They are currently in the courtyard of the Ming Yard, Yu SiFeng, Xiao Nantian and Li Meng.
"Elder Brother SiFeng, can you please tell us the power dynamic in the Academy, so that we will be properly prepared to avoid mishaps". Li Meng asked Yu SiFeng his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Xiao Nantian rolled his eyes thinking there's no way Li Meng can avoid trouble even if he's well equipped with information. If trouble doesn't come knocking, he'd go find it, else he's not the young Childe Li of the Li family of QinLou.
"Well you're right. Let me start from the lowest, or bottom power level. That's the outer disciples. The Martial Arts practitioners from the outer disciples wears Dark Blue robes, whatever headpiece they want, they are free to wear. The Sorcerers wear light yellow robes, the headpiece is same for all outer disciples, whatever headpiece you want. The Diviners wear light green robes.
For the internal disciples. The Martial Arts practitioners wear Purple robes with purple headpieces, their hairs must be in a ponytail always, not more than two headpieces at once. The Sorcerers wear pure white robes with white headpieces, there's no rules as to how they should style their hairs, not allowed to wear extravagant hairpiece, only one hairpiece at once is permitted while the diviners wear light blue robes with light blue hairpiece, their rules are the same with that of Sorcerers.
The token also have a significant impact on the power dynamic in the Academy. The level of your ability will determine the type of token you get.
The bronze token, which is of the bottom tier is given to everyone the first time you have been admitted into the Academy, then if you want to get either a silver or gold token, you have to prove yourself by taking the monthly assessments, in that same monthly assessments you also have the chance to become an internal disciple. Of course if after the assessment you still have your bronze token, it means your performance wasn't outstanding to warrant a token of a higher order. The same goes for the other tokens, you can always get a higher token if your performance is noteworthy.
Also if you have a silver or gold token and you performed poorly, your token will be replaced with one of a lower order. Also Internal disciples can be demoted to outer disciples and vice-versa.
There's only a few people with silver token and even fewer people who have the gold token while the majority of the Academy are bronze token holders.
The school emblem also works in the same way but it's harder to get an emblem of a higher order than a token of a higher order, and also it's only given to Internal disciples. Only three internal disciples have a golden emblem.
There's something else, if an external disciple have a silver token it doesn't signify that you and any Internal disciple with a silver token are on the same league, an Internal disciple with a silver token is much more significant than an external disciple with a gold token, if you are unconvinced you are free to challenge a silver token Internal disciple, if you win you have a chance of being promoted to being an internal disciple while the disciple you challenged, if on the same plane or higher gets demoted, either by emblem, token or division. Of course there are rules to follow if you want a battle with any disciples, especially when it comes to Internal disciples.
Above all Internal disciples are the Three Golden Emblem disciples namely; Chen ZhouXuan, Chen ZhouXi and Chen ZhouQin. The Royal Family prodigies. I can assure you this is not favoritism, the three of them are always sent on missions to other prefectures and never failed to come back successfully completing their missions. Not just them, that's a privilege Internal disciples enjoy. But they are the only three who have never come back unsuccessful, never. Also they are the sole personal disciples of The head director of Sorcery, Martial Arts and Divination, they also dote upon Goddess Xuan a lot, even his Majesty doesn't joke with her as well and it got people talking saying that if only she's a prince, she could potentially become the heir to the throne". Yu SiFeng explained thoroughly his eyes shining with admiration and envy thinking only if he's half as talented as them.
After listening to Yu SiFeng explain to them all they need to know about the Academy, they went to bed, having had dinner before their visit to the Academy.
The next day, they woke up very early, having gotten the outer disciples uniform robes for their respective classes. Li Meng is assigned to the class of Sorcerers while Xiao Nantian is assigned to the class of Martial practitioners that specializes in close quarter combats.
After washing up and putting on the uniforms, they both walked to greet Yu ZhangMing, Li Meng complaining that the color yellow doesn't do him justice, ranting on how the color white is his color.
"You both look dashing". Yu ZhangMng complimented them both which Li Meng accepted begrudgingly.
"LanZhou Academy of Martial Arts and Sorcery is prestigious for it's ability to produce powerful cultivators but it's also notorious for it's extremely complex power dynamics and the different factions that operate behind the scenes. You both should be careful especially when dealing with the members of the Imperial Family, if you are too talented they will see you as a threat to their power and position. Try to stay low key for the time being, you both are extremely talented but it doesn't need to come to the knowledge of evil people who wants nothing but your downfall. Nantian, your Grandmaster have enemies here as well as in the Capital city, that's why I advised you both to stay away from people of the Imperial family or anyone from the Imperial city, lest some people are not willing to keep the disagreement between elders and decides to involve youngsters. I also have made a considerable amount of enemies. Meng'er your family too have crossed people, so please don't do anything that will make those evildoers to stir up trouble for you during your stay here. I heard what happened at Academy yesterday but though it's the ninth princess you offended, her older Brothers are quite fond of her and will go to lengths to eliminate any of her concerns. That innocent looking princess you are seeing is very calculating, she's capable of pulling very mean ropes to get her way. If she finds any one trying to get in her way of achieving something, she up roots them from the roots. Some of the Academy's elders came to see me yesterday requesting to have you both as their personal disciples but I refused. It's too early for you both to be anybody's personal disciple but even if you end up being an internal disciple, your master should be someone who have a say in the Academy and can guarantee your lives. They should have what it takes to be able to get you both out of whatever troubles you land in, that's the kind of teacher that is worthy of you both. If you both can, try everything possible to get the Academy's Head Director of Internal Affairs to be your master. Apart from the schools principal, he's the most powerful cultivator in LanZhou, even people from the Imperial Family shows him a great deal of respect. If not because the principal of the Academy is a trusted advisor of Emperor Chen, I would have loved him to be your master but he's already affiliated with the Imperial family. But the Head Director of Internal Affairs, though old isn't affiliated with any faction, so he's the perfect candidate. He's also friends with your Grandmaster". Yu ZhangMing advised filling them up on the information, Yu SiFeng doesn't know about, making sure they are fully aware of what they are both getting into as disciples of LanZhou Academy of Martial Arts and Sorcery.
They both bowed lowly promising to do their best and never to forget his teachings.
With that they both departed for the Academy riding on Yu ZhangMing's spiritual beast, A white Dove named Yu Chundu.
Getting into the Academy's entrance, the Dove drooped them there and flew back. They walked into the Academy causing an uproar, everyone made way for them as they passed recalling the heart stirring battle that took place just yesterday.
They are putting on the robes for outer disciples, so naturally everyone is shocked knowing very well that their battle should have attracted quite the attention of people that matters.
"Hehe, it's because they offended her highness, so nobody dared to take them in as disciples in order not to offend her highness and make an enemy of our Goddess". Someone from the crowd analyzed thinking he must have thought it right.