Chapter 4241 — The Eastern Continent and Southern Continent

"Huh? The Eastern Continent is the Eastern Island?" Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao were both taken aback. No wonder the man had been so astonished—even a newcomer from the mortal realm fresh to Cloud Terrace Island knew of the five great islands of the Heaven Tier, and anyone who did not know the Eastern Island could only be explained away as an alien. Still, they pressed on, puzzled: "Then why is it also called the Eastern Continent?"

"You two really are a rare breed, not knowing even that." The blue-robed man could not help but laugh, but being warm-hearted, he patiently set about enlightening them. "The five great islands of the Heaven Tier—East, West, South, North, and Center—that is merely the common way we speak of them. Strictly speaking, though, the Eastern Island and the Southern Island cannot really be counted as islands at all. They are the Eastern Continent and the Southern Continent."

"And why is that?" Wei Zhao could not help asking. He had been on Cloud Terrace Island for over a year now, yet this was the first time he had ever heard such a claim. Even Huang Xiaotao at his side pricked up her ears in curiosity.

By rights, Huang Xiaotao was a native-born daughter of Cloud Terrace Island and ought to have known such common knowledge. But she had always stayed on the Northern Island, spending her days either in cultivation or running trial missions, rarely mixing with others and seldom having the chance to hear talk of such things. So even she had never heard a word about these so-called Eastern and Southern Continents.

"Because those two places, the Eastern Island and the Southern Island, are simply enormous—their area far surpasses that of the other three islands. Someone once made a rough estimate that they are at least ten times greater, and so the whole island amounts to a continent, vast in expanse and divided into many regions, each one of which rivals the other three great islands in size, or even exceeds them." As the blue-robed man explained, he himself could not help clicking his tongue in admiration.

Only then did Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao understand. In those few simple sentences, their entire previous conception of the five great islands of the Heaven Tier had been overturned. They had assumed the other islands were all much like the Northern Island, never imagining there could be such a world of difference.

"Then what was it you said earlier about the Yellow-Rank Academy of the Eastern Island—no, the Eastern Continent—coming here to recruit students? What is that about, that so many people are scrambling for it?" Wei Zhao continued.

"Of course they are! The chance to go study on the Eastern Continent is the dream of every cultivator!" The blue-robed man's voice was thick with longing and envy. "Many people assume that since the five great islands of the Heaven Tier revolve around the Central Island, the Central Island must naturally be the strongest. But that is not so. The true strength of Cloud Terrace Island lies in the Eastern Continent—that is where the real masters gather like clouds. To study at a academy there, even for the core disciples of the Central Island's top powers, is a prize they beg for and cannot always obtain, not a thing they can simply choose to have."

"So that is how it is. No wonder..." By this point, Wei Zhao was astonished beyond measure. He had thought the Eastern Island was merely one of the four subordinate islands, yet it turned out to be such a transcendent existence—truly beyond all expectation.

No wonder, then, that whenever he had asked about the Eastern Island—whether in conversation with that ghostly fellow or with Hong Zhong—they had always answered with a mysterious smile, saying only that they would tell him later. Now that he thought about it, they must have judged his strength too low at the time, and known that telling him would have been wasted breath, fearing he might aim too high before his feet were steady.

"The Yellow-Rank Academy of the Eastern Continent is out recruiting students this time, and the Zhenduan sea region is the first stop. This is a golden opportunity rarely seen in a thousand years. From what those who came before have summed up, the first stop is considerably easier—far more likely to pass the test. If you wait until the end, when the academy's quota is nearly filled, the difficulty will be enormous." The blue-robed man was honest enough; even facing strangers like Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao, he held nothing back, pouring out everything he knew like beans from a bamboo tube.

"And what conditions has this Yellow-Rank Academy set in the past for recruiting students?" Wei Zhao asked, his heart stirring.

"First, aptitude! Second, strength!" At the mention of this, the blue-robed man grew animated. "From past experience, no matter how the conditions change, it always comes down to these two. And one thing is certain: only those at the Golden Core stage or above may even register—otherwise, do not bother dreaming of it. As for aptitude, that is rather more elusive. We certainly cannot judge it ourselves, but they have professionals in that line, and they use five-element stones to test..."

"At least the Golden Core stage?" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback. He and Huang Xiaotao were precisely early Golden Core cultivators—just barely clearing that lowest threshold.

"Heh, that is only the nominal minimum—the barest condition for registering. Look at how many people have gathered in Zhenduan City now; more than eighty percent are here for this very opportunity. There are so many Golden Core cultivators, and the Yellow-Rank Academy's quota is limited. Put an early Golden Core cultivator side by side with a late Golden Core peak, great-perfection cultivator—who do you think they will choose? It has to be the great-perfection one." The blue-robed man analyzed with the air of an old hand.

Wei Zhao smiled noncommittally, privately somewhat unconvinced. True enough, by ordinary standards one would naturally pick the stronger, but if the academy of the Eastern Continent was truly so transcendent, how could its judgment in choosing people be so crude?

Besides, the man himself had just said that what they valued first was aptitude, and strength only second. If one's aptitude was poor, what did it matter even if one was a late Golden Core peak, great-perfection cultivator? Once chosen and taken to the Eastern Continent, if one thereafter made not the slightest progress, would that not ruin the academy's reputation?

Setting aside other aspects of aptitude, both Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao were Golden Core cultivators who had achieved perfect breakthroughs; among Golden Core cultivators, their aptitude and potential were absolutely top-tier. In this respect, they held no small advantage.

"Speaking of which, the timing of this Yellow-Rank Academy recruitment is a lucky coincidence—it comes right after the miasma of the Rufeng Forest disperses. That is why this year Zhenduan City has drawn far more cultivators than in years past at this time, and why it is so crowded now." The blue-robed man then drifted off into pleasant fantasy. "Heh heh, if I can get my hands on some heavenly treasures in the Rufeng Forest this time and boost my strength a bit, then go on to take part in the Eastern Continent Yellow-Rank Academy's selection trials, maybe I will be chosen—and then I will shoot straight up to the top!"

Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao exchanged a glance and could not help smiling. The notion was indeed a perfect little circle—and surely many of the crowd now in Zhenduan City harbored more or less the same fantasy.

Make a trip to the Rufeng Forest, snatch some heavenly treasures to boost one's strength, then prepare for the Eastern Continent Yellow-Rank Academy's trials, and from there ascend the heavenly ladder and astonish the world—a winner in life, no less. R1152