“What’s special about this door?” Nicholas led the newcomers to an archway on the side of the First Hall and, with great Aura, patted the head of a stone lion crouching by the entrance.
The stone lion tilted its head, not letting Nicholas mess up its mane.
Then, it raised its gigantic paw and slapped the unruly fellow away.
The newcomers let out shocked screams.
In the First Hall, the other older students watched the scene, smiling, and quietly spoke to the newcomers they were guiding.
Nicholas nonchalantly got up, brushed off non-existent dust from his body, and, with a fawning smile, looked at the lion: “Just educating these tender new kids, no need to mind it, sir.”
The stone lion closed its eyes solemnly, its paw resting on the stone ball, sitting silently. It seemed as if that slap just now had nothing to do with it.
Nicholas shrugged indifferently and looked back at his newcomers:
“What’s special about this grand door?”
“There are two, well, guardian escorts at the entrance,” Zheng Qing whispered.
“There are nine ancient Talismans on the door lintel.”
“And the Nine Provinces College’s circular emblem,” others chimed in, talking over each other.
“Hmm, very good, that’s about it,” Nicholas sighed, glancing at the stone lion guarding the door, and grumbled with a bitter face, “Now, enter.”
The newcomers cautiously walked past the stone lion, stealing glances at these guardians with a touch of awe.
The stone lion sat silently, as if that slap just now was an illusion.
The feeling of walking through the archway was very ordinary.
There was nothing unusual.
Zheng Qing only felt his eyes suddenly brighten, and he was already in a lush, verdant environment. Directly in front was a huge dark green screen wall, behind him was an ancient, heavy gate, and on the tall walls to his left and right, dense vines clung.
The new students had just walked out of the low side door next to the main gate.
A muffled grunt came from behind him.
Zheng Qing quickly turned his head and saw Nicholas tumbling in head over heels.
“Ahead is the screen wall; you all find your names on it first.”
Sitting on the ground, grimacing, Nicholas shouted at the dumbfounded new students: “Remember? Never provoke any existence in the School, especially these seemingly rigid stone statues.”
“I must remind you, First University’s intelligence level is quite high, or to put it in a more common term, its magic level is very high. Many objects or existences you often see will survive in ways you don’t understand.”
Seemingly feeling that his explanation wasn’t very successful, Nicholas added very seriously: “You will understand this later. What I need to remind you is not to insult—or have similar behaviors—these existences because of this. Relative to you, they have more fragile psyches; they are more deserving of comfort.”
“Just like me just now, you will be punished for it… Hiss.” He gasped, patting his backside with his spell book, but it seemed to have little effect.
Finally, he gave up trying and limped on, leading the way: “Has anyone found their name on the screen wall?”
This was a huge screen wall, about four or five meters high and eight or nine meters long.
The base of the screen wall was a Sumeru pedestal carved from white marble, with strange-looking Yao Beasts carved on the upper and lower frames.
The stone wall was entirely dark green, smooth and reflective, yet not dazzling, instead exuding an ancient and elegant Aura.
The top of the wall had flying eaves and dougongs, covered with greenish-white glazed tiles, on which intricate Talismans could be clearly seen.
“Stare at the screen wall and silently recite your name,” Nicholas instructed from the side.
Zheng Qing blinked nervously, staring at the center of the screen wall, silently chanting his name in his heart.
“Zheng Qing, Zheng Qing, Zheng Qing…”
Slowly, several lines of text appeared on the screen wall.
At first, the writing was blurry.
But as he continued to silently recite, these lines of text grew larger and clearer.
“Zheng Qing, male, born 1990. Huaxia Region student. Nine Provinces College, Astronomy 08-1 Class. Elementary School grades: None. Intermediate School grades: None. Unified Wizard Examination score: 480.”
Zheng Qing let out a long breath, his heart suddenly feeling much lighter.
He turned to look at Xiao Xiao; this short male student was frowning, lost in thought before the screen wall.
Then, a thought struck him, and he looked back at the screen wall.
“Xiao Xiao, Xiao Xiao, Xiao Xiao!”
He silently chanted Xiao Xiao’s name in his heart.
The dark green wall stone was quiet and restrained under the late summer sun.
Facing Zheng Qing’s new request, this wall silently refused.
“What are we eating for lunch?” Xiao Xiao suddenly spoke from beside him.
“Oh, oh, well, I haven’t thought about that yet,” Zheng Qing hurriedly shifted his gaze, looking around.
His face felt a bit hot, as if he were a thief who had stealthily snuck into someone else’s house and been discovered by the owner.
Xiao Xiao looked at him suspiciously.
Directly in front of the screen wall was a grand gate.
The black gate was tightly closed, and under the thick gateposts on either side were two stone-like turtle-shaped monstrous beasts. Purple-black walls several zhang high extended from the gate to the left and right, reaching far into the distance.
A gentle breeze blew, and the vines clinging to the walls rustled, further enhancing the serene atmosphere here.
On either side of the main gate were two side doors, each a zhang high. Zheng Qing looked at the left side door, knowing that behind it was the First Hall. They had just come out of this side door.
Looking up, outside the walls, towering trees stood quietly in the breeze, their leaves rustling, making Zheng Qing feel disoriented. If he hadn’t come out of that side door, he could never have imagined what kind of world lay behind the door.
“Every opening of a door is an adventure; behind every door is a magical world.”
Xiao Xiao flipped through his notebook, muttering something mysteriously behind him.
Zheng Qing didn’t hear clearly; his mood had already stabilized a lot.
He gestured at the surroundings of the screen wall, curiously asking: “Are the doors of other Academies in the First Hall also like this behind them?”
“I just said, behind every door is a magical world. Other Academies definitely aren’t like this!” Xiao Xiao somewhat weakly waved his black notebook.
“Behind every grand gate, the temperament and style of the Academy are displayed. Just like Alpha Academy, you won’t see a ‘screen wall’ when you enter. They’ve placed a self-service inquiry machine behind the gate, which stores the relevant information of the students. As far as I know, what we are currently seeing is the territory of Nine Provinces College; it should belong within the ‘Academy’ realm.”
“Academy,” Zheng Qing murmured softly.
“Jiu You Academy, Alpha Castle, Atlas Palace, Starry Sky Academy,” Xiao Xiao closed his notebook, his tone full of deep longing.
“Everyone gather around and look at this wall, yes, this screen wall,” Nicholas cheerfully called out from not far away.
He was twirling his spell book rapidly with his fingertip. Small electric sparks flickered around the spell book, making crackling sounds.
The new students were immediately drawn in.
“This screen wall, also called a screen wall, is a landmark building of Nine Provinces College’s ‘Academy.’ Inside the screen wall is information on all professors, students, School Workers, and even Spirit Beasts of the Academy. Intruders with ill intentions will have nowhere to hide under the screen wall, and any unauthorized intrusion will trigger the screen wall’s counterattack.”
“Do not underestimate its counterattack. This screen wall is a hub of the entire Academy’s protective array. Even registered official Wizards cannot resist its restraint.”
“Remember this screen wall; it will be your witness to knowledge and truth.”
Zheng Qing raised his hand.
Nicholas nodded reservedly.
“I just wanted to look at other classmates’ information,” Zheng Qing said, then seemed to feel Xiao Xiao’s gaze, and his throat felt a bit dry: “But the screen wall wouldn’t show it.”
Nicholas’s face broke into a satisfied smile:
“Very keen attempt! Very keen.”
He praised loudly, clapping softly for Zheng Qing.