C8 Aura Pupil

Two hours later, the courtyard examination concluded.

The loudspeaker came to life.

"The results of the courtyard examination are now available."

"This time, 68 freshmen scored an average of over 80 points."

"We will now announce the passing list and their scores."

"Students whose names are called, please gather back at the guild hall."

"Those whose names are not called, please keep striving."

"We will begin announcing the names in no particular order."

"Lee Zhe, 81 points, pass!"

"Xiao Yuan, 85 points, pass!"

"Zeng Shan, 87 points, pass!"

Luo Yan perked up his ears, listening intently to the broadcast.

Around him, students whose names were called bubbled with excitement.

Take Zeng Shan, for example, a tall student whose eyes reddened with joy as he raised his arms in a cheer, drawing attention.

Others maintained a more composed and mature demeanor.

Like the tall, thin, and clean-cut Lee Bohang, who wore glasses.

And then there was an extraordinary young man with a somewhat somber air about him, surrounded by a number of 'followers.'

"Lo Beichen, 91 points, pass!"

As his name was announced, cheers erupted from those around the somber youth.

"Congratulations, Brother Lo, 91 points! That's an incredibly high score!"

"Indeed, I bet Brother Lo is at the top of this group of freshmen!"

So this was Lo Beichen!

The son of Lo Tianyi!

As Luo Yan glanced over, the somber youth returned the look.

Their eyes met briefly in the air.

Lo Beichen offered a slight smile, a gesture of friendliness.

But as Luo Yan's gaze shifted away, a different kind of glint flickered in Lo Beichen's eyes.

Then, the broadcast continued: "Lee Bohang, 92 points, pass!"

Lo Beichen's smile instantly froze.

His entourage was equally taken aback.

That was a quick turn of events, wasn't it?

But there was more to come.

"Lin Wei, 95 points, pass!"

95 points!

The student body erupted into a frenzy.

Such a high score was astonishing.

And judging by the name, it belonged to a female student.

As the students looked around for Lin Wei...

The broadcast announced once more, "Luo Yan, 98 points, pass!"

At that moment.

Lo Beichen's face was completely devoid of emotion.

The room fell into a hushed silence.

98 points!

Out of a perfect score of 100, someone had actually scored 98.

Could the proctor have made a mistake?

The students' faces were a mix of confusion, shock, and doubt.

An elderly man observed their reactions with interest.

In the principal's office of the academy.

Principal Pann Renfeng chuckled, "The young wolf Di Zheng referred to us is truly extraordinary. His experience surviving on the surface is something our Dungeon City youngsters can't hold a candle to."

At that moment, the screen was paused on Luo Yan.

The elderly principal, a man in his early sixties, was short with white hair tied into a small braid.

Standing behind him,

The teacher who had previously announced Luo Yan's identity at the club spoke in a grave tone, "Principal, are you seriously considering admitting this student?"

"Di Zheng mentioned that,"

"On his journey here, a mechanist threatened him and was subsequently outsmarted and killed by Luo Yan."

"He could be a ticking time bomb."

Pann Renfeng laughed lightly, "What of it? I was far more ruthless in my youth than he is."

"Or perhaps, Teacher Wai Fenghua, you're feeling intimidated?"

"Scared of stirring up trouble?"

The middle-aged teacher cleared his throat before responding, "Principal, there's no need to goad me."

"If you're bold enough to take him on, then I'll be the one to teach him."

"With the invasion of the colossal beasts and the emergence of the Floating Gate,"

"We need youngsters who are both fierce and tough."

"Only then can we hope to reclaim the surface from the clutches of those beasts and take back our homeland."

Pann Renfeng nodded slightly, "That's exactly my line of thought."

"Moreover, Di Zheng has said that"

"This wolf cub does have principles."

"The two who perished had ill intentions towards him first."

"If it were just senseless killing,"

"Not even a 'Natural Resonator' would have been spared by Di Zheng, much less brought back to Magemoor."

"Take good care of his education, Teacher Wai."

Wai Fenghua straightened his glasses, which bore fine cracks, and affirmed, "I intend to."

......

Following the announcement of 68 students' names, those who passed made their way to the hall.

The ones who didn't make the cut left with their hopes dashed.

Luo Yan moved through the crowd, keeping to the edges as he always did, ready to slip away at a moment's notice. Three years on the surface had ingrained this habit in him, even in the seemingly safe confines of the campus.

In the clubhouse, Luo Yan spotted Wei Fenghua. Hands clasped behind his back, Wei Fenghua surveyed the room.

