However, just seconds before the array activated, Jiang Lin caught a glimpse of a burly man beside him out of the corner of his eye. The man took a deep breath, an expression on his face as if he were prepared to meet his end.
At first, Jiang Lin thought the man was like him—taking a long-distance teleportation array for the first time and feeling a bit nervous.
However, when he shifted his gaze to the others, he realized their expressions were similar to the burly man's; they all looked like they were ready for death.
By the time Jiang Lin realized something might be terribly wrong, it was already too late.
In the next moment, the teleportation array glowed brilliantly, and the transfer began!
An intense, extreme sensation of dizziness washed over him.
"Meow&#%......"
Little Black, perched on his shoulder, let out a sharp, explosive shriek, though the sounds that followed changed from a cat's cry into an unrecognizable language.
Jiang Lin felt as if he had been tossed into a front-loading washing machine in an instant.
And it was set to the highest power spin cycle.
A very 'fine' teleportation array indeed, making his brain spin.
Fortunately, the teleportation did not last long and soon reached its end.
The light of the teleportation array gradually died out, and the piercing silver glow slowly receded.
"Urgh—!"
A powerful wave of nausea hit him, but Jiang Lin gripped his stomach muscles tightly, preventing himself from throwing up immediately.
The precautions he had heard earlier mentioned that if someone threw up on the teleportation array, they would have to pay a cleaning fee!
At the same time, noticing that Little Black was in a similar state, Jiang Lin firmly covered the cat's mouth with his hand and gave it a stern, warning look.
Jiang Lin noticed that the veterans around him who had teleportation experience were also desperately holding their breath and covering their mouths, refusing to let themselves vomit.
Finally, the room door opened, and the six or seven people on the teleportation array rushed out like zombies breaking free from their chains.
Seeing this, Jiang Lin quickly followed behind them, soon reaching an area separated by a translucent magic barrier.
Once inside, Jiang Lin saw a sight that could only be described as spectacular:
Numerous adventurers who had teleported in from various locations were just like them—some leaning on their knees, some crouching on the ground, all trying to recover from the aftereffects of the teleportation.
Meanwhile, in this area, there was a place resembling a row of sinks. A line of people stood there, gripping the frames of the "sinks" and vomiting profusely, with rainbow effects constantly spewing from their mouths.
A faint, mint-like fresh scent wafted through the air, likely the result of some air-purification magic working continuously.
Jiang Lin hurriedly ran over while holding Little Black, and the man and cat both leaned over the sink to vomit.
At the bottom of these "sinks" were special drainage grooves and cleaning runes. The moment the waste made contact, the runes lit up slightly, and the filth vanished without a trace, leaving the "sink" as clean as new.
"This teleportation... urgh... array.
"Why is it so... urgh... dizzying?"
Jiang Lin asked in bewilderment.
Little Black explained while still vomiting.
"It's probably because the spatial resistance of your body and this one of mine is too low... urgh...
"You'll get used to it after a few more teleports... urgh..."
A moment later, the man and cat finally recovered. Jiang Lin walked to the side and crouched down, while Little Black simply sprawled out on the floor.
"Look at those few people who traveled with us. Their levels are clearly lower than everyone else's, yet they're fine.
"They've probably teleported many times, so their spatial resistance to this level of transfer is higher."
As they rested, Little Black analyzed the situation for Jiang Lin.
Once the dizziness completely faded, Jiang Lin finally stood up.
He hoisted the still-recovering Little Black onto his shoulder and walked out of the "vomit zone."
Only then did he have the chance to take in the sights of the Court of Space in Clearwater City.
The Court of Space was divided into entry and exit sections; what Jiang Lin was seeing now was the exit hall of Clearwater City.
This space was several times more magnificent than the Court of Space in Boulder City. The vaulted ceiling was so high it seemed capable of accommodating a circling dragon.
Massive magic crystal lamps hovered in the air like stars, emitting a soft, bright glow. The air was still filled with that faint mint scent, making one feel clear-headed.
Around them were the exits for long-distance teleportation arrays from various regions. In comparison to many of these cities, Boulder City seemed utterly insignificant.
The sheer variety of pedestrians made Jiang Lin’s head swim:
Tall beastkin warriors walked out of teleportation rooms carrying blood-stained battle-axes; elven mages wearing enchanted glasses and sophisticated robes moved gracefully through the crowd; adventurers in worn chainmail with weathered faces carried unique spoils, hoping to fetch a good price in Clearwater City; and temple staff led out large demonic beasts that required special transport, weaving through the throng of people...
