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Chapter 12: Star City Academy
🕑 Added 2024-12-17 11:25:29 +0000 UTCStar City, city center.
Star City Academy.
After stepping off the bus, Feng Qi dragged his luggage to the academy’s grand entrance.
The first thing he saw was a towering stone monument, over 20 meters high, inscribed with four bold, dynamic characters: Star City Academy.
As he moved toward the entrance, a gatekeeper stopped him. Only after presenting his invitation letter was he allowed to proceed.
Entering through the main gate, he found himself on a marble path leading into the academy. Along the way, bronze statues lined both sides of the path.
Each statue commemorated a graduate of Star City Academy who had made outstanding contributions to humanity’s progress. Beneath each statue, inscriptions detailed their remarkable achievements.
Feng Qi continued walking and soon reached a lotus pond. It was summer, the prime season for lotuses to bloom. The green leaves covered the entire pond, swaying gently in the breeze.
Following the main road deeper into the academy, it took him nearly an hour to reach the dormitory building.
At the dormitory administrator's office, he submitted his letter and was quickly assigned a room: Room 301 on the third floor.
Star City Academy’s dormitories were single-occupancy, and the rooms were far larger than the shared dormitory he was used to at his school. The facilities were comprehensive, including a refrigerator stocked with drinks and snacks. The dormitory building also featured amenities like a gym, a venting room for stress relief, a computer room, and more.
The room was spotless, so there was no need for him to clean it. After unpacking and organizing his clothes in the wardrobe, he opened the invitation letter and dialed the contact number for the academy's receptionist.
The phone rang twice before a middle-aged man’s voice answered.
“Who is this?”
“I’m a student from Xincheng High School here for the visit. My name is Feng Qi…”
After Feng Qi introduced himself, the man on the other end replied, “Got it. I assume you haven’t had any formal exposure to cultivation studies yet. For now, I’ll arrange for you to audit the cultivation exchange class. It should be very helpful for you. Write down the classroom location…”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
Hanging up, Feng Qi jotted down the address of the cultivation exchange class as provided by the receptionist. Glancing at the time—nearly noon—he decided to grab lunch at the academy’s cafeteria before heading to class.
Leaving the dormitory, he asked for directions and walked about ten minutes before reaching the cafeteria.
The cafeteria operated on a buffet system, and all the food was free. This didn’t surprise Feng Qi. Star City Academy was dedicated to nurturing humanity’s future elites, many of whom would go on to make significant contributions to human progress. Free meals were just a reflection of the academy’s generosity.
Piling his plate high with delicious food, Feng Qi found a vacant seat and began devouring his meal.
While eating, he noticed another student in the cafeteria who drew his attention.
She had long, jet-black hair, a petite frame, and delicate features. However, what truly caught his eye was the massive pile of food debris on her table and the way she ate with the ferocity of a ravenous beast.
He also noticed that her right arm was embedded with a rune crystal, which glowed faintly as she ate.
Though Feng Qi’s appetite had become remarkable since his bodily changes, he felt he couldn’t compete with this petite senior sister. Her capacity for food seemed almost supernatural.
“How can such a small body handle more food than its own size? Doesn’t it hurt?” he murmured to himself.
At that moment, the girl suddenly looked up and locked eyes with him.
In that brief instant, Feng Qi felt an overwhelming, primal aura emanating from her gaze. For a moment, he doubted whether the being eating across from him was human or a ferocious beast from the wild.
Realizing that staring was impolite, he quickly lowered his head.
The girl, however, stared at him for a few seconds before resuming her feast, as if nothing had happened.
After lunch, it was already 12:30 p.m.
The cultivation exchange class was about to begin. Leaving the cafeteria, Feng Qi walked briskly toward the classroom.
The class was about a 30-minute walk from the cafeteria. By the time he arrived, the classroom was already full of students.
The moment he stepped inside, the lively chatter among the students abruptly ceased. All eyes turned toward him, and he instantly became the center of attention.
