In the early morning, Link rarely woke up early. After tidying himself up with Ron, he decided to invite Erin along, and the three of them set off towards the "Imperial Cultivation Academy."
As the capital of the Radiant Empire, the city of Zhongdu sprawled over a vast area, covering tens of thousands of miles. The Imperial Cultivation Academy was located on the far western side of Zhongdu.
On their way, Link noticed many young figures hurrying past. Some were alone, while others were accompanied by numerous servants and subordinates. Clearly, their goal was the same as Link's: to participate in the entrance examination for the Imperial Cultivation Academy!
Before long, under Erin's guidance, the three arrived at the grand entrance of the Imperial Cultivation Academy. The architecture before them resembled the medieval style of Earth, with countless fantastical spires, exquisite courtyard villas, and towering rock fortresses forming a magnificent and imposing academy.
At that moment, outside the towering gates of the Imperial Cultivation Academy, a throng of people had already gathered, forming layers upon layers! Link did a rough count and was astonished to find that there were over ten thousand people, all of whom were clearly cultivators, their bodies either radiating magical energy or brimming with fighting spirit.
"Why are there so many people...?" Link murmured instinctively upon witnessing such a scene.
"Hehe, compared to previous years, this isn't even considered a lot. It is said that at the peak, during the most prosperous times, the number of candidates from across the Radiant Empire participating in the entrance examination could reach as high as fifty thousand!" Erin quickly chimed in.
"Then how many does the Imperial Cultivation Academy accept each year?" Link asked.
"Two hundred!" Erin replied without hesitation.
"What? Only two hundred?" Link was taken aback. At this moment, there were already over ten thousand candidates waiting for the examination to begin! Did this mean that a staggering ninety-nine percent of them would be eliminated on the spot?
"Yes!" Erin sighed and shook her head. "Although the Imperial Cultivation Academy is funded by the imperial family, the consumption of cultivators is immense. Even with the full strength of the Radiant Empire, it is impossible to train so many cultivators at once. It is better to strive for excellence and select the most promising talents from the many."
At this point, Erin added, "That's why I say the entrance examination of the Imperial Cultivation Academy is notoriously brutal. Most candidates will go to great lengths to secure a precious spot, often resorting to extreme measures during the examination!"
"This results in a very high casualty rate during the entrance examination, with many young cultivators not even making it to the second round—many lose their lives in the first round!"
"I see, I understand now!" Link said, suddenly enlightened. He then looked at Erin and reminded her, "Miss Erin, if what you say is true, you should stick close to me once the examination starts. With your strength, it might be quite difficult for you to pass otherwise."
"Are you willing to help me?" Erin's eyes sparkled with uncontainable joy as she gazed intently at Link.
"Of course!" Link replied with a carefree snap of his fingers. Although he had learned from Erin just how challenging it was to pass the entrance examination, he wasn't overly concerned, especially with the entire realm of the undead at his disposal.
"Thank you, Link." Erin felt a wave of indescribable sweetness wash over her at his affirmative response, her gaze towards Link growing increasingly tender.
"Hehe." Link, seeing her reaction, was at a loss for words and could only scratch his head with a silly grin.
As the three waited quietly for the examination to begin, a sudden cacophony of sounds resembling wails and howls erupted from a distance.
"Son!"
"Yoohoo..."
"Son, I'm over here!"
The moment the voice rang out, it immediately captured everyone's attention! Link couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth, for that voice was all too familiar to him—he would recognize it even if it turned to ash!
Peering through the crowd, he saw Count Bruno approaching with a gaggle of servants in tow, bustling with excitement!
Count Bruno had clearly dressed up for the occasion, wearing a sharply tailored suit, his hair slicked back to a shine, and even a thick layer of makeup on his face! However, this ensemble looked rather out of place on his slightly plump figure. Link could clearly see that within just a short time, several buttons on Count Bruno's protruding belly had popped off due to his vigorous movements, exposing his round belly!
At this point, Link was left speechless, shaking his head in exasperation, clearly not wanting to acknowledge this eccentric father of his...