Chapter 8, Star Picking

Lifting the millstone is one thing, but carrying such a heavy millstone up the stone steps is quite another

Only this academy in the entire world dares to use and is qualified to use this name

He turned his head and saw that another person had appeared beside him

In such an academy, not to mention naming it "Star Plucking," who would even dare to suggest using "Star Burning" as a name

... ...

At the Heavenly Dao Academy, Chen Changsheng relied on his familiarity with the academy's regulations to directly bypass the selection process for marrow washing. At this moment, in the Star Picking Academy, he might have thought of other methods, but whether it was influenced by the academy's atmosphere of both solemnity and fervor, or simply out of a desire to try something different, he did nothing at all

Everyone in the world is well aware of the bloody, brutal, yet glorious history of the Star Picking Academy, and Chen Changsheng is no exception. His master placed the Star Picking Academy second on the list, but in his heart, he regarded it as the foremost. Therefore, although not being admitted to the Heavenly Dao Academy left him somewhat dejected, he did not dwell on it too much

one step, two steps, three steps, four steps

His breath became somewhat erratic, and his face grew increasingly flushed

The instructor looked at Chen Changsheng on the stone steps, his eyes revealing a sense of admiration

... ...

Chen Changsheng's breathing grew increasingly labored, his complexion becoming more and more pallid. His tightly bound black hair was already damp with sweat, yet his gaze remained calm and resolute.

The stone disc is quite large, resembling a grinding wheel—in fact, it was temporarily removed from the stone mill outside the kitchen of the Star Picking Academy, weighing three hundred jin. A candidate who can lift this stone disc and ascend the thirty stone steps will be considered to have passed the first assessment and will qualify to participate in the formal admission examination

Chen Changsheng took a step forward, just one step, and his knees began to tremble slightly

For centuries, due to their past cooperation in resisting the demon race, the relationship between the human race and the demon race, while not exactly harmonious, has been relatively peaceful. Some shape-shifting demon nobles even live in the human world, and there are certainly some in the capital of the Great Zhou. However, since humans and demons are fundamentally different, this matter is seldom mentioned in either official or civilian discourse in the human world, as long as those demons do not cause any trouble.

He walked slowly to the grinding stone and crouched down, firmly placing his hands on both sides of the stone. He took five deep and steady breaths, channeling all his energy into the area between his waist and arms, let out a low grunt, and suddenly exerted force

He did not make any sound; from his slightly puffed cheeks, it could be seen that he was clenching his teeth tightly

... ...

That was a boy who was soaked to the skin and utterly exhausted

The cheers and shouts from both sides of the stone steps have ceased. Everyone is watching the boy, who is walking unsteadily down the steps with his head lowered, filled with concern and admiration. Several times it seemed that the boy was about to fall, yet somehow, a strength emerged from within him, enabling him to persevere.

After a long period of treatment and endurance, his illness was not cured, and he could not transform into a gifted and powerful youth of the demon race. However, he, who should have been extremely weak, is now physically no weaker than an ordinary person, and even somewhat better. Although this is merely a superficial health and strength, it still brings him great joy

After filling out a simple registration form and receiving a number plate, over six hundred young candidates entered the courtyard under the guidance of several officers

Similar to the assessment at Tiandao Academy, Zhaixing Academy has also prepared a preliminary examination, aimed at eliminating those ordinary youths who have failed to successfully cleanse their marrow, thereby reducing the pressure for the subsequent formal admission examination. However, given that Zhaixing Academy has a military nature, the methods employed are much simpler and more direct than those of Tiandao Academy—there are no sensing stones here, only a stone plate.

While discussing these matters with the *illustrated* book, the instructor became somewhat distracted and did not keep his gaze fixed on the stone steps. It was not until a certain moment that he regained his focus and suddenly noticed the expressions on people's faces had changed abruptly.

The instructor felt a sense of regret, glanced at the weather, and decided to accelerate the pace. He allowed the candidates to self-report their levels, then permitted those who had successfully undergone the cleansing of their marrow to take the exam first, followed by the ordinary youths who would have their turn to attempt it.

