Free Web NovelChapter 153: Chapter 153: Journey to the Inner Province - II
Chapter 153: Journey to the Inner Province - II
As soon as their feet touched the polished crimson wood, everyone’s eyes began to dart around in sheer curiosity.
Even Rhain, who normally maintained an expression of complete indifference, found himself intrigued.
He had acquired several powerful artifacts through the System, but a massive, functional transport ship of this scale was a first for him.
The deck of the ship was incredibly sprawling. Rhain noticed several wide corridors leading toward the stern and below deck.
The hallways were lined with multiple, exquisitely carved wooden doors, each sealed with its own independent array formation.
These were clearly private cabins designed for long-distance travel, offering the disciples a secure and comfortable place to stay and cultivate without disturbance.
Using his Eyes of Truth for a brief fraction of a second, Rhain could see the incomprehensibly dense matrix of energy veins running through the core of the ship.
It was a masterpiece of runic engineering.
Seeing them looking around with undisguised curiosity, Fabian couldn’t help but chuckle.
"I see many of you marveling at the craftsmanship," A faint smile appeared on his lips, "And rightfully so. What you are standing upon is not some ordinary transport vessel. This is a Mystic-Grade Artifact!"
The selected geniuses stood entirely dumbfounded.
"Mystic-Grade Artifact?"
The words struck their hearts like a heavy, devastating thunderbolt!
Most of them hailed from the Solari and Silvercrest Clans.
They had grown up with silver spoons in their mouths, surrounded by all kinds of wealth, luxury, and extravagant resources.
They had seen Rare-Grade weapons, and even their clans’ most guarded Epic-Grade foundational treasures.
But a Mystic-Grade Artifact?
Even the strongest Core Formation experts could only dream of witnessing such a supreme treasure in their entire lifetimes.
Suddenly, the polished crimson wood beneath their boots felt as fragile as thin ice.
The proud geniuses subconsciously stiffened their postures, their eyes darting downward carefully, afraid that they won’t be able to pay even with their lives if they accidentally damaged it.
Seeing their overly cautious movements, Fabian let out a chuckle.
"You do not need to tiptoe like frightened mice," Fabian said, waving his hand dismissively. "This ship is not something you could damage even if you attacked it with your full strength."
He proudly patted the crimson railing of the ship, "This is the Crimson Bird Skiff. The resources and runic mastery required to forge just one of these vessels are so astronomical that, in the entire thousand-year history of the Stormveil Academy, we possess only three of these magnificent items."
Three!
The geniuses inhaled sharply.
Fabian continued with a smirk, highly satisfied with their reactions, "The runes on this skiff provides an impenetrable defense. Once the defensive arrays are fully activated, it possesses enough raw power to withstand, and even fight back against a peak Core Formation Realm expert!
"Most importantly," Fabian added at last, "It flies far faster than the most late-stage Core Formation flying beasts!"
Hearing Fabian’s words, the selected geniuses finally dared to relax slightly, but the marvellous expressions on their faces only deepened.
Rhain was also astonished after listening to the functions of the flying ship.
"Faster than Kiki, and capable of rivaling a peak Core Formation expert, if possible I should try getting one for myself in the future." He whispered with a nod.
"Enough gawking," Fabian instructed, waving his sleeve toward the corridors. "Each of you will be assigned a private cabin. The essence density inside the rooms is highly concentrated. Use the next few days to stabilize your cultivations and prepare yourselves. Do not think you will have it easy after being selected, Stormveil Academy is not a place that tolerates mediocrity."
With that, Fabian turned and waved his hand toward the control nexus at the helm.
RUMBLE—!
A deep vibration spread through the ship.
The dense matrix of energy veins Rhain had spotted earlier activated with a light of glowing crimson.
Swoosh!
A violent bloom of wind exploded beneath the hull as the Crimson Bird Skiff launched in the sky.
The acceleration was incredibly fast, yet thanks to the ship’s stabilizing arrays, the passengers barely felt more than a gentle pull.
Rhain and Seris walked over to the edge of the deck like other geniuses, and looked down.
Below them, the colossal, sprawling behemoth of Mirravele City shrank rapidly. freewebnøvel.com
The towering walls, the Grand Colosseum, and the lavish estates of the Great Clans disappeared entirely into the rolling sea of white clouds.