Unlike Boulder City, Clearwater City was home to various beastkins, elves, and demons.
Although there were frequent frictions between the human kingdoms and the beastkins or demons at the borders, the internal regions of each race did not ban all foreign races from entering.
Only a few cities with strategic significance would ban all foreign entry. However, developed cities like Clearwater City could still tolerate intelligent beings of other races.
Of course, tolerance did not mean everyone accepted them; discrimination usually existed.
After all, there were social hierarchies and prejudices even among humans, let alone between humans and other races.
Stepping out of the Court of Space, the full face of Clearwater City unfolded before Jiang Lin's eyes.
Clearwater City was a vital seaport hub in the southern part of the kingdom.
Consequently, the first thing that hit Jiang Lin was the slightly salty sea breeze—warm, humid, and mixed with the rich fragrance of various spices.
Beneath his feet was a bluestone road wide enough for eight carriages to drive abreast, with some moss growing in the cracks between the stones.
The massive streets were bustling with traffic and pedestrians dressed in all sorts of attire. The prosperity and liveliness of the entire city far surpassed that of Boulder City, which felt like an old man by comparison.
Near the exit, Jiang Lin found a small shop where many people were buying maps of Clearwater City.
Jiang Lin walked over and, after some bargaining, bought a detailed map of Clearwater City for one silver coin.
"Why is a map so expensive? Is this just how big cities are?"
Jiang Lin grumbled to Little Black.
He then unfolded the map and discovered he could inject magic essence into it.
Feeling curious, Jiang Lin tried pouring some in. Suddenly, the city streets and important buildings were clearly presented in a three-dimensional projection.
It was just like a holographic image from his past life.
Moreover, it could be zoomed in and out, which was extremely convenient.
Jiang Lin sighed to Little Black,
"Sigh, Little Black, it seems the problem wasn't with the price, but with my wallet."
He now felt a sudden urge to "go out and rob a bit of money."
Little Black looked at Jiang Lin; its intuition told it that Jiang Lin seemed to have some dangerous thoughts right now.
Soon, Jiang Lin quickly located his destination—Saint Brilliance Magic Academy.
However, Saint Brilliance Magic Academy didn't just have a middle academy; it had junior, middle, and high levels, though they were separated into three different campuses.
Following the map's directions, Jiang Lin walked along, observing the surrounding buildings and environment as he went.
The sides of the road were no longer the heavy stone houses common in Boulder City. Instead, there were rows upon rows of buildings in various styles, with white walls, red tiles, and blue roofs shining brightly under the sun.
At the end of his line of sight, he could faintly see the silhouette of towering city walls, and further out was the vast, shimmering sea dotted with the shadows of sails.
Several ancient-looking mage towers, their tops embedded with massive magic crystals, stood in different parts of the city. The towers emitted a faint elemental glow, acting as the city's lighthouses and guardians.
Guided by the map, Jiang Lin wove through the prosperous streets, heading toward the inland area.
The closer he got to the middle school campus of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy, the cleaner and quieter the streets became.
There were also more young people wearing uniforms or clothing with the academy's crest, and the atmosphere began to take on a scholarly air.
'These people must be students of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy,' Jiang Lin thought while holding Little Black.
Finally, a vast area surrounded by high walls and lush greenery appeared before his eyes.
The walls were built from some kind of white stone. Massive, ornate iron gates carved with complex magic patterns stood open. Hanging above the gate was a large emblem:
An open magic book with gems symbolizing the seven elements floating above it, all encircling a radiant star.
This was the school crest of Saint Brilliance Magic Academy.
Inside the gates was a wide, tree-lined avenue flanked by towering ancient trees and meticulously manicured lawns and flowerbeds.
In the distance, one could see elegant, well-arranged teaching buildings, the high spire of a library, and the faint outline of a circular arena.
The air was filled with the fragrance of grass and earth, along with a faint, steady ripple of magic energy, forming a sharp contrast to the noise of the city districts.
This was very much in line with the characteristics of a top-tier institution.
Jiang Lin took a deep breath and stepped into this magic academy, famous throughout the kingdom.
......
At the freshman reception desk, a middle-aged male teacher with glasses and a serious expression received him.
Seeing Jiang Lin's ordinary clothes, he judged at a glance that he was an ordinary student with no family background.