... ...

He believes that the Star Picking Academy will certainly not be as biased as the Heavenly Dao Academy, and at the very least, it will not act as excessively.

The young man raised his hand to gesture to those around him, proudly walking up the stone steps once more, heading deeper into the academy. Interestingly, despite his overly honest and simple demeanor, no matter how much he tried to deliberately display pride and satisfaction, to the onlookers, he appeared only endearing, evoking no mockery, but rather a chorus of kind laughter.

The venue was in an uproar

... ...

He walked step by step up the stone steps

The officer holding a pen and taking notes on the stone steps slightly nodded, appearing quite satisfied with this year's results

As time flowed on, it finally came to Chen Changsheng. The crowd of onlookers glanced at this youthful boy, offering a few encouraging shouts, but soon lost interest. This boy was clearly still young, not fully developed; he was not only lacking the robust stature of that demon clan youth, but even the two hunter boys were far more muscular than he was. It was evident that he could not possibly lift such a heavy millstone.

However, this is ultimately not a very common occurrence

He succeeded

The Star Picking Academy is indeed different from the Heavenly Dao Academy. Although there is also a dense crowd outside the academy gates, it is unclear whether it is due to the hawk-like gazes of the fully armed elite soldiers at the entrance or the oppressive atmosphere created by the stone tablet inscribed with the names of fallen generals, the area is silent, devoid of any noise.

The grinding disc slowly rose, ultimately being lifted to Chen Changsheng's chest, neither more nor less, just exceeding the assessment mark and the standard of the book by one inch

However, the second academy on Chen Changsheng's list is prominently named the Star Picking Academy

With such thoughts in mind, he arrived at the Star Picking Academy, where the atmosphere was filled with a sense of foreboding, and began to prepare for the second examination

... ...

As soon as he became aware of the world, he was forced to memorize the three thousand scriptures in the dilapidated temple. At the same time, the somewhat eccentric Taoist master collected countless herbs to brew medicinal soups for him to bathe in, while his senior brother Yu Ren continuously assisted him in toughening his body with thorns and wooden sticks. For over ten years, the three people in the temple were the ones he was most familiar with, and the scents he recognized best were those of books, medicine, and sticks.

Chen Changsheng indeed did not succeed in washing his marrow. His muscle and bone strength, in theory, is only comparable to that of an ordinary teenager. Moreover, due to his illness since childhood, he should be even weaker than an average youth. However, it is precisely because of his illness, which is still difficult to treat, that the three individuals in the dilapidated temple outside Xining Town, including himself, are most concerned about his body

He wanted to lift the heavy millstone to prove something to himself, while also expressing gratitude to his master and senior brother

Because this academy is directly affiliated with the Great Zhou military, it has nurtured countless brave and resolute young individuals over the years, producing generals as numerous as the stars. Many years ago, during the astonishing war against the demon race, humanity was on the brink of extinction. From the president to the ordinary students, everyone from the Star Picking Academy rushed to the battlefield, one after another, with nine out of ten perishing in combat. After the great war, the once grand academy became desolate and silent, resembling a grave. As a result, the Star Picking Academy gained an unparalleled respect in the human world, along with an unimaginable momentum.

Failing to undergo the marrow washing, one still lifted the grinding stone. In the enrollment examination of the Star Picking Academy, this is actually not uncommon. For instance, the White Tiger Divine General, who currently guards the Jialan Pass, did not undergo marrow washing when he first entered the academy. However, relying on his innate divine strength, he effortlessly threw that grinding stone directly across to the other side of the lake

The sturdy youth, suspected to be of the demon race, successfully lifted the grinding stone, as if he had opened a door. Immediately after, two more young hunters from Dalaoling, relying solely on their innate strength, also lifted the grinding stone and ascended the stone steps. Although it appeared quite arduous, they still garnered waves of applause.

