CH 54 - 55

Chapter 54: Striving to Survive

Xiao Qingyang felt a wave of excitement as he stepped onto the stairs of the spacecraft for the first time.

The original host also had memories of traveling on a spaceship. After all, when coming to such a remote planet, taking a spaceship was a given.

In the memories, the spaceship was large with many seats. Everyone was strapped to their seats, and meals and sleep were mostly done in their seats.

There were many people, and it was bustling with noise.

Despite this, when Xiao Qingyang saw these scenes for the first time in the original host's memories, he still looked forward to the spaceship.

No matter how many times the original host had traveled on a spaceship, those were his experiences. Now that Xiao Qingyang had arrived in this world, he also wanted to experience the greatness of this world's invention.

Although their world also had spirit vessels for flying called "Spiritual Boats," the appearance of those boats was more like actual ships, and the space inside was not spacious. Most people stood on them during flights.

This couldn't compare at all to a spaceship, so Xiao Qingyang really wanted to experience the spaceship of this world.

Finally, his wish had come true. How could Xiao Qingyang not be excited?

He ascended the stairs, imagining the scenes inside. Would they be similar to the spaceships the original host had traveled on?

However, when he actually entered the cabin and saw the interior clearly, even though he had mentally prepared himself, he was still greatly shocked by the sight before him.

Many of the seats he had imagined were missing.

The bustling scene with many people was also absent.

Instead, there was a spacious and bright lounge, with several comfortable sofa seats scattered around where one could rest, drink tea, and chat.

Looking ahead along the corridor, there were two rows of neatly arranged rooms on both sides. Although Xiao Qingyang didn't step inside to take a look, he could imagine how clean and bright they were.

This wasn't a spaceship at all; it was like a massive mobile villa. It had almost everything one could ask for, truly an indulgence.

"Do you like it?" Long Jingze walked behind Xiao Qingyang, observing his reaction, and couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, smiling as he spoke.

"Mm, it's so beautiful," Xiao Qingyang exclaimed.

This spaceship was truly much better than what he had imagined. Little Long was truly amazing.

Once everyone was on board, the spaceship slowly ascended.

"Come here for a better view," Long Jingze took Xiao Qingyang's small hand and led him towards a window-side booth, where they sat down and looked outside.

Xiao Qingyang watched as things on the planet gradually became smaller and farther away, familiar objects slowly disappearing from his sight.

This was his first stop in this world and currently the place he was most familiar with.

Although he was leaving this planet now, if he had the chance in the future, he would definitely come back.

Before the sadness of parting could arise, Xiao Qingyang was once again struck by the scenery outside the window.

The spaceship had already left the planet Yalan and entered space. Yalan transformed into a sphere composed of green and brown, slowly disappearing from their view.

Following that was the vast and boundless universe, with sparkling stars scattered throughout, painting a magnificent picture for all those who beheld it.

This was Xiao Qingyang's first time seeing the universe, even in the memories of the original host. The original host rarely traveled on spaceships to other planets, with the only time being the trip to Yalan.

But at that time, the original host was heartbroken due to being abandoned by the family and had no mood to appreciate the beauty bestowed upon everyone by the universe.

"So beautiful," Xiao Qingyang couldn't help but wish he could stick his entire body to the window, once again marveling at the greatness of the people in this world.

In their world, only cultivators who ascended could leave their continent and reach another place. But here, even those without cultivation, as long as they had money, could travel back and forth between different planets on a spaceship. It was truly enviable.

He must strive to survive in this world, diligently study the knowledge here, and not let others notice anything unusual about him. Xiao Qingyang clenched his fists, silently making a determination in his heart.

Attending the Royal Military Academy would be his first step to surviving in this world!

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Chapter 55: Is He Qualified?

As promised by Long Jingze, the spaceship arrived in the imperial capital star of the Royal Military Academy two days before the start of the semester.

If Xiao Qingyang was already astonished by the memories of the original host, then coming to the imperial capital star and seeing the never-before-seen high-tech everywhere on the planet, his emotions went beyond mere astonishment.

"This is truly amazing."

This was the most frequent exclamation from Xiao Qingyang after arriving in the imperial capital star.

He felt like a country bumpkin who had entered the city, finding everything novel and wishing he could understand it all at once.

This world was so different from his original world.

The buildings here were tall, towering into the sky, as if everyone lived in the heavens.

In his world, the only way to ascend to the heavens was through sword flight or by riding flying magical artifacts and spiritual beasts, but those were exclusive to cultivators, or even only possessed by the powerful.

But here, one only needed to ride a flying car to ascend directly into the sky, without the need for spiritual energy input, without consuming spirit stones, and even without the need to pilot it oneself. Even ordinary people could do it.