"My name is Wei Fenghua," he announced. "I'm the head of the teaching department. First off, congratulations on passing your assessments. From this moment, you are Magemoor City's 'reserve mechanists,' entitled to fourth-level benefits."

A wave of cheers erupted, and some students were visibly moved to tears. Luo Yan wasn't sure what the fourth-level benefits entailed, but judging by the others' excitement, it must be significant.

Wei Fenghua went on, "Based on your scores, we'll be assigning dormitories. You must be exhausted from today. Get some rest in your dorms; classes start tomorrow."

He paused before adding, "Your exam results have been converted into 'Credits,' which you can exchange for various resources at the logistics department. In the future, exceptional academic achievements will also be rewarded with 'Credits.' That's all I have to say."

With a final glance at Luo Yan, Wei Fenghua exited the clubhouse.

A female teacher stepped forward. "Before you head to the dormitories, the academy needs to collect your physical data for fitness assessments. It won't take long. Please walk over when your name is called."

She gestured toward a device resembling an airport security gate.

"Zheng Rui..."

"Liu Bin..."

"Chen Yongsong..."

One by one, students passed through the gate as staff members with tablets recorded their data. When Luo Yan's turn came, he walked through, but the gate's lights flashed on.

"There seems to be an error," someone said. "Could you go through one more time?"

Luo Yan complied, but the lights flashed again. The female teacher approached with a concerned look. "What's the issue?" she inquired.

The staff member spoke with a hint of uncertainty, "This student appears to have practiced the meditating and thinking skill."

"The data indicates his 'elementary force' has reached 97 points."

"That level is only attainable after completing basic cultivation."

"Additionally..."

"His 'Spirit' is now active. He's 'opened his mind' and awakened his 'Divine Treasury'."

"His Divine Treasury is... the Aura Pupil."

Suddenly,

Dozens of gazes converged on Luo Yan.

Surprise, envy, and jealousy were mixed in those looks.

But Luo Yan was clueless about what they were discussing.

The term 'Aura Pupil', however, seemed to fit his extraordinary vision perfectly.

Then, someone remarked,

"Completing basic cultivation isn't anything special."

"The basic meditating and thinking skill is quite common. In our city, anyone who can afford it usually starts cultivating before they even enroll in the academy."

Another voice chimed in,

"Besides, the 'Aura Pupil' isn't some remarkable Divine Treasury. It's a technique of the super perceptive category."

"If I'm not mistaken, the 'Aura Pupil' is actually the most common and least noticeable within that category."

The students buzzed with conversation.

The earlier looks of envy and jealousy had significantly diminished.

Luo Yan couldn't deny his disappointment upon learning that the 'Aura Pupil' was quite common.

The look of pity in the female teacher's eyes when she glanced his way only added to his discomfort.

But he remained silent.

He reassured himself.

Even though the 'Aura Pupil' was common, Di Zheng had once mentioned,

He was a 'Natural Resonator'.

One can't have it all.

There are gains and losses.

With this realization, his mind cleared.

He let go of his regrets.

After the physical examination concluded,

the dormitory supervisor led the new students to their accommodations.

"Students who place in the top three of the entrance exam are awarded a private dormitory."

"However, this privilege is not permanent."

"The academy conducts evaluations every quarter."

"If your score drops, you'll lose access to the private dormitory, so those in the top three must remain vigilant."

"Students who are lagging behind in scores shouldn't lose heart. With determination and effort, you too can earn a spot in a private dormitory," the dormitory supervisor announced as he made his rounds.

This sparked a sense of competition among the students.

Before long, Luo Yan entered his room. The private dormitory was designed for solo living, with a bedroom and living room combined into one space, complete with a private bathroom. The surroundings were a vast improvement from the squalid dog kennel he had once called home in the sewers. Yet...

Luo Yan furrowed his brow, musing to himself, "The bed is too close to the window."

"The window lacks bars, and being a floor-to-ceiling design, it's vulnerable to attacks."

"There's no way to escape in an emergency. The chances of survival would be nearly zero."

Drawing from his three years of surface living, he concluded that despite its aesthetic appeal and spaciousness, the dormitory was far less secure than his former underground abode.

With this in mind, he resolved to visit the logistics department later to see if he could trade 'credits' for materials and tools to fortify his new living quarters.

Just then, a blinding white light materialized before him. The silent light danced, tracing a pattern reminiscent of the yin-yang symbol.