Released Qi Restraint

In several hours, we made it back to the Exit Tower. The TA had a knowing smile on his face when Jue Zhu asked, but all he said was to try cultivating. If the mere air felt different, cultivating felt very different. A quick check of our Systems confirmed that our cultivation rates had increased dramatically. Ridiculously, in fact—though that was mostly due to the fact that a cultivator's Aura began to absorb Qi much faster once they reached the 7th Realm, in a situation where the Qi density of the area wasn't sealed.

A bit of discussion revealed that we all had different rates of cultivation now, though they were all good enough now to make it worthwhile to cultivate for the rest of the summer. This was largely thanks to the environment's Qi density not only being unsealed, but the Outworlder Labyrinth dimension had been formed with a good quality Qi density, which gave another x5 muliplier. At least, that was what the System said when I mentally clicked the "best rate" number for details.

Qi density classification was a somewhat complex subject that interested me quite a bit. In the Mortal Heaven, where densities were relatively low, it was reasonably close to an exact science. The scale ran from Class 0 to 9. Class 0 was "normal" density that didn't add a multiplier, but areas of Class 1 and 2 were fairly common. The multiplier increased more with higher classes, and past Class 5, the differences got large enough that they added a decimal. The highest density that could be naturally found in the Mortal Heaven were low Class 7s, with Class 8 only possible through select artificial means. The Azure Flame Abbey's Azure Flame was one example—it could only be lit for 100 days every 9 years, and when it was, it generated enough Qi to create a field that was Class 8 close to its epicenter. Meanwhile, the unsealed environment of the Outworlder Labyrinth was a Class 4, which must have made it difficult to create.

Class 9 existed only as a benchmark, denoting the lowest Qi density in the Second Heaven. Even their least dense areas were 100 times denser in spiritual energy than in most of the Mortal Heaven. No wonder ascending was a go-to ambition. For me, though, even just cultivating in the unsealed environment took a little getting used to. Once I had, though, I broke through the 8th, then the 9th stage in about 2 months.

It was time to bring out the Spirit Jade. It did not go unremarked on when I did, either. Neither Jong nor Jue Zhu had gotten one of those from their Zodiac Rooms, so I was about to become the first among us to reach the 8th Realm. It was known as Aura Strengthening Realm, and there wasn't really anything that made it distinct from the last Realm. Even so, although I still wasn't a match for Jong, let alone Jue Zhu, I'd be in an excellent position going into the big Sect Entry Tests.

Shokoya actually slapped me on the back once I succeeded at the major breakthrough. After that, there were just a few days left before the exit formation unsealed. Once it had, the five of us basically ran roughshod over the magical beasts in the tower. Of course, by this point none of us were about to leave such a good cultivation environment early, so we went back to cultivating until the last day.

Before I used the formation, I took a look in my system menu, to reflect on how far I'd come in 4 years:

<Personal Status>

Health: 150,603/150,603

Qi: 9 trillion

Physique: Experiential Body

Curses/Ailments: None

<Attributes >

Strength: 8,556

Resilience: 8,563

Agility: 8,568

Comprehension: 25,728

Resolve: 12,858

Reaction: 8,570

Aura: 3,387

Faith: 6,840

Purity: 62/100

<Cultivation >

Realm: Aura Strengthening (Earth 8)

Stage: 1

Highest Rate: 849,090

Last Rate: 849,090

Qi To Next: 8 trillion

Spirit Force: 5,963

I stepped onto the formation. Four years of studying and grinding and I'm just shy of 6,000 Spirit Force. Meanwhile in mobile games you're losing out if you're not in the millions in Battle Power in like, a week or two. Not that I've played one of those since I graduated school in my last life, but the Dive Game grind wasn't much better. This is definitely more my speed.

The formation operators back on campus gave us instructions when we arrived, to report to the campus Administration Building by sunset. Before that, we'd have one last chance to purchase items from the Inner Treasury, after which we'd be given our starting stipend of 1,000 gold coins per Academy Contribution point we'd left unspent. For my part, other than a few relatively ordinary supplies for a pittance in points, I only stocked up on durable arrows and Regeneration Pills, though I was also persuaded to take a single 8th Grade Earth Absorbing Pill at the last moment, which still left me with a generous 120,000 in coins.

At the Administration building, I was directed to a room where not just Inner Court graduates, but the students from Senior Class 1 were gathering. I speculated with Shokoya on what the sect entry tests might be like, until the Head Instructor arrived and called for us to quiet down.

"As of this moment, you are graduates of the Academy. Tomorrow, the entrance exams for the Academy's elite affiliate sects will commence. Before that, I've called you here to go over how the process will work, and offer some final advice.

After I dismiss you, you may proceed to the teleport formation at any time, which will take you to the gathering site for the exam. You may go tonight and camp out, as many from the ranked sect's feeder sects are doing even now, or go in the morning. Regardless, anything from your rooms you do not take with you will be disposed of. Once there, you must follow the instructions of the elders supervising the exam exactly and without fail, and otherwise behave yourselves in a way that does not disgrace the Academy. They will commence the exams at 10 AM sharp; do not be tardy. Upon commencement, you will need your Academy Badges on your person to be admitted from the gathering site to the exam site.

This annual exam is not an open event. Lesser sects under the protection of the four elite sects who hold it perform a rigorous selection for candidates to send every year. If they send too many failures, if the number of new disciples from them starts to average too low, they are penalized by the elite sects and may even lose some or all of the protection from them. While the Academy is not itself subject to such penalties, failure will not reflect well on you.

Now, my final advice. The Dimension Governors may be the Academy's sponsor, but out there, in the wider world of the Mortal Heaven, their name cannot be used to protect you. Only if you continue to achieve great things as a cultivator will you earn the chance to join the faction. Until then, there are many who do not share the welcoming views of the Academy toward those who come here from outside the Heavens. In fact, to all but select elders who have proven worthy of our trust in the nine sects, the Academy's program exists to assist a lucky few each year who do not otherwise come from strong backgrounds. The lessons in integration we have taught you are, in large part, so that you will not immediately reveal yourselves as Outworlders by strangeness of mannerisms or speech. It is not something to be worn on your sleeves here.

Go forth, graduates, and do your utmost to form connections that will enable you to reach greater heights of power."

In other words, we're on our own, and our best bet is to find someone, an elder or someone with connections to a strong background, and make it worth their while to protect us. Even if I hadn't long decided not to go there even if I score good enough for them, I doubt I could do that at Azure Flame Abbey.