Chapter 327

Chapter 327: Mysterious Society

Fortress Academy, Black Swan Castle.

Rap rap rap, knocking sounds.

“Come in.”

It was still that quiet office. With the weather warming up, there was no fire in the fireplace; only the blackened burn marks on the inner side of the stone walls could be seen. Inside the office were a mahogany desk, an ornate wooden cabinet, a black porcelain cup, books covered in dust, scattered copper-cased pens, and numerous scratches on the marble floor.

Jenna walked in with some apprehension, noticing that her teacher, whom she usually learned from, was also present. This was natural, as she had deliberately chosen this time right after class to avoid the awkwardness of not seeing the teacher and having to come back a second time.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Ryley.”

The teacher, who had been writing at his desk, looked up and nodded when he saw the short-haired young lady. “Ah, Jenna, it is you.”

“Have you finished copying what I asked last time?”

“Yes, I have completed it.”

Jenna handed over a thick stack of papers, bound together with thread, consisting of four volumes in total.

The neatly dressed teacher took them and opened to check. The handwriting was neat and clear, showing that the young lady had put considerable effort into it.

“Very good, excellent work.” He nodded, looking quite satisfied. Then, he took out two of the original volumes and placed them on the edge of the desk before gesturing for the young lady to sit on a wooden chair beside him.

“Can you summarize what you’ve learned this semester? How does it feel?”

“Well, it’s much clearer now. I understand many things that used to confuse me,” Jenna recalled and answered.

“That’s good. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can come to my office on Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. I’ll be more available during those times.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ryley,” Jenna nodded gratefully.

“It’s nothing. Don’t be shy. Sometimes, questions you think are too simple might take days to figure out on your own but can be resolved quickly by asking a teacher. It’s not about being more talented than you; it’s just that I’ve seen thousands of students and dealt with countless similar issues. I’ve encountered many examples regarding cultivation, combat, studies, and even mental health, so I have a broader experience and can more easily identify and solve problems.”

“So, being overly shy will only hurt yourself in the end.”

“Uh-huh.” Jenna blinked her moist eyes and nodded again.

“Alright, that’s all for today. Get some rest recently. And keep this volume for yourself.”

”

  “Yes,” Jina lowered her head to take it, then left the office with small steps.

  After the office quieted down, another teacher approached. He flipped through the notebook Jina had copied and said, “What a good child she is.”

  “Yes, but unfortunately, fate didn’t grant her a corresponding talent.”

  Even the cultivation of Extraordinary Sequences had its compatibility. Some people understood faster and practiced more easily. Such matters were always mystical, with no method to test them; one could only know by trying. That’s why first-year students weren’t divided into colleges, allowing everyone to explore as much as possible first. Unfortunately, today’s students weren’t like the sages had imagined. To qualify for enrollment and to get a head start, many already walked deep paths in certain sequences before entering. If not for school requirements, if they couldn’t reach Sequence Five before enrolling, some might have completely decided their sequence before coming in.

—

  After leaving the office, Jina held the booklets close, ignoring the curious glances from others, and quickly walked down the corridor, heading back to her residence.

  “Hey, is that Jina?”

  A voice suddenly sounded beside her, nearly making Jina jump out of her skin as she was walking with her head down.

  “It’s you,” Jina looked up ahead to the left, where a girl in red and black uniform was waving at her. This was a classmate from her first year, though not very close. She hadn’t expected her to also be at the Fortress Academy.

  “It’s been a while. How have you been lately?”

  The slightly plump girl walked over, and the two started chatting briefly.

  “It’s not good standing here. Let’s go sit on that balcony over there,” the girl said, pulling Jina through the corridor to the other side outside.

  “Ah, have you also found learning a bit difficult recently?” the girl asked.

  “In fact, I’m having the same problem.”

  “It’s so frustrating. Those kids from noble families have private tutors since young, so it’s natural they have a better foundation than us.”

  “But these knowledge and theoretical aspects can be gradually caught up with by putting in more effort. What’s most worrying is the difficulty in advancing in the Extraordinary Sequence.”

  “You know, many students can’t graduate because they’re stuck at a certain strength for years, unable to improve. So they have no choice but to leave Emanas.”

  Hearing this, Jina felt a bit anxious, combining it with her own situation. “Yes, but I don’t know what to do either, sigh.”

  She sighed, resting her arm on the stone railing along the castle edge, her chin on her arm, gazing at the distant lake and forest. Her worries slowly grew.

  “But there are ways to handle it,” her classmate said, standing next to her.

Beside her, she whispered softly.

“What method?” Zenna turned her head slightly, showing a hint of curiosity.

“I’m not quite clear about the specifics, but recently my roommate joined a club at the academy. It’s said that the club president will teach them magical methods that can significantly boost one’s strength.”

“It sounds a bit fake,” Zenna was somewhat skeptical. Students who came to Emanas were generally not fools and wouldn’t believe such things so easily.

“But I saw her strength improve rapidly with my own eyes; it really startled me, which is why I gradually started to believe it,” the other girl continued.

“Oh.” Zenna felt a stir of interest and pondered over it.

“How about we go check it out? I heard they’re recruiting new members again.”

“But it doesn’t seem that simple, right? If it were that easy to boost one’s strength, the sages would have already shared these methods long ago,” Zenna still hesitated.

“Haha, you don’t know everything. There are actually many ways to boost strength. The reason sages don’t reveal them is simply because ordinary people can’t reach those methods. For example, certain rare potions that enhance abilities, custom-designed extraordinary professions for Sequence 8 or Sequence 9, or some special rituals—these are all possible.”

“I understand, but those things must be very precious, right? As for me, I don’t have that much money or resources,” Zenna modestly replied.

“Zenna, you’re being too humble. Your father is the leader of a mercenary team. How could he lack funds? It’s best to improve your strength while you’re young. A person who advances to Sequence 6 at 18 is completely different from someone who does so at 30. The former is a sought-after prodigy, while the latter, though good, is not particularly remarkable and not given much attention.”

“But, are these shortcuts truly reliable?” Zenna bit her lip. Although her father had given her plenty of gold coins, these were earned through his life-risking battles on the battlefield. She couldn’t help but feel uneasy about handing them over like this.

“Why don’t we go take a look first? We can decide later. That way, it won’t be too late. Besides, I’m a bit worried going alone. Having company would make me feel more secure,” the other girl suggested.

“Okay.” Zenna nodded. Girls often liked doing things together.

“Haha, then it’s settled. Let’s go together.”

“A good shortcut should always be taken. A road filled with pebbles might cut your feet,” she said firmly as she held Zenna’s hand.

Thank you №Mo Xi, Tangmen Infantry, Low Like Dust QAQ, E_25, Night Dance Ice Dream, xXX, Lazy Fish Otaku, Reader 161109024604136, Cloudy Lonely Dream, for your generous support.

(End of Chapter)