This must be the immortal realm.

At first glance, Xiao Qingyang fell in love with this place and looked forward to his future life even more.

"There are still two days until the start of the semester. Stay with me during these two days, and I'll take you to register when school starts," Long Jingze said to Xiao Qingyang.

Naturally, Xiao Qingyang had no objections. He knew that Long Jingze was Little Long and they were close, but the butler was hesitant.

They were merely strangers who had spent a few days together. If the other party had any ill intentions, they would be powerless to resist with just him and the young master.

However, if they stayed in a hotel outside, given the capabilities of the Xiao family, it was highly likely that they would be discovered, and their situation would be even worse.

Well, it was only two days. As long as the young master successfully entered the Royal Military Academy, even that person would be unable to do anything to the young master.

It was just two days, and they would pass quickly. The butler weighed the options in his mind.

So Xiao Qingyang and the butler followed Long Jingze to his residence outside the palace.

"Yangyang, you missed the entrance exam for the Alchemist major. If you want to transfer into this major now, you'll need to take another exam, which will be even more difficult than the entrance exam. Only if you pass will you be admitted out of the ordinary procedure," Long Jingze said to Xiao Qingyang in his room after arranging things with the butler.

He had seen Xiao Qingyang's admission letter, which was for the Art Academy, a major considered decorative at the Royal Military Academy.

With Xiao Qingyang's talent in alchemy, how could he waste his time on a decorative major? As luck would have it, Xiao Qingyang also wanted to switch majors, so Long Jingze helped him make the connections.

In fact, even without his help, with Yangyang's talent, he would eventually pass the assessment for the Alchemist major. This just shortened the time it would take for him to switch majors and gave him more time to study.

"What do I need to be tested on?" Xiao Qingyang asked.

He had looked up the university courses in this world on the Stellar (Star) Network and found out... he couldn't understand most of the knowledge.

The symbols and knowledge were like ghostly inscriptions, even more difficult than the alchemical symbols he had learned back then. This made him not hold much hope for switching majors.

"The transfer assessment will not only test your basic theoretical knowledge but also your ability to refine potions. You don't need to worry about the potion refining part; the main focus will be on theoretical knowledge," Long Jingze replied truthfully, a hint of pride on his face.

For someone of Xiao Qingyang's age to be able to refine potions, he was definitely outstanding among the freshmen in the Alchemist major. Now, he just needed to pass the theoretical knowledge part.

Alchemy masters are usually cultivated from a young age, starting with the basic knowledge of various potions and spirit plants.

He believed that his Yangyang would definitely pass the assessment.

Long Jingze handed over some theoretical knowledge about alchemy that he had prepared to Xiao Qingyang.

"Thank you, Xiao (Little) Long. It's great to have you by my side," Xiao Qingyang said, his eyes curving as he smiled brightly.

Long Jingze clearly heard his heart pounding fiercely in his chest, as if it wanted to jump out. This strange feeling was something he had never experienced before in his life.

"I'll always be here for you. Just come to me if you need anything," Long Jingze ruffled Xiao Qingyang's hair and then left the room.

He was worried that if he stayed any longer, he might do something inappropriate, and it wouldn't be good to scare Yangyang.

During these two days, Xiao Qingyang didn't go out to explore the Imperial Star. Instead, he stayed in his room, trying to memorize the information Long Jingze had given him.

Although the alchemical methods in this world were different from his own world, there were still some similarities, and he had some prior understanding of them.

So it wasn't too difficult for him to remember.

In the blink of an eye, the two days passed, and it was finally time for the enrollment and assessment at the beginning of the semester.

Long Jingze couldn't personally accompany Xiao Qingyang to the Royal Military Academy for enrollment and the assessment due to some last-minute matters, so he had to let Luo Haoyu replace him and take the two of them there.

"I'll be waiting for you at the school," Long Jingze said to Xiao Qingyang before leaving.

Xiao Qingyang nodded earnestly and replied, "I will definitely pass."

The Royal Military Academy was located in the southern hemisphere of the Imperial Star. Its campus area was not large compared to other similar universities, but that didn't change the fact that it was the best university in the entire empire.

It could even be said that the size of the campus was inversely proportional to its enrollment and facilities, which had always puzzled people. Even if you asked the students of the academy, you wouldn't get a correct answer. Instead, you would be met with their mysterious expressions, which made everyone even more curious about the Royal Military Academy.

Every year, when the freshmen arrived for enrollment, they were filled with longing and exploration, always feeling that the Royal Military Academy was more than what it appeared to be. But the specifics could only be known after they officially became students of the academy.