In today's world, the practice of cultivation primarily revolves around the orthodox teachings of the national religion, with the essence of true energy being derived from the myriad stars in the sky. The doctrine of the Light Religion emphasizes the concept of light, which is illuminated by the starlight that brightens the night sky. This starlight penetrates the depths of the universe, gathers the stars, and relies on the energy scattered by countless celestial bodies to transform the physical and spiritual forms of mortals. This is the ultimate goal of cultivation, which underscores the significance of the term "star" within the realm of cultivation. Every country and sect possesses observatories, and there are countless star-gazing towers in famous scenic spots, yet it is rare to encounter names that suggest seizing or capturing stars, as such expressions would be deemed disrespectful to the celestial bodies. The energy scattered by countless stars transforms the physical and spiritual forms of mortals, which is the ultimate goal of cultivation, further highlighting the importance of the term "star" in the cultivation community. Each nation and sect has its own observatories, and there are numerous star-gazing towers in renowned landscapes, yet it is seldom that one sees names implying the capture of stars, as that would appear somewhat disrespectful to the stars.

After the burly youth left, many began to speculate about his origins, until someone suddenly mentioned the faint blue patterns that had been visible on the youth's ankle. Only then did the crowd fall silent in astonishment, for...! ... this indicated that the youth very likely possessed the bloodline of a demon clan, and he might even come from the Western Demon Realm!

The instructor looked at the anxious individuals, feeling somewhat at ease, secretly thinking that it should not be the case, as it seemed that the vast majority of people shared the same thoughts as himself

Just when the spectators were feeling bored and many were preparing to leave, a burly young man entered the arena holding a sign. He effortlessly lifted the grinding stone and ascended the thirty stone steps with ease, not even breaking a sweat or turning red in the face. He even carried the grinding stone back to its original place!

His face was slightly flushed, but his expression remained relatively calm, with no signs of panic or tension in his eyes

Seven steps, eight steps, nine steps

The instructor thought to himself that he no longer needed to make things difficult, and smiled as he reached out to pat him on the shoulder

A diligent and earnest child deserves special commendation

Suddenly, a hush fell over the slanted stone steps, and those who had been chatting were taken aback, forgetting to respond, their mouths agape as they gazed towards the center of the space

Chen Changsheng's footsteps grew increasingly slow

... ...

A weight of three hundred jin is difficult for an ordinary person to lift unless one has successfully undergone marrow washing and has flexible tendons and bones. Moreover, it is even more challenging to walk such a long flight of stone steps. Many youths who have not succeeded in marrow washing looked at the grinding stone, their faces instantly changing color. Many of them left dejectedly, and even some who had successfully washed their marrow but whose realms were unstable judged that they would not be able to accomplish it this year, shaking their heads repeatedly, reluctantly yet helplessly giving up. Of course, there were also some ordinary youths who bravely attempted the challenge relying on their inherent strength, but none succeeded.

... ...

The admiration in the instructor's eyes grew increasingly intense. He was surprised by the level displayed by the young man— as a soldier, what mattered to him was Chen Changsheng's demonstrated perseverance and courage— he had already decided that even if Chen Changsheng could not lift the grinding stone onto the stone steps, he would still allow him to pass this preliminary test. As for whether this would affect the reputation of the academy and the Da Zhou military...

Regrettably, until the sun has passed its zenith, not a single ordinary youth has created a miracle

Chen Changsheng walked to the top of the stone steps

The heavy millstone lay beneath his feet

Boom! The arena erupted with enthusiastic cheers, as people continuously rallied for the young man, using rhythmic shouts in an attempt to help him lift his feet.

A boy who has been ill since childhood and has been shrouded in darkness since the age of ten is more concerned about physical matters than others, paying immense attention to the details. Therefore, today at the Star Picking Academy, he silently approached the grinding stone, wishing to pass this assessment solely through his own strength

Star Plucking - This academy has chosen such a powerful name, yet the national education authority has no objections; the very fact of this is quite impressive