic, then hurried to the academy gate with her head down. When she reached the iron gate, she finally looked up, ready to show her registration.
But just as she raised her hand halfway, she suddenly remembered something and turned to Joe Di in a panic. "I forgot my ID card..."
Registration for the Martial Arts Academy required two things: an ID card and the registration certificate. The tuition fee was mostly symbolic; the real costs came from martial arts training.
Joe Di was all set to follow Vivian Lu into the gate, but she suddenly said she'd forgotten her ID card.
"Why don't you wait here for me, big brother? I'll be right back." Now that she was a little more familiar with Joe Di, the flush on Vivian Lu's face faded a bit. Even though she was helping him, her tone still carried a hint of apology.
Joe Di was about to offer to go with her to fetch the ID, when the academy gate creaked open. A tall, slender man with snow-white hair strode out, his presence commanding. Several men and women followed at a respectful distance, their faces marked by awe and deference.
Seeing the white-haired man, Joe Di immediately took several steps back. He sensed an aura from the man that transcended the mundane—much like when he cultivated the Grandwalk Codex, ethereal and refined.
Moreover, the man's presence was, in Joe Di's eyes, far stronger than even the top martial artist in Jade Nation.
As Joe Di retreated, the white-haired man's gaze landed on him for a moment, then shifted to Vivian Lu. He exclaimed in surprise, "Spirituality overflowing..."
With a single step forward, the white-haired man grabbed Vivian Lu's wrist.
Vivian Lu tried to pull away, panic flickering in her eyes, but her body felt paralyzed—her wrist was held fast by the white-haired man, as if fate itself had intervened.
Vivian Lu's heart sank. With her skills, even her master Quentin Jia couldn't capture her so effortlessly. This man's strength was clearly far beyond her master's.
"Pure gold spiritual root—truly exceptional, truly exceptional!" The white-haired man repeated 'exceptional' three times, then stared eagerly at Vivian Lu. "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Vivian Lu quickly shook her head. "No, I already have a master. Please let me go."
The white-haired man didn't continue to hold Vivian Lu's wrist. Instead, he opened his hand, and a fireball appeared in his palm. With a flick, the fireball shot out, blasting a millstone-sized rock at the roadside into pieces.
At that moment, not only the followers behind the man but even Joe Di was left utterly stunned. If he possessed such power, would King Hubert Wu ever dare to seize him...
Then he thought of his father, Di Shan, who was killed on the spot by King Hubert Wu, unable to resist at all. If someone as powerful as this white-haired man had been at King Hubert Wu's side, his father truly wouldn't have stood a chance. It seemed his earlier guess was right—when King Hubert Wu ordered the killing, it wasn't because his father lacked reputation or character, nor because King Hubert Wu was so formidable, but because a true expert had subdued his father first.
Someone as strong as this white-haired man, for example...
Vivian Lu was also stunned. Such a technique was practically immortal magic. Could there really be immortal techniques on Celestia? Or was it just a chemical phenomenon?
The white-haired man clearly saw through Vivian Lu's thoughts. He smiled faintly, then took a step forward—directly stepping into midair and hovering there. He remained suspended for over ten seconds before landing, then said to Vivian Lu, "My techniques are immortal arts. If you become my disciple, I'll teach you all of them."
Vivian Lu's heart raced wildly. To be honest, she hadn't taken the white-haired man's words seriously at first, but now she was wavering. Even though her target, Joe Di, was right in front of her, these immortal arts were simply too tempting.
(That's all for today's update. Since it's not bedtime yet, everyone do as you please.)