The freshmen enrollment had only one day for reporting. If someone failed to report within that time, they automatically lost their qualification to become a student of the academy.

Therefore, anyone who received an admission letter would arrive early in the morning and line up at the entrance of the academy.

When Luo Haoyu arrived with Xiao Qingyang and the butler at the military academy, there was already a long queue at the main gate, consisting of this year's freshmen and their parents.

"It seems that there are more freshmen this year compared to last year," Luo Haoyu looked at the densely packed crowd below and smiled, his lips curling up.

The airspace inside the Royal Military Academy was restricted, and flying cars or spaceships could only be parked outside the campus. Parents could only accompany the students to the main gate of the academy, and once they set foot inside the campus, everything would rely on the new students themselves.

Although the queue at the entrance was long, it moved quite quickly.

"Young Master, once you go in, find the teacher from the Alchemist Department and have them guide you to the assessment. If you can't find them, ask your classmates. Take care of yourself and don't get involved if you see people fighting," the butler said to Xiao Qingyang, holding his hand and nagging incessantly. He wished he could accompany him inside the school.

"Alright, Yangyang won't be bullied. We should go now. The people behind us are getting impatient," Luo Haoyu persuaded the butler.

While it was normal for parents to be talkative, there was a limit. After all, there were many people waiting to report behind them.

"Grandfather Du, don't worry, I remember everything. I'll come to see you during the break," Xiao Qingyang waved his hand at the butler and walked through the gate of the Royal Military Academy, ignoring the concerned look from the butler.

Inside and outside the academy felt like two different worlds. Outside was noisy and crowded, while inside it was much more spacious and quiet. The freshmen were being organized by their senior students from their respective majors and heading towards their designated areas.

Xiao Qingyang carefully searched for the location of the Alchemist Department and finally spotted a senior student holding a signboard for his major. Just as he was about to walk over, he heard a slightly sharp voice from behind.

"Xiao Qingyang? What are you doing here?"

Upon hearing his name, Xiao Qingyang couldn't help but turn around and saw several young men and women walking towards him. All of their gazes were fixed on him.

Leading the group was a pretty girl, but her eyes didn't convey pleasantness, which diminished her beauty to some extent.

Xiao Qingyang felt that he had seen her somewhere before but couldn't recall where.

"And who are you?" Xiao Qingyang hesitated, perhaps these people were friends of the original host?

Soon enough, the person introduced herself.

"Xiao Qingyang, what are you doing on the Imperial Star? Didn't your father send you to the Yalan Star? Who allowed you to come back on your own? And you even dare to come and report at the academy. You really have no self-awareness," the girl in charge frowned, her eyes filled with disgust and disdain, as if she had seen something dirty.

Xiao Qingyang finally realized the identity of the girl in front of him. It was none other than Xiao Qinglan, the daughter of the person who was responsible for the death of the original host.

When the original host was in the Xiao family, he had suffered from this person's bullying countless times. Unfortunately, Xiao Qinglan had high mental strength and talent, and her future achievements in alchemy were bound to be significant. For the extremely snobbish Xiao family, it was obvious whose side they would take.

But Xiao Qingyang was not the previous host, and he didn't have a good impression of Xiao Qinglan. He wouldn't let her manipulate him or play mind games.

So, when he remembered who she was, Xiao Qingyang didn't even spare her a glance and continued walking towards the senior student.

Xiao Qinglan couldn't believe that she was being ignored by Xiao Qingyang. It took her a while to react, and she was so angry that her whole body trembled.

How dare this useless waste ignore her! Xiao Qinglan gritted her teeth, filled with hatred as she watched Xiao Qingyang's retreating figure.

"Lan Lan, is he the useless brother you often mention?" a curious friend beside Xiao Qinglan asked.

Many people knew that the Xiao family had a son who was a waste in both mental strength and physique, but few had actually seen him. They didn't expect him to be quite handsome.

Unfortunately, he was still a waste.

"I only have one brother. How could he compare?" Xiao Qinglan replied disdainfully.

"Huh?" The friend looked in the direction Xiao Qingyang had gone, voicing her confusion.

Others asked, "What's wrong?"

"That's the registration point for the Alchemist Department. Why did he go there?" the girl who voiced her confusion earlier said.

As she said that, everyone's gaze immediately shifted to the direction Xiao Qingyang had gone, and indeed, they saw his figure.

"Lan Lan, didn't you say he had no mental strength? Why did he go to the Alchemist Department?" someone asked.

"How would I know?" Xiao Qinglan replied impatiently, her eyebrows furrowing tightly. She quickened her pace and walked over.