They had officially left the outer frontier for the grand Inner Province.
After gazing at the shrinking city for a few moments, Fabian finally turned back to the gathered disciples.
"This Skiff flies autonomously, guided by its internal array core," Fabian instructed, his tone turning strict. "I will be cultivating in the main central cabin. Unless there is any danger, do not disturb me."
He swept a stern gaze over Navarre, and other Inner Palace disciples, and then the newly selected geniuses.
"Find your designated cabins, rest well, and do not cause any trouble on my ship. The rules of the Academy apply here just as they do within our walls."
With those final words, Fabian turned and walked away.
The moment Fabian left, the atmosphere on the deck shifted noticeably.
The Stormveil Academy disciples, who had previously stood with their noses pointed to the sky, looking at the Outer Frontier candidates with undisguised contempt and disdain, abruptly changed their expressions.
In the blink of an eye, the arrogance on their faces melted into impossibly warm, sycophantic smiles.
Several of them quickly walked over, heading straight toward Rhain and Seris.
They weren’t fools.
Rhain had just been granted the status of an Inner Palace disciple, placing him on equal footing with them.
And his wife Seris?
She was a ten-thousand-foot miracle, practically guaranteed to become a Core Palace Disciple.
In the hierarchy of the Stormveil Academy, she would soon be their direct superior.
"Brother Rhain! Lady Seris!" A tall, affable-looking Inner Palace disciple approached, cupping his fists with a bright, flattering smile. "Allow me to formally welcome you to the Stormveil Academy. I am Grover. Your performances yesterday were truly eye-opening!"
"Indeed! To think the Outer Frontier hid such peerless dragons and phoenixes," a female disciple followed, her gaze fixed on Seris with intense envy "Your performance at the Colosseum was truly eye-opening, Sister Seris. To possess a True Heavenly Physique... Sister Seris, your beauty is only matched by your unparalleled talent! Once we arrive, you will surely become the most dazzling pearl of the Core Palace!"
They showered the couple with relentless praises, desperately trying to build a good relationship with them before the Academy’s hierarchy officially set them completely out of reach.
Rhain, and Seris simply offered a polite, distant nods, offering nothing more than a superficial acknowledgment.
Then another figure stepped forward.
Navarre.
He forced a stiff, friendly smile that looked more like a grimace
"Congratulations to both of you," Navarre said with a strained voice, "We will be fellow disciples now."
Rhain slightly nodded, but Seris didn’t even bother to acknowledge his existence.
Navarre’s forced smile froze entirely.
His fists clenched under his sleeves, but under the watchful eyes of the other Inner Palace disciples, he could only swallow his fury and awkwardly step back into the crowd.
Rhain casually swept his gaze across the rest of the deck.
The newly selected geniuses from Mirravele City—Sylvan, Liana, Elian, and the rest—were huddled together, keeping to their own Outer Frontier group.
They were only Outer Palace disciples, after all. freewёbnoνel.com
"We are only Outer Palace disciples..." Sylvan muttered, his previous arrogance utterly shattered. "In the eyes of these Inner Palace elites, we are still just commoners."
As they spoke, two older Inner Palace disciples approached their group.
Unlike the ones trying to curry favor with Seris, these two wore arrogant smirks.
"Listen up, juniors," one of the older disciples spoke lazily. "The Stormveil Academy is a brutal place. Without a background, Outer Palace disciples are just stepping stones for the strong. If you want to survive and secure cultivation resources, you need backing."
The other disciple crossed his arms. "We represent the ’Azure Dragon Faction,’ led by a top-ranking Inner Palace senior. Join us, hand over twenty percent of your monthly resource allowance, and we will ensure you aren’t bullied by the other factions."
The Outer Frontier geniuses exchanged hesitant glances.
Back home, they were the absolute apex predators. Now, they were being asked to pay protection money just to survive.
"Recruitment?’ Rhain narrowed his eyes.
He watched as a few of the newly selected geniuses nodded eagerly, their faces lighting up with hope as they agreed to join whatever faction these seniors were representing.
"So, they are already dividing the fresh meat before we even reach the Academy. It seems like the Stormveil Academy is far more competitive than I was thinking initially."
It was exactly the kind of tedious, factional infighting Rhain despised.
He turned his attention back to the eager Inner Palace disciple standing before him.
"How long will the journey take?" Rhain asked.
