Chapter Forty-Nine: The Founder of Sancai

Tang Yi stepped into the formation and stood still. Old Chu flicked his horsetail whisk with his right hand, and the formation was activated. Tang Yi felt a tightening in his head, and his expression shifted slightly, though it returned to normal after only a few seconds. The four people outside the formation were utterly shocked; only those with exceptionally powerful mental strength could remain impassive while inside.

At that moment, Tang Yi was busy analyzing the structure and principles of the formation. He was surprised to find such an advanced technique within the Sancai Academy. It differed from the formations he had encountered back on Earth, which excited him; honestly, it had been a long time since he had absorbed new knowledge, which was precisely why he had decided to enroll in the academy.

Time passed quickly. Half an hour later, Tang Yi had fully grasped the workings of the formation. It was a hallucinatory trap layered over a containment array, designed to continuously drain the mental energy of those trapped within. Once the target’s mental energy was exhausted, it would trigger the hallucinatory phase, pulling them into a dreamscape.

Bored, Tang Yi took a mat from his backpack and sat on the ground. He then produced some fruit, snacks, and a large jug of water, and began to eat. The four people outside the formation watched, dumbfounded.

"Excuse me, Dean Jin," Tang Yi asked, "how much longer will this test take?"

"Uh, student Tang Yi, this is a test of mental strength. The longer you last, the stronger your spirit. Half an hour has already passed; your mental strength is exceptionally rare. By star-rating standards, anything over half an hour is considered four-star."

"Oh, is that so? Only four stars? I suppose I’ll stay a while longer then," Tang Yi replied.

"Only four stars?" Tang Yi’s response left the four of them speechless. What left them even more stunned followed: Tang Yi pulled a blanket and a quilt cover from his backpack, spread them on the ground, and proceeded to fall asleep.

He did not know how long he slept, but when he awoke, the four people outside were drowsy themselves.

"Hey, how much time has passed? Is it over yet?" Tang Yi’s voice rang out, causing the four to jolt awake. Seeing Tang Yi looking refreshed and vigorous, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets—everyone else who had fallen asleep in the formation had been terrified awake by nightmares. This only proved how monstrously powerful Tang Yi’s mental strength truly was.

Checking the time, five hours had elapsed. Old Chu coughed, deactivated the formation, and approached Tang Yi with stars in his eyes. "Five hours! Your talent for Taoist arts exceeds even seven-star geniuses. Consider studying Taoism; how about I teach you personally?"

"Um, Teacher Chu, could you fill out my form first? I need to report back to the enrollment officer," Tang Yi said while packing his things.

The group was baffled by Tang Yi’s attitude. Dean Jin Rui picked up the form and read it carefully: Tang Yi, address: Xuan Island—a small island 400,000 kilometers from the Great Zhou Kingdom—Island Master. Seeing this, the Dean nodded silently and exchanged a look with Old Chu. Old Chu took the form and filled it out solemnly: Mental Strength: Above Seven Stars. Proctor: Chu Bufan.

"Student Tang, it’s getting late. If you’re willing, I’d like to treat you to a casual meal," Jin Rui suggested.

"You're treating me to dinner? That sounds great!" Tang Yi, who had been inspecting the signature on his form, was taken aback for a moment before replying, "If the Dean is treating, I must go!"

"Good, follow me," Jin Rui said, then whispered something into Chu Bufan’s ear. Although the voice was soft, Tang Yi could hear anyone speaking anywhere in the Central Continent if he chose to, so he knew this dinner was not simple. But it didn't matter; he was, after all, Tang Yi.

Tang Yi followed Jin Rui to the instructors' residential area, arriving at a detached villa with fiery red exterior walls, covering at least seven or eight hundred square meters. According to Jin Rui, the two identical but differently colored villas nearby belonged to the other two founders of Sancai Academy. Inside, the villa was minimalist, well-lit, and devoid of clutter. To the left of the entrance sat a large table and chairs, and on the opposite wall hung a massive, bright red battle saber.

*It seems Dean Jin is a warrior,* Tang Yi judged silently. While Tang Yi toured the room, Jin Rui ordered his staff to prepare a sumptuous dinner.

Soon, Chu Bufan, Shi Potian, and Megsen arrived, along with the enrollment officer, Yi Wu—the current vice-dean—and two others Tang Yi had yet to meet. One was a woman. Jin Rui introduced them: the three proctors, the Vice-Dean Yi Wu, and an elderly man named Du Licheng. Du Licheng was a founder of the academy and a Taoist whose attire matched Chu Bufan’s; in fact, Chu Bufan was his disciple. Since the academy had stabilized, Du Licheng had focused on his cultivation, stepping away from administrative duties. The woman, Lan Xinyue, was also a founder and a mage, currently lecturing advanced students. While she appeared to be about forty, Tang Yi’s psionic scan revealed her to be 480 years old. This stunned him, as even on the planet Menglan, people usually showed their age by 120. This meant Lan Xinyue had reached the level of Archmage before she was 120, as only then would one’s appearance stop aging—unless one consumed rare youth-preserving elixirs, which clearly didn't apply here. She was a remarkable magical genius.

Once the introductions concluded, dinner began. To Tang Yi's surprise, no one mentioned his talent or his enrollment during the meal. They only asked casual questions about Xuan Island—how far it was, what local specialties it had, and so on. Afterward, they returned to the living room, and Jin Rui began to brew tea. Tang Yi knew the real business was about to begin.

As expected, Jin Rui asked Tang Yi to hand the form to Yi Wu, following proper procedure. Yi Wu began to read it, his expression growing more shocked with every line.