Furthermore, he was holding a black cat in an unrefined manner. A silly boy who would keep such an unlucky creature as a pet probably came from some backwater nowhere.
"Is there something you need?"
Although the special assessment for the middle and high academies was open year-round, most people chose to apply at the beginning of an academic year. Someone like Jiang Lin, arriving with only two or three months left in the year, was quite rare.
"I would like to apply to your school,"
Jiang Lin said politely.
However, upon hearing this, the middle-aged teacher responded dismissively,
"You can only apply to our school after the junior adventurer qualification assessment is over and you have your basic score. You're here too early."
Jiang Lin shook his head.
"No, I am here to participate in the special assessment."
Hearing this, the other man looked Jiang Lin up and down suspiciously.
"Special assessment? At this time?"
After a pause, he continued,
"Do you have a recommendation letter?"
Jiang Lin nodded.
"Of course."
As he spoke, he pulled out the recommendation letter written by his principal.
"I am from the Radiant Junior Magic Academy in Boulder City. This is a recommendation letter from our school's principal."
The man nodded, noticing the detail that Jiang Lin had taken the recommendation letter from a spatial ring. He realized the student before him might not be one of those dirt-poor kids.
He took the recommendation letter, preparing to open it to verify its authenticity and proceed according to the normal process.
However, Jiang Lin pulled out another recommendation letter.
"In addition, the Temple Master of Boulder City—Lady Cecilia Brightstar—also wrote a recommendation letter for me to your school."
Hearing this, the hand reaching for the principal's letter froze in mid-air. The teacher’s head remained lowered, but his expression had already shifted from dismissive to grave.
It seemed the boy had some background. A Temple Master of a city was a person of extremely high status; for her to be willing to write a recommendation letter for him...
No, this wasn't something a mere admissions officer like himself could handle. He needed to get the director of the admissions office.
He forced a smile, preparing to invite Jiang Lin to a VIP room for tea to discuss the enrollment in detail, only to see that Jiang Lin had already placed the Temple Master's letter on the table and pulled out yet another completely different envelope.
Looking at the intricate patterns on the envelope, the male teacher swallowed hard, a bad feeling rising in his heart.
Sure enough, he heard Jiang Lin say,
"This is a recommendation letter for your school from the City Lord of Boulder City, one of the heads of the direct line of the Castrot family, Lord Dane Castrot.
"Since I was training in Boulder City, my family only sought out these three lords for me. I wonder if this meets your school's enrollment standards?"
Hearing this, cold sweat began to pour down the teacher's back.
From the way the boy spoke, it sounded like he had a powerful family behind him that could easily get the two highest-ranking figures of a city's major factions to vouch for him.
Jiang Lin placed the recommendation letters neatly on the table in front of him and said, seemingly casually,
"My family always taught me that when I am out in the world, I must be polite, treat everyone as equals, be sincere, never be arrogant because of my talent, and certainly never use my family's influence to bully others. However, after being away from home these years, I've found that if I am too polite, there will always be those who don't know what's good for them; if I am too humble, there will always be those who try to take liberties.
"Sigh, Teacher, why do you think the ways of the world are so strange? Is it that what my family taught me is wrong, or is there something wrong with certain people?"
Jiang Lin had naturally noticed the teacher's look of disdain; that dismissive and perfunctory attitude was quite obvious.
If he only had the principal's recommendation letter, Jiang Lin might have just smiled and let it slide.
But since he held recommendation letters from the City Lord and the Temple Master, he naturally couldn't be too low-key.
When holding such things, being too polite and humble would only make others look down on him.
If even an admissions teacher acted like this, then other people might be even worse...
This was a sickness that needed a cure!
Furthermore, as the saying goes, when you're away from home, your identity is what you make of it.
What Jiang Lin wanted to create for himself was the persona of a young master from a mysterious, reclusive family.
If they tried to investigate, they would only find his identity as an orphan. No matter how they looked, they would never find his parents.
And before that, as long as he hinted that his identity at the temple was already a disguise...
People would assume it was because the family behind him was so powerful that they could make a disguise that perfect.
If anyone thought he was just talking big or trying to scam them and wanted to test the depths of the family behind him...
They would first have to consider whether the Temple Master and the City Lord, who were backing him openly, would agree.
Seeing the teacher frozen in place, Jiang Lin leaned forward and tapped his finger on the desk.
"Teacher, I just want to enroll normally like an ordinary student.
"Is there a problem?"
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