Feeling a bit awkward, Feng Qi scanned the room for an empty seat. Just as he approached one, the student next to it asked in surprise:
“Junior, why are you sitting down? Aren’t you going up to teach?”
“Teach?” Feng Qi looked bewildered.
“Of course! Who else if not you?” the student replied, equally baffled.
Assuming that this must be a customary part of the exchange class—a tradition where newcomers had to present their understanding of cultivation—Feng Qi reluctantly made his way to the podium.
Facing the sea of gazes from senior students, he hesitated briefly before speaking.
“My understanding of cultivation is quite rudimentary. If I fall short, I hope you’ll bear with me.”
No applause. No words of encouragement. The students’ expressions remained cold and indifferent.
“What’s with this attitude? Are Star City Academy students always this aloof? Who are they looking down on?” Feng Qi grumbled inwardly.
Still, if this was the expected process, he had no choice but to comply. After a moment of contemplation, Feng Qi decided on a topic to discuss.
Feng Qi thought back to the Tiger Fist cultivation technique he had learned in the Dream Realm. At the moment, this was the only substantial content he could confidently share.
Raising his head, he decided to embrace the challenge.
“I’ll now share my insights on body refinement cultivation,” he began.
“Body refinement is a practice that strengthens the physical body to enhance bloodline strength. As one advances in their cultivation, their physical form can become resistant to water and fire, and even impervious to blades and bullets…”
Hearing his introduction, the students’ expressions shifted, albeit not in a favorable way.
“This is so basic. Isn’t it common knowledge?”
“This is the exchange student from Winterfell Academy? Wasn’t he supposed to have already been pre-admitted to Tiger Soul Research Institute? This is it?”
“I knew it was all hype. If this is enough to get into Tiger Soul Research Institute, then I could’ve been accepted too.”
“What a waste of time. I thought this famed Lin Ran would bring something groundbreaking, but clearly, attending this lecture was a mistake.”
…
The murmurs of disappointment were understandable. Feng Qi’s opening remarks were directly lifted from the foundational concepts taught in the Tiger Fist instructional video. However, as he transitioned into his main points, the atmosphere began to change.
“Human martial arts once developed styles like Xingyiquan (Form-Intent Fist). I believe similar principles can be applied to body refinement techniques. For instance, emulating the form of a tiger, we can break down its movements into five core strikes: Split, Drill, Smash, Burst, and Sweep. These correspond to the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.”
“By practicing these five forms, practitioners can nourish the lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, and spleen. This approach aligns with the natural rhythms of human life, refining the meridians and areas connected to these organs. Particularly, it focuses on opening the Ren and Du meridians to establish a comprehensive qi cycle. This ultimately facilitates the seamless and vigorous flow of spiritual energy throughout the body…”
As Feng Qi delved deeper into the theoretical foundation of Tiger Fist, the students’ previously dismissive attitudes began to shift.
They realized that Feng Qi wasn’t just reciting surface-level knowledge—he was offering genuine insights. His interpretation of body refinement showed a profound understanding of the discipline, and he even expanded upon the existing framework with innovative ideas.
One by one, the students opened their notebooks. They listened intently, jotting down notes with serious expressions. Occasionally, they nodded in agreement, visibly impressed by Feng Qi’s analysis.
…
Meanwhile, outside the classroom, a boy around 17 or 18 years old was running toward the room in haste.
The boy had strikingly handsome features, dark ebony eyes, and a sharp, refined nose. His appearance carried a delicate beauty, but his radiant smile exuded confidence.
Arriving at the classroom door, Lin Ran was about to step inside when he heard someone already giving a lecture. Pausing, he froze in confusion.
“Did I come to the wrong class?” he muttered.
Looking up at the classroom sign—Combat Class One—Lin Ran frowned.
“No, this is definitely the right place.”
Out of respect, he refrained from entering and instead decided to listen from outside.
As he heard the "instructor" inside dissecting the intricacies of body refinement, a ripple of admiration crossed Lin Ran’s clear eyes. He nodded occasionally, acknowledging the depth of the explanation.
“As expected from Star City Academy. Even the instructors here are top-notch.”
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